Naruto catches a glimpse of the cracked part of the boat after they were almost hit by a cannon shot while fleeing. The impact caused him to be thrown to the ground and part of the side of the boat to crack. But, it wasn't destroyed, and it's not like they were going to be around for long.
A sigh escaped his lips as he finished tying Tayuya's broken arm with the fabric of his pants. Or rather, what had once been pants now looked more like torn and battered shorts, barely reaching halfway up his thigh.
His eyes fell on the sword resting on his thigh. It was huge, half of it had to be sticking out of the boat. The handle was black with bands around it to make the grip tighter, the sharp part of the blade was silver with black lines etched into the metal and serrated just above the border between the blade and the handle. It was a different sword than the ones he was used to, but certainly destructive.
- Naruto, you are bleeding.
Sasuke said, and Naruto snorted as he felt the metallic taste in his mouth. Nothing different than usual up to that point. He always felt sharp pain twinges in his chest at any sudden movement, even breathing was enough to hurt. But it's not as if this was something new, pain was already an old friend, a welcome one in some cases.
With the back of his hand, he wipes the blood dripping from the corner of his mouth and sighs, grimacing slightly at the new wave of pain as he does so.
-... broken ribs... it will heal.
He said in a hoarse voice, leaning on the edge of the boat and looking at the surrounding forest.
- Broken ribs? And what are you doing sitting up? You need to lie down!
Tayuya said, a tone louder than Naruto wanted to hear at the moment, but with something akin to concern in her voice. Hmpf, as if.
- Nah, relax... it's not the first time I've hurt myself like this... it will heal.
He said again, trying not to move his torso too much.
- How come you're acting like it's no big deal?
Sakura asked, looking at him intensely as she sat down next to Sasuke, who had one of his eyes covered by the fabric of his pants, which was red with blood. Naruto never thought he would see someone crying blood, he had to admit.
- Because it's not... I have a high tolerance for pain. Not to mention that in the situation we are in, we don't have the luxury of rest.
He said, running a hand through his hair and closing his eyes. Sakura didn't answer, everyone was too tired for any discussion or anything like that.
Naruto's mind wandered back to the past. A skeletal humanoid creature rising from the ground... Yahiko said it was the king of hell or something. A huge bird that threw blade-like feathers, he was thrown into some kind of other dimension inside the prison, he was thrown into the wall by an invisible push... damn, it was a lot for his mind to digest, until recently he thought this kind of thing impossible, only fairy tales.
Hm, what was missing now? A dragon?
- You don't seem very affected even after all we've been through.
Sasuke said, and Naruto snorted.
- Honestly, it's still a little hard to believe, but fuck, I guess you were right.
Sasuke arched an eyebrow.
- And you weren't scared? Like any ordinary person who has never seen or experienced anything like it would be. You fought trolls, an enemy that controlled chakra though in a crude and amateurish way... holy crap, you saw creatures from hell, literally, and you look so...
- calm. - Sakura finished what he was going to say, and Naruto smiled humorlessly, lightly squeezing the handle of the huge sword resting on his thigh.
- Maybe I was afraid at first, for a few moments. But like I said, if I can see and kill, I don't care what it is.
Sasuke still stared at him for a while, before snorting, a mixture of sigh and laugh.
They were silent for a while longer, and again, Naruto found himself going back in time, this time focusing on Yahiko's words.
"Minato," it was a strange name, he had never met any man with that name... especially a man who had hair just like his.
"My father said that I wasn't really his son and that he found me near my mother's body..."
He clicked his tongue, of so many things he had to worry about, family matters were the least of it.
Though he couldn't stop his mind from wondering if Sasuke had met this Minato, since from what Yahiko said, he hinted that Minato was one of Orochimaru's test subjects... if that's really what it is, it answers the question of his parents being dead. They were probably trying to escape from Orochimaru.
"And that matters?"
He shook his head and sighed again, trying to catch a few hours of rest before they started walking again through unknown places. At least in the north of the fire country they will not encounter so many enemies.
Hours passed, their footsteps deformed the soft ground of the forest they were walking on. The darkness of the night was advancing rapidly, making the forest look intense, as if the blackness of space was going to absorb them, and all that kept them from being swallowed by the darkness was the light from the fire that Naruto had made, where the dancing flames were cooking a boar that Sasuke had found with his Sharingan.
Naruto was lying on the ground, staring at the black sky through the treetops, as he always did when he slept in the forest. His body was numb while his mind wandered far away. Lately he was thinking too much, and while it had proved to be a good thing, it irritated him, as his mind always went back to matters that were no longer important.
Just as Sakura was telling some story from her childhood, before she met Sasuke, he would occasionally go back too far in the past.
So much happened in those days, weeks, that he barely had time to remember Temari, the pleasurable moments they had together, which although they had been great, stirred his body in a way that was not very comfortable due to the situation he was in.
Not only did it fill his body with desire, but it made his throat close up and he became emotional... too emotional for his liking. Did he really love Temari? Whenever he thought about her, he felt the urge to cry, sometimes just a small urge, deep in his throat that was easy to control, but there were times, a few times, that it was a strong urge, his chest hurt as if he had seen the woman die in front of him, his eyes became moist and his voice choked.
It made him angry.
- Oe, golden boy.
Tayuya's voice brought him out of his thoughts, and Naruto grimaced at the nickname, tilting his head back and staring at the woman's red hair.
- Golden boy? Really?
She smiled lightly, he knew, even though he had no sight of her mouth.
- Sorry, is golden man any better?
- Fucking hell.
She laughed louder, making Naruto roll his eyes.
- So, you seem kind of distant...why don't you tell one of the stories about those scars of yours?
He arched an eyebrow, but didn't show much interest.
- I'm sure the conversation is just fine without me.
He shrugged, returning his focus to the black sky.
- Actually, the chat is so good that we did the favor of inviting you to join us, you know.
Sasuke said, receiving only a muffled grumble from Naruto.
- Considering our situation, it would be good to get to know a little more of the people you hang out with, don't you think? - Sakura was the one who said this time. - I mean, we've been through so much together, and we barely know you. And you don't even know us either.
- Argh, so what? As soon as we get back to the kingdom, our contract will be over and we'll go our own ways.
He answered with his eyes closed.
- Really? And what do you plan to do?
Sasuke asked and the place was silent for a while, Naruto remained motionless, save for his chest that rose and fell as he breathed.
-...I'm going to get Ryuzetsu. - He answered, his voice colder and lower, which although deep, showed a slight hesitation in its tone.
- Alone? Come on, you know you have a better chance if you stay with us, or work with the Royal Army. Do you really think you'll make it?
Sasuke asked, with no mockery in his voice, as if he was just stating a fact.
- I think they will be too busy running a war than a single man killing a few soldiers out there.
- Naruto, that's stupid and you know it.
- So what, I didn't get this far by being smart, I got this far because I am strong.
- Naruto-
- Not to mention, how long will it take for this war to be over? For all I know, Ryuzetsu could be having sex with that guy right now. No way I'm going to let the only person who matters to me get killed or be used as an object to have kids with.
He used his arms as a pillow and closed his eyes. There was despair hidden by frustration in his voice, and again, they were silent.
Sasuke still stared at him, an intense, even sympathetic look, understanding Naruto's point and his eagerness to act. Still, that didn't stop the brunette from sighing and shaking his head. If the blond went it alone, the chances of success are extremely low.
- I understand, but... let's say you do manage to rescue her... how will you get her out of hypnosis?
Naruto's body tensed, and he opened his eyes involuntarily, something that Sasuke noticed.
- I'll tell you how, you won't. There are only two ways to undo the hypnosis, a Sharingan user as strong as the one who cast the hypnosis to break it free, or kill whoever it was. You can't do either of those.
His words were harsh but true, and though irritated by it, Naruto knew he was right.
- Like it or not, the best option is for you to stay with us, or at least stay in the army. And I just think it would be better and nicer if we got to know each other better.
Naruto clenched his fist and gritted his teeth, the whole situation was messing with his head. Damn this war.
On one hand, he knew that Sasuke was right and that he would be better off staying with the army after seeing the rottenness of the sound country. On the other, the more time that passed, the more the chances of Ryuzetsu being killed or... just the imagining of the scene of Ryuzetsu in the same state as those women in the blood prison already made his heart beat faster and the anger in his chest increase, burning like fire spreading through his body.
Deep inside, far deep inside, next to the scrambled thoughts, that same voice he always heard.
Was it just him, or had that voice become quieter recently?
-... Arrrgh, why do you care?
Naruto asked after a long tired sigh.
- I just think it would be good to get to know each other more, you know, we fought together, got arrested together, saved two damsels in distress together. - He laughed as he was punched in the shoulder by Sakura. - We almost died together in several situations.
- We've been through all of this and we're still practically strangers. If you don't want to, fine, but it doesn't change the fact that it would be nice. - Sakura was the one who said it this time, and Naruto sighed again.
Thoughtful... how could they act like that after the unbelievable things they had been through? He literally saw hell opening up on the ground, something he never thought was real not only proved to be real but was closer than it seemed.
-... I have no story worth telling, battle scars, normal in this line of work.
He said with a slight tone of boredom and defeat in his voice, closing his eyes and feeling the cold of the forest cover the side of his body away from the warmth of the fire.
- Come on, no story worth telling? I don't know, a child surviving and killing a mountain lion sounds interesting enough to me.
She insisted, and Naruto fought the urge to sigh, he was tired and knew that a new wave of pain would run through his body and mind if he did.
- I agree with her. - Sasuke said, laughing as he watched Naruto's body shake. - Listening to stories is a great way to strengthen the bond between comrades, you know, talk.
He emphasized the word "talk," and Naruto clicked his tongue.
- Fuck, what the fuck do you want to know?
he asked, there was no irritation in his voice... in fact, he couldn't even tell. Things were just too confusing.
- How did a child alone come across a mountain lion and know how to kill it? The whole story, from the beginning.
Sakura said, cutting some of the boar's meat.
Naruto was silent for a while, remembering his necklace.
"Damn, Naruto, you're as emotional as a fucking lady."
He sighed, once again.
-... I didn't have many friends in the camp I lived in, and my father... the man who raised me, often went to the battlefield, and I was practically left alone. - He began, wondering if he really should be telling more than he had to.
... Maybe because they had been through so much together, in a way, they deserved it... more or less. He also did the same thing before telling more about himself to Mifune, Temari, Ryuzetsu...
- Practically?
Tayuya asked, and Naruto grimaced, staying silent for a while and wondering if it was a good idea to answer that question.
-... Well, I wasn't exactly alone by company... I mean, I was away from other people, but I had some animals that I made friends with, I guess.
He closed his eyes again, satisfied with his answer.
- Oh, you had a dog or something?
Fuck.
-... Not a dog, but just as friendly. We were good friends, we were together for a long time, he had a brother, but I think he died months after I met them both. Anyway, I was on the shore of a small lake when I saw a group of kids walking towards the forest. I wanted to be part of the group and ran towards them.
Naruto stood up, ignoring the severe pain in his torso and pulled one of the boar's legs out.
- They never let me stay around for long, but this time, they agreed to let me go along, but on the condition that I prove my courage, how much I would go for my friends, or some bullshit like that. - He took a bite of meat and chewed, staring into the darkness of the forest.
I was so used to it, it was even comforting.
- We got to a small hill, and they said I had to go into a small cave and come back with a rock as proof, I didn't want to, so one of the boys pushed me down the hill, and I fell in with Gamakichi.
He widened his eyes slightly when he realized that he had said the childish name of his old friend, and didn't need to look ahead to know the expressions of his companions.
- Gamakichi?
Sakura asked with an amused smile, and Naruto sighed again.
- That's the name I gave him, do you have a problem with that? I was a child.
He said, trying to keep his face expressionless, but getting slightly irritated by the amused smiles in his direction.
- Well, well, the big bad swordsman once had a soft side too, how cute.
Sasuke sneered, and Naruto threw a small rock in his direction, making the brunette chuckle slightly.
- Shut up. I liked him a lot. Anyway, by the time I got up, they were gone, and a mountain lion came out of the cave and approached me. I ran as it attacked Gamakichi, giving me some time to get away, but not much.
He threw the bone aside after he finished eating and sat with his back propped up against a tree.
- The thing threw itself at my back and bit my shoulder, I managed to escape and run a little longer, but I was chased. I managed to turn around when the beast came at me and I grabbed its neck, face to face, and one of its paws hit my face giving me this scar.
He ran his finger down his cheek, if he concentrated hard enough, he could feel the pain of that day.
- I squeezed the thing's neck until I found a piece of wood sharp enough next to it. I couldn't use my legs, if I took my hands away I would have my neck bitten off, so I did what I thought was best.
He pulled the handle of the huge sword toward him and dropped it on his thigh.
- I let go of his neck and threw my torso to the side, let the lion bite my shoulder again, and picked up the branch, stabbing his neck as many times as I could until he was off me. I didn't even feel much pain at the moment, the adrenaline didn't let me, I hit, I pierced, I did everything. Until the lion fell to the side and I fell right after.
Leaning his head against the tree and closing his eyes, he clicks his tongue as memories invade his mind.
- When I awoke, I was in the camp, bandaged, sore, my father at my side with the claws of the beast on a necklace. As soon as I recovered I started training, at first with ordinary swords... when our camp was attacked and my father died, I took his sword... only to lose it a few years later for an unknown fucking kingdom.
They were silent for a while when he finished speaking, something Naruto was internally grateful for.
- Geez... how old were you again?
Sakura asked.
- I don't know, I don't even remember anymore... about six I think.
- Warrior at a young age. - Sasuke said. - Where did you and Ryuzetsu go after that?
Naruto arched an eyebrow.
- What about her?
- You ran off with her, didn't you? - Tayuya asked.
- No, I met Ryuzetsu some time later, in another mercenary group, after I rescued Konohamaru.
- We already know this story, - Sakura said with a small smile. - Konohamaru kept telling it to us.
- What did he say, exactly? - Naruto asked minimally interested.
- How "cool" a boy no older than himself was. How strong he was for killing an important nobleman from the city and adults twice as old and armed all by himself. I must say, I never really believed his stories until I met you. - Sasuke said, crossing his arms in front of his bare chest.
- It's easy to kill a man who likes little boys when you're a little boy. Breaking that degenerate's neck and setting fire to his quarters was quite satisfying.
Naruto shrugged.
- The nobleman, maybe, but the soldiers are another story. - Tayuya said.
- How did you and this Ryuzetsu meet? - Sakura asked, and Naruto blinked a few times.
- I... why am I the only one being questioned here?
- Because we all already know each other, we already shared practically all our stories, and I told one of them literally a few minutes ago. - Sakura answered, looking at him with an arched eyebrow.
- Argh, after I escaped, I walked alone for a while until I came to a battlefield, a group of mercenaries against a group of thieves. I killed two who came to attack me, and the leader of the mercenaries invited me to travel with them... that's when I met her.
- Hm... is she, like, your girlfriend? - Tayuya asked with some caution in her voice, even a little fear.
Of what? Naruto didn't know.
- No, not her. She's just important to me, like, I don't know, she took care of me, I guess she's like a sister I never had.
He bowed his head slightly.
- Oh, I see. But you really had a girlfriend, then? - Sakura asked, and Naruto blinked a few times in confusion.
- You said "not her," meaning that you had one.
Naruto stared at her for a while, and again, his throat closed up. He didn't answer, but looked away, and that was a good enough answer for them. Especially that clear, downcast look, totally different from the usual sharp, confident look he wielded in battle, for example.
-... I'm sorry. - Sakura said.
- Don't be. - Naruto said, looking at her again. - She... was a mercenary too, you know, I taught her how to fight.
They widened their eyes slightly as they stared at him, surprised both that she was a warrior, and that Naruto was the one who taught her... it was hard to imagine him teaching anyone.
Naruto turned back to staring at the sky through the treetops, his mind asking him to shut up, they didn't need to know more than they already knew, he didn't need to relive it one more time of the countless times he had and ever will relive it.
- She practically wore my style. For her birthday, I even bought her a sword as big as the one I had... a great warrior. In one of our battles against the army of sound, she was hit by a man using a hammer, several times. We managed to escape, I put her on a horse but couldn't go along. I was taken prisoner and one of the enemy soldiers told me that her horse fell off a cliff.
He sighed as he shook his head, regretting that he had said so much.
- That was a day or two before I was thrown into that ditch with a sword stuck in my body... I like to think that she died the way she wanted, on a battlefield, so don't feel " sorry", I am proud of her.
He stared at the sky for a while, until he shook his head and pushed those thoughts away. A wan smile broke out on his lips and he ran his hand through his hair.
- Damn, here I am, remembering the past just hours after fighting a guy who could bring hell into the world, I'm going crazy. Enough talk for me, I'm going to sleep.
He said, already lying down with his sword right beside him and closing his eyes, not wanting to look at the faces and expressions around him.
He managed to get them to stop talking about it and forget what he had said, a pity that the same could not be said of his mind.
A few days of walking later, they finally made it to one of the allied convoys. A broken arm along with bruises on Tayuya's body, even uglier marks, cuts and bruises on Sasuke and Sakura's bodies, plus a bloody eye coming from the brunette, and finally some broken ribs from Naruto.
At the moment, the four were waiting for medical attention near the tents. The first to walk away were Naruto and Sasuke, and both were thrown into the same tent temporarily.
While they waited, Tayuya and Sakura sat on the ground and sighed. After so long, they finally had an all-female moment.
- Finally, things were getting too masculine for my taste.
Sakura said and Tayuya laughed lightly, nodding her head in agreement.
- I mean, I may not be as strong as Naruto or as skilled as Sasuke, but come on, I'm not a rag doll. Sometimes I think Sasuke does that on purpose just because I'm a woman.
Sakura continued, sighing and crossing her arms, feigning irritation.
- Very unlikely. I mean, I find it annoying too, especially because of my arm, but Naruto doesn't care about this gender issue, he knows that anyone can go to the battlefield, regardless of gender, which is great, I respect him a lot just for that. And Sasuke trusts us enough to rank us high among his own men, also not caring about gender but ability.
Tayuya said and Sakura sighed.
- Yes, I know, it's just that... I don't know.
- Relax, it's just man pride. Even injured, Naruto felt obligated to take the lead in anything even remotely dangerous, same thing with Sasuke, probably because they don't want us to think they are weak, or something like that. Men don't make sense.
Tayuya laughed and Sakura agreed.
- Tell me about it. How am I supposed to think that a man who escaped alone from the land of sound and a man who killed over fifty men are weak? Men surely are strange creatures.
She shook her head and arched an eyebrow as she looked away, waving an arm as she saw Konohamaru approaching.
- Sakura, Tayuya, damn, the guys went crazy when our boys came back without you. Where are Sasuke and Naruto?
Konohamaru asked, approaching with a smile.
- Really? You're not even going to ask how we are?
Tayuya asked, and Konohamaru scratched the back of his neck.
- Do I have to? You're tougher than I am.
He smiled wryly, and they rolled their eyes.
- Don't even think that praise will make me forget, brat.
Sakura said, and Konohamaru clucked his tongue.
- It was you who said you don't like melancholy situations. But it's not because I didn't ask that I don't care, I'm happy to see you again. You are our only flowers, of course I cared. Without you this place would be in chaos.
They laughed lightly, although they knew very well that it was true.
- Anyway, I heard that everyone came back alive and wounded... how was it to spend some time with our commander and my pal Naruto?
he asked, sitting down next to Sakura and resting his arms on his knees.
- It was quite an adventure. Running away from an entire city of soldiers by wagon really was something intense... intense and unique, I must say.
Sakura said, clearly hiding things that Konohamaru didn't need to know. The boy, however, smiled excitedly and slightly widened his bright eyes.
- Heh, so now our sweet flowers are outlaws? How did you manage to escape the guards on horses in a wagon?
he asked.
- Naruto took care of them. I must say, seeing him fighting so close is something different.
Tayuya said, and Konohamaru laughed smugly.
- See, you believe my story now? I told you. So, who is stronger, Naruto or Choji?
They blinked a few times, and Sakura put a hand on her chin.
- Hm, I don't know. - They both looked at each other. - I mean, Naruto has proven to be extremely strong, as has Choji, when it comes to brute strength, I think I'll say Naruto. - Sakura said.
- I can't say for sure... a competition between the two would go down well. Not a lot of interesting stuff around here anyway. - Tayuya said, watching him stand up.
- I won't lie that it seems like a good idea. Anyway, I'm going to go visit the two idiots now, we'll talk later.
Konohamaru nodded to them, and they nodded back, watching the boy walk away with quiet steps.
- So, what's up with you?
Sakura asked suddenly, and Tayuya looked at her uncomprehendingly.
- What?
- Don't act like you don't know. I noticed the looks toward Naruto, your expression changes every time he's mentioned, someone is interested.
Sakura said with a mocking smile, and Tayuya stared at her blinking for a few moments.
-... You say that because you get the same way when the subject is Sasuke, right?
She asked, and smiled when she saw Sakura's rather strong reaction.
- So you admit it?
Tayuya rolled her eyes.
- What's wrong with wanting a strong man? You know that men like that are hard to find.
- Choji is also strong, Kiba, Yagura...
- But none of them are... I don't know. None of them have golden hair and blue eyes, none of them have a body like that, I may never have said it, but scars attract me.
- Hah, someone is falling for him.
- I'm not in love with him, pinky. I just desire him. What? I'm a grown woman, I have needs too. And I prefer to satisfy them with the most decent man of the lot.
She rested her one good arm on her leg and smiled slightly at Sakura.
- Now you, indeed, are in love.
Sakura choked on her own saliva and looked at her with false irritation in her eyes, a frown on her embarrassed face.
- And if I am, what of it?
- Are you after Sasuke for the way he is or for his body?
- What about his body?
- Haha, relax pinky, Sasuke is very hot, but he's not my type. Don't you remember? I said that scars attract me.
Sakura crossed her arms.
- Why isn't Sasuke your type?
- Oh, no.
- What? What's so special about scars that you can't see how beautiful Sasuke is? Where else will you find skin as smooth as that? Scars just spoil the body.
- No, scars show how experienced someone is. I am attracted to strong men like all women. I can tell how strong someone is by the kind of scars, and I tell you, I have never seen someone impaled in the chest and survive. Now that's a strong body.
- But, he... he is... young. More than five years younger than us.
- Haha, old enough to go to war but not for sex? Sakura...
-... Still, why are you specifically attracted to men like that? Most are brutes, and don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Naruto, not anymore, but he also acts like a brute at many times. Sasuke too, after all, he is a man, but he can be quite delicate when he needs to be.
Tayuya laughed and stood up when she saw one of the doctors approaching.
- Sakura, if I wanted delicacy, I'd sleep with a woman.
She turned and walked towards the doctor, feeling Sakura's intense, slightly wide eyes on her back.
A few days passed, each was released from the medical ward after having their injuries checked and treated, Naruto being the one who was forced to stay the longest due to his ribs (although he didn't give a fuck about that and often left the medical tent) and Sasuke was moved to a more private area with the excuse that he had to take a look at Yahiko's ring.
Tayuya was getting drowned inside that tent and decided to walk around the outskirts of town for a bit, she didn't really like crowded surroundings.
She smiled as she saw Choji and Kiba enter a competition to see who can drink the most. She didn't even need to stay to find out who would win.
Walking through the city towards the entrance, she stared at her arm for a few moments, still surprised to see that her arm was brand new. A liquid that the doctor had told her to drink, according to him, accelerated the body's natural recovery. Great for simple injuries like cuts and even broken bones, but it didn't work with more serious injuries.
After leaving the city, she walks across the plain, heading to the place she was used to going. It wasn't long before she smiled as she saw Naruto sitting with the huge sword at his side.
- Tired of training?
she asked, and he looked over his shoulder, expressionless.
- I came early, I can't sit still.
His husky voice made the woman arch an eyebrow as she sat down beside him. He had a slightly pained look on his face, and his eyes twinkled strangely as they stared up at the sky.
-... Worried about that woman, right?
she asked, although she already knew the answer.
- I just worry about her. That's all I can do in this place. It pisses me off that I can't do anything else.
She leaned on an arm and stared at him for a while, watching his golden strands dance in the cool breeze.
-... You know, when my boyfriend was captured, I was just like you. Worried to death.
He eyed her.
- So, I tried to go after him alone. Things went wrong very quickly, I was spotted. I was chased to a certain point, and when they caught me and knew I was trying to free him, they killed him, right in front of me.
Naruto stared at her quietly, analyzing her expressions that contorted as she talked. The woman leaned her body forward and rested her arms on her knees.
-... You look sad, but you speak with such tranquility.
She looked at him.
- Talking about these things helps a lot to lighten the weight. And it's been a while. You should try it.
- No. If anything, it would only make the longing worse.
- You won't know if you don't try.
- And I'd rather not risk it. It's hard enough to keep her out of my thoughts as it is.
She blinked a few times, the silence between them being interrupted by the faint sound of the wind blowing.
- Do you miss her?
- What? What kind of damn question is that? Of course I do!
Her eyes twinkled in a strange way.
- I noticed that you don't like people touching you. - He stared at her. - What about her?
- She... she was different... I was comfortable with her touch.
- Were you comfortable with her touch in specific, or with a woman's touch in general?
- What?
Tayuya leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. Naruto's eyes widened in surprise, and he quickly broke away, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder as he did so.
- What the fuck are you doing?
he asked, and she placed one of her hands on his hand.
- You miss her, I miss my boyfriend, we're both stressed and just want to feel lighter, if only for a little while.
He blinked a few times, still staring at her wide-eyed, and she smiled.
- What? It's not like we're cheating on them... they're dead. It's just a way to relax. Why not?
She grabbed his arm and leaned forward again, stealing another kiss. This time Naruto's arm was lighter and he allowed himself to be pulled into that kiss.
What harm would it do? Temari was dead, he was alive... it just made sense for him to keep going.
Tayuya entwined his neck with her arms and deepened the kiss. An involuntary moan escaped her throat as she felt Naruto's hands grip her waist tightly and his tongue invade her mouth.
He was as needy as she was.
Tayuya broke the kiss and hugged Naruto's neck tighter as she threw herself onto his shoulder, moaning in his ear as she felt one of his hands squeeze her ass.
- Lie down.
She said in a whisper, biting his ear lightly soon after and smiling as she felt Naruto's reaction.
The blond man lay down and Tayuya smiled seductively at him, just before putting her hand inside his pants and starting to lower herself down.
- Ah, the madam has decided to show up.
A male voice echoed through the room, and Tayuya huffed in irritation at the sight of the man further ahead.
- I had a setback.
She said, walking towards him and stopping a few steps away, looking into Kisame's animal-like eyes.
He was tall, dark skinned, with spiky hair, a muscular body, and had a scar on his face where half of his right cheek seemed to have been torn off violently.
- The clothes, the smell, the satisfied and tired appearance, and the fact that you didn't throw a knife at my head indicate that you have been with someone who could satisfy you.
He said with a smile, a mixture of defiance and desire, causing Tayuya to snort again with a sneer.
- You got that right. Of all the guys I've stayed with, he was certainly the best.
- Aww, that hurts my feelings. He wasn't better than me, was he?
- Not that I need to answer that question, but yes, he was, and this time I'm not just saying it to provoke you.
She crossed her arms, watching Kisame's skin slowly change from dark to an ocean blue. His teeth were serrated and his appearance became shark-like.
- Really? Then this time, I will kill with pleasure.
Tayuya averted her eyes to the other man who was approaching from the side, walking at a leisurely pace just behind Kisame. He wore Fire Realm armor and had his helmet between his arm and the side of his torso.
- This time, you are the one who will be killed. He's not like the other soldiers. How are you, Sasori?
The red-haired man snorted, crossing his arms and looking at her with an indifferent expression.
- I'll be better when I stop this farce, I hate this place. And I hate waiting, so I hope you have a good reason for being late.
- Well, I got too caught up in my moment of pleasure and completely forgot about our schedule, sorry.
She said nonchalantly, walking over to a table beside Sasori and picking up a bottle of drink.
- Really? And who would be your partner this time? Did you finally get Sasuke?
She took a sip.
- No, Sasuke can still see past me. But I got someone just as interesting. Fate is a strange thing indeed.
Sasori arched an eyebrow.
- The son of Minato and Kushina. His name is Naruto.
Sasori stared at her unblinking for a while, and Kisame simply began to laugh in disdain.
- No fucking way. Are you sure?
the animalistic looking man asked.
- Without a shadow of a doubt. You can't mistake the hair, much less the eyes.
She crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, staring at them.
- How? Our informants said that Kushina was killed while he was still in her belly.
Kisame asked.
- How the fuck should I know? Although, I do know he's strong... really strong.
- Well, well, it must have been exciting for you, huh? Meeting the son of the man who killed your husband.
Sasori said with a slight amused tone.
Tayuya closed her eyes and clicked her tongue. Kisame whistled as he watched the woman's skin grow darker, marks spread across her body, and horns grow on her head.
- Sakon was a piece of shit, I'm not that angry at Minato, not anymore. His son is what we are interested in.
- Is what you said about him being able to kill Kisame true?
-Yes. Of course, the chances of him dying are great, but he is certainly capable of killing Kisame. What didn't awaken in Minato, it awakened in his offspring, certainly. His physical strength, for example, is something entirely different.
She took another sip of her drink and put it back on the table.
- Orochimaru became interested in him when Yahiko reported, he wants more details about the boy.
- Yahiko... why did they send him to blood prison? Do you realize that he died for nothing?
The woman asked, slapping Kisame's arm, who tried to grab her ass.
- Orochimaru wanted to test the powers of that eye. He didn't think Yahiko would be defeated.
Kisame was the one who answered, not caring about the woman's stern look when he again tried to grab her. And even less caring about his violently broken arm just before he touched her.
- Things would be different if he didn't have that enormous physical strength. Of course, one on one, he probably wouldn't beat Yahiko, but that's just the point. Even without chakra, without Sharingan, without anything, Naruto would still have chances to kill that idiot. There are times when he just seems to ignore pain as casually as Kisame, a punch capable of killing normal people and wielding a sword bigger than him.
- A pity. If security had been better before Minato fled, perhaps, that power would be in our hand now. Imagine if he was exposed to chakra.
- That's my point. A powerful ally, or a dangerous enemy... what does Orochimaru want?
Sasori looked away and picked up the bottle of drink, taking a sip before putting his helmet on his head.
- There are reports that say he was able to resist the hypnosis cast by Yahiko the moment this Naruto looked into his eyes... is this true?
He asked.
- Yes, although it had some effect, he was able to resist the hypnosis.
-... Yahiko was still an amateur when it came to chakra, but the hypnosis of those eyes is not something to be taken lightly. We have no use for someone who doesn't obey orders.
-... I see.
- You are close now, right?
- He's decent... much more so than I've had in a long time.
- So it won't be hard to make him trust you. In a month's time we'll have new orders, until then, make sure your relationship with him progresses.
He turned and started to walk away.
- Oh, really? I'm going to have to watch my girl fucking with another guy?
Kisame asked, although his expression showed nothing. Anger, frustration, concern... nothing.
- I'm not your girl, I simply think you're decent. I just found a better toy for now.
- Hehehe, you hurt me.
- I see, like you feel something.
- Of course I do, especially when you-
- So long, Kisame.
She interrupted him, her appearance returning to normal, and her steps leading away from that abandoned warehouse on the edge of town.