'ello! Sorry for the wait (any wait is too long) but I couldn't just spend the whole of my precious spring beak on the computer, now could I? ^_~ In case you need me to make this super clear, this chapter is a LEMON. This chapter's plot is particularly hackneyed, but if it works, don't fix it.
And please FLAME ME! Just telling me it's good doesn't help it get better. What do you want to read? Am I neglecting the main character too much?
Kurai grinned as the cool wind brushed against her face. Soon she'd be able to let her chakra burn, and she couldn't wait. Looking around she noticed Naruto and Sasuke's cheeks were still slightly flushed from their practice with maintaining high body heat. Sakura was fine and whining at the boys to help with dinner. Kakashi had picked up a couple of rabbits during their travel, and had given them to the students to see if they could prepare them for human consumption. Kurai picked at her clothes and sighed. It had been a while since her last bath, and her clothes needed a good wash as well. She looked around and slipped away.
It was a quick jaunt to a nearby stream, and then she followed it a distance. Her nose caught a familiar smell and she left her trail to pursue the new target. When she burst out of the trees and nearly fell into a hot spring she almost squealed. Back home the main source of heat was from the hot springs that were everywhere. Removing her shoes she jumped in. She sighed, relaxing, then started to remove her clothes. Once they were off she hung them on nearby bushes to begin to dry.
Kakashi yawned and looked around. It had been a minute or so since Kurai left, and given the quiet way she'd vanished he guessed her intent. The students were chatting as the rabbit stew Sakura was tending cooked. He ducked into the trees and followed Kurai. He knew this area reasonably well, and if memory served, there were hot springs nearby that he had considered having everyone visit. Now of course his plan had changed.
He proceeded to the nearest spring and found it empty. The next was also vacant. It took him a little while to find the right one. Then he went over his plan and grinned. Yes, could work. Making a limited amount of noise he began to shuck his layers of clothing and armor. He hesitated to remove the mask, but it couldn't be helped. Then, as if it were as normal as anything, he left the bushes and slid into the hot spring on the opposite side of Kurai. She was using a rock as a pillow and looked perfectly oblivious.
The ripples he made tickled Kurai's chest and she opened her eyes and lifted her head. He waved from his end, looking completely relaxed and casual. More than just the spring was adding color to Kurai's cheeks now, and she curled her legs up near her chest as she looked away. "Judging from Sakura's reaction when she walked in on Naruto I had thought Hidden Leaf folk were more reserved. Naruto and Sasuke didn't seem to mind, so maybe it's just Sakura…" Kakashi could tell from the rambling that she was affected by his presence.
She ducked under the surface and curled up into a ball. What the heck! I know there isn't exactly a sign saying 'women's bath' but still! I must say, it took me a moment to recognize him without the mask…Not bad looking all told…*mental smack* What am I thinking? She lifted her head and took a breath before submerging again. Safer with my eyes closed…
Says who? You know, this is probably why your stupid village is dying away. None of you know how to have fun anymore! Kurai stiffened, but didn't surface.
Zanz…I didn't ask for your opinion. I suppose I kind of did invite it, though with this intense thought. Damn. So what was that you were saying?
Ahem. Now you want my opinion? Fickle human, you have no idea how to mate do you?
Of course I know how! I'm not a sheltered baby!
Could've fooled me. You don't want to marry Ketsuki and have his children—as will probably happen now that he has your father's consent to ask you—yet when the opportunity comes to claim a strong mate you shy away.
Kurai felt a little ticked. I am not searching for a mate right now. I want to live a little before trying to have kids and dealing with all the worry. Besides, I want a man who's more than just a formidable ninja—
We aren't talking about that four-letter word are we? You know it's just a made-up word for humans so they can feel special. It's real name is lust, and don't tell me that's not here, because even I'm getting excited, and he's no demon.
Kurai remembered she had to breath and uncurled, abruptly raising her head out of the water to gasp in fresh air. Kakashi had decided to come and see why she was staying under so long, and her head hit his chin, stunning him and knocking him back into the spring. She rubbed her head and gasped. Bubbles weren't a good sign. She dove under and grabbed Kakashi around the chest to bring him up.
As their heads broke the surface she felt him move and froze. He lifted a hand and worked his jaw around. Kurai let go of him and floated around to face him. "You okay? I really didn't mean to hit you like that."
He smiled. She blinked, finding his uncovered grin different from the hidden one. There was something almost teasing in this one. Maybe she'd been wrong in her original appraisal of him. Right now he felt more like Naruto than Sasuke. "I'm fine. Lucky I didn't bite off my tongue." Kurai swallowed. She would have never forgiven herself for something like that.
She sighed and turned away to return to her side of the spring. His hand came down on her shoulder and she started to turn, but he had come up right behind her and she ended up bumping into him and lying a hand on his chest. Feeling shocked, she tried to jump back, but her feet only managed to hit Kakashi's and made them both lose their balance on the spring's warm stones. They went under, and Kakashi took advantage of the situation to catch Kurai and bring them both up with her held close.
Kurai coughed off to the side, trying to get rid of some of the water she'd gasped in. Extremely pink, she looked up at Kakashi and said quietly, "Sorry about tha—" Kakashi silence her with a kiss. Because she'd been speaking her mouth was wide open and his tongue plunged in. Kurai stiffened, surprise ringing along her bones all the way to her toes. What? What am I doing?! She thought about shoving him away and kneeing him in the groin, (this was the only kind of situation in which such a move was considered) but found herself kissing back. Her arms came down from trying to cover herself up and snaked back up along Kakashi's arms. One went to his left shoulder, the other started playing with the hair near his neck.
Her reaction was all Kakashi could have hoped for. There had been that strange thought before, the 'What? What am I doing?!' thought. He doubted it came from his own mind because he had been planning this for a while. There wasn't any way for him to hear her thoughts was there? Then the feeling of her breasts brushing against his chest scattered his deeper thinking and he held her tight as his mouth began to trail kisses along her neck.
That's it my girl… Kurai couldn't help it. Zanz seemed to want this to happen, and while Kurai was always the one in control with the final word, she couldn't stop herself. Her own attraction mixed with the primal need in Zanz's chakra had broken her barriers. She rubbed her body enticingly against Kakashi's and began to feel a certain something poking into her. He steered them into shallower waters and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he nibbled her ear.
Kakashi pulled back a little before gripping Kurai's hips and sliding himself inside her. She gripped his shoulders as she adjusted to his size, her tight passage screaming at her. Maybe I shouldn't have told Sakura not to worry because bro's still growing… Then thought was gone as Kakashi made his first move and Kurai gasped, arching her back. It started slow, each stroke deliberate and deep as they kissed with a similar rhythm. As the passion took control, Kakashi sped up the pace. His length slid in and out faster and faster as he growled with suppressed moans. Kurai panted, and felt something building. "Ka—ka—shii!" Then she bit his shoulder as she came, her canal tightening around its captive. Kakashi grunted and thrust in once more, pouring into her before they both slid back into the water up to their chests.
A half hour later they were still in the hot spring, arms around each other, silently enjoying the comfort. We should probably head back before the others get suspicious and come looking, Kakashi thought.
Kurai lifted her head from his shoulder and looked into his gray eye with her bright blue ones and said, "We should go back. My clothes are probably dry enough by now." Kakashi nodded.
"I was just thinking the same thing." They slowly parted and climbed out. After a couple of seconds of heightened chakra they were dry enough to get dressed. Kurai felt unusually light. It was strange, because she didn't feel like she had just done some guilty act or spent a couple hours soaking in a hot spring. She felt as if she'd just returned home and spent the entire day in the hot spring. It was this amazingly languid, content feeling. She followed Kakashi for a ways and then they separated. Each slid back into the spot they'd vacated not long ago. The stew was still simmering, but most of it was gone. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were rolled up neatly in their bedrolls, but Kurai wasn't about to bet they were asleep.
"I guess you took this opportunity to visit the hot springs too?" she asked quietly as she and Kakashi divided the rest of the stew up. They ate in companionable silence, not a look or motion to betray their secret, and went to sleep in their normal, separate, positions. The next morning they traveled on until afternoon. Kurai motioned towards the mountains. "That's where we're headed. On the other side of those is the white wall of my village. Then we can rest…" Her eyes grew warm and starry as she thought of home. She'd been spoiling to leave the place all her life, and now she couldn't wait to return.
They went a little further that day, up to the roots of the Rage Mountains, before stopping in the early evening. Kurai stayed awake barely long enough for dinner before turning her back on the group and going to sleep. Usually she was the last to get settled, so there were some confused looks at this break in routine, but nothing so surprising as to seriously unsettle someone. They traveled at a relatively steady pace through the trees until they reached the pine forests. Kurai had them jump down to the ground to avoid getting sap on everything. They traveled like this until Sakura collapsed.
They had been passing occasional patches of snow and Kurai had let her chakra start to burn. Apparently Sakura had felt enough of a chill to try and keep hers up as well, and used most of her stamina. They were forced to stop for the day, and Kurai and Kakashi spent a good hour preparing the best foods for a quick recovery due to the lack of food pills. It got cold enough that Kurai slept alongside Sakura to keep the girl warm. The next morning Kurai made sure Sakura kept a steady stream of chakra flowing from the trees to keep her warm, but was still worried. Once they hit the storm there wouldn't be anything to get energy from.
A week after the hot springs, they reached the snow wastes. Clouds tumbled around on this side of the mountains. Kurai made sure everyone was keeping warm and set out at a steady jog. They didn't walk through the growing drifts of snow, they ran on top. It wasn't so dissimilar from walking on water or up a tree, just more of a strain because of the physical exertion and the chakra used to keep them from freezing.
Sakura spent the last hour of travel that day on Kakashi's back wrapped in a blanket. Her chakra had been used up too quickly. Kurai and the boys built a quick ice shelter and they settled down for a long rest. Late the next morning they headed out. Kurai felt exhausted and couldn't figure out why. She was probably the one the most used to these conditions, had she grown soft? We'll be back home soon, then I can rest…
Oh? A little tired? Kurai scowled into the snow.
What do you want? Must be really important if you're wasting the strength to force this conversation.
Zanz's tone changed from teasing to angry. I've been trying to tell you something for the past, oh, four days! Stubborn, stupid, knocked-up humans…
Hey! Who you calling 'knocked-up'? That was partially your doing. Kurai felt repulsed at the idea of her demon taking pleasure from that evening spent with Kakashi at the hot springs. They'd met up a couple times since then for some heated kisses, but nothing like the first time.
Zanz spoke again, this time with her usual haughty air. I'm saying you're pregnant.
::Ayeka is aware that she is evil for doing this to her characters, but it's more fun ^_^::