::Has anyone else noticed how perfect "Behind Blue Eyes" is for Naruto?? On a whim I added the lyrics to the beginning of this chapter, and I might even make an AMV for it in the future. (If I ever figure out what's wrong with Premiere -_-) This chapter isn't remarkably longer or shorter, despite the addition of the lyrics! Thank-you to readers and reviewers alike! Then thank-you again to my reviewers!::
"Behind Blue Eyes" originally sung by The Who, re-made by Limp Bizkit(which is the one I prefer, but these are the original lyrics)
No one knows what it's like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes
No one knows what it's like
To be hated
To be fated
To telling only lies
But my dreams
They aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be
I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance
That's never free
No one knows what it's like
To feel these feelings
Like I do
And I blame you
No one bites back as hard
On their anger
None of my pain and woe
Can show through
But my dreams
They aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be
I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance
That's never free
When my fist clenches, crack it open
Before I use it and lose my cool
When I smile, tell me some bad news
Before I laugh and act like a fool
And If I swallow anything evil
Put your finger down my throat
And If I shiver, please give me a blanket
Keep me warm, let me wear your coat
No one knows what it's like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes
The next day Kakashi casually asked what Kurai's day had been like, how her report to her father had been. She grew quite, setting down her chopsticks and unwilling to look into his eyes. "Ketsuki took out a marriage petition. All the elders have signed it, and while he hasn't formally presented it to me to sign, I can tell it's what my father wants and what everyone else expects."
Kakashi wasn't familiar with a marriage 'petition.' "A petition for marriage? In Konoha usually one of the two asks the other, and if an agreement is made, they go together to get a license and have a wedding. Is a petition the same thing as a license to get married?" He was genuinely curious, as one could suppose was only natural for a man interested in possibly forming a life-long relationship.
Kurai frowned and shook her head. Resting her elbows on the table she said, "The petition is just that, the hopeful partner picks up the form and fills out their intent on it before handing it over to our governing body, a council of Anbu who were or are the best fighters in the village. Usually a few will sign and send it back to the petitioner, who then presents it to their intended husband or wife as a way of saying, 'I want you to be my life partner, and these signatures are proof that the union is in good faith.'" She rested her head on her hands and sighed. "If the petitioned party signs, they're hitched."
This idea of marriage struck Kakashi as disagreeable in two ways. One was that the petition was pretty much someone saying 'all these people want you to marry me' and provided unfair pressure. Another was the lack of ceremony or romance. Not that Kakashi was gushy and wanted a huge ceremony and party that would make him bankrupt, but to have nothing of that sort at all almost seemed to make marriage a business deal or piece of legislature. His fondness of Icha Icha Paradise was not to be discounted of course, but still.
Kakashi decided that it was time to introduce Kurai to the way things were supposed to be handled between lovers.
-------
Kurai anxiously waited to hear Kakashi's response. When he rose from the table after a long pause, she looked up in alarm, afraid to see him frowning that disagreeable frown as he took his dishes to the sink. Instead, he just looked grim, as if he were entering battle. When he walked over to her side of the table and knelt, she became confused and turned in her chair to face him, a question rising to her lips to die as her azure eyes caught his uncovered one. The adoration she saw there took her breath away. It was so unlike the need she had so often found Ketsuki look at her with.
"Uzu Kurai, will you marry me?" he asked in a husky voice. She could tell he was tense, as if ready to run depending on her answer. Why was he asking her like this?
Her mouth opened, but no sound came out. Swallowing, she felt panic taking over. Why am I so shocked? I can barely breath! What's going on? Why is Kakashi looking at me like that?
Then the ever-willing Zanz answered her pathetic, human host with some of her endless wisdom. In most countries the man asks the woman he wants to marry if she will just like this. Then they are engaged, betrothed, until they take part in a special ceremony in which they marry. Your village seems to have cut off the marrying part and gone straight to married. So hasty…
Now Kurai understood Kakashi's question better. Still, her inner turmoil wasn't quieted by this. Should she accept? Kakashi looked nervous. Had she kept him waiting too long? "I…" Why all this indecision?! She loved this pale-hared scarecrow with all her heart. "Of course, I would love to."
Kakashi moved in a flash and caught her up in his arms, pressing his lips to hers in a kiss not driven by passion but by pure joy. It was a pure kiss, a real kiss not bound by or given because of the laws of contact in a relationship. When they separated, Kurai rested her head on Kakashi's shoulder as he stroked her hair. When had she stood? She couldn't remember getting up from her chair. This didn't bother her too much though.
What broke the content, happy spell Kurai was under was the intrusion of reality. There was a knock at the door. Kakashi sighed and Kurai smiled. She moved away to answer, but Kakashi held her back. "I'll get it, just wait here." His sudden switch to being defensive caught Kurai off guard. Who was there to suspect here?
She stood in the kitchen doorway in a straight line of sight to the front door as Kakashi opened it. An orange blur ran into the room and attached itself to Kurai, almost knocking her off her feet.
She stared at the spiky blond head pressed against her shoulder and felt the shudders in her brother's body. His breath was coming in gasps, and not solely from running. Kurai sighed and wrapped her arms around Naruto, resting her cheek on his head. "What's wrong, Naruto?" she asked, even though she could probably guess what had happened.
His arms squeezed, and for a moment Kurai was tempted to try and break his hold, but relented and held him tighter. The fox-boy lifted his face from her shoulder enough to speak freely, but not away. "Mother, our mother, she's…"
Kurai looked up and saw Kakashi standing in the doorway looking at the boy tenderly. Kurai rubbed Naruto's orange-clad back and said, "Yes, she's not really there like she used to be. I'm sorry you couldn't meet her the way she was. I'm so sorry, Naruto."
He sniffed and his grip loosened. Kurai let him go and turned to the counter to grab a tissue. By the time she'd turned back, Naruto was in Kakashi's arms. He's so sad, and there's nothing I can do to really help. He came here because he doesn't know father very well, but for that matter we're barely friends. I think I'll leave the two of them alo—
She didn't complete the thought. Her eyes caught the glint of worn pewter against Naruto's jacket. Walking over, she rested a hand on Naruto's shoulder, prompting him to turn towards her and allow her a better look. "Naruto, did mother give you that pendent?" she asked softly. He looked down and took it in both hands, fingers going over the smoothed edges as he'd seen his mother do.
"Yes… Is it special?" His blue eyes started to glow with something other than tears.
Kurai allowed herself a small smile and held out a tissue. Meeting Naruto's eyes she said, "It is very special. Wear it as much as possible, mother never took it off because of the special bond a seal stone has with its owner." Maybe mother recognized him…
Naruto looked at his prize with new eyes. "A seal stone. I've got a seal stone." He didn't know what a seal stone was, but what did that matter? It had been a prized possession of his mother's, and she'd given it to him.
Kakashi could sense the change in Naruto as the boy let go of his grief. With a hidden smile, he reached out and ruffled the boy's hair, causing Naruto to cry out in protest. "So, Naruto, where are you planning to train up for the tournament?" Kakashi asked.
Kurai and Naruto looked at Kakashi in surprise. "There's a tournament?" they asked together. Kaskashi chuckled as the siblings traded quick looks.
"The participants were listed yesterday. Sasuke is also going to be in it." He watched the boy's eyes light up with mischief. Oh yeah, he wanted to fight. Kakashi sighed. "I, however, must report to the academy before noon. Later!" He vanished and Kurai sighed. Naruto was full of energy, though, his tears forgotten.
Kurai wasn't ready for the fist Naruto raised above his head in excitement. It knocked her in the chin, making her fly up into the ceiling. Naruto's cry of triumph was cut short as he stared at his sister hanging from a whole in the ceiling. "Uh…"
"NA-RU-TOOOO!!!"
The blond ninja didn't hang around to find out what else she had to say.
-------
Kurai rubbed her sore jaw and ignored the looks the other villagers were giving her. Yeah, yeah, someone got me good…Little twerp is so dead next time I see him… She stopped in a couple stores on the main street. Hidden Snow Village was technically the entire enclave, farms, forests and all. The real village was this stretch of road between the stadium and academy. It was mostly businesses, but there were a few homes and apartment buildings. Being so isolated, none of their income came from missions as nins. Everyone had some other job that served the community.
Today Kurai was going to do something about her future. While her memories of her encounter with Orochimaru as himself were like a dream she'd forgotten, the rest of her conversation with him as Ketsuki remained. Everyone expects us to get married, but I can't now. I'm…engaged…to Kakashi. She rather liked the sound of that. Ketsuki hadn't formally presented the petition to her yet, so perhaps when he did she'd be able to let him down easy by explaining how she felt about him. He was a childhood friend, the boy next doors, not someone she wanted to marry and raise a family with. There was an electric energy between her and Kakashi in addition to the warm, comforting love she felt towards her family. Ketsuki she could think of fondly, but not in the same way.
A bell above the door rang as she walked into her favorite vegetable shop. Mrs. Knox smiled at her and said, "Practicing your first dinner yet, Kurai?" she asked. Kurai paused in looking over the lettuce.
"No, we've already eaten together. Besides, he knows my cooking is only so-so… I don't suppose you have any of those good tomatoes left?" She got a similar question when she went to the fruit stand outside, and the poultry market. When she got home she was beginning to think she'd married Ketsuki de facto. With a sigh she dropped the basket of fresh groceries on the counter and leaned on it with her hair hanging down to hide her face and the basket from view.
Hands settled on her shoulders and began a slow, soothing motion. She closed her eyes and 'hmm'ed. "Thanks, Kakashi…"
He chuckled. "Something is stressing you out. Care to share before I tell you about my meeting with your father?" Kurai winced and straightened. She reached into the basket and removed a paper-wrapped package.
"It's just that everyone in town expects me to be marrying Ketsuki. I guess it's not really that important, but it's really annoying." She tossed the chicken into the fridge and walked back for more stuff to put away. Kakashi moved back to lean against the cabinets and stay out of her way. "How did the meeting with my father go?"
He looked up at the ceiling. "I won't say he failed to get me to leave for lack of trying, but I explained that when I go, it won't be alone. Eventually he saw things my way and relented." A small smile graced his face at the memory.
Kurai closed the fridge, frowning. "Who are you taking with you?"
Kakashi gave her a 'Like you don't know' look. "You of course. Then there's my team. This is a great learning experience, but their hearts are back in Konoha. Naruto still wants to be Hokage…"
Kurai had frozen with her hand on the lower cabinet door. She slowly turned to look at him. "I hadn't thought about that," she said in a quiet voice.
Kakashi came over and wrapped his arms around her. "You didn't think we'd be staying here, did you? While your father was certain the storm could keep all evil out, he made some mistakes and now the whole village is going to end up paying."
"Mistakes?"
"Sasuke. He's the last of his clan, his brother is a missing-nin and doesn't officially count, but there is a very powerful man after him—"
"Orochimaru. Yes, my father knows. Are you saying Orochimaru is here?" A memory, or thought, teased her for a moment before fading.
Kakashi hesitated. "Yes."
::Dun dun dun! I know you knew, but Kurai didn't! ^_^ R+R pwease!::