Fourteen
"You sneaky bastard."
Kei muttered as she fought to deal with the stinging sensation in her eyes. Her brows knitted together and she flinched from knowing what had just happened. She had fallen for his trap.
Amidst the sand storm she shielded the prized bird from, was powdered poison which he threw in after he kicked up the storm and a good amount got into her naked eyes. And poison takes longer to heal than flesh wounds.
She was crying crimson to all around her and the eyes can't open.
"Ha-ha. And I thought you were some highly skilled shinobi but it looks like it was all empty talk."
She was gone.
He cursed at his lack of attention.
Kei by now was traveling through the covers of greens to find a safe spot to hide, her senses alerted her to nearby cave. Touching the sides for confirmation, she carried the boy into it and settled him down.
"Sasuke, I'll release the seal points that hold your hands immobile. In return, help me clean up my eyes and bandage them."
"You owe me one now. If I didn't shield your eyes, the blind one would have been you and the loss is greater because of your advanced bloodline."
He nodded reluctantly after a short pause.
She released his arms and he took the medical kit from her. Antiseptic solution and countless number of cotton pieces were utilized to clean the blood off her face. And a few rounds of the bandages were used to wrap round her head to cover the eyes. The blood still flowed but at least chances of infection had lessen.
He closed the lid of the kit.
"Thanks." And she knocked him out unconscious subsequently.
"Gomen, but it would be troublesome if you took the chance to run."
"It was troublesome trying to locate you." Her head turned to the direction of where the voice came. Kabuto panted and laughed. "But I wasn't too worried since you are now blind."
"My eyes are blind but it doesn't mean I can't see." And she pulled her mask off before beginning to perform a series of seals to shield her presence.
Kabuto stood still. He opened his senses and calculated the possibility of attacks from the various locations. Shurikens flew in V-shape formations from two sides but he dodges easily, kunai swipes the air he passes through in the cave. He lures the play out into open forest; he strains to here the movement patterns that nature reveals to him of where she might be.
She kicked him square in the abdominal region and strikes a blow upon cheek. Another blow to the left and yet to the right, was felt but blocked effectively.
Still the movement taunted him.
It was faster than ever. By right, it should have slowed down since he rendered her eyes useless.
A kunai then suddenly grazes his knees, a kick under loosen his balance on the ground. He flipped easily to stand again only to be given a lovely blow to the cheek before he felt a death-like grip upon his neck.
The fingers wound round and tighten its grip around the wind pipe, choking him of air that raises his anxiety levels. He swipes around in an attempt to get the grip to loosen. His hand then grabs the grip that holds him and tries to wrestle it off.
Panic levels were rising.
His lips changed to a pale shade of blue.
She finally released the seal and showed herself. He tried to kick her knees but found that they were rendered useless by kunais that she sunk into his thighs and calf muscles.
"You can have this back." And she sends a deadly dosage of chakra into the cardio-system of his, just like what he had attempted before.
He coughed for air as blood and saliva chokes the windpipe. He sank into the ground cursing. She determined that there was no need to kill him, and so turned her back to retrieve the boy. He cursed at the insult and lunged himself towards her.
She turned to kick but then there was no need to.
Ken had landed a blow at the back of his head and rendered unconscious.
"Are you all right?"
She nodded and walked back to the cave. She touched the sides before ducking in and carrying the sleeping boy out.
Only to bump straight into a wall. A human flesh one called Kakashi.
"What happened?" He asked as he saw the spots of blood that was trickling through the layers of bandages that bind her visuals.
"Just a careless mistake on my part. Nothing serious." She said as she pulled out spikey shurikens out of her back and sides, flinching each time each one was out.
He wondered.
Ken came over and throws the boy over his shoulders. He scrutinized the situation and decided that they needed a place for recuperate. He trusted that she was fine but still, some rest is good.
"Let's head north."
Her ears twitched. Her mouth shifted into an uncertain expression.
"There?"
"There."
Kakashi was confused about the coded conversation but he trusted that they were heading to safe ground. They prepared to fly. She was about to jump up into the trees when she felt herself being scooped off the ground and carried.
"Put me down! What do you think you're doing?!!"
"According to regulations, all casualties should be carried to the nearest medical facility to receive treatment as soon as possible."
Kendon turned to watch the comical display of pride and ignorance.
"I'm not casualty! Put me down!! I can move very well on my own, thank you very much!"
He refused to budged and merely signaled to Ken that they were ready to move.
Ken merely laughed and led the way.
She kept struggling in Kakashi's arms and was about to reach back to hit a spot at the base of his neck when a warm breath touched her ears.
"I'll take care of you. Just rest."
Somehow those words calmed her down and she fought no more, muscles choosing instead to relax in the arms of the silver-haired jounin.
It felt strangely safe.
Shiranui Genma finally arrived home. He have had a long string of missions over the past few weeks and was finally awarded a short holiday by Tsunade. He turned the key and let himself in, an inviting aroma tantalized his growling stomach.
"Something smells good!"
"Eh? Welcome back Genma-kun!" A chirpy voice sounded from the kitchen.
"I'm back." He had been looking forward to seeing her again; he missed her smiles and gourmet meals. Heck. She has cooked more times in his kitchen than he has in all his 29 years.
"Why don't you have a shower first? Dinner will be ready by then!" She said as she came forth from the kitchen, wearing an apron that covered more than her shorts and singlet did. Habitually, she wears no masks when she's home.
In his home at least.
He was greeted by the sight of Ishida and Iruka who was invited home for dinner tonight.
"Ohayo!"
"Ohayo. I'll go shower first, will chat later with all of you, all right?"
He then turned away and headed for his bedroom. Grabbing clean clothes from the cabinet, he stepped into the bathroom for his shower.
As the water sprayed upon his face, he couldn't hide the disappointment in wanting a quiet dinner with just Maiko tonight. He just didn't have the energy to entertain any guests.
Sigh. Was Kurenai right when she said that I had fallen for my roommate?
The water continued to flow over the contours of his lean frame, he felt himself relaxed a little before he began to smile.
FLASHBACK
It was a casual session at one of the restaurants. Asuma and Kurenai were the other people within that company that night. The sake was flowing even though the food had stopped coming.
"Genma, confess it all out!! You like Maiko-chan, don't you?"
He flushed a deep red and protested. "No I don't!"
Asuma hung an arm over his shoulder in good spirit and laughed. He flicked his cigarette the other way before composing himself into a more serious mood.
"Ne. There's nothing wrong about liking her you know?"
"……………….."
"Sure she's young, sixteen you say…"
"Seventeen boy, she's a seventeen year old going on to eighteen." Kurenai reminded him.
"Ahh yes, gomen, in any case, it's natural to be feeling weird since you are more than a decade older than her."
Man, is he bad at giving Aunt Aggie advice in the field of love.
"Forget it Asuma, you step back. You're definitely not helping at all." Kurenai said and drag him off the stool to seat herself next to Genma.
"Answer 'yes' or 'no' to my questions all right?"
"Whatever."
"Do you find her pretty?"
"Yeah."
"Do you find yourself staring at her a lot?"
"Sometimes."
"Much more than you should?"
"As a man of normal healthy disposition, yes I do stare but it can't be helped if she enjoys wearing singlets and short shorts in the apartment!"
"Does it make you feel happy inside?"
"I guess." He flicked his stick and twirled it around his mouth.
"You look forward to heading back just to see her?"
He buried his face in his hand. And smiled to himself.
Darn it.
"I get the point. Arigato (thank you) Kurenai."
"Douitashimashite (Your Welcome)."
END OF FLASHBACK
Genma toweled himself dry before heading out to the dining area where the rest were getting seated. The last spot was reserved for him and he found himself seated facing her.
"Itadakimasu!!" And everyone tucked into the feast set before them.
She picked up a piece of Shishamo (grilled small fish) and set it in his bowl.
"Have a fish! You'll need all the protein especially after completing all those missions." She said with a smile.
He smiled and thanked her. Somehow having someone fussing over you is just a nice feeling.
"Iruka-sempai! Have a piece of fish too!! Don't be shy all right? Eat!!"
Somehow that feeling only works when it is only showered upon you. He watched as she distributed food among all the guys at the table. Finally, he picked up a piece of chicken and placed it on her bowl.
"You should eat too. Stop fussing over us, we're grown men after all."
"Arigato!" She chirped and ate the food.
Ne. Genma is filling her bowl. I should do the same! Iruka thought as he took a piece of vegetable and placed it into her bowl.
"Arigato Iruka-sempai! Don't worry about me, just eat your dinner!!"
And soon she found her bowl spilling over with food with sparks of annoyance flying off the two Konoha men, as they got aggressive.
Ishida was muses on the on-going situation. It really doesn't take a genius to figure out what is happening at the table. He had guessed about Iruka's feelings quite some ago. He had been dropping by their training session with the kids and brings along lunch for them and even sticking around just to watch them finish their food. The innocent lad blushes when she looks straight at him and he had even caught him stealing glances at her as when she wasn't looking.
Genma on the other hand was a little unexpected. Then again anything can happen when an eligible bachelor lives together with a pretty girl who is inexperienced in matters of the heart. The men must have been attracted to her cheerful and pleasant disposition, but that only one side of her. She isn't just a caricature of sunshine.
The interesting bit is when she is going to start noticing them?
