A/N-Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter-Kyiri Makrono, Elemental Dragon2.0, Duckichan87, Yargy the Pirate Queen, and WhiteStarburst. Read and Review.
Disclaimer-I don't own Naruto
Chapter 30
As the chakra pill took effect, aided with Kumiko, Michelle sat up from her makeshift bed on the forest floor; hair studded with small twigs and dried leaves, which Kumiko brushed out of her hair. As she collected her bearings and looked around she noticed the body of a grass ninja lying a few feet away, pierced by strategically placed Kunai.
As she continued to look around the clearing as she remembered what had happened, she noticed…a figure standing just behind some trees, bent over examining some shrub. When he stood up and turned around, the rest of her memories of what had just happened rushed back and she got to her feet indignantly, albeit unsteadily.
Marching over to where the ANBU was gathering kindling to take for a fire later, she tapped him on the shoulder. He straightened up and turned around, saying as he went "Don't do too much yet…" he trailed off when he saw the angry glint in her eyes. "Why did you follow me…why are you here?" she asked in a deceptively calm but chilly voice…. he could, however, tell that she was severely ticked off.
Breathing in and preparing for the worst, he answered her question. "I was of the personal belief that you weren't ready for a mission like this…a solo escort. You're a good ninja but when you know the turf like you did the old world…here you need a bit of work. But you have to admit that I'm right…if I hadn't followed you you'd be dead."
"I see…so you're calling me weak is that it?" she asked coolly. She was friends with him…but even with Mika and Seyann she was like this…they knew to never call her weak. "Then you're no better than Hyuuga. You know he calls me pretty much the exact same as what you just called me?" He flinched at this but immediately recovered, coming back with his own argument. " 'Chelle, I never called you weak. And I…" She never took her eyes off of him as she said, "You implied it."
He turned his back on her and walked off a few steps. Raising his gloved hand, he rubbed his mask where his forehead would be before speaking. "Michelle I followed you because I didn't want anything to happen to you. It's not that I think you're weak, but when I saw you battling the enemy ninja in the other world, you take too many risks that would cost you your life here. I've become rather attached to you and I'd rather not lose you if you don't mind."
This statement caught the Uchiha off guard. The ANBU turned around and looked at her…well, he was wearing his mask but he was facing her general direction. Stepping close to her, he removed his leather fighting gloves and took her hand in his. "It's been what…about three months since you came to live here? And I know what, with Hyuuga and all; life hasn't exactly been peaches and cream with you ranting about him every minute after he bugs you but still. Somehow you have become one of my closest friends…In fact…"
He tugged her a step closer, Michelle obeyed, unable to move…almost unable to breathe…They stood almost nose to…mask…
"You're almost more than a friend." He said in a husky voice…
A husky, vaguely familiar voice that she couldn't place but she didn't care right now.
He tugged his mask over the bottom of his face until his mouth was revealed. She shifted her eyes as to not see a hint of his face but he reached up to her face and turned it back to face him. She could feel his breath on her skin, sending shivers down her spine.
Was she this ready to trust someone again…the last person who had made her feel this way…was him…
But she could tell, that with all certainty that her ANBU friend would never hurt her. Plus her instincts had never told him that the ANBU was someone to be suspicious with the way it had with him.
Kumiko watched the two ninja in the detached way, however obvious interest written on her face. To an outsider who might happen across the scene right now, it would be made plenty obvious how deep the feelings that the two who were almost embracing were. She smiled as she watched Michelle succumb to whatever was holing her back.
Her breath teased the lower half of his face until it just about drove him insane…until he couldn't take it anymore. "Maybe." He whispered. "You've become one of my biggest reasons for living…become my life…" he said, his voice thick with emotion. When she didn't say anything or do anything except attempt to wrap her seemingly unresponsive arms around his torso, he tilted her head up, and, leaning down, pressed his lips against hers.
A fireball of emotion and sensations exploded in Michelle's stomach as she pressed herself into him tighter, closing her eyes gently.
Kissing him never felt this…incredible.
He gently broke away from her and reached up to pull back down his mask. Michelle was strongly tempted to take the mask off and see who exactly it was. Her hand was twitching and she had begun slowly rising when…
"Um guys? This whole kissy-kissy huggy-huggy thing is well and good but I really need to get back to my villiage." Said Kumiko in a sly voice. Michelle turned the color of a ripe tomato mixed with a ripe cherry and stammer "Oh…. o…yes sorry Kumiko. Come on…" she disentangled herself from the embrace of the ANBU and went over to gather the pack. Her more-than-a-friend stood behind her, muffling a laugh.
Kumiko leaned over to the Uchiha when she passed and whispered in her ear "I don't blame you…he seems really nice." In a sly voice. Michelle whispered back "He is…And I don't even know what he looks like or his name." Kumiko looked at her, taken slightly aback. "Really?"
"Really." As she strapped the pack back onto herself, she slid a look back towards the ANBU and he nodded slightly and vanished. "Where…did he go if he came to protect you?" asked the Mist Ambassador confused. "He'll be following us but he can do more if people don't know he's here...He doesn't…" Her voice dropped to a murmur and Kumiko had to ask her to speak up. "He doesn't want anything to happen to me." She said simply before they walked off into the woods towards the village hidden in the mist.
It was about three hours or so into their walk, the sun had just started to go down and Michelle was thinking about setting up camp for the night when it happened. A rustle in the bushes was her only warning before a kunai shot out, aimed right at her. Not having time to dodge it, she prepared to shield Kumiko when the ANBU leapt down in front of her, Kunai bouncing harmlessly off of the armor he wore on his arm. "Come out!" he yelled but before he could react a shuriken came flying out of the bushes, powered by chakra…
And it hit his mask. Or more specifically, the chord that secured his mask to his face.
"Sey are you sure we're doing the right thing?" Asked the black haired Kunoichi worriedly as she transformed another shuriken and handed it to her friend. "She needs to know who he is. I've let this go on for too long." Said the Hokage's wife in a determined voice. "I guess…"
"But this is going to hurt her…badly."
It seemed to happen in slow motion-the rope holding his mask sliding off his head and the ceramic ANBU mask slipped soundlessly off of his face and landed on the grass, at his feet.
Her heart broke. So much for it not being like it was when she was screwed over by him.
The mask revealed a pale face, seemingly paler than normal. His violet pupil less eyes were widened as he tried to reach for the mask to catch it…but missed. Without the support of the mask, his small headdress slipped off revealing his brown hair tied back into a loose ponytail.
Her heart stopped breaking and just stopped as he whirled around to meet her eyes.
Anger, hurt, love…all kinds of emotions streamed their way through her body as she stared at her tormentor…and love.
"Neji." She said in a hoarse voice that couldn't seem to decide what emotion to use.
A/N-There ya go…if you're wondering who the Him is that Michelle kept referring to…go read 'Encounters' in Pieces of an Altered Reality.
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