"They've promised that dreams can come true, but forgot to mention that nightmares are dreams too."
- Oscar Wilde
~ ҉ ~
The meeting with Kakashi ended not long after that. A few brief questions were exchanged and other pleasantries before he sent me on my way.
We both agreed that my origins were to remain a secret. In the wrong hands my memories could give any of the great nations tactical advantages, not to mention detailed descriptions of various shinobi.
She could very well be the first civilian added to a bingo book.
He expressed that he would research her case himself, and that until a means for her to go home was found she would stay here in Konoha. Thanks to a rather persistent Naruto, before her talk with the Hokage even took place he had already established that she would stay with him, since his newly built apartment had a spare room.
That's where they were headed now.
She thanked whatever deity out there that the shorts she wore had plenty of pocket to hold the contents of the purse. She didn't want to keep the bag, just looking at it wasn't pleasant. Still, the art book she held felt heavy in her hand as they walked side by side, street by street.
"Did Kakashi-sensei say something to upset you?" Naruto asked softly.
She regarded him silently before finally responding, "No he didn't, what gave you that idea?"
"It's written all over your face, Kaiya," he stopped in his tracks, "Something happened in that room."
She stopped too and let her nose scrunch up slightly. How could it be evident on my face? She was in control right now. The tears she shed in that room had long since dried up and her guard was back up, there was no way her expression should be telling him anything. She forced an easy-going smile and turned to him.
"Nothing happened, your imagining things."
He frowned, "I'm not imagining anything, especially after a smile like that."
Her face remained passive as she continued in the direction they were headed. She barely made three steps before he blocked her path.
"Your mask is nowhere near as good as you think it is," he said seriously with a slight glare.
She glared back.
"Let me pass."
"No."
"Move."
"Nope."
"Damn it Naruto, just let me through!"
"Can't let you do that."
"Why the hell not?!"
"Because my apartment is right here!"
She paused and looked up at the humble building. It looked fairly new but with industrial undertones. Figures he would live here.
She sighed loudly and pursed her lips, "Lead the way then."
He nodded and proceeded toward the entrance, with Kaiya following a few steps behind. She decided to change the subject before he questioned her further.
"Why Hime-sama?" She asked as they made their way up a flight of stairs.
"What?" He half-stuttered, he must not have been paying attention.
"In the hospital when I woke up, you called me Hime-sama," she pressed.
"Oh yeah," his smiled, "What about it?"
She stumbled a little almost missing a step, "I just want to know why you called me that."
"It suited you," he stated matter-of-fact.
"I'm no princess," she frowned.
"Sure you are," he beamed, "I couldn't call someone as pretty as you anything less."
Kaiya's face changed colour real fast, this idiot has no tact.
She stayed silent after that, not feeling up for anymore embarrassment. She didn't have long to think on that phrase before he stopped again.
"Alright, home sweet home," he muttered as he unlocked the numbered door. He walked straight in and left the door open for her to follow right after.
Naruto's apartment was reminiscent of his old place with muted yellowish beige walls and hard timber floors. The furnishings were simple and functional with tones ranging from dark greens to earthy browns. The kitchenette was modest and surprising clean, she was almost impressed… if she hadn't of seen the coffee table covered in empty ramen cups that were starting to sink up the place a bit.
The shelving's were cluttered, filled with roughly rolled scrolls and books with creased spines, as well as a complete set of Icha Icha. The walls had various framed photos of the Konoha 11 and his Team 7, some serious and others with stupid faces.
His home was welcoming, and she felt relaxed for the first time that day.
It had taken Kaiya a few moments to realise that Naruto had still be talking to her while she had been taking in her new surroundings.
"…and behind that door is the bathroom," gesturing systematically, "This one's my room, and this here is where you will be staying," he smiled lightly opening a door next to the room he just dubbed 'his'.
Stepping into the room I immediately noticed that this room was different to the rest of his place. The earthy colours were non-existent, replaced with shades of deep indigo and shale. The walls remained the same as the rest of the apartment, but the bedding and curtains reflected the change as well as the almost black wooden wardrobe and desk. This room wasn't like Naruto at all.
"Naruto, did this room belong to someone?" she uttered walking around the room.
He leant against the door frame, "Yeah, I had set this place up for someone who was going to be my roommate."
She nodded understanding and opened the wardrobe while he continued, "He barely stayed a few days before he left to travel, and that was about a month ago now. Anything he left behind feel free to use, he's going to be gone awhile so if it's here, he didn't need it."
She was about to ask who it was before pulling out a shirt boldly displaying a family crest.
The Uchiha family crest.
This room was meant to be Sasuke's?
"You sure he won't mind?" she asked unconvinced.
"Positive!" he exclaimed as Kaiya let herself fall back onto the bed.
She sighed contently letting herself sink into the dark sheets. She had barely been awake for a few hours but she was already exhausted, more mentally then physical. There was a lot to take in and process. Kakashi wanted her to rest and not to stress, so she would try.
Kaiya had allowed her eyes to close for a few moments before she opened them widely feeling weight on the bed above her.
She rolled her head back to find Naruto spread out horizontally on the bed with his legs over the side, his shoulder fitting comfortably next to her left cheek and his head hardly an inch above hers. In her worn-out state, she merely let her eyes close once more, and her cheek closed the gap.
Naruto watched her has she fell into her slumber. He had long since rolled onto his stomach, not wanting the peace to lull him into sleep as well.
Holding himself up on his elbows, he lent over her and placed a chaste kiss at her hairline, "Sleep well, Hime-chan."
~ ҉ ~
'The lead of her pencil etched furiously as the image came alive on the paper, all with a sense of delicacy and haste. The chlorine in the air and the warmth of the sun erode at her skin reminding her to finish up soon, their team practice would be over in not too long, and she wanted to be finished and long gone by that point.
Looking back up towards the Olympic size outdoor pool a few metres away from her she watched and continued to sketch silently. The way the light reflected on the clear water, the intensity of the toned and muscular bodies breaking the surface with each dive... It was breath taking. Not that she let it show.
Her head bent back down towards her sketch as she did the final touches, five more minutes was all she needed. Five more minutes and it would be like she was never there.
"Looks like I caught you this time, you're starting to lax with your stealth."
She snapped up horrified to find the very person she had been sketching right in front of her, shirtless and fresh out of the pool.
Drops of water fell from his drenched auburn curls as he shook them out of his emerald eyes. He smirked at her amused as he gently grasped the sketchbook from her and began flicking through the pages.
"You didn't catch me doing anything," she spat dryly, "I like to draw and the water is a good muse, so sue me."
She stared at him impatiently, reaching for her precious book.
"Are you done? You're going to get them wet."
His grin turned roguish as he eyed a page near the middle and chuckled, "Sure, you can have it back, but I think I'll keep this one, a memento of the day I caught you out," he expressed humorously as he tore the page out.
"Hey you're going to ruin it!" She hissed angrily, almost ripping the book from his clutches. That only made his smile wider.
"You will ruin it if you yank at it like that," he sniggered raising the book above his head.
She huffed annoyed and stood, arms straining, trying desperately to reach up. He was just too tall, and she was too short to do anything about it.
Gasping she was suddenly pressed against him, her uniform getting damp from his slick naked chest and heat rose up her neck to her cheeks.
His other hand lightly held the small of her back as his eyes bore into hers and she found herself having trouble breathing. His face moved closer to hers with his lips almost touching her ear.
"Not so cool headed now are we?" He whispered, his breath sending a chill down her spine.
He lent back and winked, letting the book fall to her out-stretched hand and stepped back from her personal space.
"Stick around after next practice, yeah?"
She closed the book and held it to her front.
"Yeah."'
~ ҉ ~
Kaiya awoke and bolted upright, eyes wide and her body coated with a light layer of cold sweat.
She was alone, and it was dark, with nothing but the moonlight coming in from the window to light up the room. Like the amount of light really mattered to her at this point.
What did matter was the clothes she was wearing were suffocating her, and she needed to get out of them.
Right then and there.
Kaiya hurled herself from the bed, ripping the clothing from her body and tossing them in all manner of directions. When she was down to nothing but her panties she could finally breathe.
She stood there breathing deeply, trying to calm herself and bring her shaky breath to normal. There was no way she was sleeping more tonight, sleep was out of her control and out of her hands. She was nothing without that.
Letting out one last deep breath, she tore open the wardrobe and started to rummage. She hoped she could find a shirt without a crest on its back. A small smile graced her lips when she found a large black shirt that was perfect.
The soft cotton warmed her skin as it slid over her torso, fitting her more like a dress then a shirt. She supposed that would do until morning when she could raid Naruto's draws, everything in here was loose fitting and needing multiple knots and ties to keep everything on place.
It was only once she was clothed that she felt something was off, she couldn't put her finger on it but it was bothering her none the less.
It was only after the silence was broken when she figured out what that was.
"Are you decent now? Troublesome woman… it's not normal to spontaneously strip when you wake up."
She froze, and her head slowly turned towards the very familiar voice.
There, hidden amongst the shadows by the window, stood Shikamaru, his eyes half hidden with his hand and a dry expression embellishing the rest of his face.
Her breath was caught in her throat again.
.
Shikamaru Nara had broken into Naruto's apartment.
.
Shikamaru Nara had been in here as she slept.
.
Shikamaru Nara had seen her in nothing but her panties.
~ ҉ ~
