Disclaimer: I own nothing.


Chapter 19 - A Date and A Nighttime Confession

"I don't know if I can do this, Mamoru."

The russet-colored mouse climbed down Amaya's arm and leapt onto the coffee table so he could look up at her. "Last night you were so excited. You even let Kurenai take you shopping for a new dress."

Amaya shuddered. "Don't remind me. We went to every clothing store in the village."

"It paid off, didn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess, but—"

Using his tail for balance, Mamoru rose up onto his hind legs, placing his paws on his hips. "But nothing. You're not backing out. Besides, I like Genma."

"It's so cute when you try to act human." Amaya chuckled and poked her summon, knocking him over.

The mouse picked himself up from the undignified heap he'd fallen into. "Don't change the subject."

"You're right; I can't back out. I'd break his heart. And the only reason you like him is because I haven't slept with him. Don't you have a mate, you little prude?"

"Yes and we have one hundred and thirty beautiful children. But I've made an honest mouse of her."

Amaya raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Because I'm not married, I can't enjoy the company of someone I care about?"

"That's what I think." Mamoru shrugged. "But, in the end, I can't stop you and you've proven time and time again that you'll do whatever you want regardless of my thoughts."

She scratched him under the chin. "Don't worry, little one. I don't intend to rush into anything with Genma and I think he feels the same."

Her summon swatted at her with a paw. "Enough. You need to be getting dressed. He'll be here soon."


A cool breeze ruffled Kakashi's hair as he knocked on Amaya's door. Night blanketed Konoha, clouds blanketed the sky, and unease blanketed his thoughts. He knocked again, wishing he hadn't seen Genma going home while he was leaving. Seeing him made everything seem closer to reality than he liked. And seeing her….

At that moment, Amaya answered. She wore a simple black dress that stopped just above her knees and a red shawl, black high heels waited by the door, a red bead bracelet replaced the silver one she normally wore, and her hair fell in a single braid down her back.

"You look great," the silver-haired Jonin said with his sincerest smile, unhappily reminded of when she used to get dressed up to go out with him.

"Really? Thanks. Kurenai wanted me to wear something flashier," she replied, noting the pain she saw flicker across his eye. "Umm, do you need something?"

"Oh, yeah. I came to tell you that our Genin passed the first part of the Exam and will be headed into the Forest of Death tomorrow morning."

A smile lit Amaya's face. "That's great. I'm so proud of them!"

"Me too." Kakashi wanted to say more, but he couldn't think. Gods, she was beautiful. When he noticed her staring at him, he regained his composure, finding his voice. "Well, that's all I wanted to say."

The Jonin turned to leave and Amaya grabbed his arm. "Kakashi…." Words froze in her throat.

"Have fun tonight." He gently removed her hand and left.

Slipping inside, the auburn-haired woman sank onto the couch, her head in her hands. What could she have said to him? He was her friend and she desperately wanted to help him, but the words he needed were those of a lover. Words she couldn't give him. A crushing sense of helplessness began to lose in around her, slowly dragging her into the dark corner of her mind where the madness slept. She was powerless to help someone who meant the world to her, too weak to help. No, she wasn't powerless; there really wasn't anything she could do. For close to half an hour, Amaya fought with herself, waging a silent war with the madness that threatened.

A knock at the door brought her to her senses. She didn't raise her head, only her voice. "Come in!"

Genma stepped into the apartment, a smile on his face. A light brown jacket, deep green t-shirt, and dark pants and shoes replaced his ninja gear. Without his bandana, his bangs covered his forehead and his hair framed his face nicely. He'd even left his trademark senbon at home. Seeing her on the couch with her head in her hands, the Tokujo quickly slipped out of his shoes and crossed the room, sitting beside her. Amaya raised her head then, but he must have seen the ghost of what she'd been feeling.

"You okay?" He cupped her cheek in a hand, turning her toward him.

"Yeah, but I don't really feel like going anywhere. Not anymore."

"Well, good thing I didn't plan on taking you anywhere but my apartment." She glanced at him, a frown on her face, so he continued, pulling her up to her feet as he stood. "I'm making dinner."

The auburn-haired Jonin, mentally exhausted, leaned into Genma. She breathed deeply, enjoying the spicy-sweet scent of cinnamon she only associated with him, as his arms instinctively wrapped around her.

"You know," she mumbled into his shirt, "I sometimes forget that shinobi actually own normal clothes."

He chuckled, the sound vibrating in his chest. "You sound like you're drunk."

"No, my brain's just fuzzy."

Genma pulled away from her, instead taking her hand. "Come on. A walk will clear your head right up. Besides, I'm making your favorite."

"Pork dumplings?"

He smiled as she perked up at the mention of the food she loved so much. "Yep. Let's get going."


The cool night air against her skin roused Amaya's mind from its fog. She was feeling better. Glancing sidelong at Genma, she took note of how careful he was being. He walked far enough away to give her space but close enough to feel near her. She'd expected him to take her hand again once they left her apartment: she wondered if his restraint was in response to when she leaned into him. She didn't think she'd made him uncomfortable, but she honestly couldn't be sure.

"Here we are." His voice broke through her thoughts. She glanced up to see a building remarkably similar to the one she called home.

"We didn't just walk in a circle, did we?"

"No. These apartments were built after you left. Needed more places for Jonin to live," The Tokujo said as they ascended the stairs to the third floor. Unlocking his door, Genma stepped aside for Amaya to enter. Taking off her heels, something she was grateful to be able to do, she saw a large living room furnished with two couches, an armchair, and a small coffee table. A small hallway to her left led to the kitchen, which could be seen through a half-arch, glassless window cut into the wall. Another hallway she assumed led to the bedrooms and bathroom.

"Make yourself at home. Dinner will be ready soon, the brown-haired man said as he passed her and headed into the kitchen.

Amaya rested her arms on the wall, leaning slightly through the window. "So are you still rooming with Raido?"

"Yeah. But he's on his own date tonight," Genma said, setting the already-made dumplings into a steamer along with some daikon and carrots. He checked a pot on the stove, and seeing the rice was done, turned off the heat. Wiping his hands on a towel, he walked around until he stood beside Amaya.

"Rai's on a date, huh? With who?"

"The daughter of the owner of Ichiraku's. I think her name's Ayame. And if I heard him right, this morning, she asked him out."

"I wonder what he thought of that."

"He's gone isn't he? Oh. There goes the timer."

Amaya rubbed her hands together. "Then let's eat!"


A contented sigh escaped Amaya as she reclined on one of Genma's couches. "Dinner was delicious."

"Glad you liked it," he said, bringing her a cup of tea and sitting next to her with his own.

"Mmmmmm, honey. You remembered."

A smile spread across his face. "How could I forget?" She tried to smile back but had to hide her fifth yawn behind a hand. His smile softened. "Put that down and come here."

She did as he commanded while he scooted to one side of the couch, situating himself beside the armrest. Sitting his own cup down, he opened his arm and she slid in next to him. With Genma's heartbeat strong and steady in her ear and his warmth surrounding her, Amaya was asleep in minutes.

The brown-haired man sighed in contentment, resting his head against hers. "Sleep well, my love. I'll be here when you wake."


Raido eased the door shut, not wanting to wake Genma, but when he turned, he found his roommate on the couch with Amaya.

"Help me," Genma mouthed. Rai came over and held the auburn-haired woman away from him. He wriggled free of where he'd been pinned. After working feeling back into his arm, the Tokujo gently gathered Amaya into his arms, carrying her to his room. He sank onto the couch when he returned. "Thanks, Rai. I didn't know how much longer I could've sat there like that, but I couldn't bear to move."

"I take it the date went well?"

"What she was awake for. She fell asleep right after dinner. She's exhausted and I don't think she realized it. How was yours?"

"An unexpected success."

Genma only raised an eyebrow.

Rai snorted and sat across from his roommate. "Who do you take me for? Aoba? We just really hit it off, that's all."

"So does that mean there'll be a second date?"

"I'm thinking about it. You and Amaya?"

"I'd rather simply spend time with her than going on dates, but women expect them."

"I don't know, Genma. Maybe she's one of the ones that doesn't."

"When she was with Kakashi, they—"

"Don't compare then to now. If you haven't noticed, Amaya is a very different woman than the one who left the village. Maybe she's changed in ways you haven't considered."

"Maybe, but until she wakes up, I can't exactly ask her."

"It'll give you something to think about in the meantime. You sleeping out here?"

"Yeah."

"Well, good night then," The scarred shinobi said as he stood, stretched, and headed for bed.

Before laying down for the night, Genma checked on Amaya. She was huddled to one side of the bed. He grabbed a spare blanket and laid it over her. That's when he heard her whimpering softly in her sleep. Without another thought, he crawled into bed next to her, pressing himself against her slightly shaking body. He began to whisper to her.

"When you left, my world was a little less bright, a little less alive, so I clung to my memories of you. And you know what? Somewhere along the way of trying to remember every little thing about you, I realized something. The thought of seeing you again, the hope that you'd come back, kept me going when I could've just given up. You made me want to live more than ever, to face insurmountable odds so I could be here when you finally returned. I realized I loved you."

As he talked, Amaya stilled and quieted, falling into real rest. Genma draped his arm over her, and soon, he could barely keep his eyes open. Before slipping into sleep, his last thought was that he could get used to this.