Butterflies

"Me? I'm nobody. I'm not skilled like Uchiha-san. I am not passionate like Haruno-san. I am not smart like Nara-san. I'm not as strong as Chouji-san. I'm not as collected as Aburame-san. Or as pretty as Yamanaka-san. I'm not as confident as Inuzuka-san. If anything, I'm like Hyuuga-san, socially awkward. Oh wait, no, she's just shy. The socially awkward one is me." OC! Team 7 remix!

Chapter 80 – Chouji: Solidarity

8-8

"Your vitals are stable. Your wound has completely healed. There seems to still be some trouble with backaches?" Aya looks up from my charts, questions in her eyes.

"Nn. Mom thinks it's because I've been so inactive, since there's no medical explanation." I relay the message.

"We'll see about that." She doesn't sound convinced. At all. She looks back to my charts, going over it all, again and again. "Well. Your charts show you're back at a hundred percent. I'd like to scan you to be sure. Please lie down." She orders. I smirk, knowing at least three ways to get her to blush because of those words. I hold my tongue though. She's trying to be professional, and she is clearly in a position to prevent me from returning to active duty.

I lay down on the examination table, and she's quick to activate her jutsu – whichever one it is. Her glowing hands hover over me, head to toe three or four times, each time the tingling feels a little different. I don't know what she's checking, but I wouldn't be surprised if she's checking for everything – bruises, broken bones, or any excuse to have me stay here and rest.

Hypocrite.

She sighs, probably not finding whatever reason she needs. "Fine. Just make sure you take it easy for a few weeks. I don't…" She trails off, unable –or, more likely, unwilling– to continue. She turns away from me, picking back up my charts and updating them meticulously. "You'll need to inform your parents. I'm not sure if they'd expected us to need the room here. Should the Yukis not have a room to spare we can always-"

"Aya." I interrupt her rambling. She doesn't look to me though. She's still scribbling something, more and more frantically as the silence drags on. "I'm doing better. I've been training for weeks. I've been sparring with Shika and Ino. Asuma-sensei has been by most days to oversee our group training. Dad's been teaching me more earth release jutsu, and how to incorporate them into our family style."

She nods to show she hears me, but the frantic scribbling doesn't die down. "Aya, please look at me." She still doesn't. I sit up, easing my legs down and dangling them from the examination table. I jump down and walk over to her, carefully wrapping my arms around her middle. She tenses, but the scribbling continues.

"It's just your official green light to do what you've obviously been doing anyway. And I'm making sure we keep this on record to give me full authority to make your life a living hell if I ever find you injured that badly again." She explains, her tone coldly profession.

"Well… I think it makes more sense for you to start sparring with me, to see for yourself what I need to work on, so nothing short of a rampaging Tailed-beast will be able to." I say, smiling. She clicks her pen, closes my charts and tosses it onto my bed – my old bed. I'm not a patient anymore, so I'm not entitled to bed and board in a Rehab Centre. "Doesn't that make more sense to you?"

She wriggles a bit, turning towards me. Her hands snake up around my neck, her fingers comb through my hair, gently scraping my scalp. "You're the only reason I didn't lose my mind with everything that's been going on." She says, gazing into my eyes.

"I'm also a doctor in training, and as such I declare myself your equal." I tease, smirking.

"You have a long way to go before you can call yourself a doctor." She says, her eyes half lidded. "Let alone my equal." She smirks.

"I dunno. Hikaru thinks I had some potential. And seeing as he hates my guts, I think that says something." I lean in a little, just to see if I'm reading her right. Her eyes close. Head tilts back. She offers herself to me.

I take her glasses off, hooking them into her collar for safe keeping. I lean in, awed that she's just standing there waiting for me to take whatever I want from her.

We kiss. Her lips tasting like cherries, chocolate on her breath. We kiss again, her hands pulling me in even closer. I wrap my arms around her, pulling her up off her feet. She wraps her legs around me, her arms wrapped so tightly around me that I know she doesn't want this moment to ever end.

She starts slipping a bit, gravity is such a pain. Instinctively, my hands grab her lower, to support her weight better. Unfortunately that means I now have my hand quite firmly on her butt. My eyes pop open with shock, but all I see from her, all I feel from her, is her relaxing even more in my embrace.

Her kisses become more and more needy. Her breath starts coming out in short bursts. Her chest is heaving, her breasts rubbing against me hard each time she breaths.

I close my eyes, enjoying the moment with her. Enjoying her, in her entirety. How she so freely offers her warmth to me, how she so clearly trusts that I'll do right by her.

I slide my hand back up, not wanting to-

"Nn!" She complains, her hand shooting down to stop me from moving it away. She pushes it back down a bit, pulling herself up with her other arm. I feel every inch of her, from knee to inner thigh, to crotch, back down to her other knee, callously rubbing against my tummy and sides. And she doesn't seem to care. I don't doubt she notices though.

We break the kiss sometime later – I don't even know how long she let me hold her like this. She doesn't seem to want me to put her down though. And she doesn't care she's not wearing her glasses. She's close enough to still see me, I guess.

"You do re-" She kisses me again. Seeing no reason not to, I squeeze her bum a little, enjoying how soft yet firm it feels in my hand. All she does is moan into our kiss.

Kami-sama… how did I ever manage to steal her heart?

8-8

"Hey, Aya?" I ask, as we walk towards the training ground where our team is supposed to meet.

"Nn?" She noises, looking a bit distracted for some reason.

"You do realise that you'll be late for work? Asuma-sensei isn't supposed to arrive until eight. And you're shift starts at eight." I point out. It's really nice that she wants to come with us though.

"Senju-san doesn't mind." She says, smirking.

"You plan on giving Asuma-sensei hell." Ino doesn't ask, nudging Aya with her elbow.

"I… plan on making sure he is aware of the delicate state of my patient, yes."

"Sensei's lucky you don't outrank him." Ino needles, smiling at the blush Aya's trying to fight.

"Ino. I'd be careful if I were you. You're the only one of us that isn't… scoping a prospective relationship." Shika says, choosing his words carefully. "If Imouto-chan starts getting annoyed with you…"

"Aya wouldn't set me up with a deadbeat. And honestly, I think mom would be grateful if Aya sets me up with someone she approves of. So… You're not exactly issuing threats here, Shikamaru." Ino says, shrugging. "Besides, let's face it. Temari, Aya and I are going to have to plan at least one pregnancy together. She's going to want to wait as long as possible, seeing that you two are already basically spoken for."

"… At least… one?" I ask, thinking about that. It's not exactly something we've discussed. I always thought it was an Akimichi thing to only have one child. But… seeing as Aya's parents are on their fourth, and how the situation is stable and secure enough for more… "How many children would you want?" I ask Aya.

"… I haven't thought about it, really." She admits. I shrug, glad I'm not the only one. "At least three though."

My eyes bug out a bit. "Three?"

"Uh huh. The Akimichi heir, the Namiki heir and one just for me to spoil." She says, no sign of being dishonest or teasing. She is blushing though, and looking away from me. And…

The Akimichi heir… She's seriously considering that?

I blush, rubbing the back of my head and smiling. "That sounds fair." I admit. I'm sure mom won't mind having all the grandchildren I'm willing and able to give her. "You sure you can handle three pregnancies and deliveries though?"

"I like the idea of having a big family." Is all she says, blushing deeper this time. We arrive at the training ground at about ten to eight. I already start with my stretches, knowing that I need to warm up properly since I'm so out of shape from recovery.

Aya studies me every step of the way, probably looking to see if I'm stretching properly, and if I show any sign of pain. I find myself smiling at her overprotectiveness.

"Hey, Aya. I was wondering if you would like to go out tonight?" I ask. "I mean, we don't have to make anything official, but we can still go out, if you want?"

She blushes again. "Get through the day and ask me later if you're still up for it." She says, looking away from me.

"If I ask you later, you'll already have plans. Dinner and a movie?" I press, liking how her cheeks and neck keep getting redder and redder. I don't understand how I have this power over her, but I like it all the same. "Shika and Temari can come too, if they want? That way you can spend some time with them. And maybe Naruto and Hinata?"

"And poor, poor Ino gets sidelined because…?" Ino demands, hands on her hips.

"If you can find a date, you're more than welcome to join us." I point out. She blushes and huffs, obviously not having a comeback for that. Aya seems to be considering that though. Really thinking about Ino's dating thing. "So what do you say, Aya?"

"…" She opens her mouth to say something, but the look in her eyes tells me something just clicked. "I'd love to. And Ino… I might have someone in mind for you. I'll bring him by the house well in advance so you can scope him out yourself. Sound fair?"

"Kiba…?"

"Gag me."

"Cute?"

"A bit too pretty boy for me." Aya says, shrugging.

"Strong?"

"Anbu. I wouldn't consider a weak mate for you."

"Do I know him?"

"Not even I know all Operatives."

"So cute and strong… smart?"

"You can decide for yourself."

"Come on, Aya! You can't dangle something like this in front of me now! Curiosity is killing me!"

"Fine. Come by the office when you're done. I'm sure he'll be there."

"Ooh! He works in the Tower? Which department? I thought you said he's Anbu."

"Ino."

"Aya."

"Just come by the Tower."

"What's he look like?"

"You'll see when you come by the Tower."

"What if you compare him to people I know? Who would he-"

"Ino. I don't have to introduce you, you know."

"Yes, you do." Ino sings, linking arms with Aya and still pelting her with questions about whoever the guy is. I shake my head, still doing my stretches.

8-8

"Sarutobi-sensei, a word?" Aya all but demands when sensei arrives.

"Ah… I was wondering when you'd find me. I should have known it's be straight off the bat." Sensei sounds amused, lighting a cigarette. "So, Namiki-san. What guidelines am I to adhere to with your patient?" Sensei sounds a little too amused. And judging by the tension in Aya's shoulders, I think she's not liking his relaxed attitude.

"There will be nothing but D-rank missions for at least two weeks. There will be no training for longer than an hour at a time. He is to stop should he become short on breath and he is to lay down, and not sit, when this happens. I will not stop him from perfecting any jutsu he feels he can handle but in a combat situation, there will be no using anything over C-rank jutsus until I believe his body is once again acclimatized to not only the strenuous training, but that his injuries won't act up. Ino is equipped to handle minor emergencies should they arrive, but if anything outside of her skill should happen you will report them to me directly. Is that understood?"

I blink. Wow. She is seriously ordering Asuma-sensei around. And she doesn't look like she cares he outranks her.

"Of course. Would you like to know what the plan is for the coming few weeks? Just so you know his health is my top priority." Asuma-sensei offers, still being a little too upbeat for Aya's tastes.

"Sarutobi Asuma." I figured this would happen sooner rather than later. "If you continue to patronise me, then I assure you I'll be breathing down your neck worse than Asami-nee ever has. I do not need a play by play, I need for you to understand that I am his doctor and that I will break you faster that lung cancer ever could. Is that understood, Sarutobi?"

Ino whistles, impressed that Aya would talk like that to sensei. I smirk.

Aya is like that with Hokage-sama and Mizukage-sama. She'd tell them both off with a smile on her face. Asuma-sensei isn't exactly higher ranked than that.

"Yes, ma'am. If I have any questions or suspicions, I'll be sure you hear them." Sensei says, smiling even wider.

"Aya, he's not making fun of you. That's just his personality shining through." Ino soothes. "He's heard rumours, and he's impressed that you're really like that with everyone. He's too laid back to patronise you. And if he would dare, I wouldn't defend him."

"… So you're estimation of him is that he understands the orders given and he's just amused that a shrimp is giving them like I'm his superior?" Aya sums it up. I shrug, nodding a little. That's more or less what's going on, yeah.

"He lived with Asami. Trust me, he knows not to underestimate you. But other than that, yes." Ino says, careful not to make things worse.

"Imouto-chan, relax." Shika soothes, but she just glares at him. "Troublesome." Shika mutters.

I feel… intrigued if I can get her to back down. For some reason, I just want to know if she'd let me. "Do you think I would let him talk down to you?"

Aya sputters, blushes a deep crimson, and is trying to come up with something to say. Something along the lines of her being able to hold her own, being my guess, but it's hard to say for sure.

I walk up to her and wrap my arms around her shoulders, hugging her from behind. "Aya, it's alright. Even if sensei's stupid enough to disobey orders like that… you still have Ino and Shika here. They'd tell you in a heartbeat. And you know Ino'll be hounding me every step of the way." She settles down a little, the tension in her shoulders easing. So I lean in, whispering into her ear, "I'm in good hands here."

"N-nn." She's blushing even deeper now. I wonder about that. Is it the contact, is it the way I'm talking to her? The tone of my voice?

…

Those are goose bumps. She's also shivering slightly, but not from the cold. She likes feeling my breath on her skin.

Interesting.

"But you know." I whisper again, feeling her shiver a second time and leaning her head against mine. "You could always just hand around here. I wouldn't mind having my doctor here to nurse me back to health if I do something stupid."

"P-please… don't t-tempt me." She says, almost whimpering as she tries moving away from me. I pull her back though, knowing that if she really wants to, there's nothing I can do to make her stay. She doesn't fight me, and the hairs on the back of her neck are standing on end, even as the flesh turns pink from her blush. I grin, enjoying the effect I have on her.

"Well, then how about if I come by the Tower with Ino? That way you can see for yourself that I'm still in one piece?" I offer. "Maybe I can bring you a snack? How about a chocolate brownie from that bakery you like? With some peaches?"

She smooths my bandaged arms with her hands, before turning into my embrace. She nods. "Be safe, Chou…" She demands. "For me."

I push her back a little, capturing her chin with my index finger and gently nudging upwards to invite her to look at me. She doesn't fight me at all. "I will. I promise." I assure her, before leaning in and gently kissing her on the lips.

She, Hitomi and Ryuuzetsu leave for the tower via body flicker soon after, but not before both shadows offer me an approving look and a nod. I guess I'm not messing up as much as I used to. That's good.

A low whistle tells me that sensei is impressed. "Chouji, I don't think anyone alive can claim to hold that much sway with her. You actually got her to back down."

"Shika, Ino, Naruto, auntie Yoshino, uncle Shikaku, Yasu-san." I list some of the people that have as much or more sway with her.

"I know how to persuade her and the signs when she's about to blow a fuse, not the same thing." Ino admits, grinning. Sensei and Ino look to Shika wondering what he has to say about this.

"Troublesome." He mutters, obviously refusing to get involved.

8-8

Interestingly, we're not doing our usual training today. No. We're doing something clan related. Asuma sensei gives us each a jewellery box, containing earrings, small silver hoops – nothing special.

"Today is an important day." Sensei announces. "Today you three take your oaths as future clan heads. These earrings are meant to symbolise your oath to protect the four clans as your own family, to protect Konoha with your life."

For some reason, I wish he'd has done this later. Or earlier. Or just at a time Aya could be here. She'd have loved to be here for something like this.

I patiently wait my turn, before offering my oath to the Sarutobi clan head. "I hereby swear that, as the sixteenth head of the Akimichi, I will entrust the oath entrusted to me by the fifteenth to the child that will become the seventeenth! In order to protect both the Yamanaka and the Nara clans and to protect Konoha, I, Chouji Akimichi, will now come forth from my chrysalis and as a butterfly— spread my wings!"

With that, Asuma-sensei pierces my ears for me on the spot. Honestly, it doesn't hurt, but I find myself wondering what Aya will think of me with earrings.

8-8

After the ceremony, we make our way to the Tower, and find Aya talking to – though is sounds mostly like threats to me – three jounins who are demands an audience with Hokage-sama.

"I do not repeat myself, gentlemen. You're report is important, her current meeting even more so. Sit quietly and wait your turn." Aya demands, not bending even a little.

"UNACC-"

Snap!

I've heard about this jutsu that is so feared. And really, I understand why now. It's not that it's dangerous, it's embarrassing. Three jounins are almost instantly wrapped in what I can only describe as a… cloudy, living rope.

"Think about what I've said. And I'll get back to you when I feel you've had time to calm down." Aya doesn't even look up to the three, shaking her head in annoyance.

Her eyes find mine quickly, a quiet smile telling me that she likes what she sees. Even after seeing the earrings I didn't have when she left, her mood doesn't change.

"Hiya! Miss us?" Ino asks, bubbly as ever.

"How could I not." Aya says, smiling again. Not just with her eyes this time either. "I have Sai here for you, by the way."

Aya –literally– reaches under her desk and pulls out the boy and sets him on her desk for Ino's inspection. He's wrapped up in the same cloudy ropes, so I'm guessing he isn't cooperating.

"Sai, I will only warn you once. You are here because I want you to meet Ino. If you impress her, she might agree to a date, during which you will be free to monitor us up close and personal, and without the threat of death I've issued." I'm not sure if that's a good thing. I'm not even sure I want to understand why she threatened him, why he's monitoring anyone… let alone why Aya would think he's a good match for Ino. "Will you cooperate, or am I going to have to kill you?"

"I'll cooperate, ma'am." Sai seems to understand that she isn't kidding. She doesn't kid about things like that. As much a softie as she is sometimes, if she says she'll kill you –and you're not a packmate– you're dead.

"Good. Now, introduce yourself to Ino." The ropes fade, freeing him – physically. I don't doubt she'll break him in half if he tries escaping before Aya gives permission.

"Good morning, beautiful. I am Sai. Thirteen. Stealth and assassination specialist."

"I see. Hmm." Ino studies him from head to toe. "No sense of fashion, but that's an easy fix. No sense of interpersonal relationships. Too focused on work, so Aya had to drag you. You call me beautiful, but you haven't even looked at me."

Ino breaks him down, categorizes him, and studies the pieces. That girl is scary sometimes.

"Oh, so you are into girls. Good to know. I can tell you really do think I'm beautiful, but you're still not more adept at expressing that. Hmm, you'd need so much work it's not even funny. But… you are strong, just like Aya promised. And you are cute, when you stop smiling like that." She continues. "No, I'm not telling you not to smile, I'm telling you not to force it. I'm a Yamanaka. Inoichi's daughter. So I've been taught to read people from the best. I'll know when you're being authentic, and right now the only thing authentic about you is when you're sizing me up like I'm the enemy. You need to live a little, Sai."

"… I… don't understand." He admits. "You know what I am doing, yet you do not shy away."

"What's there to be worried about? If you were a threat to me, Aya wouldn't introduce us. And if you were to try anything, either Chouji here would break you, or… far more likely, Aya would. And trust me… you'd prefer Chouji breaking you. He's far gentler." Ino is just too much sometimes.

"I don't doubt. He looks like a marshmallow." Sai says. I'm sure that's a fat joke, but he doesn't seem to be mean about it. And more than that… he doesn't seem to react to his own words. As if he's talking for the sake of talking. No emotions, no tone variations, nothing. Just words.

"No, he's stronger than Aya." Ino corrects. "He's gentle because he chooses to be. Aya doesn't choose to be gentle unless you are in need, or are part of her pack."

"Her pack? Like dogs, wolves, dingos and other canines? She doesn't look like the dogs I've met." Sai says, in that same monotone as before.

"The Namiki clan is very close to wolves. So they believe all that matters are those she cares for and her loyalty to Konoha, which they see as their territory. That's why they defend Konoha so violently, they see it as their hunting grounds, and we're just kind of background noise. Understand?" Ino explains seriously. I can tell she's actually enjoying this.

"No." He admits. "Who do they take orders from?"

"No one, really. You can't order a Namiki around. They don't even tolerate that from each other, from what I've seen. They'll listen to you if you're precious to them, but that's about it."

I block out their talks after that. Sai clearly doesn't understand the most basic thing about social interactions and whatnot. Ino on the other hand understands that almost too well. Hmm, maybe that's why Aya thinks they match? They balance each other?

"I like your earrings." Aya tells me, blushing a little. I smile, feeling the nervousness fall away.

"They symbolize my oath." I say rubbing the back of my head. "Oh, before I forget." I hand her the doggy bag. "One brownie, two peaches, and some milk to wash it down."

She rushes around her desk to hug me properly. "Awww. You remembered." She coos, hugging me tight. I like how affectionate she can be around the right people. It's a welcome break from the almost overly polite people I usually meet.

"Of course. You have a thing with your snacks. Just like I do. And you never forget mine, so…"

"True, fair is fair." She says. "So… tonight?"

"Dinner and a movie." I nod.

8-8

"This is a bad idea." Ino complains. "Aya's going to be so pissed when she finds out."

"… Troublesome. She already knows." Shika points out.

"Huh?" I don't get it.

"She saw mom bugging me while I was packing for the mission. She knows." Shika explains.

"Well, sensei. It was nice knowing you." Ino says, being a bit dramatic. Aya won't kill him. Not if Shika and I talk her down… I hope.

"I'm well within my rights here. I've lived by her standards. And it's been almost two weeks as stipulated. I'm sure she'll… why is she waiting for someone by the gate?" Sensei seems surprised.

"Because you didn't ask her? Because Chouji didn't say anything before leaving? And seeing as she's alone… No witnesses? It was nice knowing you, sensei." Ino is being dramatic.

"I did tell her. I wouldn't leave without saying something to her, you know that." I point out. She even demanded I take the two gauntlets I've been practicing with – I think she said she got them during her first C-rank mission?

I think they're pretty cool, and they work really well with my taijutsu.

"So… why do I get the impression my life should be flashing before my eyes?" Sensei, please don't take Ino too seriously.

"Did you talk to her about this mission?" Shika points out.

"Well… no, I figured you guys would."

"It was nice knowing you, sensei." Shika agrees with Ino.

I walk up to Aya, not even worried about silly things like her killing me. She wouldn't. Trust me, I broke her heart and she still loved me enough to let me walk away.

"Here to see us off?" I ask, curious.

"I'm coming." She says simply.

"Works for me. You have everything packed?"

"You… don't mind?"

"Honestly, I saw this coming." I lie easily, smirking. She rolls her eyes, smiling a little herself. "It'll be weird not seeing Hitomi and Tsu with you though."

"Nn. They… weren't pleased when I told them."

"Um, I think I have a say in who tags along." Sensei points out, sounding amused.

"Not unless you plan on going solo." Aya counters.

"Ouch. Playing the parents card." Sensei teases. "Well, it's not really anything spectacular. Just a delivery to the Land of This. Come on, then. Daylight's wasting."

8-8

End Chapter 80

8-8

A/N: Sadly, the Land of This... is a cannon country on the border of the Land of Fire. It's more of a city-state if you ask me, but... meh. It's a destination they haven't been to and one that shouldn't pose a problem. Low risk. *grins* Completely low risk.