Accidental Marriage

The beauty of the world has two edges, one of laughter, one of anguish, cutting the heart asunder. - Virginia Woolf

Kurenai stood before the mirror of her bathroom sink and tried to brush out her long black hair. The kunoichi in training glared at her brush. Every time it came within an inch or two of her hair, static caused strands to rise. It was difficult to get the job done when each stroke of the brush resulted in a crackle of electricity. "Gah!" Kurenai threw the offending object into the sink with a shout.

"Kurenai?" Came a soft but worried voice from beyond the door. "Are you alright? You didn't slip did you? Are you stuck in the toilet?"

"Oka-san!" The girl called back with a blush as red as her eyes on her cheeks. "I'm fine!"

"Are you sure? I heard a crash…" Came the pitiful remark. Kurenai sighed and adjusted her top before smoothing her red and white skort. Her mother was over-protective and most days a nervous wreck. Grandmother claimed she wasn't always paranoid something bad would happen, but ever since father had been killed on a simple item retrieval mission she fretted over her only child as if the world was out to get Kurenai.

The student of the killing arts swiftly opened the bathroom door, only to stand for inspection. Her mother had dark shoulder length hair that appeared to absorb the light and red-rimmed ruby eyes that hinted at the previous night spent crying over the photo of her father. All the Yuhi women had red tinted eyes ranging from light pink to near black. Kurenai's happened to be the darkest of the Yuhi's currently living.

The elder scanned her daughter for any suspicious bruise before nodding in satisfaction and handing the small girl her bento. "Have a good day at school, Kurenai."

She hugged her mother. "Bye." Kurenai smiled brilliantly in an effort to ease the woman, but she only wrung her hands as her daughter skipped off to school.

"Children, we're going to do something a little different today." Iwo-sensei announced to the gathered children. Kurenai glanced up from the coloring book she had lodged between the pages of her anatomy text. So far class had been fairly routine with a lecture on the vital points of the body. Kurenai already memorized the important and easily accessible targets so she passed the time 'taking notes'. "We're going to mix up tai-jutsu practice with the class from down the hall. Take notes, as training with new and different opponents will help you find your weaknesses."

The idiot Hyuuga in the front raised his hand calmly, slowly, and oh so irritatingly. "Sensei. Is this to be a common occurrence?"

Kurenai chewed her bottom lip nervously. It was common knowledge Kurenai held the not-so-proud title of dead last in tai-jutsu while her nin-jutsu was mediocre. What if I'm the worst in two classes?

Iwo-sensei shook his head in a negative. "Every month or so. You won't know who you are scheduled to fight, so this will help pointing out weaknesses. When you become ninja there will be opponents you've never met or heard of, and you need to learn to prepare for anything."

The red-eyed girl sighed as she shuffled into line with the other students. Each step down the hall was like a death gong to her. An eternity later they stood in the practice yard facing the other class. Dust blew up in a haze as the first couple stepped up.

As expected the battle of the leading students was good. Both fighters had near perfect form and execution. It seemed that with every punch sent by her classmate was answered with a swift kick to the face. They rolled and danced around each other in a set of complicated maneuvers Kurenai barely followed, but what ended the battle was a simple bushin. The illusionary copy flickered into existence behind her classmate.

Kurenai felt her pulse surge in excitement as she realized what the other boy was doing. He switched with his copy, something Kurenai would never have thought to try, and attacked from behind. The teachers applauded and made comments before calling up the next combatants.

When it came to be her turn, she was just lucky the face off was with her fellow dead-last.

Kurenai snarled as she kicked at the smiling ass that was her opponent. His mouth quirked in a grin that asked to admit defeat, and she longed to wipe it off his face. Their classes had been meeting every month for the past year for interclass competitions and now the whole school knew she was the worst. Several had asked her to give up and go into a more girlish business like flower arranging. Hell no. I'm going to be a ninja…damn it! Why can't I see his, Shit!

He sent a punch toward her face and Kurenai's eyes went wide in alarm as she leaned back to avoid it. The fist sailed over her and she flipped away, but to her eyes everything about the man appeared slightly blurred. The boy shifted his stance and the only warning Kurenai had were the goosebumps along her arms. She threw herself to the side desperately.

Artic wind swirled through the clearing and sent skirts flying the air, at the same time leaving the area Kurenai once occupied bare rock. All dirt had been scoured away by Asuma's attack.

She coughed and glanced up only to see him standing over her with a superior smirk. "You could have given up, Kurenai-san. Retreat is a perfectly viable tactic."

That pig-headed ass! "DRY UP AND DIE!" Kurenai yelled as she focused her chakra into her leg and kicked. Asuma crumbled. Unknowingly chakra pooled in her eyes causing them to give off a light red glow, and she glared down at the boy. "Shinobi are supposed to finish off their opponents first. Gloat later."

Asuma mutely nodded as she stalked off. He coughed and waited for the teachers to declare the winner, Kurenai.

Dew drops littered the ground like diamonds. Kurenai sat among them with her eyes closed serenely; a book on meditation lay open in her lap. She breathed in. The land rippled. Diamonds twisted into green stalks that blossomed beautiful white tulips. She exhaled and took in her new environment with a pleased grunt.

As she hoped every flower was crafted to perfection, and even the best genjutsu user would be hard pressed to find any flaws in them. She had found her niche in the shinobi world. Next match. I'm going to win. Kurenai gave a slight wave and the field evaporated into a haze of smoke instead of vanishing instantly as intended. "I suppose I'll have to work on that."

"Kurenai-san!"

She tensed up. "What do you want Asuma?" Her words came out with a ring of steel.

He paused and fumbled in his pockets for something. The boy had been annoying her sense she smashed his family jewels. "I just wanted to…um…give you something as an apology to what I said. It wasn't very sporting of me."

"Sporting? It was a downright insult."

He laughed and scratched the back of his head. "Well, yeah. Sorry."

"You want to get me something? Get out of my face."

The bushin was an academy level jutsu that involved making a low grade visionary illusion of the user. It was also the genin test. Kurenai confidently walked to the head of the class and gathered her chakra. The power warmed her chest as her ruby eyes flashed dangerously. 'Bushin no Jutsu."

Six identical Kurenai's stood along the classroom, one hand on their hips and the other thrust out with a V for victory. Iwo-sensei clapped her on the back as he handed her the steel graduation symbol. I'm a ninja now. A real ninja… Tears of joy threatened to spill over.

She quickly crushed her emotions and gave a sharp salute to her teachers. Iwo-sensei playfully returned the gesture. "Remember, meet here in two days to be assigned to your Jounin-sensei."

"Yes, sir!"

As she left the room with the posture confident and proud Iwo-sensei turned to his comrade. "She certainly has blossomed has she. It's unusual for someone to have an illusionary affinity."

The other man propped his chin in his hand as he went over the role. Twenty more students to go. "Certainly. Though it all depends on her squad leader. If he doesn't cater to her strengths she could fall back…"

"We'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen!" He answered cheerfully and made a note on his clipboard. "Next!"

Asuma swung his forehead protector around as he shuffled out the door. She had passed with him. He chuckled at the thought of them being on the same team, but it seemed unlikely. Kurenai would probably kill him. I remember telling her to give up being a ninja. I still haven't done anything to make up for it. Perhaps…

He threw the armor up and shoved it in his pocket next to the packet of tobacco he'd recently picked up. The brunette jogged through the yard searching for the girl. He spotted a mass of curls and launched himself into a nearby bush.

Kurenai swayed as she walked, her hips had already started to come out in their curved glory. He watched her as she waved goodbye to her friends. Parents already arrived and were busy congratulating their children, or consoling those who failed. Asuma frowned. Her mother wasn't standing with others and was in fact no where to be seen. Kurenai didn't appear troubled.

Her thumb traced the swirl on the metal and she marveled at her reflection. She really is pretty. No one would guess she's a genin. He calmed himself and stepped from the leaves, but only after checking to be sure she couldn't see him. It would be embarrassing to be caught spying like that. Someone might think he was some form of stalker.

"Kurenai-san."

She turned and her gaze hardened while her tongue remained soft through effort. "How can I help you, Asuma?" Her hands fiddled with the metal and cloth creating an appealing ring. She was unintentionally drawing attention to her forehead protector and Asuma thought it was like she was saying 'I'm a ninja now. I'm not dead-last. I can do things.'

"I said I wanted to apologize…so here." He held out his own graduation gift. The metal glinted in the sun and reflected the shock on her face.

Her hand trembled slightly as she took it, confusion filling her. "Why?"

He looked off to the side and mumbled, "You'll make a great kunoichi. It's me acknowledging that."

Kurenai softened. He wasn't that bad a guy after all. Her hands held both protectors by the dark blue cloth and her feet bounced as she thought. "But now you don't have one…"

He shrugged. "I'll just get a new one later." The boy began to walk away but was stopped. The girl tapped his arm and offered her original forehead protector.

"I believe you'll make a great shinobi, too."

"Heh. Thanks Kurenai-san." He blushed and hurried off.

Her coffee had long since cooled since he brought it too her that morning. The last Yuhi stirred the murky liquid with a small spoon as she reflected on her life, before and after Asuma. They had been engaged for near 16 years, ever since the exchanging of forehead protectors. Ninja had no need for rings. Unlike civilians who gave bands of gold as symbols of love, shinobi had an old tradition of trading their forehead protectors. While most adults knew this it wasn't until she had told her mother about it she realized what had happened.

Asuma watched her from his position against the doorway. Over the years they had gone on the occasional date, and his admiration of her grew. She surpassed him when it came to teaching; the woman guarded and trained her students beyond any expectations. When he had been given a group that was born for teamwork, she melded a trio that had almost nothing in common. Shino was silent and hardly offered any insights to his character; Hinata was quite and timid but if one pressed her far enough they had all seen what happened. Kiba was nothing but a firecracker waiting to go off.

She was a miracle worker. She was in his kitchen. She was his betrothed. Gods knew how much he wanted her. It may have been a ninja thing, but something about strong brutal women attracted him.

The chair squeaked unpleasantly as Kurenai pushed away from the table, her drink untouched. She approached him slowly as a blush grew on her cheeks. "Asuma," her hand reached for his vest and began to remove it. "I'll be your wife."

He stroked her hair and let her remove his clothing. They were adults. They were ninja. They needed no ceremony to become husband and wife.

He took hold of her wrapping, slipping his fingers under the fabric, and pulled it free from her body in one smooth motion. Only a single layer of fishnet remained. She pushed him backward toward living area but a few inches away. Kurenai fumbled with his belt and tossed it aside. He backed into the couch and fell over it, carrying her with him. Her near nude body pressed against his and he groaned. "You're beautiful." He breathed in her ear and grabbed a kunai from table to cut away the last vestiges of her clothing.

She giggled and jerked down his pants, at the same time leaning forward to kiss him. His beard tickled and aroused her. He smelled like smoke and charcoal and to her it was an intoxicating aroma.

Asuma sat up and leaned into the kiss, swirling his tongue over her bottom lip and tasting the faint fruit of her lip-gloss. He slid his hands down her arms, and then back up from her hips around her waist. She was so warm. Her tongue reached for his and he gave in to the kiss. He needed her.

Kurenai let out a startled gasp as he broke the kiss and picked her up, stumbling over the upturned furniture. One of his rough hands clutched her bottom, and the tips of his fingers played along her skin. She was placed delicately on the bed as he crawled over her.

She smiled and her eyes took in the surroundings. He traced a scar that ran along her thigh, and the touch sent a shiver up her spine. On a whim she closed her eyes and concentrated. The world fell away to be replaced by a grassy plain and night sky.

Asuma nuzzled her neck in question.

"Let a girl have her fantasies." She whispered and pulled his head closer. Soon they were back to kissing, and with each passing second she felt herself warming to him.

He rubbed her inner thigh softly until she opened for him, and he stepped up. She bit her lip as he plunged inside her. Kurenai winced at the sharp pain echoing in her head, but it quickly gave way to rhythmic pleasure.

She gripped the sheets in an effort to control her urges, and her back arched impressively. "My. Turn." She panted and kicked one leg out, easily flipping and changing places with her husband.

END.