Oh my, my, my! I'm SUPER sorry that took so long to update... I really need to set up some kind of weekly schedule for myself... which would be much easier if I had a laptop instead of an ANCIENT computer. -Dies- Anyway, I'm getting excited for Christmas and it puts me in a WONDERFUL mood (Just wait until Christmas music hits the radio LOL) So, it pushes me a bit more to write the next chapter- I don't like this story as much now that Amaya is in it... She's just going to get in the way, it seems. Other than that, I'm HOPING to post a new chapter on or around Nov 27th, if not earlier just because I think it would be cool to post a chapter on Lee's birthday. Lol
Other notes- I hope you guys don't mind all the typos and grammar errors but I don't have Microsoft Word, which comes with a built in Spell check/ Grammar check, I use Open Office but the spell check fails a lot, so before posting I run my chapter through a spell/ grammar checking site and still get complaints. _ I need an editor or a better site, so... if any of you know one, go ahead and send me the URL or something. (Oh, and good luck with anything to improve my punctuation... I really fail at that one. LOL) I go to .
Lee's POV
Moriko-san reached a hesitant hand toward the doorknob, turned and slowly pushed it open as if expecting an explosion to go off once it was fully open. Finally the door was open and we were staring into the darkness of the living room and hallway. She looked at Tenten-san and then at me with a puzzled expression. Tenten-san gestured her into the apartment and the two of us followed. I shut the door behind us. As I turned back to watch Moriko's expression, I noticed Amaya-san poke her head around the corner from the kitchen, to see what the noise of the shutting door was.
Amaya-san spotted her sister and her face split into a huge grin and she stepped into the hallway, fully. Tenten-san and I both watched Moriko-san's face. She was obviously shocked, her bright green eyes wide and her mouth hanging open, slightly. Amaya-san stayed where she stood, acting a bit nervous. Her older sister slowly turned red and I watched her eyes fill with happy tears and she raced foreword and threw her arms around her.
"Onee-san!" Amaya-san cried as she hugged her sister. It had only been a day, since they had seen each other, but they had not known when they would see each other again or what state they would be in. Moriko-san appeared to have noticed the bandages around Amaya-san's neck because while they were hugging, Moriko-san quickly pulled back and stared at the bandages.
"it's okay, Onee-san. Father was mad that your friends came over but they saved me." Amaya-san explained cheerfully. Moriko-san turned around and stared right at me. She knew it had been my doing. Her gaze was a perfect mixture of gratitude and anger. It was, by far, the oddest look I had ever received from anyone. I could almost feel her emotions radiating from her, leaving me a bit uncomfortable. I tried to look innocent but I was always a horrible liar and I knew, if anything, I managed to make myself look more guilty.
"Oh my!" Tenten-san gasped, laughing cheerily. "Lee, Mori-chan can't decided whether to hug you or slap you!" I shifted nervously, but I did not question my decision as Moriko-san marched up to me, away from her sister. I took one step back, she may not have the ability to hurt me but it's the principle of the action I was tempted to run away from. She stopped in front of me, her hands in fists at her side, and her green eyes on fire. I opened my mouth to suggest leaving to Tenten-san but was taken by surprise when I realized Moriko-san had thrown her arms around my neck. I felt my face burn as I returned the gesture. Just as we were pulling apart from our quick embrace, I could have sworn I heard a faint whisper from her... Either that or a bug had zoomed passed my ear.
Tenten-san stood next to Amaya-san staring at us, obviously dumbfounded. Moriko-san had turned away the moment we broke apart and stood with her back to me as she motioned something to the girls that I could not see. I did, however, notice the deep scarlet color on the back of her neck and the top of her ears, so bright it contrasted drastically with the cool color of her hair.
"Okay." Tenten-san agreed with whatever Moriko-san had said to her as they shared a quick friendly embrace as well. Tenten-san placed a hand on Amaya-san's back and lead her forward to the door, but stopped in front of me, her face was bursting with curiosity, telling me I would soon be bombarded with questions that I would probably have no satisfactory answers to. "A while ago, I told Mori-chan about the school for normal children who live with their shinobi family. She would like me to try to get Amaya-san enrolled." She explained and I realized, they had probably never had a decent education before. "You can wait here, Lee." She instructed before leading Amaya-san to the door and leaving me, still mouthing nothing, waiting for words to come out and express how confused, embarrassed and awkward I felt.
Moriko-san finally turned around to face me again with an absolutely blank expression on her face, at first I thought it was like the 'empty shell' blank expression she wore when I first saw her, but her eyes darted to me for a moment before locking onto the ground before her and I noticed the unnameable, conflicted expression in them. Similar to that previous expression, but the sadness seemed to have vanished and been replaced by the shadow of joy. It seemed that she had mastered the ability to hide facial expression but the expression she communicated with her eyes spoke volumes that she could not. Or... would not? That reminded me.
"Moriko-san, I have wanted to ask you." I started, trying to sort the words out and piece them together as gently as I could. "I have noticed a few things, but I do not want you to think I do not believe you. Whatever your answer is, I promise to believe it." I continued. Moriko-san looked up at me again, puzzled. She did not seem offended, so far so good, I decided.
"Moriko-san... Do you actually have the ability to speak?" I asked, softly. Her eyes widened very slightly for a moment and then dropped to the ground. I figured that I had my answer there, while she stared silently at her feet. I had not expected to take a deep breath and respond in what could barely be considered a whisper.
"Yes..." Her voice was high and slightly croaky with lack of use. She strained to get the simple syllable out.
I nearly jumped and was left trying to remember how to speak again. She looked back up at me and when our eyes met, there was horrible sadness there again. I cocked my head to the side, hoping for an answer to all the questions she knew I must have. The biggest question being... Why? I did not need to ask, she already knew what I wanted to know.
"B- because... I can't."
GAH! Horrible! Shorttest chapter, yet! . I'm really starting to lose where I wanted to go with this story. I need to reel it back in and regain control of my ideas and characters.
