Written for the LJ Community 50 Shinobi Challenge. Thanks to the lovesrainscent and hakuisagirl for reviewing the first chapter!
~No.41/Rivals~
She is evil. She is the essence of everything he hates. She is cruel. She is heartless. She is his rival.
Every time she comes to Konoha, he whips out his shogi board and challenges her to a game. He wins most of the time, but the games that she actually manages to dominate, she does not boast; just extends her hand over the table with a faint smile on her face.
"Good game."
He would have preferred it if she had boasted out loud that she had won. At least then, he wouldn't feel as humiliated.
She is good.
And he hates her. He hates when she wins. He hates the way her eyes light up with happiness. He hates the way she leans over the table in concentration, examining the board for any openings she might have missed. He hates the way her usually hard teal eyes soften in the morning light when she wakes up in his bed, looking around the room for her clothes. He hates the way her body fits perfectly into his like a puzzle.
He knows the reason she wins every now and again. He is too busy staring at her.
She is his rival, and by Kami he loves it.
~End~
Next Chapter: hmm.. I don't actually know yet :P