Chapter 2! Hoo-ra! Anyhow, I hope you enjoy. ^_^
I couldn't believe how horrible my plan went. He was supposed to be drunk and looking for a girl to spent his time with, so why the hell didn't he stay in the lake? I let out a sigh and swam into my house, seeing Sasuke sitting on a chair by the table and dropping sea slugs into his mouth.
"Sasuke… what were you doing ashore today? You never go ashore, for anything." I swam past him with a sultry flick to my tail that I always had around him to make sure that he noticed how much of a matured mermaid I was.
"I had a bone to pick with a fox. It's not my fault that some kid and his friend got in the way." I clenched my fists as I tried not to get mad at him for attacking my target. He wasn't allowed to know I wanted a soul, he'd attack me if I told him. Sasuke was the closed minded kind of merman, he made storms rage and I had to soothe them, he'd taken several brides like Shikamaru but hadn't changed any of them. And because of our lineage everyone wanted to be with either of us- mainly Sakura and Ino were vying for his attention though.
"Ember, tell me, what did Shikamaru say last night?" I paused and turned back to Sasuke with the kindest smile I could muster. I wrapped my index finger around a lock of hair and curled it a few times as I sauntered back, knowing that Shikamaru would agree with anything I said.
"We've decided nothing new. We wont get married, but we'll keep our current relationship."
"What relationship? You have no relationship aside from his unrequited feelings!"
I narrowed my eyes at him as I crossed my arms over my breasts, and sat myself down with a flourish. My hair was floating half behind me for a moment as Sasuke swam over and placed his hands on the wall behind me, pinning me to my place. "Since when have you cared so much about other peoples feelings? We've been alive for three thousand years Sasuke. I think I can choose who I want to spend the rest of my life with." he moved one of his hands away from the wall and grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him, his eyes still red as mine remained black and calm.
"You aren't allowed to keep acting like a child Ember! You need to take some responsibility with your life and as long as I'm the eldest male of this family you have to do what I-"
"Your not the oldest male. Don't tell me that in a mere five hundred years you've forgotten Itachi. And as long as he's alive I have to do nothing that you say. I know it sucks for you, but remember…" I removed his fingers from my chin and slowly pushed myself up, forcing him to straighten up himself. "…I've had my own agenda for a while Sasuke, and if you keep screwing it up, I'm going to have no choice but to leave just like him. And you don't really want to be all alone, do you?"
His eyes faded back to black quickly and I nod my head as I leaned forward and pressed a light kiss to his lips. "I'll be back in a bit, try getting out and having some fun with the other men if you want, I'm sure it'll be better then cooping yourself up in here."
It wasn't uncommon for siblings to marry and have children amongst our kind, it kept bloodlines pure- especially in our case. But because our parents were dead I was breaking the chain, I refused to marry and have children with my brother. We'd had fun centuries before, rolling around in the seaweed together, sharing steamy kisses on a reef, nothing too odd for two young mer-folk who were supposed to be married. But he cut himself off when our parents were killed by our elder brother, he never got over it.
"Ember! Wait up a minute." I stopped swimming and looked behind me to see Shikamaru swimming towards me, still looking as bored and lazy as ever.
"Hey Shika, what's up?"
"I just got yelled at by your brother when I was passing your place… care to tell me what your argument was about and why it involved and I quote 'go lay with her to get her head out of those freaking clouds, you lazy bastard'?" I couldn't help but smile at him as I gave him a hug, feeling my breasts press against his chest.
"I'm sorry Shika. We had another fight about Itachi and how Sasuke cant order me around. I know it's why he wants me married, so you can order me around and I'd have to listen to you." I felt his arms wrap around my waist as he hugged in return. "You really do love me. Don't you?"
"Yes. I do." I felt a kiss pressed to my neck and let out a sigh, he knew how to make me swoon and how to make my heart race. It was shameful how the lightest touch of his finger tips could make me shiver, but I had an agenda, I had to keep thinking about…
Shikamaru was the only thing on my mind, no matter how hard I tried not to think of him, I just kept going back to the slightly sharp teeth nipping my collar bone, his tail moving in tandem with mine. His arms squeezed tighter and I couldn't help but swoon as one of them moved to grip my hair, pulling my head back so my neck was at a better angle.
"Sh-Shika… why-why are you doing what he wants?" I knew my face was going red as we slowly started to sink into the darker waters that hid a lot of horror for both man and mer-folk, but I found myself caring very little. As long as he kept doing what he was doing I'd be fine with it.
"Because I want to. Mermen are horribly selfish Ember, and I'm tired of hiding that side of myself around you." the arm that was wrapped around my back slid around and I felt his palm flat against my stomach before sliding up to fondle my breasts. Without even thinking about it really I allowed my tail to dissolve into two human legs and I wrapped them around his waist, feeling the fine scales against my bare legs as my back finally hit the smooth rock bed of the crevasse we'd sunk into.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Pure shock, Naruto was sitting on his bed, with a small fox kit on his lap. But the shocking thing about the picture my only slightly hazy mind saw was the number of tails this fox kit had. I knew it must have been a trick of the light and probably just the kit swaying it's tail back and forth quicker then other foxes would, but I saw nine tails behind the thing. Wasn't that eight too many?
"Hi Gaara. Did you go for a swim? Odd, I thought you didn't like swimming." I shook my head and walked over to Naruto, staring down at his lap and the kit to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. I stretched my hand out and caught one of the tails, seeing the other eight still there and moving slightly.
"Naruto… care to-"
"Explain? Yes, I'll explain. This is Kurama. He's been my fox for about three weeks now. I found him all alone and close to death in the woods. And yes, he has nine tails. Please don't throw him out Gaara. That guy from today said he had some kind of bone to pick… I cant abandon him now can I?"
"Fine… but if he pees you clean it." I let out a sigh and fell onto my own bed, trying as hard as I could to not think of that girl who'd vanished in the lake. It'd be a good excuse if I could see her again, she'd probably get my mind off Naruto, maybe… hopefully.
"Thank you Gaara!" the next thing I knew Naruto had pounced on me and was pinning me to my bed, his face in the joint between neck and shoulder and his slightly smaller body covering mine. "You don't know how much this means to me!" god, I knew how much it meant to me. Didn't he know that I'd do anything to make and keep him happy? Wasn't he aware that I only cared for his happiness in life?
I pat his head a few times before he got off, that goofy smile on his face and his eyes so endearing. "Gaara… are you alright? Your eyes seem a little, lost." I nod my head a few times and internally curse myself for not waiting to come back until I was completely sober. "Did you go to the pub or something…" he bent at the waist and pressed his face into my hair and I froze, I hadn't put my hair into the water at the lake to even try and dispel the heavy perfume scent that was Alex. "…because you smell funny." he raised his head up again and I looked up at the whisker like scars on his face- an accident close to similar as my eyebrows, but people had done it intentionally to harm him.
"Y-yeah, I needed a drink." I tried to ignore the fact that his legs were on either side of my hips, that his hands were spread out over my pectorals. That his eyes were shining brightly down as me as he tried to figure out if I was lying or not. But most importantly I tried to ignore the fact I was becoming aroused by the feel of him and the look in his eyes.
"Gaara, your face is going red. Are you alright?" why the hell was he so clueless and caring at the same time? "You could be getting sick from being out last night without a shirt and the river this morning." he closed his eyes and bent at the waist again, putting his forehead against mine to check my temperature. Why the hell did he have to care so much. Sure, getting sick was a big deal but I'd made it through the Spanish flue twice, I don't think I'd get a small cold for no reason.
"You're warm, here, take your blanket back, I'll get the fire going again. The hotter you get now, the quicker it'll sweat out of you."
"Naruto… when someone has a fever you keep them cool- unless it's a cold sweat." my voice was just a mumble as he shifted, not seeming to notice that my lower region wasn't as flat as I'd wanted it to be at that moment. With a smile as clueless as ever Naruto hopped up and rushed over to his bed, throwing the window open and letting a cold gust of wind into the room, giving me the opportunity to raise my leg closest to him so he couldn't see anything.
"Alright then! You get stripped and I'll bring you some nice cold water!" I let out a sigh as he vanished from the room, he cared, yes… but he had a thick head. I wasn't about to strip, even if I had the Spanish flue again I wouldn't have stripped at that moment for an ice bath.
The moment Naruto came back, a happy Kurama trotting beside him I let out a sigh, seeing the bucket of water he set on the floor beside my bed before he dunked a cup into it and held it in front of me. "Naruto, I'm fine. If you want to do something, how about grab my money pouch and go to the market to get some carrots, those are really good with helping sick people." I had no idea if what I was saying was true or not, but it was Naruto, he'd go if I asked him and if he thought it'd make me better.
"Alright… where's your money pouch?"
"My pocket, just give me a sec-ah!" the fact he'd reached right into my pocket scared the shit out of me as he grabbed the money pouch and withdrew his hand.
"Relax Gaara, just lay down and do your meditation thing. I'll be back in a jiffy!" Naruto skipped out of the room, Kurama still trotting at his side. I let out a sigh and ran a hand through my hair, wondering in the back of my head how long it'd take Naruto to buy a few carrots before I realized I should have just asked him to steal them- it would have saved me the embarrassment of his hand in my pocket.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
I was healthy again by Naruto's standards and so I let out a sigh as I stood on the wall, overlooking the entirety of the town at night. The lords house was filled with lights that'd be going off any moment: my targets all lay in nice warm beds inside that huge house.
I pulled the fairly loose hood up over my red hair and checked to make sure I had both my swords on hand. I was to kill every person of nobility in that castle but the youngest son: a ten year old who had more brains then the rest of them combined who'd sent the request to the English king to have his family assassinated.
How the king knew of me I'm not sure, but my title was known throughout the world and over again: Jinjuriki of the sand. I'd gotten the name thanks to the bit of sand I sprinkled at first to cover my tracks, the name just stuck.
As soon as the top floor lights started going out I stood up straight on the fairly thin, high wall and started running. A few lights on the lower floor would remain on for an extra two hours, but none of my targets were downstairs, they all had bedtimes so they could wake up early and refreshed. Too bad they'd never wake again.
I jumped off the wall and gripped the two jutting stones in the side of the castle as my feet felt for a holding spot that would work until the closest window's light went out; the young boy I was to keep alive.
I'd covered my hair in mud to hide it's color, and smudged mud over most of my face to make my skin look darker, it was horrible, but it also allowed me to hide in the shadows easier and prohibited people from recognizing me.
As soon as the light went out I climbed the last five feet and pulled myself into the room, falling silently on the floor with my soft leather shoes. "Hello? Who's there?" I ignored the sound as I walked over to the wardrobe and opened it, my body nothing but a shadow to the room as the young boy lit and candle and looked at me with scared eyes. "A-are you here to do it then?"
I nod my head once to him and pressed my pointer finger against my lips before pointing it into the wardrobe. He had to play the scared child, did he not? He nod his head a few times in response and rushed into the wardrobe. "Thank you sir. This means a lot to the people." I shut the door in his face, not really caring why the hell I was killing, as long as I got paid.
I decided to leave through the window again, scaling the wall again to get to the lords room directly. I slid in through the window, the small lock was nothing too hard to get through, my dagger being dragged up the seam silently was enough to lift the predictive hook. My feet were silent as I slunk towards the bed, both lord and lady sleeping soundly.
I pulled my two swords out, but there was nothing I could do about the slight 'shing' sound that they made as I pulled each of them out of their scabbards. The lord stirred slightly but did not wake, and the lady noticed nothing.
The tip of the blade poised over the lords throat I did the same with the lady, counting down from three in my head before pushing down and watching as the blades easily slid through their throats and into the bed. Both swords stopped once the tips hit the wood frame of the bed and I watched as eyes opened in fear but were unable to scream as I twisted the swords as I pulled them back out again.
I had an hour until the night guards came to the room for a check, and that meant I had an hour to finish everyone else on the list off. As soon as I was positive that they were dead I sheathed my bloodied swords on my belt again and moved back to the window, sprinkling a bit of sand over their faces so they knew who killed the lord and lady.
Each kill was different, I'd slit one couples throats, I'd decapitated others, or I'd carved their hearts out. I was just about done when I heard the sounds of the guards yelling that the lord and lady had been murdered… the one night I decide to actually do it they show up early… just my luck.
As my last victims eyes open because of the yelling I grip his hair and slash his throat, unceremoniously and messily. I get this mans blood on myself and the gurgling scream he gave off was loud enough to draw attention. I vetoed the sand and just dashed for the window, jumping out and swan diving towards the harshly cold water of the Atlantic.
As soon as my body hit the water I contracted into a ball, the pain of such cold water was normally enough to kill people itself, not to mention the rising pressure and the fact I was still sinking despite the large breath I'd taken before contact.
I finally opened my arms and spread my legs, kicking for the surface before a shark or other manner of sea creature could get me, hoping I wasn't within arrow range of the castle as I swam, the mud I'd put on my face and in my hair washed out by the cold water.
"Well… looks like you came back for me Red." I turned my head to the side as the voice hit my ears the second I was above water and I noticed the same black haired girl from the lake, and the night the pirate ship sunk.
I opened my mouth to speak but was cut off when her arms wrapped around my neck and her lips collided with mine. It was a harsh, rough kiss and I couldn't help but get into it as I kept kicking my legs to stay up. The feel of her breasts could be felt through the fairly heavy shirt I was wearing, the peaks pressing like beads into my skin as she clung to me.
I had no idea who she was, or if she was a harlot or not, all I knew was that whatever the hell she was doing was making me worry less and less about getting back to Naruto to tell him I was fine and that the mission was a success. Her legs wrapped around my waist and I leaned back slightly, kicking my legs so we'd end up on the shore.
Every sound she made had my mind growing all the foggier, the feel of her bare flesh was cold and tight under my finger tips and I knew that something was happening that normally wouldn't. My mind was going thanks to the fact Naruto was around me and I couldn't have him, but something about the spell I'd been put under by this woman was harsh to think about.
I pulled my mouth away from her's to breathe and she just attached her own mouth to my neck, sucking and biting with… slightly sharp teeth? The thought was immediately pushed from my mind as she rolled her hips and all thought process I had was demolished.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
I opened up my eyes with a splitting headache and having little memory of the night before. I reached my hand up and ran it through my red hair, I could feel something wet under me and also slightly grainy. I knew she was gone, she'd left shortly after I closed my eyes, refusing to believe that I'd done something so stupid with the girl, but it had been mind blowing, I knew that.
It was still dark, probably just after midnight if I had to guess. I let out a sigh and sat myself up, looking out at the black water and seeing that I was laying on the beach with my pants up but not fastened, my shirt once again gone and what looked like a bite mark on my right pectoral. I glared at the spot for a moment before grabbing the hem of my pants and I stood up. My knees were still a little wobbly as I stretched, not caring that my pants slid down a bit again before I pulled them up and fastened them and started walking back towards the cottage.
I walked through the front door and noticed that the fire in our shared room was low so I grabbed a few logs from the hearth of the main fire and brought them in with me, tossing one of them into the fire and setting the other down as I fell on my bed, no blanket and content with the temperature of the room.
"What took you so long? The towns been in an uproar because of what you did."
"Good thing they don't know it was me then." I put my arms behind my head and started my nightly routine of counting the ceiling boards.
"I was worried about you! How can you just act like nothing happened? didn't you hear everyone yelling that there was a killer? What are we going to do if they figure out it was you Gaara?"
"I did everyone a favor with this job Naruto. That lord was a tyrant who raped women for no reason. We'll all be better off without him around. Besides, I'm sure his son will be fine running the place." I let out a sigh and closed my eyes, wanting the conversation to be over.
"You killed almost everyone Gaara! How can you sit there like it's nothing! How many of those lives did you have to take? How many Gaara?"
"All of them Naruto! I kill, it's what I do. You know I kill and you know I like it! I'm not going to suddenly change because you don't think it's moral. I kill people for money, and you steal from people. It's how we've lived since we were kids." I sat up and turned to him with a glare, no longer caring what he thought of me. It was tearing me up inside to not be able to be with him the way I wanted.
I didn't know why I yelled at him, but the fact that I did just pissed me off more. I felt horrible seeing his eyes fill with tears and that hurt look cross his face. "I'll be back eventually… I've got some stuff I need to do." I stood up again and grabbed a shirt, pulling it over my head as he turned away from me.
I walked out of the house and ground my teeth together, not caring that my canines were longer then normal peoples and that it was slowly wearing them down. I stuffed my hands into my pockets and started walking towards the river, completely fine with just laying down in the dew covered grass and watching the trees above the bank let their branches sway in the late night breeze.
I lay myself out ten feet from the river and sighed as I put my arms behind my head again to try and relax a bit, wondering why the hell I was being such a harlot myself. And yelling at Naruto, I don't even know why the hell I did that… why did I do that?
I let out yet another sigh and sat up, arms poised across my knees and my eyes transfixed on the water ahead of me as the sounds of leaves rustling behind me caught my attention. For a moment I thought it was Naruto, but the foot falls were too precise and far apart. I squinted my eyes as the person walked up to my left side and sat down, mirroring my position.
My eyes looked over at the man and I looked at him for a moment, not believing that I was seeing what could have been an older version of myself with what looked like add-ons. In the mop of slightly longer red hair I could see the tips of two horns that could have been devil horns. My eyes followed the curve of his back and noticed two black wings on his back next, about the size of a bear paw each. My eyes followed the curve of his back still and noticed the tail curving up behind him, looking so much like a devil that for a moment I felt my heart pounding.
"I'm not a devil you stupid child. How the hell did I create such stupid offspring. I'm an incubus you dolt." my wide eyes turned into glares and I opened my mouth to yell at the freaky man as I moved to stand up though he just cut me off again. "Don't even bother yelling at me. So shut up and sit your ass down and listen to what I've got to say. It's not like it was easy to find you after all."
I did as he requested and sat back down, a glare on my face as I turned so I was facing the odd man who looked like me with hard eyes that held some sort of fire that I hadn't seen in anyone before.
"My name is of no importance to you. All you need to know is I am an incubus, and I am your father. You've been wondering why your more of a hormonal teenager and this is why. You've inherited my gene and the thing you cherish most has turned into an object of desire rather then an object to protect.
"Your half incubus, therefore you will be pursued by many and all. You will have a naturally dominant personality and if you don't get the object of your desire soon you'll most likely go mad with want until you hurt that person."
I glared at the man, not knowing what the hell he was talking about. I opened my mouth to ask him again but stopped when he stood up and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his leather trousers, the vest he was wearing was some sort of fur covered pelt that his wings were coming out of.
"Hey. Aren't you going to answer my questions?"
"I already have. What other questions could you have? And if your going to ask 'why I killed your mother, don't. I killed her because she was dying anyways. Women impregnated by a full incubus die after the child is born. But the same thing doesn't happen to that child. You will have at least one son when you decide to and if you don't want kids your seed will not be fertile. Understand?"
"No. that just raises more questions! Your not allowed to leave until you tell me all this stuff!"
"You'll figure it out eventually, just don't want kids and you wont have them. The woman who bares your children will not be in danger of dying. And yes, you'll crave copulation until you get who you want."
"Fine. Since your so keen on getting out of here, answer one more question: does this person I want copulation with… does it have to be a woman?" I looked up at him and saw the slight sneer on his face. Of course I knew it was a bad thing to crave the touch of a man, to want to see the pale tight flesh of a stomach covered in abs and strong pectorals.
"Yes, yes it does." without much more of anything he turned away from me and I ground my teeth together, wanting to know who the hell he thought he was. Some random freak showing up and telling me what to think and who to do.
I squinted my eyes, nothing that person had told me would make a difference in my life. I still wanted to be with Naruto in a different sense then I was and I was still pissed at myself for getting upset with him and shouting.
"You know… your very lucky to have had one of those meet with you and not violate you. It's kind of what they do." I jerked my head to the side and noticed the girl again, her long hair down to about her knees as she stood in the moonlight in a light dress that did little to hide her perked breasts or voluptuous hips. I watched as she walked over and knelt down beside me. "Most people get the wrong impression when an incubus comes to visit… though I suppose their thing is molesting woman in their sleep, not awake and aware men."
"And you saw what I just saw?"
"As clear as the stars in the sky."
"What are you doing here? Thought you were done with me."
"No, I went home to get a dress so I wouldn't be cold. Midnight dips in the ocean and lakes is just kind of my thing. But what are you doing out here?" the sound of her voice made me shiver and I stretched my neck out slightly to press a kiss to her skin when she moved away slightly. "I have to go… I just came back to see if you were alright. Maybe we'll meet again." she gave me the most seductive smirk I'd ever seen as she stood up and walked away, a sway to her hips that I'd only seen some woman have. It wasn't the same, nothing but release when she was around, but that release was better then the horrid feeling around Naruto, wasn't it?
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
I let out a sigh as I slipped back into the water, having pulled the annoying dress off of my body. It felt so horrible to be confined in a dress that it made me want to shudder in disgust.
I noticed Shikamaru floating a little ways off a scowl on his face as he looked up through the clear water. "Hi Shika… what're you doing here?"
"Checking on you. I don't really trust humans all that much." I smirked and pressed a kiss to his cheek as I grabbed his hand and started swimming in the fairly far off direction of Atlantis.
"Well that's very you Shika. But I'm fine. I can take care of myself."
"How many times are you going to do it with him? How many times am I going to have to float off to the side listening to the sound that's breaking me down slowly and painfully?" I looked at Shikamaru for a moment and wondered; just when did he become so sensitive to what I did and who I did it with.
"Shika… what's going on? Usually your more detached and-"
"I don't want to be detached. I've had to swim for days to let out all the steam that's build up inside from watching you flit around and toy with whoever you want. Nine times out of ten I'm here and I'm asking for it Ember. How is that fair?"
"It's not. But I don't like being fair. I like having fun. And fun is what I'm having while I work on getting myself a soul. I don't really care if you like it or not, but I do. I don't care who I hurt and how I hurt them, I just like knowing that I have a friend who cares about me as more then just 'the youngest Uchiha' it's flattering knowing you like me, but I don't want to be tied to one person."
"I don't just like you Ember. And if you don't get your head on straight, after three thousand years, your going to loose something you don't want to. I'll see you in a while. I have to go sink another island." Shikamaru turned away from me and swam off, his speed much quicker then my own since he was actually trying to swim.
I let out a sigh and allowed my head to drop, wondering just how hard it was going to be to get everything I wanted. I clenched my fists into tight balls and head for the reef to hang out with the others, wondering just what they would think of my situation- without telling them of wanting to acquire a soul of course.
"Ember! Where have you been? We heard something about the main land… is that true?" Sakura waved in a large arch before flicking her tail and swimming towards me, her teeth not shark sharp like mine, just her canines were sharp as she smiled.
"Of course… I went for a walk, is that so odd?" all the girls giggled and it made me roll my eyes, how fucking stupid were they? They giggle about everything and it's absolutely annoying, to the point where I don't know how guys put up with it.
"Anyhow, we were thinking about going out hunting. There is a whale pod that's passing by shortly and I'm sure a few of them will be delicious!" I shook my head as I reached behind me and pulled my hair over my shoulder to braid it in a long rope.
I didn't even get started on my hair before both Sakura and Ino started fighting over it. "Sakura your braids suck." the pink haired mermaid let my hair go and Ino started to braid away, making it look more intricate then I needed. "And no, I'm going out shark hunting again."
"Awe… that's no fair Ember, none of us stand a chance against sharks… are you going to bring Sasuke with you though? I'm sure he'd like the sport of it."
"No, we're not seeing eye to eye right about now to be honest. But one of you should ask him to go whale hunting… I'm sure he'd love to get a request." Sakura and Ino instantly swam towards my house, Ino leaving my hair have braided and it only took a few shakes for it to loosen completely again.
"Hinata, mind doing my hair in a simple braid?" Hinata nod her head and swam over so I she was sitting behind me. I let out a sigh of relief as she started running her hands though my hair before pulling her comb off of the reef and started running that through my hair.
"So Hinata, how are things with you and your cousin?"
"I don't know, you see Neji more then I do. He's just interested in becoming the next head of our blood line, and of course creating the perfect storm."
"Heh, if someone could make a better storm then Shikamaru I'd pay them money to see it." my mind went back to that night where Shikamaru had sunk Atlantis, I'd sung until my throat went raw and the storm was still raging harsher then ever.
I felt Hintata finish with my hair and pat my shoulders. "He loved you… you've just got to see it yourself and not get blinded by your own greed again Ember."
"Again?"
"Yes, about a hundred years ago… do you remember that time?" truth be told, I'd forgotten about that completely.
The sky had been filled with raging storm clouds because of both Shikamaru and Sasuke fighting over my future and what to do now that Itachi was gone. I'd eaten so many people that night, I'd gorged myself on human hearts, nothing but the hearts.
"Never mind that Hinata. It was a bad time for me and people paid for it. I've forgotten about it and you should do the same." I got off the reef and turned to her, giving a slight wave before heading for the drop off. "I'll see you later Hinata."
The drop off was a great place for mer-folk to swim if they were looking for a good kill. And a lot of strong sea creatures swam there to try and catch the younger, weaker mer-folk who went out without an elder with them who could take down such an animal.
Our generation was an odd one though, we looked younger then we were, and we were much stronger. But only a few choice of us had this odd ability thanks to the humans we devoured, yet it only seemed to work with the humans we devoured completely.
I could see several sharks all lurking about, but none big enough to give me the necklace of teeth I wanted. My eyes scanned the deep water and noticed a large shark about a hundred feet under me.
With a smirk on my face and my nails sharp I flicked my tail so I'd head down. I allowed my tail to dissolve into the two human legs I was starting to growl accustomed to and started floundering in front of the shark. The moment I noticed the shark take interest I poised to fight, not about to find myself off guard as it flicked it's tail to get to me quicker.
I dodged it's mouth and started the delicate dance that would in the end get me a shark tooth necklace- something I hadn't managed to do yet since killing a shark was symbolic and reserved for only the strongest of mer-folk.
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"Gaara! I know I got upset with you, but that is by no means reason enough to vanish for a week! Kurama and I were worried about you! I was about to go looking for you through the freaking forest you stupid giant idiot!" Naruto rushed out of out cottage and wrapped his arms around my shoulders.
I'd spent the week hanging out by the lake, trying to figure out when the next ship was going back into London so I could get my pay for the family I'd all but killed off. The girl had come back again and again, but I still didn't know her name, but she didn't know mine either so I guess I couldn't really argue too much. I'd noticed a new necklace around her neck, falling slightly low, just over her breasts: shark teeth, something I thought only men did down by the Caribbean sea.
"I'm fine, your fine… so just forget it." It'd taken a while to get over the fact that Naruto and I just couldn't be together, even with what that incubus guy claiming to be my father it didn't make any sense what to ever. We were both males, it was wrong on every level, wasn't it?
God I asked a bunch of questions. I asked a bunch when I was gone for the week too, the girl had told me so much of all over the world. She'd done a lot more traveling then even me and Naruto. We're we've stuck to Europe and the Caribbean she'd gone to Asia, and Italy, some places I'd never even heard of.
"But Gaara, where were you? How could you have been gone for so long? Did you go back to England without me or something?" I shook my head and let out a slight sigh as I rubbed the back of my neck. I knew I shouldn't tell him what I had really been doing, but was it right to not tell him?
"I was just about Naruto, it's fine. Not like either of us died or anything. And no I didn't head back to England yet. Our boat's leaving tonight at midnight. I got us a free ride on a ship, all we've gotta do is throw in a bit of labor until we get to England." Naruto nod his head and hopped out of the rickety kitchen chair.
"Alright! I'll go get packed then! Just one bag, I know the drill!" I nod my head a few times as I stuffed my hands into my pockets and thought for a moment about who to talk to about selling the cottage, sure we'd made it ourselves, but it'd give us some more money and I never planned on coming back to this place, not if I could help it.
"Gaara… are you mad at me? A-about the fight that we had the day you left?" I shook my head as I started to debate more internally on if I was going to have the cottage sold or not.
"No Naruto, it's not about the fight. It's just about… stuff." I couldn't tell him, I knew I couldn't. The last bit of what my father told me was crap, I knew that… I just couldn't bring myself to tell Naruto how I felt because it wasn't right for two men to be together. Being with the girl for the week was nice though, I liked it. It might have just been the pleasure, but it felt horridly wonderful to have soft skin under me and to feel her body was so wonderful that I was positive that I could handle living with Naruto again.
My things never really unpacked themselves, but I noticed as I walked into the room to grab my bag and pack up my blankets that my bed was covered in blankets and the two pillows. Naruto was curled up in a ball, my red colored pillow hugged to his face. "What are you doing?" Naruto let the pillow go and smiled up at me with a slight blush on his cheeks and I realized that no girl could ever fill where he'd wormed his way into.
Naruto set my pillow down and pushed the blankets off of his legs with the same smile in place as Kurama snuck out of the blankets at the foot of the bed. "Oh… uh, I was just making sure that Kurama… didn't pee in your bed like you'd warned me against."
I walked over with a slight smirk on my face, unable to stop myself as I bent down and sniffed the pillow myself to play along. "It doesn't smell like a fox at all… smells kinda like you." I looked from the pillow to him and saw the blush, deciding right away that I'd gone too far in that moment and stood up again.
"If you looked for me, I'm sure you would've found me. You couldn't have missed me that much Naruto."
"I looked everywhere I could think of! You weren't anywhere! I checked from the docks to the middle of the forest Gaara! I swam the rivers and dove in the lakes to find you! And I couldn't! I thought you might have been drowned in the ocean!" the look in his eyes made me shiver and I turned back towards the door to head back to the kitchen.
"I'm going to go make some food. Come to the kitchen when you're done." I didn't bother to see if he nodded or not, just as long as he didn't get under my skin any further I'd be fine.
There were three knocks on the door and I raised a nonexistent eyebrow again as I walked towards the door, gripping the hilt of my dagger in my left hand incase I needed it.
My eyes widened as I saw the girl standing there, her smile wide and eyes kind. "Hi, I just realized, I never told you my name… so I followed you. It's Ember by the way- uh, my name. Odd I know, but I was kinda born with it." Ember stepped forward and I felt her press a kiss to my lips, not something I was unused to after the week I'd spent with her, but something I wasn't expecting to have happen in my doorway with Naruto just in the other room.
I felt like I was cheating on him, I knew I wasn't that our emotional connection was strictly that of brothers.
"Gaara." my voice was quiet as I replied, and pressed a light kiss to her cheek in return, wondering why I'd allowed this person to grow close enough to show pleasantries towards them. "Do you want to come in?" Ember gave me a smile but shook her head.
"No, I cant. My brother wants me back home for a while. Though I hear your leaving, do you know where to, or how long for?" I shook my head, not knowing if I should tell her I planned on never coming back, even if I had the opportunity to. "Oh, well, you know where to find me if you ever do come back." she gave a wink and pressed another kiss to my lips before turning her back on me and started walking back towards the town.
I spent a few moment's making food for Naruto and I when a heavier knock came on the door and my eyes immediately darted for my sword, seeing it beside the door where I'd left it.
"Coming!" my nerves were shivering as I walked towards the door. The last time I'd heard a knock like that bad things had happened; mainly I'd been pulled from my London flat after midnight by palace guards and thrown down before the king with an 'opportunity' that I 'couldn't pass up' so he'd basically drafted me as his personal assassin.
I opened the door again, my shoulder leaning against the wall and just my head sticking out so they couldn't see inside. As I looked at the tall men all dressed in dark clothing I narrowed my eyes, listening as Naruto came out of the bedroom.
I held my hand out in a motion for him to stop, and once his feet stopped moving I flicked the hand they couldn't see that I'd used to stop him to motion him to go back into the bedroom, knowing he'd hide by reflex.
"Spill it." I had no time or patience to deal with something as trivial as exchanging pleasantries.
"We're here on behalf of our lord and the English King. The lord would like a private meeting with the Jinjuriki of the sand. And we were told we could find him here."
"Odd… I know no such person. Sorry, but you've obviously got the wrong house." I tried closing the door but a heavy boot stopped the door just an inch short of being able to set the heavy wood block into place.
"Just get him to the castle as soon as you can." I ground my teeth together, I was an assassin for lowlifes and big spenders. I would not spend my time entertaining a spoiled brat who'd ordered his family dead for a few gold coins, not when my boat was leaving at midnight.
"Gaara… can I come out now?" I opened the panel in the wall and pulled Naruto out of the small space where he was clutching Kurama. "What was that all about?"
"They want me back at the castle… well, they want the Jinjuriki." Naruto looked worried but I had an idea. Nightfall was coming and that meant shadows, I loved nighttime for all the wonderful pockets of darkness. "I'm going to leave you here Naruto, and I'll give you the ships name. Get on it and I'll meet you."
"But what if you don't meet me on the ship?" his deep blue eyes made me want to shiver because of how horrible he looked. I just shook my head and turned back towards the kitchen.
"Then you'll sail back to England without me. You know where my money will be for this job. Just do yourself a favor and don't go right away, give it a week or two." I had a set up with a person who always picked up my money for me, he'd go to the meeting with the king and take the money and make the jobs that I'd do. Then he'd get the money and hide in in the flooring of Gaara and Naruto's least used apartment.
"Where are you going?"
"I have to go blackmail someone. I'll meet you on the ship." I grabbed my money pouch and tossed it in his direction, smirking as he caught it. "I'll be seeing you Naruto."
"Yeah, you better be." I refused to look back at the cottage as I walked. There was one section of people in the town that could work for the purposes that I needed them for. I had my bow and quiver across my back and my swords in my belt as I walked down the streets, looking like a regular Joe who was just heading out to hunt.
My spirits picked up once I got into the rougher part of the town. I thrived in this place, especially if I needed people to black mail. I slipped into the bar and bypassed Alex, not caring that a slightly hurt look crossed her face as I walked right up to the one guy I'd based my 'character' off of.
I tapped the girls shoulder and motioned for her to get lost before I sat down across from the guy I'd seen every time I'd come into the pub. "Oi… what was that all about?"
"I need you to do me a favor Konohamaru." the younger boy raised an eyebrow and scoffed. He made a motion to move and I tossed out a small pouch of silver coins, allowing them to spill out onto the table. "I didn't say I wasn't willing to pay." with a slightly glazed look in his eyes Konohamaru sat back down and took the pouch, stuffing the spilled coins back into it before slipping it into his pocket.
"Alright. What do you need?"
"For you to go to the castle tonight as the Jinjuriki. You wont have to do much, just stand there and nod your head."
"Why me?"
"Because you look most like him. If you cant do it, give me back my money and I'll find someone who can." I held out my hand for the pouch a glare on my face before I got a hand shake.
"Deal. When do you need me there?"
"Now, wear something dark and don't show your face if you can help it. Keep your accent and don't try and get rid of it." Konohamaru nod his head and I stood up to go get into position inside the castle before he'd show up.
The minute Konohamaru walked into the room bows and arrows went up and mine went up to. I'd managed to secure myself to the ceiling with the ropes that were already there, right beside one of the large windows for an easy escape if I needed it.
"So, Jinjuriki… I thank you for your services. But I'd like to know what your next move is. Where are you going?"
"No where." I ground my teeth as he answered, he wasn't supposed to answer any questions. To the point where I wanted to put an arrow through his head, I decided that if he did answer another question I would.
"Alright, so what would you think of becoming my own personal bodyguard?" I hung from the ceiling, hidden in the harsh shadows that the many candles created, none of their light being able to reach me.
Konohamaru remained silent and I was about to let out a sigh until his voice pierced the silence. "I cant answer that right now, but I'll say that I'm certainly going to think-" his voice stopped as my arrow pierced his head. I saw the blood spatter across the ground in front of him and I watched as the guards pointed their arrows to the ceiling, none towards me though.
I set my bow back on my back and ground my teeth together as I pulled myself out of the hanging ropes and gripped the top of the curtains. They started running over when they saw the curtain move, but I just gripped the thick jagged bricks on the outside of the building.
Arms and legs moved as fast as they could as I made it to the top of the tower to make another jump into the ocean- they obviously didn't think about assassinations when they built the castle on the top of a cliff above an ocean.
It was cold again, so fucking cold again. I opened my body much sooner then I did before and swam towards the surface, only knowing it was the surface because I wasn't fighting to rise.
The ship was a little far away and it looked like everyone was rushing around to get ready for cast off. "Naruto!" my voice carried out as Naruto rushed passed and stopped. I saw him squint out before he waved above his head.
"Gaara! You jack-ass we're leaving!"
"Then drop a fucking line!" Naruto nod his head and dropped a thick spool of rope into the water, tying the end off to the safety line on the side of the ship before starting to rush around the ship again. I gripped the rope and started to pull myself up, wrapping my leg around the rope and clasping the rope in my hands as I pulled myself up.
"Oi! Who're y-oh. What took you so long Gaara? We were about to leave without you." I ground my teeth together as the ship's captain smirked down at me as I kept climbing the last ten feet.
I kept quiet as I pulled myself up, not bothering to say anything to the ship captain who'd been kind enough to not draft Naruto and I for more then until he docked in London. It might have had something to do with the fact that I'd offered to get rid of his first mate for him, but we had to do much less then everyone else.
Once I was on the deck I rolled onto my back and let out a sigh before I had to pull the rope up. Heading back to England, I was so happy about that one little fact. I was just happy that I'd be back home before I knew it a small little boat ride and I'd be there.
AN:
Me: wow… chapter two is done.
Shikamaru: how far are you going with this M rated stuff Elizabeth?
Me: there is going to be much more detail in deaths and more of what Gaara actually see's when he's performing a hit.
Naruto: are you going to put me and Gaara together? Because I'm confused about that! I'd be fine with it and everything, but you're just making it really confusing right now.
Me: it's supposed to be confusing Naruto (mainly because I don't know yet) but I'll figure it out eventually.
Axel: so… you're giving them the hardcore stuff? What happened to this shit when you were writing either of the fanfics for me and Roxas?
Me: I've told you before Axel, Gaara is my ALL TIME FAVORITE character. So I will have a better story line. I've been working on this storyline for a long time and I'm not about to make this half-assed because of it.
Shikamaru: Axel's pissing you off, isn't he?
Me: yes.
Shikamaru: alright, you go put him into the time-out corner and I'll introduce Gaara.
Me: you just want my job.
Shikamaru: yes, but I'm being kind about it. So you go along and here's Gaara.
Gaara: please review, we'd all love to hear what you think of this fanfic.