Please excuse any errors I may have missed. If anyone is interested in being my beta, just pm me. It's always good to have a fresh pair of eyes to go over these things because the brain begins to autocorrect the mistakes making them easy to overlook.
I hope you enjoy this update. :D
Nao had gotten up early to prepare for the day's journey. Since Naruto was still sleeping, she slid a note under his door asking him to meet her in the lobby once he was ready to leave. She had gone to the market square to buy a picnic basket as well as the food to fill it up that would provide them breakfast and lunch before they arrived in Kairo Ichiba Toshi, the market city by the ocean. Anticipation filled her body causing her to pace impatiently as she waited in the lobby of the hotel with her backpack strapped to her back. Swinging the picnic basket in her hand, she rocked back and forth from her toes to her heels when she was tired of aimlessly walking in circles. Finally, the handsome blonde she was waiting for appeared at the bottom of the stairs that led into the lobby. She rushed toward him seeing a light pink coloration blossom across his tanned cheeks. His eyes seemed to glow this morning. Or maybe it was just her.
"Are you ready?" Nao asked with an adorable childlike expectancy.
"Sure. What about breakfast?" he questioned, gazing at the basket in her hands.
"Soon. Let's go. I want to get a bit of distance behind us before it starts getting hot. I'm so excited! I can't wait to get there!" she exclaimed, grasping his hand to pull him along behind her. As they walked, she chattered nonstop about their destination. "It's fantastic! There's the seafood salesmen at the port market. There's the seaside outdoor market where people from all over the world come to sell their goods. Exotic fruits and vegetables, foreign clothing, pottery, rugs...anything and everything! Then there's market street where the permanent shops of the locals are located. Oh, you just wouldn't believe it!"
Naruto smiled, listening to her animated jabbering without interrupting. He looked down at her hand that was still firmly grasping his. When she finally took a breath, he seized the moment to make an inquiry. "So is there a market to buy stuff there in the market city?"
Nao halted immediately, whirling around to glare at him. "Smart ass," she growled, punching him in the arm. "Just for that, we're going to walk another hour before we eat."
"You can be so cruel sometimes," he grumbled, pretending to pout.
"You're cute when you do that," she said, turning back around to proceed down the road. She decided it was best to keep her musings about Kairo Ichiba Toshi to herself so she would not bore him to death.
As a child, she had lived there with her mother. Her mother had told her that was where she had met her father years before. He had been a handsome and wealthy sea merchant. He had also been a married man. Rubbing her neck self-consciously while the damp heat wrapped around her like a suffocating cloak, she realized after all these years she was still not sure what to think about her father. First of all, she had never known her father. Second, what kind of man seduces a young impressionable woman when he has a wife at home? Although her mother did not know he was married until their relationship had been going on for several years, she still did not end the affair. So should that cause her to feel badly about her mother? But back to her mysterious father. As if all of that were not bad enough, that same man left to never return to that particular seaport when he learned of his mistress's pregnancy. Nao sighed deeply because of what came next in the story her mother had told her many times during her childhood. Then, she happened. Her mother waited and watched for years, hoping Nao's father would return. Finally, her mother realized he would never be back so they left the market village by the ocean that had been their home.
Nao had been only four years old when they began traveling. She and her mother wandered all over creation from small villages to big cities, aimlessly moving like gypsies for four years until they settled in Konoha. Her mother had lived out a happy life for eight years with her daughter before she died. Or at least her mother pretended to be happy for her sake. She remembered her mother as being a joyful person who laughed and smiled a lot. When her mother talked about Nao's father, she made him sound like a fabulous storybook prince. The stories about her life in Kairo Ichiba Toshi before the birth of her daughter were full of adventure and excitement; and of course romance. It had been like a fairytale but without the happy ending. Her mother had been a fantastic storyteller. She had made her life before her daughter sound like a grand story. She made sure Nao's life had been full of love and memorable experiences as well.
"Nao," Naruto called, placing his hand on her shoulder. He halted her steps, turning her to face him. With his palms pressed against her tear dampened cheeks, he used his thumb to wipe away the next tear that slipped from her eye. "Why are you crying?"
"I..uh, um...oh, Naruto," she sobbed, sliding her arms around his waist to bury her face in t-shirt. The soft cotton was slightly damp with sweat from the heat of the morning sun that was already baking their bodies. Her nose filled with his scent that was earthy yet sweet like the evergreens around them that mixed with the smell of the wildflowers whose petals were carried by the wind. Thankfully their path to their destination included many stretches of forest that offered shade and coolness. In addition to the shade, the brisk breeze that would occasionally blow through cooled them off.
Naruto wanted to ask a dozen questions as to why she was crying. However, he had taken to heart her advice not to ask questions when a woman was weeping. He pulled her body more securely to his pressing his cheek to the top of her head. His fingers stroked across her face to push back the hairs that had fallen from her bun and become plastered to her cheeks with tears. What in the world had her so upset? Had he hurt her feelings with his remark earlier? It was only a joke. Oh, god...what if were about last night? She had been thinking and her thinking too much always led to nothing but trouble. His arms tightened around her body when she shuddered against him and inhaled a lengthy, shaky breath.
"Better now?" he asked quietly as if she were a skittish animal he might frighten away if he spoke too loudly. He smiled as she nodded mutely while wiping the remnants of tears from her face. Kissing her on the forehead, he thought about how strange it was that she had taken care of him for so long yet he was taking care of her now. Though she was a mature, grown woman, she had endearing childlike ways he had never noticed before. Perhaps it was because she had been forced to be the grown up to take care of him. Whatever it was, he was thankful she had done it and accepted him into her life. The least he could do was take care of her at this time.
"Thank you," she whispered, standing on her tiptoes. When she still could not reach to kiss him, she linked her hands behind his neck to coax him into range. Her lips pressed to his for a moment before she pulled back to look at him. She smiled before leaning forward to kiss him again. Her mouth moved over his, pressing a tiny kiss at the corners before moving to the middle. When the tip of his tongue teased the small opening between her lips, they parted further to allow her tongue to touch his. After making the intimate contact that tempted her to go further, she ended the kiss. "I'll get everything ready for breakfast."
At least it wasn't regret from last night's activities that had made her cry. That passionate kiss she had given him wiped all doubt from his mind. He watched her as she spread the blanket that she had taken out of the basket on the grass. Kneeling down beside her, he helped her remove the boxes that contained their breakfast.
"What has made you so sad?" Naruto questioned her in a straightforward manner. Diving whole heartedly into the food, he waited expectantly for her answer. He had been hungry since waking up so he was completely famished at this point. Eating and listening at the same time were two activities he could handle together. Besides, keeping his mouth full would prevent him saying anything thoughtless that might hurt her feelings more.
Nao picked at her food with no appetite at all. Choosing to eat the fruit first, she thought it to be the best choice to allow her stomach to get accustomed to the fact that she needed to eat whether she felt like it or not. "I was just thinking about the past. My mother...my father," she added, cramming a slice of cantaloupe in her mouth. "I was born in Kairo Ichiba Toshi. My mother and I lived there until I was four."
"Oh, I didn't know," he murmured, setting his empty bento box back inside the basket. Sometimes he forgot that he knew nothing about her past. It had never really mattered before. Suddenly, the knowledge of her past became strikingly important. "Why did you leave?"
"Because...because..."she inhaled deeply to steady her voice. The tears had returned making her voice weak and quavering. "Because she got tired of waiting for a man who would never return. He abandoned her. He abandoned us."
"Oh," he mumbled, unsure as to what he should say. Leaning forward, he kissed her cheek feeling the wetness of a tear on his lips before tasting its saltiness. Maybe it had not been such a good idea to make this trip after all. The thought of exploring unknown places had been so enticing, so intriguing. What was unknown to him had been the beginning of her life experience. Maybe it was vital that she confront the past so that they could have a future together. Living in Konoha, he had been reminded of his past on a daily basis. It had been evident in the glares and snide, whispered words of the people.
"I'm sorry," she apologized, gathering up her uneaten food. "I'm totally ruining what was supposed to be a wonderful adventure."
"I understand. The past does that sometimes. I'm not sure if a sneak attack or being reminded of it daily is worse, but both break your heart. It's okay if it brings tears to your eyes and reminds you of the pain you endured in the past. It also reminds you that you survived and you can make a better life for yourself...and someone else." He eased up behind her since her back was to him. He did not want to spook her anymore than the memories of her past already had. His arms moved around her body, one around her shoulders and the other around her waist.
Nao smiled through the tears that blurred her eyes. She stubbornly held them back, refusing to let anymore of them fall to figuratively rain on their small but marvelous little parade. Her body relaxed in his arms, leaning heavily against his body that was pressed to her back. She felt safe and loved in his arms as if nothing and no one could ever hurt her again.
"I love you so much," he whispered, holding her more securely. "I will never leave you."
"Sometimes things happen in life that you don't expect. Don't make promises you can't keep," she warned him. She gasped in surprise when he jerked her around to face him despite the fact they were still kneeling on the blanket. Her knees burned from the friction that had been caused by the sudden, fierce movement.
"I never make promises that I won't or can't keep," he growled through his teeth, his deep blue eyes alight with the fire of indignation. "I'll always be with you. Do you - " He paused, the next words fleeing him. He lowered his eyes to stare at the ground. Should he dare to ask her this? Bringing his intense gaze back to her jewel toned emerald eyes that held confusion and concern, he drew in a noisy breath to continue his question. "Do you want to be with me? Will you stay with me forever?"
Nao's mouth dropped open but no words came out. Although it had pained her greatly, she had always expected him to leave her, to make a life of his own with someone else. Now he was asking her to be with him always; the true yet selfish and definitely unspoken desire she had held deep within her heart. He wanted her to be the one: his one, the woman he would love for the rest of his life. She raised her hand to place it against his heart. Beneath her palm she could feel his heart racing wildly, drumming against his chest so fiercely she could count each beat.
"I do want to be with you always," she said, unable to contain her grin at the expression of relief that flooded his face. "Did you really think the answer would be anything else?"
Naruto scratched the back of his head giving her a sheepish grin. "I was hoping there was only one answer."
Nao smiled, giving him a quick kiss before she returned to repacking the picnic basket. "We still have a long way to go. We better get moving."
Naruto took her hand, helping her to stand since she was holding the basket with one hand and her backpack was already strapped into place. He did not let her hand go as they walked, keeping a loose but comfortingly possessive grip on it. He asked her questions about what it was like to grow up in the busy trading city where people from all over the world came to sell their wares. After she explained the many unusual people, animals, and things she had seen, he understood her enthusiasm for returning there.
For the first time in her life, Nao had found someone with whom to share her past. Just when she thought things could not get any better, he had asked her to share her future with him as well. During her reminiscing, she realized her childhood was anything but normal. Since she had nothing else to compare it to, of course it seemed typical. But not once did she ever consider it mundane. She would not have had it any other way. Running the streets of the marketplace to mingle among the strangers, hanging around the docks all day watching ships being unloaded, tasting exotic food, and petting animals she had never seen before; all of these had been daily occurences and she had taken them for granted. Then she and her mother began to wander. Being lowly peddlers and nomads, considered the scum of the earth and a blight on every village they visited, had definitely not been the highlight of her childhood. That changed when they arrived at the gates of Konoha. Perhaps they had been readily accepted due to the villages desperate desire to rebuild, to forget the calamity and terrifying harbinger of destruction that had destroyed their lives. Glancing at Naruto, she could barely believe that horrible thing lay within him. Unfortunately, she knew it did. She would be forever grateful to his mentors for helping him learn to control that thing and not give in to its fury and catastrophic power.
"What's wrong?" Naruto asked when she had grown silent. He had been enjoying learning about her, finding out how she had come to Konoha. The rest of the story he pretty much knew considering she had been in his life since he was four. The age of four seemed to be a serious turning point for each of them in their lives. One had been for the worse and one had been for the better. However, if Nao had not suffered the worst experience of her life, he would not have had the best experience of his life - meeting her.
"Nothing. Just thinking," she replied, hoping her smile at least looked genuine. "I'm just anxious to get there. You're going to love it!"
Naruto did not really care where they roamed just as long as she was there with him. He had heard her once say that home is where the heart is. If that was true, wherever she was that would be his home because his heart lay with her.
They arrived in Kairo Ichiba Toshi just as the first evening star appeared. All of the market stalls were closed, their contents shielded from sight with canvas covers. All of the stores were closed with the exception of the restaurants; their evening was just beginning. The ships at the dock were tied down securely for the night and the sailors had gone to their chosen hotel, bar, or brothel for the night. Nao and Naruto found their hotel at the end of the long line of businesses that bordered the beach past the port. The entrance to the establishment was plain and nondescript. The name of the hotel had been burned into what looked like a piece of driftwood. The Palace? Not hardly. There were a few potted plants and an old sofa in the waiting room. One lone person sat at the beaten and scarred front desk with shiny gold keys hung on hooks on the large wooden board behind him.
"Well, this place isn't quite what I remembered it to be," she huffed, releasing Naruto's hand to step up to the hotel employee who appeared as if he were on the verge of dying of boredom.
"May I help you, ma'am?" he inquired without looking up from the book he was reading.
"I reserved a room...actually two but I only need one now," she explained, finally garnering the man's attention. His beady black eyes looked her over carefully before sliding to the tall blonde behind her.
"I see," he responded, a little more life in his voice. There was a distinctly salacious edge to his smile and tone of voice that made Naruto blush but did not faze Nao. It was obvious why she only needed one room. He spun in his chair to face the board full of keys. Picking the one at the top left hand corner, his ass had to momentarily leave his seat to which it had been plastered to for many tedious hours. He handed the key to the pretty but disheveled and travel weary dark-haired woman, winking at the young man behind her. He had seen every kind of customer with every kind of relationship or fetish come into this place since this was a trading city. People seemed to think what happened here never left here. Maybe it didn't, but it sure gave the employees something to talk about. These two would be a hot topic for gossip during their stay. They really weren't that unusual, but they seemed fascinating all the same. Both people were gorgeous despite being a little worse for wear, and it was obvious she was older than him. If nothing else, it would be fun to look at them and fantasize about the true nature of their relationship. Just for giggles, he had given them the honeymoon suite. He would send up wine and appetizers later. Not only would it be an excuse to see what they were up to, but it might involve a hefty tip. "Your room is on the top floor and faces the ocean. Please enjoy your stay."
When they were stepping onto the landing of the second floor about to walk up the next flight of steps, Naruto growled, "I don't like him. He struck me as a pervert."
"Takes one to know one," she teased, receiving a stinging slap on the behind. "Ouch!" she squealed, rubbing her sore butt cheek. "The locals here get bored. They look forward to interesting strangers. I never thought I'd be a stranger here, but I am now."
"You never got bored," he reminded her, following her down the hall of the third floor.
"I was a child. Children find everything endlessly fascinating and exciting. I'm sure if I had lived here for twenty-five years, I'd be a little discontent and tired of the monotony myself." She slid the key into the lock in the middle of the highly polished golden face plate on the dark wooden door. Twisting the knob, she steeled her nerves to behold the sight of a seedy room with broken down furniture and hideous orange carpet. Shockingly, the room was quite pristine, decorated in white and light blues with a shiny hardwood floor the same dark shade as the door. A king sized bed along with a white rattan and wicker dresser and a matching table and chairs completed the furnishings of the room.
"At least this stuff is new...and actually quite nice," Naruto remarked, pushing past her to throw his bag down in one of the chairs at the table by the window. He flung open the beige curtains to reveal their fantastic view of the massive port and the ocean. Opening the window, he could hear the ocean but not see it due to the light of lamps that illuminated the boardwalk below.
Nao stared at his body that was silhouetted by the moonlight that poured into their room. Strong, wide shoulders that tapered down to a trim waist and long muscular legs. It never ceased to amaze her how he had turned into such a magnificent man right in front of her. She carefully sat down the basket and her bag on top of the white dresser. Looking at herself in the mirror, she flinched to see her frightful appearance. Her face was covered with dirt smudges, most likely from wiping away the sweat that had run down her face. They had traveled along quite a few dirt roads getting covered with dust every time the wind blew. Her hair was a mess, half up and half down. Her bun had deflated and barely clung to the back of her head. "What a wreck."
"What?" Naruto turned to look at her. He watched her as the rubbed at the dirt smudges before pulling down the rest of her hair. "The most beautiful disaster I've ever seen."
"Thanks," she chuckled, walking toward the bathroom that they had passed after coming in the door. "Although you're lying, it's still a sweet thought."
"I'm not lying," he argued, following her to have the door slammed in his face. "Hey! I'm right here you know!"
"Yeah, I know," she yelled back, turning on the water.
There was a shower and a separate tub in here. The shower was nothing more than an open square area in the corner with a detachable showerhead hooked to the wall and a drain in the tile floor. A small wooden stool sat in the middle of the small structure. There were miniature bottles of soaps and lotions set on top of a mirrored oval dish on the bathroom counter. White fluffy towels that felt as soft as a cloud were stacked in a wire rack on the wall. There were also wash cloths as well. Raking her fingers through her hair to detangle it, she stuck her tongue out at her reflection. She reached over her head to pull off her powder blue cotton cheongsam. Her aching muscles screamed in protest making her feel weak. She grunted and groaned, tugging at the material that had melded to her body with sweat. Dammit.
"Naruto, are you still there?" she called, rubbing her throbbing shoulder. She wondered if it was bruised from the strap of her pack cutting into it.
"I am. Need a little help?" he inquired, his voice rising with hopefulness.
"I do," she answered, opening the door.
"I told you that you should have let me carry your pack," he reminded her upon seeing the grimace of discomfort on her face as she massaged her shoulder.
"Yeah, yeah, don't make this any worse than it already is," she grumbled, raising her arms like a child waiting to be undressed.
'How could this situation possibly be bad?' Naruto wondered silently, stooping down to slip his hands under the edge of her thin dress. His fingers skimmed over her calves, then her thighs as he slowly raised the dress. His eyes locked with hers as he continued to roll the material up her body. He could feel the goosebumps erupting over her body, unsure as to whether they were caused by the cool air in the room or his touch. When he held the fabric even with her breasts, she closed her eyes and patiently waited for him to pull the dress over her head. He kept his eyes on her face, watching her face change from an expression that was pinched with pain to one of absolute happiness as the discomfort abated.
"Thank you," she sighed.
"I'll leave now," he whispered, attempting to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat. He turned to leave, pausing with his hand on the doorknob.
"Don't," she whispered, laying her hand on his shoulder. The single word cut through the air, vibrating across his nerve endings. "Don't leave me."
Nao turned to enter the shower, stopping at the edge to slip off her underwear. She kept her back to Naruto, sitting down on the stool. The water beat down on her head and back but did not drown out the sound of his movements behind her as he undressed. She was afraid, elated, and stimulated all at the same time. A gasp of delight and surprise passed her lips when she felt his hand on her back.
"Stay still," he urged her calmly. He carefully poured out the contents of the bottle of peach and lavender scented shampoo on her wet head.
Nao sighed as his strong fingers worked the liquid through her hair while the intoxicating scent filled the air. She hugged her knees to her chest, keeping her eyes closed while he washed her hair. When he reached for the shower head, she gave it to him so he could rinse out the soap. Once done, he handed it back to her so he could pour the body wash of the same scent onto one of the wash cloths. She sat stiff as a board as he scrubbed her body, holding her breath when he neared her breasts. Her teeth bit into her lower lip to keep from moaning when his dishcloth covered hand carefully massaged them. Anticipation made her body quiver as he slowly made his way to her legs. She could only suppress the moan into a whimper when his hand moved up her thigh before crossing her lower belly to slide down the inner thigh of her opposite leg. His hands were astounding. They were strong enough to kill yet capable of so much tenderness. His soft movements along her most intimate places were gentle and arousing. They were in direct contrast with his vigorous scrubbing over the rest of her body. Once he was done rinsing the soap from her body, she was delighted with the prospect of returning the favor. She stood up to switch places with him, saying, "My turn to pamper you."
"I look forward to it," he returned, sitting down with his back to her.
Nao ran her fingers through his hair to make sure it was thoroughly soaked. She watched the viscous, clear liquid pour from the bottle into her hand, inhaling its magnificent scent. Her fingers delved into his thick hair, working the liquid into a foam. She indulged herself by making shampoo horns and a mohawk with his hair, giggling lightly to herself.
"Stop that!" he admonished her good-naturedly, grabbing one of her wrists. "Behave yourself or you'll pay for it later."
"Promise?" she teased, shoving his head under the stream of water to wash the soap out of his hair with her free hand.
"Geez...so dirty even though you just got cleaned off," he joked, both of them enjoying a laugh.
Nao's fingers trembled as she carefully unfolded the snowy white wash cloth. Once it had been doused with soap, she moved it along his shoulders to scour off the grime and sweat. She followed every taut strand of muscle down the length of his arms. With her arms wrapped around his body, she washed his chest feeling his pectoral muscles twitch under her fingers. Then her hands moved lower. Holding her breath, she closed her eyes as her hands glided down his abdomen that flexed beneath her hands while she caressed his skin in small circles.
"Nao," he breathed into her ear as she leaned forward to slide her wash cloth covered hand over his thigh.
Nao breathed in short, quick gasps as he held her head with his hand cupped at the nape of her neck. She could feel him trembling under her hands as she moved her bare hand back up his thigh. Her fingers grazed his inner thigh near his manhood. She inhaled sharply when his big hand covered hers, stopping any further movements.
"I can take it from here," he assured her, giving her a nervous smile.
"O-okay," she stuttered, relinquishing the soapy cloth to him. She stepped out of the shower, wrapping a fuzzy towel around her body. Hopelessly bewildered, she was undecided as to whether she should be offended or comforted that he stopped her. Intimate contact with him still unnerved her and frightened her to a degree. But she also wanted it so much.
Nao walked out into the room using a separate towel to dry her hair. The unexpected knock at the door made her jump. Without bothering to dress, she opened the door to find an empty hallway. Whoever it had been moved fast. What did they want? Looking down, she saw a silver tray with food, a bottle of wine, and two glasses. Picking it up while keeping her towel around her was no easy task but she accomplished it without flashing anyone despite the hallway being deserted. She set it on the small table in front of the window. The cork had already been removed from the wine bottle so she poured a glass of the crimson liquid, grabbing two of the little pastry cups filled with crab and cream cheese to stuff them into her mouth. She sat on the bed with her back against the headboard taking a big sip of the wine. It was a sweet red wine rather than one of the bitter, dry ones. She finished off the glass, setting it on the nightstand. Hearing the shower turn off, she stood up to drop her towel on the floor before snuggling under the covers. Burrowing her head into the pillow, she sighed loudly and contentedly. This feather soft bed was the most terrific thing she had ever felt! Drowsy from the wine, she stretched her body, her limbs gliding over the cool silky sheets. Life was positively grand at the moment.
"Where did this come from?" Naruto asked, sampling the food on the platter.
Ooooh, life just got better. Nao could already feel his arms around her, holding her as they drifted off to sleep together.
"Courtesy of the house," she yawned, curling onto her side.
"Hmmm," he mumbled around the food before washing it down with a sip of the wine.
Seeing her towel in a heap by the bed, Naruto glanced at her backpack that was still closed. She was naked. Following suit, he carelessly dropped his towel before sliding into the bed next to her. He kissed her neck receiving a sleepy giggle in return. He edged in next to her, fitting his body to hers. Her skin was warm and soft as silk as he brushed his fingertips down her arm. Exhaustion and the wine made had made him too sleepy to indulge in any carnal activities tonight. Although having a sexy little tryst with her would have been fun, they were both too tired to fully enjoy it. He wanted the first time he made love to her to be a miraculous occasion that would be remembered as an earth shattering event not something akin to a psuedo-reality recalled as a dream obscured by weariness. He draped his arm over her waist, whispering, "Welcome to a new love, a new life together."
"I love you, Naruto."
"I've always loved you. And I always will."
~\..'../~
Author's Note to subvert any complaints about the speed with which Nao and Naruto's relationship has progressed: Most importantly, keep in mind that their relationship has spanned thirteen years. She is twenty-five and he is seventeen just in case the timeline has been difficult to follow.
