Sorry for the long wait, guys especially to those who are waiting for Akemi's lovelife to breath a life. I hope you'll enjoy this one.
Time skip: 2 years
Age update: Yuuzuki is 22, Akemi is 17, Miki is 15, Kisho is 12, Sasu and Naru is around 44 or 45.
Chapter 68: Ripples
Naruto childishly popped a bite-sized chocolate into his mouth before leaning forward against the railing that surrounded the rooftop of the Hokage tower. He was pleased to see how far Konoha had improved since he was a child.
The walls surrounding the village were thicker and higher and were made with better quality cement. Each guard tower had a good view of the area and a warning system had been installed on each of them. Commercial buildings had increased and although the relaxing ambience of Konoha gave any outsider and any clueless villager an impression that the village would fall easily in case of surprise attack, that wasn't true.
Evacuation center especially located beneath the ground was in top condition and so were the hidden escape paths branching off to the evacuation center as well as to the areas beyond the village. Even the counterattacks and evacuation plans were updated once in two months by their author - Shikamaru.
Everything was ready except for the attackers. If anyone would launch an attack against the village, they'd be in for surprise which would include their death because Konoha was a sleeping tiger ready to kill and destroy when provoke.
Naruto yawned loudly while stretching his arms upward. He flashed a victory sign to the two sculptured faces. "Oyaji, jiisan, everything is fine," he thought. "Konoha is fine because of everybody's efforts."
-SasuNaru is love-
Naruto stepped into Iruka's house and let his gaze wander off. The walls were littered with pictures of their grandchildren- Haruo who was now three years old and his younger brother Yuuhi who was two years old.
"We've come a long way ne, Iruka-sensei?" he asked as he slid into his favorite seat since he was genin. He murmured a soft 'thanks' before drinking the offered cold water.
"What do you want to eat?" the brunette asked as he opened the refrigerator.
"Ice cream," came the immediate reply. Naruto felt like he was on fire. He felt hot. For the past three days it was so unbearably hot that a lot of people were suffering with heat stroke.
Iruka nodded. Few seconds later, both of them were happily digging in.
"Why does it have to be this hot?" he whined. He felt like melting like ice.
"Sit still, Naruto," Iruka instructed. "If you do, you'd feel comfortable a minute or so."
"How could I when I'm sweating like this?" He took off his hokage robe and strip down to his black half-sleeved shirt. "Can we turn the aircon full blast?"
"It's been in full-blast since few days ago. Just sit still."
Having no choice, the blonde did as he was told but not before pouting. Whatever Iruka wanted to say, it evaporated when he saw blood trickling down from Naruto's nose and dripping to his bowl of ice cream.
"What's wrong?" the blonde asked when he noticed panic making its way on his teacher's face.
"Blood. Your nose is bleeding."
Naruto focus his gaze on his nose but saw nothing. It was only when he brought his fingers to his nose did he believe his teacher. He chuckled. "Yeah, it's bleeding," he agreed calmly that Iruka hit his head while pressing towel to his nose. If it was Kakashi who had his nose bleeding, Iruka would immediately believe that the silver-haired man was thinking of overly perverted thoughts but this was Naruto- his sweet innocent Naruto.
He led the blonde to lean forward so the blood would not go down to his respiratory passage before telling Naruto to pinch his nose for the next fifteen minutes.
"Should I rush you to the hospital?" the older man wondered out loud. "It might be something serious."
"It's just a common nosebleed," Naruto protested to deaf ears.
"Should I get Tsunade-sama?" he asked himself then looked at the blond. "When was your last check-up?"
"Last week and believe me nothing is out of ordinary."
"Continue pinching your nose," he barked.
"I'm home," came the singsong voice from the genkan.
"Welcome home," both males answered.
Worry briefly flashed in Kakashi's face as he saw Naruto holding a bloody towel against his nose with a very worried Iruka fussing over him.
"What's wrong?"
"I don't know. He just started nose bleeding," came the brunette's reply.
"It's just a nosebleed caused by heat," the blonde argued.
In fairness or to be exact to save himself from Iruka's anger and his ears from the blonde's ear-splitting whine, he took a moment to assess their answers.
Rubbing his throat, he asked, "can you get me a glass of water?"
Throwing a glare over his shoulder, Iruka left for the kitchen.
Kakashi just smiled when his former student gave him a grateful look. And soon and without any intention, Naruto fell into a restless slumber of complex jutsus and chakra equation.
-SasuNaru is love-
"No... the suke-nin got me," Haruo screeched as Sasuke gently pinned him to the ground.
"Nuke-nin," Sasuke correctly gently.
"Suke-nin," Haruo repeated.
"Nu," Sasuke said putting emphasis on the first syllable.
The boy stared at him for the moment before saying, "Uke-nin." Of course, being a child, Haruo didn't mean anything perverted but it had still completely taken his grandfather off guard. Haruo took that moment to slip from the older man and jumped on his back.
Sasuke 'oof'ed out of surprise rather than of pain at the sudden weight.
"I win," the boy arrogantly declared.
Yuuhi who had been watching the 'battle' and cheering his older brother let out a cry of warning but it was too late. Haruo had been lifted in the air by strong arms. The boy looked down to find his blond grandfather with his blue eyes gleaming in mischief.
"No, I win," Naruto uttered haughtily before sticking his tongue out.
Haruo decided to use the same technique he used on his other grandfather. "Another uke-nin!"
The surprised blonde almost dropped him. He whipped his head to his spouse in inquiry.
Sasuke shrugged his shoulders silently saying that it wasn't him.
Naruto focused his gaze back on his first grandchild before he started tickling him. "Nuke-nin. Its nuke-nin." But Haruo was too busy squirming and alternately laughing and screaming that his words didn't reach him. Out of brotherhood, Yuuhi-who had the Uchiha's dark hair and black eyes and Yukina's dimple, joined to help his brother.
Later on, during supper with their parents, Haruo narrated how he and his younger brother defeated two powerful nuke-nin. Yukina nodded and praised their skills while Yuuzuki tried to annoy them by feigning surprise and disbelief.
-SasuNaru is love-
"You're kidding, right?" Ryouji asked in disbelief. Two days ago, he had asked Akemi to escort an acquaintance to a engagement party and although the Uchiha didn't like parties, he out of friendship had grudgingly agreed to do it. He had never expected that the hokage would give Akemi a mission on his day off. Hokage had the worst timing ever unless... He glared at his friend and in accusing tone he stated, "this is a conspiracy between father and son."
"Don't be an idiot," Akemi retorted. "You thought I want to be assigned on a solo mission that is... " He trailed off after almost blurting out the nature of his mission. He couldn't believe that he was off for an escort mission on his day off. He didn't give a damn that it was a rich lord requesting his service. He didn't understand why a lord would request for an ANBU member and he had a feeling he won't understand even after he read the mission scroll. Just to prove that he wasn't lying, he showed the still sealed mission scroll. "I know its sudden but-"
"Whatever," his friend replied in resignation. "Next time, you won't get away."
Akemi just arched an eyebrow before heading home to prepare himself.
After preparing his travel bag, Akemi read the mission description. It stated that he would bring the daughter of a rich lord to Konoha where she would meet her fiancé - another rich lord who would be coming to the village twelve days from now, for a meeting with the hokage.
-SasuNaru is love-
After introducing himself and exchanging pleasantries with Lord Sakuma himself, Akemi fell silent. He knew his manners in the presence of any royals. He was not going to speak when not spoken too and it was fine because he didn't like talking. He didn't like the lord and it was obvious that the feeling was mutual.
The young Uchiha never liked the royals. To him, they were just all the same- spoiled people who thought they owned the world and that they existed to spend people's money while being served.
The Lord remained quiet as he quietly observed the very young but talented shinobi. He never liked ninjas because they couldn't be trusted; because they could be bought by money. To him, they were scums of the Earth and as long as they existed as weapons, battles and wars would happen anytime. But for the moment, he needed to hire a very talented ninja to escort his daughter… this was the last thing he'd do for his troublesome daughter. He didn't mind spending a lot of money for the ninja's service because after that he would finally get rid of the source of his embarrassment.
"Let me introduce you to your ward," the lord announced as the door slid open.
With an apathetic respect, Akemi turned towards the door and watched as the girl glided towards her father with a look of disdain. She, the ninja concluded, was somewhere in her late teens probably seventeen and eighteen and judging by her willowy built, it would take nine or ten days to reach Konoha. Akemi mentally sighed. This mission was too troublesome for his own taste.
When the lady looked at him disdainfully he wished he was in that party. He preferred to be in the presence of his admirers rather than of this snob brat.
"This is Chie - the second daughter of my first wife. Please take good care of her," the lord said. The shinobi immediately bowed.
"And this is Akemi. He'll be your guard. Don't give him trouble, understood?"
Chie stiffly nodded her head. "I'd like to leave now, Akemi-san," she said or rather discreetly ordered.
"Your bags, my lady," he asked calmly.
"There already at the place of her fiancé. She only has one bag," a woman whom Akemi guessed was her sister explained. Akemi nodded, stood up to reach for her bag when a hand slapped his away.
"You only touch any of my belongings when I give you permission, understand?"
"Forgive me for my rudeness."
"Make sure you remember it well, mister." And with that she picked her bag and without a glance to her father or sister, haughtily left the room.
"Please take care of her," her sister told Akemi.
"As my hokage ordered me, I'll protect her even at the cost of my life."
Chie didn't miss the shinobi's words and she mentally seethed. All her life she was seen by her family especially her father as a problem and now this stranger saw her as a mission?! Very well, she swore he'd make his time with her a living hell.
-SasuNaru is love-
"Chie-sama, would you like to rest now?" Akemi who was one step behind her as she had ordered to tell her their path and walked behind her at all times, asked. He wasn't asking her out of gallantry but they had been walking for five hours now and they still had a long way to go. It won't be good if this royal brat would collapse.
"Are you tired already?" she sneered. "What kind of shinobi are you? I thought that with my situation otousan would look for someone more talented."
"I was thinking that it would be good if we rest now. We could get-"
"We'll rest when I say so," she said. She just wanted to put as much distance between her country and herself as much as possible. Leaving something she cherished more than her family was difficult and she wanted to stop this desire of running back home.
Akemi was silent and followed her calmly while thinking when did he become a slave of this bitch? Everybody in the village knew the gallant and charming side of Akemi but only very few knew of his nasty streak which was now slowly surfacing so when Chie tripped over and fell to ground, he didn't make any move in helping her. He just continued walking past her- an act that made the lady angrily throw a stone at him.
And for someone who Akemi knew was trained to be a jewelry to be flaunted by her husband, she had a good aim. It would have hit him at the center of the back of his head if his hand didn't move to catch it. He dropped it to the ground and looking over his shoulder he said coolly, "You can try killing me anytime but when I get tired of you, I can kill you in one second."
"Is that a threat?" the lady replied calmly, standing haughtily.
Akemi turned fully around and regarded her dangerously, "No, my lady. It isn't. It's a warning. And in case you don't know, I have your life in my hands. And in case I killed you, I could come up with a perfect cover-up." And he smiled ominously. "Please get that into your empty head."
Chie gasped at the insult and her eyes burned with anger. Females royals like her were trained to be witless dolls to be dressed, flaunted and used by their spouses but she was different. She made herself different… struggled to make herself different and for her escort to put her in the same box with other female royals angered her. "You should know your place and don't forget who I am."
"I couldn't even if I wanted too," he replied. "Now, my lady walk ahead of me or do you want to rest now?"
The lady raised her chin defiantly and walked passed her guard but not before giving him a glare. The shinobi arched an eyebrow not the least bit amused with the bitch.
-SasuNaru is love-
Akemi whirled around, his hands curled into fists as he realized that Chie was no longer at the place he told her to wait while he went to pick some woods. Where did that bitch go? He wondered. A few seconds of investigation for any trail and then he was running towards the left direction.
After few minutes, he found her sitting on a big boulder near a river. For a second he watched her. Funny, how he felt a tug at the corner of his heart as his eyes watched her almost dejected form. With her leaning slightly forward, her shoulders hunched and her knees pulled to her chest, she didn't look like a spoiled lady.
"Didn't I tell you to wait there?" he asked. He watched as the lady almost jumped from her skin and hurriedly tucked something in her dress. She looked at him over her shoulder and said, "I'll do whatever I want."
He waited for her to walk passed him before gripping her wrist. And for the first time their eyes met… blue orbs against golden hazel ones. "This isn't your turf now. This is wilderness and you're dead if you keep up with that silly attitude."
He looked down when something tumbled from her coat and his eyes landed on a book. Female royals never read most of the time but when they do it would be romantic novels and not something about farm irrigation, right? He gazed down at her in confusion but the girl broke their eye contact, hurriedly picked the book up and walked away. Akemi concluded that his ward was weird.
And his opinion intensified when one day, she had hurriedly lifted her bag, never noticing that it was left unlock. Naturally, all the contents of her bag tumbled, revealing different kinds of books. She hurriedly started collecting them, thrusting them back into her almost empty bag but she wasn't quick enough.
The Uchiha arched his brow, disbelief disrupting his once calm face. He never thought that the contents of her bag were mostly books. He had thought that all of them were full of things royal ladies usually carried not reading materials about medicine, architecture, farming and husbandry. Was this girl insane?
"What are you looking at?" she demanded hotly, her cheeks tinted with red. "Does it hurt your ego that a witless doll knows few things other than was required of her?"
"I'm waiting for you to finish up so we could continue our journey, my lady," he explained. He corrected his opinion. The girl was no witless doll but she was still a pain in the ass and he began to feel sorry for her fiancé.
-SasuNaru is love-
On the third day of their journey, they had decided to rest on a cave. Akemi hadn't slept for the past days and dealing with his ward sometimes left him having a migraine. And although his alertness had not faltered, Chie knew that the shinobi was tired. She could feel it. Her experience told her that the man was tired so she had been slightly good towards him but her change of behavior made her guard even more wary.
"Why don't you get some rest?" she asked.
"So you could run away?" he asked cynically.
She shook her head. "You're tired and I don't want to die yet so I want you to get some rest."
"Don't worry. I won't let you die," he said so seriously that it made her feel warm and safe and she shouldn't because she knew what drive him to say that and it was a sad fact. When did her feelings become quick-silver? "Because it's your mission, right?"
And she took his silence as an affirmation. She smiled, "I promise that I won't run away. I'll be here when you wake up." Then added haughtily, "So I could ruin your day."
Akemi chuckled. "Spoiled."
"Whatever. Just sleep before I'll knock you out with my books."
"Why do you have those books?" he asked out of the blue catching her off guard.
"Why would you like to know? It's none of your business," she replied, watching him warily… wondering what made him ask that. And Akemi wished he knew too. "You're weird."
"I guess I am," she agreed in a voice tinged with sadness. She looked away, not wanting to show how close she was crying.
"Weird," Akemi murmured before he had fallen asleep. He didn't know what he was referring too, he was too tired to think and he didn't want to think too much because the person in front of him was giving him the mental rollercoaster ride he had never experienced before.
"You're weird too," she muttered, only to find he was asleep. Unable to sleep, thinking of the dangers lurking outside, she stared at him before she decided to take something out from her bag.
Akemi's consciousness was being poke with the dull scratching sounds and although it was barely audible his experiences told him not to disregard anything so he quickly opened his eyes and pulled on a kunai. His eyes landed on the spot where he had last seen his ward and found it was empty. He whipped his head to the entrance of the cave and found her squatting with her left arm moving. The scratching sound came from her, he realized.
"You didn't run away," he stated coolly.
"Are you disappointed?" she asked but never sparing him a glance. And Akemi approached her and stood behind her wanting to find out what was keeping her occupied. He looked amazed to find the morning scenery provided by sunlight, perfectly and vividly being mirrored on one of the pages of her drawing book. And once again he corrected his opinion of her. The girl was beyond a witless doll… she could never be a witless doll- she was too talented and smart to be called as one. As he watched her hand moved naturally and softly to continue sketching, he wondered what other talents were hidden behind her snobbish attitude. He had this sudden urge of splitting her open just to see what she really was.
"I'm going to prepare breakfast now," he said and she just nodded too occupied to say even one word. And as the shinobi moved around, he missed the small smile gracing her lips.
-SasuNaru is love-
On the fourth day of their journey, they felt a sense of foreboding. Akemi was fully alert, his eyes searching for anything that was wrong and Chie was less her bratty and bossy self. For once, she had been obedient and stayed close to his guard.
And what Akemi had been waiting; what Chie had been wishing won't happen, happened- bandits came to ambush them.
With natural grace and practice ease, Akemi moved in front of his ward doing a protective stance. "Stay close with me. Don't do anything reckless." There were twenty or so bandits and just to make sure everything would lead to his victory and just to make the confrontation quick he created his clones. He ordered seven of his clones to get the still strangely calm Chie to a safe place and protect her. With that order issued, he drew his sword and smirked- his nasty side completely surfacing.
Akemi had and would always think that battle was the god of war's endless dance of adrenaline and excitement and as he moved on the ground; leapt from one tree to another, glided over the air; defied gravity, this thought was reaffirmed once more. He liked the way how each confrontation made him feel like a god and all because he knew how to take everything into account in his head and come up with plans to manipulate his enemies in the way he wanted them to.
While in the air, he took a good glance on his ward and realized that his clones were fighting against few bandits and to his surprise his ward was fighting too. But what could a long stick do against a sword? Stupid girl, he thought.
Chie leapt backward in instincts when a sword plunged through her opponent's chest. The man immediately crumpled down to reveal a dark-looking Akemi. She looked behind him and realized all were dead. Was killing always that fast for shinobi? She wondered as deafening silence echoed all over the area. She watched in morbid fascination as her guard flicked the sword once to get rid of the blood. She backed away almost in fear when Akemi plucked the already short stick from her clutches.
"I told you not to do anything reckless," he hissed dangerously. She should be afraid but something in his tone awakened her anger.
"And what? Wait for you to save me? I'm no damsel in distress!"
"This isn't something that you can learn from your books," he retorted angrily because he was scared she'd die. He didn't want her blood staining his hands. She didn't want her death blemishing his perfect record of completed missions.
"I learned archery and wielding with naginata," she informed him just to prove she wasn't helpless. She had been good with archery and wielding naginata that she bested two of her eight brothers in archery and was the best among her sisters in using naginata. But that was because her sisters were never serious about learning how to fight with that weapon unlike her. How many times had she sneak into the training house just to practice and sometimes ended up being caught by her father's royal servants and being punished by her father? Too many to remember.
"Unfortunately, there are no bow and arrows or naginata for you, my lady," Akemi snapped. This girl was seriously cramping his style and upsetting his plans.
"I can see that but I know the basics of confrontation." She just wanted to prove that she was more than just a royal person. She wanted to break free from the stereotype this shinobi had labeled her. She wanted to prove herself. That was her constant struggle in life.
Sighing, Akemi looked at her pointedly never realizing when he had come close to her. "You told me to never forget my position in this arrangement but obviously you're the one who's forgetting your place. I am your guard… ordered to protect you so stop being so immature." And it never crossed his mind that their breaths were mingling until he turned away from her.
Chie looked away when Akemi turned his back. Why? Why do I always have to see your back?
-SasuNaru is love-
Ever since the attack, Akemi had been thrice alert. He never went to sleep even when Chie had ordered then finally pleaded him. He didn't need sleep right now. He could sleep as long as he wanted; as much as he wanted when they arrived in Konoha. And although lack of sleep affected one's cognitive capability, he had trained himself to endure more than just five sleepless nights.
His alertness although discreet made Chie nervous. She had studied fighting so she could read the tension of the muscles so easily and besides she had been working at the hospital in one particular village… secretly working because of her father's disapproval.
A clang between two metals made her jumped and she found to see Akemi holding out against another attacker. The man had a long sword while his guard had just a weapon that look like a knife- a ninja's version of knife she guessed. Could he stand against that man with just that weapon?
A curse tumbled from Akemi's when someone zoomed past him. And he knew they were no ordinary bandits. In fact, they weren't bandits in the first place. They were rogue ninjas. And because his hands were full, he couldn't stop the one that slipped past him.
"Run!" he ordered hoping it would save her or at least buy him some time. He prayed that this time his ward would understand the situation or realized who their attackers were. Unfortunately she didn't but the urgency in his voice had given her a hint that they were in a deep trouble. She turned quickly to flee but it seemed everything was moving slow and all sounds were too loud.
Her desperation was showed in her flurry of movements. She didn't want to die. Not yet. Not when she hadn't found herself... her path.
Akemi maintained or increased the force he was exerting against his opponent's sword. Both of them knew that a slight decrease of pressure would result to their death. And although their weapons were pressed against each other in unrelenting might, the two weren't exactly at standstill. Their legs were busy delivering and deflecting kicks.
When the Konoha shinobi saw an opening no matter how small it was, he decided to use it even if there was a slight sacrifice. He leapt away, his blood tainting the grass but he didn't care. Quickly, he executed hand seals for his phoenix flame.
-SasuNaru is love-
With her lungs burning painfully due to the lack of oxygen and with her legs close to giving up due to fear and exhaustion, Chie stopped and looked behind her only to find out no one was there. Was she able to shake him with her less than mediocre skills such as leaving a rip patch of her cloth to a tree leading to a different direction? Was she that fortunate?
Except for her heavy breathing, everything around her had fallen silent. There was no breeze or even the slightest sound. It was as if the trees, the animals… every single thing around her was waiting with bated breath for her death. She looked around frantically the thought of her death making her paranoid. But she had forgotten to look above and such mistake was deadly. Even if she did, which she did it wouldn't change her fate because the sight of sword ominously poised to strike her dead had frozen her to the spot. Even if she wanted to move or to struggle, fear and panic had fully gripped her body. And for brief second, her escort's words fleeted to her mind and she felt betrayed. There was nobody who could save her. She was going to die in the wilderness. A pathetic end for a pathetic existence was her thought and a tear rolled over her cheeks.
Just then a blur of black wind interfered her killer. Chie saw how Akemi cut the man into two as easily as a pole and the man's blood fell like rain. Beautifully so as if choreographed by an unseen hand.
A bloody Akemi stood and stared down at her arrogantly as she crumbled to the ground. Is this how a god of death look like? she asked mentally. Arrogant, powerful, strong, collected and so damned cool? From that moment on, Chie silently referred him as god of death... her god of death.
-SasuNaru is love-
It was only when they settled at a place away from the battlefield did Chie noticed the long gash across his chest. "You're wounded," she stated as she started digging her bag for her trusty medical kit.
"It's not deep. I'll live," he said truthfully and not because he wanted to sooth her worry.
"Let me treat it." If only to ease the guilt she had for not believing his words.
"That's unnecessary. I'm a fast healer."
Chie shook her head. "Unacceptable. It might get infected," she argued. And then it hit her. "You're scared that I'm going to mess it up." And even though he denied it by just arching an eyebrow, it was true. Akemi didn't want her to take care of his wound. She may had a book about medicine but it didn't mean anything.
The lady moved closer to the Uchiha who pressed harder against the tree he was leaning on. When did he switch from being a predator to prey? He glared at her not to come closer but it was futile.
"Truthfully, I don't have any certificate to practice but believe me when I say I'm more than qualified even if otousama..." she trailed off because even now talking about it made her remember of her unrecognized skills.
There was so much pleading in her golden hazel eyes that he couldn't say anything so he just nodded and obediently help her taking off his flak jacket and shirt.
Quietly and almost in trance-like he watched her hands moved with graceful precision.
"There," she said, softly patting her finish work while trying to stop herself from thinking what it would feel like to be pressed against his chest. "See? It isn't so bad."
Akemi just made a sound in agreement making her laughed and to the Uchiha her laughter was soft and calming like wind chimes.
Once again, their eyes met and Akemi realized she wasn't as strong or as calm as she let on. Lurking at the side of golden hazel orbs were deep-rooted sadness, insecurity, fear, and longing to be comforted. He couldn't understand why he could read so much in her in an instant. Because she was made up of layers upon layers of mystery she didn't make sense even the things she was stirring within him.
Panic rose within her when Akemi's gaze intensified because Chie knew he was searching for her soul and he was cutting her defenses as easily as he killed those men. Without any preamble, she stood up and was about to turn away when a hand gripped her wrist and pulled her to a warm chest.
Akemi was as surprise as Chie or if not more so because until now his actions were well-thought of and planned and not out of impulse. What was wrong with him?
Although she had tried not to she was already at her limit. The toll of the journey itself; the idea with marrying someone; of leaving home was too much. "No more," she cried out. "I was so scared. I thought I was going to die. I don't want to die especially not here."
The shinobi held her tight. "I'm sorry to give you such bad memory but I won't let you die alone... I won't let anyone kill you or lay a finger on you," he swore fiercely. Why? He wanted to know. Why was he saying those things instead of scoffing at her weakness? Why was the urge of protecting her ran too deep in him? What was this ripple that originated from the depth of his soul? So confused was he that he wanted to figure things out and he would start at the source of all of this- Chie.
"If you learned a lot more than what a royal lady should then your place isn't as traditional as we heard it," Akemi said.
"It's more traditional than any outsider think but I wanted to be different... to break away from the monotony of the path set for me. So I learned other things-"
"But your father-"
"He didn't know because I always sneak out but he eventually learned and sent me to another place. There I met a couple. The woman was a village doctor and her husband was a skillful farmer. Otousama didn't know. For four years he didn't because he was too busy and my guardian was kind enough to lie for me." She could still remember her guardian's encouraging smile and his kindness. He had been more of a father to her than her father. "Otousama when he learned about it was enraged. I was brought back to our place and my guardian... he died in an accident."
Akemi knew what she meant by that. "I'm sorry," he whispered achingly before he could stop himself.
"I never dwelled too much of his death because I know he wanted me to continue. I tasted what freedom was like and I wanted more. I rebelled a lot something that caused shame on the other royal members." She looked at him, "do you know about the drought that affected the northern parts the Fire country?"
The Uchiha nodded. The drought had devastated a lot of villages' economy but the Fruits village managed to continue their production with an excellent farming irrigation.
He glanced down at her, "Don't tell me..."
"I did it. I came up and designed it. I applied what I learned from that man and from the books that I read. But that's not the only thing."
And he nodded because he was aware that almost a year later, the quality of their products improved so much that the village became the main producer of fruits for royal households near and far.
Gazing at her escort, she knew that he knew so she didn't have to tell him. "But all credits were given to his advisers. And I hate him for that."
Finally, he knew the reason behind the strong and very obvious antagonism she had with her father.
"I'm sure your fiancé," he paused a bit to stop the gentle tug somewhere within him, "would recognize your efforts."
"I'm hoping Lord Miura-" She gasped when he gripped her forearms and pushed her slightly.
"Pardon? Lord Miura?"
"Yes, he's my..." she trailed off, noticing his scowl. "Is there something wrong?"
"Do you have any idea what kind of a man he is?" he hissed. "He's a promiscuous man with enough women to... Why would-"
"Because he's the only one who wants me!" Chie snapped and stood up. "Do you know that as early as fourteen I should be engaged like any female royal and get married at age seventeen or eighteen? But nobody wanted me." She didn't have to tell the man in front of her that five men cancelled their offer of marriage to their family when they knew it would be her they would be marrying. "I'm the only one in the family who isn't engage or married... even my younger sister..." She held her chin up. "Lord Miura is my ticket away from my father. As much as I wanted to run away I'm fully aware of my father's power. He could even hire someone like you to bring me back to him. So even if he is that kind of man... even if I'm not beautiful as his mistresses, I'll find a way to amuse him."
Akemi arched an eyebrow. He had seen few of the lord's women who had discretely offered him a night of pleasure once and he had to agree with his ward. She wasn't as beautiful as those women. Their beauty had been refined and customized for their lord's taste while hers... He hadn't seen a beauty like hers although she looked ordinary – an almost heart-shaped face was framed by shiny jet-black hair that tumbled past her shoulders in loose curls; long curly lashes fanning her golden hazel eyes and lips that were luscious. She looked ordinary and yet attractive in a way Akemi couldn't explain. Did her beauty come from her strength or something else? He couldn't tell.
And hearing her story gave him the privilege to see her and yet he couldn't understand her in a way that he wanted to. It was confusing and he wanted to go back to Konoha where everything made sense at least to him.
He stood up and his eyes met hers. And then he looked away but within the duration their gazes were locked on each other Chie realized he was hiding behind his mask. But before she could ask, he said, "We rested enough. We have three hours to walk before we'll call it a night." And then he took her hand in his.
The compulsory one-step distance Chie had arrogantly ordered Akemi to maintain was gone as they walked side by side. While the shinobi was trying to grasp the reason behind his being out of character, the lady was grappling with her attraction towards her escort. This wasn't supposed to happen. Their time together was short and she wanted to drag this moment to eternity so she could love him with no limit.
She bit her lip in frustration. Why now? You stupid heart of mine!
-SasuNaru is love-
Although they were seven hours away from their destination, Akemi had noticed that Chie was no longer in a condition to continue for the day so they decided to spend the night at an inn.
After having a very silent meal, both of them went to their respective bedroom. An hour later, Akemi went to her room to make sure everything was okay before going to sleep.
"I thought you're going to sleep," he said as he leaned against the doorway.
"I will. Just few strokes," she replied without taking her gaze away from her sketchbook. "There," she murmured a second or two later. With a soft smile on her face she asked over her shoulder, "aren't you going to look at it?"
Shrugging his shoulders in indifference, he approached her table and accepted the offered sketchbook.
He started looking from the first page. There were works that were done carelessly and hurriedly while there were too which were done with patience, breathtaking vividness and amazing accuracy. He chuckled when he saw a sketch of him sleeping. "I should sue you for this," he said. "Or better yet kill you."
The lady just arched an eyebrow whether in dry amusement or defiance Akemi didn't dwell on it longer to find out. But the next page made him arched an eyebrow. It was him again. And judging from the dark atmosphere being emanated from the picture Akemi knew it was on that time he had saved her from being killed. The next thing he noticed was that there was a shroud of mist behind him and that mist seemed to take a vague form of a body and a scythe. He didn't get the picture until he read the label. "Shinigami?" he repeated.
"You looked like one that time."
And then it hit him. He had been looking for a self-portrait all this time when in a way, the sketchbook was her self-portrait because it painted her thoughts and revealed how she saw things. And if it meant understanding her more, he wanted to go back to the first page but he was itching to see the one she just did. Was it him again? He wanted to know. He flipped the page over and what he saw made his heart swell. It was him again and this time he was standing amidst the falling masks. While his right hand was on his side holding a mask, his left hand was on the act of putting ( or was it taking off) the mask.
"Y'know in our work, we have to wear a mask to hide our identity," Akemi explained, completely misunderstanding the portrait. "But I'm not wearing one."
Chie stood up and her toes were against Akemi's. "But you're still hiding behind it."
"I'm not," he said although he knew it was true. He sucked his breath when the girl moved closer to him and the weird feelings began to stir again. Against his wishes, his eyes landed on moist lips that moved.
"You are." She reached over to wipe the strands of hair that partly covered his beautiful eyes. "You are and you know it too."
He wrapped a hand around hers to stop it from doing anything else and then dropped it although he ached to entwine their hands together. A big part of him made him maintain his professional appearance even under Chie's scrutinizing look.
Even if it's a crime, I want to snatch a shred of eternity.
And without any warning, she stood on her toes and pressed her lips against her escort's. Her action wasn't just to satisfy her curiosity or to silence the voice within her mind but to confess her still young feelings for the shinobi.
Akemi's eyes had widened at such gestures and he looked at her owlishly the moment she pulled away. He had received pecks from sly fan girls during his early teens when he had been a bit too trusting for his own good so what Chie did wasn't anything new to him and yet… It was completely different. He had heard about how kisses were sweet… he knew about that but knowing and experiencing were two different things, something he didn't know until know. Chie's short kiss was sweeter than he expected a kiss would be and already addicted, he pulled her back to him.
"This is wrong," he murmured against her lips before initiating another kiss. He knew shinobis were discouraged to get involve with their clients but he find it too difficult when Chie was in front of him, looking like what he thought to be a sinful temptation.
"I know," she replied as she settled her hands against his chest. Being inexperienced, their kiss was sloppy but they were intelligent and could easily adapt thus they managed to improve in each second.
"This is wrong," he repeated again. But he was intoxicated to stop wanting; to stop going back for another. "Just one more," he whispered and kissed her again without waiting for her permission.
"One more," Chie said as she pulled Akemi again for another smoldering kiss and it didn't even register to them that they had stumbled on her bed. She moaned when things heated up a notch and their kiss became deeper.
"This will be the last," Akemi whispered before plunging his tongue into the waiting hot cavern and tangled with an eager tongue. It was too good and the feelings that had stirred within him were now fluttering in a very nice way. There was no confusion… no clamor… everything had fallen silent the moment he had swooped down and took her lips. He wanted more of this serenity; more of the pliant body beneath him; more of her warmth and sweetness. Unconsciously, he ran his hands on her sides and even though he said it would be the last, he crashed their lips together again for the nth time.
The loud wailing of a very drunk man at the tavern across their inn jarred them back to the painful reality and to what couldn't… mustn't… shouldn't happen between them. Akemi leapt away from her as if she was fire.
"I'm sorry," Akemi choked out before he hurriedly left the room leaving a dazed, confused and hurt Chie. She threw her arm across her eyes to blot out her tears flowing gently from her eyes. It hurt… her chest was aching too much. She had been rejected a lot by her family members and lords but their rejection didn't hurt as much as the shinobi's.
"Stupid," she whispered to the night before she curled into a ball.
The crisp and fresh air from the night slapped against his heated skin as he burst outside to seek comfort and to run away from the source of his… what? He couldn't put a finger on but it hurt to leave her like that… to leave when he wanted to continue to plunge themselves into an unknown dimension. He continued running until his lungs would burst for the lack of air. He punched one tree, scaring the owl peacefully perching on one of its branches.
He clutched his chest where the ache was greatest. "Aniki," he murmured, hoping he had Yuuzuki beside him to explain things… to break things down to logic when he could no longer do it.
A glistening light caught the corner of his eye and he shifted his gaze and saw a river, its surface calm and glistening under the moonlight. And on impulse, he plunged himself into the cold water in a desperate attempt to numb himself with all the conflicting emotions he felt. He continued holding himself under the surface. With his lungs started burning, Akemi shouted all his frustration into the water.
-SasuNaru is love-
The next morning they could no longer prolong what they dreaded the most – meeting each other. But contrary to what they were expecting, the other was polite. Both of them were pretending that nothing happened last night because pretension was better and less painful than the discussion; the apologies that would follow and the 'Let's forget about it' deal at end the discussion.
Chie was back to her snobby and bratty attitude while Akemi put on his mask of indifference as he walked behind her. Everything was fine… but not in a way they wanted.
TBC
For me, Akemi is a person who followed the dictates of his mind so when things get too emotional, he is rendered confuse and seeks help from someone who had always help him - Yuuzuki. If you look back, Yuuzuki had always been protective of Akemi and he painted himself as someone Akemi could depend on at all times. And the reason why I'm writing this stuff is because... I dunno. I just feel tired with things and... Anyway, enjoy the next part.