Chapter Five
"I can't sleep."
"Shut up and close your eyes."
Karin shifted position, trying to stay out of touch with him and still be comfortable.
"It's not working."
"Are you kidding? You fell asleep all over the place today!"
"I was comfortable." Karin shot back.
Suigetsu let out a loud sigh, rolled over and grabbed her, pulling her into his chest and patting her head.
"Comfortable?"
Karin's only response was a strangled shout and she began pushing at his chest.
"What the hell?"
"Let go of me, you pervert!"
"Hey, you didn't mind last night." He smirked down at her, still preventing her escape.
"I was half-asleep last night!"
"That wasn't all, was it? Karin?"
Still within his embrace, Karin stilled. "I don't want to talk about it." She whispered.
They lay in silence for a while, Karin trapped in memories of her time in prison and Suigetsu struggling within himself. They were both too wired to sleep. Karin curled in on herself, slowly bringing her head down until it rested against Suigetsu's chest. Thinking she was calming, he raised a hand up to her hair and began running his fingers through it.
Karin jerked away from him, leaving him bewildered and annoyed. In a huff, he turned away from her, ignoring her muffled attempts to stop her crying.
His patience already worn thin, Suigetsu was quick to snap.
"Shut up!" He yelled as he threw off the covers. He was almost overcome with guilt when she did exactly what he told her to, instead of biting back. She stared up at him through her tears, swallowing thickly, as he stood over her.
"How long is this going to continue? You don't want to talk about? Fine! But stop all this whimpering and crying shit! You're not even trying!"
"What would you know?" Karin demanded, red faced with anger and humiliation. Tears were still spilling down her cheeks. "You have no idea what happened!"
"Because you won't tell me!" Suigetsu roared back. "How the hell am I supposed to help you if you won't let me?"
Karin flinched backwards in stunned silence, one hand to her mouth. Suigetsu's cheeks burned bright red and he closed his mouth and turned away.
"I don't understand." She murmured, "Why do you want to help? Why do you even care?"
Suigetsu let out a harsh laugh as he crossed the room to the balcony.
"You haven't figured it out yet. No, of course you haven't."
He leaned against the balcony railing, and lowered his head, mumbling to himself. Karin replaced her glasses and watched him in confusion. She could hear him talking but couldn't make out the words.
"Suigetsu?"
His head snapped round to find Karin leaning against the balcony doors, hiding in the shadows.
"What are you grumbling about?"
He could tell she was trying to change the mood, but there was a tremor in her voice, making it weak and wavery. She pulled back, further into the shadows as he stepped toward her.
"Karin, I…"
"You what?"
"I… I missed you."
"You don't even like me."
"I didn't like you when you were fawning over Sasuke!" Suigetsu spat out in frustration, stalking away from her. He reached the other side of the balcony and turned to face her.
Karin's eyes narrowed at the mention of him, folding her arms across her chest and staring up at him coolly.
"ARGH! You are such a bitch sometimes." Suigetsu dragged his fingers through his hair. "You're just so…"
She backed into the wall as he approached her, reaching for her neck.
"Damn frustrating!"
"Why are you bothering then?" She managed to ask in a calm voice, though his hands now encircled her neck. Cold and detached, she looked into his eyes; his eyes that were flickering all over her face.
They stared at each other for what seemed like forever, until his hands moved down from her neck to rest gently on her shoulders. Something clicked inside her head and her eyes opened a fraction in shock.
"Oh. Oh! You! You like me!"
He removed his hands and stepped back, grunting in annoyance.
"Way to kill the mood, Karin."
She remained against the wall as he turned away from her, and she was surprised to hear him sigh. He sank down next to the table and propped himself up on one elbow.
She stormed over and kicked him.
"Hey! What the fuck?" He yelled as he stared up at her incredulously.
"That's for making me figure it out on my own, you jerk!"
"What?"
"Why couldn't you be a man and just tell me?"
"You bitch."
Karin tried to step out of reach but Suigetsu had grabbed her foot and yanked her down. She landed on top of him but he dissolved and she ended up beneath him. She could practically feel him leering down at her while she struggled against his grip.
"Let me go, you bastard!"
"Why should I? I think I like this position."
Well, there's the Suigetsu we know and hate. She stopped struggling.
"You are such a pervert."
He released her and she sat up, facing him.
He was pouting.
"You know, it's no fun when you don't fight back."
She eyed him critically for a moment, before standing up.
"I'm going to bed now. Good night."
She walked over to her side of the bed and slipped beneath the covers. She had just made herself comfortable when he landed on her.
"Suigetsu! What the hell?"
She was stuck in a rough embrace and he seemed to be crowing with glee.
"You're all mine now, and you know it."
"Back off, idiot. It is way too soon to be doing that sort of thing in this… this whatever it is you think is going on here."
Completely disgruntled, he released her and rolled over; facing away from her in a huff.
"Fine. Be that way." He grumbled, "See if I care."
Karin smirked and rolled over, wrapping her arms around his waist.
"Uh uh uh, what do you think you're doing?"
"Shut up and go to sleep, freak."
"Karin?"
Karin groaned and moved away from the annoying thing trying to wake her up.
"Karin?"
"Go 'way. Mm sleeping." She muttered, fluttering her hand about in a half-hearted attempt to push the person away.
She heard a snort of what could have been laughter, then felt something wet on her face. Her eyes snapped open and she tried to pull back with a muffled shriek.
"Morning." Suigetsu laughed down at her as she wiped at her face. "You have to get up. We need to leave."
"What?" She asked as the words sank in. "Why?"
"We've wasted enough time here, Karin." He called over his shoulder as he prepared her pack. Standing, he tossed her a set of clothes. "Mist is on the other side of the Fire country. We're running out of time."
"Time? Time for what?" She sat up but didn't leave the bed.
He stood over her, "You do realize that the Mizukage is waiting for you. She isn't the type to be patient."
"Well, she can…"
"But it isn't that." Suigetsu cut her off. "If we don't head out, and make good time, we'll be stuck on the wrong side of the river." He returned to their packs, moving a few more items around.
"What river?"
"The river the leads to Kirigakure." He replied. Turning around and seeing her still on the bed, he crossed the room. "Do I need to dress you too?"
"No!" She pushed passed him, her cheeks burning as he chuckled.
She dressed in the bathroom, returning to find all of their possessions packed and ready to go. Suigetsu was lounging on the bed. He turned to face her and smirked. Suspicious, she looked down at her clothes, but could see nothing out of place.
"So," He began, still smirking, "the packs are right. You'll need to carry a bit more than before but I think you should be fine. I already took food from the kitchen, so we'll be okay for a few days."
She stared at him silently.
He stood up and gave her a pack. When she stood there looking at it, he took it back and put it on her.
"Let's go."
She turned to see him in the doorway to the balcony.
"Out there?"
He nodded.
"Now?" She asked, just realizing that it was dark outside.
He nodded again, then grabbed her hand. "Now."
Jumping off the balcony, the two ninjas disappeared into the morning gloom.
They traveled throughout the day, mostly in silence. Despite Suigetsu's complaining on Team Taka, he had managed to keep a steady pace. They stopped twice for food and drink before moving on.
Suigetsu called a halt just before sunset, and Karin, gratefully, sank to the ground.
"You okay?"
She glanced up to see Suigetsu looking down at her in concern.
"Just…" She dropped her head and closed her eyes, "out of practice."
She resisted the urge to shimmy away when he knelt next to her.
"We'll stop here for the night." He dug through his pack, "Here, eat something."
He was holding out a small wrapped package which she eyed suspiciously.
"Do I have to feed you again?"
She snatched the food from his hand and turned away as he laughed. He took a seat next to her and began eating his own food, still chuckling.
"Shut up." She growled, inching away from him.
It was a cold camp. The night was calm and the temperature wasn't too low, so they did without a fire. Although Suigetsu resisted the idea, Karin insisted she set up traps around the campsite. Despite the changes she could see in him, she refused to believe he was anymore capable of genjutsus or traps now, than he had been in the days of Team Hebi.
Knowing that Karin's endurance was still down, and that he wouldn't make the rest of the journey if he kept watch all night, Suigetsu was forced to relent.
Of course, Karin hadn't waited for that before she'd begun preparing the traps.
So they had eaten their food cold, then turned in for the night.
Karin was awoken, strangely, some time after midnight.
"Mmm, Kar-rin!" Suigetsu murmured in her ear, amidst smalls grunts, groans and gasps.
She jerked away from him, her cheeks reddening as her mind was bombarded by images. Suigetsu tried to curl in behind her, his lips brushing the back of her neck, while his arms snaked round her waist.
She let out a strangled cry when she made full contact with his body. She squirmed in his grip, trying desperately to escape his embrace before the situation worsened.
But her movements only seemed to spur him on.
The next she knew, he'd maneuvered over her, the weight of his body holding her down as his hands ran over her body and he pressed his face into her neck. He moaned again and she squeaked at the vibrations running through her body from his, desperately trying to push him off.
"Karin!" He moaned, before nipping at the flesh of her throat. She bit her lip to stop a moan of her own.
Then her eyes flashed and she decided this had gone on long enough.
She went still, relaxing in his grip. His head lifted from her neck, a slightly confused look on his face, though he was still asleep.
She grinned, before ramming her head upwards as hard as she could.
Suigetsu's face dissolved as his survival instincts kicked in and she pushed him away from her as his head reformed.
"WHAT THE HELL?" He shouted hoarsely, landing on the ground and sitting up. He looked around, somewhat disorientated by his rude awakening.
Karin wiped her face, then her neck, her hand hovering over the small bruise he'd left there. He stared at her as she fluffed her hair forward to cover it.
"What's going on?" He asked uncertainly.
"I could ask you the same question." Karin huffed, "I'm going back to sleep now. Try to keep to your side of the camp."
She rolled over, pulling her blanket up around her head and hunching over. She ignored his grumbles and mutterings as she attempted to return to slumber and to quell the blush that seemed to be permanently staining her cheeks.
Author's Note: My thanks to those who have enjoyed this story so far and shown their appreciation: y-in-flame, anemone, Snowkid, dianap389, Tsarina Torment, yamii-chan, KissWithAFistx and whatsername911. Next chapter will be posted next week.