Chapter Eight
"You bastard!" Karin growled, though her teeth were chattering and she was shivering non-stop.
"What's the matter, Karin? Can't handle a little water?"
Karin glared at him as Suigetsu pulled out the last of the rations for a cold evening meal. It was a cold camp, once again; a fact that distressed her more, since she was soaking wet and Suigetsu still refused to allow her to take off the hood. She hunched down against a tree, wrapping her arms around her legs in an attempt to conserve body heat. She placed the blame squarely on Suigetsu's shoulders for her situation. He hadn't warned her about the false stones before they started crossing the swollen river, though he clearly knew about them. Then he'd had the gall to laugh at her when he'd fished her out.
The fact that he wasn't the slightest bit wet pissed her off as well.
"Stop sulking." He grumbled, as he sat next to her, "You're alive, aren't you."
"And soaking wet, thanks to you." She snarled back, "And don't sit so close."
"Don't be a bitch, Karin." He replied as he shifted closer, still offering her the food.
She grudgingly took it from him, squirming away yet again.
"Stop it. Do you want to dry off or not?"
The serious look on his face halted the insult on her tongue and she stared at him uncertainly for a moment. Then she huffed and bit into the food. He moved closer, despite the daggers she was glaring at him, and rested his hand on her leg. She almost choked as the food in her mouth went down the wrong way. He smirked, that tooth glistening in the last light.
"Relax. This isn't what you think." His other hand moved up to her neck, pushing the fabric of the cloak off her shoulder. "This is tricky, alright? But I want you to remove your arm, without taking off the hood."
"Why?" She asked, wide-eyed, suspicious and extremely nervous.
"So I can dry you off." He told her matter-of-factly.
"Why can't I just take off the hood?"
"Because I told you not to." He smirked at her as she sighed in frustration. Her frustration quickly turned to surprise when he moved his hand up, or rather down, her leg, toward her hip.
"Suigetsu!" She let out a strangled cry.
"Shh, I'm not trying anything. Just relax." His hand glided over her hip, before moving across her front and down her other leg. He could feel her trembling, though whether it was from nervousness or the cold, he wasn't sure. She'd managed to drag her arm out of the sleeve and his other hand was moving slowly over it, absorbing the water as it went. He could feel it saturating his body as he continued moving his hands across her clothes. She was sitting so still, barely breathing from the close contact, she wasn't even registering the fact that she was almost dry.
He helped remove her other arm from the sleeve of the cloak and was now kneeling in front of her. With her arms and legs now dry, he shifted so that both of his hands were on her waist.
"We're being watched." She whispered breathily as he leaned toward her, his hands moving across her belly. Her legs separated as he moved closer.
"I know, so keep the hood up and relax."
"Suigetsu?"
"Relax." He growled, shifting his attention from his hands to her face. She was breathing shallowly, her eyes half-closed, a light blush across her cheeks; he paused, feeling his concentration wavering at the sight. Then he shook his head, "Not now."
Refocusing on his hands, he realized he was shaking. Tension was building inside of him, making this next part difficult. He continued drying her clothes, moving up her shirt front, holding his breath as he reached her breasts. She gasped as he touched them and he pulled his hands back, startled.
"I hope you know what you're doing." She muttered, her head to the side, looking up at him from under her lashes. He swallowed thickly, his mouth dry.
"I'll… I'll come back to those." He mumbled, as he moved his hands down her sides. He reached around her to dry her back, and she arched up to allow him more access. He nearly lost it when she brushed against him.
"Don't do that!" He hissed.
"Don't be such a pansy." She whispered back, her own hands gliding up to latch onto his shoulders. "You could at least make it convincing."
"Did you hit your head or something?" He growled, trying to disentangle himself as her hood threatened to fall. "Help me out a little, why don't ya?"
With an evil smirk, she rolled her hips against his, causing him to jump.
"Not like that!"
"Be a man, Suigetsu!"
"Oh, you're asking for it, bitch!" He whispered harshly in her ear as his hands dove for her backside, pressing her up against him as he dug his fingers in. "Better?"
"Oh, much." She grinned, before gasping as his fingers moved between her legs, still soaking up the water. "Harder!"
"Cool it, woman!" He breathed, close to her ear.
"Idiot! They won't believe it if we don't go all out."
"All out and reveal ourselves!" He grunted, "Damn it! You're still wet!"
"That isn't water, moron!" She replied, half-amused at his behaviour.
He stiffened, letting her fall to the ground with a thump, standing up and turning to peer into the surrounding shadows.
"Perverts!" He called, "Get out of here."
Two shadows detached themselves, presenting the forms of two men.
"Do you want a fight?" The shorter one asked belligerently, only being held back by his taller partner. "We're within our rights to strike you down!"
"Like you could." Suigetsu sneered.
The shorter man growled and prepared to launch himself, but again his partner pushed him back.
"Hozuki? You know where you are. Don't push the boundaries, boy."
Karin looked up between the three men in confusion. Part of her wanted to roll her eyes at the fact that Suigetsu still had the knack to piss people off without trying. Another part wanted the two newcomers to leave so she could return to what they'd been doing. But the third part just wanted to know what the hell was going on!
"That's all?" The shorter man whined, "He's fooling around with some strumpet on the edge of the village, and you're just going to give him a warning?"
The taller man, obviously the one in charge, looked down his nose at his partner. His hard stare caused the other man to wilt and he took a step back, muttering darkly. Suigetsu's eyes glinted in the pale light, his hands curled into fists.
Taken aback as she was by the man's insult and the revelation that they were just outside the Hidden Mist Village, Karin was aware that now was not the time to fight. Gingerly, she stood up, reaching for Suigetsu's hand in the hopes that he would calm himself.
He looked across at her when he felt her touch, taking her hand in his. The taller guard watched them with a thoughtful look, before motioning them forward. "Who is she?"
Karin looked up at Suigetsu as the guards lit a torch. He stepped in front of her, shielding her from the light.
"She's from the border town." He said blandly.
"Why are you hiding her?"
"Because she's mine," He replied heatedly. "And I don't want you looking at her."
The shorter man scoffed while a predatory grin crossed the taller man's face.
"You know that's not how it works, boy." He replied as he approached them. Suigetsu stepped back, pushing Karin further behind him. The amusement disappeared, replaced by annoyance. "Take off the hood."
Suigetsu stepped back again and the man frowned. Karin peeked out from behind him, confused at the situation and worried at the serious tone overtaking them.
"Alright." Suigetsu said suddenly, as he tugged Karin to the side so that she was in full view of both guards. Then he reached up under the hood and pushed it off, gliding his hand, surreptitiously, down her hair as it fell. Still confused, Karin leaned back as the taller guard studied her closely.
She felt Suigetsu relax slightly when the guard hummed and stepped back.
"See, that wasn't so hard." He stated, though there was a glint in his eyes that made Suigetsu nervous. "Now go home." Then he turned, extinguished the torch and ordered the other guard to move on.
Suigetsu stood still until they could no longer hear the two guards bickering, then hurriedly began collecting their packs.
"What was that all about?" Karin asked, still focused on the guards as they moved further away.
"Stop standing there like a moron! We have to move!" Suigetsu snarled, throwing her pack at her. He turned away only to whirl round and pull her hood up.
"What…" She spluttered, ready to start an argument with him, when he was suddenly in her face.
"Be silent and move." Then he shoved her, almost pushing her off her feet, hurrying along right next to her. She tripped slightly and he hauled her back onto her feet and kept rushing.