Chapter 4

"Itachi, where are we going? We're done, let's go home." Kisame yawned and looked at his partner. "I know our faces are covered with these hats but if someone recognizes us, they're going to make us fight." He yawned again. "And I'm too tired to have fun fighting."

"I broke her color pencil." Itachi replied calmly. "So, I'm buying another set."

"Whose color pencil?" Kisame asked. "Oh. The girl in the meadow. So you're going to return them the next time we're in these parts?" Itachi nodded. "You know, Itachi, you are way too soft to be in this group." Itachi smiled.

"Tell that to my family."

"Where are you keeping Sasuke, Kakashi?" Yani looked down from a tree branch to Kakashi, who was leaning against the trunk, reading his erotica book.

"Training," he replied, not bothering to look up. "He's is a lot like me."

"The girls are all over both of you. I see what you mean." He chuckled and continued to read his book. Yani dropped down beside him and sighed. This time, he looked down and stroking her head, slid down into a sitting position. He interlaced their fingers together.

"Do you want to go on another date with me?" She smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Well, it is about to rain…" she paused and smiled again. "Sure."

"Did you guys say date?"Asuma walked to them from the road he had been walking on. "Oh perfect! Can you guys go on a double date with Kurenai and me?" Seeing the look on Kakashi's face, he started to beg. "Look, I know I'm intruding, but this is my first date with her and I'm actually nervous. Come on Kakashi, you're my friend…" Kakashi laughed tiredly and then faced Yani. She nodded and smiled and Asuma.

"Change of plans then, I guess…" Yani looked to the distant forest.

"You don't have to change your plans! Just… wait… were you guys planning on… you know… having sex?"

"Our relationship is platonic," Kakashi said, "We were just planning on going into the woods…"

"Meet you at seven?" Yani asked before Asuma could ask any more questions.

"S-sure," he stammered and then teleported.

"So did he ask you on the date, Sensei?" Kurenai looked behind her to see Yani on her windowsill.

"Yes, he mentioned that you and Kakashi would be accompanying us. I'm sorry what he dragged you into."

"It was no trouble. I've never seen Kakashi dressed up, so I'm curious." Yani grinned. "And I bet he looks really good in a suit."

"You know, Yani, you don't have to call me Sensei. I know you're not a student."

"That's all right. I spend time with Naruto's age group so it feels more comfortable if I call you Sensei." Kurenai sighed and then broke out uncertainly.

"Honestly, I'm nervous about this date. I mean, sure I like Asuma but… what if he's embarrassed by me on this date? What if I do something wrong?"

"You can't," Yani interrupted quietly, "when you love somebody, all you care about is the other's happiness rather than yourself. If you make a mistake, he'll do whatever it takes to tell you that it's okay." Kurenai was silent.

"Did Kakashi tell you that?" she said at last. Yani looked away.

"Yeah, he did." Kurenai, sensing that she had steered the conversation to dark waters, quickly changed the topic. "So! Do you know what you're going to wear?"

"Not yet. Do you, Sensei?"

"No. Can you help me?"

"Sure," Yani said and hopped off the windowsill, walking into Kurenai's closet.

"Here let me help you with color."

"Yeah, that would be helpful," Yani said. Kurenai giggled along with her.

"Okay… Hmmm… What color are your eyes again?" Yani asked after she had felt the dresses and gotten the color on each one.

"Red."

"Then…" Yani pulled out a dress, "how about this one?" The dress was a strapless, crimson dress with a thigh length slit on the side. On top of it, Yani tossed a wide black belt and black, high-heeled sandals.

"Wow, it looks great!" Kurenai exclaimed. "But, do I need to do anything to my hair?"

"Nah, your hair is perfect. Just take off your forehead protector." Kurenai removed it and threw it on her dresser.

"Okay, now what about you?" The air around Yani shimmered and suddenly, she was standing in a two strap, black dress. The bottom of it reached mid-thigh and like all her clothing, it shimmered strangely. The golden threads in the shape of a moon right above her right thigh only accented the glittering.

"How did you do that?" Kurenai asked, astonished.

"I wove it out of the light. Honestly, I've always been able to do it, so I have no idea what it actually is."

"Wait, I know right now is not the best time to ask, but how do you see?"

"I see all living things. Or something that was once living or naturally produced by a living being. So I can see some of your dresses because they're made out of cotton or silk. But faces are really detailed so I like to feel the other persons face. Then, when I do, I can see their expressions. But I can't see anything that isn't living. Metal, rocks, dirt, water, etc." She looked at Kurenai anxiously. "But do I look good?"

"Has Kakashi never seen you in a dress?" Yani thought for a moment.

"Nope."

"He might actually take off his mask to kiss you in public."

"And Asuma-Sensei might nosebleed when he sees you."

"Where are they?" Kurenai said. They were waiting outside the restaurant they had agreed on.

"Kakashi's late usually. And if Asuma-Sensei is with him, they might be really late." Kurenai sighed and sat down next to Yani. Rapidly, Kurenai inhaled, looking forward.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Asuma said smiling sheepishly. "Kakashi went somewhere and I was waiting…" Kurenai stood up and he stopped talking. A thin line of dark red blood trickled down is nose into his open mouth.

"I told you, he'd nosebleed," Yani said, rolling her eyes and standing.

"You look nice, too, Asuma," Kurenai said pleased, blushing lightly. He did look nice. Asuma was wearing dress pants with a bright red dress shirt that was un-tucked and a black tie to match his black dress shoes.

"Oh look, you guys match!" Yani said gleefully, clapping her hands. Just as Asuma started to speak to Kurenai, Kakashi appeared and started to walk to them.

"Yo," Kakashi said, half-raising one hand in greeting, "sorry I'm…" He stopped talking as soon as Yani looked at him, both of his eyes widening. Yani eyebrows shot up and even Asuma and Kurenai stopped their conversation to watch the couple's reaction.

Because Kakashi wasn't wearing his forehead protector, he had both his eyes showing. Already his crimson left eye and the cut right through the flesh around it, not to mention the smoldering look he was giving Yani, were already attracting open-mouthed, drooling stares. He was dressed in dark jeans and open-toed sandals. A dark blue dress shirt hugged his muscled frame and right above his heart, a dog was embroidered in silver thread.

Although Asuma and Kakashi were both wearing dress shirts, they pulled off completely different styles. Asuma looked formally good-looking and with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, some girls around him were already whispering. Kakashi, on the other hand, who was still looking at Yani, looked dangerously seductive. Already, the shock of seeing Yani was dissolving into just the burning look in his eyes.

For one of the rare times in her life, Yani felt like prey under Kakashi's scorching gaze. All around them, girls were whispering about Kakashi and jealously wondering how a girl wearing a black dress and no shoes could attract his attention. Sure, she was gorgeous, her straight black hair cascading down to her waist, and her eyes a beautiful mix of gold and black, but still…

"Kakashi?" Yani said, her voice breaking the trance. Everybody went back to what they had been doing.

"Yup?" he drawled, his gaze still traveling up and down her body. She smirked and narrowed her eyes.

"You are fucking hot." Kakashi's eyes narrowed in response.

"Yani?"

"Hmmm?" It was his turn to smirk. He growled low in his throat and clicked his teeth together. [It seems like you're showing more skin than when you just have your underwear and tank top on.] Quickly stepping forward, he pulled down his mask and slammed his mouth into her mouth. Disappointed sighs rose up from the crowd of girls around them but they took no notice. Yani's hand entangled in Kakashi's hair as she pulled him closer to her. Kakashi, in response, lifted her by the waist so that their heads, and mouths, were on equal level. Wrapping her legs around Kakashi's waist, Yani battled for dominance and was surprised when she lost. But she took it all in good grace and let Kakashi completely ravage her mouth.

It was a while when they finally broke for air. Kakashi dropped her gently and pulled up his mask as Yani put an arm around his waist.

"Umm… sorry," Kakashi apologized to a red-faced Asuma and Kurenai, rubbing the back of his head with the hand that wasn't around Yani's shoulders. "Why don't we go?"

When they came out of the restaurant, it was almost 10 o' clock. Just as they stepped onto the road, the heavens split open and rain came crashing down.

"Here," Kakashi said, and tossed Asuma an umbrella. "Walk Kurenai home."

"I can't steal your umbrella! Then you and Yani will get wet!" Just as Asuma protested this, Kakashi ripped of his mask and just laughed to the sky. When he looked back at Kurenai and Asuma, he was still laughing in pure joy. His wet shirt stuck to the outline of his abs and Yani's skirt clung to her legs.

"We love the rain. Nobody is outside in this weather." Yani grabbed Kakashi's hand and they both took off running down the street and out of sight.

"Sasuke! You're back!" As soon as he had stepped back in the town again with Kakashi, he was mobbed my girls, the loudest being Sakura and Ino.

"Sasuke, you look so much cooler!"

"He was always that cool, Ino-Pig!"

"Shut up, Billboard Forehead!" Sasuke didn't pay any attention to the arguing around him but instead, pushed out from the center of the chaos, looking, searching. He found her sitting under a tree, having an animated conversation with Naruto. Both of them were laughing, oblivious to their surroundings. Sasuke, scowling, pushed through the crowd to get closer to the two happy friends.

"Miss me Onee-san?" he asked, his voice annoyed. Yani looked up, her face dissolving from surprise into a smile. She lightly jumped to her feet and stepped forward. Then, her eyes flashed back to hazel as she looked at Sasuke in shock.

"When did you get so tall?" Yani exclaimed, trying and failing to pat Sasuke's head easily. Sasuke raised one eyebrow and smirked. "You're almost as tall as me now!"

"Come on Onee-san. Let's go home." Sasuke held out his hand, which Yani gently took. At this, all the girls that had gathered around Sasuke dropped their mouths open in shock.

"See you later Naruto!" Yani called back over her shoulder. Naruto just waved, too distracted by Sakura to actually answer.

When they arrived at Sasuke's house, it was dark and the stars lit their way like they did the first night she walked him home. But this time, Sasuke pulled Yani into the house and shut the door behind her.

"So what did you do while you were away from me?" Sasuke smiled.

"You make it sound so terrible. I learned how to do chidori. And—" Suddenly, he moved his shoulder and winced. Yani's hand was on his shoulder immediately.

"What happened? Did you get hurt during training?" Sasuke shook his head.

"It's nothing."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, it's fine."

"Do you need me to heal you?"

"I HATE it when you do that," Sasuke burst out. "I don't EVER want you to hurt yourself over something as little as soreness."

"Oh, Sasuke," Yani sighed, and slid down the wall to sit on the ground. Sasuke walked over to her and sat next to her, a sullen look on his face. Abrubtly, Sasuke laid his head on Yani's lap, closing his eyes. His sullen look mixed with absolute exhaustion. Yani, seeing this, began to soothingly run a hand through his hair. Sasuke looked at her through unflinching eyes, staring at each detail in her face. Then, taking one of her hands in his rough, calloused ones, he spoke again.

"I love you." Yani didn't answer, only continued to stroke his hair and look off to the right.

"Yani—"

"Sasuke, listen," she interrupted, looking down into his eyes. "I am, in the figurative sense, a Siren. You don't know how many men have tried to get me to date them and then rape me afterwards. And the worst part is, sometimes, I'm not allowed to refuse or retaliate. But most of the time, I kill the men. I kill them and then feed their bodies to my wolves. I—"

"I don't want that kind of relationship from you," Sasuke said softly, not meeting her eyes. There was a pause as Yani searched Sasuke's face.

"When you're a little bit older, I'll let you date me. But for now, you're the shorter one and I'm still your Onee-san. Now go to sleep." She started to hum a lullaby, still running her fingers through his hair. Sasuke started to drift away on her light, rich voice when she spoke again, this time in a whisper. "You're crossroad is approaching. I hope to the gods that you pick the right road."