Beeuty & the Beast

by mongrelssister

Maito Gai has been assigned to a mission to pose as a nobleman due to their uncanny similarities in appearance. Unfortunately for him, he has been paired with an unfamiliar Kunoichi named Hachi Hani who has been trained in the ancient arts of seduction.

18. Chapter Seventeen

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Bee-uty & the Beast

Kraen

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Chapter Seventeen

A/N: Another humongous chapter (25,900 words) -- so sorry for the grammar issues.

Also, I've been receiving less and less reviews here at ff dot net. So I will probably not post any NEW stories for Gai and Hani here in the future. I will finish off this book, but I doubt I'll publish any other stories at this location. If you want to know where I will post the stories, you can find the link to my deviant art page in my profile page.

---

"How did this happen, Oda?"

The servant struggled to keep up with the ninja's long-legged stride, "I'm afraid I don't have a clue, Sir – I was in the laundry room when I saw the smoke. At first, I figured it was a bonfire, perhaps in celebration of the food we had given them. But once I saw one of the roofs catch fire, I knew something wasn't right."

"Where's Makoto?"

"He already left with a small regiment of the house guard and has instructed a few men to escort you down to the village."

Gai nodded and then tilted his head towards the sound of soft steps behind him. "Hani, you stay here."

"No, I'm going with you."

Gai immediately rounded on her and gave her a stern look, "I'm ordering you to stay here."

Hani was barely able to stop fast enough to keep from crashing into him. "I don't care. I'm going."

He took a step into her – his eyes glaring over the top of his broad nose. "I don't want you to get hurt."

She was a full head shorter than he, but the determined stare she gave him in return made her look ten feet tall. "I won't." She placed a firm hand on the cinched pack around her waist, "I have first aid skills – I'm sure they will be needed."

Gai squinted; he had plenty of experience with kunoichi and their talents in medicine and she had already proven to be more than adequate. "Fine." He jabbed a finger at her, "But don't get hurt." He then whirled around and continued his hurried pace down the hallway. "That's an order."

Hani grinned slightly as she fell in step behind him, "Hai Senpai."

As they rounded a corner, Gai spotted a small group of house guard standing by an exit; upon seeing him, they jumped to attention.

"Here you are Sir," said Oda as he handed him a thick, black-dyed haori jacket. "It is cold out, you will need this."

Without faltering his pace, Gai took the garment and donned it in one smooth movement. He gave the guards no notice as he headed towards the doorway; his face was set with so much determination that the guardsmen couldn't help but cower slightly in alarm. The only attention he gave them was the raising of his hand and the slight movement of his fingers, "You men are with me."

As they quickly followed him through the mansion's threshold, Hani couldn't help but smirk at the back of his head – he played the role of a lord better than anyone could have imagined.

---

At first, the troupe only walked down the roadway, but as they neared the village and the severity of the fire and chaos became apparent, they broke into a full run.

The whole village was made up of numerous small houses and only six, two-story buildings; four of the larger structures were already ablaze, among numerous homes and one side of a large barn was covered in dancing flames.

Screams of terror and panic filled the air as villagers ran from one place to the next. Some carrying personal items, trying to save them from the fire; other's seeking out missing family members.

Gai searched through the pandemonium for a familiar face – in the corner of his vision he caught sight of Makoto who was talking admittedly to Saburo Yuuto; both where standing amidst a group of guards and middle-aged men. Gai was relieved to see the Headman was still alive. "Makoto, Saburo, what has happened here?" he asked as she rushed to their side.

Saburo gave him a hard stare, while the men about him gave a series of dirty looks.

"What is he doing here?" asked one man.

"He probably started this fire himself," said another.

"Or at least ordered it," said the man at Saburo's right. Gai recognized him as the one who had accompanied the Headman when they crashed the banquet the night before.

Hani stood by Gai's side and watched quietly – her stomach churning into knots in fear of what the outcome of this meeting would hold.

"I'm here to help," said Gai, his desperation building. "I have a strong back; at least I can help haul water."

"Pfft!" said one man. "Why would a Lord lower himself to do that?"

Saburo continued to eye Gai quietly. After a few seconds, he cocked his head to the side – as if he noticed something unusual in his Lord's appearance or behavior.

"Enough!" snapped Makoto. "We don't have time for this shit – he gave you a great deal of food from the storehouses today – at least let him help save it from being burned to ashes!"

"We don't need any help from –"

"Quite!" said Saburo as he held up a hand. He turned his head, looking deep into Gai's eyes as if he was reading the man's soul. After a short, quite moment, he spoke. "He's right …" He looked to Makoto, a man whose judgment he trusted, "We need all the strong arms we can get – he can stay."

The men nodded silently at their Headman's orders.

"Good," sighed Gai. He held up a hand and pointed to the village well. "We need to set up a bucket chain." He pointed to the four structures already engulfed, "We won't be able to save those buildings". His hand moved to the barn, "But we might be able to save the last one."

Saburo nodded, "I agree." He turned to the man on his right, "Doni – get every man who isn't old or infirmed on that chain. Have the women and children round up as many buckets as possible. And make sure all of the animals are evacuated from that barn."

The man nodded sharply, "Hai!"

"You heard him men!" shouted Makoto to his guards. "I don't want one lollygagger out of the lot of ya! Any man slacks off and I'm breaking his back myself!"

"Hai!" called the guardsmen who expected nothing less from their captain.

As the men went about issuing orders, Hani's eyes scanned over the nearest building – watching in awe at the massive flames that poured out from its roof. But just as she was about to look away, a small movement from one of the second story windows caught her attention. Her eyes doubled in size as she realized what she was seeing. "Gods!" she gasped as she threw her hand up to her mouth.

Every head in the circle snapped to look at her. Gai immediately followed her eyes to the spot she was watching and his own eyes grew wide in horror as the unmistakable form of a small child's arm, probably no older than a toddler, reached out from the window in a desperate plea for help; black, ominous smoke made it impossible to see any other part of him.

"Oh my god," said Makoto, not believing what he was seeing.

But before anyone could act, a bloodcurdling scream broke through the crowd as the child's mother finally spotted her lost son.

"Shit!" cursed Gai. Without a second thought, he sprinted towards the building; stripping off his haori as he went. "Makoto!" he shouted over his shoulder.

"Right!" called the Captain. He tore off after him and snatched a bucket from the hands of one of the villagers as he ran past.

Both men dashed to the nearest water trough. Gai plunged his jacket into the water and Makoto did the same with the bucket. Without saying a word, the Captain started to dump water on top of Gai as the ninja re-donned his drenched haori.

"Are you crazy?!" cried Hani as she ran to their side.

Gai wiped the wet bangs from his eyes. "Someone has to save that child," he looked back at the window; he didn't have much time.

"Gai, please! That building is about to collapse!"

He reached out and grabbed her arm tightly. "I'll be fine – trust me."

"Please …" was all she could whisper.

He gave her a small smile, followed by his trademark wink as he leaned in and gave her an innocent kiss on the temple. He then brought his mouth to her ear and whispered just loud enough for her to hear. "Trust me," was all he said before he quickly turned and ran to the doorway of the burning building.

"N --!" said Hani as she reached out to stop him; but he was too fast.

Standing just feet from the burning building, Gai had to raise his arm to shield his face from the heat – for any normal person it would be unbearable, but he was use to a little fire.

With one last look at the window and its small, outreached arm, Gai dove into the flames without so much as a backwards glance.

Hani stared at the point where she had last seen him, not believing what he had actually done. But the sound of the mother's desperate cries caused her to jump and turn just in time to catch the raving woman before she threw herself into the burning building.

"Hold her!" shouted Makoto as Hani hugged the woman and brought the woman's tear streaked face to her own. The mother clung to Hani's shoulders and wailed in mourning as the tiny arm disappeared from the window.

Hani cradled the woman's head; her own eyes brimming with tears as she scanned the windows of the blazing building, desperately looking for any sign of her partner or the child. The building was burning with so much fury -- it looked like the very gateway to hell.

---

Gai cringed as the intense heat of the fire rushed over him; it felt like his face would melt off if he stayed there for too long. Even his toes, which were fully exposed in the pair of simple sandals he wore, felt like they would burn off.

He looked above him and struggled to find a way to make it safely to the second floor; but flames were everywhere; engulfing the stairs, the walls, the furniture -- everything. He didn't have any choice.

He crouched down and then jumped with as much force as he dared; using his arms to protect his head as he burst through the ceiling. As soon as his foot touched the second floor, it gave way under his weight forcing him to quickly back flip to avoid falling through.

After a nerve-wracking balancing act, he was finally able to reach safe ground. Feet now planted firmly under him, he used his arm to shield his eyes again as he searched desperately for the child.

He hacked painfully as a large cloud of black smoke surrounded him; burning his lungs and making visibility nearly impossible. He crouched to the ground and cried out in pain as the scorching hot nails in the floor branded his palms. He pulled the sleeves of his jacket down to cover his hands and crawled in, what he hoped, was the direction of the child.

After what seemed like an eternity, Gai finally felt a small foot. His hands followed the limb up to the child's shoulders and he quickly picked the toddler up and held him against his chest protectively; the boy wasn't moving, but there was still a heartbeat.

Gai jumped as a loud creaking sound cut through the roar of the fire. He jerked his head upward in time to see one of the main roof joists collapse right above him. His eyes widened as the beam, which now resembled a flaming torch, broke free from the rest of the structure and soared downward in his direction.

---

The crowd outside collectively flinched and took a few steps backwards as flame bellowed violently from the windows, followed by a loud crash as part of the second story collapsed.

Hani ignored the pain the mother's cries were dealing her eardrums; she was too focused on the windows. He had promised her he would be fine, but the building, which was now entirely engulfed, told her otherwise. There were flames pouring out from every window -- he had no way out. "No," she whispered; her eyes watering from more than just the smoke.

She couldn't believe that Gai would be killed like this – she refused to. But what would she do if he did? Return home alone and report to Tsunade of his death and then return to her normal routine? Would she mourn him? Regret his death? She wondered what it would be like if he did die and immediately winced as a sharp, inner pain filled her chest. The thought of being at his funeral and seeing his headstone – all of these thoughts only added to the intensity of her pain. She didn't like the idea of not seeing his smile or hearing his laughter again. And she certainly didn't like the idea of not having him in her future …

Another loud crash cut through the night, forcing everyone to flinch again. Only this time, it wasn't from the building collapsing. Instead, it came from a dark form that burst through the wall between two of the window frames. To the villagers, it looked like a black blur; but to Hani, whose eyes were trained to see a ninja's speed; it was clearly the form of Gai, who had rammed his shoulder through the wall to escape the fire.

He soared through the air in a tight ball, and at the last second, kicked out his legs and free hand to catch himself before he crashed to the ground. The crowd rushed him immediately, but Makoto was faster; quickly taking the child, who was bundled in Gai's haori and sprinted at a breakneck speed to the village's doctor.

Hani's eyes never left him, even when the mother let go of her and ran after the Captain. "Gai," she whispered; her eyes wide in disbelief.

He stood and smiled sheepishly as villager after villager clapped him on the back and congratulated him on his heroics. He said a few "thanks" before quickly scanning the crowd. It took him only an instant to spot Hani's baby blue kimono amongst the sea of dull villager clothing and as his eyes locked with hers, he gave her a small look of concern, wondering if she was alright.

Her mouth was still open in shock as she shook her head, not believing what she was seeing. How could he be worrying about her at a time like this? She quickly picked up her skirts and walked towards him. Each step was faster than the last and by the time she had reached him, she was practically running. The villagers were quick to move out of her path – it was dangerous to stand in the way of a woman filled with that much determination.

Without hesitation, she dove into his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. She didn't care that he was wet and dirty, or that steam was still rolling off him – she was just happy he was alright.

Gai quickly embraced her – he had never gotten this kind of a reception when putting his life on the line and he would be lying if he said it didn't warm his heart to see it coming from her.

"I was afraid you wouldn't come back," she said softly.

He pulled away from her and looked into her face. His brows knitted at her expression of concern. "I told you I would be fine."

Hani closed her eyes and buried her face into his chest.

"Ha-Hani," he laughed; taking her shoulders. He pushed her back gently so he could lower his smiling face to hers, "It will take more than that to –"

The pained sound of buckling burnt wood cut through his words as the building Gai had just evacuated collapsed. A rush of heat and debris erupted into the village streets and raged over the crowd, forcing them to the ground. Even though there wasn't a soul within ten yards of the structure, the gust of blistering wind and smoke stung their skin and eyes.

Seeing the impending wall of heat bearing down on them, Gai immediately wrapped his arms around Hani -- tucking her into him and yanking her around so his back would bear the brunt of the assault.

"Gai!" cried Hani as the roaring current rushed over them, making their clothes flap wildly in the wind.

He cradled her head against his chest, and buried his face into her hair as he endured the scorching storm that lapped painfully at his exposed flesh.

It was over quickly and the two ninja soon found themselves locked in a silent embrace. With her arms locked between her and Gai, Hani clung to his shirt, feeling the pounding of his large heart through the fabric. Hani had been a musician for most of her life, but the sound of his beating heart was the greatest song she had ever heard.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly.

Hani looked into his face and blanched. "You're bleeding!"

Gai blinked painfully as the blood seeped into his eye and made it difficult for him to see. He quickly took his sleeve and wiped at his face.

Hani watched in dread as more blood oozed over the area he had just cleaned.

"A piece of debris must have nicked me," he said as he wiped at his brow again. He looked down to her. "I'm fine Hani," he said with a smile. "It doesn't even hurt."

Hani opened her mouth to speak, but another loud crash filled the night; it had come from a building away, where the villagers were struggling to save the barn.

Gai turned quickly to see what had happened and upon seeing various people scramble frantically from the barn he jumped into high gear. "Come on!" he called.

Hani was fast on his heels.

"The collapse from that first building pushed rubble against the barn!" shouted one villager as they neared the crowd.

"It's not stable anymore!" called another.

Doni, Saburo's assistant, helped an injured villager as they both limped from the barn's doors. "Saburo is in there!" he choked out.

Gai ran to the man and grabbed his arm, "Where is he?"

"In the back!"

Hani grabbed at Gai's arm, "Don't do it!"

Gai gently removed her hand from his sleeve and took a few steps towards the barn door. "I'll be right back."

"No -- NO!"

He held his hands out to her, "Stay there!" He then turned and ran into the building.

"Damn it!" cursed Hani as she watched him disappear through the smoke. She pulled her sleeves up over her hands and nervously held them to her mouth; she did not have a good feeling in her stomach.

---

Gai stumbled through the barn and did his best to keep from vomiting from the stench of burnt hay, dung and animal flesh. "Saburo!" he called. "Saburo, can you hear me?!"

"Over here!" came a strained voice.

Gai moved as fast as he could through the maze of farm equipment and downed timbers. After a few seconds of straining to see through the smoke, he spotted the unmistakable form of a large man pinned under a support beam. "Saburo!" he called as he ran to the headman's side.

"Get out of here!" he choked out. He put his hands on the girder, "It's too heavy for you!" He was gasping dangerously for air and Gai could tell he needed to get the man out of there soon or he wouldn't make it.

He looked the beam over – it probably weighed close to a half ton, something he could lift easily, but the tricky part was the fact that part of the girder seemed to be supporting half the barn. If he lifted or even moved the timber, there was a good chance he'd bring the whole place down on them both. But at the same time, he couldn't just leave Saburo to die.

He needed some help.

---

Hani swallowed the lump in her throat as she watched the barn become more and more engulfed with flames. "Hurry Gai," she whispered. Her eyes widened as the barn's loft suddenly burst into flames.

"The hay has caught on fire!" shouted a villager.

"The barns a goner!" shouted another.

Hani clenched her fists and scanned the building. "Gai?" she whispered. Her pulse quickened as her heart filled with dread again at the thought of him not returning.

She couldn't sit by and do nothing … she had to help!

She grabbed her skirts and started to run towards the building, but a strong hand caught her collar and yanked her backwards. "Are you daft, woman?!" shouted a firm voice with a hint of country twang.

Hani jerked her head over her shoulder, "Makoto?!"

He pulled her back and grabbed her upper arm. "Let him handle it, Hani! He'll be fine!" he shouted over the roar of the fire.

She tried to wrench her arm free, "Let go, Makoto! He needs our help!"

"He'll be alright!"

Tears were rolling down her cheeks as Hani yanked against him as hard as she could, "Let go of me!"

Makoto wrapped both of his arms around her thrashing form and tucked her in tightly. He brought his mouth to her ear and whispered just loud enough for her to hear. "Gai is the strongest man I have ever met, Hani. You need to learn to trust him."

Hani dropped her head and wept, "He needs our ..."

"Trust him, Hani."

---

Gai wiped a thumb on his forehead and coated it with blood. Then he formed a few hand signs and slammed his palm into the ground. "Summoning no Jutsu!" he shouted over the fire.

There was a pop and then a large puff of smoke as a giant tortoise appeared over him; it just barely fit in the barn. Fortunately, the building had thick walls that shielded him from the villagers' view.

Gai thumped on its hard underbelly, "Nerukame! I need your help old friend!"

At the sound of his name the turtle's head slowly peaked out from in his shell. "Eh?" he asked. He looked underneath him. "Hey," he said as he blinked sleepily. "You're Ganjo's son, right?" He yawned, "'Gai' is it?"

Gai slapped his forehead in frustration – he had forgotten a lot of his turtle summons had already started hibernating by now. He should have summoned a tropical turtle instead; but he didn't have the time to do it now.

"Nerukame! I need you to support this barn while I remove the beam off this injured man!" He bent down and placed his hands underneath it to test its weight. Then he quickly squatted down so he could use his shoulder to prop against the girder and use his legs to lift it. He winced slightly as a burning pain cut through his shirt and stung at his skin.

The turtle stretched his legs to their full length till the main support beam rested against the top of his giant shell, "Hai."

"OK, now!" shouted Gai as he picked up the beam with his legs. Like a domino effect, the barn's timbers started to shift and buckle.

"Whoa!" said the turtle as he caught the weight of the barn on his back.

The villagers gasped in surprise as the barn seemed to start to collapse and then not only stop … but move back into place.

Gai reached down and grabbed the collar of the now unconscious Saburo and dragged him out from under the girder. As soon as the man was clear, Gai let the beam fall.

Nerukame hacked at the noxious smoke in the air, "Hurry, Ganjo's son!"

Gai picked up Saburo and threw him over his shoulders. "Alright! Let it go when we're through the doors! And thank you, Nerukame!"

"Hai," smiled the turtle.

Gai ran as fast as he could through the smoke and fire and out through the barn's large double doors. As soon as he felt the rush of the cold night air on his body, he heard Nerukame disappear and the sound of the barn collapsing. Fortunately this building wasn't nearly as violent in its cave-in as the first. "Medic?!"

Hani's head shot up at the sound of his voice.

"See?" said Makoto with a comforting squeeze. "Told ya he'd be OK." Then he released his hold on her and ran to Gai's side. "This way!" he said as he pointed up the road.

Hani wiped her eyes with a sleeve as she silently watched them go. He was alright -- she had panicked for nothing. Still wiping her eyes, Hani brought her other hand to her chest and pressed against the deep ache that pained her. She had only felt this ache twice before. Once on the day her grandfather died and the other when her father was killed. Why was she feeling it now?

---

Gai bent over a washbasin and did his best to clean off the dirt, soot and blood that covered his face. He had spent the last two hours working with Makoto, his guards and the villagers in getting the fire under control. He had hauled numerous buckets of water, broke down timbers to control building collapse and moved countless personal items so they wouldn't be destroyed. Needless to say, he was exhausted.

He was in a small mudroom in the back of the village's meeting hall. The main room had been set up as a triage since it had plenty of room to hold all of the injured and it made it easier for the doctor, a man who was well into his eighties, to see everyone.

Gai toweled his face off with a bit of terrycloth and sat up to look into a small shaving mirror someone had set up. He was in the process of trying to wipe off the dried blood in his hair when a figure came into his view through the mirror.

"I've got a report for you – if you're interested," sighed Makoto.

Gai rubbed the back of his neck with the cloth, "Go ahead."

The Captain held up a piece of paper, "We lost 4 buildings, 12 homes and 1 barn. There were 21 injuries, 2 missing persons, and 1 false labor: the mother is fine -- the father is a wreck. As for the death toll – 2 plow mules, 4 sheep and a pig, we won't know the human casualties till after we get everything cleaned up and we probably won't get that done for a while."

"Have you found a cause?"

Makoto shook his head, "The villagers report that the first building caught fire, immediately followed by the second and then third. It could have been neglect – maybe faulty wiring. They've been trying to get electricity here for months and those larger buildings were the only ones with power."

"It just doesn't seem right."

"You suspect arson?"

"I've just never heard of three buildings suddenly catching fire so soon after the other. Usually it's just one that gets out of control and then spreads to the others."

Makoto shrugged, "I'll look into it – but there isn't much left to inspect. Those buildings are nothing but embers right now."

"Well – just keep an eye out for anything suspicious."

"Understood."

Gai wiped his forehead, "You might want to switch out your guards for some fresh men."

Makoto yawned, "I already sent a man to fetch some new help."

"Good … how are you holding up?"

The Captain took a long sigh and chuckled. "Damnit, I'm getting old," he said as she rolled his shoulder painfully. "The last time I hauled that many buckets of water was when Umeko gave birth to our first child."

Gai gave Makoto a disbelieving look.

"Well, it wasn't all for her," he laughed. "It helped to settle my nerves so I just carried the same bucket back and forth. Hell, I was 17 at the time and terrified."

"17? But your boys aren't old enough to have been born when you were that age."

"Oh," chuckled Makoto. "Someday I'll have to introduce you to my daughters," he grinned. He gave Gai and his shocked expression a small wink before kicking off the doorframe and walking out into the night.

"That man's going to die young," chuckled Gai. He wiped off his hands and tossed the rag into the trash before he walked to the door of the main room and took a peek inside. He scanned the crowd, but it didn't take him very long to find the baby blue kimono he was looking for.

Hani was sitting on a cot that held the small boy Gai had rescued from the burning building. He was thrilled to see the child was sitting up and had a smile on his face; even the boy's mother, who was sitting on a stool next to them, was smiling. Gai watched as Hani wiped the boy down with a damp cloth. Her head was bent down and she was talking to the child, but Gai couldn't make out what she was saying. It didn't matter. Whatever she said had both the boy and his mother laughing.

Gai leaned into the doorframe and grinned. He stood there and watched her as she put a comforting hand on the mother's shoulder, then leaned forward and kissed the boy on the forehead, making the child's grin widen and his cheeks blush. Hani chuckled as she patted his leg and stood. She moved over to a nearby cot and picked up a small pitcher and poured water into a cup. Then she bent down to help an elderly man set up to drink. As soon as the man caught sight of her, he beamed a toothless grin. He took the offered water eagerly and then smacked his lips after he was done. Once she had sat the cup down, he brought his hands up and caressed her face. Hani simply smiled back and said a few words of comfort. Then the man leaned back and took her hand in his as she nodded at his words; all the while she had a reassuring smile on her face. After a few exchanged pleasantries, she gave the old man a wink and stood to go to the next patient.

Gai observed her in awe. People loved her; whether it was because of her beauty, her soothing voice, or the comfort and help she offered – every person she stopped to talk to was genuinely happy to see her. Most gorgeous people had a tendency to make those around them feel uneasy and self-conscious; whether they meant to or not. But there was something about Hani that put people at ease. She wasn't just a beautiful woman – she was human and she made those around her feel like they were her equal. She had the type of quality that Emperors' wished for in their wives – a striking figure that the people could rally behind. A woman who would make people go "awe" at the sight of her – but at the same time, feel like they could somehow relate to her.

Gai shook his head. He had no idea how Hani wasn't more popular in Konoha – especially amongst his male friends. And he could swear he had never seen her before – but as small as Konoha was … how was having never met her even possible?

He watched as a woman came up to Hani and said a few hushed words to her. Hani nodded before she stood and walked towards the door. Not wanting to be spotted, Gai quickly ducked around the wall. From around the corner he watched her move past the door and walk down an adjourning hallway.

Gai eyed her suspiciously before quickly following after her. He had no idea what was down the hall, but he was determined to find out.

He leaned before the open door he had seen her turn into and his heart sank as he took in the scene.

In the middle of the room stood Hani and the elderly doctor who looked like he was giving her detailed information; Hani nodded in understanding at everything he said. Against the wall before them was a cot that held a large-framed man. Gai immediately recognized him – it was Saburo, and he didn't look well.

Gai watched the doctor closely. Even though the man was probably pushing ninety, he was as sharp as a tack and full of energy. Gai couldn't help but grin fondly – he could only hope for half as much vigor when he's that age.

After he was done speaking to Hani, the doctor gave her a small pat on the shoulder before walking to the door. He gave Gai a small nod as he walked past – he was too old to care about trivial things like "station".

Hani immediately noticed Gai after the doctor left. She looked between him and Saburo before slowly walking to his side.

"How is he?" asked Gai softly.

Hani crossed her arms and looked to the ground. "He's … he's not going to make it."

Gai knitted his brows.

"He accidently inhaled that wall of heat from the first building's collapse. His lungs are horribly burnt. He's not getting enough oxygen."

Gai looked around the simple room. "Then we can take him to a hospital. I'm sure there's one nearby. They could put him on a ventilator."

"He wouldn't survive the trip. Besides, a ventilator wouldn't help him – there's just too much damage."

"Then Tsunade-sama –"

"Wouldn't be able to help him either," said Hani with a small shake of her head. "Even if by some miracle, he survived – he would be bedridden for the rest of his life."

"His family?"

"They've already been in to see him. They don't want to be here when he passes – it won't be gentle. The doctor has him sedated right now, but he's running out of drugs and has to ration it for his other patients."

Gai dropped his shoulders and sighed. "Is … is there nothing we can do?"

Hani looked off into the distance for a second before looking him in the eye, "We could ease his passing."

Gai's eyes widened, "Hani … I can't do that."

She shook her head, "I'll do it."

He swallowed the lump in his throat as he looked her up and down, "It just doesn't seem right."

"Making him suffer and die in horrible pain isn't right, Gai. We can help him … and I think we should."

He put his hands on his hips and looked away, "Will it hurt?"

She shook her head, "No. It will be quick and painless."

Gai rubbed his mouth with the back of his hand as he considered her offer. "OK," he said reluctantly. "Do it."

Hani nodded silently, "Watch the door for me." She pulled out her poison kit from her obi and walked to Saburo's cot. As she unzipped it, Gai looked down the hall to make sure the coast was clear.

Wordlessly, Hani prepared a syringe with the necessary poisons and then sat on the edge of his cot. She took his arm gently and laid it across her lap. Saburo, who was wheezing loudly, slowly opened his eyes to see who had disturbed him.

"Hey," said Hani as she noticed he was awake. She tented her brows, "I'm going to give you some medicine to help you feel better. OK?"

Saburo gave her a small nod in response.

She smiled sweetly at him and bent down to stroke the side of his head. As she was doing this, Gai noticed her stick the needle into his vein with a frightening accuracy. "This will help you rest," she said with a calm face.

Saburo just stared back at her, entranced by her soothing presence.

Gai watched her -- she had never looked more beautiful. She was so serene -- like an angel of death and mercy. The sight of her even made him feel at ease in that moment.

It took less than a couple seconds before Saburo's eyes became too heavy for him to keep open. And it was another second after that when he released his last breath and his heart ceased. It was quick and painless – just as she had promised.

Hani carefully returned his arm to his side and put away her equipment silently. Then she stood and pulled the covers up to Saburo's chest and was sure to smooth them out so he looked presentable – honorable like the Headman that he was.

As she returned to Gai's side, he noticed a faint redness to her eyes. "Is it okay for us to return to the mansion?"

"Yeah," nodded Gai as he moved away from the doorway. "Are you alright?" he asked gently.

She nodded slowly, "This is one of those times I regret what I do." She looked up at her partner as he rubbed comfortingly at her shoulder.

"Me too."

-------------------------------------- // --------------------------------------

"I'm so freaking tired," moaned Hani as she walked with heavy steps down the hall.

Gai scratched at the dried blood on his cheek, "That makes two of us."

"All I want right now is to take a quick shower then soak in a hot bath." She hugged her sandals against her chest and sighed. "And some chilled saké!"

Gai couldn't help but grin at her – it did sound like a great idea.

"Ugh, and I can't wait to change out of these stinky clothes! I reek like someone tried to douse a bonfire with iodine!" She held up an orange dyed hand – she had been applying the medicine to villagers all night and the poor doctor didn't have any gloves for her to wear.

"Tell me about it," he teased. "I think the smell of you is making my nose bleed."

Hani shot him a dirty look, "Easy there Chimp, you're walking on shaky ground!"

"Chimp?! Is that in reference to my body hair?!" asked Gai who gave her his own evil eye.

"I should think it was pretty obvious … Chimp-nin," smiled Hani.

"Hey!" said Gai as he rubbed absentmindedly at his chest. "Have you ever considered that perhaps I'm a little sensitive about my body hair?"

Hani pursed her lower lip and looked away. "I bet you have a hairy ass too," she said just loud enough for him to hear.

Gai's jaw nearly hit the floor, "Excuse me?!"

Hani rolled her eyes overdramatically, "You heard me – or is all that hair in your ears making you hard of hearing too?"

Mouth still open in shock, Gai quickly shot a finger to his ear to test if she was right; but to his relief, he didn't find any hair. He hadn't become his father yet.

"Oh, I'm sorry …" she said, giving him a haughty grin. "You're just losing your hearing cause you're getting old."

"Ah-ho-ho-ho!" laughed Gai who was catching on to her banter. "And this is coming from someone who flirts with geriatric men?"

Hani's head snapped to his direction, "What are you talking about?"

"I saw you flirting with that elderly doctor. Poor guy, you nearly gave him a heart attack."

Now it was Hani's turn to drop her jaw, "I did no such thing! I was entirely professional!"

Gai rolled his eyebrows, "Then why was he popping a blood pressure pill every time you bent over?"

Hani pushed against him with her elbow as hard as she could, "He was not!"

"Say what you will," laughed Gai. "But that old doctor's probably going to die of a heart failure tonight with a grin on his face – going while he's coming."

Hani's face blushed wildly at his uncouth statement.

Gai grinned, "He's probably thinking, 'If only I could bottle her sex appeal – I'd create the cure for impotence!'"

Hani jutted her chin at him, "I guess impotence is something you'd know a lot about huh, Old Man?"

Gai threw his head back and roared with laughter. His reaction only served to boil Hani's blood further.

"Shut up!" she shouted as she pushed against him again.

"What's the matter? You can dish it out, but can't take it in return?"

Hani froze in her tracks and clutched her sandals at her side, "Isn't there a tree you should be swinging from, Chimp-nin?"

Gai lifted a brow and gave her a wide grin, "If you like flirting with older men so much, why don't you go wiggle on Santa's lap, Little Girl -- and talk about the first thing that pops up."

Hani held a sandal up like she was brandishing a knife. "Yoooou!" she said with a trembling voice. "Are so dead!"

Crossing his arms, Gai took a few steps forward; forcing Hani to move backwards. The sandal she held poked harmlessly at his chest. "What are you going to do about it?" he asked in a low voice. "Flip-flop me to death?"

"I have other methods to defeat you."

"Oh?" smirked Gai. "Do you mean seduction?"

"Ha!" said Hani as she pulled her shoulders back defiantly. "You're so deprived; I wouldn't even have to try!"

"Really?" said Gai as a toothy grin crept over his face. In a flash, his arm shot out to the side of her head and the palm of his hand slammed thunderously into the wall behind her. She jumped as the sound from his strike echoed down the hallway. "Prove it," he said as he lowered his face to hers.

Hani fell back against the wall; her eyes growing wider with every inch his face came closer to hers. Her cheeks were burning so intensely, she feared her skin would catch fire.

"Well?" said Gai as he finally halted his approached. He was so close, his breath made the stray strands of her hair flutter.

Hani could only stare back at him with large, timid eyes.

Gai flashed a half grin that made her heart skip a beat. "Now who's the deprived one?" he said as he leaned back and gave her a small wink before resuming his walk.

Hani's mouth fell opened as she took a few shaky breaths; but her shock soon faded into something much more violent. She gritted her teeth and jerked her head in his direction.

Gai immediately froze – it was rare to feel such a strong killing intent and live to remember it. He looked over his shoulder just in time to see an off-white sandal soar through the air towards his face. Thanks to years of devoted training to increase his reaction time and speed, he was able to dodge it at the last instant; but just barely. He felt the sole of the sandal brush against a few strands of his hair as it flew past.

He balked at Hani. The furious look on her beautiful face made her look like she could easily pass as a goddess of wraith. He would swear he even saw fire burning behind her eyes.

Gai did the only thing he could in that moment -- he hauled ass and ran. "Shit!" he shrieked as he tore-off down the hall away from her. There is an old saying, "Hell hath no fury, like a woman's scorn." And knowing his mother and the utter destruction she could wreak when she was mad enough; Gai didn't want to take his chances with a woman who didn't share a blood bond with him like his mother did – sometimes that was the only thing that held Mrs. Maito back during Gai's rambunctious youth.

"Get back here you coward!" cried Hani as she picked up her skirts and ran after him.

Gai moved as fast as he dared. While undercover, he didn't want to raise any suspicions by flying down the corridors faster than the man he was impersonating could run. Unfortunately, Hani was able to easily keep up with him at this pace. He looked over his shoulder – he had hoped her kimono would slow her down, but as he could see, that clearly wasn't the case. As she tucked her skirts into her obi, it was obvious she was use to running in that type of attire.

He returned his attention to his route and smiled at the sight of a right-angled turn in the hallway – this was his chance to put some distance between them. As he neared the corner, he threw out his arm and caught the corner molding and with the help of gravity, he was able to swing himself around gracefully. He pulled off this maneuver without losing any time – and fortunately there wasn't a servant in sight.

He quickly looked over his shoulder; expecting to see Hani struggle to make the turn and lose a lot of distance between them. But he watched in dread as she ran and jumped to the wall, then ran parallel to the floor for a good few dozen feet. After she completed the turn, she jumped to the ground and continued her pursuit – closing the distance.

It was clear she didn't care anymore about blowing her cover; she was out for his blood.

"Oh crap, she's serious! Oh crap, she's serious!" he chanted as he dared to increase his pace even more. He wouldn't be able to impersonate a nobleman if he was dead!

Multiple servants halted their work to what sounded like a train bearing down the hall. They walked to their doorways and gasped in surprise as their lord went sprinting past. Their eyes widened even more at the sight of his concubine on his heels. Their lord was being chased by a woman? Usually, it was the other way around …

"Hani!" cried Gai over his shoulder. "Get a hold of yourself!"

"Shut up, dead man!" she called in return.

"You crazy woman!" he shouted. "Learn to take a joke!"

Hani simply growled in return.

Gai immediately spotted the shoji doors of their wing ahead of him and knowing there wasn't any place for a servant to hide between him and the doors, he increased his pace tenfold; nearly breaking the sound bearer.

"Son of a bitch!" cried Hani in frustration as the man she was chasing vanished from her sight, then reappeared down the hallway. He quickly threw open the doors and took a hard left towards his room.

Hani planted her feet a few yards before the shoji doors and drifted a good 10 feet into the room. She was able to stop just inches from the edge of the platform.

As she was about to tear-off towards his room, a sudden movement caught her eye. She cringed and braced for impact as she saw Gai charge down the walkway towards her.

"Damnit!" she winced as he planted his shoulder into her stomach, lifted her off the ground and hoisted her over him. He wrapped one arm around her upper legs and clamped them down in a vise-like grip.

Hani beat her clenched fists against his back and kicked her legs wildly. "Put me down!" she cried.

Gai adjusted her slightly before straightening his back. "Nope," he said lightly. "Not till you calm down."

She grabbed at his shirt and yanked it back and forth, "Put me down right now, you bastard!"

"Bastard?" laughed Gai. "That's not very nice." He brought his free hand up and gave her a hard smack on the rump.

Hani's head shot up. "Did you just freaking SPANK ME?!" she cried. Her cheeks were growing redder and not just because all of the blood that was rushing to her face.

Gai grinned, "That I did."

"Argh, you asshole!" she screamed.

"Asshole?!" he barked. "That's worse than bastard … I think. That deserves even more punishment!" He smacked her rear hard enough to make his own hand sting.

"Ahngh!" winced Hani as her whole body flinched from the impact. "Damn it you fucker, put me down RIGHT-NOW!!!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Goodness Hani," laughed Gai as she clung to her flailing form. "You have quite the dirty mouth – not very lady-like at all. I should wash your mouth out – but since I don't have any soap, this will just have to do." He reined three more hard whacks upon her rump, the sound of which echoed throughout the courtyard.

"OWW!" she cried, her eyes on the brink of tears.

"Are you going to calm down?!"

Hani skewed her eyes shut and bit at her lip to keep from showing her pain. She wouldn't let him have the satisfaction of knowing how much it hurt.

"Honestly Hani – I've never had to spank my students before. At least they know how to behave and they are almost half your age."

She bared her teeth at him, but an idea immediately popped into her head. She reached up and grabbed the sandal she had tucked into her obi and started to smack it against his rear with as much force as she could muster.

"Ow, ow, OW!" called Gai. He turned his head and reached out with his free hand to grab at her arm. "Drop the sandal, woman!" he commanded.

"Not until you put me down!"

With one hand holding her sandal-baring arm, he used the hand that held her legs to grab roughly at her thigh and tickle her mercilessly.

"NO!" she screamed.

"Drop the sandal!"

Hani grabbed at his belt and propped herself up so she could kick twice as hard.

Gai had to adjust her weight for fear he would drop her thrashing form. She was small, but she was wiry.

He massaged at her leg harder, forcing her to emit a deafening squeal. Seconds later, he sighed in relief at the sound of a sandal hitting the boardwalk.

"OK, OK!" she cried. "I dropped it! Please stop!"

"That's better," he said with a small smile. "Much more polite."

Gai's sarcastic attitude only served to make Hani even more raving mad. She grabbed at his shirt again and flailed like a wild woman, "ARGH! You hairy freak! PUT ME DOWN!!!"

"Ouch," grinned Gai. "Now you're just hurting my feelings." He adjusted her weight again, forcing her to "oomph" as his shoulder dug deeper into her stomach. "If spanking doesn't get through to you, then another Thousand Years of Death should do the trick."

"No, no, no, no, no!" cried Hani as she shook her head back and forth. "Please don't!" she wailed.

"Ah ha! Now you have some respect for me," he grinned. "All cower at the threat of The Thousand Years of Death!"

Hani straightened her back and propped the palms of her hands on his shoulders in an attempt at pulling herself out of his grip. The moment her weight pressed fully on his free shoulder, Gai yelped in pain. Shocked by his reaction, Hani immediately removed her hand. "Gai!" she said as she looked his shoulder over, "You're burnt!"

Gai craned his head so he could see what she was talking about. Sure enough, there were a few holes in his shirt and underneath were the clear signs of burnt flesh, "Huh, look at that."

Hani grabbed the hole of his shirt and ripped it open so she could get a better look. "These are second degree burns, Gai. How did you not notice?!"

He shrugged, "What's a little pain?"

"These burns look terrible! Let's go to your room and I'll clean and bandage them." She leaned back over his shoulder and lifted the rest of his shirt to see if he was injured anywhere else.

"That isn't necessary, Hani. They will heal soon enough."

Hani sent an elbow to the back of his head, "Damnit Gai, don't be difficult and do as I say."

Gai rubbed at his head, "Fine, sheesh!" He quickly turned and carried her towards his room.

Hani immediately started thrashing again, "Put me down first, you big ox!"

"Oh, sorry," he chuckled as she pulled her off his shoulder and sat her down.

Hani adjusted her skirts and huffed, "Gai?"

"Hmm?"

With speed that would surprise a Kage, Hani sent a clenched fist into Gai's relaxed stomach. "Ooph!" he choked as his body bent from the impact. Fortunately for him, she didn't have the strength to do much harm.

"That's for spanking me!" she shouted. She then grabbed at his chest squarely on one of his nipples and twisted it hard. "And that's for tickling me!" she cried over his pain-filled wail. She threw him a dirty look before turning sharply and stomping off towards his room.

With one hand holding his stomach and the other cradling his peck, Gai couldn't help but grin after her. She may not be the physically strongest woman he had ever met, but she definitely burned with an inner fire unlike that which he had seen before. She was a real firecracker … and he loved it.

-------------------------------------- // --------------------------------------

"Does that hurt?"

"Not at all."

Hani used a damp washrag to scrub at Gai's dirt and grime covered back. She took extra care to not brush over his burns for fear the skin would break and he would start bleeding. "I still can't believe you didn't know you were hurt."

"I get injured so often Hani -- unless it's significant, I just don't notice it."

She eyed the numerous scars that lined his back, "I can see that."

Gai looked at her from over his shoulder, "Do they look that bad?"

"Hmm? Oh … no! They just …" she shrugged. "They tell a story about you." She brushed the tips of her fingers over a large scared area on his lower back. "Like this one – what happened here?"

"I took a piece of shrapnel from an explosive. It pierced by kidney and I almost died."

"Good grief – how did you survive?"

"Emergency field surgery. The medic that was with my team had to remove my kidney before I bled to death."

"You only have one kidney?" asked Hani in surprise.

"Mmmhmm," nodded Gai like it was nothing.

"What about this one?" she asked as she traced the jagged line across his upper back.

"That … well." He chuckled softly, "Let's just say: don't piss of a lightening user."

Hani shook her head – she just couldn't comprehend sustaining so many injuries. The worst she ever had was a dislocated shoulder and that had hurt like hell. To lose a kidney? Unimaginable.

She took a jar from her first aid kit and unscrewed its lid. A potent, familiar odor immediately engulfed them.

Gai tiled his head as he sniffed the air, "Is that what I think it is?"

"Kind of," chuckled Hani. She dipped her fingers into the jar and pulled out a large helping of a yellowish, creamy substance. "Its ground honeycomb and it makes for a great burn ointment." She applied it gently to his injury. "It's also a natural antibiotic. The acidity of honey kills bacteria and its enzymes mix with dead tissue to naturally produce hydrogen peroxide."

"I didn't know honey was so … medicinal."

"It's amazing stuff. You can use it to treat allergies, anemia, headaches, heart disease, and not to mention it's great for a sore throat."

"And makes for good company," grinned Gai as she threw her a wink over his shoulder.

"Gods, Gai," said Hani as she broke into a laugh. "That was so cheesy."

Gai's grin widened, "I'm full of them."

"You are certainly full of 'it'," joked Hani.

"Hey!" laughed Gai. "Easy -- I've got feelings too."

"What?!" asked Hani in feigned shock. "Konoha's Prideful Beast has feelings?!" She patted him on his uninjured shoulder, "Does the big lion have a thorn in his paw he needs me to remove?"

"More like a thorn in his side and if she doesn't stop poking him, he's going to get grumpy."

"Oh, I'm sorry," she grinned. "I'll leave you alone." She wiped her hand off on the washrag and then took the bandage she had prepared and pressed it carefully against his shoulder. "OK, this one is done," she said as she finished smoothing down the tape. "Let me look at that cut on your head."

"It's nothing. Just a small nick."

"You know, you keep saying 'it's nothing' and one would think that eventually you would learn I won't be satisfied with your self-diagnoses."

He rolled his eyes, "How foolish of me to think I might actually know my own body."

"It's good you finally accepted that," she grinned.

Gai gritted his teeth – she was trying to goad him.

Hani moved off the bed and went to the washbasin where she wetted another rag. "It looks like it bled a lot."

"It's because of all the blood vessels in the forehead. It's normal."

Hani wrung out her cloth and brought it to Gai's cheek. She bent down as she scrubbed gently at his skin. "Well, regardless – it still looks bad."

"Thanks," said Gai sarcastically.

As Hani's rag neared the wound, it immediately started to bleed again. "Damnit!" she cursed as she quickly grabbed a bit of gauze from her bag and pressed it to his head. "It's a bleeder."

"A sign of good, healthy blood flow," said Gai as he puffed out his chest.

"Or a sign of poor diet," added Hani.

"What?! I eat healthier than most people in Konoha!"

Hani pulled back the bandage and eyed the wound on the edge of his hairline. "What do you usually eat?"

"Chanko nabe mostly, a little curry here and there and other foods of my own concoction."

"Chanko nabe?! – Gai, that's what sumo wrestlers eat!"

"So?"

"How many calories do you usually consume in a day?"

"12,000."

Hani's eyes doubled in size, "I'm sorry, could you repeat that? I thought you just said twelve-thousand."

"I did."

"How does that not kill you?!"

"Hani, I work out most of my day. Not to mention all of the weight I normally carry and the fact that moving at extreme speeds burns an enormous amount of calories. Sometimes, 12,000 isn't even enough to keep my energy level up."

Hani silently shook her head in disbelief.

"How many calories do you normally eat?"

"Maybe 1000."

Now it was Gai's turn to shake his head, "No wonder you are always tired."

"You don't think I eat enough?"

Gai held up his hands and encircled her waist without touching her, "Hani, you're so skinny! I could probably wrap my hands around your waist and have my fingers touch!"

"I can't help it – I have a small bone structure."

"I'm just saying you'll probably feel better if you get healthier calories from protein and good carbohydrates, and not from saké and rice."

Hani brought a hand to her hip and looked down at him with an irritated stare. "So you think I'm too skinny?"

"You're putting words in my mouth – I said you were so skinny."

"And that's better?"

"Well … uh …" he sighed in defeat. They were bickering like an old married couple. "Look, all I was saying was –"

"So you like thicker women?"

"What?"

"Women who have more fullness?"

Gai looked off to the side, not sure if he should answer the question, "I do like a woman with a good physical foundation."

Hani was silent for a few moments as she processed his words. "Tell me this, if we didn't know each other and you saw me in a bar – would you try to pick me up?"

Gai didn't even hesitate before answering, "No."

Hani blinked a few times in shock at his short answer. It was very humbling for her to hear a man be so put off at the thought of being attracted to her – and it hurt a little coming from him. "Well, that's says a lot," she said as she tossed the gauze into the trash and turned to the washbasin.

Seeing the error in his wording, Gai quickly jumped to his feet. "Let me finish," he said as he reached out and turned her towards him. "I wouldn't approach you in a bar, because I'm not the kind of guy who does that. Picking a woman up in a bar seems so – insincere and it makes me uncomfortable." He gave her a small grin, "But I will say – even if that room was full of women, after seeing you -- you are the only one I would be thinking of for the rest of the night."

Hani looked down and blushed slightly.

Gai's grin widened, "Besides, you wouldn't even notice me through all the guys pining for your attention anyway."

Hani smiled weakly, "No offense; but you kind of stand out in a crowd."

He flashed a beaming smile, "Because of my dashing good looks?"

She watched him quietly for a few seconds; looking over his sharp features, his dark charming eyes and sweet smile … "Yeah," she said softly.

Gai's face fell in surprise. He had half expected her to come back with a smart remark; heck, he practically set her up for one. But instead, she actually paid him a complement.

"I uh," blushed Hani as she looked away. "I'm pretty tired. I'm going to go take a shower and then go to bed." She washed her hands off in the basin. "You should probably just take a bath – it will be impossible for you to take a shower and not get your bandages wet."

"Don't go!" blurted Gai.

Hani looked at him and lifted an eyebrow.

He looked around desperately to find an excuse to keep her from leaving. "I'm afraid I'll get my bandages wet in the bath … could you help me?"

She blinked a few times in surprise.

"I'll wear a towel." He tented his brows, "Besides, I'll need you to wrap my ribs afterwards …"

Hani looked away as she considered his request. "OK, I guess."

Gai struggled to keep from grinning ear to ear. "I'll go start the bath."

Hani silently watched him go. What was she doing? It was late and she was exhausted. But instead of getting cleaned up and going to bed, she was going to help Gai bathe? Was she out of her mind? She took a deep breath as she walked towards the bathroom – this probably wasn't going to end well.

"Watch your step!" said Gai as she entered the bathroom.

She looked down sharply and gasped at the gaping hole in the floor. "What the hell happened?!"

Gai laughed sheepishly as he got down on his knees and reached into the hole. "I forgot to be more careful when I took these off," he said as he pulled out his matching pair of leg weights. "My apartment is made of steel and concrete – this pine flooring just couldn't take the strain." He placed the weights on the floor a few feet apart from each other; even then, the floor creaked painfully.

"Should I ask how much weight that is?" asked Hani with an aghast expression.

She smiled at her and shrugged, "You wouldn't believe me."

Hani simply shook her head in disbelief as she carefully negotiated her way to the bath.

Hakanza's bathroom was actually made up of two separate rooms. One had the sink, toilet and the shower. A side room held the actual bath and it was twice the size of the first room. With natural stone flooring, polished pine walls, changing screen, cabinet for towels and washrags, and a four foot deep steaming hot tub – it was clear Hakanza enjoyed his baths.

The sound of the tub's filtration system kicked on as Gai turned a knob that was by the door. "I've never used one of these things … but I figure they're similar to the therapy baths at the hospital."

"Turn the level up to 6, anything more and it will be too hot. That switch on the bottom is for the jets, if you want … them … on?" she tented her brows at Gai's stunned look. "What?"

His expression didn't change.

She shrugged, "I've used one of these once or twice …"

He eyed her as he walked to the changing screen, "Mmhmm."

She rolled her eyes at him, "Just hurry up already."

As Gai ducked behind the screen, Hani went about taking off her obi and outer kimono. She brought it up to her nose and gave it a small sniff before turning her head away from it sharply. It was completely ruined. No cleaner would be able to get out the smell of smoke and the iodine stains. It was no better than rags at this point.

She tossed the garment on the floor and took the bottom of her inner kimono and tucked it into her belt. She adjusted it till the skirt came to just above her knee.

"I appreciate you helping me," said Gai as he stepped out from behind the screen. He had one hand on the waist of his towel and was sheepishly running his other hand through his hair.

Hani first caught sight of him out of the corner of her eye; but once she did, her head turned slowly as she took him all in. His narrow waist was decorated with a six … no, eight pack. He had firm pecks, broad built shoulders and amazingly-developed arms. Though she had already seen his bare upper body before, seeing the whole picture really put things in perspective. And the part of him she hadn't seen before – his legs – were just as built as the rest of him. He had calves like dinner plates and his upper legs – she could literally count every muscle that hid under his taught skin.

Gai tented his brows at her, "Hani?"

She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, "Wow … is it hot in here?" She walked to the bath dial, "Maybe I should turn this down to 5."

Gai chuckled softly as he sat down on the edge of the bath and slipped in. "Oh, that feels good," he sighed as he submerged himself up to his pecks.

Hani fidgeted with her belt nervously as she watched him splash water on his face. She needed to get a hold of herself – this was nothing. She could do this.

She grabbed a few rags as she walked carefully to the side of the bath. As she reached the edge, she was surprised to see Gai hold out his hand. She hesitated slightly before taking it and safely sitting on the edge of the bath.

"Where do you want me?" he asked innocently.

"Right here," said Hani as she pointed to the area before her.

Gai turned and sat on the tub's submerged bench. He was careful as he positioned his back between her knees.

Hani dunked one of her rags in the water and went about trying to wash his hair. The styling gel he had to use was a real pain to wash out. "You know," said Hani as she took a bottle of shampoo from a nearby basket. "I would have figured this gel to be dangerous when around fire … but this stuff seems to be pretty flame retardant." She rubbed the shampoo into his hair and scrubbed lightly at his scalp.

Her massage was making Gai's eyelids feel very heavy. "Good, I don't think I would look good bald."

"I agree."

He sniffed lightly at the air; this shampoo smelled far too extravagant for his needs.

After working up a good lather, Hani dunked and squeezed the rag over his head multiple times to rinse it clean. She took extra care to not get his bandages wet – she was too tired to redo them. Once his hair was clean, she scrubbed at his back, shoulders and arms; the areas he wouldn't be able to do himself.

Gai sat there in complete bliss. A lavish hot bath, a beautiful woman washing his back – he could die happy now.

"OK," said Hani as she held the rag out over his shoulder. "You can get the rest yourself."

Gai sat up from the bench and turned before he took the rag from her, "Where are you going?"

Hani tucked her skirt between her legs so she could stand and not give him an eyeful. "I'm going to my room, so I can take a shower."

"Why not just take a bath here?"

She gave him an unimpressed look, "Don't be silly."

He gave her a mischievous grin in return, "Why waste the water?"

"Ha, ha," said Hani in a monotone voice. She started to stand, "Remind me to wrap your ribs in the morning – you can hold out till then, right?"

Not wanting her to leave, Gai moved forward and wrapped his arms under her knees.

"What are you doing?!" she gasped as he lifted her off the edge and carried her to the center of the tub. She clung at his neck and she looked over her shoulder, "Are you crazy?!"

"Some would say so, yes."

She shot him an angry look and grabbed at his hands, "Put me down right now – I'm not even joking!"

He grinned at her, "Right now?"

"RIGHT NOW!"

He shrugged, "OK."

"No, not in the water!" she squealed as he unceremoniously dumped her into the tub. Fortunately, she was able to balance herself before the water went over her head.

"Unless you want to run through the courtyard in wet clothes on a cold fall night – I suggest you take your bath here," he laughed.

Hani bared her teeth at him, "You bastard!"

"Back to name calling?"

"That is it!" she cried as she jumped at him.

Gai quickly leaned over to shield his vital organs; but as he felt her crawl up on his back, he couldn't help but snicker. She was wrapping her arms around his neck and trying to pull off a maneuver that would take a man twice her size. "Hani," he laughed. "Do you honestly believe you can perform 'The Sleeper', on me? I mean, honestly – " His body suddenly collapsed into the water.

"Gah!" gasped Hani who wasn't fast enough to untangle herself before being pulled under with him.

But just as soon as they were both submerged, Gai immediately sat up bolt right; slamming his fists on his hips proudly. "RA, HA, HA, HA!" he roared. "Got you!"

Hani spat the water from her mouth. "You suck, Gai!" she cried as she let go and slipped off his back. She used an arm to wipe the hair from her eyes as she walked to the edge of the tub.

"Aww, poor Hani-chan get all wet?" he said with a pouty voice.

She slapped at the water so it would spray up into his face. "Shut up!" she shouted. She turned around sharply and mumbled incoherently as she went about trying to untie the wet knot that was her belt. Once it was removed, she ripped off her kimono and threw it across the room where it smacked loudly into the wall.

Gai watched her with a good deal of humor. She was angry; but angry Hani reminded him more of a hissing, spitting kitten than a real threat.

Hani removed her hair sticks and sat them on the edge of the tub. Then she took a dip in the water to slick her hair back and out of her face.

Gai casually sat on the bench at the back of the tub and watched her with a small grin on his face. He winked at her as she shot him a dirty look over her shoulder before reaching for the shampoo, squirting it into her hand and scrubbing it into her hair.

Gai's grin widened, "Are you mad at me?"

"Pissed!"

"Aww, don't be mad, Hani." He watched her plunge under the water and waited till she was done rinsing her hair before he spoke again. "I was just having a little fun."

"Screw you and your fun!" shouted Hani as she whirled around and jabbed a finger at him. "Now your bandage is wet and needs to be redone!"

As Hani turned to face him, Gai couldn't keep his eyes from popping at the sight of her. The white tank top she always wore under her kimonos was soaked. It was now serving as nothing more than a second, transparent skin and she was "standing firmly at attention".

"What?!" she snapped.

Gai immediately calmed his expression. He was a jounin who could handle interrogation – this would be a piece of cake. "Nothing," he said as he gave her a laid-back shrug.

She eyed him suspiciously for another few seconds before grabbing one of the washrags. "You had better not be plotting something!" she snarled.

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"Good answer!"

She took the rag and scrubbed at her hands; trying to wash the orange iodine from her skin. It would take days to get it out from under her nails.

Gai could barely keep himself from grinning. Even though he was a gentleman, there were times when that part of him just decided it was best to stay out of the way and this was one of those moments. He brought a hand up to his chin and scratched at it thoughtfully. "C's, maybe?" he said softly.

"You say something?"

"Nope," he grinned. "… Nah, D's at the very least."

Hani stilled her movements and looked up at him, "Speak up! I can't hear you over the tub's filter."

"Oh, it's nothing." He tilted his head, "E's … yeah."

Hani squinted at him; she had just barely caught his last statement.

Gai couldn't stop the grin from creeping over his face, "Double E's … definitely." He could calculate the speed and strength required to throw a kunai at a moving target and take things like physics, wind speed and his own fatigue into the equation. Determining a woman's bra size wasn't even a challenge.

Hani's eyes widened. 'Did he just say double E's? How did he -- ?!' Her head snapped down. "Oh my god!" she cried as she quickly covered herself with her arms and turned her back to him.

Gai couldn't hold it in anymore. He threw his head back and laughed uproariously. "Ah, Hani-chan!" he said, gasping for air. "Bravo, I must say – bravo! I appreciate the peepshow." He looked over at her, half expecting her to be giving him another dirty look. But the sight of her instantly choked the laughter from his throat. "H-Hani?"

She was wiping her eyes with the back of her hand while she used her other arm to cover her exposed chest. "Leave me alone," she said weakly.

Gai quickly pushed off of the bench and moved to her back, "What's wrong?" She covered her face with a hand and took a shaky breath. He could tell she was trying not to cry.

"I'm just having a really bad day," she said with a trembling voice. In one day, she had been humiliated, saddened, depressed, and scared more times than she had been in her whole life. It was nothing short of a miracle that she had survived it all.

Gai's heart plunged into his stomach and he was filled with an immeasurable amount of guilt at having teased her. "I'm sorry," he said softly. He reached out to place a hand on her shoulder; but hesitated. He didn't know if it was the right thing to do. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

This time her voice was even weaker, "No." She took another shaky breath, "Just leave me alone."

Gai stood there with knitted brows. He felt horrible and he had to do something to make it right. He went to her side and sat down on the bench. Then he took her arm and pulled lightly on her. "Come here," he said as he steered her onto his lap.

Hani didn't even try to resist him.

He sat her on his lap and tucked her shoulder under his arm. He then wrapped one arm around her and placed a hand on her head and lowered it so she rested on his shoulder. He pressed his cheek against her forehead and sighed as he heard her breath shudder painfully. "I'm really sorry, Hani. I was just joking around."

"I know," she said with a strained voice.

"I didn't mean to make you upset."

"It's not that – everything has just been going badly today." She rubbed at her eyes, "I keep screwing things up."

"What? When?"

"Everything! Everything I've tried to do, I have messed up horribly."

Gai held her tighter and shook his head, "That's not true, Hani. I'm actually really proud of you."

Her voice was a little lighter, "Proud of me?"

"Yeah," he smiled. "I saw how you worked with those villagers tonight and you did a fantastic job."

"Really?"

"Yes! Those people just suffered a terrible disaster; but your presence alone left smiles on their faces. I use work as relationship supervisor between the ninja and the civilians before I became a teacher. And I would have hired you in a heartbeat – heck, you'd probably have my job in less than a week."

She silently considered his words.

"One thing is for certain, Hani. I wouldn't have been able to get through the night without you."

She smiled weakly, "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now, do you feel better?"

"A little."

"Am I going to have to tickle you to make you cheer up?"

"Do and you die," she said flatly.

Gai stroked her hair and chuckled. "That's better."

"Gai?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you hold all your friends like this?"

He grinned, "Just the ones I really like."

Hani's smile widened as she wrapped her arms around her chest tighter.

"However, if I embraced my other good friend like this … he'd probably Raikiri my ass. At least, that's what he did the last time I hugged him in public."

"Wait," said Hani as she lifted her head. "Raikiri? Are you talking about Copy Ninja Kakashi?"

Gai shot her a shocked look, "You know Kakashi?"

She shrugged, "Only by name. He's a legend in our village, how would I not know of him?"

"And you never heard of me before? His eternal rival?!"

She gave him a sheepish look, "No …?"

Gai's head dropped till his chin hit his chest, "Oh, my battered ego. You even knew the name of his jutsu too."

She placed a gentle hand on his chest. "I'm sorry," she said with a small laugh.

He shook his head and grinned, "It's alright. It's easy to be dwarfed in the shadow of Kakashi Hatake."

"Is he as good-looking as everyone says he is?"

Gai's head snapped towards her in disbelief. But the impish grin that crept over her face told him she wasn't serious and was only trying to get a rise out of him. He shook his head and smiled, "That deserves tickling."

"No!" cried Hani as she buried her face into his neck. "Stop with the tickling already!"

He held her tighter, "I can't help it. It's just too easy." He pressed his cheek against her forehead, "And sexy too."

"Sexy?"

"Yeah – if a man sees a wriggling, gasping woman and isn't remotely affected by it, then he's blind, gay or dead."

"Pervert."

"I like to call it 'being youthful'."

Hani closed her eyes and grinned. He was such an odd, silly man.

She took a deep breath; taking in this musky sent. Even after a bath, she could still smell his natural aroma. She slid her hand up his chest and held his neck as she took in his scent again. 'How does he taste?' she wondered. 'Does he taste the same as his lips?' She bit at her own before she dared to stick out her tongue and touch it against his skin ever-so-lightly.

Gai shuddered, "Ha-Hani?"

She jumped at the sound of his voice. "Oh, I'm sorry!" she blushed as she sat up and covered her face with her hand. "I don't know why I just did that!"

Gai took her wrist and pulled it away from her face. "Don't apologize," he said as he let go of her arm and brought his hand to her cheek. "I liked it." He pulled gently and brought her face down to his; but before he could place a kiss on her lips, a soft knock sounded at his bedroom door.

Gai's whole body tensed painfully. Surely that man didn't have that bad of timing. But sure enough, another knock, this one a bit louder than the first, could be heard. "Great Hokages on the mountain!" he said as he moved Hani off his lap. "I'm going to kill him!"

"Gai don't!" laughed Hani. "He's just doing his job."

He stepped out of the tub and grabbed a dry towel. Then, with no regard to his modesty, he yanked his wet towel off and threw it at the floor where it landed with a loud "slap".

Hani balked and blushed wildly at the sight of his bare butt. That was one rear that needed a warning sign: Do not throw quarters at this ass. Suffering major injury on quarter's rebound is imminent. One thing was for certain … either through shaving, waxing or genetics, his butt wasn't even remotely hairy.

Gai stomped through his room – he couldn't remember the last time he was this annoyed. And now he finally understood what Kakashi meant by the term "cock-blocking".

He walked to his door and threw it open with so much force, Oda nearly wet himself. "Sir?!" he squeaked.

"Someone had better be dead or dying," he asked through gritted teeth.

The servant held out a sealed scroll with a trembling hand, "I certainly hope not Sir."

Gai looked between the scroll and Oda, "What's this?"

"A private missive, Sir. It was just delivered and came with strict instructions to be handed to Lord Hakanza immediately."

Gai shrugged, "Shouldn't you wait to give this to the real Hakanza?"

Oda winked, "I'm fairly certain it was intended for you, Sir." A movement in the bathroom's doorway caught his attention. He looked over and saw Hani wrapped in a towel and pulling on a silken housecoat. The servant's eyes quickly darted between the two ninja. "Oh no," he said with a pained expression. "I did it again, didn't I Sir?"

Gai's only response was roughly snatching the scroll from Oda's outstretched arm. The servant cowered in fear for his life at the sudden movement.

"Thank you Oda," growled Gai.

The servant quickly bowed, "You're welcome, Sir!" He turned to Hani and also gave her a quick bow, "Good night, Madam!"

"Night Oda," grinned Hani as the servant dashed away and hurriedly exited the wing.

Gai watched him leave before slamming the door closed and tearing open the scroll.

"What is it?" asked Hani as she walked to his side.

"Lord Hakanza, with the threat of winter around the corner, I hope you have been able to keep warm. I received your letter on wanting to have further negotiations over the wheat imports. Unfortunately this year's drought has greatly reduced our food stock. Even I will have to return home from the battle fields for fear we will lose too much food. I expect to leave tomorrow. Till Anon – Nanashi" read Gai. "What the heck does that mean?" he asked with a shrug.

"Let me see that," said Hani as she took the scroll. She held it out and rocked it over the lamp's flame. After a few seconds, she lifted the scroll and examined it. "Here," she said as she handed it back to him.

Gai looked it over. There were now numerous words and letters crossed out in brown ink. Apparently someone had used lemon juice on it to hide a secret message. "War negotiations over. Will return tomorrow," he read. He quickly looked to Hani.

"Looks like our mission is coming to an end." She walked to the in-table that held her first aid kit and went about putting things away. "This time tomorrow, we'll be on our way back home – and going back to our everyday lives." She smiled at him, "You'll be back with your team again. I'm sure they missed you."

Gai looked the scroll over again, "What will you do?"

"Hmm? Oh, probably go on another mission. I know Tsunade-sama has a long list of specialized missions she wants me to take care of."

Gai held the scroll over the lamp and let it catch fire. "What kind of missions?"

Hani looked at him silently, "The kind that require my specialized skills."

Gai felt his stomach lurch. She clearly meant seduction. "You won't take any time off?"

She chuckled, "Why would I want to do that? I need money just as much as the next ninja. And since one of my kimonos just got ruined tonight, I'll need to save up the money to replace it."

Gai walked up behind her, "Have you ever thought about learning a different specialty … other than seduction?"

She looked at him over her shoulder, "Why would I want to do that?"

He shrugged, "I don't know. I think you would make an excellent medic."

"Pfft," chuckled Hani. "No thanks. Besides, I'm good at what I do – why would I want to do anything else?"

Gai started to reach out to her, but stopped himself. He was fighting an internal battle. In one way, he wanted this increasingly frustrating mission to be over with; but on the other hand, he knew that once it was over, he and Hani would part ways and probably never see each other again. And he did not want that.

"If you offer to train me again, I swear I'll kick your butt. And I mean it too. I haven't been serious before, but I'll really do it this time." She jumped as a hand gently touched her shoulder. She turned and looked at him, but the expression on his face made her turn back sharply.

"I don't like the idea of you seducing other men."

Hani's breath quickened, "Why?"

He placed his other hand on her shoulder and stepped in closer, "Because I'm a jealous man." He kissed her on the back of the head, "And I don't like to share."

She swallowed the lump in her throat, "We're not a couple, Gai."

He took the collar of her housecoat and lightly pulled it off her shoulders, "It's not for a lack of want on my part."

"Gai," sighed Hani as he lightly kissed a trail up her neck to behind her ear. "You're not making this easy …"

Without taking his lips from the smooth flesh from behind her ear, he gently draped her long, wet hair over one of her shoulders. Once her hair was out of the way, he traced the space between her ear and her other shoulder with soft, full-lip kisses. As if it had a mind of its own, Hani's neck bent to the side to give him better access.

Gai felt his confidence level rise as he read her welcoming body language. He traversed his kisses across her shoulder blade; but once his mouth reached the delicate ridges of her backbone, he brought his tongue to her skin and ran its tip from the base of her neck, up to her hairline in one slow, agonizing stroke.

Hani's breath hitched as she arched her back against the small jolt of electricity his stimulus sparked down her spine; turning her skin to gooseflesh. "Gai please!" She clung to her first aid kit – it took all of her willpower to keep her hands to herself.

He ignored her words. He wasn't an expert on human behavior, but even he could tell she was enjoying his special attention -- he just needed to help her realize it.

With slow, calculated movements, Gai placed a hand on her stomach and gently pulled her closer to him; bringing her bare shoulders to his hard, furry chest. He used his other hand to take one of hers and forced her to release her death-grip on the bag she held. He then brought that same hand up to her shoulder, where he laid a few tender kisses on her delicate wrist.

Struggling to maintain a steady breath, Hani turned her head and watched him -- he was so gentle, so sensitive to how her body was reacting. In one way it tantalized her -- excited her on a whole new level; but at the same time it thoroughly terrified her that she could be actually enjoying this forbidden encounter. However, the latter only added to the thrill of the moment.

Feeling her watch him, Gai turned his head and looked down into her eyes. Hani couldn't even imagine the look she must have had on her face as they shared a long, silent stare. She was so torn – torn between the laws that imprison her, and the longings that come with being a woman who enjoyed a warm embrace just as much as the next person.

After what seemed like an eternity, Gai finally made his move – tightening his grip on her waist and moving his hand from her wrist, to her cheek. Realizing what his intentions were, Hani recoiled slightly, trying to free herself from his grasp; but he held her firmly in place. She tried to jerk her face away from his – if they were to kiss, she knew she would no longer be able to hold herself back.

Gai used only a small fraction of his strength to turn her face back to his. He could feel her barriers were on the brink of crumbling, and if he could kiss her just once more …

Once their lips touched, Hani yanked her face away from him again and fought against his grip – trying to step out of his hold and grabbing at his hand to pry it from her face. "No!" she cried.

Gai tightened his grip; he wouldn't let her go – not after he had gotten this far. He grabbed her chin roughly and returned her face to its place. But before he could land a kiss, Hani brought one arm up and knocked away his hand from her chin and used her other hand to lock his thumb and twist it the wrong way.

Gai immediately released his hold on her, letting her escape or else lose a finger. And in one swift movement, a flat, open palm slapped him full across the face – his only reaction to the strike was the slight turn of his head.

The moment Hani's hand had left Gai's face, one thing had become perfectly clear – that had been the weakest, most insincere strike he had ever received. It was the equivalent to a stage slap – nothing more than show. It had barely stung at all, and Gai knew she was an experienced enough fighter to inflict pain if she so desired.

Hani was now facing him; her chest heaving from deep, strained breaths. "When a woman says 'no', she means it!" she scolded. She grabbed her first aid kit and tucked it under her arm. "I am going. If you try to stop me -- I really will break something!" With that, she quickly turned to leave.

She got three steps away before a hand darted out and seized her upper arm roughly, forcing her to drop the kit she held. She was only able to get out a short gasp before Gai yanked her into him, grabbing her head with his other hand and forcing her into a deep kiss.

"Mnph!" said Hani as she tried to pull away; but he held her in place. She could break every one of his fingers and slap his cheeks a thousand times, but he wouldn't release his hold on her this time.

With her lips still locked in his kiss, Hani pushed against his chest. "Mmmhhnnn!!!" she whimpered in desperation; her self-control was shattering rapidly. The warmth of his body, his musky smell and the sweet sensations his touch sent her was going to drive her insane.

She clenched her hands into fists and slammed them into his chest in attempt at breaking free. She wouldn't let this foolish man break her resolve. She was a highly specialized assassin who could seduce a man from across the room with a single look. She couldn't do this – it was forbidden!

But each strike she delivered against his chest was softer than the last and as her strength waned, his increased. He finally released her arm and wrapped it around her back, pulling her into him. And when there was finally a brief parting of their lips, instead of a cry for help or even a scolding statement, the only thing that escaped Hani's mouth was a shuddered breath.

Gai was quick to re-seal their kiss, for fear she would come to her good senses in that moment and finally reject him. He cradled her head firmly; kissing her so forcefully, it almost hurt. He wasn't very good in choosing his words – having spent most of his youth training his body and not increasing his vocabulary, but in this moment, he hoped his actions spoke louder than anything he could ever say.

Hani took a short, desperate breath from her nose; her lungs aching from the lack of life-giving oxygen. In an attempt at giving her some reprieve, Gai lightened the kiss and opened his mouth enough for them both to get a small breath before he turned his head and kissed her lips from a new angle. As he changed the angle a second time, he felt the thrilling sensation of Hani's tongue slipping past his lips. He couldn't stop the low moan that roared from deep in his throat if his life depended on it. This woman drove him crazy -- she made him want to jump to the rooftops and howl at the moon … and then cry passionately at the beauty of it all.

The vibrations of his roar against her eardrums shattered the last of Hani's resolve. She really liked his deep, masculine voice – whether he was talking casually, telling a cheesy joke or giving a hearty laugh. And hearing that low growl in response to her actions only made her skin erupt into goose bumps again.

She reached up and laced her fingers into his thick hair – she liked that about him too. She teased him about having bushy brows, and being covered in body hair, but she actually really appreciated that quality to him. Perhaps it was primal, regardless – she couldn't help but want to run her fingers through every hair on his body.

She slid her hands down his neck and then to his chest. Gods, his body was amazing. He worked out like crazy and it was so clearly obvious. People joked about guys who could "crack walnuts with their ass cheeks", but Hani honestly believed Gai was one of the few who could actually pull that trick off. And she wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he told her it was a part of his daily training.

Her hands continued to roam over his body, settling on his toned shoulders and then his upper arms; they were like rock! Hani couldn't keep her knees from buckling slightly.

Their lips made a small "smack" as Gai broke away from their kiss. "Are you alright?" he asked with tented brows. He had felt her weight shift.

Hani blushed slightly, "Just feeling a little light-headed."

He gave her a charming, half-grin that made her heart skip a beat, "Do I have that effect on you?"

She was just too proud to let him know how much he was truly affecting her, "It's probably from the lack of oxygen – I wasn't getting enough air during that kiss."

Gai tilted his head back and chuckled deeply. He then gave her a small smile before he leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers, "I'll remember that next time."

"Next time?"

He didn't answer her. Instead, he continued to stare into her eyes.

After a few silent moments, Hani spoke. "I'm sorry I slapped you," she said; her voice filled with guilt.

"I'm sorry I tried to make you do something you didn't want to do," he said equally as sad.

Hani looked away and gave a half-smile, "You didn't."

Gai brought his lips to her forehead and sighed, "Thank goodness. I don't like it when you are angry with me."

"Then stop doing things that piss me off," she said jokingly. She could feel Gai smile against her forehead.

But after a long, quite pause, Gai finally spoke. "Do I ever … make you happy?" he asked gently.

Hani took a deep breath – that was a loaded question. Her eyes moved from one side to the next, searching for the best answer. His question wasn't something you asked a casual friend, it was something you asked your lover. If she said 'yes', then that might give him false hope for a future with her. But if she said 'no', then it would probably hurt his feelings.

She swallowed the lump in her throat, "Gai … I told you, I'm not allowed to lo—"

"I know," he interrupted her. He leaned his head back so he could look into her eyes, "But even a saint will steal food if he is starving. Sometimes we have no choice but to break the laws that bind us." He brought a hand to her cheek and stroked her chin with his thumb. "And it makes me very sad to think that you've been nothing but a tool and a toy all of these years."

Hani averted her eyes – it was true. She had never experienced true romantic intimacy with someone who genuinely cared for her. Even with her politician friend – that wasn't romantic.

Gai noted her expression before continuing. "Which is why –" he said before he wrapped both of his arms around her waist, and carried her to the bed. "I ask that you give me the honor, for one night, to show you what it's like to be with someone who truly cares for you."

Hani watched him with wide eyes as he kneeled down in front of her.

"I don't want to have sex with you …" he said in all honesty. "And … I haven't known you long enough to say, 'I want to make love with you' …" He took both of her hands and brought them to his mouth for a gentle kiss. "But I would like your permission … " He looked up into her eyes, his own full of sincerity. "To worship your body."

Hani couldn't keep her body from quaking slightly. His offer was so passionate -- so loving, it left her reeling. At the very least, she was grateful she was already sitting; otherwise she would be collapsing from the shock.

Gai sat up and leaned in to give her a light kiss on the cheek. "You are a beautiful, caring woman and you deserve to be cherished. One night will never be enough to show you how special you really are – but I promise to try my best." He kissed her on the cheek again, "Do I have your permission, Hani?"

Hani's only response was the slight nod of her head.

Was this so bad? Surely breaking the rules and spending the night with someone as caring as Gai wouldn't do any harm? She was strong enough to not let herself develop any feelings for him – even if they had an intimate encounter. Right? But unfortunately for Hani -- who was entirely new to love -- didn't have the good sense to collect all of the thoughts and feelings she had for Gai and see how much they were truly affecting her. Right now, she was only living in the moment.

"Thank you," smiled Gai. He leaned in and kissed her fully on the lips. This time, there was no awkwardness between them as their tongues met; though Hani was noticeably a bit more reserved in her half of the exchange. Letting him take control -- She couldn't help but feel somewhat intimidated in that moment.

As they continued to kiss, Gai leaned forward, pushing on her lightly so she would lean back. She reached up and held onto his neck for support as she was lowered to the bed. Her body was shaking like a leaf before her weight had fully settled against the mattress.

"Don't worry," said Gai as he noticed her shivering. "I'll be gentle." He was now on all-fours, leaning over her fully; one leg at her side, the other was safely between her knees. He planted one hand beside her head and used the hand that was cradling her cheek to slide slowly down her neck and exposed shoulder.

Hani ran her fingers through the shorter hair at the back of his head, and pressed her cheek to the side of his face. Her jaw trembled as she spoke, "That's not what I'm afraid of."

Gai reached up and took one of her hands and removed it from his hair. Then he leaned back and brought her wrist to his mouth. "Then what is it?"

She shook harder as his breath tickled her skin. "I'm afraid I'll enjoy this too much."

"That's the idea," grinned Gai who looked up and gave her such a seductive look, it shocked her speechless. In the dim light, his eyes looked like glimmering onyxes and his long eyelashes made the chiseled features of his face even more striking. He gave her a small wink before he started to kiss a trail down her arm, "Be sure to tell me what you like."

As he reached her elbow, he bent her arm behind her head, letting the loose sleeve of the housecoat fall to her shoulder. With the rest of her limb now exposed, he kissed the underside of her upper arm, being sure to give the softest parts of her skin the most attention.

Hani couldn't keep her body from tensing at the ticklish, but arousing sensations of him kissing such a sensitive area. "Ha!" She gasped as she twisted her body instinctually. But just as she thought her mind would snap, Gai leaned back and ceased his teasing.

"Now the other," he said as he shifted his weight and took her other arm. He brought her wrist up to his mouth again and kissed a trail down her other limb.

This time, Hani's body was tensing before he even reached her arm's most sensitive area. The anticipation and yearning to feel the same thrill from before was more powerful than she had thought possible. And as Gai's lips traveled lower, Hani couldn't help but release a small cry of pleasure.

Gai looked at her and smiled, "Does that feel good?" He shifted his weight so his face was just above hers. "You're so ticklish -- I could only imagine how sensitive you are to touch."

Hani didn't know why, but his words brought a hard blush to her cheeks. She turned her face away from him in an attempt at hiding her embarrassment.

Gai grinned and used a gentle hand to brush away the hair that fell over her face, "Don't be self-conscious. I think it's cute."

Hani brought a hand up to her forehead and buried her face in it, "Kittens with ribbons are cute – a seductress wants to be … provocative."

"Oh Hani –" laughed Gai. "You've got that covered."

She tented her brows and gave him an innocent look from the corner of her eyes, "Really?"

Gai had to clench the bed sheets to keep joy-filled tears from forming. 'She's just too cute!' he cried mentally. "Absolutely! I've never met a woman more sensual than you."

Hani grinned, "That's because you scare all the pretty ones away."

Gai's jaw dropped in shock at her statement, but it quickly turned into a toothy grin. "Mock me, eh?" He ran a clawed hand up her side. "You're in no position to be making fun of me, Missy."

Hani jerked instinctually and tried to grab at his arm. "No, don't!"

He buried his face in her neck, forcing her to squeal loudly. "Play nice, Hani."

She laced her fingers into his hair and bucked uncontrollably. "Ungh! OK!" she cried in a voice filled with laughter.

Gai's hand quickly stilled, but his mouth remained at her neck. "You just can't help but taunt me, can you?" he asked as he kissed up her collar to her ear.

When Hani spoke, her lips brushed his cheek, "It's too easy. You always leave yourself open."

Gai pulled back sharply and held up a hand. He flashed a proud, bright smile as the small strip of fabric he held beamed in the lamplight. "So do you."

Hani's eyes doubled as she immediately recognized the garment and looked down. At some point, he had untied the belt to her housecoat and had removed it from her. How he had done it without her noticing was a testament to their difference in rank. "How did you -- ?"

Gai tossed the fabric over his shoulder, "Does it matter? Good riddance I say – it was only going to get in the way." He leaned back down and kissed gently at the corner of her mouth, "Besides … you seem fairly distracted right now as it is."

Hani closed her eyes and blushed. Damn this man, he was making her feel so very … un-seductive. In order to restore some dignity, she would need to remedy this situation – slowly, she brought her arm up and placed a soft hand on his stomach and ran it down his "fuse" till the tip of her fingers met the towel that was tied tightly around his waist.

Gai gasped sharply at the sudden intrusion and used his free hand to grab at her arm before she went any further. "This isn't about me," he said with a strained voice. "I'm here to pleasure you." He sat up on his knees and walked backwards off the bed.

Hani tented her brows as she watched him go – what did he have in mind now? She liked the idea of teasing him a little and was sad to see him move out of her reach.

He kneeled down on the floor and took one of her ankles. Hani sat up to better see his actions, but as he raised her leg up enough to where it would be no longer considered "lady-like", she immediately shot her hands between her legs, covering herself with her housecoat and towel in an attempt at maintaining some modesty.

"Don't worry," chuckled Gai. "I'm not trying to steal a peek."

"Then what are you doing?"

Gai placed his other hand at the base of her foot and leaned down to kiss gently at her bruised toes. His lips traveled up the top of her foot, then her shins and by the time he reached her knee, Hani's breathing had become erratic. She unconsciously clenched at the fabric in her hands – every time his lips touched her skin, her whole body tingled.

He didn't stop there – he moved his hands up her legs and pushed the housecoat out of his way as his lips moved over the top of her leg and continued to her inner thigh. "Gai --" gasped Hani. Without even realizing it, she moved one of her hands out of his way, in anticipation for what was about to come.

But it never did. Without a word, Gai pulled back, gave Hani a small "Haha, I teased you" grin before moving to her other foot and giving it equal attention.

Hani gritted her teeth in frustration at being fooled so easily by one of the oldest seduction tricks in the book. But the kisses he was delivering up her other leg quickly doused any anger she had. Fortunately, this time, she didn't fall for the same trick twice.

Gai smiled before giving her inner thigh one last kiss and setting up so his face was level with hers.

Hani gave him a mildly irritated look. "Are you proud of yourse – HA?!" she gasped as a strong, callused hand slipped casually between her thigh and the arm she used to shield herself from him. His fingers rubbed gently at the laced fabric that guarded her most vulnerable area.

Gai grinned mischievously, "Very."

Hani clung to his arm with both of her hands. "Ha, G-Gai!" she gasped. She closed her eyes and bit at her lip as he stroked her a bit harder.

"Does that feel good?"

'Of course it felt good – how could he not tell?' she wondered. She leaned forward and buried her face into his shoulder – with her hands holding him so tightly, she could feel his muscles ripple from pleasuring her.

Gai choked down a growl as her arousal coated the tips of his fingers. This would be a real test for him in learning to control his hot-blooded bestial side – this time was about her, not him. And if he couldn't hold himself back, then he would climb the highest mountain in the Fire Country, wearing nothing but a Speedo and using bobbed-wire for a harness.

He carefully looped a finger under the fabric of her underwear and tucked it to the side as his digits returned to their work unabated. This time, he couldn't keep from moaning as a small, pleasure-filled whimper sounded from within Hani's throat. He was touching the most private part of her body and she was enjoying it. Needless to say, it took what was left of his concentration to will his body to not react to the moment. He could only imagine how the men in Hani's past used her as a toy to get a cheap thrill. He absolutely refused to be anything like those men … period.

"Th … that feels good," whispered Hani, her body had started to shake uncontrollably again.

Gai felt his own pulse and breath quicken. His goal of remaining physically neutral was becoming nearly impossible at this point. And Hani's soft gasps and sighs only made him to want to hear more. He buried his face into her neck and kissed her. "Good," he said, his own voice a bit shaky. He moved his hand to where his thumb could stimulate her and his fingers could slip between her folds. But just as he started to penetrate her, a firm resistance stopped him in his tracks.

"Ungh!" winced Hani as she clung tighter at his arm.

Gai's eyes doubled in size – it just wasn't possible. He moved his fingers forward again and was met with the same resistance. "Hani?! Are you a virgin?!" he asked in shock.

She shook her head slowly, "No."

Gai stood stock-still. "Then why is your … um," he was too embarrassed to say.

Hani lifted her head slightly, "It's a secret clan technique – the jutsu allows us to make our bodies virginal again."

"Why on earth would you want to do something like that?"

"It makes for the perfect disguise."

Gai blinked a few time as he tried to absorb her statement. It was true – there was nothing more convincing to a disguise than being able to restore a woman's body to a virginal state. Regardless, in Gai's mind, this did pose a problem.

"I … I can't do this," he said reluctantly as he removed his hand from her.

Hani's mouth fell open in shock, "What?"

He turned away from her and sat at the edge of the bed; his arms draped heavily over his knees, "I can't do this."

Hani watched him with wide eyes, not believing what she was hearing, "Wh-why?"

Gai couldn't look at her, "Hani … I … I don't want to hurt you."

"Hurt me?"

"I've … I've never been with a virgin before; but the woman I have been with … even they say it hurts at first." He shook his head, "I couldn't imagine how much it would hurt for you."

She tried to absorb his words – he was saying so much. Firstly, most men Hani had been with usually squealed in delight at the thought of taking a woman's virginity – Gai was the first to be put off by it. Secondly, if his past partners complained about pain – then how big was he?!

He shook his head, "I'm sorry Hani. But even the thought of hurting you –" he grabbed at his stomach. "Makes me ill."

She reached out and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Gai," she said softly. What kind of man was he? Did men like him actually exist? He was so kind, so gentle and considerate. A woman meets a man like this only once every few lifetimes and Hani felt so honored to be with him in that moment. His generosity touched her deeply and she wanted to give him the only thing she could … and that was herself.

She tucked her knees under her and moved to his side. "It's OK, Gai," she said as she wrapped her arms around one of his. "I'll be fine."

He shook his head again, "No Hani. I've made up my mind – I would rather live without, than live knowing I've caused you pain."

"Gai, that part of me has been broken more times than I can count –"

He cringed, "I really didn't need to know that."

"The point is: I can take the pain. Besides, it's only fleeting and lasts for only a few minutes at the most."

Gai sighed deeply in what Hani figured was consideration of her words. Seeing his resolve wane, she made her move. She sat up and moved to where she was straddling his lap. Gai sat back to make room for her and placed his hands at the small of her back once she was settled.

Hani lifted her hands and traced his sharp cheekbones with her fingers. "Trust me. I will be fine," she said, echoing his words from earlier.

He leaned forward and pressed his forehead to hers. Even in the soft lamplight she could see his jaw clench and unclench over and over again.

She closed her eyes and blushed slightly as she spoke her next words, "I've never … I've never wanted to give myself to anyone before; but tonight … I want you to have me." She felt his grip on her back tighten. "So please Gai," she said as she reached up and pulled the housecoat off her shoulders and loosened the towel from around her torso. She pulled the fabric away from her body, exposing herself for him to see. "Please be the first to make a woman out of me."

Gai's voice quaked painfully at her words. He had never heard a statement more arousing than that – whether it was in his real life, the movies or the smutty books Kakashi liked to read out-loud to pester him. She had pulled out all of the stops and her seduction no jutsu completely trumped his resolve no jutsu. Not even a monk could hold back at this point.

"Hani," he said breathlessly as he dove into her; cradling her face and bringing his lips to her in a passionate kissed. She laced her fingers into his hair and kissed him back with just as much fervor. She wanted to feel him, to taste him and to experience him fully. He had proven to be a wonderful man, and if she was going to break the laws of her clan, then she was going to go all out and make sure it was amazing for both of them.

Gai's lips moved from her mouth and traveled down the tip of her chin and down her neck as she titled her head backwards. "Gai," she sighed as his kissing moved past her throat.

He moved his hands to just below her shoulder blades so he could support her as she arched her back and bared her naked torso to him. His lips kissed till he reached her cleavage and from there, he moved his mouth to one of her breasts where he took its peak in his mouth.

"Ha-HA!" gasped Hani as she clung to his head and bucked slightly.

Having enough strength to easily support her with one arm, Gai removed one of his hands from her back and brought it to her front where he massaged gently at the large, firm bosom he was suckling. He had always told his friends, "All you need is a handful – anything else is just a waste"; however, he came to the realization in that moment that there was never too much of a good thing. He would have to set the record straight with his friends at a later date.

His mouth soon moved back to her neck – this area was just as erogenous as any other part of her body and the small moans of pleasure she made as he kissed her there confirmed it. He slid the hand that was on her back down to one of her rear-cheeks and gave it a good squeeze. He had always thought himself to be an "ass-man", and Hani didn't lack in that department. Her backside was just as round as her front, only it was a good deal firmer. Goodness, he couldn't decide which part of her he liked most – she was perfect all around.

But just as he was getting settled in the moment, Gai felt something that made every part of his body tense. "Ha-Hani!" he gasped.

She lifted her head and gave him an impish grin. One of her hands was propped on his knee to support her weight, while her other arm was tucked behind her back, unseen. But the sensation he was feeling under his towel told him exactly where her hand was. "I can't let you have all the fun," she said lightly.

He pressed his forehead against her collarbone and moaned as her grip tightened and her strokes grew longer.

"I can tell why women have complained about it hurting in the past – being stretched out this much can be a little difficult the first few times." Gai's jumpsuit still left a little to the imagination; regardless, Hani could attest that he was definitely bigger than average – more so than she had imagined. "How does that feel?" she asked as she buried her face into the top of his head.

"Good," he said with a trembling voice.

"Do you want for it to feel better?"

Gai lifted his head and watched her through half-lidded eyes.

She leaned forward and kissed him sweetly on the lips before bringing her mouth to his ear. "I want to feel you inside me."

Gai didn't say a word. Instead he hastily grabbed at the back straps of her thong and ripped them off in one jerk.

"Whoa!" gasped Hani.

"Sorry," said Gai breathlessly. "I hope you won't need those again." And with that, he wrapped an arm around her backside to lift her up so he could pull the towel free from his body. Hani stole a glance at his naked form and couldn't help but blush like a schoolgirl. She had tried to envision him in her mind's eye, but she was now seeing that she just didn't do him justice. She winced slightly as he lowered her back down till she felt a slight pressure between her legs.

"I'm sorry Hani," said Gai as he felt her body begin to shake again. "I really don't want for this to be painful for you."

She willed her body to stop trembling; if he thought she was scared, he would immediately back out of it. "I'll be fine."

He took a deep breath, "I'll do it fast."

Hani nodded. Like removing a bandaid, it was best to do it as quickly as possible.

Gai took hold of her hips and frowned as she immediately tensed – she was too anxious. If she didn't relax, it would only make things worse. Never liking the "bite the ear method" to make it easier on a virgin, Gai thought it would be better if he made her relax through pleasure instead. He brought his face forward and took the peak of one of her bosoms and teased it with his tongue.

Surprised by his actions, Hani gasped in shock; but she soon tilted her head to the side and purred with pleasure.

The very moment he felt her body relax, Gai pushed her down on top of him with as much force as he dared.

As her rear slammed into his legs, Hani's head fell back so far, Gai had to catch her for fear she would fall. "GUH-UNGH!" she cried in pain. It wasn't just having her virginal skin broken that hurt so much, she had forgotten it had been almost two years since the last time she was stretched out. Her body really was like a virgin again. Regardless, it hurt A LOT more than she had anticipated it would.

"Gods Hani, I'm so sorry!" cried Gai as he pulled her into him and cradled her head. "If I had known it would hurt that much …"

She shook her head weakly and clenched her eyes to keep from crying, "It's OK." She swallowed hard, her throat stinging from choking back her tears. "I'll be alright."

He brushed a few stray strands of hair away from her eyes and then stroked her head comfortingly, "Are you sure?"

She closed her eyes and nodded. "Let's start moving, I think it might help."

Gai tented his brows – she seemed in unbearable pain and he didn't like the idea of making things worse for her. But if she thought it would help …

He held her rump gently and pulled up on her as she lifted herself with her knees. Hani couldn't hide her wince of pain if her life had counted on it.

"That's it, Hani. We're stopping here," said Gai. It was just too much for her and he couldn't sit by and watch her be tortured like this. He moved his hands under her arms and started to lift her; but she immediately relaxed her legs and fell back on him.

"Ku!" gasped Gai as she enveloped him again. She grabbed at his shoulders and lifted herself once more – this time, she bit her tongue to keep from showing her pain. "Hani – if it hurts, don't do this!"

"It's OK," she said with a somewhat shaky voice. "It hurts less each time."

At her words, Gai wrapped his arms around her rear again and helped take some of the burden off her legs. After a few strokes, he was barely able to keep his eyes from rolling to the back of his head, "Gods – you feel so good," he gasped.

Hani grinned slightly; it was finally starting to feel less painful and more pleasurable for her, "You too."

He looked up into her eyes, wanting to kiss her. But in this position, her face would always be out of his reach. This position wasn't allowing them to be as intimate as he wanted, so he wrapped an arm around her waist and held her in place. "Wrap your arms around my neck," he commanded as he lifted her up and turned so he could place her back against the bed. He waited till they were both comfortable in the new position before taking over the pace of their lovemaking.

"Gai," sighed Hani as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

He was bent over her; his elbows planted on either side of her head. In this position, he was able to shower her with kisses over her lips, cheeks, neck, everywhere. He had never been more intimate with someone, but in this moment with her, it seemed more natural than breathing.

Hani wrapped an arm around his neck and ran her fingers through his hair. Her other arm wrapped around his shoulder and traced the taut, flexing and un-flexing muscles of his back. The sensation of his brawny body contracting on top of her was intoxicating; his rhythm hypnotic.

"I adore you, Hani," she heard him whisper.

Her eyes snapped open in surprise, "What?"

Gai looked deep into her eyes, his own brimming with tears, "You are so wonderful – I adore you."

She turned away, "You don't really mean that. You're just caught up in the moment." She's heard declarations of love in the midst of sex before.

Gai stilled his movements. "No, it's true. You've rekindled a part of my heart that I thought was dead and for that, I am eternally grateful." He lovingly brushed the hair from her eyes. "You are precious to me, Hani … you're my …" he considered his words before speaking. "You're my Precious Petal."

Hani knitted her brows at his words – a nickname? She had earned a nickname from him? And knowing how often he used references to lotuses; being called a "Precious Petal" was saying a great deal.

He leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips – this kiss was different from all the others. It wasn't about curiosity, attraction or the need for gratification. It was done purely out of adoration and she could feel it deep within her soul. With her lips still locked in their emotional kiss, Hani clenched her eyes and forced a single tear from each eye to fall down her cheeks.

She had never felt more loved …

She cradled his face in her hands and brought her mouth away from him carefully. "More …" she said simply.

Not fully understanding what she meant, Gai tented his brows, "Hani?"

She kissed him deeply, slipping her tongue within his mouth and forcing him to clench at the bed sheets. "More, please!" she begged as she finally pulled away. "I want to feel only you!" She was crying fully now, "I don't want to feel alone anymore!"

Empathic to her energy, Gai was practically gasping at the sight of her growing so emotional. This poor woman – she had been used so much and then tossed aside over and over again. There was only one thing that could make a person feel genuinely fulfilled – and that was by reaching their peak with someone they loved and loved them in return. He wasn't sure what all was going on in her head, but Gai was determined to give her what she asked for. And if he failed, he would crawl through the deserts of Suna on his hands and knees, with his largest summons -- a 600 ton, colossal lion turtle, balanced on his back. It would probably kill him – but he would much rather die, than live life knowing he had disappointed this woman.

"Hani," he said as he reached down and cupped a hand under one of her knees. He pulled her leg up and bent it towards her shoulder – he knew she was limber enough to handle it. "You're not alone anymore," with that, he pulled himself out and then drove back into her with enough force to make her whole body bounce. And with her leg in its new position, he was reaching far deeper within her than before.

"Ah Gai!" she cried as she clung at his neck.

He pressed his cheek to hers and kissed randomly at her jaw; their bodies rocking from his forceful pace.

"That feels so good," she gasped.

Gai could only growl in response.

Hani used a hand to turn his face to hers and kissed him deeply. This was so unusual for her – usually she avoided kissing when in a sexual encounter because kissing was a sign of intimacy and romance. But now, she wanted so much to feel his lips on hers. Their kiss quickly became rough and loud – helping form the chorus of wet sex that filled the room.

Hani moaned as she pawed at his face. It was as if their souls were so eager to touch each other that they were clawing against their flesh and bone prisons in order to escape. She had never been more in tune with someone's emotional state. And if they both had their wits about them, they would have noticed their chakra frequencies – something as unique about a person as a fingerprint, were actually tuning in harmony with each other. Something so rare, it only happened when two people truly united.

Hani tilted her head back as a powerful sensation built deep within her. She moved her hands to Gai's neck and clenched painfully at him. "Oh Gods," she gasped. "I'm so close." This was a first for her – she had never orgasmed during sex before; but then again, she had never wanted to have sex with anyone till now. And she had become so good at faking it – she could fool a medical professional. But this time, it was all real and it was absolutely blowing her mind.

Gai gritted his teeth so hard, he was nearly shearing off the enamel – he was close to his limit too. But right now, he was more focused on Hani than himself. He brought his mouth to her ear and whispered, "Come for me."

Hani's eyes fluttered as she turned her face to the side. She wanted to do what her lover commanded; but it felt so damn good – she wanted to relish every moment of it. He would just have to hold out a bit longer.

Seeing her reluctance, Gai quickly changed to thrusting in circular motions, forcing himself to rub roughly against her walls.

Hani's back arched as she threw her head back in pleasure, "Gai, if you do it like that – I'm going to -- !" She wasn't able to finish her sentence. Her pleasure center erupted in a wave of heat and electricity that quickly coursed through her body like a rampant current. Toes clenched, nails piercing flesh; her mouth fell open and she cried out so loudly, the servants in the next wing blushed slightly at the sound.

"Guh!" cringed Gai as she clamped down on him hard enough that if he didn't cease his movements, he'd suffer major injury. But feeling her body quake over him and hearing her cry out in pleasure easily brought him to his own release. He pressed his cheek against her neck and roared loud enough to make the same workers in the next wing fan at their reddening cheeks. But the younger, less experienced servants cowered slightly. From what they could hear, it sounded like a beautiful woman with a silken voice was being eaten alive by some monstrous beast.

They held onto each other tightly as they rode out the last of their climax. With Gai's fire chakra mixing with Hani's earth chakra, between them it felt like they had formed a raging volcano. In that moment, their minds, bodies and souls synced, becoming forever entangled. Like the ancient symbol of the yin-yang, their souls fitted together perfectly, and by uniting physically, emotionally and spiritually, a small part of the other formed within their hearts. Their souls were now linked, whether they liked it or not …

They continued to hold each other even after the wave of pleasure within them ceased. The other's touch and warmth had become so familiar that to break away suddenly would be like having their hearts ripped out. Gai cradled Hani's head with a shaky arm and kissed at her lips tenderly. Both of their bodies were coated in sweat and Gai feared what would happen if he were to be exposed to her Zeru-Roiyaru at that moment; even the areas where his skin touched hers tingled from a chemical reaction. "My Precious Petal," he whispered as he pressed his forehead against hers.

At the sound of his words, Hani's body collapsed in exhaustion from having every muscle in her body contracted so powerfully. Her arms fell limply at her sides and she panted lightly; struggling to regain her breath.

Gai lowered her back to the mattress as gently as he could before setting back and extracting himself from her; both of them winced painfully at being pulled apart. After taking a few moments to regain his bearings and waiting for the spots to fade from his eyes, Gai leaned over and lay on top of her; his large body engulfing her like a dragon hording its treasure.

Hani turned her head to the side as Gai buried his face into her hair. She laid in silence, feeling his large, thunderous heart beat against her chest and vibrate throughout her body. She watched as he moved one of his arms and took her hand in his, bringing it to the side of their heads and intertwining his fingers with hers. There was something about that gesture than struck Hani deep within her core and it wasn't just the sight of it, it was the sensation she felt at being touched so intimately … so lovingly.

She didn't want any other man to touch her ever again …

Hani's eyes widened as her mind finally grasped and processed all of the thoughts and feelings she had for Gai: seeing him run into a burning building and being brought to tears at the thought of him being hurt or killed; the fear of never seeing him again – to never hear his voice or feel his touch again. And finding him to be so tender and sensitive to her happiness; he was like a dream come true.

Hani's body began to tremble again. Thinking it was from the chill of the night air Gai took her other arm and tucked it between them to keep her warm. Even now, he was concerned for her welfare. Unlike all the men Hani had been with, Gai didn't toss her aside – he held her close and cherished her.

And she loved him for it …

Hani's breath hitched in her throat as large tears began to form in her eyes and roll down her cheeks. Soon, her crying turned into hard sobs.

Acutely aware of all the sounds his lover was making, Gai's head shot back to look into her face, "Hani?!"

She didn't answer, instead she skewed her eyes shut and tightened her grip on his hand.

Gai used his other hand to cradle her face, "Hani – what's wrong?!"

Her only reply was a wracked sob.

"Oh Gods! Did I hurt you?!" he tented his brows. "I'm so sorry – I should have held back more."

Hani shook her head. "No …" she said in a trembling voice.

Gai felt his own eyes begin to water, "Then what's wrong?"

Hani took a few shuddered breaths and willed her voice to work. "You – you reminded me that I'm alive!" she cried – her intense sobs echoing through the room.

Gai's eyes widened as the realization of her words struck home. She was using his reference from earlier when asked what being in love was like – he had said, "It reminds you that you are alive." His heart clenched. In one way, he was thrilled to hear her confess to having such powerful feelings for him, but on the other hand, he knew how hard it was for her to have such thoughts. She was a seductress and if she loved someone, then she would be unable to perform her job. It was like an architect who had spent most of his life building the perfect cathedral, only to arrive the next morning to find it in rubble. This news was devastating for her and it tore Gai's heart out to see her in such sorrow. "Hani," he said with a shaky voice. "Please don't cry."

Hearing the heartbreaking inflection in his voice, Hani's eyes shot to look at him. His cheeks were glistening from his own tears – he was such an emotional man and seeing her sadness only made him cry in return. She tented her brows and clenched her eyes shut. How could she let this happen?

She quickly yanked her hand from his and pushed against his shoulders to free herself from his hold.

"Hani, stop!" called Gai as he grabbed her arms. She was trying to run and he wasn't about to let her.

She pushed on him harder, "Please, Gai! Let me go!"

Gai's eyes snapped wide at her words and he was immediately reminded of his dream from that morning, "No! I won't let you go!"

She turned her head away from him; her face contorted in another sob, "Please!" She had to salvage what she could of herself and she needed to get away from him right now if she wanted to save her career – something she had spent her entire lifetime trying to perfect and had sacrificed so much for.

"Please Hani," he said with a trembling voice. "Don't do this." He knew she was trying to close him off and cut her ties to him and he didn't want her to destroy something so beautiful.

Hani suddenly grew quiet and her body stilled. She looked up into his eyes; her own filled with sorrow. "I'm so sorry," she said in a small voice.

Not understanding what she was referring to, Gai furrowed his brows. But before he could react, Hani shot her palm out and struck him squarely in his injured ribs; knocking the wind from his lungs and effectively disabling him. "Gah!" he cried as he collapsed helplessly to his side and cringed in pain. She hadn't reinjured him, but she knew exactly where to strike to cause the most pain.

Free from his hold, Hani quickly moved out from under him. Once she had rolled off the bed she grabbed the housecoat and fled towards the door.

"Please!" cried Gai as he clenched at the bed sheets; his body wracked in pain. "Don't go!"

Hani clung to the doorframe as she looked over her shoulder at him. Her brows where tented and her cheeks shined from the moon reflecting against their wetness. "I'm sorry," she said simply before turning and running out into the night.

Gai pressed his face into the blankets and wept. "NOOO!!!"

Like another woman he had loved, he couldn't stop her … he had let her go … again.

-------------------------------------- // --------------------------------------

Amidst the darkness of her room, Hani sat on the edge of her bed and wiped at her sore, red eyes. She immediately took another shower after returning to her room – she had to. She was covered in his scent and she wanted to wash any traces of him from her body. After she was clean, she went about rubbing herself down with her body oils – anything to get him out of her mind. But as she soon found out, it would take more than scrubbing her skin till it was sore and coating herself in perfume to purge Gai from her mind. It would just be easier to rip her own heart out.

"What have you gotten yourself into, Hani?" she asked as she buried her face in her hands. She took a shaky breath, "I wish Grandma was here." She always knew the right things to say and at the very least, she could tell Hani whether or not she had done the right thing. Right now – Hani was filled with nothing but regret and she figured that wasn't a good sign.

A soft knock at her door made Hani practically jump off her bed. She hadn't sensed anyone nearby – and as she looked at her door and saw the unmistakable silhouette of Gai, she was certain she hadn't sensed him. 'I'm not ready to talk to him yet,' she thought. But as he knocked at her door again, Hani knew she couldn't hide from him. It wasn't like a pine and paper door would stop him.

She stood slowly and walked begrudgingly towards her door. She clenched and unclenched her hands nervously before she took the handle and slid it open. She cringed as the full moon's light beamed blindingly into her sore eyes. She looked up into Gai's dark, towering form and knitted her brows. He was fully dressed in a pitch black kimono and his equally dark hair was slicked back perfectly. Was he trying to impress her or something? She held out a hand to shield the moon's light from her eyes. "Gai, I don't want to talk right now."

He didn't respond.

She struggled to see his face through the shadows. "I'm sorry, Gai. But I don't want to talk. Please leave," she said a bit firmer. She tilted her head so she could see him better, but as she did, her expression slowly turned to one of alarm.

And as her face fell, the grin of the man who stood before her only widened.

"Hakanza?" asked Hani in shock.

At the mentioning of his name, Toki Hakanza's face flashed a sinister, toothy grin. It looked like an evil bastardized version of Gai's – and it made her skin crawl.

A sudden flash caught Hani's eye and she was just barely able to catch sight of the kunai that soared through the courtyard, fly over Hakanza's shoulder and stick in the doorframe just inches from her face. "SHIT!" she cried as she jumped back into the darkness of her room.

From the courtyard's awning jumped three shinobi who quickly dashed past their employer and dove soundlessly into her room.

--

Thank you, for reading!