Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto in any way whatsoever…

Perennial Love

Chapter Three: Awakening Affections

Shizune:

Ten days had passed since I had lost my mind and decided to help my worst enemies right hand man and honestly, if given the chance to start over, to do it all again, I knew my decision would stay the same. I had to admit, in my mind only, that Kabuto wasn't as awful when he was alone and away from that snake, or perhaps I was just falling for his clever disguise. He laughed and smiled and he even started listening to me, which definitely made things easier. Of course, we still argued, but things were a lot better now and I thanked the heavens for it. His wounds were getting better as well, he was still weak and kind of helpless but he was continuing to show steady improvement.

As far as Tsunade was concerned, she hadn't been in the best of moods and I was a little worried about that. I hoped it was only too much sake gone to her nerves. Just today, she had studied my face in silence until I happened to glance at her. Only then did she look away and I felt myself freeze up in fear.

"What if she found out? What if I was caught? What would she think? What would anyone think?"

I had played the terrifying scene over and over again in my head, especially while I slept. The nightmares were all the same. Tsunade confronting me, I denying it, Kabuto captured and killed and I, being labelled a traitor and banished from Konoha. Perhaps I would join Orochimaru or maybe I would just rot away in the forest. My dreams had never gotten that far and it was just as well. It really was, just as well.

Currently, I was on my way home through the forest, no sense changing my route just because I happened upon someone once.

"Tsunade only suspects something because your behaviour is that of a guilty person." I thought to myself and that was true.

My hands shook constantly, I couldn't look anyone besides Kabuto in the eye and my sleepless nights on the couch were clearly visible in the bags under my eyes.

Reaching my apartment, I shut off all nerve wracking thoughts and resolved to be friendly and forget about all the reasons our association was wrong.

Bursting in the door, I quickly shut it and brushed the forest dust off my slimming black kimono.

"Shizune?" I heard a voice from inside my bedroom and I smiled to myself before entering the room.

His hair was silky looking and barely reached his shoulders. His glasses carefully laid on the bedside table and his dark eyes shining. He was smiling slightly, a crooked half-smile and I couldn't help but he looked adorable.

"Like a lost puppy or something." I laughed silently to myself and I couldn't imagine how embarrassed I would be, if he ever found out about that comment.

"How was your day?" I asked him and I realized it had become a sort of tradition between us.

Walking over to the bed, he was propped up in, I sat down beside him and he shrugged.

"What about you?" He asked, almost reluctantly and I returned the shrug.

"Boring." I said and I inched closer to him, taking his arm in my lap to examine.

"The bone is really coming together nicely." I murmured, turning it over in my lap.

He gave me a pat on my knee, taking his arm back and I grabbed it, placing it back in my lap. He hated it when I examined him, but the fact of the matter was, it had to be done.

"Are you almost finished?" He asked, looking down at me, his face unbelievably close to mine and I turned away before he could see the red haze of embarrassment settle on my cheeks.

"Yes." I sniffed, prodding his arm while he winced.

"I'm sorry but I need to see if it's healing properly, you should know that, aren't you a medic?" I asked and he rolled his eyes.

"Whatever." He muttered and I knew I had won.

I glanced back up at him and an odd look came across his face.

"Why do you always give me that look whenever I'm near you?" I demanded to know and he sighed.

"It's nothing." He muttered but I squeezed his hand.

"No, it's not nothing, please, you can tell me. Am I doing something wrong?" I asked with a nervous expression and he let out a small chuckle.

"No, it's not you. It's just, you smell like a flower I used to know." Kabuto said and my eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh, what flower?" I asked him curiously and he took his arm back again.

Deciding I cared more about what he had to say and less about poking his sore arm, I let him keep it.

"Lilies, my mother used to grow them." He explained and the thought of Kabuto having parents was too much.

I guess I had always just assumed that he was evil from the core and had always been that way, but that really wasn't the case. He had been a child and he had had parents, and despite thinking about it all, I was still surprised.

He saw my look of wonder and he smiled in amusement.

"Yes, I did have parents, things just happened…" He trailed off, the smile disappearing from his lips and I stared at him, biting my lip.

"What happened?" I asked and he glanced down at me with a slight look of annoyance.

I wanted to know more than ever. When we were alone like this, he was beyond polite, beyond kind, beyond everything I had ever thought about him and I didn't understand how a person so great, could work for such a monster.

"I'm sorry, I'm being nosy." I apologized, looking away but I felt him nudge my arm gently.

"It's fine, Shizune. I was raised in Konoha by the chief medical officer from the Konoha Medical Squad, he found me when I was younger, after my real parents died. I guess I met Orochimaru because I started spying for different organizations when I was in my teens. I guess it was my own secretive way at lashing out at my adopted father. I feel like I've been a spy my entire life." He sighed and I couldn't help but feel bad.

"Was your real mother the one with the lilies?" I asked curiously and he nodded.

"I don't remember what happened to her or my father, I just remember those flowers that my mother would plant, isn't that funny?" He whispered and my pity for him rose.

He didn't even know his own parents, not well enough to remember their faces or what they liked to do.

"That's horrible, it sounds like he used to be really close to his mother, all those precious memories lost." I thought to myself and I wanted to know more about him.

I wanted to know everything but even though I longed to know, I decided I wouldn't press him any further.

"You smell just like those lilies." He smiled and he leaned his forehead against my shoulder.

"So, I remind you of your mother?" I laughed and he nodded against me.

"You both took care of me and you're both beautiful." He mumbled into my kimono and I blushed heavily at his words, suddenly feeling flustered.

"Are you done?" I questioned loudly and he shook his head.

"You smell wonderful." He murmured and I gently shook him off me, my cheeks burning.

He stared down at me, a funny expression on his face and I tried to understand what he was thinking. Whenever he looked at me, he always seemed to be contemplating something in his head.

"This is so strange." He laughed and I struggled to understand what he meant.

"What do you mean?" I wondered aloud and he gestured towards me.

"You, me, being civil with each other." He answered and I had to agree with him.

"I just feel so different around you, like I can open up to you…I don't know." He trailed off and I knew I wouldn't get anything more out of him.

"Well, I'm glad you can trust m-" A loud pounding on the door interrupted me and we stared at each other in silent terror.

My thoughts circled around Tsunade and I couldn't speak, my mouth automatically clamped shut. Hands shaking, I stood up and he shot me a look of desperation. Returning his expression, I had no choice but to answer the door. I couldn't stop shaking, my insides screaming in fear and I closed my eyes, breathing in deeply. Opening the door, my expression went from terrified to shocked.

"Oh Shizune, what a beautiful kimono, how are you?" Genma asked me politely as he pushed his way into my apartment and I couldn't speak.

"Shizune, I missed you today, I didn't want see you." He continued and my confusion was quickly replaced with rage.

"Yeah, I'm…um…fine but what are you doing here?" I stammered and he smiled.

"I'm here to see you of course. Who else would I rather spend the evening with?" He answered and I felt like slapping him in the face.

"This is just unexpected and I'm kind of busy." I mumbled but he just laughed.

"Shizune, you are up here all alone, you need some company sometimes. How does dinner sound?" Genma proposed and I couldn't express my feelings of anger towards him.

"I'm sorry Genma, I'm afraid I'm just too busy." I said through gritted teeth and I attempted to herd him towards the door.

Ignoring my efforts, Genma walked over to my couch and had the nerve to sit down, patting the seat beside him.

--

Kabuto:

I had to hand it to this guy, he sure was persistent and I felt sorry for Shizune. It had been an hour since he'd first shown up at her door and she still hadn't gotten rid of him. I found it all rather amusing as I listened through the closed bedroom door and I managed to gather that her suitors name was Genma and that he worked with her. I didn't mind that he was here, in fact I was rather relieved. Things were happening between Shizune, I could tell and I wasn't sure how I felt about it.

I liked her, I liked her a lot and that was what was bothering me so much. Never before had I even remotely liked anyone in this way and I was worried. Maybe it would have been better if I had continued to be rude to her. I was starting to get attached and that was bad. I knew I couldn't stay here forever but I was starting to think that she didn't.

Listening again, Shizune sounded like she was about to blow a fuse, while he was calm and smooth, or so he thought.

"Please Genma, I'm really tired." I heard Shizune whine and a deep chuckle sounded from Genma.

"Shizune, what you need to do is come to dinner with me, it will do you good. I just know these things." He finished and I could almost imagine his cheesy grin through the closed door.

That's when I heard the explosion.

"You know what Genma? Don't tell me what I need, don't tell me what will do me good. What I need is for you to get out." Shizune yelled and my eyes widened in shocked wonder.

It took all of my being not to laugh and run to congratulate her. Well, maybe not run but limp to congratulate her anyways. It was dead silent until Shizune started to yell again and I could hear the emotion in her voice.

"I'm sick of you. If you don't understand, let me make it loud and clear. I have no desire to go anywhere with you, ever. Obviously our feelings towards each other are very different. This is all my life is, trying to get rid of men like you. Just leave me alone. That's all I'm asking, I just want to be alone." She abruptly fell silent and my mouth hung open in complete disbelief.

"Shizune?" Genma called gently, but I heard a shove and the door slammed a second later.

A couple minutes passed until my door opened and a red-faced, teary-eyed Shizune entered.

"All I want is to be alone." She whispered and I couldn't think of anything to say.

"Why don't thy get it?" She asked me desperately and I shrugged.

Slowly, she walked towards me and sat down, tears streaming down her cheeks.

I couldn't look at her, her huge black eyes peered into mine, looking for some words of comfort but I had nothing for her. I didn't know what to say and she turned away from me, disappointed. Once again, that feeling of pity washed over me and I wanted to wipe away her tears. I wanted more than anything to help her, to comfort her.

Nervous as to how she would react, I tentatively held out my arms and she fell silent, staring at me with wide eyes. Shizune smiled slightly and she collapsed into my arms with a sob. Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around her tightly, pulling her close to me and I buried my face in her hair, inhaling the sweet smell of lilies.

She squeezed herself against me and her arms were wrapped firmly around my neck. I had no intention of ever letting her go, I was sure of that. Her tears were dampening my shirt but I didn't care. Her hair was soft against my skin and I kissed the side of her head before burying my face back into her wonderful-smelling hair. She seemed to feel my kiss and her arms tightened around my neck.

"Kabuto." She whispered against me and I kissed her hair again.

She was leaning against my sore ribs but I pulled her closer, ignoring the pain, she was the only thing on my mind.

After what seemed like forever, her sobs stopped and the room fell silent. Loosening my grip, I examined her, discovering she was asleep and with a smile, I detangled her from myself, laying her down beside me. She looked peaceful and I couldn't restrain myself from stroking her cheek, her skin soft and smooth.

"What am I doing?" I asked myself in horror.

"I can't…I shouldn't be…no, this can't be happening, of all the things." I argued with myself and I didn't dare say what I was thinking.

"How could I feel something for Shizune, of all the people, there was absolutely no way, but there was no sense denying the truth now."

--

Shizune:

It was dark out when I opened my eyes and I was surprised to see Kabuto's face lying less than three inches from mine, his eyes watching me.

"Oh." I gasped, but I still didn't move my face and he smiled.

"Are you alright now?" He asked me and I nodded.

I remembered my angry words at Genma and not one bit of me felt sorry, not one bit felt bad.

"He really did deserve that." Kabuto laughed, as if reading my mind and I returned his smile.

"He won't leave me alone at work either." I said and Kabuto smiled again, the crooked half smile that I loved with all my hear.

"He will now." He said and I nodded, agreeing happily.

"You're probably right."

Suddenly, I remembered our heartfelt embrace and I started to feel embarrassed, my cheeks turning red. All I remembered clearly was crying into Kabuto's chest, I didn't remember ever lying down or falling asleep.

"I must have fallen asleep on him." I realized and my cheeks got even redder.

Kabuto noticed the change in my expression and his brows furrowed in confusion.

"What is it?" He asked and I avoided his eyes.

"I'm sorry about earlier, I was really upset and it was dumb." I mumbled but he just laughed and reached his hand up to tuck a piece of stray hair behind my ear, his hand stroking my cheek.

My skin burned where his hand had touched my face and I decided I wanted it back. Reaching for his hand, I returned it back to my cheek and he smiled gently. We laid there for a while in silence and I think we were both attempting to sort out our feelings for each other.

"Whatever I was feeling, I thought in horror, I never want it to stop."

I knew right there that my oath to myself was broken, but honestly, as I stared up into Kabuto's dark eyes and felt his cool palm on my burning cheek, I couldn't have cared less.

--

Author's note:

I'm really sorry about being late. I could say it was because of school and exams and whatnot but the main factor was probably laziness. The next chapter is finished and will DEFINATELY be up soon. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed. Reviews are always wonderful surprises. XD