After what seemed like ages, she finally woke up.
It was around 2 in the morning when she finally decided that she'd had enough rest.
She sat up, closed her eyes and let out a long drawn out yawn. As she yawned, she stretched out an arm straight up and brought her free had to wipe tears that began to leak out from her eyes.
After rubbing for a couple of seconds she stiffened and her eyes shot open. Her eyes briefly scanned the room and eventually came to rest on me.
"What the fuck are you doing in my room you perv?" she growled. But as she said this, I noticed that she self-consciously pulled her…my blanket up to cover her chest.
"Actually, it's my room…and my bed…and my blanket" I pointed out, half grinning to myself.
She blushed lightly before scanning the room again…albeit in a little more detail. I noticed the dawning comprehension in her eyes when she realized that I was indeed telling the truth.
"What am I doing in—" she trailed off as a slightly dazed look appeared on her face.
A long and strained silence fell between us as she recalled the events that had happened some time back : How due to some admittedly needless antagonizing, she had fallen into a blood lust and gone battle crazy due to the power of Orochimaru's curse mark.
As she recalled, I noticed many things about her. I saw that her chin lost a defiant tilt and hung loosely. I noticed that her fingers clenched and unclenched on the blanket sheets that she held. Her eyes reflected several things, pain, loss, regret and most of all, fear.
I didn't know what to do….I've never comforted anyone. I have absolutely no experience in dealing with situations like this. All this time I have been the aloof air headed genius of Konoha.
Always distant…always detached. People would talk strategy and warfare with me…never emotions or loss or hurt.
I was at a complete loss at what to do.
Wordlessly Anko pulled up her knees, wrapped her arms around it and plopped her head down.
I grimaced at the situation. Well, I'd give it a shot…trying to comfort her that is. I acted on gut feeling…and icha-icha story basis.
I got up, sat down in front of her and embraced her gently.
I muttered, "Everything's going to be all right…."
Right after I said that, she grabbed my shirt, buried her face in my chest and began to sob.
Her sobs were heartbreaking and painful; it was like the sound of someone who had lost a parent or a loved one.
I held her tighter against me and stroked her hair while murmuring, "It's okay…it's okay…."
I guess that even the toughest and seemingly meanest of us had to let loose sometime…it was only a matter of time before it happens.
After what seemed like ages, she finally calmed down. By this time, she was hiccupping lightly and the front part of my shirt was drenched.
She let go of me and extricated herself from my arms. After which, she moved back slightly.
She looked at me as if only realizing that she had just cried her heart out to a man that she barely knew.
Her eyes were red from crying. Her cheeks were the color of crushed cherry. When you added the slight hiccupping that she made all I could think of at that moment was how utterly adorable she was.
My breathing hitched and all I could do was stare at her.
She looked me in the eye and flushed even darker still. She averted her gaze and then spoke haltingly.
"Do-don't tell anyone oka-"the rest of what she was going to say was lost in a hiccup.
I grinned.
After a short silence she said, "I'm really sorry for what happened…I just…just…lost control…."
"I know…."
"Thank you…for stopping me. I know that I can be a real… ass I guess" she shrugged.
I grinned again and said, "Any time."
"Have you ever lost it?" she asked softly.
"Pardon? I didn't quite catch that" I replied.
After a short pause, "Nothing, never mind." She said.
"No…I never lost it…as you would say. I've kept all the emotions inside of me…even if they threatened to tear me apart." I whispered.
She looked at me thoughtfully. It was then I remembered that she was still recovering from the strain of the curse mark and that it was still quite, quite early in the morning.
"You should get some more sleep" I said slowly.
"I should go; I've already overstayed my welcome anyway. Besides, you've already done more than enough." She said, making a move to get out of the bed.
"No" I said firmly, gently pushing her back down. "Stay for the night…I'll stay on the couch in the living room."
She started as if to say something.
"Don't worry" I cut her off. "I'm used to it."
I got up and made to leave, but before I even took a single step, I felt a tug on my sleeve.
"Don't leave me…." She whispered, revealing once again her sensitive side that I think no one else save perhaps the 3rd Hokage has ever seen.
I patted her gently and said, "I'll stay till you fall asleep."
She held onto the sleeve of the shirt the entire time as insurance until she finally drifted off.
I slowly pried her hands off of my sleeve before silently opening the door and leaving the room.
I sighed and stripped off my shirt before throwing it onto the floor. I crossed over to the couch and settled in.
Seeing Anko in that state made me want to protect her…I wanted to make sure that nothing could hurt her. I wanted to see her smile and laugh joyfully without worries….
Perhaps she is the person I've been looking for all this time…No that would be impossible…but what if she really was the one meant for me?
I passed into unconsciousness wondering whether or not this could be true….