Disclaimer - I do NOT own Naruto or any Naruto Character.

Chapter 12 - The talk

"Kaoru..."

'Here it comes...'

"We need to talk... alone," Kankuro said serious.

Kaoru knew this was something impossible to escape. This situation was the last thing she ever wanted to face, but now there was no point to panic about it.

The puppeteer showed clear signs of being tired, he probably was upset with whole situation Kaoru put him through.

"Kiba get out," he ordered the dog boy. Kiba raised an eyebrow, for the puppeteer's rudeness. Who was he to order such a thing?

"Kiba-kun, please leave us. Kankuro-dono is my superior and we have to talk," she asked the younger boy. Kiba nodded. He glanced Kankuro and then kissed Kaoru's lips. Kankuro understood what the chunin was doing, he was marking his territory, like a dog would do when feeling threatened. The puppeteer ignored that painful kiss and waited until Kiba left the room. After hearing the door click, as a sign that it was closed, he advanced. He sat in the chair nearby Kaoru's bed, the same chair he sat in those past 5 days.

Kaoru saw Kankuro sitting nearby her. He looked strangely calmed. A million thoughts crossed her mind. Of course she knew she would had to lie about anything related to her seals and previous wounds, but before that, she had to know something, something that could possibly annihilate her plans, and even life when she would go back to Suna.

"Did you spoke with Kazekage-sama?" she asked, her voice shaken. It was impossible to control her anxiety and prevent her body from trembling. Her expressionless mask was broken. It broke when Kiba cut her with his kunai that day.

"Yes," he replied. Kaoru closed her eyes with sorrow.

'Oh no...'

The Kazekage knowing about this meant her father being informed about what happen. And being informed that the leaders of both villages knew about her abused body...

'Father will be so mad...'

"I sent Gaara a letter, telling him you had an accident, and that we may have to stay here for a while longer, however..." he paused looking at her hand that was just a few centimeters from his, "I didn't tell him about your previous... wounds."

Her face clearly showed relief, if the situation wasn't so gloomy she would laugh hysterically. Kankuro saw her relieved face. He wasn't used to see so many emotions in her, but he knew how to read people and knew how to read emotions pretty well.

"Kankuro-dono... Thank you," she felt she had to say it, she shifted into a sitting position.

"You shouldn't be thanking me. I didn't tell him, because I wanted to give you the chance to tell me first. In exchange for my silence you will explain me everything," he said, tough as always.

Kaoru knew it was too good to be true, him not telling the Suna leader. But telling him, was better than the Kazekage knowing, and consequently her father knowing.

"What do you want to know?" she spoke looking at the wall forward. If she was going to lie, she couldn't look at his face. She would break down, if she saw those dark piercing eyes.

"Who hurt you?" he asked with no hesitation.

"No one hurt me, I did it myself," she lied.

"Bullshit, those cuts in your back are part of that seal, they are to precise it would be impossible for you to reach them. Who did them?" he asked again.

Kaoru stood silent and after a while she replied.

"These cuts are part of my seal, which is my ability. There's nothing wrong with it, we all have our ways to make ourselves stronger..."

"Stronger?" he yelled, "What kind of ability makes you stronger when it prevents you from being healed? You almost died from that crap in your back."

Kaoru didn't answer. She had nothing to say because he was right. But she couldn't tell him that. They stayed several minutes in silence. Kankuro saw she wasn't going to say anything else, so he pushed the conversation forward.

"What about that stab wound, is it part of your seal too?" he asked ironically.

"It was from my previous mission."

"Don't lie to me. I know you had no missions in the week before we came here. Gaara told me that when we were in Suna." he said. Kaoru cursed herself, she was digging herself into a huge hole.

"Who did that?"

Kaoru stood silent. Kankuro was getting impatient, so impatient he couldn't hold himself anymore.

"For fucking sake's tell me what the hell is going on! Who did that?"

"No one..." she replied looking down.

"If it was no one, you wouldn't be so relieved when I told you Gaara didn't know about it."

Kaoru looked at Kankuro, in complete shock. She forgot how well he could see through people, how intuitive he was. After all he was a puppeteer, he hid in the shadows while manipulating his puppets, he reacted quickly, he was a fast thinker, almost instinctively.

"No one did this to me," Kaoru said again, she looked away again. Kankuro stood up and leaned in the bed towards her.

"LIAR! Tell me the truth! I order you to tell me the truth! I'm the representative of the Kazekage here in Konoha I have his powers over you," he said frowning. His breathing was heavy. He was almost on top of her. Kaoru couldn't speak. In other situation she would NEVER go against an order but this time... She looked up to the puppeteer, he was so close, she could smell his scent.

Tears felt from her eyes, running through her cheeks. She couldn't tell him, she simply couldn't. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, then he pulled her head int o his chest, hugging her. Kaoru was shocked for the Jonin's reaction but she completely broke down. She cried in his chest, wetting the black fabric of his shirt, she never cried like this before. The girl was scared of herself in that point, she wasn't able to stop crying, and to cry like that especially in front of Kankuro was against everything she ever made herself stand for.

Kankuro understood she wasn't saying anything because she couldn't. Someone was hurting her, and she was scared. And he wouldn't ignore this. He would find who it was, he just had to ask her the right questions. After 15 minutes, Kaoru was calmed, for the puppet master discontentment she pulled herself from the hug. She remained sitting in the bed. Kankuro sat next to her, facing her.

Kaoru looked at the puppeteer that was looking back at her.

"Kaoru... your wounds..." he grabbed her hand feeling the soft yet scarred skin from her hands, it was the first time Kaoru felt the puppeteers hands on her bare ones, "are they related with the fact you have no money with you?" Kaoru's reaction was an obvious response. Her blue eyes wide open in surprised.

"You went through my things?" she asked slightly mad.

"Yes, sorry about that, I was looking for a hint about what happened to you. I also noticed your used weapons," he said wisely.

"I forgot to bring money, and the new tools, I-I was in a hurry when I packed." she nervously smiled. Kankuro knew she was lying. But he didn't insist. Definitely it was another thing to investigate. There was only one last question he had to make.

"When the Hokage was healing you I saw the summoning seal in your stomach-"

"That is not of your concern, don't worry about it," she said cutting the face painted shinobi. Another matter she was avoiding.

'All those things are related.'

Kankuro stared at the girl in front of him, she looked sick, but still she radiated such a presence. He saw her crying, but that didn't made her less weak or fragile. She was still looking royal as always. Her purple hair messy and wavy made her even more feminine, the purple contrasting her pale skin... Kankuro couldn't hold himself, with his free hand he touched one of the bangs that framed the kunoichi's face. He let the piece of hair slide between his fingers.

"Kaoru..."

They look at each other. Kankuro almost whispered.

"I'm gonna find the bastard that is hurting you, and I'm gonna kill him myself."

Kaoru wasn't able to answer, she didn't know what to think, this was overwhelming in all senses. Everything was getting confusing, so many emotions, so many situations had happen since she left Suna it was too much. But everything faded away when she felt the puppeteers fingers touching her cheek softly. A comfortable silence was in the room. Both Jonins staring at each other's face. Kankuro looked at the slightly parted lips from the girl. Something was drawing him in to them, like a magnet. Not only that but she was leaning in to it too. Only a few centimeters separated them, he could almost feel her warm breath, lips almost brushing...

The door of the hospital room opened abruptly. Both Jonins separated quickly. Kiba stood there.

"Are you guys done? Kaoru-chan I have a surprise for you!" with that he let Akamaru enter.

"Akamaru!" Kaoru called happy. Kankuro stood up to give some space to the dog. He saw the girl petting the dog. She looked really happy. The signs of her crying were long gone. Kiba joined the duo, sitting where Kankuro was before. They looked like a happy family. Once again he felt his heart being crushed, so he left the room.

The puppet master had now a mission and he intended to find the truth about Kaoru and the one that hurt her. It was the least he could do...

Meanwhile, inside Kaoru's hospital room.

"Kaoru-chan you have purple paint in your forehead.", Kiba said cleaning it with his fingers. He frowned, he had to be careful about the puppet master, he was trespassing his property. He then kissed Kaoru in the mouth, reassuring himself she was his.

'Yeah, she's mine...'

To be continued...