Normal
"Speech"
Thought
Kyuubi
Warnings: I do not own Naruto. Rated "M" for language and adult situations.
Chapter 22: Bold Men
Myra hurried back to the table. Naruto smiled wide.
"I think I got it! We walk up to Tsunade Obachan and just tell her we're leaving." He nodded his head with finality. Myra coughed to keep herself from laughing at his idea.
"I think that's a brilliant idea." Myra sat down to eat, trying to hide her smirk. Naruto crossed his arms in front of him, a wide triumphant grin spreading across his face. He turned to Gaara and Kankuro. "I knew that would work best."
"I hate to point out one minor flaw in that plan." The three guys turned to her in curiosity. The girl smirked. "I already asked." She said playfully and stuck out her tongue at Naruto. Kankuro laughed heartily. Gaara shook his head smirking. Naruto pouted.
"She said to take Gaara and Kankuro, don't do anything strenuous, and have a good time." The girl went back to her salad. There were smiles all around. Or at least Naruto and Kankuro smiled. Gaara's lip curled upwards. They all ate happily. Myra kept to the fruits and vegetables she could recognize. Naruto ate everything that looked good. The blonde boy had gotten up to go for third or fourth plate, Myra had lost count, and Kankuro had wondered off to find Temari and Shikamaru. Myra had been left with Gaara. There was an awkward silence between them.
"Do you love him?" The Kazekage's soft dream like voice hit her unexpectedly. Myra flinched at the idea, but smiled softly before she answered.
"Ask me again tomorrow after all the pain killers are out of my system." She was avoiding the question by being sarcastic. Gaara raised an eyebrow. Myra felt the flicker of concern for his friend, but he kept his emotionless expression. Myra sighed.
"I don't know. I met him 3 days ago. Logic dictates that what I feel is a hormonal response to a physical attraction." She sounded skeptical of her own explanation.
"When have women ever been logical about emotions?" The stoic Kazekage countered. "Busted!" she thought to herself. Myra had to laugh.
"Heheh… Never. I'm just not sure what to say yet. And besides, if I do feel that way, shouldn't he be the first person I tell?" She winked.
Gaara nodded. Naruto returned to the table with another mound of teriyaki chicken skewers. Myra's eyes went wide.
"How can you eat all that?" She was amazed by his consumption. The blonde shrugged.
"I've always been able to eat a lot. Choji is the only other person I know that can eat more than I can." Naruto grinned and started to chow down.
"So, have we decided what we want to do as soon as we leave?" Myra asked. Naruto looked up at her with a devious smile. "I have an idea." She ignored the lecherous intentions behind that thought and glared at him with a raised eyebrow.
"We're going to set that idea aside for now and think of something more appropriate for a group setting." Myra said holding back the fits of giggles as Naruto turned beet red. Gaara just shook his head. Myra could feel the Kazekage wanting to release a loud belly laugh. "I guess he doesn't want to ruin that cool stoic exterior."
Then Myra felt the cold icy stare burning into her from across the court yard. She knew what it felt like to be stared at by a Hyuuga. It wasn't Neji, she hadn't seen him all night, and this felt greedy and hungry for power. She turned her gaze ever so slightly. If looks could kill, Hiashi should have dropped dead on the spot. Hiashi kept his cool, but a bead of sweat trickled down his temple. "This girl is more than she appears."
Naruto looked over at Myra. "That might be fun, what do you think Myra-chan?" Naruto froze. He had seen that stare before and now he understood something he hadn't before. He didn't have time to explore those possibilities, but he would come back to them later. It that moment, as he looked at her, he saw Sasuke. That determined, uncaring, confident teetering on the border line of arrogant, and dangerous stare that could bring most people to their knees. He followed her gaze to the Hyuuga clan leader and growled inwardly. Gaara did the same as he noticed the silent conflict of stares. Hiashi turned his gaze away from her and walked into the crowd.
Myra whispered to her-self. "What the hell was HIS problem?"
"That man always has a problem." Naruto blurted rather bitterly. Myra chewed her bottom lip. "I'll have to make a phone call later."
Naruto relaxed a bit and mused about Myra being cute when she was deep in thought. He smiled at her. "What'cha thinking about?" He asked her. She snapped out of her thoughts.
"Oh, nothing that can't wait till later." She shook the unsettling Hyuuga man from her mind at the moment. "So did you decide was we are ALL doing?" She eyed Naruto.
"We're going to take a walking tour of Konoha at night, followed by late night training at the Lee's Dojo." Naruto looked pleased with himself. Myra's eye twitched. "Training?"
"Sounds like fun…" She forced the smile. It really did sound like fun, except the training part. She felt that cold Hyuuga stare again, but didn't bother to turn this time. Myra stood up.
"I suggest that we get going. It's getting late, and the weather is turning a bit chilly." She pulled her wrap around her. Naruto and Gaara nodded. The blonde boy pulled off his blazer and wrapped it around her shoulders. Myra blushed furiously and placed a thank you peck on his cheek. "Thank you kind sir…" then smiled at him.
Gaara eyed her then looked at his blonde friend. They both blinked at the Kazekage. Gaara sighed. Even if neither of them wanted to admit it, it was obvious to Gaara how they felt about each other. The three headed for the grand doors of the court yard. Myra kept a firm grip on Naruto's arm. She could feel the cold stare following them and it was making her a little nervous. They got closer to the doors and Hiashi stepped in front of them.
"Lord Kazekage!" The man said as if they were old friends. "It is an honor to see you again." Hiashi was being forcibly pleasant. Myra straightened her posture and tightened her grip on Naruto. She felt Gaara and Naruto bristle with disdain. Gaara didn't blink. "What do you want Hyuuga-sama?"
"Astute as always, Gaara-sama. I was wondering if I might steal the company of the Lady Ravenheart for a moment?" Hiashi grinned. Naruto growled. Gaara kept his face expressionless and his monotone voice.
"I believe you would need Uzumaki-sama's permission for that." The Kazekage said with a hint of gleeful satisfaction. The clan leader became uneasy. Gaara continued. "Since I did not attend this evening's festivities with the Lady, I am not in a position to give you permission for anything that concerns her company." He turned his head to Naruto, who was looking pretty pissed off by Hiashi's insult. "Naruto Uzumaki escorted Lady Ravenheart this evening. So it would be impolite NOT to ask him; and even more impolite NOT to ask the Lady herself." The color drained from Hiashi's face at the end of Gaara's little speech. Myra knew what Gaara had done, and she was going to thank him later, but now wasn't the time. Naruto was getting angrier by the second. The Fox stirred in his cage.
"Kill him…You know you want to…" The Fox growled. Myra felt the anger building in Naruto to dangerous levels. The air around them was becoming thick with the tension. Myra let go of Naruto's arm and placed herself between the agitated boys and the visually nervous clan leader.
The girl looked at Naruto and smiled. She never broke eye contact with Naruto as she addressed Hiashi. "I believe I have a few moments I can spare." She turned and stared daggers at the clan leader. "But I only have a few." Myra felt Gaara calm the anger boiling at his surface. Naruto wasn't letting it go. Myra turned back to Naruto, putting a warm hand on his chest. Naruto felt the wave of warm comforting energy pass over him. "I'll be fine." She whispered in his ear. "Wait for me?" She looked in his deep blue eyes, pleading with her own chocolate orbs.
Naruto went euphoric for a moment and couldn't think straight. The Fox grumbled in his cage. "I hate it when she does that!" The Fox slammed the mental door shut.
"Always." Was Naruto's breathless answer. She hadn't expected an answer like that. She blushed and felt euphoric herself, but she had to quickly compose herself. She watched the boys walk through the doors before she turned back to Hiashi. Myra crossed her arms in front of her, cocking her hip to one side. She exuded the"What the hell do you want?" attitude.
"How can I help you, Hyuuga-sama?" Her tone was cold and uncaring.
"I would like to speak to you about the possibility of staying at the Hyuuga compound instead of that lonely apartment." The clan leader was oozing charm.
"I have already declined several invitations to stay at several different locations before I left my home. I thought it best I should stay on my own. This way I couldn't be accused of insulting any one family." Myra was just as charming. Hiashi frowned.
"Wise decision." He couldn't argue with that logic. It was a perfect political maneuver. With her staying on her own, no one family could be accused of biasing her in any way. He tried to change tactics.
"Good, good… So, how do you like being in Kono…" She interrupted him.
"I do apologize, Hyuuga-sama, but I am keeping Uzumaki-SAMA waiting." She was rubbing it in. "If this conversation is going to be something OTHER than idle chit chat, then please make your point." She started to tap her foot. He narrowed his eyes.
"Is it a crime to be concerned for your well being Lady Ravenheart?" Hiashi was still being sickly sweet. Myra didn't mind being called Lady Ravenheart when Gaara said it. But hearing that conniving, slimy, arrogant asshole call her Lady Ravenheart made her skin crawl.
"No, there is no crime in your concern. I am perfectly content with my accommodations, thank you. I am also perfectly capable of taking care of my own well being. Besides, I have Uzumaki-SAMA next door should I need anything. Now if you will excuse me, I do not wish to keep Uzumaki-SAMA or the Kazekage waiting any longer." Myra turned on her heel and stormed through the doors.