Important poll at the bottom! Please answer!
Now things are coming clear
And I don't need you here
And in this world around me
I'm glad you disappeared
So I'll stay out all night
Get drunk and fuck and fight
Until the morning comes I'll
Forget about our life
First time you screamed at me
I should have made you leave
I should have known it could be so much better
I hope you're missing me
I hope I've made you see
I feel so much better
Now that you're gone forever
I tell myself that I don't miss you at all
I'm not lying, denying that I feel so much better now
That you're gone forever
"Gone forever"-Three Days Grace
"I…"
Itachi and Ryik watched with frozen disbelief as Anko stared down at Iruka, stuttering for an answer to his question.
"This…is bad." Itachi whispered.
Ryik's wide-mouthed head barely nodded in agreement.
Itachi cleared his throat, scratching his head nervously. "We…we should go. Come on, Ryik."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" Ryik mumbled, waving his hand in dismissal. "See you later, Uchiha."
Itachi grabbed Ryik's ear and dragged the screeching youth out of the apartment.
"Um…bye, Anko."
The sound of the door opening and closing cleared Anko's mind up enough for her think.
She left Iruka's kneeling form and began to pace.
Iruka rose as well, watching her every move. "Anko…"
She ran a hand through her think hair, trying to rack something out to say to him.
What if Orochimaru finds out?
She turned on her heel and shook that though out her head.
"Hey," Iruka spoke, "Are you all right?"
Anko scoffed. "No, I'm not all right; you just flipping proposed to me!"
Iruka shrugged nervously. "It seemed like a good idea at the time."
Anko flopped down on the couch and buried her head in her hands. Iruka sat down beside her, eyeing her anxiously. Anko sat up, staring ahead. "Iruka, I can't marry you."
Iruka looked away. He had expected this, but it hurt worse now that it was happening.
She forced a smile, readying an explanation. "You are the…most kindest, most strongest, most amazing person I have ever met." She meant every thing she was saying. "But-"
"But I'm not the person you want to spend the rest of your life with." His smile was kind, but heart-breaking on both their parts.
She put a gentle hand on his knee. "It's not that, Iruka. I just…"
He'll be done with you in week.
"I just can't."
He shrugged out from under her grip and headed towards the door. "That's enough,
Anko."
She sighed. "Iruka—"
"No, Anko," Iruka snapped. "Please, just…listen to me for one minute."
Anko felt the urge to slap him rise, but buried it down ling enough to hear his plea.
He took in a deep breath, and began to lay his soul out in a perfect line for her.
"I'm in love with you Anko. I've said it already, and I will say it for the rest of my life if that gets the message across." He bent down to her sitting level, taking both of her cold hands in his warm ones.
Alive.
"I would do anything for you. God, I'd go to a store and buy you feminine products and say they were for me if that's what you want!"
Anko buried her head down slighting to let a light laugh out. He made her feel like laughing, in so many ways.
Poor fool.
"But I need something in return." He pulled her hands up to his mouth and planted a loving kiss on her delicate skin. "I need your love in return."
Anko's stomach gripped. She could never give him that, because one man had taken it along with every emotion she had left to feel away. She wanted to let him have it, maybe just as self-assurance that she wasn't becoming completely numb. She wanted to give him the happiness he thought he was giving to her.
She pulled her hands from his. "I'm sorry. I can't."
He growled and jumped away, racking his brain. "Why not?"
She glared. "You wouldn't understand."
He paced, frustration fueling each of footsteps. He finally stopped and looked at her. "Is it Orochimaru? Is it because of what he did to you?"
Anko clutched the couch arm tightly, fighting away the awful memories as hard as she could. "Don't even think about going there, Iruka."
"If it is," Iruka continued though Anko's threat. "then you should know that I don't care. I don't care who you've been with or—"
"I said to stop, Iruka!"
He held his hands out in surrender. "Okay, okay, you're right; that was going too far."
Anko crossed her arms and leaned into the couch. "You think?"
He resumed his pacing, only now he wasn't as agitated. "Is there any particular reason why you won't marry me?"
"I can think of five." she stated with a small smile.
Iruka sat down gently. "Name one."
I fucked Orochimaru and he will kill you if he finds out I am doing it with you.
"Look at us, Iruka." she laughed. "We're barely adults. We have no idea what we're really asking for. I don't even think that even you are ready for that kind of commitment." She looked away. "It just wouldn't work."
He'll be done with you in week.
Iruka sat quietly in thought for a felt like years. Anko was anxious, but would except any answer he would give her. She hoped, however, that it did not screw up their tightly-knit relationship more than she had already.
Man, had she screwed up last night!
Finally Iruka stood, his expression etched with unnamable emotions. "Fine. I understand completely what your trying to say." He headed for the door, and Anko did not stop him. As the door opened however, Iruka stopped. For a moment he said nothing, but Anko could feel the mixed emotions flowing off of him.
"Would you at least…think about it?"
Anko blew a stray piece of hair out of her way. Why not? What else did she have left to lose? "Sure." She watched Iruka's tense muscles relax, and with a nod, he was gone.
And she was left to remember how stupid she had been.
.,.,.,.,.
Itachi and Ryik watched Iruka hastily leave the apartment.
"You think they fought?" Ryik questioned.
"I didn't hear any yelling."
Ryik scratched his chin intuitively. "There are other ways than noise…"
Itachi rolled his eyes and carefully jumped off of the roof. "Let's go check on, Anko."
Ryik slid down beside him. "If she starts throwing shit, I using you as a shield."
"Fair enough."
The room was dark due to the setting sun behind them. It caused the boys shadows to dance on the curled up figure on the sofa.
"Anko-girl," Ryik whispered, sticking closely behind the Uchiha. "You okay?"
A pair of brown eyes surfaced from under a pale arm. It quickly hid when tears began to form. "I fucked up, guys."
"Ah, now," Ryik cooed, forgetting how dangerous Anko could be long enough to comfort her. "come on Anko girl." he put on a deep smile. "Wipe off them tears and tell ol' Ryik Katzan all about it!"
Anko shook her head, wondering how she had become so close to this fool. She sat up and wiped her eyes; she hadn't even been crying, but she felt like it.
Itachi stepped in now, acting as an advocate for "Did you…um…ah…have relations with Iruka?"
"Ah, Uchiha!" Ryik scorned. "Keep it real; say 'fuck' like normal folks!"
"YES!" Anko screamed. "I freakin' had sweaty, sticky sex with Iruka Umino!" She buried her head in her hands. "And it was the worse experience I've ever had…"
The room was silent for a few short seconds before the pre-teen boys burst into howls of laughter.
"What?"
Itachi had turned away, trying to calm himself down, but deeply unable to.
Ryik was rolling on the floor, clutching his sides as his dark face turned brick read from the lack of oxygen.
"ARE YOU FREAKING SERIOUS!" Itachi screamed from across the room.
"Whoa, whoa!" Ryik hollered as he struggled to get on his feet. "How big was he?"
Anko grabbed a pillow and forced it into her face. She should have never brought the subject up. "Oh…for…God sake's, Ryik!" Anko growled through the material.
"Wait!" Ryik shrieked. He jumped from his position and ran to the fridge. A moment of clattering and laughter later, he returned with a small gar of petite dill pickles and pulled out one that was about an inch and a half long. "How about this?"
Itachi dropped to his knees and laughter totally consumed him. He usually would have scorned Ryik for something this childish, but his owns nerves were so shot that everything seemed humorous at the moment.
That, and it was pretty darn funny.
The two boys were so preoccupied with their joke that they didn't notice the red-eyed, fuming woman rising from her state with a pillow clutched tightly in her fist. They were insulting her man…that was worthy of death.
"Whoa!" Ryik exclaimed as he wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. "That's some good stuff we got—Anko, what you doing?"
All that could be heard for miles outside of the tiny apartment were the sounds of children's screams as they struggled for their lives against the infuriated Anko Mitarashi.
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU BOTH!"
"RUN, UCHIHA! WAIT—DON'T LEAVE ME BEHIND!"
"HOW DID THE DAMN DOOR GET LOCKED?"
"HUH! Uchiha, language, please!"
"RYIK, BEHIND YOU!"
"NNNNOOOO!"
.,.,.,.,.
The bottle of sake wrapped in the troubled youths fingers clattered with the table harshly. "I don't get it! I practically tore my soul out and handed it to her on a silver platter and still she rejected me!"
Iruka's drinking partner glowered with glee at his comrades misfortune. Iruka had showed up in a rather panicked state barely an hour ago. Mizuki had been in the process of healing from Jiraiya's heated assault who had just barely left him enough blood to limp home. Thankfully, Tsubaki had stopped by and fixed him nearly up, but didn't get an explanation from her boyfriend before he was dragged from his apartment by said distressed Iruka. They two boys were not drinking their problems away. However, Iruka was barely over his second bottle and was already loopy. This guy needed to get out more!
"That's women for you." Mizuki commented "Tsubaki was the same way; but she came around."
"Mizuki, what should I do?" Iruka wailed. "I can't walk away; for God's sake I had sex with the poor woman!"
The bartender serving them stared at Iruka with a perverted interest. Mizuki glared him down until he croaked and wondered off.
"Haven't you ever heard of a one night stand? It's the most awesome thing in the world, and everyone does it—"
"I'm not everyone, Mizuki!" Iruka exclaimed with slam on the table. "I don't want to just fuck her and be done with it! I've loved her forever, why is it so damn hard for her to feel the same?"
Mizuki watched him with a frown. Was he jealous of his best friend feelings towards the girl in question? Why should he be? He had felt the same way about Tsubaki not too long ago. He used to make love to her at night and whisper plans of a future with her in her ear as the sun awoke with her. Yet now days, she woke up without him. He had turned into stone somehow, and he couldn't break free of the rocky shell. It didn't bother him too much though. But why did he feel anger towards Iruka each time he talked about Anko in such a way?
What he jealous that he had her?
He gripped his bottle as that undying rage surfaced in him. He had come so close too many times of getting in the hostile kunoichi's bed, yet failed miserable due to the male barriers blocking his path. He wanted her body, and maybe, just maybe, something more, yet was almost forbidden from it. However, this son of a bitch Iruka barely had to touch her to get one in! It was more than infuriating, it was sick!
Iruka's head lolled onto Mizuki's shoulder, snatching him from his hateful thoughts. "Take me home…" the under the influence man slurred.
Or to a grave,chuckled the familiar dark voice inside Mizuki's head. "Sure, buddy." Mizuki purred. He slapped a few bills down on the table, not caring whether it was the right amount or not. He had a mission now.
"Mizuki, where are we?" Iruka was lulled through the deepest parts of the forest, further and further away from the haven of a village they lived in.
"We're just taking a little detour." Mizuki responded.
Iruka relaxed and let the worry slip away. He was in the arms of his best friend who would never let anything happen to him.
This annotation was blown over when Iruka made contact with the hard, dusty ground under him. He barely even felt the fall, just the lost of warmth. The alcohol had slowed down his ability to rationalize everything going on around him. He didn't even realize that his best friend was about to betray him.
Mizuki brushed his self off, glaring at the weak Iruka all the while. He looked around to survey the area. There wasn't even an insect in sight. Perfect. He stepped back and closely watched Iruka's movements as he searched for something out of place to crush the man's head in with. A large tree branch brushed against his fingers. It was light enough the pick it up, yet had a weight tucked under the bark that would have Iruka's skull in pieces in one bash. He was practically gulfing down adrenaline now. He was finally going through with it!
The toe of Mizuki's foot dug into Iruka's side, pushing the fragilely boy on his back. Their was a question in his eyes, but Mizuki only offered him a smirk to quench his curiosity.
"Screw you, Iruka; screw you straight to hell! You knew this was coming, so don't give me that look!" He kicked him one good time in the side, earning a groan from the drunken shinobi. The ecstasy Mizuki had felt earlier was mixing in with rage and another emotion he had never felt before. Remorse? NO! He was not going to feel any regret for killing this prick! He would love every second he spent bashing Iruka's head in!
"Oh, Iruka," Mizuki cooed, "if only you could stick around to see all the amazing things I'm going to do to your little bitch once I get my hands on her."
Iruka blinked several times. Somewhere in the youth's mind, something was telling him that he was in grave danger. But even though Mizuki was standing directly over him with an unknown object just barely touching his face, cursing him, Iruka felt no fear for his life.
"Oh, but don't worry," Mizuki went on despite Iruka's lack of attention. "I'll make sure she loves it. Of course, I'll have to force her at first, but I'm sure she'll enjoy that just as much." He smirked at the last bit. "Orochimaru made it that way."
Iruka's eyes rolled back, and Mizuki was left in the darkness.
That of the night, and his own.
Mizuki raised the branch over his face and readied himself for the grand finale—to Iruka's life.
"She belongs to me now, you worthless fuck!"
The branch did come down, but it did not make contact with the object he had wanted it to. It had smacked down just a mere inch from Iruka's burning face. How was that—
Mizuki's eyes lifted to meet a pair of dark orange ones. Oh, God no…
"Lord Orochimaru?"
The branch was pulled from his arms and chunked several feet to their left.
"Who do you think?" he rasped. His voice was thicker due to the new body, but it still held that silky incentive that made Mizuki's knee's melt.
"I knew you weren't dead." Mizuki laughed. "That bitch Anko could never go through with something like that."
Orochimaru's eyes pierced into his. Mizuki could have sworn he saw small skulls reflect from the moonlight into those irises. He looked down to show that he wasn't going to say another word about the "Anko" subject.
Now that that was covered, the Snake Sannin lowered his attention to the unconscious youth just at his feet. He was running a light fever, and his chest was beginning to contract in a violent way. Rolling his eyes, he nudged the Umino onto his side and watched as a thick trail of vomit flow like a slow stream from his mouth.
"Sir," Mizuki gulped. "Everything I told you…about Anko and," he cast a glare to his pathetic ex-friend, "it, is true. They are in a relationship, and it's become to an overwhelmingly serious point."
Orochimaru's palms began to sweat slightly. "Who else knows about, this thing between them?"
Mizuki smirked. He almost enjoyed being a spy. "She's gained protection from the toad bastard and the old man, but their oblivious. The Uchiha and the fire child have caught on, however, but at their ages, they probably don't know the entire concept of it."
"You'd be surprised." Orochimaru trailed. "The youth of the Uchiha clan are far more intelligent than their peers." He looked up into the sky, at the full moon slowly consuming him. "He probably knows exactly what their doing."
Mizuki looked back at the log he was going to smite Iruka with. Now that Orochimaru had gotten what he wanted, it was his turn.
"Well," Mizuki sighed, edging over to where the log lay. He picked it up slowly, and barely got a glance it was okay. "Here we go."
"Drop it, Mizuki."
Mizuki did stop, but his grip on the branch only tightened. He was losing his patience with the so-called "great" Orochimaru. Do you still own someone when you die and come back?
Mizuki stated. "I'm doing both of us a favor."
"I said to put it down, Mizuki." Orochimaru growled.
Mizuki's teeth gnashed together in defiance. "Why won't you let me kill this lout?" He barely blinked and Orochimaru was in his face.
"Because, my insignificantly murderous friend, I need Iruka here alive long enough to get his…" Orochimaru's flashed for a moment, and even Mizuki couldn't read what he was thinking "fiancé… back into my grasp." He glared down at Iruka and could only feel lifting rage towards the man. He did not deserve Anko!
But neither do I…
"Until then," he continued as he released Mizuki's wrist. "Keep your damn hands off of him. Good night."
Mizuki watched as his master began to fade into the blackness. That was it? He was just going to leave with him shaking from bloody lust? No…if he wasn't going to kill Iruka…someone was going to take his place.
He ran after him.
"Screw you, Orochimaru! Your change of heart made you weak; that's how Anko almost killed you! She's going to be my little fuck partner when I'm done here—"
The forest went utterly quiet, almost symbolizing the vow of death the young shinobi was about to take.
Orochimaru, with his long dagger embedded deep into Mizuki's stomach, lifted the youth so that be was dangling a few feet off of the ground and arched him to meet his eyes.
"Didn't I warn you long ago that if you even tried to screw this up that I would end your pathetic existence?"
Even if Mizuki had the capability to speak, he wouldn't have. He was about to die, and this fact stunned him into silence..
Orochimaru brought him closer, smirking against Mizuki's quivering lips. "Instead of trying to fuck her, you should be thanking Anko. If it weren't for her little "distractions", I would have killed you much sooner." he licked a growing trail of blood slipping down the boy's chin. "Oh, well," He dropped Mizuki in a pool of his own blood and yanked the sword out, brushing off the chunks of entrails that came with it.
"You're completely disposable."
Something in Mizuki's head suddenly snapped. He couldn't die! He had too much to accomplish! Iruka had to die by his hands, and his alone! He couldn't lose to some resurrected asshole who would use his corpse as a knickknack on his mantle. He opened his mouth, blood and pain spewing out.
"L-l-l-lord…Orochi…Wa—!"
"Not this time."
.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,
"Whose hand is this?" Anko asked herself as the familiar pale hand she had seen over and over again appeared in front of her face.
"Is it…mine?" The hand turned, for she wanted to examine it. "No."
The hand was too masculine, too rough from touching so many things, to belong to hers.
"Then who's is it?" She blinked slowly. When she opened her eyes, the hand was covered with blood.
This was the part when she'd close her eyes again and the whole process would be over. But She had to know. She had to find out who was haunting her.
Her eyes followed the trail of the hand to the wrist, labored with old scars, to the dark-green clothed sleeve, to the shoulder lifting and falling with each labored breath, and finally, to the face covered with just as much blood as the hand.
Her heart stopped. Anko could not believe who the blood belonged to.
"Mizuki?"
"…"
.,.,.,.
Anko's eyes opened to find two bruised, black-eyed boys staring at her with intense fear.
"Phew!" breathed Ryik. "She ain't dead."
Itachi rolled his eyes. "Of course she's not dead you moron."
Anko slowly sat up before she was met with a burst of sheer agony through her skull.
"Shoot." Itachi breathed. He jumped up and ran to the kitchen where a brown bag of supplies was waiting. He pulled out a large, beautiful bottle of pain killers. "Here, take some of these."
Anko engulfed the given medicine with ease, smirking slightly at the familiarly numbing taste. Itachi also handed her a bottle of water which was two-thirds empty by the time she pulled away for breath. Now that her head wasn't spinning, she took a moment to look over her boys. "Nice shiners," she laughed as she ran hand over Ryik's purple cheek. "I didn't do that, did I?"
Ryik turned to Itachi. "Would I go to jail for beating her ass?"
"Probably." Itachi sighed.
"I think I'm gonna take that chance—"
"Ryik!" Itachi snapped. "Go get the peas out of the freezer and shut up!"
Ryik stuck his tongue out at the Uchiha, but got up to do what he was told.
Itachi rubbed his temples and took a seat at the far end of the couch that he and Ryik had laid Anko on earlier.
She looked around, trying to figure out why she was there. Most of her furniture was tipped over or moved out of place, and there was the slightest tinge of blood in the air. Her fingers reached back to rub the bulging knot on her head. "What happened?"
Itachi looked up to answer, but was abruptly interrupted by Ryik.
"Well, you see, Anko-girl," the fire child began as he removed the slushy bag of vegetables from his face to press against Anko's injury. "After Uchiha here and I fought for an hour for our lives, you suddenly started trying to claw your neck off and finally passed out."
The colorful dots in Anko's eyes shrank to abnormally small size. "The…mark on my neck?" Her shaky fingers slid to her curse mark. She winced at the tenderness of it and gently traced the thick lines eating away at her flesh.
"Yup!" Ryik exclaimed. "Uchiha ran to the store and bought all that crap and now, he we are! Nice and sore…" He added the last part with a great deal of malice.
Anko glanced at the utterly silent Uchiha. His face was a light pink, which seemed to go with the purple blotches over his delicate cheeks. She smirked, but her mind was once again consumed by worry.
"Um, Ryik," Anko said in her strongest voice possible. "Could you run up town and get some…" Anko's mind searched for some kind if item that would be impossible to find for the ten year old terror.
"Tubaware!"
Two sets of brown eyes turned on the Uchiha.
"She…needs some plastic containers…for…thawing vegetables?"
Anko looked at the peas in her hand. They could use a good storage bin.
Ryik looked back and forth at Itachi and Anko. "Is this some kind of joke?"
Anko gripped Ryik's arm in an almost desperate matter. "Please, Ryik?" she fluttered her eyes in an almost adorable matter, and Ryik grinned stupidly. He jumped up. "BRB, Mother Brothers!"
Anko winced as the door slammed shut. "At least he's gone…"
"What is you need to talk about?"
The grave look in her eyes told him everything.
"That's probably why that thing on your neck is acting up." He stated.
Anko hugged her knees closely to her. Saying she was scared was an understatement. "I knew from the start that he couldn't die." Shame etched over her silky face. "I just couldn't do it; Jiraiya's was right all along, I am a coward."
Itachi smirked and patted her leg gently. "What will it take for you to stop thinking that?"
Anko let out a bitter laugh. "Orochimaru's head on a golden platter might convince me."
Itachi also laugh, but his held a different emotion. "You know, this acrimonious attitude of yours if really getting old."
Anko knew this game all too well. He was trying to push her buttons, but she was not going to lose. "Big words your using there Uchiha; did you learn it from Ryik's little sex dictionary?" Itachi's face became one giant blush, and Anko felt slightly better.
"I'm just saying," the fluster boy said, "that Ryik…and I…are really starting to miss you. The fun-going, crazy in a cool way you. I mean, I know we don't know each other too well, but I know that is who you are." He felt like he was counselor for self-conscious females like the ones on the television his mother watched while doing laundry. "And you have a man who wants to marry that girl."
Anko stared at Itachi in absolute disbelief. "Are you saying that…I should take Iruka's offer?"
"Well," Itachi sighed, "In a positive light, you might actually be happy." He smirked, catching her off guard with his next comment. "Then again, Orochimaru might kill him in a form of revenge."
Anko glared at the grinning Uchiha. "Shut up, fool."
"Just stating the facts."
Anko stepped away to look out of her window. The full moon hovering over the apartment complex created an interesting light for such a dark night.
It's a sign thatheis back.
But as Anko dwelled more and more on this subject, it didn't seem to have any further effect other than fear on her. If he dared to touch Iruka or any one else, she'd destroy him in the most humiliating ways imaginable. She would not let him fuck her up more than he already had. She was going to be happy no matter what.
Anko left the room long enough to grab a pair of blue jeans and a jacket. As soon a she returned, she was out the door. "Tell Ryik I said goodnight, okay?"
"Where are you going?" he called from the porch; Anko was already at the bottom. She paused for a moment before turning around, a grin brighter than the night sky plastered on her face.
"I'm…going to get my man."
Itachi smirked when Anko disappeared. Now thatwas the Anko he wanted to know. Screw Orochimaru! If he even as so much as stands outside the gate, he'd rip his body to pieces and feed them to the crows!
Ew, crows…
"I'm back!" a creaky voice rung through the silent night.
Itachi watched as Ryik huffed and puffed up the stairs, two large bags in his arms. "I got all they had!" he exclaimed, dumping the containers on the floor. "Anko-girl, where you at?"
"She went to get married." Itachi stated in a daze.
"What?" Ryik yelled. "And I wasn't invited!" He pulled his coat back on and headed out the door. "Hell no! I ain't fixing to stand for this!" Itachi grabbed his collar and pulled him back.
"She's not getting married yet, she'd just going to discuss it with him."
"Oh… Okay, then."
The two boys flopped back on the couch and looked around in silence. Both had things on their minds that they were utterly terrified to bring it up.
Ryik had no idea where his future was going. The Third had kept him from going back to the mercifulness ANBU as long as possible, but he knew it wouldn't be long before the men in masks came to drag him off again. He wasn't sure that his spirit could handle any more of their torture.
Itachi was just a body full of problems. He had never wanted to get involved in the Anko situation. He only wanted to deal with Ryik and continue on with his miserable life. But now, he was hooked on the insanity that was Anko Mitarashi, Ryik Katzan, and even Orochimaru. He was an addict to it all, yet wanted a cure more than anything.
"So," Ryik spoke up suddenly. "Wanna go dig through Anko's personal items?"
Itachi opened his mouth with the intention of scolding him, but really, he felt like getting a little mischievous. Besides, what could be worse than having an affair with a deadly, S-class criminal?
"Let's go."
.,.,.,.,.
Anko tapped her foot with great impatience. She had been standing outside of Iruka's apartment for over ten minutes, knocking on the door until her fist was numb. Why wasn't he answering? He was practically a hermit, and when he did have company, it was always at his place.
He better not be cheating on me in there!Anko though with malice.
He'll be done with you in a week.
She laughed then. I'm not even engaged to the guy yet and I'm already possessive as hell!"
She was more than ready to break open a window to find out what the heck was going on, but luckily, her years of closeness with Iruka had taught her few things. For one, she learned that there was a crooked step under her feet where Iruka hid a spare key.
"Umino?" Anko called to the awkwardly empty space. She looked around carefully, readying her pounding heart to commit to what she was about to do. "Iruka? Are you home?" Her ears picked up the sound of muffled groan coming from the end of the hallway. She ran towards it and pushed the door open. "Iruka, are you…" She smirked at the boy on his stomach. She could smell the alcohol clear on his breath and from what she knew about Iruka, he never drank. She must have really upset him.
She sat down beside his sprawled out form and shook his back gently. "Come on, buddy, up and at em'."
Iruka groaned at the earthquake rocking his world. All of his senses were heavily wired, and his memory of the earlier events were as dusty as the dirty on his clothes.
"Look at you," the vibration croaked, "You're a mess!"
Iruka finally found the incentive to turn onto his back to put a stop the shaking. "Stoooopppp!"
Anko smirked at his childish demeanor. "Well, I'm not going to let you lie around in this filth the rest of the night. Get up and get a shower."
"Fuck you."
Anko's eyes widened in astonishment. If he were saying those things while being sober, he'd be hanging out a window by his eye lids. But, Anko was reasonable and wouldn't hold it against him. "Iruka," she said in a kind, soothing voice, "Get. Your. Ass. Up."
Iruka's bloodshot eyes widened and he shot up, meeting the disappointed face of Anko Mitarashi. "Oh, um, hi Anko."
"Yo." she stated, pulling the blanket off of him. "Get cleaned up. Now."
He gulped and fought off the dizziness filling his head. "Yes, ma'am." He searched around the bedroom for clean clothes before jumping into the bathroom to dress in private.
She shifted on Iruka's bed uncomfortable. She couldn't believe she was about to share her soul with him. She was going to make an virtually unbreakable commitment that could cause them more problems than happiness. Still, Iruka deserved a chance, and she deserved some kind of comfort.
"Hey, Iruka?" she called out with a shake in her voice.
The sound of items falling in different places echoed from the bathroom. "Yeah?"
You can do this.
"I've been giving what you said a lot of thought…"
"Oh, that's good." His voice flowed with apprehension. Iruka soon stumbled from the bathroom, now clean, and slowly sobering up to an extent. He flopped down beside her, his eyes focused on the wall ahead. "And, what have you decided?"
Anko swallowed any doubt and fear left inside of her. "I still think the whole thing is going to blow up in our faces." she smirked to reassure him. "But I think it's worth a shot."
Anko had never see a more brighter expression on Iruka's face.
"Yes!" the Chūnin shrieked. He lunged over and captured Anko in his arms, causing the woman to cry out in surprise before she was muffled by his mint lips. Anko cooperated without too much of a fight. She rather enjoyed this looser side of Iruka, even if he was intoxicated. Before she could completely give in, Iruka tore away from her and threw himself at the window, opening it and screaming into the night and his neighbors:
"LOOK OUT, KONOHA! I'M ENGAGED TO THE MOST FUCKING AMAZING WOMAN IN THE ENTIRE WORLD!"
Anko burst into an uproar at Iruka's outburst. Now this she liked!
"Hey!"someone from across the street screamed. "Shut up! I got kids sleeping in here!"
"You shut up!" Iruka screamed. "I got a fiancé in here I'm about to fu—!" Anko threw Iruka away from the window before he could the sentence that would blow their already delicate cover.
"Sorry ma'am!" she called out, slamming the window shut before any other words could be said. Iruka was lying on his back, grinning stupidly.
"Sor-ry!" he laughed.
Anko rolled her eyes and carefully nestled herself beside him. "You're full of it Mr. Umino." she dwelled on the name for a moment. Umino. Anko Mitarashi Umino. Anko Umino. Beautiful.
Iruka's fingers tangled in Anko's short locks. "I love you, Anko."
Those words made her stomach flip, whether in a good or a bad way she couldn't decide.
"Yeah," was all she managed as an answer. She felt his soft lips on her forehead as a reply.
"I am going to make you so happy; I promise."
Anko only smiled. She wasn't expecting a miracle, but just the idea of his promise satisfied her. She pulled herself up and brushed her nose against his. "And I'm going to make sure you realize what kind of a twisted mistake you're about to make."
Iruka arched his neck up and captured her neck in a slow, meaningful kiss. "There is no mistake in giving my life to you."
Even though Anko believed every word that came from Iruka's mouth, there was that voice in the back of her head that kept repeating those dreaded words.
He'll be done with you in a week.
She didn't want to think about that right now. What did that snake know about love anyway?
Nothing.
Anko pulled back slightly, amused at the way Iruka tried to get her back to his mouth. She twisted a piece of hair in-between her fingers, whispering seductively: "Give yourself to me, right now."
Iruka stared at her intently. She sounded almost desperate, and not in the sexy way. Despite how saving himself for their wedding night was a moral hidden in the back of his mind, he decided he'd please her one more time before discussing this with her in the morning.
"Come here…"
Their lips came together once more in a liquidated fire that ate at Anko's worry and fear. She pressed down on him, wanting to feel that warmth and security all over her. Iruka surprised her by tugging her onto her back. The alcohol had turned him into a harder, more demanding human being. For a moment it scared her for she was not use to this side of him, but as soon as his hands gently ran up her sides to pull off her shirt, her anxiety left her body along with her long sigh.
.,.,.,.,.,.
"That…bitch!" were the only words Orochimaru could clearly murmur through his clenched teeth. His blood was ready to boil straight out of skin from the hate burned towards the couple sexing away in the window several feet away from him. He could barely see them though the parted shades hung over Iruka's window, but he recognized the spiky hair hovering over the low moans echoing to him.
He could tear Anko's sounds apart from anyone's.
Despite how the urge to run in there and tear the couple into hundreds of tiny pieces sent a delicious bolt through him, he knew he had to stick to his current plan. One decaying body was enough.
He began to turn away when a loud chorus of sighs rang to him. He clenched his fists and continued off the roof.
Why didn't she ever moan for me like that?
.,.,.,.,.,.
Bliss. That was the one word that ran through Anko's head when she woke up the next morning. She hadn't woken up this good, this alive, for years, and she was going to savor it.
It was quite early in the morning, maybe eight a.m., which surprised Anko since she and the man beside her had been up well until dawn showing each other how much they enjoyed each others companionship. Iruka was still a little too gently for her tastes, but he had made her feel emotions Orochimaru never had. Maybe this was the love Iruka had told her about. Maybe this was why she wanted to be with him.
The warm chest under her ear began to wiggle, signaling Iruka's awakening. He groaned and sat up, causing Anko to slip to his side. "Oh…my head…"
"Well," Anko laughed, running a hand through her tangled hair, "that's what you get for drinking. Trust me, I know." For a split second, the image of the hung-over Orochimaru flashed across her mind; the great Snake Sannin couldn't handle his liquor either. Ha!
She shook her head and ran a hand up Iruka's bronze arm. "If you think you're going to be sick, run."
His chocolate eyes fell on her, staring at her with wide eyes, almost as if he hadn't expected to see her here.
Anko frowned. Had he forgotten all about last night? Oh great, now she was going to have to explain to him every aspect of last—
Iruka jumped her, holding her tightly.
"Iruka, you're suffocating me!"
He pulled back and shouted in her face, "WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!"
Oh, he does remember.
"YES! WHOA!" The Umino forgot for a moment during his rolling around that he had a breathing girl just under him.
"Iruka, get your ass off of me or so help me God, I am going to start hacking very important piece of you clean off!" Iruka rolled away from her, but his grin showed he felt no effect from her threat. He ran a hand over her pretty face, outlining the gently skin of her lips. "I can't believe you said yes…"
Anko rolled her eyes and pushed Iruka on his back. "Don't get too comfortable; I could take it back."
His hands roamed her sides, "I don't know, you have a strange way of keeping to something once you've made up your mind…" He arched up and kissed her gently. She soon joined him, and everything was perfect. His lips moved down to her neck, and Anko's hazy eyes hit the ceiling. The light casting it was bright, signifying that it was become late in the day and Anko knew he had other duties to deal with other than her. Sighing, she slipped a hand on his chest and pushed him away gently. "You're going to be late for work."
He smirked down at her. "Oh well," he bent down capture his lips again, but Anko stopped him with a little added strength.
"I suggest you get up and get some clothes on, dear." The dark grin on her face told Iruka to do exactly as he was told. With a disappointed sigh, he edged up and grabbed the pants he had been wearing the night before to hide his nudity with. Anko as well reached for Iruka's T-shirt that she had cast at the end of the bed, but wasn't too shy about her own nakedness; she was more than certain more than one person had seen it on different occasions. Besides, what did she have to be ashamed of.
"You know," Anko began as she and Iruka cleaned themselves up, "I was thinking about going to the Hokage later today and seeing if I could get a mission of some sort." She saw Iruka's back tense, and added, "You know, just something within the village to keep me busy."
Iruka relaxed, glad that she wasn't trying to leave, and gave his opinion on the matter. "I'm not sure, after all, you still have five days of promised bed-rest left."
Anko shrugged. "Well, the only thing he can say is no."
Iruka laughed. "You're one stubborn girl, Anko." he stretched across the bed and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek, "But I love yo,u anyway. I'll see you tonight."
Anko winked at him. "Sure you will."
He nodded and began to exit.
"Iruka!" Anko called after him. As always he stopped. "Could you…not tell anyone about this yet?"
He eyed her in question. Was she embarrassed at their new connection?
"I just don't want anyone bagging on us until we have a organized wedding plan in mind, okay?"
He smiled. "Shall do." With that he was gone, taking his time getting out of the apartment complex.
Back in the bed room, Anko was slipping on a clean pair of Iruka's boxers to improvise for her own clothes until she could get them and everything else washed. She pulled the sheets off the bed and threw the soil cloth to the side of the room to deal with in a moment. She scouted the bathroom for a spare toothbrush but found none. She made a mental note to bring a few of her personally items to his place. Did this mean she was moving in with him? That was to be thought about later.
She opened the mirror and pulled out Iruka's toothpaste and the single glass in it, filling it up with water before squeezing a glob into her mouth and liquidating it with the water. After spitting it out, she closed the mirror only to see tworeflections in the glass.
Her heart stopped.
"I was beginning to think you weren't going to let him go."
The glass in Anko's hand fell from her hand and shattered into several tiny pieces. "No…"
A warm wind tickled the back of her neck. "Yes…"
Anko quickly rolled away from him, successfully making it out of the bathroom, but fell into the wall as she struggled for an escape from this nightmare.
He laughed at her pathetic struggles. "What's wrong, sweetheart, not happy to see me?"
Anko screamed at herself to calm down and forced a brutal glare to sharpen in her eyes. "Get the hell out of here!"
Orochimaru's smirk faded and he approached her rapidly. "Who the hell do you think you are?"
He stopped when she shrieked at the closing of distance between them. He watched how her chest rose and fall with each shaky breath she made. Her limbs were trembling, and her eyes were searching everywhere for something.
Anything but him.
Orochimaru retained his smile, knowing now that his presence was breaking her. He stepped closer, almost feeling the vibration of her racing heartbeat as their bodies met.
"G-g-g-g-g…" she could barely form words, the poor thing.
He shushed her gently, placing a hand beside her head. "Relax, precious, I'm not going to hurt you," His eyes changed, "yet." His ears picked up the sound of glass shifting, but before he could find the cause of the sound, something hard and powerful slammed into the side of his head.
Anko dodged his grip as soon as he was on the ground, however, she was on the floor with him due to having her ankle grabbed by a very bloody and unhappy Orochimaru. She kicked him away with her other foot and sprinted into the living room, throwing anything she could behind her to block Orochimaru's path. She swirled into the kitchen and grabbed the first knife that came into sight.
He sauntered after her, glaring at her through the blood on his eyes. "Really?"
"Well, I wasn't going to kiss you, you damn asshole!" she retorted, leveling the knife to her chest.
He stood up straight and allowed the blood to flow down his head.
Anko watched in bewilderment as the wound healed.Okay, this is bad, but not the end.
"What are you doing here?" she inquired harshly.
He laughed at her, the blood off of his skin. "Why don't you guess?"
She smirked. "I'm guessing you're here to…" she met his eyes again. The desperation was there, along with a hidden anger. Her stomach sank, but she was not afraid. "Kill me?"
The fire in his eyes grew, and he edged closer. "Well, someone has to keep you from fuckingevery creature on two legs in Konoha."
Anko felt a slight heat rise to her face. "How did you find out about Iruka?"
He shook his head. "I have my sources, darling," He stepped closer, and the knife almost became one with her skin. With a swift motion, the knife was on the floor, and Anko was against the counter. "And one of said sources has gone into detailabout your little shenanigans during this futile week." He pressed against her, trying to get her eyes back on him. "You little slut."
"Get the fuck out of here!" she hissed, squeezing her eyes shut. The memories of his assault were overpower, and she knew it wouldn't be too long before she crumbled into a sobbing pulp. But she would not give him that kind of satisfaction yet. She gasped when he pressed into her, his knees grinding into her hips, and chest bearing into her own.
He yanked up her jaw. "Oh, little one, I am not going anywhere."
"If you want to kill me," she hissed, finally meeting his eyes in a red-hot glare, "then by all means, just do it!"
Orochimaru chuckled, the fingers on her chin tightening. "Now why would I do that," his eyes seemed to change. What was in those orbs of his? Regret? Weakness. Of course not. "…you're my only friend."
Her eyes widened. Friend? That wasn't the word she had expected to hear from someone like him. "Bitch" maybe. Before she could respond however, he released her entirely and she fell on her knees.
"I am far from done with you, Anko. In fact, my little visits are going to get more and more excruciating." He reached out to touch her once more, but was stopped by the sharp teeth on his finger. He pulled back quickly, stopping the blood and glared at her.
"You coward," she snarled, licking her lips of the blood. "If you were a real man, you'd stop stalling and get the bloody thing over with!"
He leveled his height to her but kept his distance. "A real man? Bitch, I am more of a man than any of the fuckers you spend your worthless time with. Our Iruka especially." He smirked at her twitch; he had stuck a serious nerve.
"At least he's a gentlemen."
"Which you hate."
"I can adjust."
He laughed mockingly, and Anko knew he was about to say something that would humiliate her terribly. "Adjust? Well, it must be rather easy to adjust to something like Iruka," licked his lips in a cocky matter. "I, on the other hand-"
"Oh, shut up!" Anko jeered. "Your ego is pathetic."
His lip twitched. "Not nearly as pathetic as you and…" He felt a buzzing sensation in the back of his head, and knew he had overstayed his visit. He stood quickly, turning away from her.
Again.
"Where the hell are you going?" she hissed. Her eyes landed on the unguarded knife and she crept to it quietly. As soon as it was in her hand, she shot up and had the full intention of stabbing him in the back he stopped and disappeared, causing her to collide with the floor. As she pulled herself back up, his damned laugh rung freely in the room. She threw the knife dangerously across the room and jumped, heading to the door. "Fuck him, fuck everything!" she twisted the knob. "I'm getting ANBU out here right—" Her face came less than two inches to another woman's.
"Um… Hi, Anko…"
"Tsubaki?" Anko gasped. She eyed her curiously. "What are you doing here?"
Tsubaki smiled gently, but there was a hint of amusement there. "I could ask you the same thing, dear."
Anko blushed and stepped back into the house to conceal Iruka's clothing. "Um…" she felt like she was shrinking. "Tsubaki, please, you can't tell anyone about this."
Tsubaki giggled. "It's not like half the Leaf wasn't expecting it."
Anko rolled her eyes and pulled Tsubaki through the door. "Look, Iruka's not here right now, and I'm about to leave, so maybe you could-"
"Oh!" Tsubaki exclaimed, pushing Anko inside quickly and closing the door. "I was going to tell Iruka, but, well this concerns you now too!"
"Heh?"
Tsubaki pulled out something that looked like a fat stick. "Look!"
Anko took the object that was shoved into her face and eyed it oddly. There was a circle with a plus sign in it. What the heck was this thing?
"I don't get it."
Tsubaki shrilled with laughter. "Anko, it's a pregnancy test! I peed on it and it-"
"Fuck!" Anko screeched, throwing the object towards Tsubaki and shaking her hands. "You should have told me you pissed on it before you handed it to me!" she retreated to the kitchen. "God! You…" she stopped when those words repeated in her head. She turned back to Tsubaki who was still smiling. "You're…pregnant?"
Tsubaki nodded excitedly.
Anko laughed and took the girls hands in hers. "That's…great!" Not really.
"Thank you, Anko! Oh he's going to be so excited!"
Anko pulled back, her stomach twisting. "Iruka?"
Where did I put that knife?
"No." Tsubaki said, rolling her eyes playfully. "Mizuki."
Yeah, did I throw it in the living room?
"Oh, that's…even better." Anko turned away to pale in private. "Congratulations."
Tsubaki ran a hand over her stomach, where her child was developing. "I know he'll be scared, I am too. Oh, but, Anko, I know as soon as he holds it, he'll be so happy."
Anko smiled at the soon-to-be mother, but her heart was filled with sorrow for her. Tsubaki was only a year older than she, and even if she was legally an adult, this was going to a struggle for her. Mizuki was too screwed up to handle a child. Hell, he was barely out of childhood himself! She shuddered at the unwelcoming thoughts of what Mizuki could do to Tsubaki and their child. What if he hurt it before it was born? She would break both of his knees before that happened.
"Anko!" Tsubaki sang, snapping her fingers in Anko's face to get her back. "I'm trying to tell you something!"
"Oh, what?"
She smiled brightly. "Mizuki and Iruka have always been so close, so I'm so sure that Iruka wouldn't hesitate in becoming our baby's godfather…so, if this relationship becomes between you two becomes anything else…that would make you its godmother. Would you except."
Anko's paling continued. Her parenting skills were that of an axe murder's compared to Mizuki's! "Um…Godparents? It's a bit soon to be talking about that, don't you think?"
Tsubaki shrugged, her brightness dulling down slightly. "Well, my mother isn't doing to well, so, if something were to happen to Mizuki and I…we are shinobi after all."
Anko's fist curled up. She knew how Tsubaki felt. Her own parents did have such amazing planning skills and were killed on duty when she was nine. If it weren't for Orochimaru, she would have been put in ANBU and then really fucked up.
Thanks a lot, Mom and Dad.
She placed a gentle hand on Tsubaki's shoulder. "I'll give it some careful thought."
Tsubaki squealed and crushed Anko in a hug. "Oh, thank you, Anko!"
"Yeah…" Anko whispered hoarsely. "I hope I…don't die…before…you guys!"
Tsubaki released her and headed to the door. "I have to find Mizuki and tell him! Oh, God Anko, I'm so psyched!"
Anko trudged out the door, watching the young mother skip down the steps. "Good for you…" she sighed and returned to the house, closing the door.
"You hear that, snake!" she called out, smirking slowly. "There's one life you didn't screw up!"
If only I had been as lucky…
As soon as her clothes were done an hour later, Anko made the agonizing journey to the Hokage's office. Tsubaki's situation weighed heavily on her mind. What if that happened to her? She couldn't handle a child of her own! A mini Anko was far more worse than a big one! She shuddered the idea away and made a note to whip out that box of condoms Itachi so kindly gave her on her birthday. Damn Uchiha.
As soon as Anko reached the Hokage Residence she knew instantly something was wrong. There were ANBU etched out all over the place. Her heart began to race.
Was Hiruzen okay?
Did Orochimaru—
Before the though could fully register in her mind, Anko was shooting through ANBU and trotting up the stairs. She heard shouts behind her, but only she could care less who wanted her to stop. She ran through the all too familiar hallway until she reached the door she had quested for.
"STOP!"
The door burst open, and Anko's eyes instantly fell on the Third Hokage, sitting in his usual place. Around him were his fellow council members and Jiraiya, all of whom seemed so less important.
"Anko?" his gruff, soothing voice spoke, "What is it?"
Anko's chest heaved to a stop, her body sinking into the wood.
An hand suddenly grabbed her arm and harshly tried to tug her outside. "All right, girl, out you go."
Anko hissed at him, ready to bite his unworthy hands off.
"Whoa," Jiraiya spoke, jumping from his seat to aid the growling girl and possible save the ANBU's life. "It's alright, she's with me."
She was released almost instantly, but that didn't stop the glare on her face. She looked back up see Jiraiya ushering out, begging her with his eyes to come with him. She didn't really stand a chance against his large frame, and decided to do as she was told for once. She spared one last glance at the questionable Hiruzen before she was pulled out of site.
Jiraiya had taken her down to the lounge in silence, disappearing momentarily. She was alone in the afternoon sun, staring down at the shinobi discussing the mystery she knew nothing about.
"I just can't seem to leave this village."
Anko looked away from the light to see Jiraiya sitting two cans on the table. "I must be intensely popular."
Anko smiled gently and took the offered can of soybean soup. "No offense, Jiraiya, but I really don't think now's the time for a good joke."
"I know," he sighed. "I know." He opened his drink and took a long gulp.
Anko was become impatient, despite having no knowledge at all of what was going on. "So?"
He placed the now empty can down. "So…what?"
Anko leaned forward. "So what's with all the damn ANBU?"
Please not Orochimaru! Please not Orochimaru! Please not Orochimaru!
Jiraiya leaned into his chair. He was exhausted and it wasn't even three o'clock. "A body was found just outside of the village."
The metal in Anko's hand clashed together.
"A couple of kids found it."
"…it?" Anko squeaked.
Jiraiya began to crumple the can in his hand. "It was so dismantled and spread out that no one could tell what it was until an autopsy was preformed. They think it's a guy, maybe eighteen."
Anko let anything else the Toad Sannin said flow away. Why did she smell Orochimaru right then? It made brilliant sense. He shows up, threatens her, and then a body shows up. Classic Orochimaru entry.
"Why all the fuss-would you quit with the can!"
Jiraiya chuckled slightly; damn he was out of it. "The body had a Konoha headband nearby. When one of our shinobi turns up dead, that spells trouble of all kinds. It could be a sign of an enemy attack, or an indication that one of our own has gone haywire."
How about both?
"Lord Jiraiya."
The two looked up to see a medic signaling for him.
"Well," Jiraiya groan as he got out of seat. "See you around, kiddo. I'll let you know if anything pops up."
Anko kept her eyes down as he left, not budging at all until the door closed once more. She heard muffled voices outside, but chose to ignore them. She returned to the window. Some of the ninja had cleared out, but there were still enough to cause her anxiety to heighten.
Why was she so worked up over this? It could just be a simple mistake. The guy could have been attacked by a wild animal or something.
But why am I not so sure?
She closed her eyes and laid her head against the cool glass. "Get a hold of yourself Mitarashi." she said out loud. She opened her eyes again, and her eyes immediately fell on a familiar face in the crowd.
Orochimaru was standing there, no disguise of any sort, right in the middle of fifteen or so shinobi.
"What the hell? Why aren't they doing anything; you're right there!"
He was grinning at her, as if he knew a secret she didn't.
She glared at him, her nails digging into the glass. "You bastard, you really did do it, didn't you?"
A pair of ninja walked in front of him, and he was gone.
The glass chipped under her fingers. "Where did you go?" a sickening thought came to her. "The boys…Iruka!"
"I am far from done with you, Anko. In fact, my little visits are going to get more and more excruciating."
She burst out of the lounge and threw every obstacle out of her way to get home faster. "So help me God, Orochimaru, if you've so much as looked at one of those boys…" She could hear his chortle clear as music, and only sped up faster.
Her lungs were ready to burst by the time she made it to her apartment complex. All was quiet and still, with exception for a set of sheets that hung off a banister several yards away that belonged to her estranged neighbor whom she was almost certain was dead by now.
"Where are you?" she hissed under her breath. "Orochimaru…"
"Anko-girl!"
Anko looked up to see Ryik waving at her from her porch. His facial expression was very vague. She trotted up the steps, coming to another panting stop. Itachi was there as well, leaning against the door frame with his eyes cast down. "Is…Iruka…"
"He in there." Ryik stated. His large caramel eyes stared at her intensely. "Anko-girl…who…"
Anko placed a hand on the young boys shoulder. "It's okay, Ryik." The youth nodded and let her past. The Uchiha stepped aside as well, but did not meet her gaze. She didn't want to spend time trying to figure out his silent treatment. She stepped inside, but was stopped momentarily.
"Anko," Itachi spoke in a low whisper, "Please…for God's sake, be gentle with him." he pulled back and quickly shut the door, leaving Anko with the sober darkness. She suddenly wished one of them was with her, that someone would tell her what the Hell was really going on. But Iruka needed her, not a crowd. He needed his fiancé. His best friend.
She took her time however getting to the bedroom, however, she was at the door in a split second. Taking in a deep breath, she opened the door.
Iruka was at the foot of the bed, his head buried deep into his hands.
She closed the door softly, stepping in front of him and lowering herself to his level.
"Iruka," she whispered. "baby, look at me, please."
A pair of wet eyes met hers, and Anko felt her heart break. She had only seen Iruka cry twice, well three times now, in her entire life. Once was when they were six and Anko had thrown Iruka off of a slide at the park and broke two ribs. She was made to spend a hour everyday with the Umino while he recovered in the hospital.
That was how they became best friends.
The second time was years later at the funeral of his parents and the rest of the poor souls that had lost their lives during the Nine Tails attack. He had wept on her shoulder for three hours, but she allowed each and every tear.
Who was dead now?
She caressed her lover's face gently, swallowing the lump in her throat before bringing up the heart-wrenching question.
"Who is it?"
"It's…Mizuki. Anko, he's…" Iruka's voice cracked into a strong wail of agony, "...dead…Mizuki's dead, Anko!"
OH HESHBELL YEAH!
Nsync always helps me type fast.
I actually got the idea for the Anko/Orochimaru meeting from Disney's "Tangled" during the scene where Mother Gothel confronts Rapuzel to get her to come back ("Mother Know's Best reprised") Great Movie!
Merry CHRISTmas! Yeah, I went there.
Ethridge: Damn, religious stand time.
Me: Zip it Atheist!
Poll: Do you actually like reading *lemon* scenes?
I hate to admit it, but I do. I'm a Christian, so I feel like God is glaring at me each time I do, but hey, I'm human, and I shall do human-like things. I kind of enjoy writing them too, but it makes me silly. So your response to this poll will help me decide how graphic
I get into them.
Anko and Orochimaru, I can do.
Anko and Iruka, eh, I need some work.