Chapter 22

Sai was the second to awake that morning. The weather was beautiful. She yawned loudly drawing Akage's attention.

"Oh." He said surprised, "Morning Sai."

"Morning." She responded.

"You sleep well?" He asked.

"Decently." Sai told him, "I prefer sleeping in trees, but Kaze won't do that with me. Whatever. How'd you sleep?"

"Very well actually, but I was kinda surprised when I woke up." Akage admitted.

"How so?" Sai asked, trying to feign ignorance.

"Well, when I woke up, I found Nami sleeping right beside me. She normally sleeps beside Umi, so it was a little strange." Akage explained.

"Did you not like it?" Sai asked. This made Akage blush.

"No. I thought it was nice. It's just not something I'm used to. My brother and I never really had much chance to make good friends, let alone chase after women. We were too busy running the village, so I really have no clue what to do about this." Akage explained. Sai smiled at him.

"Let me tell you a secret Akage." She said. His ears perked up and his eyes widened a little at this. "She just wants you to be forward with her. Tell her how you feel. Wait for the right moment of course. She'll let you know when she's ready to hear you out." Akage ran his hands through his hair. He was clearly stressed out about this.

"How will I know when she's ready?" Akage asked.

"Trust me. You'll know." Sai assured him, "You saw how I acted with Kaze. Look out for something like that."

"Damn." He cursed, "Women are so complex." Sai giggled and shook her head.

"I guess you could say that." She winked at him and continued getting her things ready for the rest of the day.

After some time, the rest of the group awoke. They ate breakfast and started out for the day. Sai noticed that her wounds hurt a little more than she had expected them to, but it wasn't enough to stop her. It wasn't like she wasn't used to pain. Besides, she had some comedy to watch while she walked to take her mind off the pain. Watching Akage try to figure out what to do with Nami was hilarious. Several times, Sai could not hold it and began to giggle, much to Kaze's confusion. Umi, who had also picked up on Akage and figured out what was going on, told him not to worry about it before joining in with Sai in her giggling. Nami didn't seem to notice any of this. Akage didn't either. After a few hours of walking the group decided to take a break for lunch in a field that was beside the road on which they were traveling. It had a nice flowered hillside to sit on and the sun was shining brightly. Umi brought the food out while Akage used his powers to start the fire. While the food cooked, Sai took Nami aside, out of earshot of the rest of group.

"What are you doing?" Sai asked.

"Huh?" Nami responded, confused, "What are you talking about?"

"Akage! You haven't done anything to give him an opening!" Sai snapped.

"Well, I'm new to this whole steady relationship thing, okay! I don't know what to do." Nami admitted. Sai sighed heavily.

"Okay. Just be yourself alright Nami. Don't try to impress him or anything like that. Just do what you feel like your heart is telling you. That's what Akage wants anyway." Sai told her.

"So I just have to be myself around him? That is not what you told me last night." Nami complained.

"You'll figure out that they match up eventually. That stuff doesn't fit what I normally do either, but it just kinda came naturally with Kaze. That's how it will be for you." Sai explained.

"You sure?" Nami asked, doubtfully.

"Positive." Sai assured her. The two nodded and went back to join the group. Lunch was ready and they ate together, Nami sitting next to Akage. She had decided that she would move in slowly. This would be an introduction for her to advance later.

After lunch, the group returned to the road and continued traveling. Sai sniffed the air in search of the tell-tale scent of a village. She didn't find it.

"Guys." She began, "It looks like we're going to be sleeping outside tonight. There isn't a village for miles."

"Damn." Umi cursed, "I hate sleeping outside."

"I don't know Umi, it's not that bad." Kaze said, "I mean it's kinda nice."

"Shut up Kaze, you're a guy. Men love sleeping outside and all that." Umi said dismissively, "Sai, back me up here."

"I don't really like sleeping on the ground." Sai admitted, "I'm much more fond of trees. The outside isn't all bad."

"Nami?" Umi asked, turning to her sister.

"Can't say it's my favorite thing in the world..." She admitted.

"There we go!" Umi said happily, "What about you Akage?"

"Depends on the company." He responded, looking straight at Nami, who blushed lightly. Umi simply waved off this answer and kept walking. It made Sai laugh.

"Looks like we won that one." Sai remarked. Kaze smiled.

"I guess so." He said, "How are you feeling? Are your wounds alright?"

"Don't worry about me Kaze. I'm fine." Sai tried to tell him.

"I have to worry Sai. You're my fiancé. It's basically in the job description." Kaze said jokingly, "So come on. Do they hurt?"

"A little bit." Sai admitted, "I thought that the pain would be gone by now, but it hasn't all gone away yet."

"You need to stop?" Kaze asked, concerned.

"No, not at all." Sai assured him, "I've been through worse than this by choice. I'd take this over some of the training I did any day." Kaze laughed.

"Yeah, I guess. You're training is a little insane." Kaze told her.

"Hey, I killed a few thousand demons in one strike." Sai whined, "I'd say that it was worth it." Kaze laughed threw up his hands in defeat.

"My wife is strong, what can I say?" He said. Sai punched him lightly in the arm. In response, Kaze began to run her dog ears lightly. Sai shuddered with pleasure.

"Not here." Sai whined, "C'mon Kaze, stop." She was laughing while she said it and so was Kaze. They didn't notice the other three staring at them while they walked. Umi cleared her throat.

"Hey guys." She called out to them, "We're still here..." Kaze stopped rubbing Sai's ears.

"Sorry guys." Sai said.

"Yeah sure." Nami said, giggling. Meanwhile, Akage shot Kaze a look that said, "Nice one, but seriously?" Kaze returned it with a look that just said, "You know you're jealous." This made Akage roll his eyes sarcastically.

The five of them kept walking along the road until the sun began to set. They agreed to camp out that night pretty far off of the road, so that they wouldn't be bothered by pesky night travelers or anything else that walked the roads in the dark. Akage got the fire started and they all ate dinner as group. After dinner, however, Sai and Kaze excused themselves to take a walk and Umi just seemed to disappear. Neither Akage or Nami could find her. They were alone by the fire. Nami knew exactly what this was. They were giving the two time "alone," but were watching from somewhere that no one could see them. That didn't matter to Nami. She wasn't going to let this opportunity pass her by.

"Hey Akage?" Nami said to Akage, who was tending to the fire.

"Yeah? What is it Nami?" He asked.

"I wanted to ask you something." Nami told him.

"Ask me what?" Akage questioned, confused.

"Did... Um... Did you mean what you said?" Nami asked him, blushing lightly.

"What I said when?" Akage inquired.

"A few days ago. It was right after we escaped the cave." Nami explained.

"Oh." Akage said, realizing what she was asking about. His face started to turn red, "Well... Um..."

"You what don't answer that." Nami said quickly, turning her face away from him, "It was a stupid question."

"No it wasn't." Akage said softly.

"What?" Nami said, confused.

"It wasn't a stupid question. It's a question that I should have answered for you days ago." Akage explained, "Nami, I meant each word."

"Akage..." Nami was stunned speechless.

"I know that we haven't known each other for long, but I just feel drawn to you." Akage told her, "Ever since I first saw you, when you and the others arrived in my village to save us, I've felt that way. I know it probably sounds crazy, but everything that we've been through together since then has reaffirmed that. I want to get to know you, spend time with you, comfort you, and just be there for you. Love at first sight is something I never believed in. That is, until I met you." Nami didn't know what to say. She just stated at Akage. He felt the exact same way that she did. Nami didn't know how that was possible, but she was glad of it. However, those words wouldn't form in her mouth.

"If you don't feel the same way, I'll understand." Akage said after a few moments of silence.

"No!" Nami yelled, louder than she had meant to. It startled Akage. Nami lowered her voice and kept talking, "Akage, I feel the exact same way. I just haven't known how to tell you. My entire life, I've been the promiscuous girl along with my sister. I've never wanted to settle down or be with just one person, but that's changed. You're the reason that it's changed. I want something lasting now, as long as it's with you. I can't explain it, but you make me feel... Different... Better." Akage smiled and stood up. He walked over to where she was and sat by her, putting his arm around her shoulders. Nami leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Well, I guess there's a new couple in the group." Nami said in a quiet, joking tone.

"Yeah, I guess so." Akage said laughing.

"Okay!" Nami yelled out into the woods, "You guys can come out now!"

"Not until you two kiss!" Came Sai's voice.

"Really Sai? Really?" Nami complained.

"KISS! KISS! KISS!" The three of them chanted in unison.

"Dammit." Nami cursed in a defeated voice.

"Well... I guess we kinda have to give them what they want..." Akage pointed out.

"Yeah I guess so." Nami agreed. She turned around to face him and then leaned in until their lips met. Nami made it passionate. Almost excessively so. Akage was surprised at first at how much Nami was putting into this, but he played along. The other three cheered as it went on and exited the woods. Nami finally broke away.

"You happy now?" Nami asked.

"Yup." Umi said simply, plopping herself down by the fire.

"Revenge sucks, don't it?" Sai said mischievously, sitting down with Kaze opposite from Nami and Akage.

"But I would do it again in a heartbeat." Nami shot back with a sarcastic smile. Kaze looked at Akage.

"Sorry man." He said shrugging, "Wasn't my idea." Sai elbowed him lightly in the ribs, laughing good heartedly at the comment.

"Yeah, yeah..." Akage said dismissively.

"So I guess I'm the last single person in the group." Umi said cheerfully, "I feel accomplished."

"We'll find you someone Umi." Sai joked, "I won't let you stay single even if you want to."

"C'mon Sai." Umi whined, "Don't do that to me, please."

"I don't know Umi." Nami said, "The couple life doesn't seem that bad. I think I'm gonna like it."

"Whatever sis." Umi said, waving off the comment, "I'll stay the way I am and be happy about it. I'm a strong, independent woman and I don't need a man." Everyone, including Umi, laughed at this. They were going to have fun with this.

The group spent about another hour talking before going to bed. The night was cool, but not too cold. Akage's fire helped to keep anyone from feeling a chill. Sai won out over Kaze tonight and they were sleeping together, Sai in Kaze's lap, in the trees. Nami and Akage slept at the base of the tree and Umi slept by the fire. Akage's birds of fire would take the watch tonight. These birds, however, did not have good senses. They didn't notice the two pairs of red eyes staring at them from the darkness of the forest.