10 years ago...
"Come on! Tobirama!" She, Kawakana exclaimed.
Tobirama obliged, speeding up. The pace did seem faster and the trecherous terrain seemed to no longer resist their speed, but Kawakana seemed to always just fall through his grasp. Unfortunately She'd always slip away.
"Hahaha! Slow poke!" Kawakana said.
"I'll eventually out run you!" Tobirama ran faster than ever. The world around them was like a long tunnel and Tobirama would occasionally jump, hoping that he would stay on his feet when he landed.
After what felt like an eternity, Tobirama stumbled to a stop. Both came to a cliff. There was a huge lake, the bottom of it obscured by a thick layer of fog and water. Kawakana stopped catching her breathe.
"I'm going to jump." She said.
"Are you sure?" Tobirama looked at her nervously.
"I have to." She said. "If I don't go now, then I'm never going to do it."
Tobirama shook his head and Kawakana shrugged, She faced him, their faces inches apart. He felt her breath on his lips, but instead of shying away she leaned forward, with her arms, to where her feet were, and took him by the face. Kawakana smiled and she kissed him.
Tobirama's heart pounded against his chest. The taste of Kawakana's lips on his, the warmth of her hands on his cheeks, her hair against his skin. The smell of her perfume. They kissed and their lips parted. He kept looking at her. Her eyes were glowing, so blue, so enchanting. He wanted to kiss her more than anything in the world.
She felt his lips on hers again and she gave him a little turn so they switched standing positions. So his back faced the ledge of the cliff. It was time.
They kissed again. Her hair against his face, his lips on hers, her hands on his cheeks, his hands in her hair, their bodies touching. She pushed him back a little. He felt as if she was trying to push him off the cliff.
"Do you trust me? Tobirama?" Kawakana asked.
Tobirama was so close to the edge.
"With my whole heart." Tobirama said, his voice breaking a little at the end.
He looked into her eyes, and he saw a glimmer that was like the sun. A spark of hope that burned just for him, for their love.
"What about you? Do you trust me?" Tobirama finally asked.
Kawakana kissed him lovingly and passionately one last time. As if it was their first. The last one.
"With my whole heart." She said. This wasn't a lie. She saw something in Tobirama that made her trust him completely. So she did.
She then pulled him from the cliff's edge, turning him around so her back was against the ledge. Tobirama's gaze met the lake for a brief second, before turning back to Kawakana's glowing eyes.
"If you can't see the light, then... I'll be your light." She whispered. "Then we both will jump together!"
He hugged her, she hugged him, and they leaped. Kawakana closed her eyes, He looked up to her to see the sun brighten her hair and illuminate her face. He loved how, in that moment, It was in his arms she truly shone.
"I love you Kawakana-chan." He shouted.
And he heard a great shout from her lips, "Not as much as I to you."
Then the water cased them both and their spirits were truly one. Submerged in the warmth of each others embrace.
The water cased both teenagers and they floated up towards the surface. They held on tight, to each other, arms wrapped tightly. Tobirama gazed into his love's eyes and she gazed back.
They reached the surface revealing a gorgeous sun peeking through the trees. The sun was in its height. Kawakana looked up at the sky with a big smile, and Tobirama looked up her eyes, unafraid.
Just then, Kawakana started to laugh, he liked the sound of it. She stood up and ran to the other side of the water, and started talking, "I came here when I was little, I jumped off the cliff then too, hehe, Almost gave Izuna a heart attack, he said I almost died... You won't believe what I saw in the deep water! You'll probably think I'm crazy."
He took interest immediately, "No, I won't, Tell me what you saw."
She recalled fondly, "I think I saw my mother!"
Tobirama listens to the recount of Kawakana's tale, the only sound being the chirps of the various forest insects. As she finish he raises a eyebrow, his eyes glimmering with curiosity, "And after seeing your mother." he asks "What did you do?"
"She spoke to me," Kawakana states, her eyes still sparkling from the memory, as she takes hold of Tobirama's hand. "She told me that I would meet a special someone, one day, that I would fall in love, and that we'd be together until the very end, even after we both passed on."
She gives Tobirama's hand a squeeze, "Do you believe it?" she whispers, her voice filled with hope as her eyes gaze into his.
Tobirama takes Kawakana by the hand, gazing into her eyes as well. "I'm not sure what to believe," he admits after a few seconds. "But your mother wouldn't lie to you. I'm glad your path in life took you to this moment right here," he adds as he brushes a strand of hair away from Kawakana's face.
"I'm glad my path in life took me to this very moment, too," Kawakana smiles, looking at her hand still intertwined with Tobirama's hand. "And who knows, maybe I really did see my mother down there. Because if I had not, we probably would not be standing here today," she adds.
Tobirama lets out a light smile, the feeling of being alone, away from the from the troubles of the world, and with Kawakana by his side, being a welcome one.
After a moment of silence, Tobirama looks to Kawakana "I have something to tell you," he states.
"Well, what is it?" Kawakana asks, a hint of curiosity laced in her voice. She knew Tobirama's serious tone meant he had something important to tell her.
She felt his hand grasp hers a bit tighter, which made her heart beat a bit faster.
Tobirama lets out another smile as he looks down at their held hands, their fingertips brushing against each other's skin, and his thoughts of confessing his love towards Kawakana becoming more and more real.
"What I said earlier was rushed, I want you to know that I love you with my heart," he speaks, his voice a low one, but filled with honesty. "I love you, Kawakana."
As Tobirama speaks, Kawakana's heart flutters. She looks up at him again, and the feeling of butterflies in her stomach only intensifies as his words hit her ears.
"Tobi, I..." she starts, but words don't seem to come out of her mouth.
She's so caught off guard that a moment of shock hits her. Kawakana never thought Tobirama would seriously confess his feelings towards her, not this soon. As those feelings sink in, her heart throbs with even more fervor as she looks back at Tobirama.
Tobirama's smile doesn't budge as his eyes gaze at Kawakana, both waiting for her to continue the sentence she started. He waits for her answer intently, wanting Kawakana's true feelings to come out. All the time they spent together in the wilderness, and now this confession, the first true expression of feelings coming from him. He feels the most at peace with her, and he doesn't want this moment to be interrupted.
Tobirama lets out a chuckle as he watches Kawakana fumble her words, clearly wanting to say it but not being able to find them. His face becomes a bright shade of red, yet this embarrassment he felt didn't matter. They were so close to each other and he was about to hear something he had always wanted to.
Kawakana's cheeks flush as she sees Tobi's blushing, which also sends a wave of emotions across her face.
She takes off his hand from hers as she steps forward towards him, taking both of his hands as she looks into his eyes. Her lips are mere centimeters away from him right now and she is ready to speak her true feelings to him.
"Thank you, Tobi," she whispers. "I love everything about you, from the way you make me feel. The way you make me laugh. The way that you always push me to try harder in life... But after I almost five months ago please don't make such statements in haste."
"Just after two weeks into knowing each other you confessed your feelings for me and did so time and again after." He consoled her, "I just wanted you to know your feelings for me haven't gone unchecked."
"Kawakana, it's not that I've only fallen for you recently..." It was the first time he'd ever admitted it aloud to himself.
"I've always known I loved you... It's more like I didn't want to admit it to myself." He swallowed, the words caught in his throat. Tobirama looked down before slowly making eye contact with her. He closed his eyes, then slowly opened them again - her presence made him weak, so he could either act tough or let his guard down and admit his feelings. "You know... I've always felt that way about you too. For the longest time, I refused to believe it. It was silly of me not to admit that I fell in love with you. I felt guilty after that beast almost killed you, I could not protect you or heal you... Your strength is unmatched by any shinobi I've met so far. In a way, I'm also glad that I did not speak up sooner... because now all I want to do is stay by your side forever. I want to feel your touch, hear your voice, taste your breath. And I'm willing to fight for you as much as you need me to," Tobirama's eyes were filled with emotion. He had never allowed himself to be this vulnerable - not in front of anyone, let alone her.
He took her in his arms and pressed his lips against the warmth of her cheek.
She wrapped her arms around him while their foreheads pressed together. The comfort of his embrace and the warmth of his breath were unlike anything she'd experienced before.
"You don't have to be strong for my sake... I love you and I love seeing your vulnerable side. I just wish I could be as strong as you," Kawakana softly whispered in his ear, her words carrying an intimate tone.
She lifted her head up and brushed his jaw with her thumb before resting their foreheads together again. His soft red eyes made her heart skip a beat.
As Tobirama listens to Kawakana's words, a warmth fills his chest. The feeling of her saying the words he had wanted to hear for so long, the feeling of hearing those words from the girl of his dreams was one he could never had anticipated.
"I don't know how I fell for you, but when I did," he replies back, his voice light, "Everything from that moment onward just seemed soo much better."
Kawakana's eyes glimmer like they never had before as he responds to her, his words warming her heart.
Her lips then slowly make their way up to Tobirama's as she kisses him, not letting go for a split second as they hold on to each other.
When they pull away after a few seconds, Kawakana smiles at Tobirama.
"You lovable dog." She adds quietly, kissing him on his cheek.
Tobirama smiles back at Kawakana as they pull away, his heart beating at a rapid pace.
He then returns the kiss by gently placing his lips onto Kawakana's, not letting go for a moment. It was too perfect of a moment for him to break it up immediately.
"My lovely pooch," Kawakana murmurs.
This was the moment she had been waiting for. She had never felt this kind of love and affection for anyone before. She had never gotten the chance to tell anyone this, and now, here she was, expressing her feelings to him with all the passion in herself. She takes a minute to enjoy this moment with Tobirama. This was, after all, her first true love. She was forever grateful for this.
The sun began to descend, bathing the sky in a brilliant orange color. It seemed so perfect for him and Kawakana that day. The forest was filled with lush trees, each with their own distinct shapes and sizes. Birds chirped and whistled, their beautiful melodies dancing throughout the entire area. The wind felt a slight bit colder than usual, although, neither of the two seemed to notice.
Kawakana turns to him, her eyes gazing into his with all happiness in the world.
"Tobi..." she whispers, her voice tinged with love.
Kawakana nods slowly in response, her eyes still locked on his. She doesn't say anything back to Tobirama as she leans in towards him for their second kiss. It was just as magical as the first one, their lips gently grazing against one another. After a few seconds, she pulls back again and looks at him once more, her cheeks aglow with happiness.
"Thank you, Tobi," she whispers again, this time with much more passion. She wraps her arms around his waist, holding him close to her body. She wanted to feel him as close as humanly possible.
The moon shines upon both of their bodies, reflecting off them in an almost holy manner.
Kawakana leans into Tobirama, her whole body completely relaxing against his. Her face is just inches away from his, and she can almost feel Tobirama's heart beating as well.
They kiss longer than before, their lips barely ever breaking contact as he holds Kawakana in his embrace firmly, almost afraid to let her go.
He asked her, "Would you like to continue our training?"
She giggled, "But our clothes are still soo wet."
Tobirama smiles, "That makes it even better!"
At the mention of "Wet clothes", Tobirama stops kissing Kawakana, and looks at her. He smiles at her. "Then we won't wear clothes at all..." Tobirama says in a teasing tone.
Kawakana giggles at Tobirama, and pulls him closer, "Okay... no clothes then!"
He says ruining her fun, "I'm only joking... Here, Kawakana."
He took out a towel and dry robes from his backpack on the rocks. He handed them over to Kawakana. They both began to pull off their clothes, throwing the clothes onto a large rock basking in the sunlight. Tobirama began to grin as his eyes rivalled with Kawakana's. Kawakana giggles and dodges his hand as he tries to hold her.
Tobirama exclaimed, "Haha, I've got you now!"
Kawakana giggled, as Tobirama pulled her close. His other hand gripped her waist, pulling her even closer towards him. Tobirama then leaned in towards Kawakana, bringing their lips together in a playful kiss. Kawakana's lips were soft and sweet, causing Tobirama's heart to race. As the kiss lasted for several minutes, Tobirama finally pulled back to catch his breath.
She laughed feeling ticklish, "Tobi! We're both naked."
"I know!" Tobirama laughed as he grabbed Kawakana by the waist and pulled her in for another passionate kiss. Kawakana giggled, enjoying Tobirama's attentions. Soon, their bodies were pressed against each other, and Tobirama began to caress Kawakana all over. He lingers a little longer on her breasts, feeling their weight in his hands and letting his fingertips tease and explore her bosom. He continues to gently cup her soft breasts, running his fingers along her sides and back. He makes sure to be very gentle with her body, not wanting to hurt or injure her in any way.
"Tobi, I knew you couldn't resist me no matter how hard you tried." She giggled leering at him. Her words caused him to stop everything. He mumbled, "Um, I got carried away."
There to his surprise he felt her fingers against his backside. "I don't think... I was ready for that." Tobirama stuttered with a blush all over his face.
Although he was surprised at first, he quickly became aroused. Tobirama's eyes widened as he felt the sensations her continued touch had on him.
Tobirama was embarrassed and pulled away, turning away from Kawakana. "Kawakana-chan, maybe we should start getting dressed now..."
Tobirama's cheeks were red and he sorted out his belongings sheepishly.
She giggled, "What? Your manhood is getting hard? Again?"
Tobirama let out an embarrassed groan as he tried to cover himself, "As many times I tried to control myself, I still can't help the way my body is reacting to you!"
A smile crossed Kawakana's face with Tobirama's confession. She giggled, "I know, Tobirama. You can't help yourself and I find that very endearing."
Tobirama was surprised at her compliment but also found it to be true. "You find it endearing?"
Kawakana nodded, "Of course, Tobirama... Your reaction is absolutely adorable! I like it when you get excited!"
Tobirama's heart started to pound even harder as he continued to blush, his eyes unable to look away from Kawakana. He was lost in thought again. Tobirama didn't know what to say but couldn't deny that all the blood in his body seemed to rush south now. He felt a little light headed as the blood was rushing through his body. He tried to move his mind back onto the track of thinking but he couldn't. The Senju's cheeks flushed at the memory of what happened with Kawakana all these two years they had known each other. The way she touched him was so sensual, it drove him crazy.
"I see." Tobirama replied, Clearly trying to get himself together. "I'm still glad to know that you don't mind my feelings for you."
She offered kindly, "I don't really have a problem with it, Tobirama. Your reaction is adorable and I'd much prefer it if you let yourself enjoy it~" She then wraps the warm soft towel around her breast, covering herself. Kawakana goes for Tobirama's bag, and pulls out a light blue silk negligee and a matching robe for Tobirama. She handed it to him, and he looked at her with a small smirk. "Well you certainly look very nice." Tobirama said.
"Thank you, Tobi."
The night is silent as Tobirama and Kawakana lie in their robes by the fire, staring past the bright flames at each other's faces. The warm air rushes across their skin as the fire crackles away.
"Do you want to know what's on my mind?" Kawakana asks, smiling brightly.
Tobirama turns to look at her. "Of course, I'd love to know," he replies, smiling back at her happily. "What have you been thinking about?"
Kawakana nods her head slowly. "About all the training we do," she states. "Let's continue!"
"And..." Tobirama inquires.
"I mean, we're training all the time," Kawakana clarifies, causing Tobirama to stiffen in anticipation. "I want to make sure we have good combat stances and stances to catch people off guard. I want to make sure we're sharp. So, let's continue! I think we have a lot of to improve."
Tobirama requested, "What will you give me in return?"
She thought for a long moment, "You already felt me up and got excited earlier. Far as I know I already gave you something in return."
Tobirama looks a bit guilty. "Sorry about that... If I made you uncomfortable." He says, a bit embarrassed.
"You're such a smart guy, and your mind works in ways that other guys don't even realize. If you weren't cautious and gentle, it would probably scare me." She laughed again. "Besides, If you were going to grope my bosom, I should be allowed to touch your behind."
"Don't laugh, You do have a point." he said sternly. He then wrapped his arms around her and pulled her head into the crook of his neck.
"Stop being so weird, Tobirama," she said, sounding a bit annoyed at him.
He thought it was cute. She didn't try to take his head or anything like that. She just pushed herself into him with her head. "Fine, Let's see what you have to work with."
Tobirama pauses before laughing. "Okay then, we'll skip straight to a fight," he says. "How about you take the first move?"
"Alright," Kawakana replies, preparing herself for battle. "I'll give you the honor of leading us off!" With that, she lunges forward, sending a flying kick towards Tobirama's head.
Tobirama ducks quickly out of the way, barely avoiding the strike. "Good speed," he says, "but a little too direct."
He turned around to face her. "What are you doing?"
She gave him a flirtatious smile, Avoiding his question; "I like how you look at me. It makes me feel like I'm worth looking at."
He tried to look away, but she grabbed his wrist.
"That's true," Kawakana acknowledges with a smile. "I'll try to keep you on your toes."
Kawakana circles Tobirama, attempting to find any weaknesses in his defense. Tobirama, however, remains vigilant, watching Kawakana's movements closely. She eventually moves into position, kicking off the ground to send a horizontal spinning kick at Tobirama's chest.
Before the kick can connect, Tobirama jumps backwards, causing Kawakana's spin to carry her past him. Not only does Tobirama narrowly avoid the attack, but he now has an opening to counterattack.
Seizing the opportunity, Tobirama moves in on Kawakana, grabbing her ankle and twisting it to throw her off balance. He then quickly grabs her shoulder with his other hand, pulling her in close before quickly sweeping her leg out from under her, causing her to fall flat on her back.
Tobirama touched her in the middle of her chest, He observed, "Why are you holding back? Kana? I know you are better at taijutsu than I am."
Tobirama looks down at Kawakana, his eyebrows raised in curiosity. "I'm holding back?" She asks, "Is that what you think?" He offers her a helping hand. "Come on, it's okay. Get back up, and show me what you're made of!"
After helping Kawakana back up to her feet, Tobirama waits patiently for her to make the first move. She hesitates for a moment, taking a few deep breaths before lunging forward again with a flurry of rapid kicks. The speed of her attacks causes Tobirama to quickly move back and forth in order to dodge her kicks. He's doing well, but it's clear that he's losing ground.
Tobirama watches as Kawakana charges forward again, kicking up dust as she moves. Despite her speed, he manages to weave out of her way, barely avoiding any hits. He moves into position to deliver a powerful elbow strike, but just as he makes his move, Kawakana dives out of the way, causing him to miss by just inches.
Kawakana rolls with the momentum of her evasive maneuver before jumping back to her feet and launching a powerful reverse spinning kick at him.
Tobirama narrowly avoids the attack by hopping back just in time, but not without losing his balance. He quickly rights himself and prepares to retaliate.
After regaining his balance, Tobirama circles Kawakana, observing her movements carefully. He looks for any weaknesses, any flaws in her defenses. As he does, he continues avoiding her kicks and punches, stepping just outside of her reach and keeping himself protected.
Eventually, he sees an opening. Kawakana leaves herself exposed for just a moment, and Tobirama pounces on the opportunity.
Tobirama dashes forward, tackling Kawakana to the ground and landing on top of her. He pins her beneath his body weight, using his hands to keep her arms pinned beneath his own. Kawakana struggles to get free, and Tobirama tightens his grip just enough to make it difficult for her.
"You are going to kiss me now?" She asks.
Tobirama's cheeks redden as he feels Kawakana's body underneath him. The idea fills him with equal parts excitement and embarrassment. He can feel Kawakana trying to escape his grasp, but he doesn't want to let go. Tobirama decides to use this opportunity to move even closer to her.
"You know," Tobirama whispers quietly into Kawakana's ear, "I think I just might do that." Tobirama leans in a little closer to her, feeling her body underneath his own. He can feel her breathing heavily now, her lungs expanding and contracting beneath them.
Kawakana's eyes widen as Tobirama's close proximity to her sends her thoughts racing. She can feel his warm breath on her neck, his strong body on top of hers, and his hand slowly trailing down her arm. Tobirama leans in even closer, his lips brushing against her ear as his free hand reaches up to caress the side of her face.
His touch sends shivers down Kawakana's spine, causing her to squirm under his weight. She can feel his hand gently caressing her face, and she can feel his lips hovering just above her neck, just a breath away from kissing her. The excitement and tension in the moment leave her feeling intoxicated.
As their lips inch closer and closer to one another, Kawakana's heart leaps into her throat. She can feel the heat of Tobirama's body on her bare skin. In her mind, she can imagine their lips blending together, their tongues softly exploring each other's mouths. She can imagine him on top of her, feeling the weight of every inch of his body as his arms wrap around her tightly, holding her in place.
Despite being held firmly in place by Tobirama's hands, Kawakana does her best to move closer to him, her body craving his touch. She can feel his warmth against her neck, his breath against her skin, each sensation sending her heart racing. Even with the weight of his body on top of hers, Kawakana wants nothing more than to wrap her arms around Tobirama and hold him in close.
Sensing her consciousness slipping away, Tobirama pressed his body firmly against the delicate weave of her kimono.
Kawakana's eyes jolted open. "Wait! Tobi!" she mumbled, blushing profusely. "I'm having second thoughts! As you said that night at the lake! I'm not ready for that!"
Tobirama raised one eyebrow at her. "I believe we were sparing..." he replied, his voice quiet. As Tobirama releases Kawakana from his clutch, he looks at her with amusement, a playful glint in his eyes. He chuckles and shakes his head, reaching for her hand to help her stand. "We were," he says with a smirk, his grip gentle but firm. "But I never said I wouldn't take advantage of the fact that you're...distracted."
"I thought I was the only one here versed in the art of seduction." She noted looking away from him.
Kawakana blushed wildly as Tobirama took her hand in his, helping her up from the soft, grass covered ground.
As the two rise, Tobirama begins to stroke Kawakana's soft hair, feeling the strands between his fingers and the softness of them against his touch. Kawakana leans into Tobirama as he plays with her hair, enjoying the feeling of having him close.
Kawakana let out a shy and gentle smile at him. She put a soft hand to his face, stroking his cheek with her thumb. The smile remained, but Kawakana's tone and expression went somewhat serious, but still in a tender way.
"Tobirama, I... I don't know how I can ever repay you for all that you've done for me." She took the hand Tobirama was stroking her hair with and raised it up to her lips. She then put those lips to his fingers before lowering them again.
Kawakana was blushing now. The gentle expression she'd started off with when speaking to him had been replaced with a shy yet sweet one as she looked at him from where she was. She put her hand up to Tobirama's chest, and felt it. Then, she put one hand around his neck and one around his waist, and got slightly closer to him, so that they were basically touching. When he'd moved her hand from her hair to her face, Kawakana was smiling as well at their contact—especially as she could feel his breath on her face now.
She said, "Without you I'd be dead."
"Please don't say that, especially after you were almost killed by the storm dragon." He brushed her hair to the side.
"I'm still alive, Tobirama. And that's all thanks to you."
Kawakana looked Tobirama in the eyes, holding his stare for just a moment. Then, she leaned in and kissed him. It felt like her entire body was tingling as they touched, and Tobirama tasted like honey to her.
She ended the kiss and stayed close to him, resting her forehead against his shoulder. "You really are... the most wonderful person I've ever known. In my whole life."
Tobirama lifted his hands and stroked Kawakana's hair back over her shoulder, and moved it forward again so that it draped over his hand. With his other hand resting on her waist, he turned towards her. The two of them faced each other, their faces just a few inches apart. Tobirama's eyes were soft, and he tilted his head slightly. He looked like he wanted to lean in for another kiss.
"You know, Kawakana..." he said quietly. "I don't think I deserve that, actually. I didn't always treat you as well as I should."
"Hmm. I suppose that's true enough." Kawakana sighed. "But... I'm so glad we've made it this far. And I mean every word I've said to you."
She gently grabbed Tobirama's face with each of her hands, and kissed him again. When they broke apart, she pulled herself close to him.
"You are my love," said Kawakana. "And no one else could take your place in my heart. Ever."
"You know what, Kawakana?"
Tobirama kissed her hand which is on his chest and then placed it on the back of her neck, moving her hair gently aside once again.
"If we'd never met, I think my life would've felt really empty. But now, I know why I'm here. I'm here... for you." He closed the distance between them once more and kissed her deeply, letting his hand go from her neck into her hair, caressing it in a loving manner while they locked lips.
"Mhmm..." Kawakana hummed at the feeling of his hands touching her hair. She closed her eyes and savored the feeling of him kissing her. His kiss was warm, and made Kawakana's heart race. As they kept on kissing, Kawakana felt like there was nothing else in the world that mattered besides the two of them.