Plum Blossom Sanctuary

by Cosmic Sky

This was supposed to be a simple mission, albeit one Kurenai might have been better off bringing some company. Instead, company found her just as she ran into some complications. Rather fortunate since having someone with her gave her something else to think about besides grief. Unlikely as he was, he'd also be someone to help her move past her grief, like winter turning to spring.

3. Chapter 3-The Crimson Temptations

Hello, everyone. Welcome to the third chapter, and thank you all for staying with this story to now. This chapter is where I promise things will start to get steamier, building off the ending of the last chapter. I hope you all enjoy it!

I do not own anything.

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Plum Blossom Sanctuary

Chapter 3-The Crimson Temptations

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What in the hell were you thinking?! The silent demand echoed throughout her mind, preventing her from simply closing her eyes and falling asleep as Seiji had done. She almost wished her kiss had woken him up, but she'd waited long enough for him to fall to slumber. After everything he'd done throughout the day, she wasn't surprised he was out so quickly. It gave her just the right cover to kiss him.

Why had she chosen to kiss him?

It was just on the cheek. Kurenai's conscious mind retorted to that disciplinary and disapproving alter ego. It didn't soother her ire as she defiantly shook her head.

Thanks to the ongoing fire, she could still make out Seiji's slumbering form just a few feet from her. What would have happened if her kiss had snapped him awake? She imagined then she'd have to feign sleep in order to keep some air of peace between them. That's what was important now. They were going to be snowed in for what looked like the next few days, so maintaining a civil atmosphere was rather important.

And that inner voice in her kept on shouting that kissing him had just put all that at risk. Kurenai would agree with it, if the kiss had been on the lips. It'd merely been a cheek kiss, nothing more.

So, why the hell couldn't she stop thinking about it nearly fifteen minutes after she'd done it? Why couldn't she stop replaying it in her head? Why couldn't she stop imagining doing it again? And doing it on some place other than his cheeks?

Alright, enough. Now that would be crossing a line you damn well know you shouldn't. You can't. You're better than that. You're better than that. She felt her hands tightening around the covers as she attempted to curl herself into a ball. Kurenai still found herself tossing and turning. Inevitably, she ended up turning back to her right side and laying eyes on Seiji's sleeping form. He's better than most genin. The stray thought crossed her mind without warning. Once it passed, she could only begrudge herself for not catching it sooner.

Kurenai had known from the start he was exceptional as far as genin went. Now, she knew why-a mixture of guilt, determination, and raw talent which had been molded by the first two. Not an uncommon story, but she happy to see it hadn't turned into a toxic mix. She'd seen that happen her fair share, and it was entirely possible for Seiji to let his experiences turn him bitter in the worst ways.

Ninja could come from many walks of life, but even nowadays, there was certain prejudice against those that came from civilian families. Ironically, it was no different than the prejudice that existed with ninja clans, they looked down on others and they in turn were loathed, particularly for whatever special traits such as kekkei genkei. Those clans and shinobi were also the sort that families like the Agawa undoubtedly hired in the past. Kurenai was sure that those shinobi were the ones Seiji had read about in his childhood-the ones that'd helped inspire him to become a ninja. That wasn't an uncommon motivator, even for those from the wealthy class like him.

That said, his family name still carried a certain weight to it, a weight that dragged him down.

The Agawa were well-known amongst the merchant circles, and even the ninja circles. Stretching all the way back to the First Hokage's era, they were merchants who knew how to make a buck through trading and investment. It'd undoubtedly made them wealthy, not the wealthiest in the Land of Fire, but still enough that any of them could have lived a comfortable, problem-free life.

That wasn't what Seiji had chosen. He'd chosen to continuously put his life on the line, facing death and despair while struggling to improve himself. It wasn't easy, as he'd discovered first hand. Part of the difficulty came with the pushback he received for being a "rich boy" that'd chosen such a dangerous profession. Kurenai was able to sympathize with the anger he felt when people took a swipe at his family. Simply because they were rich and chosen to be merchants, people expected Seiji to do the same. Though she was also a ninja, she was still a woman, some couldn't help but take a sexiest swipe at that. Kurenai had used those earlier swipes to motivate her to do better. Seiji had undoubtedly done something similar with the insults hurled his way.

It could still set him off, though. Seiji was aware of that, but he'd worked to overcome it, and Kurenai would do her best to help him. She'd also do her best to help him overcome his other weakness-ironically, her strength.

Kurenai couldn't help but muse on the irony of them being thrown together. Him, a genin specializing in physical combat and her, a jonin specializing in genjutsu. She'd stated she was probably the best one to teach him in overcoming his weakness to genjutsu, but this was certainly not the sort of scenario such training should have unfolded in. And a kiss probably wasn't supposed to be included.

No, she was fooling herself. The kiss hadn't been for training, which they'd done little of. The kiss had been for him saving her life multiple times, and for being the best company she could have asked for during this unexpectedly troublesome mission.

Again, her mind subconsciously acted, flashing an image of him carrying her through the blizzard back to their shelter. She felt her cheeks turn red despite her attempts to downplay the entire thing. The truth was she had enjoyed it. Sure, they were in danger of freezing to death on a mountainside, but Kurenai couldn't deny that some part of her-no matter how miniscule-had enjoyed being carried in the arms of someone strong, brave, and kind. No one had done that since Asuma, and with his death, she'd resigned herself to never feeling that way again.

Now, as she lay still trying to get to sleep, she couldn't help but confront the fact that she'd been proven wrong on that front. That wasn't right-that wasn't how it was supposed to be. Right?

According to who, though? Are you supposed to mourn him forever? The question was like an icy kunai slashing across her heart. It was a question that she knew someone would ask her, or she'd ask it of herself. Well, the latter had just happened, and right under her nose to boot. Better that than the memory she'd tried hard to push to the dark corners of pitch-black corners of her mind.

Knowing no good would come of it, she turned to her left, away from Seiji. If she kept him in her sights, she was sure she wasn't going to be able to get to sleep. Sure, she wasn't going to be going anywhere tomorrow, but she was still going to need her rest. She'd have two tasks that'd require her utmost attention: the first being Seiji's training and the second was cracking the genjutsu on the box. The latter was going to be the tougher task, by a mile.

As she'd told Seiji, it wasn't surprising that the treasure box's genjutsu lock had come from the Kurama Clan. An ordinary lock could be picked, but jutsu provided a unique lock that wasn't easily picked. There was sealing jutsu, which existed for such a purpose, and then there was genjutsu. A little trickier than fuinjutsu, but just as effective in terms of security, not to mention borderline sadistic in its effects.

While they'd been recovering, Kurenai noted the irony in how she'd almost been killed by her own fellow Leaf Ninja after she used her own genjutsu to turn the bandits against each other. Death by irony was common amongst ninja.

A standout example was that the Akatsuki who'd been hunting Jinchūriki had lost one of their own to one of the very Tailed Beasts hosts they'd been hunting. Likewise, it was delicious ironic that the member who possessed immortality would now spend the rest of eternity rotting in a buried in ditch because of it. It was cold comfort, but Kurenai always drew a modicum of pleasure from that. The monster who'd taken the man she loved was condemned to a fate worse than death.

However, that led her back to the question that always came up-what next?

No one had said it, not her sadist of a best friend nor her fellow colleagues, but they all knew she couldn't mourn Asuma forever. He wouldn't want her doing so, but grief wasn't so easily overcome. Still, it could be overcome. It'd taken time, but she'd eventually made peace with the deaths of her parents. It hadn't been easy, but she'd managed to do it. Doing the same with Asuma's death would be…

She let the thought trail off as she closed her eyes and attempted to force her mind to shutdown. The more she thought about it, the more confused and frustration she felt. On some level, it was exhausting, but it was still keeping her awake. Finally, she turned back to look up at the darken ceiling. Beyond it, she heard the continued pounding of the house's wooden frame. It was holding and hopefully would hold until the storm's end, a few repairs potentially included. Kurenai found herself wishing the sound of wood cracking would tear through the night, give her something else to think about. Fortunately, and unfortunately, her pray went unanswered. Letting out a loud sigh, she finally submitted and turned back to her slumbering companion.

Kurenai kept her red eyes on Seiji's sleeping form. Several minutes of watching him and she finally felt a sense of drowsiness moving in on her. She didn't question why it'd finally come to her, or the likely role Seiji played in it, she just welcomed it. She wanted more of it, and watching Seiji granted that wish.

Even though it came with her mind drowsily remembering him carrying her in his arms. His strong arms that made her feel warm and protected against the harsh cold. Too tired to protest, both sleep and the images, she surrendered to the dreamy image of being held in those arms once again. Right beside the fire, whose warmth was secondary to the heat provided by Seiji's body.

---

The blizzard had lightened up the following day, but only slightly. Snow continued to fall, but not at the hard-hitting rate it had for the last two days. Regardless, enough of it had piled up that there had to be at least three to potentially four feet of snow outside. It was certainly enough to cover a quarter of the door, meaning Seiji had to push it open to get a look outside. The windows were completely covered over in snow and frost.

Kurenai realized she and Seiji possibly could have melted it all-between his wind jutsu and her fire jutsu, they could probably thaw out their whole hideaway. In doing so, they'd given away their presence to anyone that might still be in the area, including the thieves that were on their way to take the puzzle box from another set of bandits. While she knew the blizzard had impeded them as well, Kurenai knew they still had to be cautious. For that reason, they chose to let their house remain snowed in; at least between the two of them they could keep the inside warm, and that was all that mattered.

Thanks to Seiji's surprisingly efficient log cutting, they had plenty of firewood to burn. Kurenai was likewise confident that the thick snowfall would disguise the tree stumps he'd created with his log cutting.

In addition to all that, she could simply put up a genjutsu to cover the whole house.

"You can do that?" he shut his mouth afterward.

Kurenai laughed in amusement, both at his statement and his attempt to backtrack. "Yes, quite easily, though I'd prefer it if I could converse my chakra." Her red eyes turned to the seemingly simple wooden box that'd been the case of their near-death experience the other day.

"Sensei, if you want, we-you can just focus on cracking the box. That's the important thing now." Seiji offered.

Turning back to him, she shook her head. "Seiji, I can crack that box. While it may take a bit of time and effort, I can do. And I can give you the genjutsu training you're going to need. Do you want to retake the Chunin Exams this spring?" It was a question whose answer she already knew. While he hadn't said it, Kurenai could see the desire within him. She also knew from his team's teacher that the team was quietly eager to take a crack at the exams this year as well. Kurenai didn't know what sort of exams they'd be this year, but Seiji was going to need a certain level of expertise in all fields, and that included hers. She wasn't going to let him take the risk and potentially fail because she wrote him off.

Most importantly, if the exams involved some manner of combat and he faced a genjutsu user, she'd never be able to forgive herself if something happened to him. If he died.

A sudden surge of protectiveness raced through her. Thankfully, it was so small that she was able to hide it from Seiji's azure gaze. Kurenai found herself swept up in it, the cackle of the dying fire becoming a faint murmur in her ears.

"Sensei? Kurenai-sensei?" His voice snapped her out of her temporary stupor. She recoiled, feeling childish and angry at herself. "So, um, more practice today means more of what I experienced yesterday."

"And more." She said, using her response to regain her cool. "We're going to kick things up a notch, will you be ready for that, Seiji?"

The seriousness that she'd come to admire him for immediately manifested. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good," she smiled. "But first, breakfast."

It wasn't the most glamorous breakfast, more like leftovers from their previous dinner, but it was something. In the back of her mind, she entertained the thought of going out and hunting while the storm had slacked off. It'd probably be a beneficial move since Kurenai had a feeling that the storm would pick up again in the day. That said, it left open the possibility of getting caught in it. She'd bring it up to Seiji; Kurenai had a strong feeling that he'd agree to it, regardless of the danger.

His eagerness was different from another incredibly expectational genin, but it was still there. Kurenai privately admitted she liked such a trait. With Seiji, she liked how it was a touch more subdued than Naruto's, but she could see it burn equally as hot.

Like the previous day, they started off somewhat on the lighter side. Discerning her illusionary clones from her real self had been an ample training exercise, one that they continued once breakfast was done. The progress he'd made yesterday was built upon in their first session of the morning. Kurenai also thought it was a good way to help jolt him awake. Literally since her illusionary clones would actually pinch his cheeks and whatnot, the price he paid for not being able to tell reality from illusion fast enough.

Thankfully, he'd gotten better in that regard. Even if he stumbled a little, he was learning to tell the illusionary clones apart. She noticed how his entire body tensed-a subconscious reaction that he was about to make a guess. In a real-life situation, he was also about to gamble with his life and the lives of those important to him, in certain scenarios.

She liked the expression on his face when he broke the spell and was back to looking only at her. Naturally, she smiled back, a small reward that she was able to and always wanted to offer him.

Granted, her smiles were also perfect masks to the next trial she threw at him.

Rather than just sitting down or sitting around him, Kurenai began to move. She'd regained enough energy and recovered enough that she was able to be physically active. A part of her felt like it was actually high-time that she started moving again.

There was enough space in the house that they could move, especially with the absence of major furniture. That said, they still had to be a little bit careful. Kurenai had deduced that Seiji was one of those people who'd get a little wild if dispersing a genjutsu he was waist-deep in, particularly one involving combat. Memories of his shockingly advanced fighting were a reminder for her to keep her illusions at a certain level and a certain type.

Turning their little shelter into a maze was a near perfect exercise. It was one of the most common types of genjutsu illusions. Practically every ninja encountered it at some point in their career; for Leaf ninja, the Forest of Death during the Chunin Exams was a common one as seemingly being lost ate up time and stamina from enemy teams.

Kurenai hid herself away while casting the genjutsu, but she kept a close eye on Seiji. After he'd finished counting to ten as she'd instructed, he opened his eyes and found himself in an illusionary labyrinth of her design. Stalking around the place were her own illusionary clones. It was a good thing he wasn't the timid sort or else being confronted by a blood-stained kunai might make him a little jumpy.

It took him twenty minutes of wondering around before he was able to break the genjutsu. She immediately went to him when he did.

"Again." He simply called.

She liked the still going blaze of determination in their blue eyes. "Alright, close your eyes." He nodded, already knowing how this was going to go. She'd told him to count to ten, which gave her ample time to craft an illusion for him to escape from. That was the neat thing about genjutsu, you could make a person believe their enemy was as far away as a cloud to the sky, and be right beside them and they'd never know it. Not until it was likely too late.

Kurenai chose one of the rooms on the second floor, one that didn't have too many holes in it, either in the wall or the floor. Seiji would reach it if he looked around, in reality, anyway. Thanks to her jutsu, such a simple walk might as well have a run through a mile-wide forest thick with trees. Speaking of which, she could have made Seiji believe he was outdoors instead of indoors; it was probably only a matter of time before she got up to that one. From the start she'd planned on giving Seiji a taste of her signature genjutsu. Not fatally, of course, but she still wanted him to experience it. A mixture of pride and giving Seiji an experience with some of the strongest genjutsu around.

That pride part definitely included her wanting to impress him.

So, she added some trees. The beautiful yet eerie cherry blossoms trees that were part of her signature.

"Oh, come on! Do you really have to tempt me like this!" Came Seiji's crestfallen shout. Admittedly, it was a little cruel to tempt him with a piece of spring while they were caught in winter's dying throes, but again, that was part of how genjutsu worked. It certainly worked in torture, which was another thing Seiji would have to prepare for.

Kurenai said nothing in response to his cry. She didn't need to as he quickly bottled his discontent and trudged on.

Personally, Kurenai would say that it'd have been nice to see such a scene, even if it was just an illusion. She doubted Seiji felt the same, as he'd shouted at her.

Hmm, but…what else can I show him? The thought had been a quiet seed planted in the back of her mind. Now, it was time to sprout, and sprout it did. While not a towering tree or splendid flower, it was still noteworthy. Rather than uprooting it, Kurenai found herself regarding it with growing interest. This was far from the first time she wondered what she could show her students in terms of illusions. It always helped to have a beat on their personalities. There was still some things about Seiji she didn't know, but she had an idea of his interests. I could…

Yes, she knew what some of his interests were, and she could use that against him.

That sprouted seed started to grow from the simple flower it was a moment ago. Rising up, it entangled her, sudden thorns seeping into her. Once more, Kurenai didn't pull it out, the urge didn't even hit her.

What she did was inhale its tempting aroma and let it guide her.

---

Thanks to the blizzard, Seiji felt like it'd been weeks since he'd seen trees that weren't covered in snow. Trees that were alive and thriving in warmer climates, just like his favorite things in nature.

As he'd shouted, it was seriously cruel of his jonin companion-turned teacher to remind him of that which he wanted to see. After walking into the first spring-themed room, filled with fluttering cherry blossoms, Seiji was reminded this was what genjutsu was all about. Reality and illusion, falling for the latter so you're disconnected from the former.

Seiji really didn't like fake things. It was a dislike that'd been born in him at an early age. All the finest toys and items a kid could hope for, so he came to expect quality. More than that, he came to appreciate things that were genuine. Even something of poor quality could still be valued if it was real instead of simply a fake.

Walking through a forest of illusionary trees, Seiji felt that preference of his being challenged.

Despite knowing in his heart it was all fake, he still felt himself being taken by the spring scenery. It didn't just look real, it felt real as well. He felt the warm breeze that he and the rest of the continent longed for, the warm breeze that was still just a few days away. That felt real, and it smelt real as well. When he reached out to touch one of the trees, he could have sworn it felt real too. The cherry blossoms that he caught in his hand.

No. Not…not entirely. Not entirely. It was a subconscious analysis and conclusion. Reaching out, he caught another cherry blossom and crushed it as well. That was the prelude to him bringing his hands together and canceling out the genjutsu. He was almost sad to see the spring forest disappear, but he had a feeling it'd be back. Kurenai-sensei might revisit it, or turn up the believability.

Back in the dark, ruined hallway of the house, he called out to the black-haired woman. In the short pause that followed, he took a quick breath, refamiliarizing himself with the cold, musky air that was reality. Depressing, but he took it while he could get it.

After walking from one end of the house, he was now to walk to the other end. As he began that walk, the damaged hallway gave way to another vibrant forest. While he walked, Seiji inhaled the false freshness that came with it. Fake, but pleasant.

"Enjoying it, Seiji?"

Eyes snapping open, he immediately did a quick survey of his false surroundings. Still a forest, but now he felt like there was something different about it. "…Kurenai-sensei?"

"It's only the two of us, after all." Unseen but heard. There was a possibility it wasn't really her-after all, he was falsely hearing the sound of wind rustling leaves and the chirping of birds as they took flight.

Kurenai's voice was better than all those birds singing together in a choir. Some fledging logical part of his brain warned him it wasn't a good idea to follow the voice. He still did it anyway, but he tried to keep his eyes and ears open for anything out of the ordinary. This was still part of his training, and he knew something was going to hit him.

He came to a stand still staring at her backside. Sensing him, she turned around, flashing him those scarlet-eyes that so fittingly matched her name. Her lips were scarlet red as well, and curled in a charming-no-seductive smile that was aimed at him. It was aimed at him.

Seiji found that as ninja moved up through the ranks, they tended to personalized their outfits less. For many chunin and jonin, it was the Leaf's standard flake jacket and nothing else. A handful of ninja did personalized their outfits, however; Kurenai was one of them. In contrast to her raven-black hair, the white bandage-like blouse she wore was stark white, albeit with black lining. He always found something positively peculiar about how she wore a sleeve on only one side, a bright red sleeve that matched her eyes and lips. A fashion statement of her choice; it was one that he agreed with. It was the brightest spot of red that she usually wore aside from her face. The other part was well hidden.

Developing a keen sense of eyesight, Seiji had learned how to pick up on subtle things. That included people's appearances. When he first saw Kurenai, he immediately picked up on the triangular window of mesh armor that rested atop her chest. A red collar that contrasted the white and gray. Given its placement, one couldn't stare at it without realizing that the red-eyed kunoichi was quite well-endowed in the chest department.

That chest was on full display as she crossed her arms just beneath her breasts, pushing them upward. Seiji saw them bounce beneath the layers of clothing. Consciously realizing where he was looking, he quickly moved his gaze back up to her face. Despite knowing it was in vain, he tried as hard as he could to deny the blush he knew was rapidly consuming his face.

Kurenai, the Kurenai he knew to be a fake, just kept smiling at him. "What? Something on your mind, Seiji? You can tell me, you know." Even her voice sounded more inviting than usual.

No, it was seductive. Like a magnet, he found himself being pulled toward her, though he consciously resisted that pull.

Getting his mouth to work shouldn't have been this hard, like trying to lift a Buddha statue. He'd heard some could do it though, and Seiji was trying his hardest. "I'd…I'd…love to, but I want to talk to the real you." As hard as possible, he shut his eyes and placed his fingers together. The real you. The real you. The real you. That's who he wanted to see, that thought was poured into his chakra as extra fuel. "Release!" the shout was louder than he wanted, but he just couldn't help it. Seiji opened his eyes as the sweet aroma of spring faded from his nose once more. By the time they were fully open, the scene of image of the flirtatious jonin was gone as well. Though he knew it was coming, Seiji couldn't help but sigh in disappointment.

"That was pretty good!" Came the real Kurenai's voice from above him.

"Yeah, thanks." Thanks for tempting me into thinking more about what's been on my mind for the last two days. Once again, he took deep breaths. Seiji knew that this wasn't over. It'd probably been barely half an hour at best. They still had years of the day left to go. Hours of him discerning reality from illusion. It was what he signed up for, but…still. What he'd just saw was a small bit of temptation.

Several deep breaths later and he called out to her-he was ready. Again.

It was more false spring, although she did mix it up with some other scenarios; Seiji couldn't say she was lacking variety. No, he was seeing just how creative the red-eyed kunoichi could get in turning their decent-sized home into a myriad of environments.

The moment he opened a door and saw a literal wall of water heading for him, he did the normal thing-panic and run like hell. With a scream, he spun back and sprinted-the sound of a tightly contained flood hot on his heels. He wasn't fast enough and the water swept him up.

"Shit! Shit! Okay, it's not real! It's not real!" The current was doing its best to make him recant that statement, and it was working. His clothes were completely soaked with his skin following suit. Even worse, the water was ice-cold. Everything in his brain was telling him it was real-that somehow, all the water from a nearby lake had been diverted into their home. Seiji gasped for air, but only inhaled more water, furthering the belief that what he was experiencing was real.

His arms struck out with his legs doing the same. The water continued to wash him away while he frantically tried to swim against the current. It wasn't easier than it was the last time he had to do something like this.

Wait! Wait! This isn't real! This isn't REAL! Despite the feeling of water filling up his lungs, he stopped struggling. Making the tiger seal, he forced out his chakra, briefly sensing the foreign intrusion. Release! Immediately, the water vanished. The first thing he did was inhale, breathing in air-it felt good after seconds of fearing he would drown. Afterward, the realization he was lying on the floor. Groaning, he rolled onto his side, pulling one leg in while leaving the other stretched out. Deep breaths in and out, one after another.

A hand fell over his chest, where he felt his heart gradually deaccelerating in its once frantic pace. Oh, and his shirt wasn't soaking wet either. The same went for everywhere else on his body.

"At least I won't be needing a change of clothes." He sighed.

"Potentially not yet."

Popping one eye open, he was glad to see the real Kurenai standing above him. At least she looked like the Kurenai he knew to be real: flak jacket and long pants, clothes appropriate for winter. She still wore that same dazzling smile, though.

Getting his body to work as he wanted it to was easier this time. "What? You're seriously trying to make me piss myself?"

"I've seen those reactions before with this type of training. It can get pretty intense, you know. We're still only scratching the surface." He held her gaze having heard that. Seiji knew it was true, and he knew compared to what he could have been seen, she was still taking it easy on him. Their current circumstances ensured that. "You picked up on that one faster than some of my students have, including my own genin."

Rather she was being honest or not, he still cracked a smile at that one. He knew for certain that this Kurenai was the real one.

"Do you want to go again, or take a break?"

There was a part of him that wanted to say no, but he shook his head before that part could step forward. "Again." She immediately held out her hand, and he took it. Real. Seiji affirmed. Real and warm. And…beautiful. He concluded looking into her scarlet eyes. What sense of weariness that'd accumulated within him was snuffed out.

Amazingly, the next near hour of training didn't snuff out his resolve. Somehow. Kurenai continued turning their ruined cabin into an ever-changing funhouse. Seiji lost track of how many times his heart rate spiked from fear and adrenaline. More water, fire, lava, wilderness, frozen corridors, holes that were letting the cold back in, barren wastes that seemingly stretch on forever, and simple darkness. There were things lurking in several of the illusionary hellscapes: enemy ninjas, wild animals, and nightmarish demons that scared him, just a little. The fear crept up on him like the winter frost that'd gnawed at the house's exterior, but Seiji didn't bow to it. He refused to.

His shouts echoed across the cabin, which quickly came to feel bigger than it really was. Amazingly, he hadn't worn out the floor with all the walking and running he did. Or break anything given how often he ran into things like walls and doors. For those, he was glad that no one was there to witness it. Sure, he knew everyone had their mistakes during training, but it was still embarrassing.

Oddly enough, the one person witness to his training mishaps was also the person he wanted to look his best in front of. It was strange, yet it made sense. His parents had told him that when it came to someone you liked, someone you trusted, you should have been able to look your best and worst in front of them.

As a jonin, as his senior, and as his partner, he trusted Kurenai Yūhei, despite the short time they'd been together. He wanted to believe she trusted him as well.

Hey, get your head back in the game. This is still training, your training. Focus on that, not your imaginary relationship progress. The world was spinning, a result of him running down a hallway where he was upside down. Everything was inverted until he released the genjutsu. He'd really begun to hate those, but Seiji had begun to learn from it. Frustrating, but he was definitely learning from it. He was learning a little from everything.

Little by little, he felt himself becoming better at discerning the illusions from reality. The voice in his head grew louder, and he was able to listen to it faster than he could before. Of course, it wasn't perfect. He still had half a dozen run-ins with the wall, doors, and the floor. Each time, he picked himself up, rubbing his face and going at it again.

He, they kept going until it was seemingly midday. That's when Kurenai decided to step in.

Seiji saw her literally materialize to his right, all while one of her doppelgangers was approaching him from his left side. He completely ignored her to focus on the real deal.

A broad smile formed on her face as her clone dispersed into ethereal petals. "You caught me." She praised, having seen the shift in his gaze.

"I've been doing this for so long, I think my body's started to get used to it. I know this is training that'll help me in the long run, but I'm definitely in the mood for a break. With real food." He quickly added, his expression turning into a pointed glare.

Of course, she laughed in amusement. "I did tell you when it comes to genjutsu, expect anything. Especially something you might really want." He wondered how much she wanted a steaming hot meal, basic as it might have been. Probably less than him since he was the less experienced one. "Come on, let's see what we still have left."

"Do you need me to go hunting?"

"Let's see what we have left first, Seiji."

They were going to need to eat again at some point. What food they did have wasn't going to last them the entire trip back to the Leaf, but there would be a few villages they could stop at. All that was after they'd gotten off the mountain, which Seiji had a gut feeling wasn't going to be happening for another day or so. He could feel it in his gut-the blizzard wasn't done yet. Odds were, that was why a part of him was eager to simply go out and hunt for whatever wild game he could find.

That urge was reaffirmed as they found themselves back before the irori, where the fire was going strong. There was still enough onigiri for them to probably get through the rest of the day, night, and potentially tomorrow morning, but after that, nothing. They were likewise going to be out of bento boxes after tonight.

"We're going to need some more food." He definitively concluded looking at their spread.

"You wouldn't happen to be rearing to go just so you can get away from me, would you?" Kurenai asked with a smirk.

Though his cheeks warmed, he proudly kept his cool in replying. "More like I just want to taste some real fresh air. Cold as hell it may be." Their mutual smiles held before he looked back to the fire. "It's just, I think we're going to need something a little more substantial, especially if we end up getting snowed in longer than tomorrow."

"What do you think the odds of that happening are?" She pointedly asked.

Rather than immediately responding, he took a second to think about it. "Pretty good. The blizzard's slacked off, but something in my gut just tells me it's going to start back up again, likely after it starts getting dark. All of this is just…like I said, it's just a gut feeling."

"Well, I agree that it's better to be safe than sorry. Truthfully, I don't fancy the idea of spending more time stranded on this mountain, but it's out of our hands."

"Is there…any reason you want to get back to the village as quickly as possible?" There was a touch of naked curiosity in his question. Her answer would likely invite him to give his own reasons.

Kurenai clearly saw that on his face and plainly answered. "None in particular, other than wanting a nice drink."

He chuckled, How very adult-like. Seiji gladly kept that statement to himself. her response didn't really surprise him. Though they'd rightfully kept him from drinking growing up, his family hadn't been shy about letting him catch glimpses of the joy of it. And the pitfalls as well.

"Now then, what about you, Seiji? Are you in a hurry to get back to the village?"

"Yes." He plainly answered. "There's Emon's Exhibition."

"Emon Eguchi?"

"You know him?" He sounded more surprised than he meant to.

The jonin took it as an impromptu to flash him a haughty smirk. "I'm no artist, but I can appreciate fine art and craftsmanship." He was happy to hear that, extremely happy. "I did hear that he was having an exhibit in the village, something to celebrate the end of winter and welcome spring." She let out a sigh that mirrored his own as the same realization struck him. "I doubt we'll be able to make it back in time to catch the exhibit at this rate."

"There's always next time." He vocalized.

"Yes, there is." The way she stared at him with pity all but told him she was blaming herself for this.

"Kurenai-sensei, it isn't your fault." The soothing words broke out of him like a dog after a bone. Of course, at the end of it there was no biting, at least not on his part. "I mean…if I had to choose between rescuing you and the being at an art exhibit, well, it's no contest." I mean, nothing there could compare to you. Those words remained hidden in his mind, as did the scarlet hue they brought.

"Well, I'm glad to hear I rank so highly on your list." His short laughter was interrupted by her next words. "What about me, though?"

"Huh?" he stuttered.

A tiny voice in his head told him it was no coincidence that she cocked her head to the side while leaning to her right side. Such a leisure pose was quite eye-catching with her figure, even if she was buddled up in winter clothing. He couldn't help but quietly picture what it'd be like if she was dressed in…less. Dressed like how she usually is. Seiji gulped as his mental eyes wondered to her legs, often bare and as free of blemishes or scraps.

Blinking, he snapped himself out of the delusion to refocus on the Kurenai that was lying across from him. She was still quite stunning, and still smiling at him in a way that seemed borderline tempting. Seiji quickly licked his lips as he tried to form words to respond. "I…um…how…highly I…rate you?" And what he got was an obviously dumbfounded question. "Um, what's the…scoring based on?"

"In comparison to Emon's works. I've seen his portraits and his sculptures, and I gotta say, they're worth the praise." That would have been the appropriate place to stop, but he knew that wasn't going to be the case. "Compared to viewing them, where do I stack up? Am I as beautiful as the artwork you'd have seen at the exhibit?"

The scary thing was the question was so direct. As direct as an avalanche speeding down mountain, crushing everything in its path.

Seiji stood before it utterly dumbfounded as to what to do. There was no escaping it, only facing it, stupid as that sounded. The fact that the crimson-snowed avalanche was smiling at him only further cemented his feet to the ground.

Well, you had a good run, buddy. Really, you did. You managed two days without screwing this up, so be proud of yourself. Now, it's the end of the road. Stated his inner voice before marching forward to take the controls of his brain. Breathing in and out, he looked the jonin in the eye, his blue to her red. "Ten out of ten, but…I'd honestly say you're a twenty out of ten. Kurenai-sensei, I…I think you're the most beautiful woman in the village. More beautiful than the portraits or sculptures that would have been on display at the exhibit." There was a sense of relief that came with revealing what he really thought of her. Though he knew it wouldn't excuse any of the gawking he was more likely to continue doing, at least she'd know the reason behind it. If she hadn't already.

Her response was…a little surprising. Her crimson eyes which sparkled with mischief a second ago were slightly widened and her mouth agape. Had he really stunned her with his confession?

Or…maybe you're the first person since her husband's death to compliment her. To call her the most beautiful woman in the village. That was the logical answer. Seiji didn't quite know how to feel about it, though. From it, he guessed that everyone around her must have been tiptoeing in one way or another since Asuma Sarutobi's death. Seiji knew the feeling well as it'd happened to him and his father after his mother died. It'd taken a year for it to stop.

Quickly, he finished up his remaining onigiri. Once he did, he stood straight up, doing his best not to look in Kurenai's direction.

"I'm going to go hunt for some more food, now while I'm able to."

"O-Okay." The hesitancy in her voice wasn't there before. He chose not to think about it. "The seal you used to find your way back, it's still active, right?"

"Yeah. I'm not going to wonder any further than about two hundred meters from this place."

"Two hundred meters?" she repeated. "That's quite impressive, Seiji."

He gave her a brief smile. "If there's one thing Team 23 can claim, it's we're good at making ninja tools. That includes beacons to help you find your way back."

"I know, and I can attest to that." She smiled, though it morphed into a concerned frown a heartbeat later. "Seiji, if the snow starts picking up, come back immediately. Don't even think of risking it."

"I know."

"I'm serious." She pressed.

"Yes, ma'am." He quickly responded. With her eyes still on him, he began getting dressed and getting ready. With the snow having slacked off, he was sure that some animals might have come out of hiding to find some food of their own. His goal were wolves and perhaps a deer or two. All the bears were hibernating now, not due to awake for another week or so when spring started.

When it came to leaving, the snow had piled up against the door again. Seiji had pushed through it when he rushed Kurenai back to it. Thanks to a day and night's worth of unending snow, that snow pile had reformed. While it helped sell the house as being abandoned, it made getting out a tad difficult.

He kept the wind blast low, both to converse chakra and to not make it seem like someone had gone in and out of the door. Seiji planned on "putting it back" before he left. With the continued snowfall, he wouldn't have to do anything too extreme to cover his tracks. On the subject of that, he hoped that the snow would disguise his prints. If not, he had a backup plan for that.

"Seiji," The feminine, tender voice froze him more thoroughly than mother nature could have hoped to. Looking up from the ground, he saw Kurenai standing in the doorway, a concerned expression on her face. No, it wasn't just concern, there was something else there. The look in her eyes, he recognized it as…longing.

Cold hair flowed through his nose then out his slightly open mouth as he asked, "Sensei?"

Something changed in her, a realization of perhaps how she was looking at him. "Nothing, just…be careful out there. Animals might not be the only thing you run into. Remember, we're safeguarding a fortune that people have died for and will kill for."

Technically speaking, people had already been killed, she'd killed some of them. Albeit to return said fortune to its rightful owners. Seiji would do the same if it came to it. "Got it. And… you…too, Kurenai-sensei." His eyes couldn't help but linger on her-that smile of hers could have kept him still and warm even as the blizzard started up again. Still, he ultimately found it in himself to move. Once he took that first step, his legs simply carried him onward. If he looked back, he had a feeling he'd get caught in her mesmerizing eyes again. They were more engulfing than any genjutsu she'd conjured.

The plethora of snowflakes that pelted his face helped him keep his mind focused on his objective, and not on the fact he wanted to spend a little more time with the woman whom he'd just admitted was the most beautiful in the village. After a confession like that, he needed to put some distance between them. It was strange as common sense told him such a thing shouldn't have changed the atmosphere between them, but it had; he'd seen it with his own eyes.

You can run all you want, but is that going to make it go away? The wind itself seemed to whisper that in his ears as his legs carried him forward. Seiji ignored it so he could focus on hunting as he set out to do. A hunter couldn't get distracted, especially when mother nature could at any second decide to remind him how fickle she could be with her wrath.

---

Kurenai's back hit the door as it slid shut. "Shit. Shit." She whispered again and again. Now that the house was empty, there was no one to hear her. Certainly not Seiji, who'd set out to hunt for them some more food. Both of them weren't holding their breath on the blizzard being entirely over. The moment they'd opened the door, they saw the snow still falling at a steady pace. It'd been the same when she was attempting to make her way down the mountain, and likely when Seiji was crossing it.

Their best bet might end up being to just spend the next three days here at this house until spring started.

That meant more alone time. Just the two of them. More time together after she'd secretly kissed him without his knowledge, and he'd just called her the most beautiful woman in the village.

Kurenai wasn't some easily-flustered girl, and she wasn't her improving but still painfully shy female student. She could take a compliment in dignified silence or generous acceptance without getting flustered. It was a point of pride for her.

And yet, she'd just had that reaction to a genin several years her junior giving her such a compliment.

Kurenai was able to tell it hadn't been easy for him. A lie might have been on the tip of his tongue, an attempt to play it cool, but he'd given her the truth. The honest truth that made her feel truly happy and appreciated. It was exactly like when Asuma complimented her.

Loath as she was to admit it, the similar feeling was why she felt hesitant seeing him out the door. With a tender expression no one could see, she turned her head back to the door. Seiji's backside instantly flashed into her mind, his resolute look as he dashed off into the snow to provide more food for them.

How many times had she and Asuma done the same? How many ninja couples had experienced the same?

Though she told herself she was being childish, ridiculous, she couldn't shake off the feeling. The last time she'd seen off someone who so generously called her the most beautiful, she'd had her heartbroken by death. Even telling herself she had nothing to worry about, that Seiji could handle himself, didn't full alleviate her worries. Asuma had been a supremely skilled ninja as well, and in the end, he too had died.

Her hand fell over her chest, clenching at it. A geyser of defiance shot up within her, violently pushing back against the absurd worry.

"It's not like you're cursed." She whispered. Seconds later, her eyes widened in realization. "And it's not like you're falling for him. You've only known the kid for a few days. Not to mention he's not even eighteen yet!"

A cheeky voice reminded her that age was a flexible subject. Back when she was sixteen, she knew plenty of ninja who'd already dived into the world of sex. Granted, there'd been a war going on then, but still!

The fire cackled several feet from her, as if mocking her and questioning her on all the thoughts racing through her head. Kurenai wished she could just toss them into the fire and let them burn. That'd be the easiest thing to do, but it wasn't going to happen.

That same nagging voice questioned her on if that'd really be a good choice.

Groaning, she threw her head into her hands. From last night to now, it'd been one emotional decision after another, all having to do with the blue-eyed genin she'd become surprisingly fond of.

Teasing him throughout his training had been as fun as it always was. Actually, it was even a little bit better than usual. Despite his misgivings about genjutsu, Seiji was improving at a modest rate. Sure, it still took him time to discern some of her more high-end illusions, but the progress was undeniable. He had a long way to go, but he was taking good first steps. Those steps somewhat stalled when she put something very enticing in front of him.

As it turned out, that enticing something was her.

Crossing her legs, she let a slight smile form on her face. She was confident in her beauty, but sometimes it was just nice having it reaffirmed. Kurenai had gotten a ton of that today. It was egocentric, but Kurenai had her vices, some of which she…did try to hide from others.

Vanity was, of course, one of them. Envy was another.

She couldn't exactly say her blue-haired student was still the same flustered little girl she once was. Nor dis she have to worry about her quest to win the affections of a certain blond ending in failure. And that was the exact source of her envy.

Kurenai was happy for Hinata, she truly was, but still…seeing her and Naruto together, especially in that intimate position had stirred something in her. Something she'd tried to use this mission to get away from. It was an impulsive decision that'd now landed her here, in this new and frustratingly complicated mess.

Another groan left her. Being jealous of her student. Yep, exactly what she'd been warned about by some other kunoichi. At least she had several years with Asuma.

"But all that's in the past." The single statement seemingly echoed in the fire-lit darkness of the room. No, the entire house. Kurenai half-expected something to happen, a sign from beyond. If not from the outside, then the inside.

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

"Dammit!" The fire, the volcano, erupted as it reached its apex. Standing up, she marched back over to the irori. She and Seiji never strayed far from it. That included leaving the puzzle boxes. They still hadn't figured out which one was real and which was fake. Suddenly, the thought of doing that seemed mighty appealing. And that's what she decided to do.

She reasoned it was probably better that she do this alone. The genjutsu on the boxes were beyond anything Seiji was ready to deal with. It'd take another two weeks of training at the least before he was capable of weathering the Kurama Clan's genjutsu.

It was deeply frustrating how both boxes were coated in genjutsu, high-end genjutsu. Kurenai knew someone had insider info about the security around the puzzle box. Admittedly, it did a great job in furthering the ruse; she could attest to that as she was now stuck trying to tell the fake one from the real one. The only way to find out was to get each of them open.

First off, she had to feel her way around them. It'd have been easier with Seiji here, but she wasn't expecting him back for at least another half hour or so. Maybe in some ways, she wanted to try her hand at solving it herself. She'd solved her share of puzzles as a kid and as an adult. Maybe this one would be the greatest of her accomplishments.

More important than unlocking the box, she braced herself for the genjutsu would that immediately activate. Thanks to her prior experience, she braced herself for the second lock that protected the box she chose. Regardless of if she got it right or not, she'd at least know which box was the real one after this.

The wooden click was the same as it had been before. It brought with it an intense sense of anticipation that made her heart race. In that same moment, she brought her hands together in readiness. A second later, she felt the foreign chakra that coated the box seeping into her.

She expelled her chakra in a counterattack. Though it receded, Kurenai didn't let her guard down. That'd been her mistake last time.

A minute passed in eerie silence. It was both comforting and disturbing. More so as that minute turned into two, then three. Kurenai kept her senses completely open all the while; she knew it wasn't over yet. She was proven right as she felt the creeping fingers of foreign chakra making their way toward her once more. There was almost a touch of relief as she felt the genjutsu trying to take hold of her before she canceled it out. That was the second time, and for disabling only one genjutsu lock.

Another eerie silence followed. Once more, Kurenai kept all her senses alert, hyper vigilant for anything out of the ordinary around her or inside of her. The wait was always nerve-wrecking, but she patiently, quietly sat through it without breaking her hand sign.

The now lightened snow flurry outside the walls and the cackle of the fire were her constants. Neither of them changed, though Kurenai knew that wasn't reason to let her guard down. Only after what felt like a solid ten straight minutes did she do that. Ten minutes of nothing.

Ever so slowly, she let her hands fall to into her lap. What seemed like an hour later, she finally let out a sigh if relief.

"That's one down, who knows how many more to go." She trained her eyes on the ornate wooden box that held as much danger to her as a kunai to her throat. Funny how it could always seem like the most miniscule things that posed the most danger. Knowing she'd cleared the first lock, she took it up in her hands and began feeling around it. Perhaps she could have waited, taken a moment longer to catch her breath, or even just waited until Seiji returned, but Kurenai had a momentum that she didn't want to lose.

If it bit her in the ass, at least the mistake would rest with her alone.

Eventually, she found the second lock. Another set of edges pushed out. Rather than bask in the joy of her accomplishment, she went on immediate guard. What came next was inevitable, so she wasn't going to be caught flatfooted.

Everything within the house seemed calm. She almost wished something would break, warp, or bend out of place. That might have been too much to ask for-the spectacular seemed to be less frightening than the subtle.

Slowly, Kurenai felt the invasion of foreign chakra trying to take control of her own. Pushing it back brought her only slight relief. Another attempt was coming, she knew it in her bones.

An invisible clock ticked by. Though it was unseen, Kurenai could hear each of its hands loudly in her ears. They stood open to catch the slightest sound, either ordinary or out of the ordinary. Both would have been suspect until she verified it.

The wooden walls groaned as a sudden strong wind blew against it. Kurenai used all her senses to determine if it was real or not; it was the former. Internally, she pondered if that was the first warning sign that the blizzard was about to start up again. For better or worse, she'd be finding that out, as would Seiji.

"He's a tough kid, but he's still young."

Her immediate response was to shut her eyes. Oh, yes. Of course. Of course, it just HAD to be that. And it just had to sneak up on me like a damn snake-one of Anko's damn snakes. The good news was she was able to feel it, the foreign chakra that made up the box's genjutsu trap.

"It's okay to be worried about him, Kurenai. You're a very caring person, always have been."

There was a tremble in her hands as she tried to bring them up into the tiger sign. Block it out. She told herself.

"I knew that trait was going to make you a great jonin, and it has. I'm sure he'd agree with me, huh, Kurenai?"

Block it out. She repeated.

"Hey, come on. Will you at least look at me and talk to me? Whatever I did, I'm sorry."

Sorry for dying on me? Sorry for leaving me alone? The words nearly escaped her mouth, but she yanked down hard on their leash before they could achieve freedom. Despite that, Kurenai still felt a near-burning impulse clawing at her. Its ferocious assault was too much, forcing her to finally open her eyes.

At least he was dressed appropriately instead of being the exact same as when she'd last seen him last. Snow coated parts of his body as if he'd trudged up the mountain-it was something he would have done for her sake. He'd done less and more for her, and taken whatever reprimands that'd came his way with no more than a chuckle.

That same chuckle echoed in her ears as she finally faced him. Her heart halted, then restarted with massive jolt. The electricity quickly circulated through her, yet she remained still as a statue. Well, after her mouth moved.

"…You're not smoking."

"Heh, believe me, it was tempting, but you know how Shikamaru was telling me to cut back."

"While getting him in on the same vice as well."

"Hey, I'm telling him to keep it in moderation. I know, ironic as hell, hypocritical as well, but I'm trying. At least I haven't lost my lungs just yet."

"I'd prefer it if you'd keep it that way."

"Well, since you insisted. After all, you have told me my voice is one of my sexier qualities."

"I never said that."

"Nikka's Golden Tavern."

Did he have to smirk when saying that? Just like he always did? "I was drunk."

"I don't remember it being like that. Especially since you told me you said it because you could fall back on the excuse you really were drunk."

Dammit. In retrospect, the response shouldn't have surprised her. Asuma, no, the phantom of her deceased husband had been created from her memories. Every talk, every secret they'd shared, this mirage could recite from heart. Knowing that, it made her need to break the genjutsu all the more imperative. She'd let this go on long enough, so she had to break it.

But she didn't. She couldn't.

The twinkle in his eyes was the smell. The faint scent of cologne that lingered on his beard. The way he smiled. All of it was the same despite it not being real.

"…I missed you." Her trembling voice broke the cracked glass that was the atmosphere.

Something real and warm grasped her hands, putting the pieces back together. "I know, and I'm sorry, Kurenai. I didn't mean to leave you for so long. I'm here now though, and I'm never going to leave you again, Kurenai."

Whatever part of her brain knew that was a lie, knew this wasn't real, that part wasn't in control.

She lunged forward, pushing the illusion of her husband onto his backside. Their lips immediately smashed together, melded together. Near immediately afterward, their bodies followed suit. It deepened Kurenai's already broken submission. Everything about him felt real-as real as it had been before. His chest, his thighs, his face, and the erection that was poking at her loins.

After what seemed like hours of nonstop kissing, Kurenai finally pulled away. Gone was the spark of resistance and determination that'd been in her moments ago. It'd completely flickered out of existence, replaced by something new. A white-hot fire burned hot within her, burning down all thoughts of doubt and indecision, the ashes being swept away by an ever-growing whirlwind.

It felt like those ashes had formed a circle-a bed-around them as she sat up. "Eager, aren't you?" For the first time, a smile formed on her face. It wasn't an ordinary smile either, it was one filled with lust that wouldn't be sated by anything other than the former Fire Guardian's best.

He grinned back with every intention of giving her that. "It's not like I'm the only one, baby."

Grinning, she fell upon him, taking his lips in hers and filling up his glorious beard. His own hands began to room her hips. They brought a sensual euphoria that made Kurenai feel like she was catching fire from both ends. The blaze intensified as she felt a thrust hit her right in the hips. She moaned into the kiss, feeling a shot of white-hot bliss rocket through her. When it came again, she couldn't help but break the kiss, throw her head back and moan.

"How long have you missed this, Kurenai?" Asuma called out to her in a husky voice. That same husky voice that got her excited.

"As…long as you have." She breathed outed in response. Her next act was kissing him, again. Though he kissed her back, he gave proper attention to her lower half. Both hands holding her down, he began bucking his hips against hers. Kurenai altered between moaning into the kiss and breaking it so she could be more vocal. Her voice rose into the air and remained there, like an ever-present fog. Though some part of her knew she was trending deeper into the mist, into danger, she didn't care. It simply felt too good, and it kept on getting better by the second. "A-Asuma,"

Calling his name inspired him to move them. After who knew how long a stint at being on top, Kurenai found herself on the bottom. Looking up at his leering face dropped her into a boiling cauldron of bliss that made her heart race to the point of imploding. Somehow, it continued to hold together as he descended upon her with a kiss. It tasted of sweet ash, the oddly tantalizing flavor that she thought she'd never get the chance to experience again. She attempted to get as much of it as she could, half-fearful it'd vanish again if she didn't take the time to enjoy it.

Asuma didn't stop thrusting his hips against hers, a fact she became reminded of when she felt a sharp jolt hit her between the legs. In the short interlude that followed, he pulled back and sat up, admiring his handiwork.

Kurenai just barely managed to focus her eyes on him, breathing hard. "S-S-Stop…t-t-teasing me, A-Asuma."

"Ah, come on. It's been a while since we've seen each other." His lips just barely grazed the soft pasture of the right side of her neck. "Oh, and you always loved teasing me, you minx."

It was true, she did, and he often playfully turned it on her. So, she resorted to pleading to him again. Yes, teasing was a fun experience, but there were times it needed to stop and they could get straight to the action.

With a laugh, her beloved realized that as well.

There'd been times she'd needed to go shopping for new clothes thanks to him. Even without his chakra blades, he could sharpen his wind chakra into a blade that left her clothes utterly shredded. Thankfully, this wasn't one of those times, no doubt thanks to the fact they were up a mountain in the middle of winter. Sexy, yes, impractical and borderline suicidal? Hell yes.

Kurenai found something enjoyable in the way Asuma slowly removed her clothes. Normally so strong and blunt, but in those times, he turned tender, it was a sight to see. The fact that such tenderness was at times reserved for her made it all the better.

The coldness that once permeated the entire house despite the fire was gone. It was most definitely her, clad now only in her red bra and underwear. Near naked, and once again lying beneath the man she loved. Who still had all his clothes on. Breathing hard, she reached forward with every intention of correcting that imbalance.

Asuma caught her hand and pushed it back, then kissed her again. His harden hands rubbed her soft body, continuously suspending her in a blissful daze. She always loved the contrast between them-everything about him was harden and cindered, while she was normally soft and ethereal. They simply went so well together; it'd made their separation all the harder on her. Thankfully, it was over with now.

Her bra left her, exposing her breasts to the naked air. "Haaah~" Kurenai moaned feeling the first touch of his hand against her breasts. Yes, Oh, yessss~ The moans continued in tandem with the hard yet tender groping. "AAHH~!" But it was nothing compared to feeling his lips on her tits. Kurenai felt her back arch as the kisses continued, a powerful tongue dragging itself over the feminine mountain top. "AAAAH~!"

That mouth that was normally chewing a cigar, and those hands that were flicking open a lighter, they were both so tenderly, so lovingly, nibbing on her tits. Or a minute later, the former was biting down. Kurenai heard her voice rising to a new octave as an erotic jolt struck every corner of her body. The shock continued for several more minutes, each one feeling like an eternity that she could spend all her life in. Even when it ended, she still felt herself lost in the smoldering hot limbo.

The floor felt cold against her naked backside, an oddly useful tool to calm down from the near orgasm she'd just experienced. Asuma loomed above her, a proud smile on his face. Blushing, Kurenai smiled back, knowing that he had every reason to have such a smug grin on his face. Then he came up with another one swiftly removing all his clothes starting at the waist up.

She'd missed it. Heavens above, she'd missed looking at his muscular, fine-crafted chest. It truly was the perfect example of what a ninja's body was supposed to look like.

Correctly, and obviously interpretating her staring, Asuma took hold of her hands and pushed them against his chest. Rather gleefully, she feeling him up to her heart's content; Kurenai kept feeling him as she leaned upward and kissed him. Her arms were wrapped around his abdomen and his wrapped around her neck while they deepened the kiss. They were completely enthralled with one another, waist-deep in the intimate embraces they'd always found the time to enjoy. It was just as amazing as it'd been before, as their last time, the time before that, and so forth.

He gently pushed her onto her backside. Their kiss broke as he pulled back. His dark eyes roamed her body, her naked, heaving chest and her scarlet-hued face. Simple words weren't possible under his near predatory gaze. She was utterly helpless, and that was perfectly fine with Kurenai. When it came to Asuma, she never dreaded looking weak or exposed-she felt happy and even invigorated.

His gaze moved lower, with his body following suit. Kurenai's breathing intensified as she knew what was about to happen next-she lifted her legs up in preparation. Smiling, he took her help and easily slipped her underwear off. Gently pushing her legs aside, he pushed his face into her womanhood and refamiliarized himself with her pussy. Sweet euphoria rushed through her like a flood, sweeping her along and down a waterfall into a pool of greater ecstasy.

An indescribable amount of time later, Kurenai felt like she'd created such pool herself. Had Asuma been eating her out for that long? It was honestly hard to tell. She'd have looked down if she had the energy to.

"Kurenai," The husky yet tender voice called out.

Finally, she did raise her head. Instead of down at her waist, she looked up at Asuma. First his face, then lower to his cock, the eight-inch pole that'd taken her numerous times. Not once had she been left unsatisfied. And this time would be no different, especially with the long absence she'd, they'd, suffered through.

"HAAAAAAAHH~!"

"AAAAAAHHH!"

It was a return, the return of something she'd been missing. For him, he'd always described being inside of her as sheathing his sword, a comparison that'd been taken from samurai and their lovers. Regardless, it was still a perfect description.

"HAAAAAAAHHHH~! YES~! YESSSSS~!"

"AAAAAH, HELL YEAH! MISSED IT SO MUCH, DIDN'T YOU, BABY!"

Her arms and legs wrapped around him like chains. It'd practically been years since the last time they had sex. This time they were going to give it everything they had-they were certainly off to an explosive start. Her breasts would have been bouncing if their bodies weren't so squeezed together. Kurenai liked that way, though. Feeling his hardened body pressing against hers, feeling every tremor his hips sent through her as he pounded away at her. Every thrust rocked her world and she loved it, she wanted it shattered to the smallest pieces. She'd pick them all back up, then scream for Asuma to break it all over again, and again, and again.

"HARDER! HARDER! ASUMAAAA~!"

"TAKE IT, KURENAI! EVERYTHING YOU'VE WANTED!"

"YES~! HELL YESSSSS~!"

Kurenai was only faintly aware of the tears rolling down her cheeks. Tears of ecstasy and joy. She didn't count on them stopping any time soon, perhaps not even after they were done. That part seemed a pleasantly long, long way off.

"OOOOOOOOHHH~! A-ASUMA, I'M GOING TO CUM SOON!"

"GREAT, 'CAUSE I AM TOO! DO YOU WANT IT INSIDE OF YOU, BABY?!"

"YES, GOD, YESSS! ALL OF IT, ASUMA! SHOOT YOUR ENTIRE LOAD INTO ME!"

"GLADLY! YOU WANT! EVERY! LAST! DROP!"

The constant twitching of his member reached its zenith, as did her own tightening walls. Together, they made that final leap, grasping for that sweet release that they'd both so earned for. She felt its light beginning to sweep through her, starting at her curled up toes then racing up toward her womanly center. Finally, it reached the waiting buddle, igniting in a glorious-

"KURENAI-SENSEI! SENSEI! KURENAI!"

"GAAAAAAAHHHH~!"

Her eyes shot open, tears still pouring down them, even as her brain rapidly worked to correct itself. The dark ceiling stared back at her, unchanged. Outside, the constant patter of snow against wood continued. Cold air tinged with only a little bit of warmth swept through her, not the other way around. That was something she immediately noticed-the loss of warmth. With it came a crushing realization that was furthered by the sense of emptiness between her legs.

W-W-Wait, t-t-that voice! As if her heart weren't racing fast enough, as the realization dawned on her, it reached new speeds, practically outpacing lightning. With that same speed, Kurenai sat bolt up, tears still streaming down her face as she looked around. To her immense, unspeakable horror, reality firmly crashed in on her.

Seiji sat several feet from her, a respectful distance with his back turned to her. She didn't even glance at the freshly dead wolves and deer he'd hauled back. Not the fire. Not snow tracks that'd clung to his feet as he made his way in.

Just him.

"…S-S-S-S-Seiji," Rarely had she ever heard her voice sound so broken. "H-H-H-H-How m-m-m-m-much of that…w-w-what d-d-did I…"

He flinched, like her voice was a kunai slowly being inserted into his neck. She immediately considered the more-than-likely possibility it'd have been better to just keep her mouth shut. "I…you were…I knew the illusion involved your husband. I figure that's why you…couldn't…you didn't want to break it."

Accuracy that she was sure lay in his skill set was used. Shame reddening her cheeks, she nodded. "Y…yes." Despite her near whisper, she was certain that he heard her. "S-S-Seiji, I'm…I…" Her attempt to formulate words was further diminished by the awareness of the wetness between her legs, and the wetness on her fingers. Kurenai felt her eyes practically pop out of her skull looking down then at her right hand. The glistening juices on her fingers was further damnation. She could only bite her lip in frustration. "Seiji, I'm…I'm sorry you had to see me like that. I…I'm so sorry."

"You don't have to apologize. Seriously, it's…you said the genjutsu on the box was tough stuff, and you told me one of the dangers is seeing something you want to. Experiencing something you want to."

"Y-Yes…I…did say those things." There was nothing worse than having one's own words turned back on one's self. Kurenai hadn't been a stranger to it, but this time, it was hitting her extremely hard. "Still…you…I'm ashamed you saw me like that. So-"

"Don't say it was pathetic. It wasn't. I can tell you right now anyone who lost a lover would have…would have been in the same position as you." His shoulders sagged as an unspoken sadness fell over him. "If my dad had your skills and been put under the same genjutsu, I promise you, he'd have seen my mom and…and…"

"Seiji," she called, quietly telling him he didn't have to say anymore. "Regardless, I'm the senior ninja here, I-"

"I don't care about that! Not now! The point is it's okay to be hurt! It's okay to still be grieving!"

"But I don't want to be! I don't want to spend the rest of my life grieving! I know I can't! I know Asuma wouldn't have wanted me to!" Realizing anymore and this sudden shouting match would continue, Kurenai took a deep breath. Seiji did the same, allowing them to bring some of the tension down a notch.

"…I…know how much you want to move on from the grief, but sometimes it's…a steady process. Sometimes it takes a while."

"…I understand, but…I don't want to wallow in it. That's not the way of the shinobi, and it's not how I want to live either." Having closed her legs and tightly bound her fingers into a fist, she suddenly felt naked and exposed, even though she still had all her clothes on. At least that part had only been an illusion. "It's…that's why I came out here. I took this mission partially to get myself back into action."

"You wanted to jump back onto your feet." He offered with sympathy. "After the Chunin Exams, we…tried to do the same thing."

A small smile came to her face. "I'm hoping it worked out better for you than it did for me."

While she couldn't see him, she could sense a similar smile growing on his face. Kurenai heard it in his voice. "Yeah, first mission was a success. Granted, we all felt like we had something to prove, but Arimoto-sensei set us straight on that one."

"Heh, Kiba was a little bit of the same way." She had a sneaking feeling he, as usual, would probably be the most vocal in calling her out on the hypocrisy. Granted, it'd be more out of concern for her than anything. Shino would likewise second him, albeit in a more analytical way. Her smile slowly faded as parts of her shock and humiliation started to recede. "All that said, I…I knew I needed to get back into the world. If I kept putting it off, I never would."

"…Yeah, I get that. The longer you put something off, the more willingness to do it you lose. Before you know it, the moment's come and gone."

"Yes, and I didn't want that moment to be my entire life. Especially after…"

"After…" he repeated, curiosity present in his voice.

"Nothing. I just…got a reminder that there's still more to life. My life included." Kurenai had a hunch that Seiji probably wasn't convinced. He was a perspective boy, so he knew she wasn't telling the truth. On the other hand, he respected her too much to pry, especially after catching her in the midst of such a shameless act. "Perhaps I rushed ahead a little bit."

"That's…in my opinion, that's okay. I mean, everyone makes mistakes and fumbles, even jonin, right?"

Her laugh surprised her, especially given how light-hearted it was. "Yes, we do. Albeit we try not to in front of our juniors. It's not exactly good for our reputations, or the chain of command."

"Heh, even that isn't airtight though either, right?"

"Hah, yes, you're right, but we have to try." Another short laugh, then the return of the awkward silence. They were going to have to confront this-this new strain on their relationship. Deep the recesses of her soul, Kurenai knew she owed Seiji a real apology. A morning and afternoon of teasing him, and then he walks in on her masturbating to an illusion of her late husband? Forget her embarrassment, his was the real concern.

And yet, he was taking it all so well. Short his outburst earlier, which was rather well-intention, Seiji was handling things rather maturely. Once more, Kurenai was left feeling rather impressed with the young genin.

He stood up, still not turning around to face her. Kurenai almost wished she would. "I'll…go do a perimeter sweep while you…clean up." Understandably, he seemed quite eager to get the "clean up" part out and done with. She didn't blame him, remembering the wetness between her between her legs and on her fingers made her blush up a storm. Hinata would have been proud of her, and scandalized.

And then there was Anko. She could never let her find out about this. Kurenai knew she wouldn't hear the end of it until she was old and gray.

Speaking of which, that's a long time off. Sounded off her inner self.

Sighing, she set about…cleaning up as best she could once Seiji had left. Though the house wasn't quite big, he was no doubt going to make repeated laps. Along with that, Seiji would probably just stay in one place, perhaps until she called for him. They had a few napkins left over, and Kurenai put those to use.

Her eyes lingered to the animals Seiji had managed to kill. The wolves might provide them with not just food, but blankets as well thanks to their fur. She had to admit, the thought of being snuggled up in a warm, fur blanket was appealing. More so if she and Seiji could share one.

Kurenai's eyes widened at the stray thought, her heart skipping a beat as well. Where had that come from?

You're…you're unbelievable! Really?! That's what you think about? Even worse, do you think that literally sleeping together is the best thing to do now? He'll see it as patronizing!

Still alone, she once again threw her face into her hands. No matter what, it seemed her jumbled up emotions just wouldn't leave her.

Or maybe she just wasn't trying hard enough. Maybe even not focusing on the right solution.

As she thought of his words, Kurenai noted how she wished he'd turned around to look at her. She wanted to see his eyes, those azure eyes the opposite color of her own. Maybe looking at them would have made their conversation a little easier. Maybe it would have made her feel better. Another moment of thinking about it changed that maybe to a certainty. There was something about his blue eyes that she liked. Their honesty just seemed to appeal to her. The irony wasn't lost on her, though Kurenai fancied herself an honest person when it truly came down to it. Deceiving the people you loved wasn't something anyone should do, though she was guilty of it. Likewise, it was painful to deceive one's self.

She didn't call Seiji back after she'd finished cleaning herself up. He might have known she'd already finished, but needed some time to herself. Perhaps he needed some time of his own.

"…Seiji!"

"Finished?" he yelled back.

"Yes, please. Come down, there's…something I need to talk to you about." Before the last words was even spoken, she felt her heartbeat accelerating. Anticipation and anxiety danced fluttered about like a pair of butterflies in her stomach. Their dance grew as she heard his footsteps drawing him closer and closer.

Finally, once he was within range, she turned her head to her left. Seiji lifted his head up to meet her gaze, and she could see his eyes. Kurenai felt her heart become both quelled and stirred by the sight she longed for.

Slowly, he returned to his usual spot in front of her, but she beckoned him to sit beside her. Silently, he did so. It intensified the awkwardness to greater heights.

"I promise I won't tell anyone about…you know."

"I know you won't." She smiled, and refrained from throwing in a jab. It wasn't necessary, nor did she want to make things harder for him. "What you saw…I don't think it was just me longing for Asuma. Perhaps it was also me being a little…pent up. Like I said, I don't want to wallow in my despair, and I've been reminded that…I still have more life to live." Yep, if Hinata could see her, she was sure she'd have something to say about the intensity of the blush she was sporting.

"Well, that's good. I mean. I'm sure you could have gone without the genjutsu, but…yeah, life still moves on after our grief. I know that may sound cruel and callous-"

"No, at least not how you're saying it. Believe me, Seiji, I know about grief and loss. I lost my parents to the Nine-Tails attack sixteen years ago. It took me some time, but…I moved onward, I had to. I wanted to. You did the same with your mother's death too, didn't you?"

"I…did."

She didn't want to bring up such a sore topic, but it was likely inevitable given what their talk was about. Kurenai might have made it better or worse when she reached out and placed her left hand atop his right. The sudden intimacy surprised him, and for good reason. Kurenai kept it going when she reached out with her right hand to hold his face. A gentle hold and their eyes, crimson and azure, were locked in on each other.

"K-K-Kurenai-s-s-sensei?"

"You can…just call me Kurenai, Seiji." She whispered. Nonstop, that was her heartbeat. Each thump seemed to urge her onward. "I'm embarrassed you've had to help me so much, but I'm…happy too. In my mad rush to get back on my feet, I've made some stumbles. Luckily, I had someone there to help me get back up." Smiling, she was amazed at how clear-headed it felt to say this. Especially her next words, "And I'm glad that someone was you, Seiji. Honestly, you've been…you've been great company. I just hope I can be the same."

"You have been, and nothing has changed that." His eyes seemed to be glowing, his cheeks the same shade of red as her eyes. The distance between them seemed to be shrinking, either on her account or his. "You've been…well, you're definitely someone I wouldn't mind being snowed in on a mountain with." That smile of his, filled with such boyish charm, such honesty, it'd be a lie for her to deny its effects on her.

And that effect was getting her to close the gap between their lips.

Naturally, the kiss caught him by surprise. Hell, it half surprised her. She was really doing this-kissing a teenage, a genin, and…greatly enjoying it. Yes, that's what probably surprised her the most, the sheer bliss that came with the kiss. It was perhaps forbidden pleasure, but Kurenai was enjoying it. Greatly enjoying it.

When Seiji returned the kiss, near immediately after it began, it became clear he was enjoying it too. Why wouldn't he be? After all, was she not the most beautiful woman in the village according to him?

The kiss deepened seconds after it began. Kurenai kept holding his face while maintaining the kiss; Seiji slowly wrapped his arms around her waist, sending a hundred jolts of tantalizing ecstasy racing through her. With the passing of each second, the holts magnified and multiplied. Her heart raced in tandem with their speed, as did her tongue in flicking against Seiji's.

She took dominance of the kiss. It was either Seiji's inexperience or his conscious choice. Whichever it was, he certainly held her close, tenderly, lovingly. Her body was quickly pressed against his. While not as broad as Asuma's, she it was still quite muscular build that she realized she was attracted to. Kurenai realized she wanted to see him beyond the winter clothing he'd worn, and she wanted him to see her as well. Such a desire was bolstered by the undeniable feel of one of his hands on her buttocks. Then came the familiar poking at her loins.

"I…I just can't help it." He whispered as they broke.

"Don't worry about it, Seiji. I…don't think there's any point in trying to stop now, either of us." Something in his eyes flashed-excitement, awe, and potentially relief. Their lips were connected, their tongues shooting forth and colliding. She moaned feeling Seiji's hands roaming her body, they were softer than Asuma's, though she found herself liking that gentle touch.

Suddenly, something warm and gentle was on her neck. Kurenai's lips flew open in an erotic, rumbling moaning. It quickly fanned out through the home, fueled by the sweet kisses Seiji rained on her neck and his hands roaming her body. The desire to do away with their clothes hit Kurenai like a tidal wave, or perhaps a tornado.

Yes, there was a wind blowing through her now. Strong, vibrate and invigorating.

"Ahhh~ Yes, r-r-right there, yesss~" The semi-coherent words rolled out off her tongue while her body began to pulsate. They grew with Seiji's kisses and caressing. His hands were on her ass while his hips were thrusting upward. Her words from not five minutes ago repeated, and this time, she felt the full effect of them. Holding fast to her blue-eyed companion, she began to respond to his thrusting. "Ahhh~ Ahhhh~! AAAAHH~!"

WHOOSH!

For the second time, Kurenai's eyes flew wide open. And for the second time, she bolted upward, confusion and panic seizing her like a striking viper. Her eyes darted around in all directions; she fully expected to find someone there watching her. Matter of fact, she was secretly hoping there'd be someone there-a certain teenager with brown spiky hair. She'd even take him having his back turned to her.

There was no one. Just her, alone. Again.

"W-Wha…what? I…I…" Slowly, her eyes fell back on the puzzle box. "…God fucking dammit!" The impulsive shout forced its way up like a volcanic eruption. Thankfully, no one was around to witness it. She cursed again and again, her head lying flat against the floor. Kurenai didn't even care about the actual wetness between her legs or on her fingers. She brought her hands together and purged her chakra, not once but three times just for good measure. She did not want this to be a threefold genjutsu. It was a lucky, instinctive break that'd allowed her to break out of the genjutsu, and she didn't want to count on another one to save her.

Well, she'd done it. She'd broken out. She was back in reality. And alone.

With two heart-pounding experiences added to her lifetime. Two phantom sensations that she simply couldn't stop thinking about. Especially the second one.

"…Seiji, I…Seiji and I…" It began to build up fast, too fast for her liking. "Fuck…all of this is…just too much." Her eyes fell upon the puzzle box, seemingly docile and completely harmless. Oh, she knew now more than ever it was far from the later.

On the positive side, the box's first two locks were undone-her hard work hadn't been for nothing. The entire experience hadn't been for nothing.

It'd be easy to convince Seiji she'd gotten impatient and tried her hand at unlocking one of the boxes herself. Now, all she had to do was just act like the two things she'd seen in the resulting genjutsu trap had never happened.

By the time Seiji arrived back at the house, some ten minutes later, she'd sealed those moments away. She greeted him warmly, particularly when he laid out the scroll and showed her the wolves and deer he'd managed to bag.

Just like the illusion. She noted before looking back at his eyes. Kurenai quickly became lost in them, a soft breeze stroking her heart. His eyes, his comforting, warm eyes drew her in. Just like…no…this is…this is…this is reality.

---

My longest chapter so far in this story, and probably the most emotional one so far, or at least I hope so. The chapter's title was probably a strong giveaway to what was going to happen, and that was intentional. This was the chapter where things start to get steamier, which I intended to happen last chapter, but pushed it off to this one. As you all just read, quite a lot happened thanks to the wonders of genjutsu.

Given the nature of this story, especially after the first chapter, surely you all were expecting some kind of genjutsu mishaps, right? I'm being mindful that Kurenai is an expert in the field, but that expertise is running headlong into her emotional state. Even professionals can find it hard to work when they're still dealing with personal issues, or losses. That was actually something I wound up writing Kurenai confronting…in a roundabout way. The double fake-out idea was something that hit me pretty early on and I knew I just had to include it. It fit with the overall theme of reality and illusion overlapping on top of pushing the relationship along.

Obviously, things are going to be very different next chapter, which will be something of a climax point. I'm sure you readers can guess what that'll mean after the events of this chapter. Oh, and expect an explanation on the deal with Hinata that Kurenai's been alluding to for the last two chapters.

Until next time, readers! Which should hopefully be in about a week or so, give or take.