Chapter 30: The Role of a Kunoichi

When the boat docked at the coast of the Land of Fire, all members of the team poured out of the wooden vessel. Most of them had had a decent rest and time to connect some more. Overall, one wouldn't be wrong to say that they were in good shape and ready to begin the next part of their journey. Even the sickness and injuries were under control: Lee's nausea didn't return at all; Kankuro didn't step more carefully on his foot; and Shee's hand was in much better shape — the constant throbbing had stopped.

Once on solid ground, they gathered together, waiting for further instructions or changes of plans.

Shikamaru cleared his throat. "We will continue walking through the forest for about two more hours until the sun starts to set. Then we will resume the matches before we set up camp."

There was actually a kind of relief in the air because of the routine's return. They had skipped the spars for a couple of days, and there were none whenever the group spent nights in any of the villages. Today, participating in simple, friendly fights felt refreshing. The familiar body tension had a calming effect on their minds and helped them relax. Help them return to what they all were — shinobi.

Quietly talking between each other, the team members set off towards Konoha, entering under the thick shelter that the tree branches offered. Under the cover of the forest, there was a feeling of eternity and… serenity.

An odd flapping of wings drew Ino's attention. She perked up and frantically looked around for the source. A small smile crept on her lips when she spotted the bird slowly descending on a low branch of the nearby tree. Dusting off her hands, she rose from her spot near the fire and smoothly moved to the little black messenger.

Her hand stretched out. "Come here," she called under the tree, using her sweetest voice to coax it down to her.

It hesitated, tilting its small head to the side.

"I know why you are here. I know who sent you. Com'ere."

The bird made a weird squeaking sound before it opened its wings. It pushed away from the branch and descended slowly. It settled down on Ino's wrist. She petted the tiny head with her forefinger. Then she turned and headed back towards the group.

Shikamaru was already rummaging through his bag, and when Ino stopped beside him, he managed to pull out an empty scroll.

He rolled it open. "Ok, let's see what Sai has to tell us," he said.

Ino nodded and brought the bird closer to the scroll. It screeched just before diving down and splashing its body into the paper. The ink that it was made of moved over the surface, shifted, and formed letters.

"Let's see…" Shikamaru lifted the scroll and started reading it. The humm he let out didn't indicate whether he was happy with the new information or the opposite. He cleared his throat, drawing his teammate's attention without the need to actually call for it. "We will be met by an escort group tomorrow morning. The kages have decided on additional security measures. They will be sending a group of shinobi from Konoha, Suna, and Iwa, apparently."

Atsui frowned. "No representatives from Kumo?" He sounded genuinely surprised.

"I presume the group from Kumogakure may not have yet arrived in Konoha. The security group should have left already if they were to be here in the morning," Shikamaru explained.

"So this is our last evening, just us?" Atsui voiced the common notion that occurred to the rest of the group.

Shikamaru looked at him, not rushing with his answer. Eventually, he nodded and let out a sigh. "That may be correct, unless we have one more evening before performing the last ritual." His eyes slowly surveyed all of the faces of the people with whom he had spent the last three weeks. "That's not certain, though."

It felt like he knew them all much longer than that. For some, it was indeed longer. The activities they took part in made them open up to each other more than if they had to face a common enemy. Which they also had. But that was the main purpose, right? Of the whole thing. That was what the kages aimed for in the first place.

"I think we may make an exception and pick our night shift partner without using a draw. And... even if any of you decide to stay up longer, please make sure to take at least the minimum rest."

The shinobi remained still in their places, processing what he had just said. The moment to say their proper goodbyes was more or less today. When the backup forces joined them, it wouldn't be the same; the dynamic of the group was going to break.

Shikamaru kept reading, and he huffed right before stealing a glance at Ino. His mouth then curled into a sly smile, which drew a few curious looks, silently prying for more information.

"What?" Ino asked, alerted.

"I really like how descriptive the next part is," he said nonchalantly.

"What do you mean?" She furrowed her brows while suspicion raked in the back of her mind.

"Your boyfriend really tried hard... But the idea of leaving the message addressed to you on the very same piece of paper as the other information... is a very bad idea. I mean… everyone could read it."

Ino jumped forward and snatched the note from Shikamaru's fingers. Her cheeks were burning brightly; her eyes, however, were angry and... unforgiving. Once she acquired the precious message, the kunoichi pressed it to her heaving chest.

"Shikamaru Nara, you are being extremely improper! You know how he is. But you dare to make fun of him... and of me. And for that, you're going to suffer," she declared, causing chills to creep all over his back. She was enraged… When in this state, she was capable of explicit vengefulness. "You can be sure of it."

Shikamaru believed her.

"Aww, come on," Lee chimed in. "Shikamaru couldn't have said that with an evil will."

Ino huffed but didn't correct him.

"It's nice that Sai sent a message for you. It shows he's caring and that he misses you."

"Caring and missing her," Tenten repeated. There was a playful smile, curling her lips upward. Her whole face looked somehow different than when the mission started — less grey, less sad, more... alive. "Knowing Sai, he didn't use those two words."

Ino spun towards her teammate, and her finger rose in warning. "You… Be careful not to join Shikamaru's group."

Tenten winced but couldn't suppress the chuckle. "Nope, you are already in it," she declared, squeezing the paper into her slightly shaking fist. Then, she just stepped away to read her boyfriend's words in private.

Shikamaru and Tenten exchanged cautious gazes.

Sai was… romantic in his own way. That wasn't really a problem. The issue was with the way he expressed himself. It was a bit raw in the sense that he picked very literal words for everything. He also used a lot of self-help and scientific literature to help him with descriptions of feelings and sensations. Sai was lacking in basic terminology and communication skills. He had a reason to be this way: a really tough childhood. He had suffered a past beyond his control, as a result of which, he'd never learned to recognise his own feelings and name them properly. It was hard for him to recognise other people's emotions and moods, too. But he was doing the best he could, and Ino simply loved him for trying. His past had shaped him into the man he was, and she knew that every rough carving into his soul was worth every effort to explore.

However, reading the personal note that Sai had tried to convey his emotions in was awkward. The words that carried a message for only her eyes caused Ino's cheeks to be set aflame. He really missed her, alright, and he let her know that in a very particular and… anatomically accurate, descriptive way. And he promised her… to share some more things when they meet again soon. The woman swallowed hard as the images in her head shifted vividly.


The group dissolved into smaller groups of two to three people, whispering intently. Except Shee.

He was quick to volunteer for the first shift of guard duty. As did Tenten, who just shrugged and joined him up in the branches. The alternative to this choice was being in close range to Kankuro — a choice that didn't look like a better one. She still had the partly irrational urge to cut him open and put his guts on a plate. She really didn't want to risk it. So Shee's silence was something Tenten actually needed at the moment. The man talked only when asked something in particular, and she wasn't going to ask him anything. However, he looked sunken in his own little hell.

Atsui suggested they gather around the fire and repeat the women's night. Except he called it 'everyone's night' instead. No one corrected him. No one felt he was wrong to change its name.

Once again, with a glass in hand, the shinobi took seats in a comfortable circle around the campfire. The moods of every individual differed greatly.

Ino was sulking quietly between Temari and Kurotsuchi, looking down into her glass filled with red liquid. She missed her boyfriend. She missed Sai with all of his oddities. No matter how socially awkward he was, he had managed to carve a path to her gentle and loving heart, and she held him dear. She couldn't imagine her life taking a different direction than being with him. When he led her by the hand and confessed about all the sensations she caused in him, Ino couldn't be more certain. She knew that his decision to tell her hadn't been made easily; he surely had done thorough research before attempting to do that.

Sai had told her about the butterflies in his stomach whenever she took his hand, about the irrational desire to smile when she looked at him, and about the urge to stay physically close to her. The last one was despite the fact that he didn't really like to be touched. He had been especially explicit about the physical reactions she caused in him and recognised them as sexual ones.

The most heartwarming thing he told her was when he concluded that he must have been in love with her. Ino still remembered how stunned she had felt. She couldn't utter a word.

The memories swirled inside her head, making her dreamy and reluctant to participate in the discussion forming around her. Still, the rising common tension got to her, and her ears, even though reluctantly, picked up the next line.

"...as higher is one in status."

Ino frowned because she couldn't quite put the words into any meaningful context.

"I think these days it's not as mandatory as it used to be," Temari said carefully, glancing at her brother.

"Well, at least we are not forced to get married and procreate. Yet. But Gaara has it harder on this front. His feet are in the shoes of the Kazekage, after all," he added.

"Your brother is alright," Kurotsuchi said. "As long as he is The Kazekage, you two are safe. Well, at least Kankuro is safe. For Temari… I don't know how vicious your council is."

"They tried," Temari said, grimacing. "And they failed. Gaara has deterred them successfully. At the moment, they don't dare put me on the line. But I know what you mean. For the kunoichi in the kages' families, it has always been difficult."

"Be honest. It's not just difficult... It's like we were told that we aren't worth our cost if we don't give birth," Kurotsuchi spat unusually bitterly.

Temari's face fell as she nodded. It was true. It was painful, but that was something the kunoichi had been told over and over again throughout their early years until they started to accept it as an irrevocable duty. One that she wasn't sure she could fulfil.

"Well," Ino started. "It's true that it is encouraged." The Iwa kunoichi's strong reaction had puzzled her, and so, in an effort not to offend, she said her next words carefully."But the times have changed. No one can make you give birth. Or get married, for that matter."

"That's not exactly correct, Ino," Temari countered. "Kurotsuchi and I could be under the council's custody. In such a case, they have the legal right to force us to get married to whoever they choose and expect us to give an heir to the kage's line. No objections. No room for negotiations."

"But Gaara wouldn't let them do that to you, right?" Ino's whole body pricked up.

Temari shook her head, golden hair following her movement. "Yes, Gaara is on my side, and I have the freedom to choose on my own. I have the right to stay alone, had this been what I wanted."

"You lucky bitch." Kurotsuchi laughed.

"Isn't there a chance that you actually like whoever has been chosen for you?" Ino asked.

"There is always a chance. But that's not the point. I don't want to be used as a baby vessel instead of taking over the kage title. Because if I have a baby, I'll be expected to take care of it, and I'll be declared incapable of active duty until the kid is old enough. That's a lot of lost time." She huffed. "That'll be if I go down the road of obedience, of course."

"When you put it that way, it sounds foul," Ino admitted. "But it looks like you think that once a kunoichi retires to have kids, they become useless... They don't, alright? It's important for the mothers to stay home and make sure there is a next generation."

Kurotsuchi shrugged. "Ok, fine. You want kids? Go for it. You want to stay home? I won't stop you." She paused briefly. "But I don't want any of that... So why do I have to go along with it anyway?"

Kankuro observed her face. Her words were so emotionally charged that he could feel them with his toes. Even the little hairs on his arms pricked up. There was something more to it — something that she had buried deep inside but never got over for one reason or another.

"Are you being forced to get married?" he asked quietly.

"They... tried," she admitted. "I'll skip the boring details, but in conclusion, we… have an agreement." Kurotsuchi shrank back, the last words almost incomprehensible.

The silence that was threatening to wrap around the group looked too real and suffocating.

"I don't mind having a kid," Ameno said with a smile and giggle. Doing so, she gathered the gazes of their teammates over herself. "They sure are snotty brats, but cute nonetheless."

The burst of laughter at her words — even so a bit forced — served to lift the tension up.

Even Kurotsuchi chuckled. "I don't mind the kids per se. I hate the thought that most, if not all, of the kunoichi who become mothers are turning into yet another group of faceless females."

Ino frowned. "How come faceless?"

"You want an example?" she asked, and didn't wait for an answer. "Think of every single man who excelled in the shinobi world. Half of them had a woman standing behind them. Those women were taking care of them as their wives or mothers. But have you heard their names or anything at all about them? Does anyone care that they sacrificed their time and lives so that those men could become great?" She scoffed. "They were just faceless, nameless no-ones."

Before an awkward mood could appear again, Ruka clutched the glass in her hands. "It might only be me," she said quietly. "But being a wife and a mother is something that I have always found meaningful. So, from my perspective, being a supporter is an important role, too."

"I would say that it depends on your life goals, the way you are raised, and many other factors," Temari said carefully. "Kurotsuchi has been in the spotlight her whole life. So for her, turning into "just a mother" could be seen as a kind of regression from a professional point of view?" While she spoke, her eyes bored into the Iwa kunoichi, her eyebrows high up on her forehead.

Ruka shook her head. "I know you are right. But... Our world is full of faceless and nameless no-ones, for we don't know anything about them. But they were the ones carrying generation after generation over their shoulders." Her cheeks burned brightly. It was very uncomfortable to open her mouth in disagreement. This topic, however, seemed to touch a sensitive string in her heart. "What I really want to say is that I wouldn't mind being one of those people. I don't want everyone to remember my name. Helping a few souls find their path, greater than mine or not, would be enough for me. And if I see it this way, those women you refer to may have thought the same way."

Kurotsuchi held Ruka's gaze, carefully assessing her and thinking over her passionate words. After a while, she just shrugged. "Maybe they did. But the fact that we keep living in a men's world is still valid." The woman quickly looked around with a cheeky grin. "No offence, boys."

"None taken," Kankuro said, waving a hand.

"Well, I know a lot of capable women that would do a job better than most men," Shikamaru said seriously. "And, personally, I wouldn't hesitate to use capable people, no matter their gender."

"I'll drink to that." Kurotsuchi lifted her glass in the air and then sipped on the wine.

Ino hummed. She had never seen herself as less capable or important than her teammates, but... They had been raised together in the same way. No one in their three families ever divided them by gender. That had helped her build good self-esteem and gain a realistic notion of her capabilities as a shinobi. But honestly, her own father was much more known than her mother. She had always been Inoichi's wife, and Ino herself had mostly been Inoichi's daughter. Her mother's name was kind of unknown — like often was the case with her own name — except by the people who knew them both personally. And Hiki was a wonderful woman, an exceptional mother: confident, strong, but also tender and patient. She had no problem running Yamanaka's flower shop on her own most of the time, now that Ino worked for the intelligence department.

Truth be told, Hiki was the woman Ino could easily imagine herself turning into, even if someone called her nameless and faceless because of that. Her future husband and kid would know her name, and that would be more than enough.

But no one ever claimed she should pull back and give up everything else when she decided to quit going on field missions. Ino had goals and dreams. Marriage and motherhood couldn't and most certainly shouldn't prevent her from getting what she wanted.


The first shift had ended. Shee and Tenten were replaced by Kankuro and Ittan.

Some time after the open discussion about the most common fate of the kunoichi, the group started to break into smaller ones. They scattered around the meadow and under the nearby trees. Still, a bigger group was positioned around the fire. That was the place where both Shee and Tenten went. He accepted the mug that Atsui had saved for him.

Tenten, on the other hand, grabbed Ino's glass and didn't hesitate to gulp down half of its contents.

Instead of getting mad, Ino looked quite amused. She patted her teammate's back. "Careful, you may choke... Or get drunk."

"Not so easily, I won't," she denied with a grin. Her eyes sparkled, and she resembled so much more her younger self — her more carefree self, unburdened by loss and grief.

"You seem to be smiling a bit more, you know. And you even look healthier," Ino noted.

"I'm good." Tenten took a seat beside her on the ground. "But I'd finish your drink, if you don't mind?"

"Go ahead. I think I'll go to sleep anyway. You know: beauty requires good rest." Ino winked, causing her to laugh.

Shikamaru turned to his blonde childhood friend with a frown. "Won't you massage my shoulder?" he asked, irritation audible in his voice. "You promised me on the boat."

"Ufff, right." She groaned. "But can we do it tomorrow morning? I'm really tired-"

"You promised me," he emphasised.

"If you are not so picky, I can do it," Temari interjected. Her eyes gleamed playfully. "My touch isn't as professional, but I'm sure it will do you... good." The wicked smile on her lips sent delicious shivers down his spine.

"See! Perfect," Ino grinned at the other blonde. "Thank you very much, Temari. I owe you."

"I didn't agree to this change," Shikamaru uttered.

"Actually, no one is asking you," Ino countered. "You want a massage; you are getting one. There is no reason for you to complain."

Temari chuckled. "He's always complaining," she chimed in, already moving to take the place behind him.

Ino nodded. "That's the very truth."

"I'm not complaining. I'm keeping you to your word. And you're doing everything to avoid fulfilling your promise," he argued in the most serious tone he could muster.

"Good night, Shikamaru," Ino said. She quickly pecked his cheek before grabbing her sleeping bag and moving a bit to the side. In less than a minute, she was lying down with her back to the other people.

Temari kneeled behind him, placing her hands on his shoulder. "That was quick," she commented beside his ear, and when her breath hit his skin, he barely suppressed a shudder.

His mind went blank for a moment. "What was?"

She gave him an amused look. "Ino's withdrawal from the party, of course. What did you think?"

Shikamaru relaxed under her circling fingers, ignoring the momentary lack of perceptiveness. "Ah, she got a really spicy love letter from her boyfriend. I think she just wanted to be left alone with her thoughts," he explained quietly, peering back to look at Temari's enchanting, teal eyes.

"How spicy?" she asked. Her tongue darted over her upper lip.

"Enough for me to drop it after the first half sentence."

"Ooh… Now I must say that I am curious." There was a challenge in her tone.

Shikamaru didn't doubt that she would read the letter out of curiosity. Honestly, there was no way he could have held back the teasing in this situation. "I'm sure you are... And I must say that it was so nice of you to offer her your… help."

The twinkle in his eyes caused a faint blush to creep up over her neck.

"Stop it," she hissed low. "Not now."

"You didn't mind... just a second ago," he countered, craning his neck to see her better. His lips hinted at a smirk.

Shikamaru felt her fingers digging painfully into his flesh. He couldn't stop himself from grunting with a displeased expression. His teeth sank into his lower lip in an attempt to stop the pained groan that was about to escape next.

"That's a double standard, Princess," he added when he regained the ability to talk.

"You wanna play?" she asked quietly. "Before you answer, let me tell you that you're not prepared to do the teasing game with me, Shikamaru."

He chuckled. "You think?"

She stopped making circles on his shoulder and leaned closer to his ear yet again. "I know," she assured him, blowing hot steam right behind his ear. She already knew the spot was really sensitive. Goosebumps covered his whole body in an instant.

Fuck, was all he could tell himself before his eyes screwed shut and he tried to will away the result her teasing had caused. In no way would it look good if the team leader sat in the group with an almost evident erection for anyone to see if one just looked. He shifted, changing his body position to something much more subtle.

"You will pay," he whispered.

"I certainly hope so," she replied without batting an eye. Her grin widened.


Ruka felt dizzy. She was tipsy. Reasoning that this would be one of the rare occasions in which she could be daring. And allowed herself to consume some alcohol. She felt safe enough, with Ameno on her right side and Lee on her left, to dive into the adventure of allowing her own self-restrictions to drop. Lee was truly entertaining company, and Ruka genuinely enjoyed his jokes and friendly attention.

"Are you alright, Ruka-san?" he asked all of a sudden. "You look a bit too… flushed?"

She really felt hot, as if her whole body were set on fire. Ruka swallowed and closed her eyes. An unpleasant burning crept up her oesophagus — a nauseous sensation made her frown. "I think I overdid it with the wine... It's time for me to stop and go to sleep," she said, carefully placing her glass on the ground.

"I'll help you," Ameno stated, already rising on her feet.

"Oh, no, no. There's no need, really." Ruka smiled, casting a glance at Amai. "I'm sure you can have much better company than my sleepy and blabbing self."

"I'll give her my aid, Ameno-san. Don't you worry," Lee interjected and helped Ruka on her feet. She leaned on his arm.

"Thank you," the sand kunoichi said. Her face radiated gratitude when she smiled.

And before she had the chance to sit back down, Amai also stood up. He brushed her hand. "I actually wanted to have a word with you in private. If... that's ok?"

His serious tone startled her — it had very firm edges to it.

Ameno lifted her light brown eyes towards his and tried to decipher his intention, but to no avail. "Alright," she agreed. "We can go over there, I guess?" She pointed out a thick tree that was in the second line, encircling the meadow.

Amai nodded, wished good night to the teammates around them, and headed to the appointed spot. It was evident that his back was stiffer than the usual way he carried himself. Ameno smiled at Ruka once more before turning and following him.

A deep sigh followed by a chuckle escaped Lee. He smiled, his own face reddening. "They are very cute."

Ruka's lips curled into a smile of her own. "They are," she agreed. After a thoughtful pause, she continued seriously, "I really hope that it will work for them."

Lee looked at her as if he didn't understand what she was saying. "Of course it will. Just look at them."

She huffed. Under his curious gaze, she felt her cheeks start to burn even more. Quick in her desire to be left alone, she pointed to the most distant blanket, spread on the grass. "There is good, Lee-san. Thank you."

Her refusal to further talk about Ameno and Amai made Lee just drop the matter. He picked up her backpack on their way there and carefully laid it on the ground when they reached the blanket.

Lee was just about to help her sit down as a figure emerged from between the nearby trees.

"Oh, I didn't realise it'd been taken," Lee said, looking at the other man's face.

Ruka lifted her eyes and immediately felt chills running down her body. She visibly shivered.

"It's alright," Shee dismissed the implication with a slight tilt of his head. "The blanket is big enough for at least three people." He quickly sized up his male team mate. "Unless… you're looking for a more private setting?"

Lee waved his hands energetically in front of himself. "Oh, no, no! Nothing like that!"

Shee frowned a bit at the exaggerated reaction. "Alright."

"I'm going back to the rest," Lee declared. "I'm here to help Ruka-san. Just wanted to make sure she's alright. But maybe you could...?"

The other man glanced at her flushed face. "I'll keep an eye on her."

Lee beamed and patted his teammate's shoulder, deliberately ignoring his stiff posture and exasperated expression. "Thank you. I feel much calmer knowing she's in your capable hands."

Ruka's face became even redder if that was possible. She barely held herself back from hiding behind her hands. Instead, she quickly detached her sleeping bag from the backpack straps and clutched it in front of her chest. "Good night, Lee-san."

"Good night." Lee responded with yet another grin for her and a nod for Shee.

When he headed back towards the campfire, Shee sighed and sat down, leaving polite distance between Ruka and himself. She fumbled with the sleeping bag, trying to spread it. Her hands, however, trembled, and she became even more dizzy.

"Have you been drinking more than you can handle?" he asked quietly, snatching the fabric from her fingers.

"Maybe," she half-admitted, pressing her now-empty hands to her chest.

Shee only nodded while spreading the sleeping bag for her. Still silent, he did the same for himself and lay down. "Are you feeling nauseous?"

She could swear that there had been a hint of worry in his tone.

Ruka averted her face. "A bit. Not so much as the previous time... I'm still not very aware of where my comfort zone ends."

"Yes, it takes time to figure this out," he agreed. "Do you want me to do something about it?"

"No. I must suffer through my own doings," she declined and slipped into the sleeping bag, positioning herself on her back. Heavy eyelids fell down to cover her eyes.

A faint, approving "good" brushed gently past her ears, so brief that she wasn't sure if it had been real.

The kunoichi took a few deep breaths, but, contrary to her expectations, the nausea became worse. With a quiet groan, she turned aside. She had already fully forgotten where she was. Having more pressing matters to attend to, she focused on her breathing, inwardly counting.

Shee couldn't tear his stare away from her face. It was rare to see her features so well — every single feature was so distinctively clear. And her skin seemed so soft — much softer than he remembered it looking. His eyes unwittingly lingered on her lips. Reluctantly, he inwardly admitted that Ruka was so... frighteningly gentle and... simply beautiful. He had to suppress the urge to reach and caress her cheek instead of keeping his hand under his own head. Shee winced as if in pain, although this was not one of the feelings that tortured him. But when the hell did he ever want to caress anyone's face? The answer, never spoken aloud, caused a shudder to run down his spine.

Ruka frowned, and with yet another quiet groan, she opened her eyes. And she froze, for Shee's dark eyes were looking straight at her. The alcohol in her system helped her to bravely hold his gaze. She observed his face wearing the exact same kind expression she saw earlier today. It was one that unleashed butterflies inside her stomach and brought a tingling sensation to her finger tips. And dread. She knew that man… had never been a person she could have for herself. He had clearly said so. His goals lay in another field of life, and he wanted to be left to follow them. What she could possibly have in common with him was something resembling a friendship. In the best-case scenario. But she obviously lacked the most basic thing. It was the mandatory foundation for any friendship: his respect.

In the next moment, Ruka heard her own voice whisper, "You are confusing to me."

She saw his eyes widen, then quickly narrow at her. But she didn't avert her face, meeting his gaze yet again.

"Confusing you, how?" he asked slowly and quietly.

"You expressed distrust in me at the beginning of our mission. Then, it looked like you started to trust me. As if you let me get closer. And maybe even you started to like me a bit." She made an awkward pause. "But today… Did you really think I wouldn't manage to take proper care of your wound?"

Shee remained quiet as he observed how her pain grew bigger and her indignation grew stronger by the second. A realisation dawned on him that he was at a loss for words. Hypothetically, if he admitted she was right, then she would know for sure that he didn't trust her medical abilities. This was going to hurt her. A lot. But if he denied it, he would have to give her an alternative explanation. Then what? He had to either tell her the truth or lie. Shee was good at many things, but outright lying to a person he liked, especially an undeserving person, wasn't one of them. And even more, he was certain it was too late for the truth. The only option, apart from keeping a deafening silence, was to opt for half-truth and fully take responsibility for the situation.

"It's not that I don't think you can manage," he replied carefully. "But let's say I have trust issues. Always have and probably always will." Now, that wasn't too bad. It was actually genuine, because he truly had trust issues. He didn't trust himself enough to make the right choice about her. He didn't trust her in terms of respecting his decision to be alone, either.

Ruka moved her head slightly closer to his, as if she were trying to see the words in his eyes. Eventually, she sighed. "I think I understand," she mumbled. Her eyelids were slowly closing.

Shee swallowed. "Good night, Ruka," he whispered.

"It might be the alcohol talking," she uttered, relaxing into the warm hug of sleep. Her voice became quieter, and Shee moved even closer. So much so that he felt her breathing on his face. "I like your calm voice. It's soothing,"

Her words caused a tingling sensation in his chest. A hint of a smile shifted his features just before he pulled back and also closed his eyes.

Shee woke up in the middle of the night, sweating and cursing. His hand was pulsating, and the bandages were killing him. He sat up and looked around, trying to locate Amai.

Ruka's eyes snapped open, but she didn't move at all. Her shinobi instincts didn't allow her to betray the fact that she was also awake. She immediately noticed the way Shee was rubbing his injured limb and knew right away there was something wrong. Ready to help, her body tensed up, but upon seeing him looking around, she realised that he wouldn't ask her to assist.

Trust issues, Ruka reminded herself. Pressuring him right now was pointless and not considerate at all. So she just kept lying down, letting her eyes close.

Shee swiftly hopped on his feet and sneaked through the camp. He found Amai sleeping soundly on the other end of the meadow, two feet away from Ameno. At least the man didn't have to disrupt an intimate moment. He reached for his teammate's shoulder, and even before he made contact, Amai was awake. He reflexively grasped Shee's wrist. Recognising his teammate right away, he released the arm he had been squeezing.

"I think there might be a problem," Shee whispered, lifting his left hand.

"Let me have a look."

Amai took his first-aid kit, and both men moved closer to the fire, where some light could be found.


The morning was filled with half-hidden light touches and knowing smiles. The shortened term of the group's privacy called for urgency and for a few of them to speak up.

Right after Ruka had woken up, a dread crept inside her heart. She lay unmoving for a few minutes before daring to open her eyes. When she slowly did, there was only the forest in front of her. A feeling of relief washed over her, easing her breathing, which she didn't realise had been laboured.

She remembered that she had been straightforward with Shee the previous evening. And while he didn't react sharply at that moment, she wasn't ready to face him first thing in the morning. She also remembered his midnight struggle quite well and wanted to know how his hand was. But he wouldn't just share that… and Ruka wouldn't just ask either.

The kunoichi pushed up from the ground and sat up. She quickly rubbed her eyes and looked around — most of her teammates were still sleeping wrapped in their sleeping bags. But Chouji was standing right next to a rather big caldron, from which steam was rising. Ruka sniffed the air; it smelled sweet and floral — she recognised the scent of refreshing herbs. After stretching her arms up, she moved closer to the campfire.

"Good morning," greeted Chouji with a wide smile, and handed her a full, nice-smelling mug.

She beamed, taking the offering. "Thank you."

Ameno soon joined her with a tea mug of her own. Even though she greeted them politely and smiled as she did every morning, something was off. Was it because Ameno remained unusually quiet? Or was it because her eyes ever so often drifted to the distance? Ruka couldn't be sure, but her curiosity had been provoked and was burning brightly.

Thinking back to the previous evening, the kunoichi could make a rightful guess. Her friend's condition might have something to do with Amai and his request for them to talk in private. Then again, if it was something private, Ameno probably wouldn't share it. But at the end of the day, that didn't even matter. What did matter was Ruka offering her a shoulder to lean on in case she wanted to.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Ruka lightly nudged her shoulder.

Ameno winced. "Ah, sorry. I lost focus," she said with an apologetic smile.

"Is there something that worries you?"

The sand kunoichi sipped on the hot, refreshing beverage, stalling. "I… just have to consider something."

Ruka nodded as her hand gently lay on her teammate's shoulder. "I'm here if you need someone to just listen."

Ameno chuckled. "I may just hold you up on that."

"Do so."

A signal from the shinobi on guard interrupted every excessive movement or word. The ones who still slept were on foot in the matter of seconds. Everyone grabbed their bags and scattered away into the tree crowns. Only Shikamaru and Chouji remained on the ground beside the campfire. Both exceptionally calm and collected. Still, there was something in the line of their shoulders that suggested that they were ready to defend if needed.

On the meadow landed a big group of shinobi. They were wearing Konoha, Iwa, and Suna's bandanas. A man stepped up and bowed his head politely in greeting.

"Shikamaru."

"Good morning to you too, Sai," Shikamaru replied, taking an empty mug to pour some tea. "Please, join us for a cup of tea before we head to Konoha," he added, flashing a lazy smile to the rest of the newcomers.

Temari was the first one to jump down. A loud greeting sounded from the Suna group upon seeing their princess. And one more when Kankuro appeared a few moments later.

Before everyone started to move, Sai swept up Ino and dragged her a bit further away. When they came back ten minutes later, her cheeks were pleasantly flushed, and her face wore the brightest smile. Tenten was the first one to hug and congratulate her. Ino had a ring over her fourth finger.