Reborn as Sakura and Hinata: Lost in the Wind

Aquaman

The blue expanse swirled soothingly about my feet, cool, comforting water gently brushing against my shins. Hands smoothing over the slightly coarse grain of the planks, I shifted my legs to reorient myself on the dock. I didn't know why I was here, maybe there wasn't a reason, but I let those thoughts fly away with the drifting clouds.

The creaking of wood vaguely drew my interest, pinpoint approaching chirrs indicating a person. The weight next to me shifted, another figure coming to sit by my side.

"How do you like it here?" the silver-haired man inquired.

"Peaceful." I voiced, "It feels like nothing could go wrong here."

"Odd how places can hold that tranquility." he mused.

I nodded, directing my eyes back to the water. The surface was glassy and clear, the stones at the bottom of the lake visible, my feet dangling above.

"I like it here." I continued, "I don't want to leave."

"Even places like this change." he warned.

"I want it to freeze like this forever." I frowned.

A hand touched mine, slowly closing it's fingers around my own. I returned the gesture, smiling as a light breeze brought ripples against our legs.

"Just like this?" he hummed.

"Just like this."

This was peaceful.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This was not peaceful, and the hand intertwined with my own was riddled with tension.

"Are we any closer to a town?" Naruto questioned, "My feet are killing me!"

"The map said we'll be there soon." I responded.

"I think the map's wrong." Naruto retorted, "We've been walking for hours, and we aren't there yet!"

"Traveling takes time." Shino stated in an oddly soft tone, one that held an uncomfortable level of strain under it.

Holding his hand felt wrong after the dream I had last night. I knew that he was doing his best to try and work on his aversion to physical contact, but that just made me feel all the worse because the guilt that weighed on me prevented me from enjoying it.

But perhaps that was actually due to the insane amount of traveling angst infecting everyone.

"Can we take a break?" Naruto whined, "Maybe eat something?"

"Will you shut the hell up!?" Tenten suddenly yelled, making him jump, "We get it! You're uncomfortable! We all are! We aren't complaining, so deal with it!"

Shino's grip on my hand tightened, and despite his collar being in the way I could practically hear his jaw grinding. I rubbed his hand with my thumb as a reminder to have patience, and his hold loosened ever so slightly.

Tenten held her hand over her eyes as she tried to peer through the heavy mist that coated our path, "I... I think I see a town!" she cried in elation.

"Really!?" Naruto started running, apparently forgetting his aching feet, "There is!"

It was astounding just how much pressure seemed to release from the atmosphere as Shino's shoulders lowered. The two in front of us smiled as we passed under a sign welcoming us to the town of Hokunada.

I looked around the small town. It seemed well built, not like a village or anything like that, but it definitely had an infrastructure and formality to it.