“Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love” - Laozi
Stepping out of the room and shutting the door quietly behind her, Toralei blushed harder than she had ever blushed; her cherry red cheeks aching duly and burning as she looked at the floor and clutched at the end of her nightgown with her left hand. Had she done what she had just done?
Yes. The answer was yes.
Suppressing a little shriek of embarrassment, she crossed the distance to her room, and closed the door before leaning against it and sliding down until her bottom hit the floor gently. As she hugged her legs to her chest, trapping her breasts between, her chin rested onto her knees and her dark brown eyes stayed fixed on the far side, where all her work supply was neatly organized and stashed away.
Her head swam with thoughts and recollections of what had transpired between them. It seemed like she couldn’t quiet down her thoughts, and Akury was nowhere to be heard within the recess of her mind. It was like she was alone, yet not completely.
Thoughts and images emerged and merger together and left her confused. The turmoil of emotions, recollection of sensations and past actions made her blush in embarrassment and the strange feeling that had bloomed recently made her heart skip a beat and quicken.
She had never thought to feel the way she was now feeling. Her cheeks burned and her heart started to do a little quick stepped dance within her rib cage, as if it would just jump out of her chest and bounce around to expose how self conscious and aware of him she was, when he got close or stepped into the same room.
At first, she had thought she had been losing her marbles. Something had to be wrong. She was a grown woman (breasts were there as a visible proof that puberty had arrived... probably a bit early, though), twenty-six, almost twenty-seven, and there she was! Blushing and stuttering like a sixteen year-old girl upon being in the same space, or encountering, her crush, trying to make decent conversation but not being able to.
It was a shame, really. She should be able to deal with all those reactions and emotions. But no, she had to become shy and withdrawn.
And for some reason, she was standing up and walking out of her room, her cheek burning and her heart beating quickening as her bare feet padded over the distance between her bedroom door and his.
It was so strange how she craved his hold and his voice speaking to her. His presence was the only presence she craved and stood; the only one she wanted in the same room at the present moment.
Entering his room, she closed the door quickly and walked to the side of his bed, sitting down and looking at him with some hesitation. She watched him open one of his eyes and look up at her.
There was moment where they just looked at one another, her eyes asking permission and his eyes just holding her gaze.
Without saying a word, he lifted the sheet a bit and she slipped beneath it without hesitation.
Scooting closer, she settled her head onto his bicep, her leg going onto his leg and her hand and arm resting onto his torso as she snuggled close and her eyes closed. His warm and hard body felt so perfect against her softer and equally warm one.
And as his arm went around her waist and he adjusted their position so it would be more comfortable, she thought there could be nothing better than to be in his arms. The sense of safety and comfort washed over her and left her feeling both relaxed and excited; his breathing and heartbeat lulling her to sleep.
Maybe, just maybe, this was love what love was.
***
A young man with messy red hair and dark blue eyes stood in the back porch of a medium-sized house of cozy and homely appearance. He was wearing the standard shinobi outfit of his village, his boot-like sandals encasing feet that were slightly set apart while he braced himself against the wall behind him, his head bowed down, his hair shadowing his eyes and setting his boyish features in shadow.
Taking a small bag of sweets from the pouch strapped at his waist, he opened it and took out a small sweet before popping it into his mouth, his lips forming a grimace at the initial sourness of the candy, his jaw moving slightly as he moved the hard, sugary orb around his mouth as he put the small bag back into the pouch.
Straightening, he looked ahead with a sullen expression, “I gather that you have felt it as well... and that’s why you are here.”
He spoke evenly as his gaze shifted towards his side, where another taller and bigger body appeared. The man at his side was about 6’6’’, with deeply tanned skin and short, dark brown hair. His features were sharp and his cheekbones high. His eyes were slanted, a dark hard brown, his nose straight and long and his lips lush for a man, yet firm. His body was muscled, showing its owner worked out and trained it often, with broad shoulders and narrow hips.
Unlike the red headed man, this one was dressed with form fitting jeans, a navy blue polo v-neck t-shirt that showed of his hard toned torso and his feet were encased in a pair of steel toed boots that looked good enough to kick a man into hell.
Like the red headed man, he was also supporting a hard expression, that of someone that didn’t like anything that was happening. “Yes. Long time no see, eh, Ryuu-kun?” He said as he gazed forwards, his eyes catching the dried, golden grass beneath ever so unforgiving glare of the Summer sun.
“Yeah... long time no see, old man. I haven’t seen your ugly mug in over, what? Seven years, or so?” Ryuu said with a hint of mockery, or was it amusement, in his voice.
“Yeah. Eight years. But I am not here for social interactions.” The man said rather gruffly as he pushed away from the wall and started pacing. “You have felt it. We need to do something.”
“Yeah... the seal was broken. It’s worrisome... but relax, old man, Kuma-kun. It’s nothing major.” Ryuu dismissed it with a shrug, looking ever so unagitated.
.Kuma stopped abruptly and looked at his friend like he had just lost his marbles. “Excuse me?! Relax?! You’re telling me to relax when there is some motherf*cker moving in between dimensions and disrupting the time-space tissue, and, to top that off, your sister’s seal just broke! Pray tell, Ryokou Ryuutarou, how can I RELAX?!” He ended up shouting, glaring at the shorter, younger man.
It was not that it did not worry him, it was not that. Because, yes, it was preoccupying, especially since, in a way, his sister was involved. But Ryuu realized getting too worked up about it would only hinder their thought process and the success of their plans.
And, boy, were these situations quite difficult to deal with.
“Look, it’s not that I am not preoccupied! Because I am, damn it! But we need to keep our heads cool and think rationally! So what if Toralei’s seal broke?! It’s not like she will know how or even know of her kekkei genkai! Granny Amaya-sama made sure to put her in a world where chakra doesn’t work. It’s no problem,” Ryuu burst as he too started pacing.
Either he wanted to face it or not, he was tense and with his nerves at almost breaking point. And Kuma knew that better than anyone. Truth be told the past five years had been a trial to anyone’s nerves and patience. The worry and the changes that were occurring in other dimensions because of a certain bastard was playing with the carefully woven time-space web were beyond worrisome.
And now, Toralei’s seal breaking was only another weight on the already fraying morales of those that were trying to hold everything up and secure.
“Okay, okay. That is true. But I have to tell you, it’s worrisome. There is the need to be a man for that seal. What was your grandmother thinking when she applied the seal?! I tried to keep as isolated as I could, but it happened anyway!” Kuma grunted, looking annoyed.
“Yeah... I was expecting it sooner or later. It was actually later than I expected. But I think it’s time to bring her back home,” Ryuu sighed, sitting on the rail of the porch, his legs on each side of it.
“Yeah... home. I think it would be best as well,” Kuma agreed as he looked down and put his hands onto his hips. Glancing up, he rose an eyebrow, “It would be better if you moved from there. You might fall,” he advised, crossing his arms.
“Uh? Oh! Nah, I won’t. Anyway, I will need your help, Kuma-kun. If you don’t mind. We’ll bring Toralei-nee-chan home soon... after you find out who the guy is,” Ryuu said as he leaned back and closed his eyes.
Before he knew it, he had to dodge a blow. The foot swishing past his ear as he leaned away, only to get his leg stuck and falling onto the dry ground. Groaning, he glared up at the amused face of Jikan Kuma.
“I told you you would fall, kiddo,” Kuma taunted as he leaned down a bit, his hands braced onto the railing.
“Awh, shut it,” He spat as a booming laugh filled the afternoon atmosphere.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry! I'm sorry for taking so long! But here it is. And if it is not very long... I apologize! But I am happy with it! Very much so!
Hope you all like it.
Huggles and kisses from your devoted writer,
Irie-chan