Burn - [ Akechi ]

[Haruka]

Haunted was the way that Arcadia truly felt today. There were not even those typical attributes that would spell out a normal haunted feeling such as whispering halls, fluttering apparitions, and other such things that added to that attribute. It was more or less just dark, a hint of cold swashing over the area. Stone... Did it not need to be stuck within an eternal winter? It was a thought that crossed the minds of many. Just like Mist, this place could very well be frozen over to drive out the masses. She knew all of the accordance that went along with what happened. There was the gentle sound of a river that would occasionally splash, trickling along with the bend and flow of the carve out of the land. The black sand was laying in just a flattened out, even manner. It was like someone had landscaped here previously, but it had been ages since someone had come through to smooth the sand out. It was just the eerie winds that thrush through the underground civilization. It was pushed and evened out in a proper manner. Something that a person wouldn't complain about as it was very minute. With palms upturned, fingers moving and twitching every so often, there came a small downpour of ice and snow. Nothing too hectic or strange, after all, it had been expected now that the true leader had to combat with a bunch of insane men and women to attempt to straighten out how the village was quickly descending into the pits of what seemed like hell. It was enough to annoy the strongest of men and women, after all. So here she was, dancing with dalliances and listening to people attempt to smear her good name all across the walls like it was nothing more than their own expulsions. The snow would find it's way down to the sands below the young woman which had taken her shape, melded all around her body. She felt like she was sinking into the earth. And she was fine with that. She was more exhausted as each day passed. Fighting was never easy upon a person, but here she was, having to go through all sorts of hoops that threatened to drive her absolutely insane at this point. With closed eyes, she felt the snow touch at her facial features, collecting there like she had no body heat what so ever. Her affinity to the fire had been calmed down at this point after her battle with Endo. It did not have a reason to lash out any more now that she felt as though she was safe in her stance. After all, her wounds had healed up-- crudely, mind you-- but they had healed, leaving behind nothing more than some sour scars.

That didn't mean that they didn't still hurt, though. With the way the weather always seemed to shift around the young woman, that meant that the pressures of the air would change as well. It was okay. Just a reminder of her victory over someone who was a tyrant and looking to make everything topple down upon itself. However, it seemed that his counsel was all the same. They wanted to see the village fall even more than he did, and that was a shame... However, she didn't need to worry about that right now. "I keep going to the river to pray, 'cause I need something that can wash all the pain. And at most, I'm sleeping all these demons away, but your ghost, the ghost of you, it keeps me awake~." A strong voice singing in a gentle tone, not much to attract people who didn't know what the woman's voice sounded like. However, at this point, she was infamous enough for people to guess. That was why they guessed at her heritage, and that was why they attempted to bicker about her ability. The life of a person who's job was never done was quite the complicated one, eh? Ah well. The snow would pick up, dancing all around the area. Some places it would stick, and in others it would melt away. It was hit or miss as the young woman lay there, eyes closed, humming along to the song in her head.

 

[Akechi]

Iwagakure had changed so much since the last time that he had visited this nation. The village was in an uproar over actions committed by a woman that he had loved, a woman that he had trusted, and a woman that acted on the behalf of her villagers rather than her own. That was just who she was, and maybe this village had forgotten that as Endo led them astray. It was ironic, attacking the person that truly has your best interests in mind, while mourning for a man that sought to ruin lives in order to further his own avaricious goals. However, these villages and their genetic makeup tended to breed stupidity among those that faithfully followed orders, even if it led them toward damnation. It was a weird notion, but a very real one nonetheless. “Knowledge is power” and these idiots had none of it; in fact, they actively fought against it. They were foolish people…

They were truly foolish people…

That was what he thought as he casually traversed through the black landscape, allowing the black sand to seep between his toes as he moved across it. The weather seemed to gradually change as he moved closer to the familiar silhouette that rested on the shoreline. The woman’s flawless porcelain skin, perfectly formed body, and icy blue stare that set his heart aflutter whenever she was around him. Her hair was different, but he could tell that was her. He could feel it in his bones, and see that unmistakable pattern of chakra. It was Haruka, the forgotten and unappreciated savior of her people, and also the woman Akechi had pledged his life to. After all, he did say that he would do anything that she asked… no matter the cost.

”You have such a beautiful voice,” Akechi giggled, his knees gradually sinking into the soft, white snow as he knelt over the woman. You know, straddling her the way lovers do. ”I missed you, Haruka-chan. I missed you so much.” The man gently whispered, following his comment with a soft kiss on her lips (if she allowed him to, of course).

”You dyed your hair,” he stated, gently brushing away a couple of strands that had fallen out of place. ”I like it. Decided to match mine, eh?” After all, Uchiha were known for their natural dark hair colors. Deeply reddened eyes and dark hair were telltale signs of a true Uchihan warrior. ”Or is it something else?”

Hopefully, these ungrateful bastards hadn’t been too hard on her since he had departed. After all, it was only natural for Akechi to desire happiness for Haruka, and it was clear that she couldn’t be happy while her home was in such chaos. Akechi would feel the same way if his Uchihan brethren were in danger. How could one be remain blissfully ignorant when their home experienced such calamity? It was impossible…

At least to Akechi and Haruka…

 

[Haruka]

It was very, incredibly true that there was no notion of knowledge within the village of Stone. However, Haruka would never sit down to voice that opinion no matter how hard they pushed her. After all, this was where she had grown up, lived, and led... But would it be the place she would die? At this point, she was not sure if she would truly stick around for ungrateful people. The young woman attempted to not to think of these ideals. The hum of her voice would continue: "I had to go through hell to prove I'm not insane~." But it was cut off by the feeling of someone stradling overtop of her. Knowing that there would only be a very few that would be gutsy enough to do something like that... The voice that caused the butterflies to unsettle within her stomach, to cause a heat to rise in the stranges of places and ways... Her eyes would flutter open to meet Akechi's visage and she would feel a smile cross over her features, uncontained much unlike a lot of her actions from the past few days. "Quit lying~." She would laugh gently towards his statement. As he moved closer to her, she would use her arms to reach up and wrap around his neck. She would soon turn that soft kiss that he offered into one that spelled out the very warmth and passion that he made her feel. Even in the public eye, she felt no reason to be shy or to hide her feelings. After all... No matter what she did would always be scrutinized for absolutely no reason. Laughable really... Ah well. Parting her lips from his, she would draw in a heavy breath. "I missed you, too, Akechi. Don't you ever disappear without me again." It was a whisper, but it was also a fierce whisper. It could've been mistaken that she was a little bit ticked off that he even disappeared~. She'd never admit it, though! She was just happy that he was here now. Moving her hands up, she would thread her fingers through his own dark strands.

"Perhaps I felt like a change. Maybe I felt like running away for a split second. Then I remembered who I am, and remembered that no one would ever relent on me." She would chuckle quietly, "I'm glad you like it though, cause I ain't changing it soon. Too much of a pain to dye this much hair." After all, it was the first time she had ever done so. Probably the very last, as well, unless she really, desperately, wanted to go back to blonde. Everyone knows no one takes blondes seriously, though~. Hah.

"If I ever truly wanted to run away, would you run away with me?" She'd muse to him quietly, brushing her fingers against the sides of his face. It was almost something that she didn't believe, him being here. Was her mind playing tricks on her? She'd seen her body do far crueler things to her... But it felt absolutely real, and that was that. Her hands would cup either side of his face and she would continue that same goofy smile of hers.

 

[Akechi]

”I guess you’ll just have to trust me, eh?” He winked, a small giggle escaping from his lips as his hands moved from her face to the sand below her. He felt a warm, tingling sensation throughout his body as her icy blues stared up at him, butterflies seemed to invade his stomach as she smiled, and her very smell seemed to intoxicate him. It was as if he were some lovesick teenager, or a man punished by someone’s love potion. Whatever it was, he loved the feeling that he felt, and he’d give up almost anything to maintain it. He craved that “punishment” that love brings, that feeling when they were away from one another, and that overwhelming sensation when they finally came together again. ”I won’t. I promise. My life is with you. I promise not to leave you alone like that again.” Akechi spoke, his hands gently massaging some of the wounds located on her wrist and arms as she held his face. He should’ve been there to protect her, but he knew that in the end her choice to attack Endo was the right one. It was an impulsive decision, but it was a brave one that paid dividends.

The Tsuchikage was dead, and without its head the village was left wagging its tail around aimlessly. Yes, the situation was about as stupid as that analogy. Now, the person that had saved them from a tyrant was being treated like some sort of criminal. The weird thing was that she had avoided all persecution, an oddity for a criminal. No, they just wanted to slap a band-aid on everything, and act as if the very nucleus of the village wasn’t infected by Endo’s disease. Endo may have been bad, but Akechi thought these people were much worse. This was the problem with these hierarchical political structures. If one didn’t eliminate each branch of the problem then the problem would persist. ”You felt like running away?” He asked rhetorically, his eyes squinting in disbelief as his lips formed a smile. She wasn’t really the type to run away from these types of problems, after all. She didn’t run when they had ousted her from her position as Daimyo, and she didn’t run from the demon that had plagued her for so long…

So why now? Had they truly worn her down so much that she had grown weary of her own country? Disgusting. Disgusting that they would inflict so much hardship on the one person that stood up for their country, and single-handled delayed a war that seemed inevitable for quite some time. ”My life is with you.” He repeated, a single hand reaching toward her hair, brushing it gently as it flattened against the black sand. ”I love you, Haruka, so if you were to run away from this place then I would run at your side. My home is wherever you are. That’s how much you mean to me.” He was always quite resolute when he spoke, but that was only because he constantly sorted out his emotions and thoughts before speaking. Akechi was as conflicted as the next person, but he had decided to be strong for Haruka. Whatever weakness she had would be his strength, just as she had done for him.

”But only if you truly wanted to leave here. You’ve never wanted to leave this place behind before. Do you truly believe this village to be beyond saving?” Because Akechi had only just recently began to think about saving such a place. These types of institutions were a scourge on the Earth, and its elimination were one of his main priorities until he met a woman that caused him to see Iwagakure in a different light. If Haruka deemed the place behind saving… then what of the world.

After all, these villages were mere copies of one another…

 

[Haruka]

Oh trust~. How it was such a crazy and convoluted thing, eh? For some people it was just so damn hard to trust others, but here Haruka was, feeling as though she was able to place the entirety of her trust into one person. If only she could convey just how she felt properly. Sometimes, she really had a way of making an easy thing into an incredibly complicated one, though. That was simply just the way of a woman though, right? "Already do trust you, with my entire being." She's state, her voice a whispy tone, but also sing-songy in a whimsical nature. It was odd, making the steel butterflies rise in her stomach to make her feel oh so strange. "And I won't disappear on you either. Absense makes the heart grow fonder... But it's so sugary sweet, enough to make a woman buckle at the knees and crash." She'd laugh lightly. It was the best way that she could describe her feelings right now. If she had been standing, her legs would've been jell-o. Her arms would've been odd little noodles that had nothing but an attachment to him. As his hands touched at the wounds she had sustained, she would give a bit of a pained moan, but she did not flinch away. That much was what she was good at. The wounds were getting much, much better, but at the same time, her mental wounds did not find an ease nor a healing touch as soon as she had hoped for. As he addressed her statement of running away, she would close her eyes for a brief moment before reopening them. After all, when she closed her eyes, all she could see were explosions and blood. So, so much blood. The pain echoed through her chest, a ghost of the past.

"I know, I know. Running away is not a luxury a man slayer can afford, right?" She'd laugh lightly as she watched him with tired eyes. "It's grown increasingly hard. It's almost as if the entirety of the village has lost their minds, Akechi." She'd whisper, her lips pursing just a bit. It was true, though. Ever since Endo had passed away, it seemed that all of the rats lurking in the background and rafters had made their way out of the woodworks after being dormant for so long. Oh, how she regretted making such an announcement to the world, but it was an announcement that they all needed to hear. "I love you." She would murmur, hands touching at the sides of his face. What a wayward love, right? The ex-leader and the missing. The woman sworn to justice and the man who had every right to wipe out the leaders of this world. "You are my strength. Thank you for being the one constant in my life that I know that I can rely on." She could feel a strange tightening in her chest, and a light coloration would cross over her cheeks to show that she was flushed.

"But you know I can't leave, but I can always fantasize, right? I seem to do that a lot lately. If the village is beyond saving... Then it's a waste of my time, and I never waste my time. I can save these people, but is it worth the stress?" She would whisper just lightly. "Is it worth all of these fakers, these liars? I did what no one else wanted to do and... They shun me for it. They act like I am the bad guy, and that Endo was a saint. This is a fucked up world that we live in." She would shake her head a bit, her breath coming in a light laugh.

"I may be a true leader, but... I'm no miracle worker. I can work and work until my hands bleed, and these people will still remain ignorant. I just wish that I was not the monster that mothers warned their children about at night."

 

[Akechi]

”As do I. But my guess is that you knew that already,” Akechi giggled, slightly tilting his head in her direction so that he could plant a small kiss on her forehead. Who knew that two people, two killers, could fall in love in such a despicable place? Sure, it was Haruka’s home but it was filled to the brim with criminals that used the law to carry out their misconduct. Hiding behind superficial laws, heavily skewed in the direction of the individuals in power, tended to cause such a horrific place to exist. It happened where Akechi was from, just as it had happened within Iwagakure. Though they were surrounded by greed and corruption, they remained sane by confiding in one another. Their love was like a bridge; it connected their thoughts and emotions with one another, and allowed them remain standing through their support of one another. They trusted one another wholly and completely, despite this world’s notion that “trust” would lead to some unforeseen disaster. ”They still hurt, don’t they? I can tell.” Akechi spoke, gently caressing them with the warming light of his chakra. Within mere moments she would feel a soothing sensation rushing throughout her body, an aura that caused the chakra within the brunette’s shell to focus on healing her wounds. The process was slow and maybe even a bit arousing, but with any luck it would aid her recovery. After all, he wished that he could take away all of her pain…

Even if such a notion was impossible, it was only natural for someone like Akechi to try…

”I don’t think so. These people have always been lost.” the Uchiha commented, kissing her on the forehead again before moving to seated position at her side. After all, he couldn’t really talk seriously in -that- particular position. As much as he loved a bit of foreplay, Haruka seemed to anguish over the state of her village. It made sense considering all that she had given to this place. She risked her life to defeat Endo, to bring peace to her village, and all that she had received in return was the scorn of her colleagues. Instead of an inauguration, she received a shout fest, and unfair accusations from the very people that allowed Endo to run amok. It was outrageous, childish, and entirely shortsighted. ”Ignorance is a scary thing, after all. Some of these people fear their power slipping away from them; others fear change where they had grown complacent. Either way, these people have been lost for a long time…”

The Uchiha would stroke his chin for a bit, his reddened eyes looking toward the river as he thought about Iwagakure’s situation. They were in quite the predicament and Haruka happened to be right in the middle of it. She sought to free her people from the hate that bound them, but her actions seemed to drive them closer toward it. The darkness in their hearts had transformed them into something near irredeemable. Perhaps they feared Haruka for what she had become. Not a slayer of men, but a slayer of monsters…

”Maybe your fantasy can be made a reality.” He would whisper, grabbing one of her hands, and staring into her eyes with a determined look. ”These people need your guidance. Maybe all it takes is to eliminate those that would lead them astray. Just like Endo.”

 

[Haruka]

Like minds found comfort in those who had similar ideals. And in their case, they had found love in a dark and dreary place, devoid of any hope of digging themselves out of public opinion. Ah well, it was completely fine. It was worth it to have someone that made your heart race a little faster in your chest every time you saw them. Someone who persisted when they knew what was best for you... and a person that held on even after a person had fallen from whatever grace they may have been allotted. As he pressed his lips against her forehead, she gave a smile. Anyone other than Akechi would've been pushed away and told to stop patronizing her, but here, she was safe to be whatever person she liked. So she would always choose the easiest and most relaxed manner that she could conduct herself in. No need to be a hard ass when it was absolutely not necessary~. "I can handle it, I promi-..." As the soothing warmth of his hands trailed along her flesh, she couldn't help but pause in her speech and blink a few moments. "Fine, fine. Maybe I can deal with this for a little bit," she'd murmur, her upper teeth biting down into her supple lower lip as she felt the warmth and soothing feeling trickle through her body. She forgot that he was a medical shinobi by trade. Even then, she managed to forget her place as an ANBU of the Stone village more times than not as well. All that she could see was who was standing there for who they were. As the man picked himself up from her, she would bring her arms closer to her body and she would settle her eyes closed for a moment as she clung onto the healing feeling that echoed through every cell of her body. However, it was missing his warmth, and that warmth she wanted to cling onto. Lifting her upper body up now, she would scoot over on her knees and now she would place herself right into his lap-- whether he liked it or not~. She would lean fully into him, still holding her arms close to her body. It was strange how such a daunting figure could seem so small when she was with the person who she sought after the most. Lifting her head up, she would watch him with her sapphire eyes, her smile a bit more lazy now with the way that her body was working with the healing.

"Let's not dwell on the folly of fools when we have one another. Perhaps we can debate over the democracy of idiots in Stone Village over dinner~?" She would laugh quietly. "I can kill, easily, but I can't simply contain what goes on inside of my chest, my head when I'm with you." With his hand touching hers, she would move to place her face right into the crook of his neck now, nose brushing lightly against his skin. "Akechi..." She would whisper, her voice dropping low so that only the two of them could hear. Prying ears and eavesdropping had no place here. "I know that you can heal my body, but I need to know something very important..." She would swallow back the strange lump that formed in her throat and continued on. "I need help fixing my mind... Every time I close my eyes, I see explosions, screaming people, the horror, the terror... That messenger that was so wrongfully killed by Endo." She'd lift her free hand to touch at her face. "I can't sleep, the nightmares..." Her voice grew coarse, laced with the emotion that stuck to her like a super effective adhesive. "I can't stop seeing it. The battle. I feel..." She'd release a sharp breath from her lips as she mulled it over in her head. She'd hold both of their hands close to her chest so that he could feel the gentle thrum of her heart.

"When I look in the mirror, I see a monster. And I don't know why. I know I did the right thing, but... So many people hurt. So many explosions." Her breath tripped over itself, a shudder rather than anything even. Her head would drop now, teeth clenching together as she felt small, liquified tears flowing down her cheeks rather than the frozen version she once cried in front of the man. His influence was very apparent within her, and that much she was thankful for, but why couldn't she shake these feelings. "I hate talking about these feelings, but they won't stop. That man has ruined my state of mind even beyond the grave..." Why did it feel like pulling teeth? Oh right, because she was meant to be a relentless force. A killer among killers. Someone who didn't flinch when blood coated their hands. However, everything that fell on her shoulders at this very moment felt like the weight of the world, and she couldn't hold it in so well. She was out of practice, or so she thought. Little did she know? She was human. And she was suffering from the human condition at this very moment in time.

 

[Akechi]

”You know. I think it’s cute when you try to act tough.” He would giggle, occasionally rotating his hands around the more visible wounds that seemed to be causing the most of her distress. She always tended to act as if she didn’t need any help. In fact, Haruka acted the same way when she first met Akechi, but the Uchiha could see the change in her. He had breached those hardened walls that shielded her from vulnerabilities, and melted the ice around her heart that shielded her from emotion. Maybe she wasn’t this way with everyone, but it was reassuring to Akechi that she was this way with him. The Uchiha’s hands grazed over her skin, his expression relatively jubilant as he continued to heal Haruka. It was clear that this was something he enjoyed doing. Not just because it was another way that he could aid Haruka, but also because he truly loved the Medical profession. In another life, that was all he did, and all he would’ve become. His destiny was to become a doctor, healing those that protected his village from harm.

However, fate had something much different in store for the young Uchiha. Cruelty, loneliness, destruction, despair, and death were all that he saw for awhile. It was the in the darkness that Akechi was created, but it was by bathing in Haruka’s light that he would evolve into something greater. He truly believed that. ”Over dinner? Sounds good to me.” The man laughed, bringing the woman closer to his torso as she sat in his lap. The real question was whether they should stay in or go out? After all, parading around the village with a Kage killer would be a ridiculous amount of fun, but there were Haruka’s feelings to consider. To be honest, Akechi thought that she knew that she did what she had to. Though there were those who spited her for taking away their warmonger, there were also those that revered her for such an act. For every man that whispers of a transgression, there is another who awards praise. That was just a simple reality of the world that they lived in. It was what caused dysfunction and that conflict was what bred the foundation that war was founded upon…

Hate…

”Haruka…” He whispered, his eyes dropping to her sapphire-colored hues, gently caressing the base her back as she unloaded with emotions that he had never heard her speak of before. A monster looking back at her in the mirror. A messenger that had to perish in order for her to succeed. The lack of sleep that she was getting due to the nightmares that kept her awake at night. Her hand reached for Akechi’s free hand, grabbing it and bringing it closer to her chest as she wept. Akechi hated to see Haruka this way, but he was glad that she finally showed another side of herself. Holding back all of that emotion came at a price, after all. The Uchiha was just glad that she succumbed to this vulnerability within his arms, instead of somewhere else. She had once sought help from another to deal with the first demon, but now a beast of a different nature was haunting her… her inner demons… ”Endo hurt those people, not you Haruka. You stopped him. You did the right thing. You have to truly believe that you did the right thing.” He held her tightly as he spoke those words, praying that she wouldn’t ask him to use the Sharingan to remove her nightmares. After all, he wasn’t sure if he could remove something so significant, not without altering the consciousness of the woman he fell in love with. Perhaps he was being a bit selfish, but he didn’t want to change her…

That would be the last resort…

”Do you want to know what I see when I look at you?” Akechi asked, using his freehand to tilt her head slightly upwards, making sure that she could see the emotion in his eyes as he spoke. ”I see a beautiful woman with an enormous heart. I see a warrior that proudly threw herself in harms way, just for the sake of others. I see a person that saved legions of her people while the cowards that call themselves ‘Sennin’ did nothing.” Akechi spoke, kissing her on the forehead once again. He didn’t want her to forget what she had done. He wanted her to remember what she had done, for what she had done.

”My Sharingan can take that way, along with that pain that plagues you on the inside… But… don’t you want to remember what you have done for your people? Wouldn’t you rather learn to cope with that pain? Use it… as strength… I could also use my Sharingan for something like that.”

 

[Haruka]

Tough as nails, was that not how a woman in her position needed to act? The warmth that blossomed in her chest as he continued healing her. It almost lulled her away into more than just a sense of security, but it almost made her want to rest with him, right then and there. Though, she fought with herself to keep those eyes of hers open. The dark was full of more than just a dull sense, it was full of terrors that made a person want to scream out. The luke warm tears would trail down along her porcelain cheeks as she met his eyes. The price of her emotion being held back for so long, forced down inside of a suitcase that was not allowed to be opened until the zipper or lock broke. Finally, it felt like it had broken. It had been so long since she piled up the mountain of her emotion, and it made her almost feel sick to her stomach as the thrush of emotion danced in her mind. Did she do the right thing? Should she have made any move? Perhaps she shouldn't have been vocal even in the slightest. Maybe she should've just gotten away while she still could... All these things spun around in her head, and just thinking about them nearly made the ice queen dizzy. Her hand that was not holding onto his would raise and she would use the sleeve of her shirt to wipe away the tears that would not be held back. Gosh, why couldn't she stop? Even her breath would hitch in her throat, little sobs making themselves present as she listened to him. She needed to hold it together, but she felt as though she was failing miserably. She was failing Akechi, she was failing her village, she was failing her son, and most of all... She felt as though she was letting herself down by breaking down right in the eye of someone that she cared about the most. He had better things to worry about rather than her state of mind, but she wanted to beg him to do something, anything... Just so she could feel confident once more. Her hand would drop as he tilted her head up, her eyes meeting his own as she attempted to be silent, but her breath was still catching, still stumbling. Every time she looked at him, she could still feel that sensation of falling. Falling in love with a man that made her feel protected and safe. His words coated with the most addictive of drugs, and enough to make her complexion lose it's porcelain coloration in turn for a reddened one.

"I don't do this for my own pride. I do this for my people's safety. My family's safety. I do it because I selfishly want to see my son flourish in a world that is not plagued by war and death." Her voice was still coarse with the emotion that she could feel. "I'm not here to feed my ego. Of course I know what I've done for my people. I know it well. And even then, I still struggle and slip like it's a mountain to climb. Every day it's like I take two steps forward and three steps back. I'm fighting an uphill battle with everyone and myself. Some days... It feels like you are the only person that believes in me." The soft touch of his lips to her forehead again, and she would watch his face closely. He spoke of the things that he could do for her, and she took his hand and placed it to his side. Shifting, she would move to straddle him where he sat, her hands planting against his shoulders as she watched his eyes carefully. "For once in my life, I don't know what to do. I have no definite answer." Leaning close, her lips would hover over his now.

"Fix me, Akechi. I am a broken woman." She'd whisper quietly, her lips pressing against his in a sweet little kiss.

 

[Akechi]

And there the two sat, one sobbing as the other placed her head at his chest with their hearts beating in unison. When Haruka felt pain, Akechi felt the same pain. His eyes had begun to water at this point but he wouldn’t cry. No, he couldn’t cry. He had to be strong for Haruka… strong enough so that she could cry when she truly needed to. The Uchiha clan had the tendency to take the burden of the world onto their shoulders. Akechi had no problem shouldering the pain that Haruka had felt, in fact he considered it a pleasure. Seeing his damsel in distress made him sick to his stomach, the butterflies transforming into knots of anxiety in the pit of his abdomen. He racked his brain to discover a proper method of aiding the woman in the conquest of her mind. After all, her true enemy was simply herself. There was no demon that Haruka needed to face off against, nor was there a foolhardy Tsuchikage that threatened her life. Instead, this was the aftermath of the good deed that she had done. The woman had forced her will on the village, annihilating the disease that threatened to destroy her village. However, Haruka’s psyche had been plagued with the gory resolution of the scene that had unfolded.

”I know…” Akechi would say, his voice relatively low in comparison to Haruka’s compassionate comments. She was riding high on emotion, even to the point where she felt like she needed to explain herself to the Uchiha. She didn’t. It was unnecessary. Akechi knew of what she had done, just as he knew who she had done it for. Satisfying her own ego or securing some type of political foothold was never a priority for Haruka. She was never that type of person. The raven-haired warrior princess did what she did for her people, for her son, for Akechi, and for a better world for everyone to live in. Though the so called “leaders” in her village refused to see her for what she truly was, Akechi and some of the more enlightened villagers revered her for exactly what she was… a savior…

”Fi--” His voice was suddenly interrupted by Haruka’s sudden movements. She grabbed his shoulders with more force than she probably intended, and Akechi was caught by surprise by the woman’s strength. He fell backwards, Haruka falling overtop of him as her lips pressed against his. “Fix her.” Fix her…

It was something that he didn’t agree with, but the pain in her eyes had convinced him to use something. That conviction is what caused his eyes to spin in a slow, hypnotizing rotation. As the man pulled back he would lock eyes with Haruka’s whimsical sapphire hues, locking the woman within the gaze of the Sharingan. ”Clear your mind.” He started, his power of suggestion beginning to take form. ”Forget the horrors that plague your mind. Bury them within the deepest part of yourself. The explosions, the screaming, the terror, and the guilt that you feel… Bury those emotions as you have no need for them.” Akechi spoke, continuing with his makeshift hypnosis. ”You will find strength in those that support you, and harbor no remorse for those that stand in your way. You will believe in the path you chose. Your determination will be your strength and your pain, a motivator.” He stopped, the spiral of his reddened eyes coming to a halt as he wondered what effects his hypnosis would have on the raven-haired beauty.

”That’s my first time using my power in that way. How do you feel? I need to check for alterations and what not. After all, I don’t want you going crazy on me,” he giggled, making light of the situation. He didn’t want her to panic, after all. Sealing off certain emotions was a dangerous game, and he wondered just what effect it’d have on Haruka… if any at all.

 

[Haruka]

Whoops~. As the young woman would topple her lover over, she would blink a few times after her lips would part from his own. She really didn't realize her own strength sometimes. It was a problem, but she could definitely deal with it. After all, he could handle her heavy handed touches. A small bought of laughter would now echo between the two of them before his eyes would begin their spinning motion. It was amusing to her, and she wasn't sure why. Ah well. Perhaps just because it was Akechi. He made her feel lighter than air, floating really. Her hands would press lightly into his shoulders. Hair falling over her own shoulders, it would create a sort of curtain to the rusted world of pretend around them, leaving the two to their very own devices for the time being. Watching his eyes, she would feel the odd embrace of something encasing her, much like the grips of something deeper inside of her mind that would reach out to take grips upon her. As she felt the hypnotizing feeling cast over her mind, the light of her eyes would seemingly fade as he spoke to her, making his commands to what she needed to do. Hell, she knew that she needed to do all of this stuff, but why couldn't she do it herself? What had she become to be so frail of the mind? She might've been strong of the body, but emotionally she was a wreck. A puzzle that needed to be pieced back together. Or a doll that needed it's limbs sewn back on. How strange was that, right? And he was the one who would piece her back together. Others would not be given the same tears that he had seen, but rather they would be met with her aggression and annoyance based off of everything that had taken place around and to her. As the spiral of his eyes would come to a slow halt, the words he had spoken would lay down heavily upon her mind. Almost immediately, a hand would raise to press to the dead center of her forehead. What felt like an immediate searing pain would dance through her conscious mind, causing her to give an immediate sound of weariness. No words would bubble to the very surface just as of yet. She couldn't formulate anything like that. The horror that took a hold of her mind slowly receded much like the roots of weeds. Her mind had been a garden beyond compare before she succumbed to her own terror.

There was a lot that she had to work on. To sweep it under the rug so easily was something that she had not been completely prepared for. After all, she had been wracked with guilt ever since she disappeared off of the face of the earth. Her horrors were more broad than one could ever imagine. There was just so much filth there that would be pushed into the back of the wardrobe only to be locked up and literally burned down to the ground. Silently, she would attempt to come to an answer. Any answer for him as to how she felt. Her lips would part, but no words would come forth. What did she ask for again? Closing her eyes for a brief moment, she would find a spot of clarity. Reaching forward, she would suddenly push herself up to a stand and her eyes would slowly open. The sapphire of her eyes was more brilliant than ever, the light having returned to them once more. "I feel..." She'd speak slowly, as if testing something out. Her brow would knit and she would stare off into the immediate distance for a few moments. "...Empowered." She would whisper, lifting her hands, palms upwards. A breeze would pick up, an odd thing to happen as they were underground. The snow seemed to melt underfoot, leaving nothing more there than just the dampened black sand. That sand would pick up from the positioned it laid in on the ground and it would dance in the air in front of Haruka's gaze. Slowly, she'd tilt her head. Something about the fire within her burned brighter. It was almost engulfing seeing that she was nothing more than a frozen over woman. Right now, though, her fire and wind would dance together to show off one of her more recent advancements in the elements. Her other hand would turn and she would conjure the very water from the small stream beside the two and she would let the black and and the water twist together in a double helix formation. Interesting, no? Twisting on her feet very abruptly, she would look at the man-- whether he had chosen to stand up or stay laying down, she would find her way back to him simply just to embrace him.The water and sand would soon find it's way right back down to the ground. Without the things that held her back... what could she have become? Not even she really knew what path she could walk at this point. The people who damned her only made her grow angry, and the people who supported her cause only made her want to fight harder. These emotions were like a swell of sharp knives in her stomach. Clenching down her teeth, her lips would remain closed. She had to get a grip, but feeling brand new was never something that she thought she'd have to go through again. Depression, anxiety, suffering, horror... It all dulled the senses, dulled a person's prowess and progress. Now here she was, sharper, hardened, and ready to make people bend at the knee for all of the things that she gave to them.

Her mind may have never been a pretty place, but right now, it felt the best that it ever had. Though the jagged ice that she slipped on before had been there... It was a very... very strange feeling. Pulling away from the man, she would shake her head as if to shake off the headache that pressured on the softer tissues within her head.

"Those who wish to make their defiance towards me better realize, and realize quickly that I will not be stepped on. I will not bend, nor will I break." She would speak in a quiet tone of voice.

"This petty game has dragged on for far too long. I will not deal with Kamaru nor Megami's bullshit any longer. If those warmongers get in my way, I will cut off their legs at their knee so that they know who they kneel to." Being nice to the people who were deafened to anything that made sense was not an option anymore. It was time to stand for this village rather than watching it burn. "I will not be denied by fools any longer. I am the Tsuchikage and the Twenty-Third Daimyo, and I will act as such. I will not allow anyone to drive my village, my family, my friends, and the people I care about into ruin." This child's play was over. There was absolutely no point in light steps anymore. After all, why would people that were blind be allowed to dictate anything that she would do?

 

[Akechi]

Graceful, weren’t they? Haruka stumbling into Akechi, and the Uchiha losing his balance as her weight crashed into him. They probably looked like two of the biggest goofballs to anyone lucky enough to witness them with one another, but it didn’t really matter to the two of them. It wasn’t like they had anyone else that they needed to impress… at least not in this way. Akechi only had eyes for one woman, and it was the woman the casually straddled him on top of the black sands. Though there were surely other beautiful women in this world, Akechi could find no one more beautiful in his reddened eyes than Haruka. Even with all of her flaws, or the fragility of her mind that was caused by a near-fatal battle, the Uchiha found her to be perfect for him. She was his dream, the only one that could reach him before he descended down a path with no return. It was the only reason that he used his Sharingan to alter her mind, to release the constraints that she placed on herself due to the guilt that she felt. He risked losing someone he loved for a creation of the Sharingan, but he decided to go through with it anyways. Why? Because he loved her, and watching her suffer anymore was unbearable.

As the black hair surrounded him on both sides like a curtain, the Uchiha’s bloodline limit displayed its prowess over the human mind. The reddened eyes were as dangerous as they were beautiful. Their ability to control, and even unlock or unhinge, the human mind was quite incredible. This world’s hatred of them and the members of their clan were clearly out of some envy of these incredible abilities. ”Haruka!” He screamed out, a free hand reaching out and gently stroking her cheek as she held her head. She seemed to be in pain after the process, the Sharingan’s little “trick” obviously overwhelming the brunette’s mind quite some bit. After all, Akechi did beckon her mind to transform itself into a different cerebral mind-state. It may not have come natural to a woman like her. Especially with someone that has dealt with so much regret and so much sorrow in her lifetime. However, in mere moments, her hands plunged into the ground on both sides of Akechi’s ear. He watched as she stated how empowered she felt, the elements around her even bending to her will as she forcibly commanded snow to melt, and sand and water to twist into curvatures.

Haruka had been unchained...

”I see.” Akechi replied, rising from his seated position to embrace the woman as she walked over to him. The burdens that plagued her had suddenly been lifted from her shoulders; the guilt and sorrow had been replaced with vigilance and determination. Where she had faltered before, she would more than likely overpower now. ”Then allow me to say this…” Akechi would comment, taking a step backwards, kneeling before her with a hand planted firmly in his chest as a salute. ”I’m a barbarian. I don’t even know how to do this right or how this works… BUT…”

”I wish to relinquish my freedom, and become a willing member of your society. A life without you would hold no meaning for me. You are the light that guided me out of the darkness. You are the other half of me, you complete me, and I wish to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Or something like that… He couldn’t shake the feeling that he was somehow forgetting something though.

 

[Haruka]

Was that not what a woman such as Haruka needed? A little push in the correct direction. Not only had she supposedly been assistance to him, but he had helped her in so many ways that she couldn't even begin to imagine a life without him. It quite hurt to imagine doing anything without the man as someone to lean back on or consult. He knew her the best at this point. He accepted her, flaws and all. Even when she couldn't stand tall, he could help her back to her feet. As he knelt down in front of her, she would feel her eyebrows furrow together ever so slightly. Were they not equals? They didn't need to play such silly games like this, or so she believed. Though he did look amusingly cute in such a position. "You are my barbarian, if you are even one at all." She would whisper quietly, watching him as he spoke. Did he wish to become a shinobi of hers? Shaking her head a bit, she would find herself plastered with a look of confusion. Why the sudden change? She'd never known herself to be this... ah... able to draw someone in? After all, it was she who was drawn into his flame like a silly little moth. They were the kind of couple that would leave people whispering in the streets that they would never make it, and they would still make it beyond any other belief that some of these people had. Hell, people could even try and argue that it was shameful that she was with someone who fled their village, but she didn't give a damn. He was the one that she wanted, the one that she loved, and the only person she found within her dreams. Slowly sinking down to her knees in front of him, she would reach out and grab his left hand, whether he liked it or not. Her fingers would brush against his hand just lightly as she watched him. Then, she would press both of her hands against his and she would offer a small smile. The wrought iron butterflies played hell in her stomach, and she was alright with that.

"Akechi, will you marry me?"

Yes, she just popped that question. And no, she did not have a single regret about it either. It still made her stomach twist in knots, her heart beat harder in her chest, and a flush rise to her cheeks, but her words would remain confident. Now, the only thing to really wait for? His answer.

 

[Akechi]

“Unforeseen set of events.” That was probably the best way to describe the woman’s rather “daring” act. She had bravely gone where most women had never gone before, or maybe even found such an act to be quite presumptuous. Akechi wasn’t a coward or anything, but he honestly hadn’t experienced such emotions before. He was nervous, yet in a blissful haven of love infused emotions. The Uchiha found himself puzzled by her sudden brazenness, yet also intrigued and eager to accept such a proposal. He found himself looking for an answer, when he already knew what the answer was. ”Of course.” A more definitive and obvious form of “yes,” wasn’t it? He had already pledged his life to her, giving away his freedom was just another gesture to prove his resolve. Subjecting himself to her village’s rules and regulations where he had once gone unrestricted was the ultimate display of adoration for a man that loathed their hierarchical caste system. His subjugation was a display of affection… of love…

The Uchiha joined hands with the woman, using one of his free hands to gently brush aside the hair around her ear as he reached for the back of her head. Moving her head closer to him, Akechi’s lips would gently press against hers if she wanted. He loved her, he wanted to marry her, and he definitely wanted to beat her to the punch for the deep, long passionate kiss that followed. That was the competitive spirit in him. She beat him to the words but he beat her to the actions. Take that, Haruka! Then… naturally… only if she allowed herself to fall within his arms, Akechi would press his body against hers… chest to chest… thigh to thigh. They would back into the sand, much in the same position as they were before…

And then Haruka would take the lead, if she wanted. Their love would be sealed with a kiss and something more…

OOC: Forgot the FTB tag so... [FTB]

 

[Haruka]

As the words that she so wanted to hear would come from the man she so loved, she could feel a breath that she had been holding onto release from her lips. Her very legs felt like jello all over again. Her heart thumped in rhythmic and strange ways. No one had really told her that true love would be like someone stirring her insides like they were locked within a cauldron. Though he should not have found himself surprised by any set of actions that Haruka took from here on out. He had been the key to unlocking whatever she had held back. To be quite frank... It showed her just how much she loved this man. How much she wanted to stand beside him with absolutely no force to blow her over. Her hand would be encased by his as he swept her hair away from her face... and their lips would meet. His hand would bring the two just that much closer to one another. Her one free hand would trace up his side, fingers tangling in his shirt. Her body would press closely to his, and a warmth that she felt familiar with would heat her very surface. It was his warmth that pushed her forward, made her tingle, and made her mind dance in all the ways she could never imagine. His very presence was intoxicating to the young woman... And she couldn't get enough. Did she grow addicted to him? It was more than a possibility. After all, she pledged her very life to him and as did he. Back into the sand they would cascade, and she would be placed atop of him. Their lips had not parted yet, oh no.. After all, what would a kiss be without a few little playful grazes of her teeth against his lower lip and the dance of their tongues? With their chests pressed together, he could probably feel the heavy beating of her heart with the excitement that he caused her to feel. Parting her full lips from his own, she would watch him for just a brief moment before her lips would curl into what could only be described as a love drunk smile. It was truly strange. She never expected herself to be in such a position, but he managed to place her within that very positioning and it was exciting. It was enticing, and damnit, she couldn't get enough.

Her long legs would move and she would brush them against either side of his hips, her skirt visibly hiking up her thighs. No time for modesty when the full force of a passionate embrace was thundering through a person's veins, right? Her hands would lay down upon his chest, feeling along the flesh that was hidden beneath of the shirt there and she would give just a small grin. Her fingers would once more tangle within the cloth and it would be pulled apart, the sound of a swift ripping echoing in the area around. She wasn't going to be gentle~. It was in her way! Leaning her upper body down, she wouldn't skip out on the way that she-- ahem-- let her lower half brush and press up against his own. Her lips would trail along his jawline and she would move up towards his ear, "I'm going to drive you and your body mad." She'd speak lightly into his ear before using her tongue to trail along the outer edge of said ear. Her mouth would stop at the lobe of his ear before she bit down, not too horribly hard, but enough to probably make a light jolt happen. As quickly as it happened, her mouth would move away and her lips would trail down to his neck, leaving partial amethyst prints there along his flesh as she kissed there. Though she would not stay for too long as she made her descent downwards.

Now, this was the point where this thread needed to fade to black. After all, most kiddies would need bleach for their eyes and minds after this point. Let's just say that the Sea wasn't the only incredibly heated area of Arcadia today...

[ Faded. ]

 

[Akechi]

“I’m going to drive you and your body mad.”

Those were the last decipherable words that he could make out before it began. He could feel her within his skin, emotion radiating through her lips as she passed to his body with sweet touches from her lips. Their bodies pressed together, embracing love through contact as the topic faded into darkness. I guess it was too much for the kids to know, though we all know where their show was headed. They were in public but that didn’t matter to them. Akechi and Haruka were addicted to one another, intoxicated by the mere scent of each other. It was lustful desire as they pounced upon one another, but it was love that emanated from the two as they remained at each other’s sides through these tumultuous times. It was a love that probably nobody in this world had experienced before, and maybe it would become the example for which others could follow. After all, they were role models and pioneers of love and understanding. The two couldn’t have been more different. Fire and Ice. A traitor and an ANBU. A vagabond and a noble. However, they found commonalities within their differences, and they found love within that unity. They were an example that the world should follow…

”I can’t even tell if its dark out.” Akechi giggled, his eyes firmly locked onto hers as her hair surrounded his face as if they were curtains. That’s right; Haruka had found herself back on top. Then again, she was quite adept at doing so. It was a special talent of hers that seemed carry over to her political dealings as well. Akechi had witnessed that first hand. I mean, did you see Kamaru’s face? He looked like he had seen a ghost or something after Haruka had crushed his ego. The man just looked so defeated… almost as if crushing his manhood would’ve been more appropriate… or at least more merciful. But these were stories for another day.

”Not sure if I care though.” Akechi would giggle, one of his hands sliding down to her naked rear end, slightly squeezing it as he lifted his head forward for a kiss. ”Uchiha Haruka.” He would whisper, kissing her on the lips, gently nibbling on her lower lip as he lingered for just a bit. ”It has a nice ring to it.” Everything that he had worked for was coming to fruition with Haruka. The Uchiha clan could be restored though his union with Haruka, and he found a place that he could call home for them. However, his work wasn’t done. No. That would be selfish, and stopping now would be imprudent for a man in his position. Though he had found inner peace, there were plenty in this realm that had not. He owed peace to them… he owed them this as the leader of the new Uchiha clan.

”You know… I didn’t bring another robe.” He would laugh, gesturing to the shredded robe, an unfortunate victim of Haruka’s conquest. It was in the way and she removed it… a lot of that may be happening in the future…

 

[Haruka]

My, oh my. What a steamy little dance the two did, no? Even then, as they danced... Should it not have been the man leading? Not in Haruka's mind. After all, if she could lead, she would. It made no difference to her. Besides, the look on his face was something that served to make her go a little bit more wild than what was anticipated... But surely if he didn't like it, he wouldn't put up with it. That was her thought process on it after all. Fingernails running down his now bare chest just lightly, Haruka would keep herself sitting atop of him. Her upper body leaned forward just so slightly to cause that interesting little curtain of her hair. "Who cares? We're in Arcadia." She would murmur with a small grin crossing over her features. Truth be told, she was a little bit rocked and dazed. Her chest would rise and fall with each labored breath she took. Her skin even had a fine coating of sweat upon it. It actually gave her a slight bit of a chill. Sometimes, the breezes in Arcadia were more of a nuisance than a help. As he reached down to take a hold of her behind, she would give a bit of a laugh. At least she wasn't slapping his hand away, right? Even if it were more of a naughty touch more than anything, it still caused such a strangely nice swell of emotions. In a multitude of places, nonetheless... Though, what really managed to shake those firm foundations of hers was the way he gave her his last name. Oh dear, she could feel the coloration coming right up to her cheeks in a cute little blush. She liked it. As his lips met hers, she felt his teeth graze against her lip. Hah, copycat~. He knew that she liked to do that. Reaching up, she would press a finger against his lips, tracing them lightly with her fingernail. "Uchiha Haruka." She would nod lightly, "Gives me the warm fuzzies. Weird right?" She admitted quietly. Sitting up fully, she would reach up and bind her hair behind her head so that they were not so obscured from the world now. It was night, or something like that. That was what she remembered when she came here, at least.

Reaching out to the side, she would grab onto a cloak that she had worn out and placed it beside his head. "It's okay. I like the view I get of ya from up here." A bold statement, no? Nah, not really. "I'll replace whatever I destroy. I promise." It was an easier promise to keep than to say she wouldn't destroy whatever clothing got in her way. "Ah, if only we weren't out in the public eye. Or else I'd make you go again and again until we both pass out." Shifting her body, she would move so that she would now lay against him, face pressed into his neck. She would grab the cloak and pull it over the both of them.

"I love you," she would murmur quietly against his flesh. Shirk all responsibilities and stay here for as long as she liked. That'd be great. Very much so.

 

[Akechi]

”The stars in Arcadia are beautiful in the night. Almost as beautiful as those icy blue eyes of yours that seem to sparkle the hotter we get,” Akechi giggled, clearly alluding to the workout that both of them had just experienced. After all, he could feel how heavy she was breathing through the bosom that she had planted directly on top of his chest. Though the man had an incredible amount of stamina, he never truly had to use it in this way. Haruka was his first woman of this caliber. She seemed to take charge without remorse or question, and her bedside manner was animalistic in nature… ravaging his body in some steamy whirlwind romance. It was so intoxicating that it dampened his senses and placed him in a daze. She was as addictive as heroin, a high that the Uchiha never wanted to come down from. Even as he lay winded with the girl of his dreams straddling him, he wished for the stamina to keep on going… to keep on pumping.

”It sounds even better when you say it.” Akechi would comment, giggling as he embraced the woman while looking up at the stars. He truly felt as if someone or something out there had blessed him. This time he wouldn’t fail the family that he had created, and he wouldn’t allow Haruka’s plans for her village to fail. Everything that they had worked for was in their grasp, and Akechi refused to allow those goals to slip from their grasp. ”You using the word ‘fuzzies’ is weird though. Is that guardian terminology or something?” He poked fun, stroking the girl’s head with one hand while that other hand remained on Haruka’s butt. Why move it if Haruka seemed to enjoy it? Or at least not hate it?

”You may be destroying quite a lot though. You sure you’ll be able to replace all that? Uchihan regalia is hard to come by these days.” Joking of course. She could destroy whatever she wanted and get away with it. He didn’t care. Haruka was the second half of his soul, and whatever was his was hers. ”Since when has the public eye stopped you? Then again, I guess we do have appearances to keep. Soon you’ll be wearing a crown and having people bow beneath your feet as you lead them to a more fulfilling life. I guess being a role model is hard, after all.” Yeah… because you couldn’t just do whatever you wanted…

 

[Haruka]

Ah, ah. The stars down below the surface were the most beautiful of them all. Seriously. It was like they did not even belong there, but for some strange reason, they twinkled on and on. It was a beautiful sight that seriously did not need to be marred by the lovemaking of two shinobi, but it happened anyways. Who was going to stop it? No one really. Her body pressed that much closer to his own as she subconsciously closed those eyes of hers. He warmed her very core. It seemed as though it had almost been completely melted by the man. Or was it something more? The warmth danced through her veins in a very manner that was unbeknownst to her. She had always had an aura of cold, a cold touch, and an icy exterior. "Oh please." She would mumble, pulling the cloak up over her head. The flush was almost unbearable. He was the only person that would ever be able to make her squirm or blush like this. "I'll show you a heat so intense you won't be able to look at these eyes~." It wasn't threatening in the slightest coming from the mostly naked woman pressed up against the Uchiha whom she stripped down. Hah. It was more like she was going to keep on pushing their little escapades. Surely he wouldn't mind. Leaning in closer to him, she would take a nip at his neck as he made the whole guardian comment. Nom.

"I ain't a guardian. I'm an ANBU."' She'd comment, and then she would feel her brow furrow together. Wait, that wasn't right. Derp. "I think I mean Kage. Ah, whatever, I'm sure you know what I mean. You've got me all flustered at the moment." She would mumble. Maybe she got a little bit scrambled or something. Shaken and stirred. Not so inexcusable for what had just taken place here. "And a crown? Really? Absolutely not. I'll be down to earth about this." She'd chuckle now. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to take anyone's shit. And yes, I will replace it. Even if it takes me all the time and whatever else in the world." Her head would nod just a small bit. "I think I'm rambling now. Gah." Yes, her mind truly was scrambled up. Popping her head up from beneath of the cloak, she would peer up towards him.

"Do... do you want to meet Kei tonight?" She'd ask quietly, blinking a few times. "Sorry if that seems out of the blue." Now she would shake her head a few times. "My mind is everywhere and no where, I think."

 

[Akechi]

”Oh, I don’t know about that.” The man would giggle, a wide grin appearing across his face as she mentioned intense, unfathomable heat. Akechi had braved infernos created by Uchiha, he had survived the breath of a fire demon, and he had managed to survive under the suns of the Sunan wastelands. If there was anyone that could take the heat, it was definitely Akechi. However, you readers know as well as I do that she was talking about a different kind of heat altogether. A type of heat that could’ve been as literal as it was figurative. It was the type of heat that radiated throughout bodies as they engaged in mind-blowing coitus. It was lust in its purest form, two libidos that reached their sexual apex and simply unloaded on one another. Bodies were ravaged, energies exhausted, and two people forever changed. That was the heat that Haruka spoke of. Honestly, he wanted to go at it again and again. That stamina of his was beginning to pick up…

”I guess I should start learning the differences. Well… unless you plan on abolishing such trivialities. I mean no offense by that, by the way.” He’d comment, running his fingers through her beautiful darkened hair. Though he loved the buxom blonde that he fell in love with, he was beginning to fall for the brunette even more. But then again, what could she do at this point that would turn him off? The Uchiha was 110% devoted to the woman, and his devotion would not bend even under the most severe of circumstances. ”That’s what makes you, you. And it’s also the reason why you are the only one that can save this village.” Akechi mentioned, his lips softly pressing themselves against her forehead. She truly was amazing, wasn’t she? ”You know… You really are amazing.” Yes, he had to reiterate that fact even if it went without saying. She was a remarkable woman, and he was thankful that he had managed to land someone so remarkable. Through her the world could be a better place…

Just needed to find more people like her…

”I’d love to meet Kei-chan tonight. I was actually waiting for you to ask. I didn’t want to press you or force you into it, or anything like that.” Akechi would say, clearly excited about her decision to finally show off her little dude. He was a bit anxious, it being his first time meeting his “son” but it was a good feeling. Even if the man that fathered the child wasn’t around, Haruka could find solace in knowing that Akechi always would be for as long as he lived. He did understand her caution though.

”And now I’m rambling. Just yes. Hell yes. I can’t wait to meet Kei-chan.” See. Excited.