[Ryuujin Shiina]

In the city of fools, I was careful and cool but they tore me apart like a hurricane.

TAG - Hatake Toshizō

NOTES -

Ryuujin Shiina had met one of the most fascinating men by chance, or perhaps by fate, if she believed in such a thing to begin with.

And in between having met Hatake Toshizou, she had gone from meeting him, to sharing a drink with him, and proceeded to share a hot spring, a bed and ended with sharing an entire night.

They certainly shared many things in less than 24 hours.

Did she regret any of it? No.

Did she have doubts and reservations? Certainly.

But from the moment she decided to open her heart, the moment their bodies and lips intertwined, she had walked down the path of not return. As their labored breaths subsided in the dark of night and were replaced with the calmness of slumber, she was truly happy to be resting in his arms. She hadn't felt safe with another human, let alone another man, in quite a long time. Although she had wondered and would still continue to wonder whether her stance as a neukenin could sever the relationship they had built, she understood that it was merely an assumption, that couldn't be confirmed nor denied unless he spoke the words themselves.

A part of her was still somewhat scared...

The sun's harsh rays were unforgiving as they shone down through the window of Aozora Ryokan into the eyes of the couple. Shiina gave a little moan, similar to that of a child not willing to get out of bed. She hadn't slept this well in a long time, the combination of the hot springs and the events of the night contributed to this, she was certain. The woman looked up at the still asleep Toshizou, not wanting to wake him. Even his sleeping face was handsome and cute, she thought to herself, like that of a ridiculous fangirl.

MADE BY MIZO

[Hatake Toshizō]

"more than infatuation, not quite love". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." DAWN OF A NEW DAY This was certainly odd. Toshizou was a very light sleeper, and under normal circumstances, he was the type of person to sleep with 'one eye open' so to speak, and yet, he had one of his first restful nights in a very long time. To be entirely fair, the two of them had plenty of exercise the previous night, so that was enough to make a person tired enough for a restful night of sleep. But what truly bugged him was that he allowed himself to feel too at ease when he was sleeping beside someone who - despite all his infatuation - was still a stranger to him. But he couldn't really get upset about that when he remembered the night they shared, and thinking about it was enough to make him feel electrified again. As his eyes opened, adjusting to the harsh sunlight coming from the window of the room. His looked around the area, noticing that the woman was already up and looking at him with a cute expression. A subtle smile formed on his lips as he turned to face her, his hand reached out to caress her face. "Good morning." he simply said before leaning forward to press his lips against hers in a soft, yet affectionate kiss, pulling her body closer to his, almost as if he was not yet satisfied of her flavour, of her touch. This was unusual to him, but he didn't want to overthinking, not yet, for he knew when he finally decided to do so, things would grow more complicated. He had a feeling about that. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" Aozora Ryokan Waking up [Ryuujin Shiina] [275 words]

[Ryuujin Shiina]

In the city of fools, I was careful and cool but they tore me apart like a hurricane.

TAG - Hatake Toshizō

NOTES -

As his eyes opened and his gaze met hers, she felt that same love and emotion it, enough to make her melt a little more with every second that passed. Shiina returned the kiss, blushing at all the feelings she now felt. "Good morning..." she whispered, "Did you sleep well?" She wanted so much to give into her urges and desires again at that moment, every movement Toshizou made would harp at her heart strings. Yet, she was a lady, she reminded herself, pulling back slightly. "Would you like some breakfast?" She couldn't even recognize her own voice anymore, the coldness in her voice that she had held to most people was now that of pure sweetness and love.

She almost didn't recognize herself anymore.

The woman would get up from the bed, her eyes searching for the towel that had hugged her body the night before. As she stood, she felt her knees buckle, taking a few steps back so that she sat back down on the bed. She hadn't expected to feel dizzy, especially since she had a full night's rest. Shiina sat on the edge of the bed for a moment, closing her eyes as though to wait for the wave of dizziness to pass. Was there still remnants of the hot springs from the night before? No matter, the woman looked back at Toshizou sheepishly. "Would you mind some breakfast in bed?"

It was a first for her, to eat in bed, but she feared that any movement from it would cause another dizzy spell. She looked at him with a gaze that had other thoughts mixed in as well, that if he looked carefully enough would give away the fact that aside from food, she wanted more of him. Much more. It felt strange to her that she couldn't contain the desire. especially as composed as she usually was. What was wrong with her?

MADE BY MIZO

[Hatake Toshizō]

"more than infatuation, not quite love". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." BREAKFAST "I had a great night of sleep, even if I also rather enjoy the time we stayed up." he teased her in his response after they pulled away from their passionate kiss. When she asked if he wanted breakfast, he nodded. "That would be great. We can order something from the Ryokan." he suggested, as he didn't want to leave just yet; in his mind, he still wanted to make use of such pleasant facilities with the company of the woman. When she got up from the bed, his eyes followed her frame, appreciating the wonderful view while she looked for her towel before coming back to sit in bed, where Toshizou was also sitting. He noticed that something was off when she came down, and that prompted him to narrow his eyes. "Dizzy again? I wonder what is going on..." he thought to himself. When she suggested the breakfast in bed, he nodded. "I will take care of it, and we can enjoy it in bed. Now you, miss..." he said, as his hands reached for her shoulder, holding it firmly but also gently. "Lay down while you wait, because it seems like you are still not one hundred percent better." he paused, widening his smile. He had noticed what her eyes were also trying to say, and he wanted the very same thing. "After all, you need to get better, and we need to eat, so we can enjoy this place a little longer, right?" he said, kissing her one more time before getting up from the bed, heading towards the place where he left his pants so that he could go order them some food for breakfast. Toshizou would head towards the door, and after grabbing the frame, he would look back at her one more time before leaving. His mind couldn't ignore the fact that all of this continued to be extremely unusual for him. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" Aozora Ryokan Going to grab breakfast [Ryuujin Shiina] [327 words]

[Ryuujin Shiina]

In the city of fools, I was careful and cool but they tore me apart like a hurricane.

TAG - Hatake Toshizō

NOTES -

Shiina noticed that he had caught on the fact that she was feeling dizzy and appreciated his offer of offering food while she lay in bed. She merely nodded her head, closing her eyes as she felt his kiss one more time before he got out of bed. A part of her wanted to grab his arm and pull him back, but that was what clingy women did and clingy was one thing she was definitely not, regardless of how out of character she was acting. She would look at him lovingly as he disappeared to order the breakfast. He was such a sweetheart, her mind replaying their entire encounter since the night prior.

She would sit up slowly, the thought of him going to order the food and bringing it up made her feel like she was helping him at all. The woman just felt a little dizzy, after all, not entirely anything worth panicking about. Perhaps it was the anemia that was hitting her hard. She got up even slower than before. Satisfied that she wasn't feeling like the world was spinning, Shiina got up to wrap herself in the towel. The least she could do was prepare some tea for them to go along with the breakfast.

If there was one thing she was good at, it was making tea.

She scrounged the cabinet and found a whisk, a spoon, matcha powder and two cups. She searched to see if there was a bowl, as tea could only be made in tea bowls. This was the first lesson she learned from her teacher at the teahouse, and one that she held deep in her heart. Whisking up some green tea and then transferring them to the cups. It was not traditional, and broke many rules of tea making but today she would give herself a pass.

The woman sat down on one of the chairs, waiting for Toshizou, her eyes taking in the sunlight through the window. It was a beautiful day, hoping that it was going to be less cold today. As she looked out the window, she couldn't help but think about the difficult conversations she would have to have with him, likely through breakfast. She let out a small sign, slightly nervous, her hands tugging at the end of her towel nervously.

MADE BY MIZO

[Hatake Toshizō]

"more than infatuation, not quite love". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." BACK TO THE ROOM Putting on his shirt on his way to the reception of the Ryokan, Toshizou's mind was working like crazy as he tried to consider who that woman might be. He hoped he was just overthinking the matter, since - for whatever reason he couldn't explain - he was feeling a sort of different connection to her, one he hadn't felt in many, many years. "Am I actually... Moving on from her?" he wondered, as his mind pictured the face of the woman he truly loved for most his life, only to then shift to her empty gaze as she lied on the floor with those lifeless eyes. She was gone, and she had never been his, and yet, his heart was never available. After ordering the food and grabbing the two trays, Toshizou would make his way back to the room, and as he opened the sliding door, he could smell the fragrance of tea, which brought a smile to his face, changing the thoughtful and concerned expression he was sporting on his way back to the room. "Tea? That's lovely." he said as he approached the table, resting the two trays there. It was a traditional breakfest one would find in a Ryokan: rice and miso soup and ohitashi (boiled vegetables) served as side dishes. Natto (fermented soybeans), pickles, and grilled salmon were also served on the side to help complement the rice. The harmonious pairing between carbohydrates, vegetables, and fermented foods making the meal set well-balanced and nutritious, something he was careful enough to consider due to her continuous display of dizziness the past day. "Wanna go back to bed?" he suggested, reminding her of her idea of having the breakfast in bed. But he could also just eat it at the table, if she was feeling more inclined to do so. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" Aozora Ryokan Back with breakfast [Ryuujin Shiina] [312 words]

[Ryuujin Shiina]

In the city of fools, I was careful and cool but they tore me apart like a hurricane.

TAG - Hatake Toshizō

NOTES -

There was more than one thing that plagued her mind.

The most pressing and probably the obvious problem she had to tackle was his reaction to her status. Would he be understanding of her predicament, or rather the predicament that had resulted in her having to leave Kumogakure? Would he choose to turn his back on her, if not capture her himself, if he really wanted to. The ironic thing was...she never doubted that he could. From the moment he stepped into the ryokan, there was an aura to him that made her feel somewhat inferior. It wasn't because she didn't like to fight but it was his immense confidence that trumped her. Yet, as she continued to stare at nothing, there was something else that she couldn't help but think about.

Shiina hadn't chosen the road to be a neukenin. And she also never chose to be a geisha as well. Of course, she managed to convince herself that being a geisha would help her in her travels and for her to stay in smaller villages, something that her non-shinobi status would not. But as a geisha, she had performed for diplomats, for the wealthy. Throughout her performances, she had met people of different temperaments. If it hadn't been her extremely sly and observant nature, she wouldn't have survived against some of those temperaments. Perhaps the best way to describe it was that she had been in very rough situations, especially with those who saw the profession to equate that of a oiran.

She had been beaten, had been treated very poorly while traveling. Of course, she had managed to escape each time, but not without the psychological and emotional burdens they left behind. It was the reason why he didn't trust men, and all the more handsome men. "I feel better now, let's eat at the table..." she would whisper as she saw Toshizou return with two trays of well-balanced and nutritious food. Even as they sat across from one another, her aura visibly changed. She became very quiet, picking at her food while avoiding his gaze. She was afraid to admit her feelings...

Especially if there was a possibility of him not returning it.

MADE BY MIZO

[Hatake Toshizō]

"mora than infatuation, not quite love". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." WHO ARE YOU There was something different. With the aid of the Mind's Eye of the Kagura, he could perceive her emotions, and he could sense that she was feeling unease. At first, he took it as a consequence of her dizziness this past day, but upon further inspecting it, it didn't seem to connect. She was concerned, perhaps even worried, but what was the reason for that. And as much as he was enjoying her company, and feeling like even the man himself was acting oddly, unlike he usually behaved in these sort of situation, he was a former Black Ops member, and someone who made it this far into the ninja world without being caught off-guard very often. There was definitely something about her he would have to deal with, and then it hit him, the possibility that she was a missing-nin. Still, if he was concerned about that, his expression gave no hints, as he continued to sustain the subtle smile while making his way to sit on the table, in front of the woman. "I am glad you are feeling better, and this food will do you some good. It is as nutritious as it gets." he said, as he clapped his hands together in gratitude for the meal. "Itadakimasu." and after that, he would grab his hashi and started eating the rice, and a piece of the salmon. It was really tasty, high quality food indeed. Then, his scarlet eyes would go up to face her again. Finally, his smile faded away a bit, waiting until she had eaten at least a good chunk of her food before dropping the bomb of a question. "Who are you, really? I know something has been bothering you. Are you afraid?" he asked of her, his tone not threatening, but rather serious. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" Aozora Ryokan Breakfast [Ryuujin Shiina] [318 words]

[Ryuujin Shiina]

In the city of fools, I was careful and cool but they tore me apart like a hurricane.

TAG - Hatake Toshizō

NOTES -

Toshizou didn't even need the Eye of the Kagura to know that there was something not quite right about the woman. She knew that if she had really wanted to, Shiina could have easily pretended to not let whatever was bothering her show on her face. And yet, she had let that careful part of her slip, on purpose partially. There was a part of her that wanted him to know some if not all parts of her, things that could and would potentially ruin whatever they had created and had. And so, even when he put the question out to her, there would be no falter, no surprise. Instead, she put down her chopsticks gently on the tray, taking a moment before she looked at him again.

This time the look she gave him wasn't sweet and alluring.

It was the gaze of a woman who had so much to say that she could barely contain herself. Was she digging her own grave? Possibly. After careful consideration, she decided that she would drop one bombshell at a time. Even the most experienced of people could only handle so much truth at once. Shiina chose her words carefully, her gaze never leaving that of Toshizou. She wanted to catch his every expression, his every mannerism. It was one observant person to another, perhaps. "I wanted to know something..." Her voice almost cracked, "I want to know...what it was that we had last night. Of course I am aware of the physical. I want to know how you feel..." She would then soften her gaze, hoping that she wasn't making a bad choice for probing. "In my profession, we are looked down upon, almost ridiculed, but I hold myself to an honor that I don't expect anyone to understand."

She was referring to her geisha profession, naturally.

"I don't want to hide the fact that I am a geisha from you. I came here for a performance and had decided to stay a night. We rarely have a day off and I simply wanted to rest..." She was being completely honest. "I feel that whenever I mention my profession, which is not often, I am shunned. We are people who pride ourselves on our skills, on the training that we received in our teahouses. And by skills, I am not referring to what happens in bed..." The last part of her statement came out barely audible. The woman didn't search too deeply for Toshizou's response, yet prepared herself for the worst; he could simply walk out on her then and there, and she would have no reason to detain him.

MADE BY MIZO

[Hatake Toshizō]

"more than infatuation, not quite love". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." WHO YOU TRULY ARE When he asked her who she was, she paused, collecting her expression and resting her hashi to the side. With a determined, unfaltering gaze, she would then start speaking, wanting to know what was it that they had this past night, and how he felt about it, other than the physical aspect of it. Toshizou held his gaze, his expression calm and collected, not a single piece of emotion transpiring to his face. "I'm not the one you need to ask that. I can only speak as to what it was to me. I have no power over the true meaning of the moment we shared. And what I can tell you about it, intepret it as you may, is that I'm never around the next morning, and yet, here I am." he was being quite honest there; whenever he had his one-night stands, he would either ask people to leave, or leave himself as the dawn comes, still, he was finding himself there still, something he didn't fully comprehend either, but he was beginning to connect the dots. Now, when she continued on to her profession and the honour that came with it, he nodded, as a sign for her to continued. The woman would then reveal she was a geisha, and that made sense from some of her manerisms. Her tone and emotions were honest, and that much he appreciated. Her tone started getting lower as she explained how people shunned her away because of her profession and he nodded in acknowledgement. "So what if you are a geisha? I'm not your patron. You entertain people for a living, I kill people for a living. It's our path in life. I never expected any woman in my life to be a paragon of purity, now would I want that. My soul is too tainted for that." he admitted, not making any mention to leave. If anything, her being a geisha was a bonus for him, and yet, when he caught himself thinking that, he felt a bit more puzzled. "A bonus... Am I considering allowing this to be more than a fleeting moment?" he wondered, but the answer could not yet be reached; he needed to know her first. Her true self. Toshizou would laced his fingers, resting his shoulders on the table and pressing his chin against his hands. "But I appreciate you telling me that, and while I do, that was not what I was asking for. You are a shinobi, or at least someone who trained to be one. So I will ask again, who are you, really?" he insisted. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" Aozora Ryokan Conversation [Ryuujin Shiina] [443 words]

[Ryuujin Shiina]

In the city of fools, I was careful and cool but they tore me apart like a hurricane.

TAG - Hatake Toshizō

NOTES -

Despite his rather nonchalant response to the revelation that she lived life as a geisha, she could only feel a fleeting sense of relief before his true question, one in which she had anticipated since the night before, was finally spoken. She rose from her chair slowly, walking towards the window behind Toshizou and stared out of it. "My name is Ryuujin Shiina..." How weird it felt to say her real name for the first time in so many years. "You are absolutely correct that I am...or was...a shinobi." She didn't turn back to face him. "I never once thought I could really hide from you. You have sharp instinct, superior to even my own. To answer your question, my name is Shiina and I am originally from Kumogakure no Sato."

She had put it simply enough. A name, a place and nothing more. There was no inference that was needed at this point. If he was truly as strong as he said or even portrayed that he was, she knew for a fact that he automatically would know that she was a neukenin. If he chose to draw his blade against her, she would gladly die under his sword. There was no need for excuses, nor explanations, for the time for such things had long passed. She wasn't sure what this all meant for her, for him or for them. "She would continue to look out the window, wondering about his next move, if any move was to be taken. The seconds felt like eternity as the information was being digested, and each second time passed, she grew increasingly unsure of what was in store for her next.

"And in response to what you said about leaving in the middle of the night, you have been very kind if not loving to me. I expect nothing and hold nothing against you if you do want to draw your blade against me." She turned around then, her golden hues found his crimson and she looked at him with quite intensity. "If there was one thing I would regret...it was that we wouldn't be able to share more that what we had. To die by your hands would be quite a beautiful thing really..." her words were the most truthful they had ever been.

What was he going to do?

MADE BY MIZO

[Hatake Toshizō]

"more than infatuation, not quite love". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." WHY His scarlet orbs followed her as she walked towards the window behind him, as she finally revealed her name, and upon hearing the Ryujin name, he quickly reached the obvious conclusion: she was a missing-nin from the Hidden Cloud Village of all places. Toshizou frowned his brows ever so slightly, but he didn't say anything yet; he wanted to hear what she had to say. Shiina admited she knew she couldn't hide from him, and then confirmed she was from the Land of Lightning. And while the revelation had a significant weight, he didn't get up from his chair, he didn't reach out for his sword. Not yet, at least. And that was already a huge signed that he had changed. The Toshizou from a couple years ago would've been on the process of beheading the woman right now. Eliminate Evil Immediately, his nindo, the philosophy he lived by his whole life. And yet, in his current years, he was starting to realize the world was not enitrely black and white, and that - perhaps - his views were a bit too extremist. Maybe it was a consequence of trying to bond with people again, reaching out for lost time and the children he ignored, or maybe something else he didn't really understand. What he knew was that he wanted to understand why she betrayed her village, and not just end her life. "A missing-nin, uh? I suspected something along those lines." he responded, sighing briefly and getting up from his chair, but not moving in any direction; just properly facing her. Shiina then mentioned that he had been very kind and loving to her, and that she would understand if he drew his blade, going as far as to say that if she did die by his hands, she would be satisfied. Toshizou stood there in silence, contemplating her words and his own thoughts, and after endless seconds of silence, he sighed and gazed towards the window she was standing in front of. "I have killed many missing-nin in my career... I've gained a fame for doing that better than most. I have a Bingo Book, and I believe I can find you there. And yet... I don't feel like killing you, at least not without understanding..." he admitted, with a light shrug. "I need to know why you did it." and while his tone was calm, almost understanding, he made sure to express that he wanted to know why she defected from her village. "It shouldn't matter... And yet..." he thought to himself. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" Aozora Ryokan Conversation [Ryuujin Shiina] [428 words]

[Ryuujin Shiina]

In the city of fools, I was careful and cool but they tore me apart like a hurricane.

TAG - Hatake Toshizō

NOTES -

Shiina was quite surprised at his response, or rather lack of. She knew that he was someone who hunted, the aura he gave off from the first moment they met had spoken volumes what words didn't. She watched as Toshizou stood up, allowing the silence to settle in between her revelations and him thinking about what he wanted to do with this information. He asked her why she had done what she had done, without even knowing what it is she had done. Heaving a sigh, she took a couple of deep breaths, her mind searching for the right words.

"I suppose I'll have to start from the beginning. Before I left the village, I was someone who was...what you would call sly. I wasn't a menace or a monster, I simply knew how to deal with different personalities. I knew what it felt like to be in a position of strength and to manipulate those who were weaker than me. Looking back, I guess it was because of this arrogance and lack of real bonding and emotion that had ultimately led me to where I am today..." the woman began, although she really told him not much from the words. "And soon there were two groups of people, one who feared me enough to allow me to manipulate them and another that would do everything anything to be rid of me because of what threat they thought I could pose to Kumogakure."

Shiina turned her body back to stare at the window, her back to Toshizou. "A plague washed over our village. Of course, I knew it was a plague because it took the people I loved and hated without mercy. My mother fell victim to the disease, my teacher, a few of my enemies from the academy as well. I knew what it had been, because it had hit me a way like no other. But I am a Ryuujin, a sly one to say the least. A council member tried to frame the plague on me, that I started it or brought it to the village..." her voice quivered, trying to keep the anger and resentment at a minimal in her voice.

"He built a case against me and convinced everyone that I was the one who started this, taking the lives of innocent people. There was no way for me to stand up for myself. I was alone against my village, and for the first time I felt...hatred to the one place that had been my home for twenty odd years. He even had the audacity to send investigators to gather so-called 'witnesses' against me. And so I did what a young and self-proclaimed powerful shinobi would do. I killed every one of those people, including the councilman with the boldest way possible. It left no room for people to not know that I had killed them, using the Ryuujin clan jutsu to seal the deal..."

The woman felt a tear drop from her eye, just thinking about it made her mad. "If I had the choice to do it again...I would. I do not stand for anyone who would incriminate the innocent and a village that would condone it silently." Shiina's tear-filled eyes searched Toshizou's face. "And I don't expect you to feel any kind of sympathy or pity. You wanted to know...so I told you...and now it's up to you what you want to do. If you want to turn me in to Kumo or kill me, do as you please..." And yet, even as she said these words, she was unsure of her feelings towards this person that could potentially kill her.

MADE BY MIZO

[Hatake Toshizō]

"more than infatuation, not quite love". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." AKU SOKU ZAN When she said she would start from the beginning, he nodded. "I'm not in a hurry." he simply said before silencing so that she could speak uninterrupted. Shiina started by telling him about how she was when she was still a shinobi from the Cloud, describing herself as a sly, but not necessarily a monster or a danger. The Ryujin had their fame, he was aware of that, so that revelation wasn't really surprising. The life she led ultimately caused her to collect a few enemies, and he could sympathize with that; even someone like him, fiercely loyal to the Hidden Leaf Village, had collected enemies along the way, even from those who were supposed to be his allies. It couldn't be helped. When she mentioned the plague he nodded again, being quite familiar with the plight of the people from the Land of Lightning, ravaged by the terrible disease, and the consequences of the plague were still felt today in the country. Shiina continued to mention that someone from the council tried to pin the blame for the plague on her, and while people nowadays knew that it wasn't really true, at the time, they were probably more than willing to believe in witch hunts. If what she was saying was to be believed, she was set up by scummy people from her village, and nobody believed her, and forcing her to choose between her life or theirs. Motivated by anger, perhaps in revolt due to the injustice she suffered, she made sure they knew she was responsible for their deaths. Shiina also didn't regret what she did, she had her own principles, and wouldn't allow such corruption to go unpunished. But she also said that she didn't expect sympathy from the man, and that he was free to do what he deemed fit. "Very well." he said as she finished talking, taking a few steps her way, so that he was now standing but a feet from her. "I feel you are speaking the truth, and I'm not easy to fool." and that was true; with the Mind's Eye of the Kagura, lying to the Hatake was no easy task. "Now... You told me to do as I please, uh?" he mentioned, his hand reaching for her neck, but he didn't grab it. Instead, he caressed it as he slid his hand to the back of her neck, his other arm grabbing her by the waist and pulling her close to him, pressing her body against his, as he leaned in for a kiss, one that - if not resisted - would be quite the passionate one. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" Aozora Ryokan Conversation [Ryuujin Shiina] [444 words]

[Ryuujin Shiina]

In the city of fools, I was careful and cool but they tore me apart like a hurricane.

TAG - Hatake Toshizō

NOTES -

Shiina was treading dangerous waters...Toshizou was treading in the same waters. The woman could feel him coming closer to her, her eyes closing slowly as the seconds passed. There was not much distance between the two, but the way he moved towards her seemed to take an eternity. The woman knew he would have every right to kill her, to capture her for Kumo. She had literally given out her entire story, without any fabrications and lies, to this one man that she barely knew anything about. And as he came to caress her, pull her close so that their bodies would press against one another, she whimpered. It was so confusing...all these emotions...and all the uncertainties that came with it.

There was nothing to lose, for both parties, that much she knew. And to be fair, he could still capture and potentially kill her even if he was kissing her. But the way he drew her in, the way he made her feel, it was almost as though none of it mattered. Shiina gave in to his invitation, in the form of a passionate kiss, despite her internal struggles. As their lips touched, the electrifying passion that had warped her in the first time was coming back. For once there was no need to hold back, and there was every need to give in. She turned her head and then her body towards Toshizou. He made her feel better about herself, as a woman and as a shinobi. The kiss was first soft, delicate, before it became increasingly fierce, her emotions for the man took over her mind and soul.

Was this...love?

And when the kiss ceased, she allowed her hand to travel to his cheek, brushing her fingertips across his skin gently, the same way she had done the night before. Instead of following up on the kiss though, she pulled away to look at him, to observe his facial expression. The woman couldn't understand why he would will himself to continue to have connections with a neukenin like herself. Infatuation aside, everything must point him in the direction polar opposite from what was happening. And yet...he willed himself to kiss her again, to ignite fire that could have burnt out.

Why...?

Was it because...?

Could it be...?

...more than just infatuation?

MADE BY MIZO