Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Leaf and Dream ❯ Chapter 7

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer: I don’t own Naruto or any of its Characters... no matter how much I want to.



Neither one of them slept much that night. When they weren’t taking the time to explore each other’s bodies in the most intimate of ways, they were either eating or talking. Or in Kakashi’s case, listening. In the aftermath of one of the most exhilarating experiences of love making that she had ever had, Ari lay on Kakashi’s chest, her head nuzzling into the crook of his neck. Her body was sprawled over his and she was totally relaxed for the first time in what felt like ever.

Kakashi took full advantage of the situation, waiting until she was mostly asleep and unguarded before asking his questions. “Ari... What did you see in the Mirrors?” He didn’t know why this was so important to him, but ever since he happened upon the Dream ninja’s shaking and crying form, the question burned at him.

He could feel her try to stiffen up, to pull away, and instinctively he knew if he let her, he’d never get the answer. Running his hands up and down her back, he held her close to him, his face turning down to press his lips against the top of her head. Kakashi didn’t press her, and instead just let Ari decide if she was going to tell. Ultimately, it was her choice, and all he could do was provide comfort and hold her.

Finally, after nearly an hour of waiting, Ari began to whisper about the many different visions that she had while inside of the influence of the jutsu. Although most of the mind numbing fear that she had experienced had passed, Ari found her voice shaking as she finally broke down and told him what he wanted to know.

After she had finished, he held her and then eased away the pain of the memories with his skilled hands and the feel of his body on hers. Little else was really said, most of the words that passed between them nothing more than whispers in the dark.

When Arianna awoke, she was alone. Stretching, the ninja climbed out of the bed, padding silently to the bathroom. Throwing on the shower, the woman stepped into the hot water, letting it cascade down her well loved body. A smile played over her lips as she realized that in all of her twenty-five years, she had never felt so alive. Singing an old love song that her mother had taught her, Ari took great care with washing her body, filling her senses with Kakashi’s scent. Once the water began to cool around her, she shut it off, twisting her hair in order to get rid of the excess water before stepping out of the stall. She dried her body with a towel before raiding Kakashi’s bedroom for some clean clothing. His pants were too long for her, but she took one of the thin strips of fabric that she always carried along with her and cut it in a few pieces using it to tie the bottoms of the pants at the ankle, giving it an appearance of not being as big as they really are. His shirt also hung loose on her, and she pushed up the sleeves liking the feel of the loose clothing. Tying her hair with the last piece of the cloth, she wandered out of the bedroom and got her first good look at Kakashi’s house.

It was small, that was her first impression, and almost sterile, not cosy like the cabin she left behind in Dream Country. Kakashi seemed to have no interest in making the place more homelike, as he had just the bare necessities; a few tables, a few chairs, a couch, all comfortable and well chosen, yet, there was still something missing. Against one wall was his trophy case and bookshelf, and a door slightly smaller than the others in the apartment opened into a closet where he undoubtably kept most of his equipment and uniforms. The kitchen was modern, with all the appliances needed to make one’s life easier, but like the rest of the living area, it was spartan in its simplicity. There were no pictures or tapestries on the walls, no rugs on the hardwood floors, no color to take one’s eyes off of the harshness of the expanse of white walls.

Feeling almost uncomfortable in the sterile environment, Ari walked over towards the kitchen, jumping up gingerly to sit on the counter as she watched the silver haired ninja cook breakfast.

“I figured you’d be hungry when you woke up.” Kakashi said as he scrambled up some eggs.

“I am kind of hungry.” She replied, leaning back against the cupboards. “Is there anything you need me to do?”

Kakashi shook his head, “I’m almost done. You can get the plates though.”

Arianna slid off of the counter top and went searching through the cabinets for the plates. Finding them right above where she was sitting, the woman grabbed two of the heavy earthenware dishes and set them on the counter for Kakashi to dish out the eggs onto. Grabbing another pan from the back burners of the stove, he put a few pieces of bacon on each plate before handing Arianna hers. “There’s bread next to the toaster and juice in the fridge.” He said as he maneuvered by her, setting his plate on the small card table in the area designated as the ‘dining room.’

Ari busied herself with putting bread into the toaster and pouring juice into two glasses. Once her toast was ready, she took her plate, and their juice to the table, sitting in one of the empty chairs before handing him the glass of juice. The intimacy of the meal didn’t escape her. It felt too cozy, too right, sitting here with Kakashi, eating breakfast. Clearing her throat softly, she spoke to break the silence, “I need to go check in with Yumekage. The Chuunin exam starts in two days, if I’m not mistaken, and she might have something she wants me to do before then.”

He nodded and they continued eating, nothing else being said between them. The silence was a comfortable one, and it lulled her into a sense of security and well being. They finished the meal and together they washed the few dishes that they dirtied. Once that was finished, Ari gathered up her dirty clothing, not bothering to change, she would get back into her own clothes when she got to her room.

They left the apartment, Kakashi shutting the door behind them, but not bothering to lock it. They walked side by side down the street, mostly silent, with a few comments passed back and fourth between them. He stayed with her until they reached the hotel in which the Dream Ninjas were housed. Ari looked down at Kakashi from the top step. “So...” She said, unsure of what to say. Their friendship had changed in the past night, and neither one knew exactly what to make of it. “I’ll see you later?”

Kakashi heard both that question and the unasked one behind it: are we still friends? Nodding his head Kakashi slid in his hands into the pockets of his pants.

“I’ll be at the bar tonight. I hope to see you there.” Ari smiled and stepped through the door, closing it softly behind her. There was nothing out of the ordinary in the main room of the cozy inn, but something made the hair on the back of Ari’s neck stand on end. Shaking the feeling off, the ninja climbed the stairs to the second floor, taking each step two at a time.

Just as she reached the top, a loud, angry voice yelled out, “There she is! She’s the one!”

Arianna looked around at the group of people in the hallway. The Dream Ninjas were standing to one side of the staircase, and standing opposite of them were a handful of ninjas from Leaf Village. Everyone wore the same identical serious looks on their faces, including the Yumekage and the Hokage, who were standing between the two groups on their respective sides.

"Wha...?" Ari asked, looking around from one group to the other. The man who yelled was still standing in one spot, pointing at her with one long finger. His eyes were pure white, with no pupils, marking him as a member of the Hyuga family. He wasn't anyone that she immediately recognized, to her relief.

The man shook with anger, turning his gaze to the Hokage, who was looking at Ari with a troubled expression. “She’s the one who tried to murder me, I demand that you arrest her at once!”