A New Step (Navi/Ayama,[Private, Invite Only])

Navi looked down at the writhing Ayama with triumph. She had surprised him with a couple hits when he had underestimated her, but he had won in the end. She would struggle a bit and probably whine or ask for a rematch like she did after most training sessions, which always made Navi smile all the more when he would beat her again. Ayama was moving differently this time though, her face was turning red as she began rocking herself back and forth in a strange way that seemed like she wasn't even trying to fight him. Navi looked down at her with a quizzical expression unsure of what was going on.

"Listen, I don't know what move you're trying to pull but-"

But then he was silenced.

Her lips pressed against his and the adrenaline of the fight washed away in a single moment. His eyes were wide open, his face turned red and his mind began racing. Did she mean to be doing this? Was it alright that she was a Sand Ninja? Would it be okay that Navi was a Leaf Ninja?

All of these thoughts rushed to his head, screaming questions through his rattled brain that cried out for answers. The world would start spinning around Navi and he would get slight tunnel vision for a few moments as he wondered what to do. He needed to focus on what was happening, and relax his chaotic thoughts.

The kiss was soft and mild, it didn't ring of passion between two starstruck lovers or claim to be a proposal of eternal love. It was simply the telling of a truth, revealing that she did indeed love him, and not pretending to be something that it wasn't. The two of them were ninja, and she had merely conveyed a message through the translation of a single kiss.

With that all of the screaming thoughts would suddenly stop, and all of his nervousness would vanish. His mind was become calm as she quickly jerked her head back, parting from the brief kiss. The redness would fade from his face and a small charming smile would rest on his lips.

“I’m sorry!” she gasped, her tiny spark of insecurity firing up, “I’m so so sorry, I don’t know what I was thinking you were just, and I was just and and oh no. I mean w-"

This time he would cut her off, and reaffirm the truth. He placed his hand behind her neck and pulled her head gently forward, pressing his lips against hers. His eyes would close as he held her there, this time holding the kiss for slightly longer. Navi's movements had changed, they had evolved to confident and passionate instead of fidgety and unsure. After a few more moments he would gently release the kiss, slowly removing himself from their position and standing up. He would take a hold of her hand and pull her up gracefully with him, gazing at her with his warm smile.

Navi's demeanor had entirely changed. He no longer looked like he was hiding behind a shell of boredom and a mask of superiority. He was calm and relaxed, letting everything sink in as he would observe Ayama's reaction.

Her eyes widened briefly as Navi’s smile registered and then he was kissing her again. For a moment she was stiff with shock. Had he genjutsued her somewhere along the line in their spar? But in the end her eyes fluttered shut and she allowed her mind to cool. Even if it was some dream or genjutsu it was a damn good one and she planned to enjoy it.

Then slowly, unfortunately, in ended and Navi drew back moving to stand. He grasped her hand and pulled her to her feet, a good thing because Ayama still felt a little dazed. Her breath hitching slightly. But her fierce red blush had faded to a pleasant shade of pink and her smile was small and slightly dazed. She looked up and met his eyes her own orbs seeking and questioning. But she found his smile, that warm open smile she had first fallen in love with. It took a moment to registered but she realized her success. She had done it, she had made him smile like that again and made herself happy in the process. He returned her feelings and as this fact came to light her smile grew in both size and radiance. She kept his hand clasped in hers, a small move but it spoke volumes.

“I would have kissed you sooner if I’d known,” she said playfully, her smile still large and warm, “I just thought, well, I guess I just thought too much”. She moved a step closer reveling in this openness, in his closeness, but her gaze fell to their entwined hands.

“But where does this leave us?” she asked quietly, where indeed. Two ninja of opposing villages? While they may not be at war this was still something of a scandal. Especially considering Navi’s reputation. She would have had to be deaf to not hear of Konoha’s fastest nin. She may not have yet known his exact rank and standing with in his village but she would wager a guess at it being high. Not that she cared all that much, she contributed her skills to her village out of a feeling of debt. They helped her when she needed someone the most, so she owed them. But for Navi? His village was everything to him. While she would have cared less what would he think of all this?

She kept his hand clasped in hers, a small move but it spoke volumes.

Navi let out a lighthearted sigh. At the moment everything was right in the world. All of the ANBU duties that usually fluttered about in his head had hushed up and he was in a state of bliss.

“I would have kissed you sooner if I’d known,” she said playfully, her smile still large and warm, “I just thought, well, I guess I just thought too much”. She moved a step closer reveling in this openness, in his closeness, but her gaze fell to their entwined hands.

"...Yeah," Navi would say in response, still taking in everything that had happened. They stood close together with their hands fidgeting gently and rubbing while clasped as one. It took a moment for him to get his mind back on track of what had happened, and what was the proper way to proceed.

“But where does this leave us?”

Navi had an answer, and he figured Ayama had already thought of it herself, but felt it would be a little strange to say it out loud. Come with me back to the leaf village. It was on the tip of his tongue but it felt impossible to say. Did she feel feelings for her village as strongly as he felt feelings for his?

"I don't know..." is all Navi could say at the moment. His voice trailed off as in deep in thought as he squeezed Ayama's hands gently. He would need to mention to Viper the addition of Ayama to the village, although he was positive that it would be given his approval. Navi had already mentioned it to him in a previous meeting, and with his influence Navi could easily bring in Ayama to the village without much of a stir. Still, the choice would be hers, Navi just needed a moment to think on how to put it.

"I'm so sorry," Navi began by saying "But... I could never leave my home of the Leaf Village,".

He felt torn saying this. They had fallen in love with one another, and Navi desperately wanted to be with Ayama under every possible circumstance. His love for the village was instilled for him as a boy though, and he would do anything to protect it. Navi took a deep breath and looked down at their intertwined hands. He could only pray that she would choose to come with him, as leaving his home was a choice he would simply never be able to make.

"I'm so sorry," Navi began by saying "But... I could never leave my home of the Leaf Village,".

She closed her eyes, her grip on his hands tightening. She had known he would never leave his village, his loyalty was unwavering. But it still weighed heavy on her heart and her mind. She would have to make this choice, take this massive step. She knew well enough what would have to happen. Navi would never leave his village and while the relationship was new if it was ever progress they couldn’t be from foreign villages. It would strain their relationship unnecessarily and cause undue stress. It was a simple choice, an obvious decision, but a difficult one none the less.

Not only that but she didn’t want to make him choose. The world of ninja was always on edge and the tense peace between the sand and the leaf could shatter at any instant. The resulting war would force them to choose between their love and their village and while it pained her she knew which one Navi would choose. Taking a deep breath she opened her eyes and looked up.

“I-I could move to the leaf,” she said softly. It was a difficult road to choose, even though the Sand had long been conquered and was a ninja village from the same nation as the Leaf it was not held on the same level. The two villages were still fierce rivals. But, while she felt some loyalty to the sand, she had lived with them for four years, she was going to follow her heart. She had the same ideals as her father, family and loved ones were more important than any governing body. Navi was now her one and only loved one, so while she may have been of the sand she would have no problem moving to the leaf. She would tackle this challenge like she had every other one

[blllaah dun like]

[Its alright, its not like I gave you a lot to work with]

She closed her eyes, her grip on his hands tightening. She had known he would never leave his village, his loyalty was unwavering. But it still weighed heavy on her heart and her mind. She would have to make this choice, take this massive step. She knew well enough what would have to happen. Navi would never leave his village and while the relationship was new if it was ever progress they couldn’t be from foreign villages. It would strain their relationship unnecessarily and cause undue stress. It was a simple choice, an obvious decision, but a difficult one none the less.

Navi's heart sank, she hadn't spoken and seemed very stressed when her grip tightened on their intertwined hands. It would be a difficult choice and as Navi didn't know the extend of her attachment to the sand, he didn't want to press her into a decision she'd regret. Her eyes would shut and Navi's nerves would spike slightly. Would this relationship end as easily as it began? A relationship across nations would be nearly impossible given the current diplomatic stances between the two villages. War could break out between the two nations, and Navi refused to watch another person he loved die, lost in the fires of a conflict he may have created.

Navi's eyes would grow intense and his chakra would beginning grinding against itself inside his body without him realizing it. The village he adored or the girl he loved, an impossible choice that Navi refused to make.

“I-I could move to the leaf,”

Instantly waves of relief washed over Navi, but they dissipated almost as soon as they came when he studied her expression. Those words had pained her to say, and Navi refused to force her to abandon a village she had feelings for. His voice would reflect this understanding insight as he spoke in response.

"I won't force you to abandon your village. If you want to come with me then I would welcome you with open arms. If not.." Navi paused a moment and took another quick breath to try and mask his feelings. "Then I would entirely understand, it's your choice."

Navi felt like his face would begin to betray a little bit to much emotion and he looked for a way to hide it. He would hug her tightly, wrapping his arms around her and bringing her in close so she would be unable to see his face. Once she was out of view, his expression would twist into deep depression, silently letting all of his emotions out as he squeezed her gently against him. A minute or two would pass, and when he pulled away from her his expression would morph back to it's previous calm and understanding state, giving no indication of his earlier sadness.

Despite his closeness to Ayama, Navi still felt uncomfortable letting people completely see through the shadows in his life. As he was used to concealing his face behind an ANBU mask from the village he loved, Navi saw no difference in attempting to hide his weaker moments from the girl he loved. In time that may change, but for now Navi would rest his cool gaze on Ayama, waiting for her response in the choice he placed before her.

"I won't force you to abandon your village. If you want to come with me then I would welcome you with open arms. If not.." Navi paused a moment and took another quick breath to try and mask his feelings. "Then I would entirely understand, it's your choice."

As his arms wrapped around her, she sighed heavily a little bit of shock welling up in her. She had not meant to give off the feeling of reluctance. Loyalty to your heart came first, your loved ones are what make you powerful. She would willingly go to the leaf if it was just about village switching. But while she did have some vague feelings of loyalty for the sand something else was nagging at her even more. Something else staid her feet.

“Oh Navi,” she whispered keeping close even after he had released her from his embrace, “it’s not my village. Sure I feel that I owe them something for helping me in my time of need but, you are more important.” she placed her hand on his cheek, a movement very reminiscent of the first time he had opened up to her, “ It’s my heritage, it’s the enormity of this choice. What I choose here decides our path, and I am as new to these feelings as you. Please forgive my hesitancy to rush, I just… I’m still getting used to this. I do want to join the leaf Navi, I want to make this work.”

She looked deep into his eyes trying to make him understand. She did love him, she really did. She was just unsure, wary of the new ground on which she was treading. It had taken an enormous amount of trust just to let herself be led into these foreign lands. He had to understand that her hesitancy stemmed from inexperience not a lack of passion.

“Oh Navi,” she whispered keeping close even after he had released her from his embrace, “it’s not my village. Sure I feel that I owe them something for helping me in my time of need but, you are more important.” she placed her hand on his cheek, a movement very reminiscent of the first time he had opened up to her, “ It’s my heritage, it’s the enormity of this choice. What I choose here decides our path, and I am as new to these feelings as you. Please forgive my hesitancy to rush, I just… I’m still getting used to this. I do want to join the leaf Navi, I want to make this work.”

The warm familiar smile returned to his face as she said this. Ayama had chosen to come with him on her own accord, joining the leaf village and respecting his ties. With this decision Navi would grow an immense respect for her, as it would be at this moment that she was like family to him. This was new ground for Navi, as he hadn't had an actual family since he was a child, and even the feeling of passion that would come to him was alien. Still, these were all feelings that could be addressed later, and Navi would need to move forward on how to proceed.

"Go home and pack your things, meet me here with everything you wish to take into the village. I will make preparations for you in the Leaf while you're away. You will probably need to stay with me for awhile until proper accommodations can be set."

Navi smiled to himself as he said this. She would most likely be living with him from now on anyway, and mentally scratched off looking into a separate place for her to live.

"Once you're ready ill be waiting for you here to escort you to the Hidden Leaf. If anyone gives you trouble, tell them your departure is on orders of the Fire Nation and show them this."

Navi would pull out an envelope and hand it to Ayama, in it would be a small piece of paper.

"You need to promise me you will not open the envelope or look at its contents unless someone stops you and gives you trouble. Even if that occurs, put the piece of paper back in the envelope and don't look. It is very important that you do this exactly as I told you, okay?"

With that Navi would lean forward and gently kiss Ayama on the forehead, smiling again as even that small amount of affection would send goosebumps across his body. He would then seemingly vanish in a blur of raw speed, headed back for the Leaf Village to make the necessary arrangements.

"Go home and pack your things, meet me here with everything you wish to take into the village. I will make preparations for you in the Leaf while you're away. You will probably need to stay with me for awhile until proper accommodations can be set."

She felt a slight flush return at the idea of staying with him but she dismissed it from her mind. Their relationship was still shiny and new she doubted there would be any…. erroneous acts being committed. She nodded glad he was going to let her sort through her own things. She most definitely didn’t want him finding all her pictures.

"You need to promise me you will not open the envelope or look at its contents unless someone stops you and gives you trouble. Even if that occurs, put the piece of paper back in the envelope and don't look. It is very important that you do this exactly as I told you, okay?"

She carefully took the envelope and studied it. What was so important about it that he didn’t want her seeing anything in it? Her eyes lingered on the seemingly mundane white paper before she lifted her eyes to meet Navi’s once more. For all the trust they shared she could still feel the secrets between them. She nodded in assent, acknowledging his orders. She would have to trust him on this.

The warm butterflys returned as he smiled and kissed her on the forehead in an open display of affection. They remained even after he vanished. She sighed heavily before reaching into her mind and knocking at Hisoka’s wall. After a long pause she felt the slightly lethargic touch of his mind. There was a long moment of silence as he perused her memories to catch himself up on what had happened while their minds were separate. His shock flowed through her mind for a long second then she felt his resignation.

“So we’re moving to the leaf?” his voice sounded heavy weighted with this new knowledge. She instantly felt bad, Hisoka tried so hard to protect her, but the web of lies and deceit caught him most of the time and so often it seemed as if he was little more than a ghost in the back her head.

“Yes” she replied mentally reaching to wrap him up in her love, the special companionship she shared with him. The tension in his mind eased and she felt a heavy mental sigh.

“Then we better get a move on, Navi moves pretty fast.” Smiling like an idiot she nodded even though no one was around to see it and with a few handsigns ported to her home in the village.

-------------------------------- [scene change]

She appeared in her apartment in a swirl of smoke. She wasted no time in moving towards her bed, reaching under the mattress to retrieve her training scrolls and the notes she had made about her bloodline. She retrieved a simple bag and carefully placed the paper at the bottom. These were her most important possessions. Soon the pictures that coated the wall near her bed were ripped down and stacked on the covers, her few possessions, her sketch book, her clothes her cleaning supplies for her weapons and a small first aid kit were tossed into the bag. As she turned to scan the room she realized just how bare it was. She had precious few possessions, so few they easily fit in her pack. The room barely had any personality left and she realized something. This apartment had never been home, not in the fours years she’d lived in it.

Sighing heavily she grabbed the pictures on her bed, doodles of her dreams and drawings of Navi she most certainly didn’t want to take with her. She dumped them in the sink and struck a match, dropping it on the stack of paper. Immediately it went up in flames, the edges curling as flame consumed her drawings.

Then she slowly reached up and untied her hitate from her upper right arm. Staring at the glossy metal and sand insignia she couldn’t help but feel a small pang. Despite everything this had been the place she had resided in for quite some time. This piece of cloth and metal a symbol of sworn loyalty. An oath she was about to break. With a heavy heart she carefully foled the cloth and set the forehead protector on the table, right in plane sight. She stared at it for a long while, second thoughts dancing through her head.

“Ayama, we should hurry, Navi will be waiting.” the mention of name sent warm shivers down her spine. She accepted Hisoka’s sympathy and turned to grab her bag. Slinging it over she slim shoulders she turned to face her room once more. In the span of a few minutes almost all traces of her living here had been erased. Only the ash in the sink and the protector on the table spoke of her leaving. Taking another deep breath she formed her handsigns once more and transported back to the meeting place.

And so Ayama Yukiko quit her allegiance to Suna and made to embrace a new life in Konoha.

“Then we better get a move on, Navi moves pretty fast.” Smiling like an idiot she nodded even though no one was around to see it and with a few handsigns ported to her home in the village.

---[scene change]

Navi appeared in his home, his immense speed resulting in his blurred form to seemingly materialize in the center of his room. While looking around the home he would frown, somewhat disappointed in his lack of style or personality. After cleaning up a bit and clearing out drawers and living space for Ayama, he would sit on his bed and sigh. For a moment he would stare up at the ceiling, letting the events of the day diffuse into his feelings.

Now that Ayama wasn't around it would all wash over him, the happiness of her acceptance of the relationship, her choice to come with him to Konoha, their first kiss...

Navi would squirm uncomfortably again, tingles erupting up and down his body as he thought about it and little butterflies floated around in his chest. It would be like actually having a family member now, someone he lived with and could talk to and trust. A comrade who would be with him, and above all, a girl he felt passion and love for. He would smile warmly to himself as he looked out the window and noted the position of the sun in accordance to when he left, accurately estimating what time she would be ready to meet him.

With a bound off the bed, Navi would open one of the drawers next to his bed and rustle around with his hand before pulling out a spare leaf headband. It would shine beautifully as the metallic surface reflected from the sun's rays. After studying it for a couple moments, Navi would pocket the headband and jump out his window, vanishing in a blur of speed as he headed back for their meeting place on the border. This time he would appear only a few meters in front of her with his hands resting behind his head and a smile on his face. Navi would notice the very small bag she was carrying, and realize how few belongings she possessed. This was fortunate, as his quaint home didn't have much room for luxuries. With a gentle motion, his arm would extend to take her hand in his, intertwining fingers with Ayama and leading her from the border without a word.

Navi would bring her from the edge of Suna, ready to lead Ayama into her new life as a ninja of Konoha.

[Exit]

She straightened and whirled at the feeling of Navi’s chakra her smile growing even wider. She met his hand with her own easily twining their fingers, warmth and happiness overflowing form her heart. Despite her misgivings she was happy.

She followed him wordlessly, needing no speech to express her happiness. Whatever the future held in store for them she was sure of one thing. They would face it together.

[exit 3500 EXACTLY :D]