I was sitting alone outside in the rain while Naruto hung out with some of his friends, hands together under my chin, resting it on them as I blindly waited for them to finish playing a card game and eating meat from an animal Kiba hunted down for dinner. My knee bounced restlessly as I sat beside an Anbu who did nothing but stare me down since the moment I got there.

I won't let that bastard kill Sasuke. I won't let that bastard kill Sasuke. I won't let that bastard kill Sasuke. I won't let that bastard kill Sasuke. I won't let-

"You look a little tense there friend." The anbu watching me suddenly spoke up.

"Do i?" I hissed aloud.

"Quite." They piped up. "Any reason in particular?"

"It's cold." I furrowed my eyebrows.

"You chose to sit outside." The Anbu stated the obvious. "If you're cold then simply go inside."

If I had eyes I'd be rolling them. I simply shook my head and buried my hands against the mask I wore, rubbing it since I had to keep my face covered.

"I did. I don't like crowds of people." I explained briefly.

They were loud, the rain was loud, my thirst was getting worse and worse by the minute...it's driving me mad. On top of which my mood is growing increasingly difficult to maintain. The hungrier I'm getting the more I'm quick to anger or give into intruding thoughts.

It's dangerous.

My strength isn't human. My speed isn't either according to earlier when all I did was lunge at that cloud ninja and the world seemed to stop. I nearly snapped her neck and would have had Naruto not pulled me off of her.

Ah...I wish she hadn't popped up when she did. Me and Naruto were finally secluded entirely and alone, having a moment...

Just us...

Just us.

Just him...

That terribly sad aura I've grown attached too. His smile...I can see it through the way the chakra around everything dances, however I long to see it with eyes...actually see it. His smiles, his frowns, those eyes when filled with both laughter and tears of dispair.

His smell was relaxing and near irresistible. The blood that's sealed within smells so delicious its maddening. I can smell it from here...despite wearing a mask over my face I can still smell the blood.

Everything about him made me want to keep him to myself. My prey...the Akatsuki's prey...and Danzo's prey.

Mine...mine MINE!

"Hn." I hummed with a weak wince as thunder sounded from somewhere nearby, faint to most but loud to me.

"OI! YOU CHEATED!" Naruto suddenly howled from within, making me chuckle to myself in amusement.

"Liar. I didn't cheat. I'm just good at cards." That Sai kid replies casually.

"Let's go again. I'm the dealer." Shikamaru spoke and the rustle of gathering cards began.

I shook my head and continued to sit there, letting myself loose track of time and basically nap out in the rain, guarded by the cloak around my and the straw hat acting as a small umbrella. I kept myself vigilant in my own way, making sure no one tried anything shifty around me or the tent itself.

Of course, once everyone filtered out of the tent and made their ways home running through the weather, I made my way inside.

Naruto had help cleaning, so I was greeted with a thankfully clean space when I returned. I didn't want go have to reanimated and map out the entire floor and space around me, too much of a chore really. I shook myself off lightly at the entrance and removed my cloak setting it down with my hat beside it, making sure the mask stayed over my entire face.

His eyes watched me, and I could feel the temperature around his body rise. I took my time, removing my shirt, unbuttoned each one as my body shivered with dangerous temptations that I didn't dare speak on.

His muscles tensed slightly, taking comfort in the fact I couldn't see him. Using this as an opportunity to outwardly display that flustered state of mind I've seen him display several times now. It was oddly satisfying the way he silently stared me down. I let the shirt fall to the ground before rolling my shoulders.

"It was wet and bothering me, I hope you don't mind?" I asked in a tired sounding tone, watching the outline of his eyes widen.

"No, not at all." He spoke while trying to sound casual despite the nervous tone to his voice.

"Hn." I grinned to myself and moved to the bed instead of the couch, sitting down at the edge, letting my fingers trace about the blankets next to me, feeling them slowly as my mind reeled.

His smell was strong here...where he slept. It coated the air and the sheets I sat on. I can smell his dried tears on the pillow case and the faint sweat on the bed lining, the...dried blood...

"Hnnnn." I found myself humming as I laid down across the bed finally, feeling a cozy sort of feeling rush through my brain, scratching an itch, as another formed.

I wanted him near me and against my ice cold skin. His tender flesh under my fingertips. His skin against my fangs....his blood in my mouth...

Capturing him and keeping him all to myself...

Ah...the Akatsuki...they can go rot for all I care. I've murdered people for the sake of greater good...to prevent wars...

I can capture and keep him away from everyone to prevent the war madara wants.

"Your bed is comfortable." I whispered, running a hand up my abdomen and chest until it reached my hair, running my fingers through it. "It makes me not want to move, do you mind if I laid here?"

"I can imagine it's more comfortable than sleeping on the couch." Naruto shrugged and walked over, hesitantly moving around me, his head not leaving my direction as he walked over and sat down.

"Yes, just a small bit. I've slept in trenches and trees however, any cushioned surface is a blessing." I chimed, tilting my head to face him.

I was about to continue my talk until a loud crack of thunder exploded very close by, making me gasp loudly and slap my hands over my ears as my ability to map everything out left me in a rush as pain filled my head.

"Ah!" I snarled as it happened again, curling and clawing at my ears as the pain temporarily deafened me, and blanked out all thought.

I felt scalding hands cover mine, helping block the sound as more thunder erupted around us. My body jerked as the sound rocked my very bones, making me writhe in this agonizing pain.

"Easy." His voice slurred into my earshot at my ears readjusted. "Damn that must have been right outside in the courtyard."

"Gggnnh." I groaned as the throbbing pulse in my head continued, taking much to long to die down.

I moved my hands out from under his, and placed mine on top of them, holding them against my ears as the rainstorm turned into a thunderstorm over top of us. He held my head tightly, but still trying to avoid hurting me as I could tell he would led up the pressing if I shifted or groaned. He remained quiet at my side, thumbs rubbing the skin next to my ears, bumping the hard surfaced mask every now and then as he did.

"Your so cold." Naruto mumbled after a time as the storm outside became a little relaxed. "Have you always been this cold?"

I gave a soft sigh, still holding his hands in place. "No, it's why I wear gloves often. It's off putting to be so cold to the touch. It's like a dead corpse huh?"

"A bit." Naruto winced. "I've, never really had the opportunity to feel a dead corpse before so, I don't really know. But it's definitely what I imagine one would feel like. I did once, but, I didn't have the heart to touch and feel the temperature of his skin."

"Who was that? Your sensei?" I asked as softly as I could.

"N-No, his body was never found. Uhm, it was the Kazekage's, Gaara. He...was targeted and killed because he's like me. They sucked the Tailed beast out of him and he died as a result. He's only alive because of a nice woman preformed a reanimation type Jutsu, using her life force and a piece of mine as well to bring him back. She didn't survive."Naruto explained, shaking his head some. "Are you sick?"

"No."

"Then...do you have low iron? I've heard people with low iron are always cold, Sai says so, and Sakura confirms it."

"No, nothing like that."

"Then...why..?"

"I'm not entirely sure how to explain it. I'm supposed to be dead you see. Feel my chest, my heart beat." I tapped my bare chest lightly. "Mind the cold."

Naruto swallowed heavily before leaning over and resting his head on my chest. His ear against it, shivering against the cold of my skin. I moved one hand off of one of his and covered his free ear with it to allow him to listen in better.

My heartbeat was slow, much slower than he thought because he gasped weakly and adjusted his head to better listen in, moving it until it was loudest probably. I hummed and relaxed, my closed eye lids relaxing as well as I basically went limp against the bed as he listened in.

"Whoa...That's so slow." Naruto whispered as his hands moved to rest by his head, his hands slowly moving across my skin, making me bask in the heat.

"Yes...it's very slow." I spoke weakly. "It's been like that since waking up from underneath the rubble. My body's unnaturally alive. I feel weird these days. I have no more purpose to life other than to just breath. I've fulfilled all I've wanted, and now I'm back against my wishes and sort of stuck in a hole. I don't know what to do with the rest of my life now that I have more time. I need to rediscover meaning." I turned my head towards the wall of the tent, staring at nothing, choosing to see nothing through the air. "I'm stuck in the dark..."

"Well, because your alive now it must mean there is still stuff left for you to do. Things you can accomplish that you couldn't before." Naruto whispered to me.

"I think Danzo is one of those things I need to handle. He's a rabid dog who needs to be put down." I hissed.

"What did Danzo do to you...if you don't mind me asking?" Naruto asked in an unsure voice.

"He tried to kill...and ended up maiming a very close friend of mine." I whispered shakily. "He...was an Uchiha, before they were killed. He wasn't apart of that massacre, but Danzo stole one of his eyes due to its immensely poeerful capabilities. Why do you think he keeps one of his eyes covered? He isn't blind like I am. No...he has his eye in his filthy skull. Danzo hurt him badly but he escaped. However Danzo was hunting him down, and I was the last person he talked to before killing himself rather than letting Danzo finish him off."

Naruto shot up from my chest and a pulse of horror shot through his body. He was staring at me with complete shock. I watched as he visually processed this information, shuddering as he seemed to finish processing.

"H-He-"

"Yes, he isn't a good man Naruto, he never has been. I know things about this village's underbelly he would murder me to keep secret. It's why he's tense around me. I have a feeling he suspects my identity and doesn't want me around you because you have the means of taking him down and having the entire village backing you up." I sighed and slowly sat up. "If he finds out you know this he'd have you assassinated. He has the means of controlling people entirely to get what he wants. I'm only telling you this because I know deep down you are trustworthy and loyal."

"I won't tell anyone." Naruto whispered, rubbing his neck as he stressed. "I promise."

"Thank you, Naruto." I smiled to myself, feeling at ease as I also recalled our conversation in the forest shortly before my death.

Sasuke is in good hands with me and him working together to save you. If you really are with the Akatsuki, I wonder if Madara told you about my living. I wonder if he's manipulating you into doing his bidding...

"If he has the sharingan, how do you expect us to stop him?" Naruto asked after a short silence.

"Well, a one on one match wouldn't go good. We need to take him down together. He is a powerful man. Just...start the fight and coordinate from there. I don't really have a plan on how we are to go about this." I shrugged in honesty.

"Well...that's not comforting at all." Naruto shook his head with a wince.

"My bad." I chuckled weakly and patted his shoulder.

I want to tell him so badly who I am...but I don't want to frighten the kid. I want to be able to feel his skin on my lips.

"So, your identity and face...is it dangerous to know too?" Naruto asked, fiddling with his fingers.

"Very." I nodded.

He wants to know...im so tempted...

Too many risks.

Unless-

I could see and feel the disappointment in him, and gave a heavy sigh before sitting up straighter and tilting my head towards the lantetn that kept the place lit.

"If you snuff out that light, you can see me as I see you. I'll take the mask off and let you feel it, map it out." I offered, wondering if he was okay with it.

"O-Oh, uh, really?" Naruto perked up as a weird eagerness filled him to my amusement.

"Yes, but the light has to be out, its needs to be nearly pitch black. I don't want you to see it...it's pretty fucked up." I slumped a little to play along.

"No matter what it looks like i won't freak me out, but if it makes you more comfortable I can turn the light out for you and see your face like you see mine." Naruto hummed and crawled across the bed.

I took the opportunity to cast a Genjutsu in the area, barely changing anything at all aside from my face. He'll be able to feel it and experience it without giving myself away. Hell, if he leaves the light on I'll still look completely different. Just to be safe however. It has to be off.

My face from the nose down will remain normal, my eyes and forehead however will be marred. My sockets are empty so they probably already feel weird. If I get rid of the scars already on my face and replace them with others then it should be okay to see. He won't recognize someone he isnt keen on seeing.

When he turned back around, I could smell the smoke from the lantern, letting me know the light was out. I then gave a weak sigh, making it sound shaky before pulling my mask off and setting it to the side.

"Have at it, Uzumaki." I shrugged and laid my hands down at my sides.

Naruto scuttled next to me and plopped down, opening and closing his hands with an expression of curiosity and giddiness. Seems he wanted to do this for a while now, probably since he saw me.

Kid must be paranoid about who I am not that I blame him. He did get attacked recently by a cloaked man.

His hands slid until the found mind, and he let his eyes fall closed as he traced his fingers lightly up my arm until he reached my neck, making me shiver again and face heat. His second hand joined when he reached my neck, gently holding it in his grasp as he let his fingers roam around, mapping me out.

They moved to my chin, feeling it and my jawbone, tracing up to my slightly altered ears, feeling some scars I placed. I smiled to myself as he then felt my lips, my sharp teeth threw them, though, he didn't press down hard enough to realize that they were fangs. He began to go up, looking more concentrated as he then began to feel my cheek bones and nose, up to where the scars started.

The empty sockets

The fucked up dented forehead, where I made it seem like my head had been previously smashed in.

"Hm..." Naruto hummed as he felt the scars, leaning closer and closer. "You have a lot of scarring on your head from the halfway point of your nose up to your hairline where it stops. Your teeth also felt sort of weird...do you...have fangs?"

"I do. Im a weird one." I purred and leaned closer, so close...so tempted to shape those lips against mine. "Your heat feels intoxicating." I accidentally spoke aloud against the scalding heat of his hands.

He flinched and is face heated up a lot, I could feel the heat from here. His eyes popped open wide, and his body began to shake a little bit as he stared at me with intensity.

Hn, he looks so adora-

I jumped when I was suddenly shoved backward against the bed by my shoulders with a grunt. I went to speak, but my words were stolen as scalding delight crashed against them, making me freeze in place and open my empty eyelids as far wide as they could.

I went to wrap my arms around his body, but his hands shot to them, holding them down by my wrists, making my body heat up so much, but not nearly as hot as his skin felt. The action also admittedly made a soft noise against the lips of him.

He parted the kiss just before my lungs began to burn, panting and staring down at me, despite not being able to see it very well.

"Hn. Well then, that was both unexpected and undeniably hot." I smirked up at him, fighting against every fiber of my being that wanted to pounce on him and bite into that neck of his.

He let go of my wrists, letting me move my hands up to his legs as he had me under him and against the bed. I used them to help pull myself up, him now sitting in my lap, covering his mouth with a look of shock and horror.

"I-I didn't actually mean to-"

"Shhhh." I cooed, pecking his lips gently. "I was going to anyway had you not beat me to it, Naruto."

"A-Ah, I see." His heat only increased upon hearing this, making my body feel oddly whole. "Uhm...th-Thanks?"

...

"Pfft. Wow, you're surprisingly awkward with this stuff." I snickered into my hand.

"Wha-" he gasped as if appalled. "No I'm not! Not at all! Don't laugh!"

"Hahahaha." I couldn't help the laughter that escaped, covering mouth and patting his back in a joyful mood. "I'm sorry but you look horrified! Don't deny it, the chakra in the air shapes around your face and I can see it." I said as I wiped a tear.

"Asshole." Naruto hissed and stuck his tongue out at me.

I seized my opportunity and chomped my lips down on it and began to suck on his tongue, making his eyes pop wide and body flinch in shock. He tried to pull away but my arms shot around him like a sprung trap and held him in place on my lap right where he belonged. With this, I enjoyed the french kissing for as long as he could hold his breathe before parting it, chuckling as he panted as if he were suffocating.

Well, maybe he was just a little bit.

"Guh! Air!" Naruto gasped loudly. "Sheesh Shi!"

"Hnhnhnhn." I chuckled before rolling beside him, relaxing into the sheets. "That was fun."

"Y-Yeah, it was." Naruto shifted a bit to get comfortable. "So uh, are you sleeping here or on the couch?"

"Probably the couch incase someone walks in on us sleeping." I turned to gaze at the frown that adorned his face as I placed my mask back over my face.

"Okay."

*CRACK*

"HHNNGH!" I bit my teeth together as everything scattered into blindness, electrifying my nerves with pain as my genjutsu immediately dispersed.

Luckily my mask was on. He lunged to my ears and held them, squeezing as I fought through the pain, back arching off the bed as another series of crackling thunder erupted around us as the storm picked up again.

"Fuck me...why is it even loud!? Give me a moment!" Naruto snarled and dashed away and towards the entrance.

"Guuuh! Huh! Huh! AAAAH!" I cried loudly as it suddenly became agonizingly loud out of nowhere.

I scratched at my mask as my nerves made me convulse in pain. I kicked and scratched at the bed as the pain continued...ringing and ringing and ringing until it stopped slowly but surely, the thunderous roaring getting farther and farther away in time for Naruto to run inside sopping wet.

"There were poles in the ground!" Naruto growled out in anger. "Just metal rods! Implanting about 4 feet away from the tent, for of them!"

"Are they gone!?" I asked, panting heavily as my pain slowly died down.

"I launched em." Naruto made a throw motion before moving over to me as I sat up and held my head. "Are you doing better?"

"Much better, thanks." I smiled despite knowing he couldn't see. "Good job."

"Heh, I try my hardest." Naruto grinned widely.

I moved from the bed and to the couch, sitting down where I had been sleeping for the past couple nights. I relaxed and listened to Naruto make the bed he slept on, listening to the rain and thunder that would make me twitch every now and then as a loud crack sounded. The thunder moved away again and left me able to hear the goings on around the tent and the tent of that eye stealing bastard.

At least on of Shisui's is safe...my brain whispered to me as I tilted to see Naruto changing into his pajamas without much care to his clothes, tossing them aside lazily.

I laid myself down and felt the cushions underneath me grow increasingly comforting as I grew more and more tired.

Okay...I need to get blood soon, or I'll start going mad. I spoke to myself inwardly. Naruto is a good kid but his smell is intoxicating. The longer we are closer the longer his life will be in danger. We are leaving soon to hunt the Rikage down to plead for my younger brother. Hopefully we run into Danzo in order to stop him. All of this stress happening at once is certainly taxing...I can only imagine how he feels. It must be crushing him, having no breaks between me and Sasuke fighting, his sensei dying, the village being destroyed and now this.

It must be eating at him heavily.
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Morning came and went, the day passed us by rather uneventfully, and by the time the second day rolled around Sakura informed us she was too busy tending to the wounded to come along with us, but had managed to prepare home made military rations and first aid kits.

We also decided it best to follow the Hidden Cloud ninja back to their Rikage since it's him we want to have a conversation with. They were leaving by the evening, and that's when we depart from the village and set the plan into motion. I was calm about the entirety of this plan, however Naruto seemed to grow more and more on edge as the day dragged on.

Currently I was watching him pace back and forth across the tent, fully clothed in our travel gear, biting his thumb nail which was now non existent due to hours of chewing. He would occasionally glance my way before continuing on with the pacing.

I gave a heavy sigh and morphed my face once again before standing, catching his attention. He paused as I approached and pulled the mask up to right above my nose, and gave him a kiss on the forehead before smiling at him.

"You need to calm down, Naruto." I instructed.

"Im calm." Naruto reassured.

"Your tense. I'd help you out with that but a tent isn't the best place for privacy~. No doors to lock and no walls to catch the sound." I smirked at him and bobbed my head.

"Wha-" Naruto stumbled backwards, falling into the couch with a hilarious expression of nervousness and embarassment. "Sh-Shi don't just say stuff like that out loud!"

"Aw...flustered?" I mused.

"How do yo- you can't even see!" Naruto stammered our.

"I don't need eyes to hear it in your voice, Naruto." I gave a shrug.

"Hello, I'm coming in." A familiar voice spoke outside, making me tense and yank my mask down.

Naruto's posture shot straight and he stood to his feet very fast. I stood taller and moved in front of him as a familiar caned individual stepped inside the tent, followed by two individuals at his side. Danzo gave a weak head incline of a hello before standing taller.

"As I'm sure you've heard. I'm heading out today. You are going to be watched closely, so don't try anything stupid, boy." Danzo explained, looking my way and tilting his head. "As for you, stranger. Do you have a name?"

"Shi." I grunted out with a rage bubbling within.

"Hmn...is that your full name?" Danzo asked. "I'd like to ask you to address your full name."

"Hn, Shi Nara." I tilted my head to the side. "A pleasure to be noticed, Lord Hokage."

"Ah, a Nara clan member. As I've heard from a few sources, your face was horribly disfigured during the attack and left blind, yes?" Danzo asked.

I narrowed my eyelids a bit and gave him a silent nod, reaching up and placing a hand on my mask.

"Yes, quite. I can still sense all around me, and use the nature chakra in the air to map out everything in the vicinity. But visually I am blind. It's a shame...these recent storms have left me with a pouding headache." I huffed and rubbed the plain eyeless mask.

I watched the three closely, and noticed Naruto take a step to stand beside me with a serious look on his face. I watched ad Danzo's eyes looked up and down our dress with a suspicious glare.

"Did you plan to go somewhere?" Danzo asked.

"With the recent attack? No." Naruto shook his head. "But I was going to ask if we could find someplace nearby to train. I need to stay at the top of my game incase they it anything similar. I need to be ready." Naruto punched his fist into his palm. "Think about it, if I'm caught unprepared I'm screwed, even with guards, if someone as strong as Pain comes by I need to be at my best."

Danzo tilted his head and gave a weak sigh before nodding. "Yes, that would be unfortunate. After I return we can discuss what will come of the near future. For now, that's acceptable."

I watched as Naruto nodded and bowed his head. "Thank you. We will be heading out now."

"Safe travel." Danzo hummed as we made to pass them. "Don't go too far."

I could feel Danzo's eyes peirce into the backs of our heads, watching us leave with a hostile glare being directed at us. I knew right then that this wasn't a friendly goodbye or a harmless check up. It was clearly an underlying threat to the both of us.

I draped an arm around Naruto protectively as we headed out, ignoring that Danzo walked back outside to see us off. I kept my attention ahead of us, quietly minding my own as we walked up and out of the crater that used to be my home.

"Jeez...that guy never stops being creepy." Naruto huffed after a time. "Is your head really throbbing?"

"Yes, I've had a headache since yesterday night." I chimed as I realized I had just stepped into a deep spot of mud that proceeded to bury my foot. "Ah...wonderful."

"Yikes." Naruto winced, helping my leg out of the mud and began to clean it off. "I'll lead the way from here."

"You do that." I nodded along as he finished cleaning my foot in agreement. "No complaints here."

We continued on until we reached a clearing. Naruto did me a favor and checked for mud to make sure I wouldn't completely fall on my ass. The ground under our feet was soft from the rain we've been receiving lately, and squished lightly with each step. If we were leaving this evening we would have to make sure to travel by tree. We cannot sneak about on the ground with it in this condition, especially with my inability to differentiate the states of soil and surfaces.

"Want to spar until Kakashi-Sensei gets here?" Naruto asked me.

"Why not." I gave a shrug, rolling my shoulders and popping my knuckles. "I warn you though, I'm a fast fighter."

"I picked up as much when you jumped the cloud ninja, Kaori." Naruto gave a nod.

This could be the perfect chance to size up his passive fighting abilities and also practice restraint for myself. I needed to know how strong I was in a friendly sparing match without feeling threatened. If I can learn how much to hold back I can avoid killing someone on accident.

Naruto didn't pull out any weapons, and instead help up his fists and got into a nicely executed fighting stance, his back leg tensing as he geared up to lunge. I began to shift forwards, doing the same, holding my hands up and watching his feet as chakra began to pool there.

It's almost unfair how easily I can predict things now that I'm blind. Sure I was nearly blind before dying but this is a whole new level of it. I wonder if I can see this way due to being what I am thanks to Kabuto's weird new resurrection jutsu.

"Right." Naruto smirked smd lunged forwards.

I barred my arm up and our limbs collided with a gust of wind bursting around us. Naruto visibly winced in surprise, his forceful hit not quite strong enough to even nudge me backwards, making my eyelids open in surprise and slight shock. I quickly hummed around him with little effort and swung my fist, watching as he barely whipped around fast enough to see and dodge the blow.

"Good reflexes!" I chimed as I unleashed a barrage on him, starting out fairly fast before slowing my pace as I adjusted to my speed and strength.

I kept up with a steady hustled fighting style, pushing his ability to react quickly, making sure to change up my attacks to keep myself unpredictable. Naruto began to breathe heavier after the five minute mark of sparring. I had landed a couple of blows on him, and I could feel that each hit hurt him decently. He would act like it was something heavy ramming into him, making me think that I was hitting him to hard. He got a few in on me, but they looked like they hurt him more than they did me.

"Damn." Naruto panted heavily, wiping his forehead tiredly.

"Phew, that was fun." I smiled despite knowing he couldn't see. "You are pretty strong Uzumaki. Very light on your feet and quick to react."

"Hardly!" Naruto grunted. "You hit so hard...you're like a wall of stone ya know?" Naruto grumbled out, rubbing his fist. "I could barely keep up."

"Ehehe, sorry." I held my hands up in a defensive stance. "I tried going easier on you."

"THAT WAS GOING EASY!?" Naruto's eyes shot open wide.

"Sorry." I chuckled softly.

"Nah, your awesome!" Naruto gave me an encouraging thumbs up.

"I didn't hurt you too bad did i?" I asked with growing concern as his hand shook and seemed to be slightly bigger than before.

"I think I sprained a knuckle punching you." Naruto admitted tiredly, cradling his hand lightly. "It should heal fast."

"Hn, my bad." I winced and walked over to him. "I didn't mean to actually hurt you."

"It's fine, trust me Shi." Naruto reassured me and gave my shoulder a pat, his face growing hotter after I took his injured hand, gently soothing it with gentle rubs.

The blood pooling under the skin...smelled sweet. Like a candy made almost entirely out of sugar and something fruity added in. Or was it closer to a hot baked good, like cake or sweet bread. Brought closer, against my mask I could almost taste it, a tingling sensation lighting up my tongue as I rubbed the hand I held close to me. My teeth throbbed in my gums, buzzing as the faint taste of pure sweetness hit them, so close to my mouth...so close I could lick the skin, if I only removed this fucking mask I could finally rip the skin and-

"Uh, Shi? Can I have my hand back?" Narito broke my train of thought.

I grunted and released the limb, watching as he held his hand close, rubbing his thumb across his wrist lightly.

"You have a very strong grip." Naruto commented, his eyes scanning me closely.

Shit, did I tighten my hold? I flinched weakly and looked down at my hand, flexing the fingerings until I made a fist.

"Oi!" Kakashi's voice suddenly snapped me from my thoughts and gained both my and Naruto's attention.

When I turned to face this direction, I was surprised to see someone unfamiliar beside him. I cocked my brow as I tried to figure this person out, however my efforts weren't necessary as Naruto's smile widened, rushing over to greet the two.

"Kakashi-Sensei you didn't tell me Yamato was going us." Naruto grinned at the two adults, who only stared back with the same amount of friendliness.

"I figured since Sakura wasn't joining us Yamato would be a good fill in. He can provide good back up Incase anything goes south." Kakashi nudged him lightly.

"Let me tell you, this mission you both concocted sounds completely insane, but I do see why you want to go." Yamato gave a heavy sigh, before looking my way. "So, this is the masked man I've heard so much about. Yamato." Yamato greeted with a wave as I approached the group.

"Shi." I inclined my head.

"Are actually blind?" Yamato's eyes widened a fraction in disbelief.

"Yes, but I have my own form of seeing. I can't see color and I struggle with textures, but I can sense people and objects just fine using the chakra in the air and in people." I responded with a hum. "It's why my foot has caked mud on it, I can't tell the difference between dirt and mud."

"Are you sure it's safe for you to come? Uh, how many fingers am I holding up?" Yamato asked and held up three fingers in front of my mask, making me shake my head.

"Three." I stated in a bored tone. "I'm also strong enough to rip your digits off with ease. I'm a very good fighter, and I'm fast as well. Just because I can't see through traditional methods doesn't mean I'm useless."

"He doesn't like it when people underestimate him." Naruto quickly jumped in. "Trust me, Shi's great. He just shouldn't lead when traveling."

"Hn." I grinned under my mask despite my light irritation towards Yamato, who continued to glare at me with doubt.

"Right, so, evening?" Yamato asked.

"Yeah, we are going to deploy clones." Naruto spoke in a quiet voice. "And mask ourselves at the same time simultaneously so they don't sense us exiting the village area."

"Smart." Yamato smirked. "I've got everything prepared. You have your supplies sorted?"

"Yes, we do." Kakashi gave a firm nod. "Sealed away in a scroll for lighter travels."

"Okay...then let us wait." I mused, settling down under the closest tree using it to rest upon.

So...we go now, towards the summit. I wonder if you will try anything there, it's the perfect opportunity to begin your war after all.

If so...Sasuke could be there...if he truly is apart of the Alatsuki group. I wonder if he was told of my state of living.

I wonder if he was told about the reason behind my actions.

I wonder...what path he will go down if we encounter again.

Brother...please...don't do anything stupid until we meet again.