My Sunshine

Gone - Iruka / Iruka's Confrontation - Shikamaru

As the story ended, Iruka felt himself begin to get nervous. How was she going to react? Was letting her hear this a huge mistake on his part? And then, she spoke.

"What a beautiful story. How romantic is it that someone who cared for you gently walked you through your first sexual experience?"

Iruka watched Mizuka's face turn sad.

"Oh, Sweetie, I think it happens that way for a lot of people. Or they're two virgins fumbling through it together. That's what happened between myself and Kakashi."

Iruka pulled her hand closer, kissing it gently as he put his head back on her shoulder. She looked as if she might cry.

"I wish I wasn't so broken. My first time was terrifying, when I was 12. I was sold to a man that my father couldn't pay. Turns out that virginity has a high price..."

Her voice trailed off. She looked off at the ceiling,  lost in a horrible memory.

"Hey, all of this is in the past. It doesn't matter how any of us lost our virginity. All that matters is that Mizuka found Kakashi again, and I found you, Haru-chan."

Mizuka changed the subject.

"This Ryujin business with Ino also proves that the Firethorn that almost killed Shikamaru did come from the Dragon Island. This will probably give me the clearance I need to go in with a team and destroy it."

Haru snapped back to the moment.

"There's an entire village of people there as well..."

"Don't worry, I'm planning on emancipating them and hopefully King Michiru will take them in at the Crescent Moon Kingdom. He still owes me and Kakashi a favor."

Mizuka unwrapped her bandages as she laid next to him on the bed. As he looked over, he felt a little sick as he saw her stitched up, bloodied chest. Her skin was dyed yellow with iodine. Mizuka excused herself, leaving for a moment. Iruka reached out, holding her hand.

"Did that story bother you?"

She squeezed his hand.

"No. I'm a little jealous that you had such a loving first time. Mizuka seems like she would be a very caring lover."

He gave her a grin.

"She was, and she taught me a lot about what I wanted in a partner. I want to be that kind of partner for you. I want you to feel the love and care that I have for you."

"I do, Iruka-kun. I can feel the love radiating from your heart as you hold me or make love to me. In everything you do. You are that caring partner."

Mizuka returned with a basin of water and a clean washcloth and towel. She wet the washcloth, gently washing around the stitches and scrubbing the caked on blood and herbs from her body. She dabbed the wound dry before wetting another cotton with astringent, applying it to her chest. She only flinched a little.

"Sorry, Sunshine."

"It's okay. I trust you."

Haru gave Mizuka an encouraging grin.

"You're looking well, though. Everything looks like it's healing properly. No signs of infection."

She changed the gauze and helped Haru to a sitting position as best she could, wrapping her chest and shoulder again.

"You'll probably be here for about a month with that leg.  And then it could be up to another month before it's healed enough to walk on.  Until then, just enjoy Iruka pampering you."