The Last One

Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Risk

Talking: "Talking"

Thinking: 'Thinking'

Flashback: Flashback

Chapter 22: Risk

The days had been rather quiet recently. Naruto didn't really like being on the island he was currently living on, but he had no choice in the matter at the moment. Gathering data on all of the animals that resided there was a challenge and kind of a nuisance. The whiskered boy always thought that his talents could be put to more use than they were currently. It didn't really help that he had a sinking feeling in his stomach these days. He couldn't really understand what that was about though. Unknown to him, there was a war that was starting right underneath his nose. That feeling that he was feeling was a genuine thing but none of the other ninja on the island were willing to share that information to Naruto. They couldn't let him know because it would be detrimental to their plan. They needed to keep both of the Jinchuuriki on the ancient turtle island. The end result could be disastrous if the Jinchuuriki were captured early.

Being bored from counting animals wasn't the only thing that was on the fox containers mind. There was a certain woman that seemed to echo over and over in his head. It was strange. Naruto couldn't understand it, but he was feeling a lot more interested in the paper angel that sat across from him at another tree. His mother's words reverberated from the time they talked together and what she said about Konan. It wasn't a mistake. It wasn't just some error. His mother genuinely said that the relationship between Konan and him can be entirely acceptable. He didn't know why, but there was a weight that was lifted when his mother said that.

"I couldn't stop you even if I wanted to."

Naruto blushed slightly at this revelation. His mother was okay with such a strange relationship, 'Wait, what am I thinking?' He said pinching his cheek, 'Am I really going with this? Is this really okay? Have I gone crazy?' So many thoughts rushed to the boys head. He couldn't grasp the idea of Konan and him being together. It was so... foreign. But then... it felt so right. Naruto would think of the times where they both confided in each other. Those soothing times where they held each other. The times where she openly smiled towards him. Not just a fake smile, but a real one. He never thought she could smile that way.

He looked over to Konan who was idly folding an origami shape with her hands. He found that strange because normally, whenever she did origami, it was from her jutsu and it formed automatically without much effort. It was interesting seeing her delicately folding the sheet in an intricate design. He looked at her hands and saw how softly they held the paper. He glanced up and noticed her amber eyes silently reflecting on her choices of folding. He saw how her mouth pursed in thought and how the hue of her lips was inviting. Blushing, his thoughts wandered to how she kissed him back in the tent. How forward she was in planting her lips upon his. His hand slowly touched his mouth again trying to remember that faint memory of that time, but it was a little difficult to grasp. Then a thought swung at his chest and hit him hard.

'Am I in love with Konan?'

At first, the thought held no weight, but when he thought about it thoroughly, he could honestly see it being possible. She was the only one around when he was going through his problems. He was the only one around when she started showing her full self to him. Her personality was blooming and he enjoyed every bit of it. He remembered Sakura and his feeble attempts to woo her, but he noticed that there was something different with Konan. There was something stronger. There was something that he couldn't put into words, but he felt it in his heart.