Naruto One Shots

Kankuro - Mourning 💋

Word Count - 2049
Ages - 21 and 22

Liquid courage was the only way I was going to get through tonight. I washed down drink after drink. With every intention to distract myself from the guest in the bar. But with each drink my eyes became more glued to the purple lines he drew across his face.

Kankuro.

I had secretly been obsessed with him for years. It started from the first time he entered our village. At the chunin exams almost a decade ago. All it took was once to become hooked with the obsession to see the features that laid beneath the purple.

I would see him on occasion after the exam and before the war. But between being part of the same team in the war and Shikamaru and Temari's wedding it seemed as if I could not escape him. Kankuro was always in town. Always around my friends. He had a job in his home village yet he was always here. I couldn't escape him.

Hence the extra drinks I consumed in his presence. I did so to distract myself of the truth of my feelings but my roaming eyes couldn't help to find him no matter how many drink I consumed.

"Alcohol isn't going to help your problem my friend." My best friend Shikamaru whispered to me. I sat squeezed between him and the window. Temari was on the other side of him chatting away with our girlfriends. Shikamaru was loyal to me about my secret. I had no doubt he had never told his wife. I would not put it past her to try and set us up if she ever knew how madly in love with her brother I was.

"It doesn't hurt my friend." I said as I finished the last of my drink. My body slummed further into the booth with my head rested on the window.

"But I don't like to see you like this." He scolded me like a father. That was as our relationship. It was more or less like best friends but rather father and daughter. He had his friends and I had mine but he was too protective of me to call him anything but my best friend.

"Whatever." I huffed as I tried to drink more of the alcohol that wasn't there.

"(Y/N) do you need another?" Temari asked me from the edge of the booth. I gave her a slight nod and smile to give thanks.

"Ro can you fetch my friend (Y/N) here another?" I shot Shika a death glare. He shook his head and raised his brows to feign his innocence.

"I didn't say I thing I swear." Shikamaru spoke to me in a whisper once Temari started talking to our friends again.

"I will kill you."

"(Y/N) come. Lemme know what you are having." His deep voice sent shivers over my body. My eyes glanced up at Kankuro and I couldn't help the pink twinge that heated my cheeks. I could blame it on the alcohol all I wanted but I knew it was from him.

"Batanga." I replied to Kankuro barely able to make eye contact with him.

"Come." He hushed any retort. His outreached hand reaching for mine to grab onto. I took a second to process the idea of my hand fitting into his.

"A little more liquid courage and you'll be strong enough." Shikamaru encouraged me in a whisper. I rolled my eyes with a groan. I couldn't see a way out of grabbing Kankuro's outstretched hands because in all honestly I didn't want to find a reason not to.

I nudged Shikamaru slightly under the table to gesture that I wanted to get up. In conjunction he guided his wife out of our shared booth so I could slide myself out of my seat. Temari didn't lose her focus on the conversation with Ino and Hinata. She didn't pay a second thought to what could be happening between me and her brother which she inadvertently orchestrated. But my best friend did. I could see the tension his body. Mostly protective. But in parts hopeful.