Mission with a stranger

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"Good morning!" I said as i entered the hokages office next morning. Naruto, Sasuke and Shikamaru were there arguing about something.

"Good. You're here" wow. He seemed different from last night. More... not interested I'd say.

"Whan can i do for you, Lord? "

"Now that you're fine and well, I'm sending you on a mission." He wasn't even looking at me. "I need you to find that creature you saved me from."

"But, isn't it dead?!"

"No, it ran away soon after we got there." Said Sasuke. "It was hurt badly." He looked at me with the distrust, like he was looking though my soul, traveling in my mind. I got scared. My heart started pounding faster and by the look he had, he knew it. I started to sweat. Why was he doing this to me?!

"Anyway, " Narutos voice broke our creepy starring contest. "the trail leads to the land of earth. A new anbu member will accompany you. You'll meet at the village gates in twenty minutes. That's it. Leave now."

Leave, now?
I didn't say anything, just left, as he said. I was so angry about the way he treated me, but mostly i was angry at myself for thinking he would like me back.
I packed the things I'd need on a mission. I was so angry i cracked the door when i closed it. "Damn it! Today was supposed to be a good day! " i yelled at the door and realized my neighbor an old lady was watching me. "Have a nice day, granny Cho!" I smiled and jumped up on the roof. I already hated today.

I saw some guy standing by the gates. He was wearing a mask and a cloak. I got to him.
"So it's you."
"You're late." That was the first thing he said to me. Yea. I already hated this guy too. "Let's go." He headed out and started running.
"And you're an asshole, obviously." I mumbled and ran after him through the trees.

***

We stopped in the woods to rest for the night. I was exhausted from running all day. It would take one more day to get to the land of earth.
I got down on my knees and lit a camp fire with my jutsu.
"Fire style?" The guy asked me.
"Yea. And what?!" I started unpacking my stuff.
"So that's your thing." He threw his bag on the ground, layed down and used it like a pillow.
"Why do you care?!"
"Don't know. I want to get to know you better i guess." I hissed.
"Look, mind your own business, okay?!"
"Woah, what did i do wrong?" He got up and turned to me and that's when I realized that he never took his mask off. I didn't like this.
"I just... don't trust you!"
"Why not?"
"Stop asking stupid questions. I'm really tired to listen to them. "
"Okay." He got back on the ground. I took my weapons off and got ready to sleep.
"I'm gonna sleep first so stay as a lookout for..." i heard snoring sounds. He was already deep asleep. "Are you kidding me?!"

***

I woke up to see his mask close at my face. I saw his blue eyes through the mask. I jumped up and kicked him.
"What the hell are you doing, creep?!" He fell down.
"You- you were making noises in your sleep and I.."
"NOISES IN MY SLEEP?!" I was ready to punch him, i was screaming.
"Hey calm down! I just wanted to wake you up. I figured you were having some kind of a nightmare.." i pointed my finger at him.
"WELL, I DON'T LIKE YOU!!!"
"Sorry for scaring you."
"Oh I'll scare the hell out of you!" I stopped my fist at his mask. This was a mission. I had to calm down. I went to the river. He followed me.
"Let's be friends, Akari."
"You seem to know my name, but you never told me yours. "
"It's um.. my name is.."
"You forgot your own name?"
"Pfft, of course not. My name is Naoki! Yea, that's right!" I narrowed my eyes. His laugh felt familiar. Who was this guy?!
"Naoki?" He nodded his head. "Whatever.. We have to get going."

***

Another whole day of traveling to the land of earth. We had almost reached it. My legs were exhausted. I'd give anything for a hot bath.
"Hey, Akari! Let's stay at the village for the night!"
"We're on a top secret mission, we can't do things like that."
"Oh come on, I'd kill for the nice hot bowl of ramen. I know you want it too!"
"Naoki, I repeat, we're sent on a top secret mission by Hokage and we.."
"Ah, Hokage this, Hokage that.." i looked at him with a deadly stare. "He won't mind, trust me."
"You're unbelievable."

And we got to the village nearby. I preferred hot springs over a bowl of ramen so that's where our ways split.
I took my robe off and got into the hot water. I was alone. I looked up at the stars. I remembered how Sasuke looked at me.
He didn't trust me, but why? Like, he knew something about me that I didn't know myself.
And who's this Naoki guy?! Why would Hokage trust him in a first place?! The guy never even takes his mask off. I'm almost sure he's related to Kakashi. I chuckled. Oh, whatever! I'm not gonna ruin this relaxing evening with these thoughts!

***
After bath I went out for a drink. I found a nice place and ordered some sake.
"Oh, hey!" Someone sat next to me.
"Damn it, you scared me." That was Naoki with a robe and a different mask, shaped like some beast. He ordered a drink. "Do you ever take that mask off? "
"Huh? Sure."
"What are you hiding under that anyway?"
"My face." I chuckled and drank my sake. Woah, that was something! I felt better.
"Too ugly or too handsome?" I asked as i ordered another shot.
"Just don't want to freak you out or make you feel uncomfortable." He pushed his mask up a little to drink. I wouldn't call those lips ugly. In fact they were beautiful. The way the drop of sake rolled down on his lower lip and the way he wiped it with his thumb. There was something about this guy that made me go nuts. Oh well, this is the alcohol talking!
"Enough about my mask. Tell me, what's with your hair?" He pointed at my white hair.
"Oh this? I'm not really sure. It just appeared i guess. I don't remember actually. " i drank another shot.
"Well, i like it." He said. I smiled.

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