𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐎 𝐘𝐎𝐔 | izuna uchiha

Chapter 4

"Itadakimasu!" 

Izuna smiled tenderly at Nanami as they sat across from each other, dish after dish of food laden on the low table before them. He couldn't help but notice how timid she looked, and raised an eyebrow in amusement as he reached out for his own serving of rice in its own individual bowl.

"Nanami, I must congratulate you again on your selection. They couldn't have chosen a finer person for this job, if I do say so myself. Say, how do you feel about taking it on?" asked Izuna lightly, trying to ease the tension that Nanami was obviously feeling.

The nervous woman looked up from her lap, eyes slightly wide as she realised that she hadn't caught a single word that he had said, and instantly grew flustered as she thought of a way to make it seem as if she had been paying attention.

"Um... yeah..." she said awkwardly, scratching the back of her head as she picked up her chopsticks from their hashioki. Izuna raised an eyebrow at her, making her once pale pink face blanch into a shade of white lighter than snow. The sudden change in colours made Izuna's heart soften for the young woman, and he laughed, shaking his head. This confused the already confused Nanami even more, and she was mentally berating herself for looking like a fool before one of the clan's higher-ups.

Out of all the days you could've chosen to look like a complete imbecile, you chose today! she scolded herself, trying her best not to slap herself silly.

"So? How do you feel about the mission at hand?" asked Izuna again, eyes carefully transfixed on Nanami's face to see what kind of reaction she would have. Nanami nodded a little, avoiding his gaze.

"I feel... good," she said quietly, resting her chopsticks back onto their hashioki. Izuna, who had already begun to consume his meal, raised an eyebrow at her sudden action. She looked so lost and confused, as if she didn't understand what in the world had just happened. Izuna sighed wistfully as he watched Nanami chew her tongue, pondering for the right words to say. It was when Nanami was at her weakest that he felt compelled to do something for her, to protect her, and right now, this was one of those moments. He set his own chopsticks and dish of rice back down on the table before placing his hands in his lap with a small huff.

"Nanami," he said softly. "It's okay if you're afraid. After all, I'm going to be with you every step of the way, remember? You'll do magnificently!" Nanami smiled weakly at his bold comment and nodded, unsure of what else to say.

"I really hope so," she said in a forlorn voice. "Lord knows I'll need all the help I can get. I'm not the best kunoichi there is, but I also know that it's too late for me to stop trying to improve, you know? I guess... thank you, Izuna. I know you go out of your way to try and protect me all the time, so for once in our lives, I want to do the same for you. I can only hope that I don't die in the process, seeing as you yourself are a great shinobi in your own right," she added humourously, making Izuna chuckle. His gaze met Nanami's, making her blush just a little, and before she could even think of looking away, Izuna demanded in a soft voice "Look at me."

"I already am," she blurted out nervously, covering her mouth with one hand after doing so. Izuna laughed at her again, and his eyes softened as he stared into the depths of Nanami's charcoal orbs, internally sighing as they mirrored his own. Who knew what those eyes of hers masked- those eyes that had seen nothing but ridicule and mockery, death and discouragement. He wanted to know, so badly.

"You have beautiful eyes," murmured Izuna, his stare now focused solely and intently on Nanami's eyes. She shifted uneasily in her seat but let it slide; after all, she would rather have him staring at her face rather than her chest, unlike other men she'd encountered in the recent past.