Spear & Shield

Spear & Shield
Chapter 37

The world was rocking in a gentle sway, lulling her into a state of drunken relaxation. She was kept warm as she was rocked, her cheek pressed against a firm, but gentle heat. She was reminded of when she would fall asleep in her father’s arms as a child, with her head tucked into his broad shoulder. She blinked open her eyes, only then realizing she had closed them in the first place.

She was met with the gentle glow of street lanterns as she loped down an empty street.

… Only she wasn’t walking. The steady footfalls that echoed between homes and shop fronts were not her own. 

Was she floating…? She was tired enough to believe it. Whatever it was, it was nice.

She mewled under her breath, letting out a sigh of pure comfort as she wrapped her arms a little tighter around her mysterious mobile cushion. 

She heard a deep chuckle. The grip hooked under her knees shifted slightly, accommodating her new position.

Her bleary vision returned once more. ‘Huh… My sheets aren’t green…’

So she wasn’t dreaming after all. Her head shot up in a sleepy stupor, brushing against silky black hair. 

“Eh, Yasu-chan?” her pillow murmured, “Are you awake?”

“Gai-sensei…?” she murmured back, voice hoarse and thick with sleep. The world was coming back to her in trickles, “Where’re we?”

“Well,” he huffed, adjusting her once more, “Somewhere in the historic district.”

Yasu smiled, thoughtlessly nuzzling her head back down in the crook of his neck, “I love the historic district. Some’a the buildings here pre-date Konoha itself, y’know.”

Gai hummed thoughtfully, “I didn’t know that.” His comment was one of intrigue as he continued to meander the empty streets. For the first time in his life, he began to notice moss stains and crumbled corners. Those little signs of history peeking through the normally bustling area. He didn't think much about things like that. He never really saw things as they were, but preferred to appreciate them as they are. 

To be completely honest, history was a bit of a bore to him. It was certainly one of his least-favorite subjects at the Academy. He liked literature and poetry, and all of his ninja learnings. But history was just a topic he did his best to memorize, then move on.

“On Jasmine Street," Yasu disrupted his observations, loosely pointing to his left. "See there? By the apothecary? There’sa old warehouse, was used for storin’ rice from the north…”

Gai squinted at the building's faded roof and the cracks that ran around the brick base. Sure, it was an old building, but he didn't see anything special about it. But Yasu thought it was special, so he nodded and hummed appreciatively.

"You can still see… remnants… of an old trading post… by the corner…"

Her voice drifted once more, and Gai was torn between jostling her again or letting her get the rest she so sorely deserved. “...Yasu-chan?” he whispered over his shoulder as he felt her go still.

“Hm?”

He glanced over at her, her face turned towards his profile, close enough to feel her slow breaths fanning over his cheek. Her face was close enough that their noses brushed, sending his heart pounding. With a furious blush, he forced his gaze to remain steadfast and forward. He clenched his jaw as her hands absently ran over his collarbone and shoulders. His stiffness did little to suppress the shiver that ran down his spine. 

“Can you tell me your address?” he finally blurted out. “I have no idea where I’m going.”

The body on his back stilled. Her head lifted slightly and the slow breaths he had come accustomed to mellowed out to a regular pattern. “... Then where are you taking me…?”

She sounded more awake now. He was both relieved and disappointed as she started to shift against him.

“I’m not sure yet,” he answered honestly with a shrug. “You fell asleep on the monument. I couldn't very well just leave you there. I wasn’t sure what to do, so I carried you down the lookout stairs and sent my students home."

“So you just... kept walking?”

“Well,” he pursed his lips, gaze dropping to the cobbled path below, “You seemed really comfortable.”

Yasu shook her head and let out a breathy laugh before slumping over once more. Her arms snaked back around his shoulders in a half-hearted embrace, “You’re too good to me, Gai-sensei.”

His blush darkened, “You deserve a good rest.”

Instead of arguing like she normally would, she simply leaned forward to place a chaste kiss on his cheek. “Thank you,” she all but whispered against his skin.

The simple act made him falter enough to stumble, sending the pair lurching forward before he was able to regain his balance. The jerking motion caused Yasu’s natural instinct to kick in, and suddenly she was as awake as ever and fully aware of the position she was in. 

Her face turned scarlet. “You said we’re in the historic district, right?” she coughed nervously. “You should let me down now. It’s not a far walk from here.”

Though just as nervous as she, Gai brushed off her comment with his usual bravado. “Don’t be ridiculous. I would never allow a fellow comrade to wander the Village alone in a state like this. Besides, I consider this part of my endurance training…” He paused thoughtfully, “Although I should consider it part of my strength training, but you’re too light compared to my usual weights.”

There was not a muscle in Yasu’s body that could keep the grin from her face. She bit her lip, bashfully burying her face into Gai’s shoulder once more. 'He's absolutely ridiculous,' she thought fondly.

“Head towards Macha Street.”

“Eh?”

“Macha Street. My apartment’s along the western side, just before the open market.”

“Yosh!” Gai whispered, again both relieved and disappointed to finally have a destination. 

Yasu grinned as she felt him shift directions, cutting through a narrow alley. 

“I live on Oolong, by the way,” he added, a little too rushed to be casual. “If you, uhm, ever need me. For anything. I'm close to the academy--  the small building with the red doors.”

Yasu (having long since memorized every nook and cranny of Konoha) recognized the area. A fuzzy picture formed in her sleep-deprived mind as she tried to identify the residency buildings in that particular stretch of the village. “North side or south?”

“The south.”

“Ah. The building with the beige exterior, right?”

“That’s the one!”

Yasu frowned at that. While the building seemed decent to the untrained eye, she knew better. It had been a rushed job to accommodate the booming population around twenty years ago, during an age of peace and prosperity for Konoha. However, due to poor ownership, the building was only maintained to the bare minimum. She knew of several areas that needed to be patched, and how the ventilation system made the interior uncomfortably hot in the summer.

Maybe she could convince him to upgrade.

She rested her head back down, fully accepting that Gai wouldn't be letting her walk on her own. Without much thought, she rested her chin down by his neck, barely able to keep her eyes open. Her arms sagged, resting limply over his shoulders in a lazy embrace. She was glad he was able to balance her so easily. She felt warm and safe, so she didn't dwell on much else.

Gai was acutely aware of Yasu relaxing against him. He felt her body fall flush against his back, leaning a little heavier than before. He hardly noticed her weight because he was far too focused on the way her body was splayed across his shoulders… how close her face was to the bare skin of his neck… how he could hear her gentle cooing breaths as she dozed.

"I'm sorry about our date…"

Gai paused, listening to the night air carefully as if he had misheard. "Our date?" he felt the blush creeping up to his ears.

"We can reschedule…" she sounded soft and faraway. "Maybe later in the week? After the unveiling ceremony…"

He cleared away the lump in his throat. "That would be nice."

"Maybe we should invite them, too…"

"Who?"

"The kids. Neji, Lee, and Tenten-chan…"

He chuckled, "Why?"

"So they don't surprise us again." He felt her sleepy voice vibrate against his skin and suppressed another shiver.

Gai couldn't help the chuckle. His students had been a surprise, though not an entirely bad one. “Do you know why they were up there to begin with?”

“They wanted to train with us,” she yawned, tilting her head to rest a cheek against his shoulder. “They heard you say we were meeting later and wanted to come with you to help us train. Isn’t that sweet?”

“Eh, training?”

“They’re cute. They thought we were meeting to spar, you know? So they wanted to come along to spar with us ‘cause we haven’t ever trained together.”

Gai’s stride stuttered again as tears began to blur his vision. “What have I done to deserve such adoring students?!” he bemoaned, pride and flattery filling his chest.

She shrugged awkwardly against his back. “Be an awesome and supportive teacher?” Yasu answered sleepily, either not noticing his theatrics or ignoring them completely. “You’re amazing. It’s no wonder they look up to you.”

“Yasu-chan!” he crooned, still starry-eyed and weeping. 

She cracked open one eye to catch a glimpse of his grin. It was then she noticed where they were. “Ah,” her limp arm twitched upwards in a vague gesture. “It's that building there. The one with the red roof.”

He recognized that building. It was a medium-sized apartment building, able to house maybe twenty or so individuals. Gai knew several of the occupants very well. It was popular among more reclusive jounin and chunin who were looking for a quiet place to live.

“See the patchwork job on the siding? There on the western wall?”

Gai tilted his head, squinting as he approached it. “No?” Did she point out the wrong building, perhaps?

“Exactly,” gods, he could feel her grin against his neck. “Because my work is seamless!”

Her voice had dropped to a husky rasp, her breath hitting the side of his neck. The few stray locks of hair that had escaped her ponytail were brushing against his shoulder and tickling his cheek with every breeze. 

He swallowed thickly, covering up his nerves with a half-hearted chuckle, “Of course. I expect nothing less of my students.”

“They let me live here on a discount,” she admitted, “I maintain the exterior, so I only pay partial rent.”

“Fascinating,” he began to climb the stairs, “Are you saving for a nicer apartment?”

“House,” she answered simply.

“A house?” he echoed absently, lulled by her quiet breathing, “For a family?”

His jaw clicked shut once he realized what he said. Yasu had never mentioned the idea of marriage or a family, or even a future relationship. Was… was he even allowed to ask? Were they at that point yet?

“Maybe,” she muttered, disinterested. “Or maybe a dog.”

Well, that was sort-of an answer. Gai liked dogs. 

He was a little embarrassed to admit he’d never gotten that far in an actual relationship. Any brushes with romance he’s had so far had been quick and rather shallow. He’s never thought about a future with a partner before… But that was because he never met someone like Yasu.

"The next floor," her quiet whisper interrupted his thoughts. 

Whatever anticipation had begun to grip him disappeared at the sound of her voice. 

A familiar corridor came into sight and a new grin broke out on his face. “Kakashi lives here!”

“Mhmm,” she acknowledged, “He’s on the corner, I’m the next door down.”

A certain hopeful joy began to bubble up in his gut. The thought of his two favorite people being so conveniently close together made his heart swell. Maybe the building had a vacancy? It was about time he found a new apartment. Although his current one was right between the training grounds and his favorite curry shop…

“This one,” she pointed to a door, making absolutely no move to get off his back.

Gai reached for the handle, applying careful pressure, "How should I disarm your traps?"

"Eh?" she mumbled blearily, "You don't."

"You don't trap your home?" Gai frowned, not at all liking the idea of her living alone and unguarded. 

"Nah, it's s'okay."

So Gai trusted his young kunoichi, and pushed the door open.

He stopped short half-way through the threshold as a lasso whipped upwards from the ground, slapping either side of the doorway before slamming loudly into the ceiling. 

"You said you didn't have any traps!" he hissed over his shoulder with a pout.

"Nu-uh. I said you didn't need to disarm them."

Gai sighed. True enough, the cheap rope lasso that should have snared him went off several seconds too early, while still somehow managing to pull too fast to grab him. It wasn’t even made of proper ninja wire. It would have snapped with his weight, anyway.

"You should work with Tenten. She's amazing with wards and traps."

It took her a minute to respond, "In the morning."

He gently closed the door behind him, being sure to maneuver as carefully as possible with Yasu still clinging against him. The gentle noises of the night were cut off, leaving the pair in an intimate silence. 

In the dark, Gai could still make out how cluttered her apartment was. A half-empty tea mug or crumpled beer can sat on nearly every available surface. Pencils, scrolls, folders, books, and large sheets of paper were scattered over her desk and coffee table, some even spilling over to the couch. Her little kitchenette was a bit neater, save for the small pile of dishes forming in the sink. Given her current state, he couldn’t fault her for the mess.

A quick flit of movement caught his eye out of the shadows of her small apartment. 

An oddly-shaped tabby slinked from under the couch, greeting him with a trilled mew. Its head and legs appeared disproportionately small compared to its round middle. It leered up at him with yellow-green eyes that seemed to pierce his soul. Fearlessly, the cat approached. Its belly swayed as it padded across the wood floors, sizing him up with bored curiosity. 

Yasu shifted forward, her arms tightening around his neck so she could rest her head upright against his. "That's Bao-chan," she answered his unasked question, "She's probably hungry…"

Gai could barely hear her words over the way her breath cascaded over the sensitive skin of his neck. Her words were meaningless because it was the mere sound of her voice that sent waves of goosebumps rippling over his chest. 

He loved how she felt against him. He mourned the loss of her touch as her legs loosened from around his waist. She kept her arms on his shoulders, even as her grip went slack. He held her hands gently as he guided her down. 

Yasu rested her forehead between his shoulder blades, breathing with him in an effort to maintain their connection for just a moment longer.

"Thank you for taking me home."

Gai slowly turned, unwilling to release her completely. He held onto her hands, keeping her locked between him and the door as he stared down at her face. “I consider it an honor,” he replied, placing a kiss on the back of her palm.

Yasu rolled her eyes at his dramatics, but her heavy blush gave her away. She opened her mouth to chastise his cheesy line, but was immediately silenced by his lips against hers.

Unlike their previous kisses, this one was slow and patient. The usual heat between them had dulled to a low simmer. Either way, it was exactly what Yasu needed to end this exhausting day.

She let out a quiet whine as he pulled away. She tried to reach out and pull him back in, but he kept a firm hold on her hands. 

“Go rest,” he commanded softly, caressing her cheek.

Yasu pouted some before conceding. “Okay… Will I see you at the ceremony?”

“Of course.”

“With the kids?”

“If you want them there,” he nodded with a chuckle.

“I mean,” she shrugged, absently twining her fingers through his, “Technically, they helped.”

“I suppose you’re right… I’ll bring them, too.”

“Good,” she beamed up at him before being overtaken by another yawn.

Gai couldn’t help but laugh, ruffling her already disheveled hair. She pouted again, half-heartedly attempting to swat his hand away. 

“Goodnight, Gai-sensei,” she rolled her eyes childishly as he stepped around her to the door.

“Goodnight, Yasu-chan.”

She watched him until he rounded the corner of the corridor, waving as he disappeared from her sight. Finally, she shut and locked the door behind her, leaning against it and facing her exhaustion head-on.

“Mrrow?”

She looked down, meeting a pair of judgmental yellow eyes. Yasu sighed, heading straight for the bedroom, “Shut up, Bao-chan.”

"Mrrp."