Undisclosed Compound.

[Apple]

Crimson liquid continued to trickle down the metallic plates that he'd summoned, and being in such close proximity with him, the beautiful silk dress that I wore soon became stained with blood. Perhaps on an average day I'd have cared, but not now. As a medic, my main priority was my patient - and given that he had been so selfless as to throw his own life before the life-threatening technique that had been directed towards me, it simply made me more driven to alleviate the bloody area that Soratsu's hand had undoubtedly dug in to. His aggression - the rage that had fueled his attack seemed to be merely a part of the complex system of his mind, from what I could see - and what I knew. Although he had harmed Kouketsu in the process - and I could have been dead, I couldn't blame him entirely when he had no control over his actions. Perhaps it was merely that I had grown so close to the man, that I understood the problems that he faced and the demons that he had to overcome that I forgave his actions - undoubtedly so. A brief silence took over the compound, but soon Beppin's voice began to ring through the room, and as I healed, I then turned my gaze towards her, eyes still shadowed slightly. I concentrated quite hard on picking up everything that she said, to prevent any words from slipping away from me. Her soft, caring words to her husband soon became known as from the corner of my eye I watched her pick him up, and I felt a wave of emotion washing over me - the majority of it sadness, and the rest an undecipherable mess.

My hands continued to be held atop the grizzly wound he'd been dealt, a great deal of it by now having disappeared from the use of shousen, and turning my eyes back towards Kouketsu, I kept my gaze there - until Beppin seemed to address me from her position, and in return, I found my eyes swimming back over to the dark-haired woman in an attempt to listen to what she had to say. Soft droplets of sweat formed on my forehead, as the rest of my face developed a strange, unhealthy sheen. But on the matter of her words - she spoke of the men who stood beside us now as husbands when referring to the future. I was aware that such a bond had been crafted between Beppin and Soratsu - but Kouketsu and I.. it was different. It was the exact matter that ravaged my mind along with several others at the moment. A feeling of illness continued to intensify and merely through thinking about such possibilities, it made me - the same woman who people in the village were intimidated by - feel as vulnerable as the child that I currently protected. A he, or a she, she spoke? I wasn't even sure myself, but at the same time, I didn't want to find out. I'd become too involved the last time, and as life itself took an unfortunate turn, I'd paid for crafting such a bond. It wasn't because I was heartless - I merely didn't want to have my hope torn away from me again.

My eyes then dropped again, this time to the floor as I watched her exit, silence having been all that I emitted. It wasn't that I didn't want to wish her goodbye and a safe journey home; I simply.. couldn't. Still shell-shocked from the events that had just happened, and with the fatigue, the chakra - everything starting to take its toll, it was almost as if I'd lost the ability to communicate, although I changed my expression and gazed back at her; a genuine smile - but I couldn't muster up more than that. Her last few words seemed to warn me, or at least, advise me, and I took her words aboard. I'd come so close to the man now, I'd connected to him, and even I who had broken so many hearts in the past and laughed maliciously in the faces of others, couldn't do that. Perhaps it was merely because our relationship had become much more than simply just that - I didn't know, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to know.

..Slam!

As the sound of the door shutting pierced the silence in the room, I watched as Kouketsu then shifted his hands, pressing back my own to stop me from healing. Although - I had done all that I could, the area now devoid of any cuts or bruising, only fresh skin and dried blood that reminded me of the injury he'd sustained. And I didn't fight against this movement - I couldn't, really. "......" Time suddenly jolted, and suddenly I found his hand softly lifting my face up to gaze at his own, my own eyes red-rimmed. But his own - whilst one still remained the same as it had ever been, the other seemed gone, and being a medical practitioner I knew better than any just what had happened to it. He'd been blinded. Surely through the use of the technique he'd place upon Soratsu, but then - I would have inquired about it but again; my own self stopped me and instead, I merely kept up the same eye contact as my mind swayed back and forth in and out of reality, studying him to the best of my ability.

But his doings with the other Uchiha - I understood it. Although I didn't want him to leave in such a way, although I didn't even want to know just what Beppin was feeling at the moment, at the same time, it was a fate that didn't warrant death, and it showed promise that perhaps some day he'd be back and we could merely look back at this event and laugh - just as we had with other times in our past. I wasn't bitter, no. I was merely upset. Perhaps my sense of empathy had become too strong - or perhaps my emotions as a whole were simply spinning out of control, but I truly felt for Beppin - I was already torn between the options that I was given where Kouketsu was in the question, but if he was to become in such a state - I wasn't sure what I'd do, and for that reason, I respected her for going on through with it. Perhaps it was simply love; I didn't know, as I wasn't even sure what it felt like now. Kouketsu had challenged all of my ideals - that I be independent and that emotions were merely fickle amongst several others. But as time passed, I couldn't bring myself to reject him for the sake of my own selfish lifestyle.

"You should bathe, and then get some rest.
I have some things that I need to take care of, and then I will return."

His suggestions were viable, but I didn't want him to leave.

"..Please, don't be gone for long--"

"..I need to.."

"..I need to lie down."

[/b][/color]

I finally uttered, after a long silence upon my part.

Standing beside him, I awaited his departure, and I merely hoped that he'd be back soon.

I felt.. off.

[/size][/blockquote][/justify][/font]

[NARRATOR]

Stepping away, Kouketsu began to sink into the bloodstained floor. "I will be back as soon as I'm able," he says as the majority of his body is devoured. "It should only be a few hours." It is only seconds later that every trace of the Uchiha has vanished from the scene, with only his blood as evidence that he'd ever been there. Blanche was left by herself, stranded in the aftermath of the eventful conclusion of a saga that had stretched nearly a decade.

A story of pain, love, and confusion. But with its end came a new beginning, with the paper left bare and the pen, bleeding ink, poised in her hand and anxious for its first chapter to be written.

She already had the prologue.

[Apple]

A few hours - just what was he doing during that time? Not that I suspected him of anything, but I simply wanted to know what was so important that it required him to leave here leave me so soon after such an ... emotionally intense time. I paused for a little, unsure of what to reply with, although I soon found solace in a simple "..Alright.". However, before I could find the time to say anything else, I could see him sinking in to the ground below, as if melting in to the black tiles. Of course; I knew this better than any as it wasn't uncommon for him to use that in order to make his leave, but I didn't expect, nor want him to have left so soon. Allowing my tired eyes to linger where he'd left for a few moments, spacing out entirely, I soon caught myself doing such and in response, soft, unbalanced steps brought me to another room, my arms reaching out for any surface that it could find which would aid me in traversing the area. However - I could feel myself starting to fall in and out of consciousness, my vision blacking out in areas, and in response to this, I grasped on to the nearest thing that I could to hold myself upright. Luck seemed to play against me, however, as my grasp was rendered weak, and I felt the metal slip past my hand, a-

Hours passed, and if the Uchiha returned; all he'd find was a body, cold against the floor of the compound.

[/blockquote][/justify][/font]

[Yahiko]

Phenomenal thread, everyone.

Narrator +235
Apple +135
Naga +70
Beppin +60

[Apple]

As the days went on, I found ignoring this - this desperate need for chakra so much more difficult to dismiss. At the start of its course I'd been able to last what felt like weeks before it crept up on me again with its sharply edged claws, but now.. as I sat in the silent compound, alone, reading one of the several medical textbooks that could be found across the entire building, it was all that I could think about. It was rare that he left for more than two days at the most in order to do business elsewhere in the world, but as of late, despite seeing him most days, my desire for chakra was rekindled merely by catching the faintest taste of his aura and sent me in to a wild frenzy. But even without his presence I hungered - among average people, villagers. My status required me to be around people daily, and with an overpowering urge brought on by chakra kyuuin, they became targets for my ravenous eyes, and too many times I'd allowed myself to slip. I'd even gone so far as to attack one of my own chuunin, poor Esei who had merely been in the wrong place at the wrong time. But it simply didn't stop, and as I sat down now, flicking the pages back and forth, it became more of a task to handle. I was, however, thankful that I was allowed my own privacy here - not for my own sake, but theirs.

..The sound of paper rubbing together..

..The agonizingly slow sound of a clock as time crawled on..

..The soft bubbling noises generated by the preservation chambers..

..My own breath..

"......."

It slowly drove me insane.

[/blockquote][/justify][/font]

[NARRATOR]

It'd been nearly a decade since Kouketsu had actually slept through the night. A combination of self-induced insomnia and paranoia had often kept him awake throughout the odd hours of the night; but that was no longer the case. Blanche's words had done more for him then he would ever be able to audibly articulate, but if her eyes were keen and her wit sharp, she would notice the not so subtle changes. Indeed, he had changed a great deal; it was as if the monikers and tales attached to his name were nothing more than a nightmare that had, since meeting her, been furiously scrubbed away.

A conqueror he was no more.

Still, there were problems. Blanche's little escapade the previous night was -- unfortunate, to say the least. And though it didn't cost the Uchiha any sleep, it was something that he planned to address. Dressed in nothing but his slacks, he made his way from the room he'd slept in and into the bulk of the Compound. Warm wooden floors turned to bitterly cold tiles against the naked soles of his feet, yet he did not yield his pace. Blanche would hear his steps as he moved, making no attempt to mask them; it wasn't long before he rounded the corner.

It was probably the first time she'd seen him so exposed -- and, likewise, the many scars his body possessed. If she dared allowed her eyes to wander, she would see the myriad of jagged markings along his torso and arms, from wide slashes to fine incisions. Instinctively, his right hand brushed over several along his abdomens, namely the newest addition from his younger sibling. His faded grey eyes fell upon his lover, a brief smile forming across his lips. "Good morning." He wasn't sure what time it was, but he wouldn't be surprised if he'd slept well into the evening.

Stepping closer, he took the back and side of her hand in his hand, pulling into him so that he could gently place a kiss on the top of her head. "I take it you're feeling better?" Retreating back, to give her room, he tilted his head. "You know what you did last night was dangerous, right? Not just for you, either."

[Apple]

Even without the sound of his feet hitting against the floor of my so-called home, I could easily decipher that it was he who now made his way in to the room merely by the way that the air had changed with his presence. It became much more.. thin, although not in any positive way. Placing the book that I'd been reading a countertop to my left, I watched as he entered, chakra radiating from each and every part of his body - as it did my own, in a sense. However, although I was content to see him seem so.. relaxed, another part of me drove me forwards in to the same obligatory corner that could only find solace in fulfilling its desire. And I studied him so carefully as he came close, noticing the various imperfections on his torso, especially the one that had recently been dealt by Soratsu. I'd done all that I could with healing it, but scarring was something that I expected to happen. Now, however, it served as a reminder as to just how dedicated the Uchiha had become, which in a way, was comforting, but I couldn't help but feel that the very thing that sought to protect me was the one that was causing me to feel so.. disorientated.

"I take it you're feeling better?"

I didn't even want to answer his question.

Esei's contribution had been moderately satisfying but in the face of Kouketsu, it was nothing, and turned in to nothing as my eyes sought out prey before me, standing so innocently and clasping in my hand to plant a kiss on the very top of my head. One side of me viewed him as who he was, and appreciated his company, whilst the other only saw a piece of meat, destined to be the source of my next meal. I answered with pure silence, gazing at each strand of long, black hair that covered his head, prompting me to begin toying with my own, weaving and plaiting a small section of it between my long fingers as I did my best to distract myself from the ever-present urge which, at this very moment, was like some kind of fire - burning down the barricades I'd put up and enveloping my entire body in a blanket of obscure hunger. What he spoke next, I expected for him to mention. Whilst Esei's chakra had been satisfying at the time, now it served only as a reminder of what I'd done, making me feel slightly ill as it tried to mould in with the other signals that radiated from my body. My eyes having been momentarily focused on the wall behind him, I turned my attention back to the Uchiha, preparing to respond to his words.

Although..
..I was hesitant.




"I-I couldn't help it, Kouketsu --"

"..I tried.
I really did."

My right hand lowering for only a moment to gently slide against my middle, I soon retracted it, crossing my arms tightly as I watched on at him. I prayed that he understood - whilst I didn't expect him to understand exactly how it felt, I didn't want him to resent me for what I'd done. I didn't think that it would happen again - yet at the same time, I couldn't make any promises. I hadn't any control over myself that night, I couldn't even remember thinking during the whole ordeal. It seemed as if the more primal side of such a cursed clan had taken over completely, driving me on pure instinct alone. "I don't know what's happening - I just.." a pause as my eyes frantically locked with his own. "..I just ... stopped. I don't want to have to do this, please -" Perhaps for the first time in a long, long while, I felt vulnerable before him, and it made me sick. Even how as I held back, feral claws hidden, I felt ill from the feeling of starvation that lured my mind in to such a frantic state, but I couldn't give in to it - at least, not now. Continuing to stay seated, I looked up at him, eyes rife with emotion that found trouble in being expressed fully.

[/blockquote][/justify][/font]

[NARRATOR]

Kouketsu's expression was grim, but not with resentment or disappointment. He knew very well how strong the woman's desire was. As harsh as it was to say, she was a natural parasite - a vampire, that was only truly sustained when feeding off of others. Exposing her to the surreal chakra housed within her body was like bathing an addict in their drug of choice; everything else simply couldn't compare, and when it wasn't around, they went into withdrawal. Unfortunately, chakra was a very poor poison -- it was everywhere, a constant reminder of the thirst that could never be quenched.

"I know you did, Blanche." However, parasite or not, she was his. His support was a pillar that would never wither, withstanding time and the elements. Crossing his arms over his bare chest, his expression softened. "But, I know this is mostly my fault - I shouldn't have allowed you to feed as much as you have. But, I thought that . . . maybe it would help with the pregnancy. I just wanted both of you to be strong."

He sighed. "But, this is becoming too dangerous. What if someone sees you the next time your'e unable to control yourself, and I'm not around?" The sincerity of the worry in his voice was odd. "And what if Esei tells someone what happened? We can't afford to have your people afraid of you, Blanche. That is the spark of revolution," he explained, digging into his memories. He knew very well how little it took to cause a revolt that could, and happily would, tear a country apart. "We have to get this under control, as soon as possible." It was unfortunate, but necessary.

"I won't allow you to feed as regularly as I have been. The doctor says that the baby is healthy, so there is no need." he explained. Simultaneously with his words, his chakra seemed to dampen. It continued until it simply vanished, as if he did not possess the wealth she was so used to feeling in the air, itself. "I will make sure to suppress my chakra when I'm around you, so that it's not a temptation." Stepping closer again, he crouched down before her, letting his hands dangle upon his thighs. "And when you do feed, it will be in moderation. We can control this, Blanche - together."

[Apple]

I picked up on the smallest of movements that he made, almost as if my body was expecting him to come closer and allow me the chakra that I needed. But forth came nothing except for the slightest movements of his arms as he crossed them, and began to speak. In all truths, it was his fault for exposing me to the endless, moreish chakra that he had stored within his body, but I couldn’t bring myself to blame him for it. Whilst it wasn’t really my fault – moreso the fault of the instinct wrought in to me by my heritage – it was he who had triggered the addiction, serving as my own personal drug dealer in which I simply couldn’t escape from – and I didn’t want to escape from, either. As I even just sat here now upon one of the many chairs within the compound, my arms crossed, I listened and took in each word that he spoke, although the rest of my mind was still distracted by that same longing. How could I be expected to turn against him? But at the same time, how was I expected to turn against the desire which had been biting at me for months now? It was impossible – or so I viewed it to be at the moment. Perhaps in years to come I’d be in the same position, living my life siphoning off others. I couldn’t even begin to imagine how I’d managed to live without it. Up until a handful of months ago, I hadn’t ever had such a turbulent relationship with chakra. It had been merely a thing that I could manipulate and siphon to my whim – not what now felt like a necessity to survive. I knew that there was something wrong with the way that I was becoming dependant on it; but at the same time, I couldn’t see myself living any other way. I didn’t want to live any other way. I was happy enough living in my own bubble, my insides suffocating on the chakra that had now become so impossible to decline.

But – as he then went on to speak about the child and how he’d believed that it would have only succeeded in making myself and it stronger, I felt my eyes soften considerably as a wave of emotion again washed over me, prompting my eyes to meet warmly with his. It was.. strangely heart-warming to hear such words spill from his mouth, but it only began to make me wonder whether or not the same progress would be made without such additional chakra. Whether or not it would only perish without its support – whether it was my body’s own inability to nurture a child that had been the cause of the bloody finale on that night. It was something that I tried not to think about, but given that I wasn’t sure if I was stepping in to the same situation as before, it was something that tended to come up often in my mind. All I wanted was everything to be perfect. Whilst perhaps choosing Kouketsu to begin with hadn’t been the most conventional choice, and despite the fact that the news of the pregnancy seemed to be a strange, mysterious thing to all, I felt as if.. it was the only chance that I had. It was all that I wanted, a family. But this – this problem that lurked beneath my skin seemed to prove as a road-block, and if I wasn’t careful, I feared that I’d come out of it all having lost more than simply my mind.

”..Esei.. won’t tell anybody, I’m sure of it.” I reassured him. I’d known him for quite a while now, and he proved to be dedicated not only to the village, but myself. Whilst I didn’t exactly trust him with my life, I trusted him with information that was better left private. He’d even told me how fast he believed the news about my child had spanned across the village – I couldn’t imagine him divulging what had happened last night to his friends, let alone our home. But despite this, despite the fact that I knew that my words weren’t that important and that it was the sentiment that someone could tell if it happened again, I knew what was coming next. What he was about to say. What he was about to do. Although, I couldn’t have imagined the words to come out sounding more dire. My face paled after he spoke that he’d be decreasing the amount of chakra that I’d be given by him, but with such an appetite having been carved out of my flesh already, and with Esei’s contribution having been rendered meagre, I didn’t think – I couldn’t.. I couldn’t live on that much. We couldn’t live on that that much. Where I’d past gazed up at him with warm, soft eyes, my expression now reflected on the horrifying news that I’d just heard from his thin lips, my own eyes following his as he slowly descended close to eye level. I could feel the delicate expanse of his chakra leaving the air, as if siphoned by something other than myself, and each moment that I could feel it draining away killed me. Not having it clear before me didn’t help as I knew how much lurked beneath his skin.

"..What if the doctor was wrong?!"

I frantically asked to him, my eyes desperately searching his.
I was a medical shinobi, but I didn't particularly trust the judgement of others as well as my own.

Watching as he came so close, the disappearance of the blanket of chakra around him still resonated painfully in my mind. The need was still very much there, and it wasn't to be quenched on thin air. "..Moderation alone won't satisfy the both of us.." I groaned, feeling almost selfish to be going against his words. But it was true. Although at the beginning it was only I who had grown a fondness for chakra, as time passed, I'd noticed it merely becoming more and more powerful - and I could only relate it to the child that I was carrying. "-- Even now, as I just ... sit here, talking to you, we starve, and it hurts, Kouketsu." I couldn't exactly gather as to whether it was more of a mental pain rather than a physical one, but it bordered in both, and it was just as insufferable. "..Please.." My words had by now become mere whispers to his ears as my hands connected with his own in some desperate attempt to change his mind. If this was what it desired, I simply couldn't decline it for what it cried out for, and I hoped that Kouketsu understood that. I couldn't bear to hear him merely speak the words that he'd told me. Wrapping my fingers around his, I held them with my soft touch, drawing the man in to my embrace and to rest his head upon my lap. Allowing my right hand to run through the long black tresses of his hair, my left hand however was now positioned on his bare shoulder as I continued to sit in the chair, the white fabric of my dress cascading.

I leaned my head down close to his own.


"..I'm sorry."

I whispered in a truly apologetic, yet at the same time, soothing tone, and continued to weave my thin fingers through his hair. An electric blue light interrupted the intimate moment, but I continued to hold him close, caressing the unkempt mass of onyx colored hair on his head as I began to feed.

[/blockquote][/justify][/font]

[NARRATOR]

We.

From the moment she said the word, it lingered in the air like a foul odor. Kouketsu had ensured that all of his actions were for the best of both his child and the mother carrying her, yet what if he was wrong? Who knew better about what the infant needed than the woman it was growing in? What if it was the baby that had scaled her need to feed by such a drastic amount? What if, in the addition of his eyes, the child had gained its mother's hunger? At such a crucial stage, the feeding process would be dire - it was most certainly a necessity, and who was he to decline?

Could he really starve his child? Could he truly starve Blanche? For a moment, he considered whether it was truly his lover's concern or simply he greed speaking to him. Perhaps she had gone mad from the thirst -- it would be surprising, considering how potent it had obviously become. Yet, the tone of her voice suggested otherwise. Kouketsu's expression become apologetic, his eyes soft, and he did nothing to halt her from ensnaring his hands and pulling him into her embrace. As his head then rested against her lap, and free hand swam in the sea of his hair, he merely sighed.

All he wanted was for them to be alright.

With his chakra condensed to such a degree, even as she'd begun to feed -- a process that he could feel -- she would receive nothing. However, slowly but surely, she would be washed over by the ocean of his power, radiating from his body once more, like it always had; readily available for her ravenous hunger. His free arm wrapped the small of her back, pulling her closer. "I'm sorry as well," he added. "I was wrong to base my judgement off of the word of a doctor. You are the mother of my child, and I have no choice but to have faith in your words. If you say that you need to feed," he spoke into her lap, "Then I will not deny you or my child."

Closing his eyes, hardly bothered by the siphoning, he simply sighed. "Please, just be careful."

[Apple]

I kept entwining my fingers through his dark locks during this entire process, from the brief few moments of disappointment wherein my abilities failed to siphon chakra from his body – some kind of block, on his part, perhaps? – to the point where I felt it begin to drain in to my system, and I could finally relax – we could finally relax. Although I felt him pull me closer to his own form, shifting towards him in response and allowing his head to rest upon a greater expanse of my lap, I leaned back, permitting my arms to stretch slightly in order to keep contact with him and remain in the leech-like mode that I’d been pushed to. ”…Thank you…” it was less of an actual whisper, but more of a soft breath, carried across the dull air of the compound to meet his ears with gentle tenor. Despite the fact that he seemed compliant after I’d spoken my case, it didn’t stop me from feeling guilty about it all. I was sure that he wished to decrease it merely for the sake of helping me – and although I appreciated the sentiment that passed by his lips, and no matter how much I would have liked to go along with his words and be free from the self-depreciating prison that had been created around me, I just couldn’t. The symptoms of withdrawal stung at me so bitterly, making me wish that I hadn’t even begun this whole.. routine – but the feeling that came with satiation was worth it in its entirety, and only the curse itself could tear that away from me. Nothing else, and no-one else.

And as I sat here now, weaving through his long dark hair in the bright light of the compound, I felt what could only be described as the utmost plane of peace, leaning back slightly and allowing the grand mass of my own hair to dangle over the back of the chair that I was currently sat in. I’d heard his words, but I chose to wait, basking in the bittersweet moment that had come over us. And then, my grasp on his shoulder unrelenting, I leaned forwards again to address him again, the soft blonde curls atop my own head dangling above his head. My hand then moved, to gently be held against his neck, drawing him in much closer than he had before, allowing my dress to softly brush against the skin of his torso. ”..I truly apologize – for this.” again, the tone that I used now, and the tone that I was to use in the following words that I was prepared to say, were hushed, and almost soothing in nature. I felt.. lethargic, sitting here, but at the same time, so comfortable as I continued to siphon; it wouldn’t be too long now until our demands were met, but I already felt.. woozy, in the most positive sense of the word. ”..If it is to inherit your eyes; then who's to say that it won’t inherit my lineage, too?” it was, to say the least, a frightful combination given the nature of the eyes that I had come all too close to. Perhaps that was what Beppin had been so .. troubled about? And Soratsu? There was no way of truly telling with the latter ability, but for his sake, I hoped not. I’d past treasured my abilities due to the versatility that they held but now – I wasn’t too sure if it was worth it. But perhaps; with the chakra that was so softly being drained out of me to supply the child, my body was merely reacting to such a drastic change? Or was it not me, at all? "I don't want that for him, Kouketsu - It's proving difficult now - let alone what's to come in the few months we have before he's born --" a pause, as I gathered a large amount of black hair from his head, before freeing it with my slender palms, returning to winding it around my fingers. I didn't even want to think about what it would be like in the coming months - there was quite some time left, but it had all gone so blindingly fast. "..I don't want him to have to go through this." I understood that perhaps the process of addiction had only flared up to such a boiling point with the matter of the child at hand, but otherwise, what was stopping it from being victim to it? What was to say that due to my own recklessness, due to the need that shot through me each and every day, that he wouldn't naturally expect for such support to continue after its birth? That it would become a demon, hell-bent on siphoning all that it could, just like its mother?

There was no way of telling until it happened.
But even then; even with the risk of the child becoming a monstrosity, just as I was, my love was unrelenting, even now in the face of adversity.

I leaned closer to Kouketsu.



An unsure, hesitant pause.

”..I love you.”

[/blockquote][/justify][/font]

[NARRATOR]

At first, Kouketsu said nothing.

She loves me? Again, had the words he heard truly been what she said? He often questioned the lines between reality and fantasy, wondering how frequently crossed the two. Kouketsu was far from perfect, and though he never seemed to display any weakness -- no emotional strain, or psychological hindrance --there were, nevertheless, there. All power had its cost, and in the aftermath of his ascension, Kouketsu paid for his alone. Even with so much to gain here -- so much that he could acquire, both spiritually and physically -- he questioned the realness of it.

Letting his head rest idly in her lap, his grip tightened upon her ever so slightly. Or does she love my power? Perhaps it was somewhat heartless to question the woman's motives, after all they'd been through, but it was a not a coincidence that her words had come only after he'd allowed her to feed. Was it truly Blanche speaking to him, or was it the euphoric haze she entered after filling herself with the wealth of his chakra? It just seemed so very odd, hearing those words come from Blanche's lips. Had she truly found some semblance of love for him, buried deep beneath her concerns and hesitation? Did she really mean it?

Kouketsu only wished he had the answer.

"I'm glad." The appreciative tone of his voice was genuine, but at the same time, dull and flat. Their love was an awkward one - masked with secrecy, shielded from even her own people. After the events of the Second Shinobi War, Kouketsu had become estranged to deception. No matter where he went, everyone knew his face -- they were terrified of him. Even the whisper of his name was enough to stir panic across the world. Yet, he found himself crippled by the needs and desires of this woman. How much was he willing to endure - to suppress - before he said enough was enough? If the world would not let him be, then he would greet them with a hostility they'd never known.

Indeed, he was no longer a conqueror, but a destroyer always remained. And so, as he laid there with his head nuzzled in Blanche's lap, his mind began to churn. So what if the world denounced their relationship? Who cares if they stormed the gates of Kusagakure, threatening their people? Kouketsu would slaughter every single one of them - down to the last disgusting, filthy shinobi. He was tired of being a shell of a man, chained to the darkness of some building.

He would be free of this; they would be free. "But, then why must I remain hidden down here?"

[Apple]

"I'm glad."

His reply was.. somewhat.. different to what I’d have expected, and by the mere tone that he used, it concerned me. In a way, he seemed happy, but in another; it seemed conflicted, and I wasn’t too sure exactly what kind of ground I was treading upon as I sat here now, continuing to weave. I wasn’t too sure what to make of it, and I responded with silence for the time being, the trance-like movements of my hand continuing to try and comfort him. And for a brief moment, I allowed my form to collapse slightly, the tip of my nose pressing against the confines of his hair as I ceased to run my fingers through it, instead allowing both of them to meet at either side of his face, softly turning his head to face my own, a concerned expression upon my face as I gazed in to his almost dull black eyes. The blue which had past dominated as an aura around my hands had disappeared a few moments ago, leaving my fingers to flawlessly touch his face without any effects that the siphoning brought forth. ”..What’s wrong?..” I inquired, lowering my hands and placing them above his shoulders, turning his entire body to face my own, rising my hands soon after back to their position cupping his chin. And I gazed, trying to make out exactly what he was holding back at the moment. Did he doubt what I’d said? It had taken much time to come to that conclusion – and although I was sure of it, now that I’d finally uttered such simple, but powerful words, he seemed almost.. dubious of it.

And then in one sentence, he answered all of my questions.

"But, then why must I remain hidden down here?"

Although there were several complexities that I could divulge to him, none of them truly mattered. Perhaps I was trying to shield my own reputation, or dually, that of the village that I ruled. I was already under speculation by other kage for the strange run in I'd had with Kouketsu all those months ago during the kage summit. With a man so infamous - a man known as a sheer demon among men within the village, should the truth be revealed, I didn't want others to turn against Kusagakure for my own dealings. It was selfish, in a way, as I was surely declining Kouketsu the freedom that he desired and deserved, but I was simply looking out for my people - I didn't want to even think about what the other village leaders would begin to think about it - if the village would be attacked as a result of the truth. Given that both he and I were in a position where we needed a home more than ever, now, I didn't want to risk raising a child exiled from the village that I had cared so much about. But despite this - despite all of this, I understood why he was surely being driven to the edge with the limitations that our relationship had created. It reminded me of a time so long ago now, one that I didn't particularity enjoy reflecting back on. The time I'd spent with Momochi - although perhaps I was doing myself no favors by comparing this very moment to the time I'd spent with him, I thought it to be true. My family had never accepted the fact that he and I had been in love - despite the years that I'd visited him secretly at the borders of Kusa no Kuni, and I had wished nothing more than acceptance from those who I cherished most. Whilst Ue had been more comforting, I'd been given hell by both my parents and relatives who saw the brown-haired non-shinobi to be more trouble than he was worth, despite being perhaps one of the most gentle men who I'd ever come across. Hidden in secrecy was too the knowledge of our child in its entirety. It seemed like the correct thing to do at the time; and we would run and be free, find elsewhere to live together and raise our family. But the war took a turn for the worst, and I, in the end, paid the maximum price for keeping such a secret. It wasn't the same - but I couldn't let time repeat itself.

"..Kouketsu.."

It was a murmur, but a determined one.

"..People lack the knowledge that you and I share."
"I know that you are a changed man."

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I paused, gathering my words together.



"But the world needs to know; if not for our sake, but his."
"I think that.. the longer we leave it, the more problems it may create.

Of course, I'd been asked already by several people amongst the village who the father was, but I'd always replied with obscure answers to disguise the truth, and I'd always believed that that was what Kouketsu wished. Whilst I understood that he didn't want to be trapped forever, I wasn't aware of just how much he wanted to fit in with the rest of society after having done what he'd committed those years ago. However, despite the insecurity that came along with revealing such precious information to the rest of the world, to expect village leaders and their people to understand and accept it all, I had pondered the subject for some time now. If the child was to be born with soft black hair and coal colored eyes, then I didn't doubt that suspicions rooted at the kage summit would only become even more potent. Perhaps honesty was the best option to take in this situation. Even if there was an uproar, at least there wouldn't be much else to hide. Would the world truly react so fiercely to a child that didn't even ask to become part of this world? To a warrior who had since put down his sword who searched only for a better, quieter life? Continuing to cup his face in my palms, I soon retracted, allowing them to rest atop of my stomach as I awaited some kind of response from the Uchiha.

"I'll support you, you know that."

"..But I can't lie and say that I'm not concerned about how people will take it."

A pause.

"..How my people will take it."

Along with everything else that was at stake with this; I feared not only for us, but for the village. If anything was to rebound on it as a result of this; then I'd be the first to know.

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[NARRATOR]

Kouketsu's expression only became more conflicted as Blanche spoke, holding him close for the majority of her soliloquy. Despite how simple and few her sentences had been, it was a lot of information to contemplate over. Was it selfish for him to desire to shed light on his family? The remnants of the life he'd created during the Second Shinobi War had been reduced to nothing more than my child -- Ashura, and he was nothing more than a stranger to the boy; a voice within his mind, or a fond memory from the moments they'd spent together in his conscious in those moment when his eyes had truly awakened. It was nothing more than a figment of his imagination now; a fond memory that he'd tucked away with the rest of his past life.

Perhaps that is why he dared cross the threshold of life and death to bring the boy's true father, Ryuusuke, back from the depths of darkness. The former Hokage had given Kouketsu's son the life he'd always wish he had given the boy, yet never could; he feared what might become of him under his tutelage. Ryuusuke had managed to break the cycle of bad karma, turning a devil into an angel, and Kouketsu couldn't have been more proud. As terrible as it was, he was forced to love his only son from afar.

But, this precious infant growing in Blanche's womb. . . perhaps Kouketsu could do right by it? Perhaps, having laid down his weapons and sacrificed himself, he would be able to be the father this child deserved. Perhaps he could be the man -- love, and husband -- Blanche needed and deserved?

"I think about it every time I bring this subject to mind, Blanche," Kouketsu admitted, the tone of his voice more exposed than anything. "But, as you've said, hiding this is only going to make things worse. We aren't going to be able to keep this a secret forever, and I would rather my child be raised in a house of freedom; where he or she doesn't need to hide who their father is." Reaching for her hands, Kouketsu rose from his knees and gently eased Blanche to follow. Both arms then snaked around her body, pulling her tightly against him. "I believe that your people, who you have striven for since the moment you took power, will follow you to the bowels of hell and back." His chin rested gently on her shoulder as he spoke, his eyes closed as his mind began to pain images in his thoughts.

Shifting slightly, it was his turn to take her delicate face into the depths of both his palms. Both thumbs gently caressed the smooth curves of his cheeks, occasionally making their way to the swell of her full lips. "As for the rest of the world," he began as his eyes bore into hers, searching for something. "I will lay my sins bare before all of them, if it means even having a moment with the both of you. If you can see that I have changed, there is no reason that they cannot or will not. We simply have to show them, Blanche," he said gently. "Together, as a family. Our child will be beautiful, and we will raise them right; I will not let them make the same mistakes that I did."

A hint of a smile pulled at his lips. "We'll start with Kusagakure, and move from there." Lowering his face slightly, he placed a tender kiss upon her lips, savoring the sensation for several long moments. "I love you as well, Blanche."

[Apple]

Despite the fact that I did believe that revealing the truth would be the best option to take given the situation that not only us, but the entire village was in, I couldn’t help but think that it wouldn’t be easy to gain support. Perhaps there would be the few who believed that he’d be allowed another chance – that I, having given so much to the village was allowed to gain something that I had previously though impossible. It was such a simple concept – to finally be able to settle down, but given the two people involved, it was much harder than it sounded. Not only was my own attention forced to stay on the village itself, caring for each and every person as if they were my children, but despite the effort that I put in each and every day to sustain the peaceful harmony that the village constantly found itself in, I wasn’t sure if they’d be accepting of what I’d been dealing with behind their back. It was a serious discussion to have; and one that, I assumed, wouldn’t end well. I understood Kouketsu’s want to be accepted back in to society- perhaps not fully, but to at least have people understand and respect his decisions for what he now wished to do. But I knew more than others how some people were not as forgiving as you hoped they’d be. At the very least – I prayed that they would accept my desire, and in turn, begin to understand him more from that. But; I didn’t have my hopes up for anything. In the face of scandal, it was too often that people began to bite the hand that fed them.


But to describe it as a scandal…

..Perhaps it was just that.

However, where the child came in to it; in that sense, it was better to reveal the truth before people could begin spreading malicious rumors. I didn't want it to be victimized because of an unexplained truth. If Soratsu's words of assumption would become true, and he'd inherit his appearance, then there would be too many things said. Too many things that hadn't been said. I wasn't sure exactly how Kouketsu himself wanted to approach the topic where it came to informing others, but, although I was sure that revealing such a controversial piece of information would perhaps draw danger to both myself and the baby, it was better, than to leave it too late and then have it all blow up in our faces. If he - we could explain that times had changed and he simply sought solace, as did I, then perhaps the child would be better accepted - and him, as well. I wasn't too sure exactly about what to expect, but, prepared for the worst. People could be surprisingly forgiving, or relentlessly cruel. As I felt his hands join mine and bring me to my feet, I complied, moving out of the chair that I'd previously been comfortably sitting on. "I can't promise you that they'll be supportive, no matter how long I've served them; but all I ask for you is to understand. It's not the easiest things to grasp - especially when in their position." Even if they weren't kind in response to the news, I wouldn't blame them. As the name Kouketsu Uchiha clung in the air with the majority of people, all that could be thought of is death and destruction. I didn't doubt that by uttering his name in context with my own life, that they'd begin to wonder whether or not his intentions were as innocent as I knew them to be. It was a natural response, and I expected the majority of the village to take some time to adjust. I wasn't sure about how Kouketsu himself would take it; but I understood the concern that they'd undoubtedly show.

"How do you suggest we begin this?"

"..I don't think that I've even seen many of the other kage for quite some time now."

Of course, I was more than aware, not only through Kouketsu's words, but my own sensitivity to the needs of my people, that they would be the first to know. But it being such a sensitive subject, not only through my own mind, but of course theirs as well, I'd need to begin thinking about how I was to tell them - not only a few people, but the village in its entirety. Allowing the news to pass around by word of mouth alone wasn't going to be enough, and in my mind, was perhaps a somewhat cowardly way to go about it, especially seeing as I was meant to be their leader; Open to all subjects that I assumed would effect my village in some way or another. I could only assume that a forum would be the best option so that I could truly come to understand the reactions they'd take, and take the brunt of the opposition if I was met with such responses. However, it would need to be something carefully planned out. I didn't expect them to understand it fully, but the least I expected was their forgiveness. Where the other village leaders were concerned; I hadn't seen Kumogakure's own for a while now - and with news of Jounin exams rife in the air, having been planned between us, I had yet to make an appearance before the Raikage - and I was sure, that by that alone, there would be several questions to answer in regards to my changed appearance. With the desire to feed having been wholly quenched, it allowed me to think much more.. clearly, and as such, as I stayed close to him and shared a single kiss, it permitted me to not lose myself amongst the haze of chakra that I could even now feel softly floating about in the air. It was a state that I enjoyed being in, naturally. With his finishing words, reflecting on the ones that I'd told him previously, I couldn't help but crack a small, unassuming smile in response. After clinging to him for a few moments, I drew back slightly, so that we could begin discussing things further. With my eyes locked on his as he'd done so after softly turning my face to face his own, his skin coming in to contact with that of my countenance, I kept my position, my arms now crossed before me. Just what did he have in mind?

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