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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."

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."

Only five of the many seats were filled, each with a samurai Akio may or may not have recognized. None seemed too interested to be there, though from the expression on their face, it was mandatory. The swordsman closest to the door, a tall and slender man with dark hair pulled into a pony-tail, shot the newcomer an interested gaze.

"So, this is the Jinchuuriki samurai?" he said coolly. "I figured he'd be taller."

"Shut up, Hattori," another swordsman, a woman on the other side of the room, shot quickly. "We don't need any of your shit today."

Hattori sucked his teeth. "You in a bad mood, Suzumi? PMS'ing?"

"That's enough!" a seasoned, raspy voice bellowed from the head of the room. Emerging from the thick shade of darkness was an older man, possessing no distinctive features. He was of moderate height and size, completely bald, with flowing eyebrows and a long white beard that hung down well pass his waist.

His cane, a notched and chipped length of bamboo, was held just before his person; both hands rested on its twisted crown. "Master Akio, I presume?" Though his eyes appeared closed, the Shogunate could see well beyond the flesh and armor -- he could see the beast dwelling within his soul, swimming violently.

"Welcome home." A faint smile spread beneath the veil of snowy hair. "Do you have anything of value to report, pertaining to the shinobi lands? It's my understanding that you've spent quite some time wandering within their borders."

The nurse simply nodded. "Hai, Lady Kusakage." And with that, she left the room and closed the door. The very instant that the door clicked shut, Blanche was greeted by a soft breeze and the reappearance of her phantasmal lover. Still donning his ANBU uniform, the relaxed expression on his face suggested he'd listened to their entire conversation. As the mask suggested, he was never far from her -- always there should she need him, and willing to do whatever she could imagine.

"I told you," he childishly stated in a very adult tone. Stepping closer to her, he sat in the seat he'd previously pulled to her flank. "You need more rest, and to eat more, as well." Though he'd desired to ween her from the drastic dependency on his chakra, he saw no reason she could not feast in moderation. It was quite obvious to him that the additional chakra was beneficial, both to her and the baby growing inside her womb; and that was, without a doubt, something to be thankful.

Gently easing her hands away from the plate, he leaned forward. "I know you're hungry," he whispered while brushing his lips against her own. "It's been a while, hasn't it? Go ahead," he added softly. "Eat." Again their lips touched, passionate and hungrily, determined to do so until she had eaten her fill.

Kouketsu blinked, and in his genuine surprise, his Sharingan vanished. He’d been so sure – so positive, in fact – that he knew the option she would take, hearing her words of decline stabbed into him much like a knife would an enemy’s chest, burying into his heart and twisting viciously, only to be left there. It was written all over his face, which aside from the shock, was devoid of any other discernible emotion. Was the pain that he’d been expecting, and imagining to beset him, playing some cruel, disgusting trick?

Was he hearing things?

He swallowed hard as she continued to speak, shattering the future he’d planned for himself with each and every syllable easing from her plush lips. From the moment he’d left her in the compound and began pondering the matter, he’d suspected she would deny him the sanctuary he sought; outcast him as Soratsu had suggested he deserved in the heat of their confrontation. Kouketsu had preemptively resigned himself to the solemn darkness that awaited, and now, at the moment of truth, light poured through the obscuring veil.

It washed over the infinite black of his mind, bathing him it in the pure radiance of hope. Reigniting the pyre of his spirit, Kouketsu blinked again; but this time when his eyes opened, the typically dull, lifeless grey eyes he bore were alive with energy. His grasp tightened in response to her own, and for the first time in a very long time, Kouketsu smiled.

“Thank you, Blanche,” he said softly while taking the side of her face more fully into the depth of his palm. Even as exhausted as she was, drained of all that she possessed, she was the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes on. “For believing in me, when no one else would.” Easing her forward, Blanche’s full, lush lips were greeted by the thin lines of his own in the first kiss they had ever shared. It was undeniable odd, considering their circumstance, but the backwardness of their situation did not deter the passion and tenderness as he savored the several long, timeless moments encompassing their embrace.

He pulled away, but only a fraction of an inch so that he could speak. “We are a family,” he repeated her statement. “And I love you,” his free hand gingerly fell just beneath her naval once more. “Both of you, with all that I am.” Foreboding steps brought about a reluctant sigh, and by the time the cluster of nurses had rounded the corner and entered the room, Blanche was alone.

“I see your guard has finally left to get some rest,” one nurse commented as she began pulling the tops from the various plates along several trays. “He’s been here every minute of the day since he brought you here, Lady Kusakage. And when I say every minute, I mean every minute.”

Unraveling her dining utensils from a napkin, she handed Blanche the first tray. It was covered by three plates, all of which were fully decorated with ripe, steamed vegetables, rice, and various forms of poultry. “You’re lucky to have such dedicated ninja looking out for you, Lady Kusakage. But, I am glad he’s finally getting some rest.”

The only trace he’d dared leave behind was the porcelain mask tucked neatly at the side of her bed, meshed with the sheets, blanket, and gown she wore. She’d feel it against the soft pads of her fingers, its distinctive features seeming even more prominent now; its meaning even more obvious and explicit:

He was always there.

It'd been a full day -- going on the second -- since Kouketsu found Blanche sprawled against the Compound's floor, unconscious and seemingly barely alive. Despite the warnings of her companion, she seemed hell-bent on pushing herself to, and in many cases, over the brink. How she managed to stay awake and run a village was beyond him, though he still admired her dedication. Unfortunately, she was looking out for more than just herself now; there was more than just her personal health to worry about.

Disguised as protective ANBU, Kouketsu stayed at her side every moment of the day and night. The few who dared question his presence were dealt with; there was no situation that a simple Genjutsu could not fix. Eventually, the staff tending to the unconscious Kusakage paid the lurking ANBU no more attention than they would a concerned family member, or a piece of equipment being used to sustain her regular vitals.

Every now and again, as she slept peacefully and dreamed her wonderful plans, he would gently caress her stomach with naked fingers. There was still quite a bit of time before she would be ready, but he could already feel its presence -- feel the additional chakra permeating through her muscles and flesh, into his palm and diving into the depths of his soul. Never before had he felt such a love - such passion for another living creature. He couldn't help but cradle Blanche's angelic face in his palm, kissing her tender lips when moments of privacy allowed.

It wasn't until well into the night of that second night that she finally shows signs of waking. Even her faint twitches and barely audible groans fully ensnare Kouketsu's attention, and in the blink of an eye he all but appears at her side from across the room. Through the porcelain mask obscuring his visage, and the dark hood pulled over his lengthy hair, he gazes into her eyes with two fully functional eyes of his own. "Good morning," he says smoothly. "You've been out for nearly two days."

Rather that sit in the chair pulled next to her bed, he remains standing. A single hand finds her own, and taking it into his palm, he squeezes gently. "I found you collapsed on the Compound floor when I returned not an hour later, and decided it would be best if I brought you to the emergency room. You're fine, and so is the baby." Before she could worry, he continued quickly. "I used my Genjutsu to erase their knowledge of finding out you are pregnant. So, there's no need to worry about that, either."

Stroking the back of her hand with his thumb, he smiled behind the mask. "How do you feel?"

Kouketsu listened to Beppin's words in silence, not fighting Blanche's attempt to heal his gruesome wound. He could feel her chakra surging through his flesh, stitching it back together like some invisible thread and needle; second by second, until at last the wound closed and left no trace that it'd ever even existed. Though still somewhat aching, he gently grabbed her wrists and moved them away from his abdomen.

Then, they were alone.

Even with a single eye, Kouketsu could see the fatigue setting in on Blanche. The more character she siphoned from him, the more dependent she became; weeks had become days, and days seemed to turn into hours before she needed to feast again. And though it undoubtedly brought them closer as an unorthodox pair, he was finally able to see how negative of an effect it was having on her. He would need to ween her from this dependency in due time, but that was matters for a different discussion.

"I truly am sorry, Blanche," he repeated as he lifted her head by the chin so that he could look into her eyes. "If there had been any other way, you know I would have used it; there last thing I ever want to do is hurt you, or the ones that you love." Glancing away, though only for a moment, he gathered his thoughts. "I'm positive Soratsu will return to us -- once he has conquered his demons, and becomes himself again. The man we saw . . . it was not who we'd come to love, as a brother and a friend. This is the only way we could have helped him."

Letting his hand slip from her chin, his eyes gave her body a cursory glance. "You're tired," he said flatly. "I'm sure this entire ordeal has taken a lot of you, and I'm sure there is a lot on your mind." His gaze fell to her bloody hand, and what droplets had managed to find her gown. "You should bathe, and then get some rest. I have some things that I need to take care of, and then I will return."