Dinner(Akihana)

Mortarion found himself sitting among Kumogakures civilians in the busiest restaurant the village offered. He hadn't intended it to be full yet he never ate out so he didn't know the volume of those going to show. As he sat there at a table in the middle of the floor he felt all eyes on him and whispers being thrown back and forth. As time had progressed through the village he found himself not caring as much on what was being said and even enjoyed that they weren't merely on who was going to kill him and over take Kumo next.

Today he sported a slim fit suit of course in black with a dark blue vest underneath. The bow tie was the same color of the vest and he found himself rearranging it constantly to ensure it was correct and also just simply pulling it from his neck as it felt weird to wear. His first time ever dressing in such a manner and he hated every bit of it yet the restaurant called for it as was the common dress of everyone else sitting down for their meal.

He had sent word for Akihana to join him, he had removed Akuoy from constantly following her to give her more freedom of the village and to show the civilians that she was not just a glorified prisoner. A waiter came by dropping off a glass of water while looking at the empty chair across from the kage at his intimate two person table.

"I'm...I'm waiting for a guest, they'll be arriving shortly."

He spoke less confidently than he ever had as he fidgeted with his  left pocket once more attempting to shift his weight and make this less uncomfortable. he would understand if he was stood up, it was only a few days prior that she had witnessed him murder and defile all in the name of power. In fact the more he thought about it the more he hoped she wouldn't show...

Akihana saw little of Akuoy these days, almost as if he no longer cared to act as her personal guard. That or he'd been instructed not to. It gave her a lot more freedom, though the blonde found there was little she could do with said freedom. She spent her days doing what she had said she would, which included venturing into districts where the so called traitors lived, attempting to get to know them better. The fact that she was allowed to go there unaccompanied either spoke of the Raikage's faith in her when it came to defending herself or lack of care over what happened to her should she attempt to seek out the company of murderers and rapists and worse. And despite everything, she had to admit it wasn't the latter. Whether out of concern for her or his own ambition, Akihana was starting to realize he was somewhat invested in her well being.

Until she was no longer useful to him of course.

Her lone guard kept to himself more than usual these days, probably even more alone now as the wedding preparations proceeded in full swing all over the village. The upcoming event was the talk of the town, aided no doubt by the walks and picnics the Kage and his guest had been seen together on. Akihana on her part used the knowledge to soften the village leader's image to the masses, working with the wounded, working with the children of Kumo, helping to get more people off the fields and into comfortable homes. And she did it all in decree of the Rukudaime Raikage, attempting to convince the people that it really was through his good grace that fair fortune had rained on the people.

So when that morning, Akuoy had finally shown up at her doorstep with an invitation to dinner, Akihana had been too startled to do anything but accept. Aside from knowing that no was not an option, declining would have been rude and Akihana would never be called rude. The request become a little more complicated as Akuoy described the venue and the inevitable dress code, making Akihana wonder if there was anything appropriate in the clothes she had been provided. She knew from a brief, cursory glance that an entire section of her enormous closet was devoted to evening wear but never having the need to use any of it, she had never given it a second glance, until that afternoon.

The row of shimmering dresses, ranging from plain to ridiculously eye catching left the kunoichi stunned. These must have all been delivered before anyone in Kumo was familiar with her sense of style. Most of the dresses still had price tags attached from the stores they had come from. The shimmering gowns didn't have the desired effect perhaps, Akihana never having been the type of person to get impressed by things. They did spur her into action though. Entering the vast space, the blonde picked out all the ones she would never consider wearing, the too bright colors, the low cuts, the altogether too glittering combinations, the too short dresses. Akihana made a pile of those on her bed before summoning Ser Otto and instructing him to return them to the store they had been obtained from. There was no sense in hording things she would never use.

With more than half her selection gone, the blonde looked though more viable options, settling in the end for a dark blue number that was both modest and appropriately respectful. The gown chosen for what appeared to be initial simplicity turned out to be anything but when the kunoichi donned it, intricate sheer and lace making up the sleeves and bodice while barely there lace sashes cinching her narrow waist, revealing the full extent of her slender frame in perhaps a way she was not entirely comfortable with but not uncomfortable enough to change. The garment clung to her body as it descended three quarters of the way down, finally opening gently into soft waves and swirls that made up the hem flowing down to the floor to complete the look.

The young woman had never considered herself good looking, but she had to admit that if she could ever approach that standard, it would be because of the garment that currently sheathed her body. Averting her eyes from the reflection in the mirror, Akihana busied herself with constructing a careful chignon out of her pale gold locks, leaving a select few curls loose and framing her heart shaped face. A pair of blue heels and small studs in her ears completed the look.

Next came the question of what she should bring along with her. Food was out of the question as she was going to a restaurant, and without it, Akihana didn't know what she could bring to the table - both literally and metaphorically. Her cooking and baking may not always be appreciated but it made her feel like herself at a place where nothing made sense. Without it, she was even more banal than usual. Finally, the blonde decided to slip some papers into her matching clutch, her initial impression of the people in the first district and her ideas for introducing reforms among the worst of Kumo's society. She could offer her insights in lieu of a gift to the Kage who had been kind enough to invite her for dinner.

Escorted by Ser Otto, the medic arrived at the restaurant exactly at the alloted time, leaving the old knight outside as she entered the warmth of the main foyer. Completing the short walk towards the dining area, the kunoichi began to feel self conscious as the wait staff turned their gaze towards her. It was probably her imagination but she could have sworn it was not just the staff but every guest in the room who took a moment to glance briefly her way before returning to their meals. A dusting of barely perceptible pink swept her features as the maitra'd led jer to the small table already occupied.

"Good evening," Akihana greeted softly, not quite meeting her dinner companion's gaze both out of politeness and embarrassment. Perhaps she had misconstrued the entire situation. "I hope I'm not late. I was under the impression that I was expected at this time."

The Kage had only been seated for a few moments after the waiter had left. His attention on the task at hand and how this evening would likely end. He didn't like dealing with uncertainties and this woman matched with the venue was one rather giant uncertainty. Taking a moment to sip his water, erasing the parched feeling from his tongue he sighed breaking the silence of being alone. The time was coming for his guest to arrive and he simply waited for it to some and pass so this awkward feeling would leave his body.

Once his mind emptied he could feel the growing presence of a chakra that emitted hope and joy. He could pick it out of anything else that was ever to surround it. It was more than likely an after effect of being directly touched by her healing hands and the abilities they wielded. She was approaching at a moderate rate and nothing about her chakra raised any red flags to him about her being in distress or flustered about this meeting. 

Standing from his chair while once again straightening his bow tie and pulling his vest down to ensure it didn't ride up anywhere and make him look less unkempt than he had been groomed and taught to be this night. His gaze turned to where she would be entering from and his eyes with their natural red hue studied the environment. Each eye that was on him as he removed himself from his chair had also turned to take in the sight of the woman walking into the room.

Mortarion found himself for the briefest of moments acknowledging her simplistic beauty. He likened it to the setting and rising of the moon it was something that you saw all of the time and knew it was there, however it was only until you actually studied it that you were aware of the natural wonder it was. Much like the moon he now actually looked at her for what she was and just for a moment he swayed from the idea of a forced marriage.

While she walked closer he glimpsed each other person taking in her visage before returning to their dinner or leaning in to talk to the person they were seated with. The kage felt a sense of what he could only assume was pride as she commanded the attention of the entire room as she entered. His entire speech and what was supposed to happen ran away from his mind and left him with a rather blank expression on his face accompanied by a slight smile as his eyes shifted from every direction other than locking on to hers.

He had to come back to his senses rather fast or risk losing the evening in complete defeat of a woman he was supposed to hold no affection for. She was meant to be a tool used for his own gain, something to be pointed and fired when he felt the need. Now he found himself with every passing day caring slightly more not only for the people of the village in a capacity other than tools but he slightly grew a softer side that was set aside only for the time he shared with this female.

Squeezing his thigh with his right hand to calm himself he straightened back correctly and brought his mind back to point. He was a man, not a boy or dog in heat, there were matters to attend to that didn't involve looking into her eyes for the entirety of the night. As she passed by him with a greeting he smiled again and nodded his head towards her in a slight bow returning the gesture.

"Good evening, don't worry you're exactly on time, I arrived early because I had the time to do so."

Their waiter would pull out her seat allowing her to sit down before the kage would re take his seat once again. While seated he'd once again sip his water to collect his thought before scrambling to compliment her as was a normal courtesy.

"You look very beautiful tonight, the dress compliments you nicely. Forgive me if I've taken you out of your comfort zone. I feel like a fish out of water myself to say."

He fidgeted with his cuff links a bit while looking down as his fingers made busy work so he wouldn't have to look towards her and show the embarrassment he felt for this entire thing. Motioning at the menu he'd speak again in a low tone.

"Please order whatever you'd like and don't be offended if I don't eat, food isn't a necessity for me but I will eat if it makes you feel more comfortable."

As the smartly dressed kage greeted her, assuring her she hadn't been late, a silent breath of relief left the blonde. Thanking the waiter who pulled out her chair, Akihana slid into her seat quietly, still self consciously feeling as if she was being watched. They were in prime viewing location after all. Though the table her companion had chosen was cozy enough, it was situated at the center of the dining area so she supposed she couldn't blame the other diners. Besides, she was with the Raikage, of course he would receive looks no matter who he was in the company of.

Far from his compliment, it was his admission to being uncomfortable in such formal settings that bought a soft smile to her lips, taking away her own unease somewhat. "I hope all this discomfort wasn't at my behest," she expressed sincerely, golden eyes sparkling across the table at him. "I would have been just as happy with Chinese take out eaten at the office desk." It was probably amusing to him but it was true nonetheless. While not opposed to extravagant gestures, Akihana found she preferred the ones that needn't be shared with the entire world.

Still, perhaps what she was here for required witnesses? Akihana wasn't sure why she had been summoned but if the set up was any indication, it was important. As he asked her to order while insisting he didn't eat himself, the young woman merely shook her head. "How about we share?" she suggested, raising her eyes to his. "You don't require food and I don't have an exuberant appetite so we might as well not let any food go to waste." It was a simple solution, one that she would be happy to comply with unless he found it offensive to some degree.

It was only after they had agreed on the order that she realized he had eaten every time she had made something. From the woefully plain sponge cake of her first night here to the pancakes she had made for their breakfast picnic to everything after. He may not require food to survive like others did but it seemed he had eaten anyway to likely spare her feelings. The thought sat uncomfortably in her mind for a moment before lodging itself into her subconsciousness where it would get mulled over later.

"Did i miss a special occasion?" she asked when they'd both settled down and their food was on the way. A matching glass of plain water appeared by her. If he wasn't going to drink, she wouldn't either. More than needing to stay sober, Akihana knew it would be impolite to do so. "'m afraid Akuoy didn't mention what this meeting would be regarding, so I might be dreadfully under prepared though I'll do my best to keep up." The assurance was genuine. She had promised to do all she could for the village and this as a part of it. Forced or not, nothing would stop the kunoichi from giving her all to the task at hand.

"I know we would both be more comfortable with a little less...energy around us, however I'm attempting to play my role just as you play yours. I must show to the people that you are playing a very integral part in my life. Having a recluse kage never beside his bride to be would only fuel the fires of this being purely political and not for the betterment of Kumogakure."

He'd speak his words softly for only her ears as he leaned close on the table which wouldn't draw attention to them given the intimate atmosphere of the restaurant. He spoke half truths to the woman, not letting her know that he was indeed changing to someone who did care if only by a slight margin more. He'd never let it be known he didn't hold all the cards.

At her remark on both of their eating habits he allowed a small chuckle to escape his lips while he looked into her eyes. It was true, for the most part they had both eaten only for the sake of not being rude to the other. Never was it done to enjoy the food and tastes they provided.

"Very well then, order whatever looks good to you and that shall be our course for the evening."

At her questioning of what this meeting was about he could feel hi mind once again start to turn every which way as he wrapped his mind around what it was that he was supposed to do and how to do it. the elder hadn't really told him how or when just where and the words to say. His eyes adverted from her gaze as he took in his surroundings almost thinking that the amount of people had doubled since his last tally.

He didn't know how to respond to her without becoming a mumbling shell of his former self. pushing his chair back from the table and standing once more to his full height his hand once again fidgeted with his left pant pocket. he let his natural chakra flow into the restaurant without the taint of the bijuu to gather the attention of the entire venue. He didn't know the right time to do this and the longer he put it off the more intimidating the task would become.

"Attention!"

He spoke it normally but somehow it traveled and felt as if he had yelled it from the top of his lungs. As he walked over to the womans side the kage would pull the chair to face him from its position of towards the table. While he began to kneel he'd pull the small box that carried the same ring, just multiplied to every size they had out from his pocket.

Once more just as it was in his office before, the entire venue went quiet only this time without the dropping of plates and shattering of glass. Everyone simply stood still as if frozen in time with himself as well. Mortarion finally gathered up enough courage to speak the words, yet he couldn't bring the courage to look at her directly for fear that he might honestly pass out from the embarrassment.

"Akihana Akari, will you marry me...officially?"

Akihana nodded at his explanation, a cold seeping into her body despite his warm breath on her skin as he whispered the purpose of this meeting. Of course, she should have known from the moment she walked in why there needed to be so many people present. The pang of dread however surprised the blonde. To any casual observer, the two would appear to be the picturesque happy couple you never saw in reality, just on postcards and in advertisements. And just like those fictional couples putting on an act, Youka was here to do the same.

It was a pity Akihana had never learned to act, her sincerely underlining every word she spoke and every action she performed. And she had agreed to marry him earnestly in the first place. Now it was time to cement it further by acting, a feat she wasn't sure she could pull off entirely as well as he could.

So instead, the kunoichi busied herself with ordering their food. In the end she settled for a steak with side of salad, forgoing her usual preference of salad alone for fear that her companion may not enjoy the wholly vegetarian menu. When their food arrived, served between them with bemused smiles - the servers likely imagined the diners so deeply affectionate they even shared the same food, further emphasizing the scene on show for tonight - Akihana found herself unable to eat.

Perhaps the Raikage too was suffering from the same problem. Instead of reaching for the food, he lapsed into silence at her question, making Akihana raise a puzzled golden eyebrow at his quietness. Had she said something wrong? She would have been happy to apologize if she knew what it was that she had done wrong. But Youka didn't seem to want to give her the chance to explain. Instead, he was pushing his chair back getting to his feet and adding a thrill of fear to her already turbulent spectrum of emotions.

"I'm sor-" she began, one hand raised towards him when the words vanished from her lips. Because the next instant, her silent companion was on one knee, the crowd around them hushed to the point where Akihana was sure she actually heard a pin drop. It took a moment to realize what she was seeing to understand that the sound was of the blood rushing to her face and the panicked beats of her heart. Her pale face turned white underneath the horrified blush tainting her cheeks as he held out the ring and asked the question.

This was the first time he had asked. The last time they had discussed the matter, he had proposed the idea as something that would be beneficial for her in the long run. They second time they had talked about it, he had said he hadn't given her a choice at all, simply an illusion of one. This was the only time she was being asked.

And even then she wouldn't be allowed to answer differently.

Leaving her seat, the kunoichi slid down to his level, her blue dress sweeping across the floor in a wide halo as she attempted to match the softness of his own voice earlier. It was the only thing she could think off that would look intimate without her having to say much to the eagerly waiting audience. Her shyness could always explain why her answer would only be whispered to him and not for the whole room to hear.

"I already agreed," she whispered simply, lowering her head and letting the soft golden curls of her hair hide her face partially from the watching crowd. "That hasn't changed," she breathed, whisper soft for his ears alone. "Though... this is odd, I have never been asked this question before." A small frown touched her forehead at the thought. Fortunately, most of her face was hidden from everyone's eyes save his own.

"Why... are there so many rings?"

Mortarion could feel the entire world around him and Akihana come to a screeching halt, there were no words and even she had been cut off mid sentence. the lord of death and decay felt his multiple hearts halt as there was no response or indication that this moment would ever end. hi body became rigid and stuck as his legs would not allow him the power to stand. his gaze remained turned from hers as he awaited the inevitable hit that was sure to follow for embarrassing her like this.

The other thing that could happen that he felt would be much worse, not only for his pride but also for the show that was being put on for the civilians. She could get up and walk away and he'd be powerless to stop her as it would only further to prove that he had not changed and was still the viscous kage they had all known him to be.

She moved...


Don't walk out...


Don't leave me to the scrutiny...

Those thoughts ran through his mind in the fraction of a second she had taken to move. To his surprise she didn't leave, she didn't strike him, instead she brought herself down to his level bringing her head close to his speaking to him just as he had spoken to her. His eyes turned to hers and her flustered and embarrassed expressions matched his own as they looked on each other while she exchanged words.

In that moment he looked at her without the eyes of a dictator using her as a piece on a chess board. He didn't notice her value fro information or the village she could be hailing from now. Everything he stood to gain from forcing her to marry him and carry out his own plan now slipped through his grasp. He could only think on what the elder had told him about what a relationship was and now he understood what the old man had been trying to tell him.

Her honest demeanor, simplistic beauty, and caring motives no matter the course had forced the chaos to wilt momentarily in him. While he looked upon her a single tear formed from his eye and in this moment of no control he allowed it to slide down his cheek only for her to see. Using his free hand to grasp hers he held on with a tight grip not to hurt her but to ensure the next words he spoke she would understand were sincere.

"I'm asking you once more, not as your captor and giving you full right to say no. If you say no, I will find some other way that we might utilize this. From this moment while I'm on my knees you are free from our agreement."

For once his eyes weren't red from the sharingan as he attempted to hold back an emotion that had long since died in him. The Kage had allowed just her to see that he indeed was human and even he could more than what he had shown. her question about the rings made him chuckle albeit a slightly harsh chuckle due to him attempting not to show anymore tears.

"I didn't know your ring size, so I bought them all...."

Akihana wasn't sure what to expect, how far the pretense would go. The best course of action seemed to just be to stay close to him, if not in his protection than at least in his shadow that could protect her from more scrutiny by the crowd. What she certainly didn't expect was the lone tear that slowly appeared on his lashes, clinging to them for a mere moment in time before sliding down his cheek.

This was the man Maku knew, she realized in that instant. The man he had always believed in and the man who she had believed in because of him. She had only seen evidence of her unflinching faith in the Raikage now but it validated everything she had done, everything she had sacrificed to this point. Everyone had stubbornly said he was a monster and Akihana had just as stubbornly insisted that there were no monsters. Here was her proof. Beneath the threatening image he projected, he was still the man Maku had loved like a brother.

A man who she couldn't have despised if she tried. Because that was not how faith worked. She had always had faith in him and here was her gratification.

Reaching out, she touched his face softly, her fingers brushing the small tear off his cheek with her free hand. A lifetime of wiping way tears had prepared her for this because it didn't matter who was in pain, all Akihana really knew was that she was the one who had to take it away.

And her entire purpose was to take away his pain now.

A smile lit up her face as he explained why there were so many rings. In lieu of a yes, she merely pointed the the second smallest size. "I think that one looks about right," she said softly, too bashful to say anything else. Hopefully he would understand because Akihana doubted she could say the words as they were conventionally spoken. And pretending to be someone else for the occasion would be a deception she would never put him through. Relationships did not start with lies, and this could possibly be the start of a real friendship.

While she stood near him he felt as if he didn't need to be the evil that everyone had come to expect. He was no longer just a tool for war, it was as if he was actually a human, a normal human like the rest of the world. it was a...uneasy feeling to say the least. This moment he would wish for it to stay a life time and if he had control over space and time like his clone, he would ensure that it did.

With the touch of her fingers his first reaction was to move away and for a moment his head did turn not wanting her to feel the multitude of scars and stitches that held him together. Though he allowed it just this once, and as she wiped the tear away he smiled briefly. This was no longer just for show, just to show the civilians that they were amicable. He honestly had found some form of solace for the time and he was absorbing as much of it as he could before the curtain would fall and he would have to return to who he was.

She pointed out the ring that would fit her, and with a hurried quickness and fumbling fingers he removed the ring from it's confines placing the others down. If she allowed him he would slid it on the ring finger of her left hand slowly. The finality of what this meant hitting him deeply as it fitted in place. At this point he didn't know what else to do and slightly looked up at her for soem form of clue, his mind had went blank.

Of course she noticed the slight flinch as she reached to touch his face, Akihana had observed similar responses and ticks many times before. The blonde knew it to be the product of not having any constant human contact for long periods of time. If not touched, consoled, loved for long enough, one eventually began to believe they weren't deserving of it all.

It was the first thing she was going to sort out now that she knew her fiance was capable of such emotion. Therapy began with slow steps and there were few healers more patient than the blonde now looking curiously at her newly adorned ring finger. Instead of glittering off every surface and demanding attention like most jewels tended to do, the single diamond on her finger glowed quietly, eye catching but unassuming. She wondered whose choice it was and if she would ever get to thank them for picking out something that wasn't glaringly obvious yet held the unmistakable authority that came with the ring.

"I've never had a ring made just for me before," she admitted quietly as they mutually rose to their feet, Akihana closing the distance between them so their words were not overheard. "I mean.. I had a ring once but it was stolen," she admitted, her golden eyes downcast and the tips of her eras glowing pink in embarrassment. "I didn't steal it but it was stolen nonetheless. I hope it found its way back to whoever it belonged to." Perhaps she would tell him the whole story one day, but for now they had dinner to finish.

Without warning, the kunoichi reached out for his hand, touching his palm softly for a brief moment in lieu of guiding him back to his seat. She made sure not to linger long enough to make him uncomfortable, just long enough to try and send a message that there was nothing wrong with seeking human contact.

People needed people, and people changed people too. And it was frightening but that was all part of the great enigma.

The two finished their dinner without any incident, making polite conversation that for once didn't revolve around the village. And when the time came to finally leave, the kunoichi couldn't help but feel as though something great had been accomplished that day. That feeling only intensified every time she happened to look down to her left hand, the diamond now taking place of pride on her ring finger glowing in reassurance.

(Exit Akihana)

TWC: 3, 009

Claiming pretty diamond engagement ring <3