Tea (Youka)

The kettle whistled softly in the background, making little Azura pop open a sleep encrusted eye that threatened to undo all of Akihana’s good work in the past half an hour. When the blonde had offered to babysit the toddler for the evening, she hadn’t expected to have as hard a time as she thought she would. Azura was no trouble at all for the first two hours. They had gone about their business making dinner, tidying up and letting the house breathe in general, Akihana making sure to keep up a steady stream of conversation for the little baby to enjoy. Azura may not have learned any words yet but Akihana was sure she appreciated the sentiment.

As the kunoichi had gone from room to room, the baby safely placed in her stroller and pushed along right beside her, Akihana had made sure to tell the child all about the state of the house when she had first moved in. The new bride had expected the house to feel strange to her, what she hadn’t expected was for it to feel strange to even its owner. There was plenty of room in the house, but nearly all of it looked unused. The thing that had bothered Akihana most however was the seemingly untouched kitchen area which the blonde had made into a personal project. Now, over a month later, the kitchen was well stocked, well equipped and well used, a warm, comfortable aroma nearly always lingering in that area from how frequently she cooked and baked. The medic had replaced what gadgets she wasn’t used to and ordered the few that were lacking, filled the pantr with supplies and even found some unused china which now saw plenty of use. In short, the process of converting this house into a home had started from the kitchen and grown outwards.

The changes that followed were small, and they happened mostly because no one stopped her. Between the time that Youka and Akihana were not at home, there was little room to sit down and discuss interior design. And as small potted plants appeared over the weeks following the wedding and the curtains remained open for longer hours, tempting in the weak sunlight, the Raikage either did not notice or had no objection to the changes, not that he voiced out loud anyway. Over her time living in what she supposed was her house too now, Akihana made it a point to always prepare meals before she left for the day. She still had no idea if the food she always left in containers along with brief notes were ever eaten or just thrown out but It didn’t matter. She could at least rest in the knowledge that should the Raikage ever be hungry, there would be food around the house.

It wasn’t the grandest of gestures but Akihana wasn’t really comfortable with grand gestures. The little ones would have to do.

“Shh, shh, Azura, it’s okay,” she coaxed the baby rocking the child back and forth to calm her back into sufficiently drowsy state. For the past half an hour – after having fed, bathed and played with the child, Akihana had been trying to get the baby to sleep. Unfortunately Azura had other plans. At first the baby had decided she wanted to inspect Akihana’s golden hair closer, pulling at the strands in such an adorable way that the kunoichi couldn’t stop the child despite the small amount of pain. The color seemed to fascinate the baby and her laughter made Akihana smile brightly. Then Azura had decided she wanted to start waling for absolutely no reason, leading to another ten minutes of Akihana trying to distract her young charge. Finally when Akihana had decided to put on a pot of tea (always for two, just in case), Azura’s big scarlet eyes had begun to droop. She was nearly asleep when the kettle had made its untimely whistle.

Just as Akihana was sure all her work had been for naught, the kettle quieted, the baby closed her eyes once more and then, as the kunoichi held her breath, the soft sounds of gurgling snores met her ears, making her sigh in relief. “Wow, I’m really out of practice,” she whispered, leaning down to kiss the baby’s forehead gently before rising from her seat, Azura balanced carefully in her arms. Making her way to the crib Vaneda had helped set up for the night in the spare room, Akihana placed the baby down gently, making sure to cover her with blankets before making her way back to the kitchen to see to the tea.

The night had ebbed the Kages feelings towards anymore paperwork or just dealing with anyone in general. One of the rare times he decided to actually leave his chambers and head home because of the lack of time to himself was today. His mind went back and forth on attempting to catalog all of the days information and store it for a later date. Tonight would be a resting night, possibly over loking the village from his window before going into a realm of sub sleep.

Mortarions mind quickly reminded him that he had someone he now shared his home with. They both were rather busy and hadn't truly spoken since the wedding day save for a few words here and there in passing. She had taken to making herself busy around the village enticing the people and listening to their plea's and voices. He had went back to his normal of signing new plans into legislation and plotting his next step in the grand scheme of things.

As he walked up the stairs leading to his home and opened the door he took in his surroundings not really remembering when they had fully changed so drastically from the empty interior he had left it in. The home now seemed more full and alive, just like with the sacred ground he had given her as a wedding gift this area too he consciously made sure not to leak any of his malice into the room out of respect for her gentle nature and need to care for everything. He'd never admit it to her, but having a welcoming domicile was at times less harsh on his eyes than he'd let on.

As his steps led him around the corner of the hallway into the living area and a bit off from the kitchen he could smell the slight fragrance of tea being brewed as well as varying foods. His stomach made a low audible growl which caught him off guard as he rarely ate as it was, yet every time she had cooked he almost felt a hunger come over him at every meal.

His eyes caught her silhouette moving into the kitchen from another side of the area and he quietly walked closer as she moved to check on her kettle. His dark robe helping keep noise to a minimal as his body leaned on the pillar seperating the kitchen from the other rooms. For a moment before he spoke he just took in her form and thought as to all this had happened and the things he had said to only her. The things only her eyes had seen from him, he shook the thoughts from his head before speaking.

"Good Evening, Akihana." 

His voice was stern but soft, or as soft as he could make it as the natural rasp of it still lingered. He'd keep his posture on the wall and wait for her to turn around before speaking again. These moments were always a little awkward for him as conversing while people were around was normal, but just the two of them always made it feel like it was something more....he wasn't looking for something more.

Turning down the heat on the electrical stove, Akihana was just about to remove the kettle and wonder if she should pour the fresh brew into a cup or keep it warm for later when she heard the greeting, her lips curving up into a soft smile as she picked up the kettle to be put aisde. The decision was made at least, it would have to be kept warm for later.

"Welcome home," she offered a greeting in return, turning to look at the young kage who had obviously managed to sneak into the house without her knowing. Or perhaps she had been too occupied with Azura, who was to say? "You're home early today," she noted, golden eyes glowing warmly at the observation. It was no secret that there both busy, so much so that the medic wasn't even sure when was the last time they had a meal together, certainly before the wedding. Back then she had been trying to endear him to the idea of walks and picnics but she supposed that was a lost cause now with the schedules they kept.

"I have dinner ready if you'd like to go change..." she offered, not quite looking at him in case the idea was wholly unacceptable to Youka. "Or I can make you a tray if you'd like to eat alone too" she added politely. There was no reason for her to impose her company on him. Domestic adjustments were still uncharted territory to the newlyweds but Akihana had hope that with enough lines of communication, they could at least live comfortably even if not happily.

"Oh and if you go into the spare room, please don't disturb the baby, I just put her down for a nap and if she wakes up again, she'll never go back to sleep," Akihana warned, nodding towards the room where little Azura was fast asleep. "I didn't know if you'd be home so i offerred to babysit... I hope that's alright."

His posture somehow tried to right itself as she turned to look upon him, somehow hoping to hide its tired appearance. A small smile parted his lips as well in exchange for the one she had given him, whether he wanted to smile or not was a different story all together however. He nodded quietly to her when she offered her greetings his right arm raised to a solitary wave in her direction before falling back to its side.

" I know, I needed to rest, today has been especially draining so I deemed it necessary to take some time for myself before the week gets harsh again. I also noted we haven't spent a lot of time together since the wedding so I wanted to rectify that if at all possible."

At the mention of dinner his eyes scanned the meal she had prepared before they returned to make contact with her own. Even with all the work she had going on she still found the time to come and prepare a meal. Whether it was because she did it because she felt needed to or just out of the kindness of her heart the gesture was not taken for granted. Mortarion took four steps to the kitchen sink where he rolled his sleeves before washing his hands, raising his voice slightly to speak over the running water.

"No need to change, I was in armor all day today so I actually changed into this before heading here. If you would have my company, I'd like to eat with you. We don't have to speak but just being in each others presence should help ease my stress levels and hopefully lead to some stimulating conversation should you want."

As she spoke of someone else in their home his chakra senses did pick up a very small presence. While he listened to her speak his anger flared as he heard the name of the child, had Vaneda disobeyed a direct order? He'd have to punish the priest next time he was in his eye sight. Clear irritation could be heard in his voice and features as he spoke again.

"I see, well then I'll do my best to not wake the child. Where is Vaneda?"

His steps led him to the cabinets to gather plates and silverware for two, setting them down to make the both of them plates if she allowed it.

Concern flashed across her brow at the mention of his day being more draining than usual. Akihana could sympathize but she would never claim to know exactly how difficult the demands of his job were. Never truly having been in a leadership position, the blonde could appreciate what Youka had to go through, and the kunoichi would certainly do more to help where she could. At the mention of spending more time with her, the medic lowered her gaze once again, the slight dusting of pink evident on her cheeks as she turned to see to the meal once more.

Akihana fully expected him to go in to change, so a golden eyebrow rose in surprise when instead of dong just that, Youka rolled up his sleeves and came to work beside her. "Stimulating conversation it shall be then," she managed, turing to mask the amusement in her voice but failing slightly due to the soft laughter that accompanied the statement. As he laid out the crockery and silverware, Akihana carried over the bowl of soup, the roast and the mashed potatoes that made up dinner. It was by no means a grand affair but one that would suffice.  Once everything was laid out, the blonde patted straight the front of her simple wine red dress before taking a seat. Reaching over to the candles, the kunoichi lit them using sparks created by snapping her fingers quietly over the wicks.

"I believe Vaneda is on an errand. Understandably he couldn't tell me all the details but I insisted on taking in the baby for the day. He was very reluctant but I've found few people in Kumo are allowed to say no to the Raikage's wife." The declaration was in jest for the most part but she also didn't want the ANBU to get in trouble. Vaneda was another thing they had never discussed, though Akihana wouldn't bring up the Jashin priest with Youka for the ANBU's own safety. She had never told him she knew his role in the village because it honestly didn't matter. Vaneda was her friend and that was that.

"He's grown very attached to little Azura in such a short time, not that I blame him, she is absolutely adorable. I haven't looked after a baby in a long time so I enjoy having her around too."

These were the moments that he now lived for, to be able to communicate with someone on his level without being seen as just a monster. They were by no means a perfect couple, there were days still where he would intentionally avoid her just to not cause an awkward situation or because he simply wanted to be alone for that time. The times however where they could be on the same page and meet like this were nothing short of breath taking as both of their differences were laid to rest at the door to produce something much more radiant.

Her slight laugh that laced the words escaping her lips caught him by surprise and as he was helping set the table following her lead with the food he found himself too smiling to himself. There was something addicting about her simple refinement and never raised voice that seemed to draw others in forcing them to see as she saw. It was one of the reasons he had also asked her to marry him again instead of forcing her hand, she deserved that much.

As everything finished and they found themselves at the table, he stepped back and observed her snap her fingers bringing the candles to light. The ability that she had shown was still not something that was fully known to him. Of course he had read about it in older paper work, but seeing it first hand and fully grasping its limitations as well as capabilities had not happened.

Looking at her once more under the light of the dimmed candles showed a very different vision of her that he either hadn't seen before or had purposefully prevented himself from seeing. He stared, his eyes unwavering from her own form, his hand moved on its own and before he could regain control of his body it was too late. His right hand had found the path to her left and there it stayed grasping her small fingers and palm in his own. Seconds passed but the shock of what he had done made it feel like the world had died and been reborn again in the time it took for his mind to finally be able to communicate with his hand. A slight audible cough and she was released once more and he turned to take his seat.

" An errand you say, hmm..very well."

She spoke about the Raikages wife being able to not be told no and he couldn't help but laugh as well at the statement before holding his stomach and speaking.

"You would be right, though I would guess you make it hard for anyone to say no once you get your mind set to something, even I wouldn't dare fight you in a force of will right now."

His mind trailed back to the mission he had given Vaneda not only on the child but also on Akihana, his mind still split on whether to cancel it or see it through. Two people were fighting for power in his mind and neither were giving an inch.

"I'm glad to hear he is growing attached to the child, she is a precious citizen of Kumogakure and the future will be hers. What of your own child, do you not wish to bring him here as well?"

He still wasn't one to beat around the bush in questioning and if it was a sore topic for her he'd more than likely keep going with his foot in his mouth per say. The question was out there now however all that he could do was wait for the answer.

Even as her hand retreated after lighting the candles, it did not return to her side alone. With a startle the blonde felt his hand grasp hers before she saw it, the warmth creeping up her face slowly as his eyes lingered on her, making her more self conscious than she imagined she would be. It made her wonder what he saw, if it was acceptable or merely palatable. Golden eyes studied his own expression curiously as he held on to her, his touch surprisingly gentle in the face of his harsh outward demeanor. But then again, she had always known that.

There were two parts of him, and hopefully one day she could help him understand that there didn't have to be, that the real him was good enough for everyone.

"I don't believe in using force," she admitted when he spoke of her bringing people around to her way of thinking. "I wouldn't call it fighting, I would rather think of it as believing in people. Everyone does the right thing when given a chance, and if all people really need is a chance and someone to believe in them, than that's what I can do." Her words rang with sincerity as she spoke them. Akihana's faith had kept her strong through much of the hardships she had faced and it was no less stronger now that life seemed to be settling down.

"I have a lot to be thankful for, so the least I can do is help others to somehow make up for that."

At the mention of Arata, her calm expression wavered, giving way to sadness for a brief moment before it settled into a polite mask once more. "I'm afraid he... He isn't very fond of me right now so I'm not sure how good of an idea it will be to bring him here." Despite her best efforts to maintain a neutral front, the sadness accompanying the decision was clear in her gaze. "He's alright where he is, his brother is looking after him. He's probably happy to be away from me, though that does nothing for how much I miss him. But that's a mother's burden, i suppose. We love our children regardless of how they feel about us."

Shaking her head, the kunoichi lifted a hand to her temple, tucking a loose strand of gold behind her ear before she raised her gaze to his again. "But we don't have to talk about that. I'll deal with that somehow, we can speak of happier things. There's been a significant increase in new Genin over at the academy. I've been supervising the genin exams personally and it's nice to see so many new recruits. People are no longer afraid to be ninja which bodes well for Kumo's future."

This woman's ideology was always at the opposite end of the spectrum when compared to his own. Where he chose to use brute force and the complete manipulation of others to always achieve his goals, that wasn't the case with her. She always attempted to find some form of common ground between herself and the opposite viewpoint to garner rapport. Akihana's word always caught him unaware of the next thing she would say to completely challenge his own way of thinking.

She had mentioned that everyone always chose the right course once they were given the choice. He wondered if she would see him in a different light knowing that the choice was always there to not destroy so many homes and villages yet he had still chosen that path. Mortarion always questioned just how far her forgiveness went and how much logic she could give before she too felt the cold grasp of undying cruelty. After he had taken another sip of the wine she had poured and once again partaken of their meal he spoke up once more.

"You are truly an enigma to me, something I want to understand more, yet stay away from least your will overpower my own. I don't mean it in a negative way, please take it as an accomplishment and praise. Not many leave me wondering."

As she spoke of her son the kage could tell he had said something he shouldn't have and maybe opened a door he would have rather stayed closed. His head drifted to the side to avoid looking at her for the folly he had said. Of course she would miss her son, of course she would want him here yet he had not thought about the stress it caused her to be away from him and stay here.

"Forgive me for speaking out of turn, I attempted to have a normal conversation not really empathizing with how a mother would feel being away from their offspring so long. I am glad that the ninja are spiking through out the village, if I'm needed to make an appearance let me know. I've actually been thinking about the village nin for sometime now, I'd like you and I to address them soon possibly and hear them out. Possibly host a dinner or lunch where they can speak casually to us and us them. I'd like to hear your thoughts on this?"

The Raikage likening her to an enigma made the kunoichi look at him curiously for a moment. It was an... odd feeling, to be found interesting let alone a complete mystery. By her own standards the blonde was the least interesting person in any situation simply because she always spoke the truth and remained courteous while doing so. To know her, all one had to do was ask and her honest nature would take care of the rest. But then again, perhaps it was the honesty that unsettled him? On of the drawbacks of living in a world of lies and deceit, it was the truth that became more unsettling.

"I would never want to overpower you in any way," the blonde spoke, uttering the words softly with her golden eyes on him, underlining the message with her usual sincerity. "I apologize for making you feel that way. It hinders communication and that.. would be a rather significant drawback to our cause." Dropping her gaze to her food once more, she reached for her fork, picking up some mashed potatoes and taking a small bite. Perhaps she had already done something wrong? Something she needed to apologize for.

Speaking of Arata was never easy, but that had never stopped her from doing it before.. She had been absolutely truthful to anyone who had asked her child. Visiting the orphans of the village made Akihana miss her son even more but there was little she could do about it. "He turns eight in February... If allowed, I'd like to go see him." Perhaps no one had noticed but she had been away from Hoshigakure for close to half a year now with no news of how the country of Haven was faring. "I understand if it's not possible, but I wanted to ask regardless."

As talk turned to the academy and the work she was doing, the medic finally found a hint of quiet pride in herself, one she wasn't entirely sure was conveyed to the man sitting opposite but one that existed nonetheless. She liked working with the young Genin and as she spoke of them so fondly, it showed. "They've been making great progress,m returning to the academy for extra tutoring in nijutsu even after they pass their exam. Better to learn to control their elemental chakra in a safe environment than risk injury while using an imperfect technique on a mission." When he suggested dropping by, her featured blossomed into a bright smile.

"I think it would be quite the star studded morning for the children, they don't expect such important people. Usually it's just me and a few chunin level instructors." The silverware clinked as she placed it down, leaving the food in favor of the conversation. "If you find time to come over, we'd love to have you there. The Genin already look up to you a lot as it is, seeing you in person will inspire them even more."

The thought of hosting a large part of the shinobi population of Kumogakure in their home made her pause, considering the proposition thoughtfully. "It can be easily arranged, there is enough room and I can more than prepare the food and beverages required for such a gathering. But will they be uncomfortable siting with us? It is my understanding that people don't always feel at home at such events." It was the main reason why she usually made time out of her day to visit the citizens of kumogakure at their places of residents whether it be in shacks in the graveyard, derelict buildings in the first district or pristine houses in the third.

Her own life would have been a lot easier if she maintained an office and simply summoned people there but that was never Akihana. To get to know a village, one had to walk in that village, talk to its people in their native tongue and get first hand knowledge of the issues they faced. Sure it left her exhausted most days but it also yielded the best results.

"Perhaps we could choose a neutral location, somewhere they wouldn't feel completely out of place," she suggested in turn.

He let a slight chuckle escape his lips as she seemed to take a more serious tone with her apology. She more than likely took his short quip as him being serious and felt the need to offer one. It made him love her honest demeanor even more, the light to his darkness to say. For a lot of things Mortarion was still very much a child at heart when it came to things like this. he finally brought himself back from the laughter to be able to utter a few words to her.

" No, no, I'm the one that's sorry, I didn't mean for you to take it seriously. I promise you I meant it in the best way possible, you do make me happy even though this is arranged and might not be what either of us truly want. I'm glad to have gotten to spend this time with you for what it's worth."

His eyes stayed on hers while he spoke, he wasn't one to look away, and they had been through enough awkward situations to where this was nothing. When she spoke of going home, the side of him that needed to know where she had come from turned its head and listened carefully. All in all she was still a political piece to him, just as he was to her should anything happen neither knew just the amount of power the other could call down. His laughter subsiding for a more serious tone he spoke again.

"Yes, please, as I've said already, you are not a prisoner here, you are free to come and go as you please. I would request that you please take one of my nin with you. I know you do not need the protection but it would ease my mind, of course you can refuse this. You already have the ring to bring me to you should you need it."

Of course he had to play both sides of the fence now, he knew Vaneda was playing his role well and should know these things already as well as when she planned to leave exactly. He'd more than likely be asked to join her even without the Kage having to attach him to her.

"If at all possible I'd love to one day be able to visit your village as well to see where you've taken shelter for so long. I know we are still feeling each other out but it would help to facilitate relations through both of our villages."

Conversation was quickly pushed back to that of the ninja of the village and how their growth was taking place. It did indeed make him proud to know they were being diligent with their studies and all that it included.

"Very well, tell me when you'd like me to make a visit and I'll be sure to stop by and say a few words to the up and coming genin. As far as a neutral ground you might be correct on that to make them feel more comfortable. Just in case they decide to try and kill me being outside would be a lot easier to clean up. It is a mission that I have put up so it would be just like my village to attempt an attack when they think I'm my most vulnerable."