One of Many-To-Be (Open)

Salzem listened to her explanation as too her feelings, stating that she didn't quite know what she felt. As they sat there together, Ayame explained that she felt this for other people, but she was unsure if this was her mixing up platonic love and actual romantics... She had lost friends to this before and she didn't want to rush into anything lest she end up hurting him... The young lycan's heart fluttered a bit as she stated that she certainly felt the same as he did for her, but she wanted more time to "feel it out", to understand these emotions and see if they were truly what she was feeling... It was needless to say that they've only known each-other a week at most, but he really couldn't resist the emotions welling up inside. He was never really good at hiding these things... Compared to most ninja, Salzem was something of an open book, what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of thing. Yeah... she was probably right, though... maybe it was all going a bit too fast... He didn't know! He was never really infatuated with someone before! Just about all his pride, effort and knowledge went into 3 things: His job, his strength, or his village. Never once did he have to explore these kinds of feeling for another person, nor did he ever think he'd have too... Life was weird.

"I understand." He sighed, actually feeling a bit better knowing that she wanted to slow down a bit. In fact, if she had said yes, that she, in fact, DID love him, he'd probably be freaking out where he sat! He looked at her and smiled as Ayame began to freak out instead beside him, suddenly flustered by what she was saying... It was kind of cute... He laughed softly and rolled his eyes, hugging the little blue-eyed girl a little tighter. "No, no... I understand! Really..." He poked her side lightly, a typical soft-spot known for being ticklish. "Yes. I'm okay with that and I get that it IS a bit too much to take in at once, huh?" He snickered a little bit before looking into Ayame's flustered face, somewhat amused she couldn't look into his eyes. Instead of becoming flustered himself... he actually felt calm.... soothed... It was a wonderful feeling.

"So... what 'little, subtle things' did you have in mind, Aya?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. He was clearly joking of course. It wasn't like he was insinuating anything.

Ayame was shocked when he poked her, sounding rather ... happy? Why was he happy? When he remarked about the subtle things, Ayame became a little flustered. "Y-you know... the innocent stuff... like what kids do: hand-holding, hugging, cuddling, that sort of thing" she said taking him seriously when he was joking.

"Oh, I should probably explain my dojutsu," she said trailing off suddenly, thinking of what happened only moments ago.

"You see, when my eyes are engulfed by my pupils like that, I can see people's auras, moreover what they feel or what their personalities are like. I had wanted to see if you were being genuine with me, now that I can read people." she said pausing, "and you were. I had never seen anyone that pink before" she muttered. "But then in an instant you went to this deep muddy gray color I've never seen before... and after a bright Yellow" she said. "The yellow would insinuate that you are afraid of losing control" she added as a side note before getting off of him and standing up to stretch her arms back. Then she offered him a hand to get up.

"Innocent stuff, huh?" Salzem smiled widely, finding great humor in her flustered state. "You mean... like what we're doing right now?" He looked her over with an inquisitive red eye, noting the fact that they were still in each-other's embrace, might as well be cuddling at this point for how long they stayed like this. Of course he wouldn't object. He was completely content sitting there on the floor with Ayame, just talking... It was funny how much he actually enjoyed sitting still... two years ago, Salzem couldn't be bothered to stay in one place, training as much as he could wherever he could... He'd challenge people to fights, learning new techniques... but here he was, sitting around with a girl he liked... A lot could change in 2 years...

His smile faded, though, as Ayame brought up the little episode that occurred a few minutes before, that when her eyes faded to that dark color, she was actually getting a read on his emotions. Ayame could do that...? She could actually see what Salzem was feeling? He could do the same, he supposed, a combination of hearing one's heart-beat, the expressions on their faces, the perspiration intensity, he could ASSUME they whether or not they were being honest, but it sounded like her bloodline was something else altogether.

"Thats really something..." He commented, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly as Ayame climbed off him, taking his hand and helping him to his feet. Funny enough, though... he didn't exactly let go. His grip wasn't iron or anything. She could pull away whenever she wanted, but now they were holding hands... 3 out of the 3 "innocent things" that she had planned for them at this stage of their relationship. When Ayame described his colors, the ones she saw around him, the lycanthrope didn't know what she meant... What did pink mean? muddy grey...? These colors meant nothing to him... The most he could deduce was that pink meant the... uh... attraction he felt for her... but he had nothing for the grey... She explained then that his color went from that to bright yellow and that this shade of yellow meant he was afraid of losing control... Yeah... that made sense he supposed.

"My lycanthropy... its... not the most stable thing." He admitted with a shrug of his shoulders. Its not like the Uchiha's sharingan or those weird Jugo-people where they have absolute control... Its... impulsive... I guess... All the senses, the awareness... the instincts... its like becoming something else I guess..."

He quickly slipped his unoccupied hand into his Jacket pocket, realizing how much time has passed.

"Hey... we should probably be getting back to the arena, huh?" He smiled, nodding at the door.

"Yeah, that would be wise" Ayame said blushing at the physical contanct and gently withdrawing her hand. She walked back into the other room to grab the metal studs she bought the other day for Queen's gloves and shoving them into her weapons pouch that housed the leather she cut a few days ago and had begun to assemble.

"Oh I gotta stop and grab some things from the market too." she said smacking her head with her hand remembering the not that had been left at the hotel for her by the weaponsmith saying that he had finished with the claws.

"See, I'm working on a project for a newfound friend because we put aside our differences for the exams." she started heading for the door. and heading down to the lobby confident that Sal would be behind her.

Salzem blushed the tiniest bit as Ayame's face faded red as well, the two of them making their way out of the room and into the streets outside. It wasn't long until they reached all the hustle and bustle of the markets below, the place even more packed with people than it usually was. Perhaps it was because of the jounin exams going on that all these people were drifting in, back and forth, people from all over looking to watch such a splendid event. One thing was for sure, the merchants were surely enjoying the attention... Salzem would look at Ayame, smiling softly as she explained that she was working on a project for a new friend, a commemoration for them putting aside their differences for the exams. Salzem couldn't help but wonder who exactly she was talking about. It wasn't like he knew every single person in Sunagakure, but he liked to think he knew a few people around here. Maybe he knew whoever she was talking about...?

"I don't mean to pry..." Salzem said, looking ahead at the crowd in front of them. "But... what's this 'project' you're working on? I didn't know you had an interest in crafts." He grinned slightly, shrugging his shoulders. "I was never very good at making anything of my own. I didn't have the talent. You've gotten me all curious now..."

"Oh," Ayame said a little surprised that he was interested. "Well, I'm making some taijutsu specialty gloves for a friend" she started. "Back in the village, before I became a Ninja, I lived at the orphanage. We learned to repair clothes and make new stuff out of scraps for our toys and stuff like that. Then I moved out and made my own home. It's not much but I like it." Ayame noticed she was getting off track. "Either way, I think I'm very creative and crafty," she said approaching the weaponsmith at the opposite end of the street. She paid him and took the bag he had stored the claws in.

"These gloves are kind of like the fingerless gloves that some jounin like to wear, but they will be made of this gorgeous black leather. They will also have retractable claws once I get the mechanisms in place."

Ayame turned to start toward the arena, shoving the bag under her arm, gently, and pulling out the cut leather from the weapons pouch that didn't actually house any weapons. As she walked, she continued to sew the pieces of leather together, having not even added any of the studs yet even though the sewing had started. She wanted it to be perfect so she took her time. "This leather came from a special breed of Suna-cow, or so I was told. It's very durable, and beautiful once it's been worked in with oil" she commented, picking her finger, jumping only slightly (barely noticeable) and then continuing on as if nothing had happened.

The way she sewed the gloves was odd. Most people would keep their fingers out of the way as the needle delved in and out of the leather, faced backward so that the seem when the glove was right side out looked nice. Ayame, however, held her fingers over where the needle should come out, bending the leather slightly to guide the needle until she felt it gently against her finger. It was obvious that she worked this way often, finding her own way to do it because she rarely pricked herself except when she lost concentration.

Aya knew there were faster ways to sew by hand, or even by machine, but to her, this pace was fun and calming, nearly mindless, but something to keep her hands busy none the less.

"What do you think so far?" She enquired not even half way up the first side of the first glove. It almost looked like a misshapen mess, but it took a trained eye to see the potential and what her plans were with it.

Now that wasn't something he expected... As they walked, Ayame explained that she actually grew up in an orphanage, that back then, they had to learn how to make clothesfor their toys out of scraps. Salzem looked at her oddly, suddenly feeling that his childhood was very privileged compared to hers... Sure, back in those days, he had poisoned himself with a flower, leading to his lungs almost completely failing, and yes, he only had his dad to raise him up as his mother was elsewhere in Sunagakure, but compared to growing up alone in a place where one didn't even have the comfort of family nearby...

"Well then... I can't wait to see what you've been cooking up!" He stated with a wink. As they continued to walk, Salzem watched a Ayame shoved her bag under her arm, taking out first a bunch of leather, then a needle and thread and actually began... walking and sewing at the same time! Truly, Ayame was the master at multitasking. Salzem himself found difficulty talking and writing, let alone something as complex as... whatever she was doing. He found himself feeling jealous of her abilities to do such minor things in perfect tandem and, as time passed, that jealousy melted down into admiration. The blue-eyed girl went on to explain how this leather actually came from a Suna-cow, that it was very durable and "beautiful", especially after being worked in oil. He found it hard to look at leather and call it beautiful, rather, he could see the aesthetic in what it made up rather than the material itself.

Ayame showed the Lycan what he thought of the glove, showing him what it looked like and, to him... It didn't look like a misshapen mess... It looked like something that had a long way to go, sure, but it definitely had potential. If she worked with it for a few more days, a week at most, he could see it really begin to amount to greatness. The lycan grinned and placed a hand on Ayame's shoulder, looking from the gloves to her, a gentle took in his eyes.

"You are a crafty person, huh?" He asked. "I think you've got a real piece of art in your hands..."

"You think so?" She asked looking up at him in a slight disbelief. She had a long way to go if she were to finish before some of the next few fights.

"You know, it's rather tiring to be watching people fight all day" Ayame said changing the topic as her mind drifted and she continued to sew and walk. "I mean its okay the first few rounds, especially when you know the people, but after that it gets rather tiring. Makes me want ta sleep if I 'm honest" she said.

"Being in battle is one thing, but spectating is another. I don't think I'd ever become sleepy during a fight, at least not unless some sort of genjutsu or Medical Technique was used on me." she trailed thinking and yawning with her hand over her mouth before continuing.

"Gosh, Suna sure is big" Ayame added after a moment as they passed back past the hotel.

"I do!" He exclaimed with a slight laugh. "Now, how about we make our way back to the arena, huh? Don't want you or me to end up being missed!" With that, he'd gently steer her back on the path towards the Jounin-exam arena, not wanting the older ninja to get suspicious. Ayame went onto comment how she manages to get tired watching people fight all day. She was good the first couple of fights but when it came to an all-day thing... It just got exausting. He didn't know what she was talking about... The lycan had FUN watching these ninja beat the ever-loving life out of each-other in many different ways. It gave him new ideas on how he could become more adept at it himself! Did she find this kind of entertainment... boring or something...? Indeed, it is one thing to actually BE in combat, your life literally being threatened by this other guy for the sole purpose of moving up in the world and it was definitely another to watch to do it for the same reason... He supposed the old saying that "repeated exposure breeds loathing" held true for her, though he could hardly understand why.

"Stay strong, Ayame." Salzem snickered, stuffing his hands into his jacket-pockets. "You'll get your taste of excitement soon enough." Ayame commented how BIG Sunagakure was and the lycan nodded. It was exactly what HE thought when he was here all that time ago... It was huge, unfamiliar... hot and frustrating... But it wasn't so bad once you allowed it all to grow on you.

"Yeah... It is kind of big, isn't it?" He murmured, looking around at the different architecture, the different styles, the different people... "This isn't actually the first time I've been here, you know... Actually got to talk to the Kazekage himself... Nice guy. Very smart... Its really little wonder why Konoha and Suna get along so well..."

Ayame noticed his demeanor and how he spoke changed immediately upon him talking about Suna. He seemed to grow more distant, stopping to pause and think more often.

"Wow, the Kazekage, huh." She noted in a calm sort of amazement stopping what she was doing, even stopping walking to look at him. "I've never even seen him, so I wouldn't know what to expect." she said. It was true, though. In the arena the kage sat so far away she couldn't get a good look, not that she'd want to. Talking to such a strong ninja would scare her. She couldn't even talk to her Kage, let alone the kage of a land she'd never been to.

"Is he really that nice?" she asked curiously, almost not wanting to believe the boy. "Honestly, anyone with the title of Kage seems like a person you should fear. They are literally the strongest ninja in the village, are they not?" she speculated. "If he or even the Hokage for that matter, wanted us dead, we'd die within seconds of the descision" she stated.

"But if he's really that kind, I think I'd want to meet him when all is said and done." she added. "I mean like, eventually."