Chapter 41 – Arrival
“What makes you think I like one of them?” He said while smiling at her meaningfully.
“Hm? What do you mean?” Her intention to mess with Sango, she didn’t expect him to answer with a question.
They sat close to each other, but maybe because of the presence of the other girls, Kurenai kept a certain distance from him. As he asked his question, Sango slid closer to her, his behaviour bolder than usual.
Not used to him teasing her, she had difficulties responding in kind. Despite her usually ‘big sister’ behaviour she was rather susceptible to his teasing.
From an outside’s perspective, it may look as if Sango knew what he was doing, but the truth was that he had no confidence in his actions. He was expecting some kind of retaliation, probably in the form of a knock on the head as she seemed to like doing. Yet, no such violent response was received from her, what he saw on her face was shyness, not a view he was used seeing.
“Big sister is very beautiful.” He sincerely said, his voice soft. Her face took a deeper shade of red the more he spoke, her usual composure disturbed.
“W-What has gotten into you!” She softly but firmly asked.
Sango didn’t answer, instead he placed his hand on top of hers, he couldn’t help but think about how soft it was despite her hard life.
Her body stiffened for a moment, they used to hold hands before but this time they could feel that the gesture had a different meaning behind it.
Kurenai’s heartbeat was rather loud, on the other side Sango’s heartbeat could be considered calm, but that was when comparing it to the heartbeat of normal people. For him, it was rather loud and fast.
“L-let go!” With her voice as loud as a whisper, she tried to free her hand but there wasn’t much force behind the gesture. “W-What if they wake up!?” Looking worriedly in the direction of the sleeping girls, she said. Sango couldn’t help but wonder if that meant it was all right to continue if they didn’t wake up the girls.
“It’s fine.” He too spoke in a whisper, as he did so, he took an even bolder action and pulled her into an intimate embrace.
“A-Ah!” Kurenai let out a shout, not loud enough to be a problem.
He embraced her tightly, as if fusing their bodies together. She struggled powerlessly, not really putting in any real effort. Her mild struggle was enough to make Sango understand that what made her struggle were only weak and weakening thoughts and confusion, although that was only his instinct speaking.
Being so close together, it wasn’t a first, but at the same time it was. Her heartbeat could be felt through their touching bodies, and he could feel something very soft pressing against his chest.
At that moment, a hunger, or need, surged from within his heart, spreading through his whole body. A need for them to be closer, a want for her warmth. It soon reached his head and muddled his thoughts, he felt cold and only she could warm him up.
The clothes made him angry, they were separating him for most of her warmth, from her love.
That anger cooled his body like an avalanche swallowing a small fire. The rapid change reached his mind and an acute pain assaulted it, down to the tip of his toes.
“Argh!” He groaned softly, letting go of Kurenai he pressed his hands to his temples, trying to quench the acute pain.
Understanding that the situation wasn’t good, his training took over. Mind over body, he disconnected the feeling of pain from the pain itself.
Pain became just a feeling, not good nor bad, just information, meaningless information that served no purpose because the brain no longer interpreted the feeling of pain as a painful sensation.
That technique wasn’t something others could achieve, not even the ‘organization’ was able to replicate it with other subjects. It was just something he understood but couldn’t explain and that wasn’t the limit of its uses.
“Sango?!” Seeing his pained expression, something she had never seen, all the shyness from just before was replaced by worry at this unexpected change.
“It’s nothing, don’t worry.” Having swiftly regained his bearings, Sango’s expression turned to normal, but the feeling of pain was still present, just muted.
“I think you should sleep too; I will stand watch.” Not in a mood to fool around with her anymore, Sango told her to rest.
She looked worried about his recent change in expression, but she decided to not pray further. He was also right about resting while they can, they shouldn’t waste precious resting time even on low ranked missions.
“Alright, wake me for next watch. I will let them rest more.” Before Sango could reply to her, he felt a warm and soft sensation on his cheek. It took longer than normal for him to unfreeze, when he turned towards her direction she was already resting.
Touching his cheek with his fingers, he felt wanted, he felt that there was someone who cared for him. It was a first for him.
While keeping watch, he thought about what just happened. The phenomenon was probably brought on by his unique body, but why, he couldn’t understand. The pain was still present, although rather faint. No matter how much he thought, by the time he had to wake up Kurenai, an answer was not found. Instead of awakening her, Sango decided to let her rest more, so he continued to stay awake and think.
When time for everyone to wake up came, Sango had to bear Kurenai’s scolding for not having let her keep watch. She told him that even if he could do so, he should still keep to their arrangements so that a good team could be formed.
Sango accepted her scolding, he also understood her reasoning, but he felt that he wouldn’t be able to sleep well, even if he tried.
Sakura, Ino and Hinata, on the other hand, were thankful to Sango and at the same time worried about him not having slept at all.
After Kurenai saw that Sango understood her words, they began preparations and after a quick meal they were once again on the road.
They would have to travel for another day until they reach their destination and their pace wasn’t hurried. Like that, they travelled during the night again and by morning they arrived at a village where they would rest before subjugating the bandits that were rather close to it.
Still a short distance away, Sango observed the village. Despite the level of technology in this world, the village looked like one of the Sengoku Era in Japan. He still wondered why there was such a gap between the various areas of the world.
“Something isn’t right.” Kurenai muttered beside Sango. He too has seen what Kurenai meant. There was no sign of life in the village, no smoke from any chimney, no people walking about, no lights.
“I will send some scouts.” Seeing Kurenai nodding at his side, Sango summoned five shadow clones and sent them to the village. Meanwhile the group headed towards the village at a slower pace.
Before they were halfway to their destination, the one of the clones sent back information by dissolving itself.
“It’s empty.” Without stopping, Sango reported to Kurenai, “There is food on the tables and no sign of fights. It’s as if they just disappeared.”
Hearing his report, Kurenai frowned. The situation wasn’t good.
The remaining clones proceeded to scout the village’s surroundings while Team 0 neared to it.