[Closed] Blinded by Brilliance

[Niro]

Yoshinori and Tsuki had thrown their clothes back on with all the urgency of a pair of students late to class. His laughter was breathless, half from adrenaline, half from the sheer absurdity of the moment. In their scramble, they’d somehow managed to grab the wrong pants; an exchange that earned a shared, sheepish glance before they fumbled the correct garments back into each other’s hands. Twigs stuck to Tsuki’s hair like nature’s confetti, and Yoshinori reached out, long fingers gently brushing them free with a smile that tugged at the corners of his lips. In return, her hands smoothed out leaves caught in his tousled hair, both of them still grinning, flushed and messy and full of life.

They tried to make a run for it. Tried and failed. A voice, too familiar for comfort, cracked through the trees like a kunai against stone. It wasn’t a shout, not exactly but the way it called his name made Yoshinori freeze mid-step, as if it had been screamed directly into his soul. His body tensed. His eyes squeezed shut for half a second in painful recognition. No. No no no. He turned, reluctantly, and was greeted by the unmistakable silhouette of the goateed Nara. Of course it was Jash. Because fate had a cruel sense of humor.

Suppressing a groan, Yoshinori shifted to stand slightly in front of Tsuki, shielding her as best he could while giving her a moment to pull herself together. He tugged the hem of his shirt down, wrinkled as it was, and cleared his throat as casually as possible, though the bright flush spreading across his cheeks betrayed him completely. “Hey, Jash,” he said, voice caught somewhere between a cough and a laugh, trying to summon a grin that didn’t look entirely guilt-ridden. “You’re… in the village?”

He adjusted the collar of his shirt with exaggerated care, as though it might somehow repair the disheveled evidence of what had transpired in the bushes. His fingers swept absently through his hair, a vain attempt to smooth it down even though he already knew Tsuki had been tangled in it moments ago. There was no saving it. With a glance at Tsuki making sure she was okay and composed, Yoshinori turned his gaze back to Jash forcing his voice to steady. His eyes darted anywhere but the man’s face.

“Sure. What… uh, what do you want to talk about?” Anything. Literally anything but what had just happened. Please, gods, let it be a mission debrief. A scroll delivery. A weather report. A new ramen stall. Anything but the truth of what he and Tsuki had just done in earshot of half the forest’s wildlife population.

[Lunanana]

Tsuki’s eyes widened at the recognition of the voice that called out for Yoshinori. Could it be?... She stared at the path before her, while noticing that Yoshinori was already turning around. Just for a moment longer, her eyebrows knitted together, a mixture of feelings flowing through her body, embarrassment dominating it but also, very evidently, happiness. Her face probably deepened a few shades before she too turned around slowly, a little behind Yoshinori. Maybe she was wrong… Nope. He called out his name too and Tsuki was left a few steps behind with her eyes wide and lips slightly parted. Honestly, her sanity was slipping away, and she felt like she'd faint.

Her eyes met Yoshinori’s for that split second moment before she slightly tilted her head to take a look at the man in front of them. Yes, it was Jashin. Her face changed, instead of the terrified look she held, Tsuki slowly took a few steps closer now being in front of Yoshinori, a huge smile on her face, the evening sun shimmering in the corners of her eyes. ”Jashin-kun!” She took another step closer, and it was as close as she’d get. It was a very Tsuki way of letting another one know that that was probably the closest that could be to a friendly hug. Her hands flew to her chest, tone completely different, as she chimed ”It’s been some time since we last met. How… How are you?” She was different from the last time he saw her. There was no stutter anymore, her eyes held warmth instead of the constant hidden gloom, and even her posture was a little straighter, more confident.

She then stilled. There was something in both of their tones that screamed of guilt and anxiety, leaving Tsuki to look between the men. Slowly, she retreated to Yoshinori’s side, her gaze traveling up to see the profile of the man beside her, darting to the ground after. She closed them for a second, inhaling, and slowly taking Yoshinori’s hand in hers. A silent declaration. She was happier than ever. And she wanted to share that with Jashin, a friend who pushed her to not settle for less.

[zory_alechiv]

It'd be humorous if Jash wasn't just as uncomfortable as Yoshi. He'd been right about addressing them the way he had though. It likely put them on guard, made them more anxious and for him, that was a benefit. They'd be reacting to his words instead of the other way around. He didn't do so well when he couldn't think. He also noticed they wouldn't look at his face which wasn't as reassuring as it should have been. Despite no longer wearing a mask because his goatee covered up the worse of the scars, he was still a little insecure about his appearance. Still, he would push on.

Despite this, Tsuki managed to startle him out of his own anxiety with a solid term of endearment. His eyes narrowed in contemplation as he re-evaluated the girl...no woman in front of him. She'd been so formal and hesitant the first time that this time he hadn't even thought to address her with any less, yet the endearment had rolled off her tongue as easily as the stream flowed in the stream that housed her favorite herbs. And then as her hand raised, he quickly tapped two fingers against the back of her hand in his own affectionate greeting, giving her the same affection she had bestowed upon him with as close as a hug as he ever managed.

"Tsuki-chan," he changed his greeting, lips quirking in amusement and fondness before he saw the shift in her stilling form. Immediately his brown eyes drifted back to his cousin and retook in the anxiety and discomfort. Even so, the Hyuuga declaring their relationship so boldly in front of him brought a grin to his face and his shoulders lost some of their tension. He'd been concerned for them both, on the wrath that could be brought down upon them, but seeing the look in both of their eyes knew that no matter what the cost, they would fight.

"This, actually," he shrugged, shifting his finger to gesture between them before stuffing both hands in his pocket. "Rumors, gossip," he chuckled. "I wanted the facts. Seems they weren't far off." The smile fell from his face. "Are you both all right?"

[Niro]

Relief bloomed gently in Yoshinori’s chest the moment he realized Tsuki and Jash already knew one another, though that comfort quickly twisted into a different kind of awkward. Familiarity didn’t always ease tension; sometimes it sharpened it. Especially now. He watched with careful eyes as the two exchanged greetings, and when Tsuki returned to his side, her fingers quietly slid into his. The gesture, so subtle and grounding, brought him back into his body. His hand curled gently around hers, protective and instinctive. His eyes flicked back to Jash, and a faint frown pulled at the corners of his mouth when the older Nara brought up the rumors; whispers that had apparently taken root in the clan, carried on curious tongues. Of course there were rumors.

Yoshinori exhaled slowly, the weight of the situation settling on his shoulders again as his free hand rose and ran through his hair, brushing tangled strands away from his brow. “As alright as we can be, given the circumstances,” he muttered, offering Jash a small, resigned shrug. His voice was laced with exhaustion, but also defiance, the quiet kind forged from standing one's ground too long. The truth was murky. The Hyuuga clan hadn’t made any decisive moves, at least not openly. Tsuki returned to them when formally summoned, as protocol demanded.

Only once had it come to a head. Former bodyguards, sentinels from her past, had stormed to the edges of Nara territory with a list of demands and tradition weighing heavily on their shoulders. The night had ended with a broken wrist. That encounter could have erupted into more, but Tsuki had intervened. They didn't need violence, the clan. Their answer was already enough: an arranged marriage Tsuki hadn’t agreed to. A future she was being forced toward, one that dismissed her autonomy and defied her choice to step down from the main branch, to relinquish the power, and take the cursed seal.

Yoshinori hated every part of it. Not just for what it threatened to take, but for what it dismissed entirely. Her will. He sighed again, and his fingers tensed slightly around Tsuki’s as he glanced back to Jash. “Why do you ask?” he asked, a bitter edge in his tone before his hand rose again, covering his face with a groan. “Do I even want to know what’s being said around here?” The forest around them was quiet, but not silent. Birds chirped distantly, the wind sighed through the branches, and still Yoshinori felt the invisible weight of eyes and ears that always seemed to follow. He turned his face toward Tsuki slightly, leaning his shoulder into hers for just a moment, grounding himself in her presence.

[Lunanana]

The warmth in her eyes slowly shifted to something different. At first it almost looked like fire, like the undeniable pull of wanting to prove everyone wrong in the most silent way possible, to be the one that finally stands their ground after years and years of being told what to do. She couldn’t do it without the subtle and gentle pushes of her friends and her lover, never but once they told her what she was capable of, Tsuki never took it for granted. Her hold tightened, and a quiet resolve in her eyes met Jashin’s, inevitably trailing to Yoshinori’s as well.

And then she saw it. How tired he really was. And how serious Jashin’s face was too. She looked between them, slowly sinking into herself, feeling how an invisible wall started building somewhere deep within her. For a moment, she remained silent. Yes, there were rumours. She heard those, straight from the snake nest itself. She saw how people look at her. Even her mission partner once asked how much truth was to them. She tried so hard to shield Yoshinori from it all but it was impossible, simply impossible. Because Jinshin was right – there were times that they needed to talk about it, to get it out of the way, saying it aloud was more healing and grounding than just soaking it up.

She was causing trouble none of them, actually, no one needed. Just because she was born first to somebody born first. And yet, her head moved slightly from left to right, as if pushing those thoughts away. The battle was not over yet… But Yoshinori was tired. She was too. ”Facts?” She asked, her voice too a little more protective. The sharper, unfamiliar edge was never directed at Jashin but more to the situation itself. ”There are two facts that I can tell you, Jashin-kun. First one is that I am not marrying the Hyuuga man, and the second is that my future is intertwined with Yoshinori whether they like it or not. I am this close to becoming a missing nin.” Just a few days ago they were in Suna… It was so peaceful there. Walking around, no one bothering them, no one knowing who they were. And now, back to the village, even in the remote woods of the Nara, somehow it still got to them.

At the moment, she didn’t know how serious her comment was about becoming a missing nin. Probably more to paint the picture. Probably. She didn’t even notice how hot the corners of her eyes felt. With a gulp, she hid the unshed tears away. Tired.

[zory_alechiv]

Jashin watched as the two digested his words. Despite feeling comforted by Tsuki's endearment, Yoshi was clearly not and Jash couldn't blame him. If anything, the man seemed to become more anxious. Perhaps rumors weren't the best choice of words but when multiple people whispered what they thought had happened, the Nara liked to go to the source. His gaze flickered to Tsuki, to see how she was taking in his and he was met with resolve. So different than the woman he had met next to the stream and he was proud of her. His eyes flickered briefly back towards Yoshi to give him a grateful nod.

As focused as he was on them both, he didn't miss the way they fed each other strength. Akemi had often called him a dumbass because when it came to him, he was a bit of one. There was disbelief more often than not and when he didn't believe, it was pure obliviousness. Yet when it came to others, he was anything but obtuse. Their bond was something he had unwillingly allowed himself to hope for in his darkest moments, something he never thought he'd find for himself, something he clung to now in the hopes it became more than just attraction.

“Do I even want to know what’s being said around here?”

"Around here? Nothing too terrible. We're all kind of a lazy bunch and it's more trouble than it's worth to entertain other clan's politics." He reaches up and crosses his arms, one hand going to rub at his lips in thought.

"Facts? There are two facts that I can tell you, Jashin-kun. First one is that I am not marrying the Hyuuga man, and the second is that my future is intertwined with Yoshinori whether they like it or not. I am this close to becoming a missing nin.”

Jash chuckled in amusement, his dark eyes flicking up to hers. "No need to do that. The Nara haven't stepped in because we don't have a clan head to tell us to. The Clan Elders will just continue to circle around a decision, waiting as long as they can before they act." He exhaled in annoyance that wasn't directed at them. "The Yamanaka are going to flip their shit too, no doubt." Their plight spurred him on to take the clan headship himself. Akemi and Takeshi would need someone in their corner, too.

"You're safe here, whether they like it or not." Speaking in riddles and prompting questions was not going to make them feel better. "I wanted to see for myself if this was something worth fighting for, and it is. I'll fight for you both. Whatever you need. And I'll work on the other Nara to get behind this too."

[Niro]

The heat in Tsuki’s voice caught Yoshinori off guard, blinking owlishly as he paused mid-thought. He hadn’t meant to make it sound like the weight of things was crushing him especially since their promotions to jounin afforded them much more luxuries and privileges compared to when they were mere chuunin. But there was still an undercurrent of pressure he hadn’t realized he’d been carrying until Jashin had asked. Still, it made something warm unfurl in his chest. That fire in her, it never failed to stir something deep in him. His lips curved into a sly, crooked grin as he glanced down at her beside him. And then Jashin, in all his dry sarcasm and calm loyalty, broke the tension with his usual brand of sardonic charm. The way the man pledged himself to their cause lifted the mood just enough to ease Yoshinori’s nerves. It certainly helped distract from the awkward fact that they had very nearly been caught recreating the spring mating habits of local wildlife just moments prior.

“That’s good to know,” Yoshinori said, voice warmer now, more grounded. He tugged Tsuki close with an arm around her shoulders, her presence like an anchor. “Shikari’s house is great, but it’s temporary. We’re planning to be out of there soon, just need to close on that place we found.” His thoughts flickered to the house, the one they’d stumbled across while on a mission. What began as a standard clean up had transformed into something more personal. There were still repairs to be done, mostly the damn pipes, but Yoshinori had already made up his mind. That house would be theirs, one way or another.

“Think that clan’ll like me more or less if I put my name in for Bannin?” he asked, a wolfish grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. The growth he’d experienced since working alongside Tsuki had been nothing short of explosive. Their mission record had ballooned, and their success rate had silenced even the most vocal doubters. He wouldn’t be surprised if the whispers had already started; subtle hints that the council was watching, that the village had begun to take notice. But his tone stayed light, playful, the grin on his face betraying the bluff in his words.

“I’m kidding,” he said with a chuckle, tilting his head down to catch her gaze, “but just imagine the Hyuuga elders having to address me properly. Might be worth the paperwork.” He winked, laughter lacing his voice as he bumped his shoulder gently against hers. There was something delicious in the chaos the idea could cause, but more than that, there was something quietly powerful in dreaming about a future with her, free of hiding, full of possibilities.

[Lunanana]

Her eyes darted between them too, and then back at her feet, a deep blush revealing that the strength and resolve, although there, still needed some work on. Maybe it was the fact that none of them were hostile, not that she expected them to be. Jashin’s words eased her nerves as well, and she exhaled, a little more loudly than she expected too, as if releasing all the bubbled up tension. There was also the fact that she just moments before was in… Another mood. Everything got mixed up in her head and she found it a little difficult to regulate all of her emotions… There was another fact between them three, literally, but Tsuki spoke none of what was happening inside of her stomach. Not now, at least. Maybe later.

”Thank you…” These words came out way softer and raw than the ones before. Slowly, her eyes lifted to Jashin again, a subtle nod of her head, gratitude. It meant a lot. Way more than she said. A familiar hand wrapped around her shoulders and she leaned in, standing close to Yoshinori as if it was second nature by now. An entirely subconscious response to his touch. Excitement flickered through her eyes at the mention of the house, and Tsuki nodded eagerly at Jashin, as if she was sharing updates on her life by a cup of tea. No matter the chaos around, it was undeniable that Tsuki was happy.

”Bani-...” Her eyebrows knitted, as she looked up at Yoshinori, almost ready to cheer him on before he said he was kidding, and Tsuki looked away sheepishly, smiling, as a soft chuckle escaped her. It was true. Growth was something they both experienced, as steady as it was rapid, no matter how contradictory this sounded. A thoughtful gaze lingered back to Jashin. ”You’re a close friend, Jashin. I… Appreciate you. Thank you for seeking us ou-... Errr.” The crimson color of her cheeks made her breath hitch, as she grabbed on Yoshinori’s shirt behind his back awkwardly, unseen to Jashin. ”W-What… What I wanted to say, would you like some tea? Coffee?” She wanted to catch up. Talk about something more down to eart. Here.

Extend a hand of growth to Jashin. Reconnect. There was power in bonds and something undeniably healing.