"Thank you once again for everything you've done for us Maru," I bowed to the older male once again, smiling gratefully at him.

Maru, Kazane, and I were standing at the entrance of Maru's hideout, saying our goodbyes. Kazane and I had been here for 5 days now and I'm pretty sure both our families and the Hokage will want to know what happened to keep us away.

"Any time dear child, though... let's try not to make this a habit alright?" Maru grinned with a tilt of his head.

"I agree, no more death scares for at least the next year," Kazane nodded, smiling.

"I promise," I nod, standing straight.

"Take care sweet girl, it was a pleasure," Maru looked toward Kazane.

"It was a pleasure to meet you too, Orochimaru," Kazane bobbed her head in a bow before looking up at me.

"Now then, off home, the both of you, wouldn't want either of your families to worry about your... prolonged absence." Maru ushered us off, returning into his hideout.

"..."

"So... Shall we?" I asked, turning to Kazane.

She smiled lightly, looking up into my eyes with her own shining ones.

"Let's do this," She nodded and we both jumped into the air, flicking and moving between trees as we raced home.

We obviously weren't getting there today, as the day was already half over and the trip was going to take us 10 - 12 hours, but the more ground we could cover today the better.

"Hey Ukai, can I ask you something?" Kazane's voice called.

"Sure,"

"I promise I won't tell anyone! It will stay just between us I~... AH? Wait really!?" Kazane stopped moving, standing stationary in the tree she landed on and staring at me with shocked eyes.

"Uhh... yeah," I paused my own movements, turning to my partner.

"Go ahead, ask me anything you'd like, but we'd better walk while we talk or we'll never get home," I say chuckling slightly as I jump down to the ground, looking around before beginning to walk.

"Oh~ Ok!," Kazane joined me on the ground, as well as putting her guard up in case the enemy was nearby.

"So... what did you want to know?"

"Oh, well, um, everything..." Kazane stammered, her voice becoming slightly higher.

"Come again?" I looked over my shoulder at her.

"Everything... I don't know much about you, so I want to know everything, about your childhood, your likes, the things you want in life, you know, that sort of thing..." Kazane went on.

"Oh... well, I graduated the academy pretty early on, I was assigned to team 4 with two of my closest friends and became a Chuunin a year after that," I told my partner as we walked.

"That's... impressive... like really impressive!" Kazane cheered.

"I guess,"

"Ok and what about plans for the future? Like... a family, maybe?"

"A what~ Hmm seriously?" I chuckled, closing my eyes and scratching the back of my neck.

"Hahahahaha~ I mean~ I'm one of the most aggressive, impatient, unsociable, and unpleasant, people anyone could have the misfortune of meeting~ I can't imagine any woman in their right mind would want to marry let alone mother a family with me? Ahhahahahahaha~" My light chuckle turned into a full fit of laughter, and I moved my hand from my neck to my forehead, my whole body shaking.

"Wow, you really think lowly of yourself don't you Ukai?" Kazane hopped up next to me tilting her head as we walked.

"Ahhhh is certain fields... I wouldn't say I'm especially warm and fussy, but I... can have my moments of... heartfelt compassion I guess..." I explained, kinda furrowing my brow at myself in confusion at my own phrasing.

'He's so intense!' Kazane giggled to herself, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"What about you? Do you want kids?"

"Oh yeah a dozen," Kazane answered cheerfully.

"!?"

"L~like an actual dozen? As in 12?" I ask her shocked.

"Well, I love kids. I want as many as my partner is willing to give me," She added, smiling up at me.

"And does your ah... partner... know, you want that many?" I asked lowly, turning to face our path again.

"I don't have a partner currently," Kazane waved off, smiling at the ground.

"Really? A beautiful girl like you doesn't have a lover?" I asked turning my head away as I asked the potentially embarrassing question.

"I find that hard to believe..."

"Yes well, up until quite recently, I never gave much thought to the whole settling down idea... I wanted to be a Shinobi all my life, I didn't actually think there'd come a time I'd have to put that dream to bed..." Kazane's voice echoed as she spoke, its sound softening as she reminisced.

"Silly huh?" She then laughed, scratching her neck.

"Not at all... In a land like ours, it's a common thing to get carried away in dreams and ambitions about being a ninja... I would know, but I guess after some time... the want to carry on one's bloodline becomes persuasive," I clear my throat, refusing to now look at the female beside me as my face flushed pink.

"Hahahahahah! The want becomes persuasive!? Hahahahahaha! That is the most ridiculous way of saying you want a family I've ever heard! Hahahahahah~!" Kazane stopped walking, bending over holding her stomach as she laughed.

"I'm not good at these conversations ok! It's... awkward," I huffed, watching her lose herself.

"It's~ hahaha, it's not that bad~ haha. It's normal, especially at our age," The purple-haired kunoichi recomposed herself, smiling brightly up at me.

"Mmmm," I huffed again, turning and beginning to walk.

"Oh Ukai, come on," Kazane jogged up after me.

"It wasn't that~ ehmm, that funny, just... has the need persuaded you yet?" My partner choked on a laugh as she walked up in front of me.

I paused and looked down at her amused face with one of annoyance.

"You think mocking me is funny?" I tilted my head, narrowing my eyes at her with a smirk.

"O~oh no, I didn't mean~" She shook her head, creeping backward as I stalked toward her.

"No... I'm lucky, the need... hasn't hit me yet, I'm still free of those lustful feelings that make the mind fuzzy and skin hot..." I teased the kunoichi as I backed her up.

"The need to pin someone down and make them mine," I backed Kazane up against a tree.

When her back hit it she spazzed slightly, looking up at me with wide eyes and slightly ragged breathing.

"The desire to have her all to myself, never sharing her with the world~" I placed my hands on either side of her head, staring intensely down at her as my breath fanned her face.

"Praising her, making her my queen, the woman I could never live without~" I twisted my head to speak into her neck, hearing her sigh out a breath, her smaller frame shaking undermine.

"The want to raise every precious child she can give me... and loving her till the day I die..." I mumbled, clawing the tree as I blew air onto her blood-red ears.

"No..." I pulled away, forcing her back into the light and admiring the look of absolute shock on her face.

"I've thought about it, but the need hasn't consumed me yet..." I chuckle at her.

"That... was so uncalled for Ukai..." She panted, glaring at me.

"Hmm hmm hm," I laughed.

"My bad," I shrugged, stepping toward her again and catching the small skip her heart made in her chest as she instantly locked eyes with me once again.

"Shall we continue our journey?" I offered her my hand as I walked past the tree, stepping backward slowly.

She stayed silent for a few seconds before smiling and taking my hand.

"You cheeky Uchiha..." She shook her head.

I smiled back, wrapping my rough fingers around her smooth hand, pulling her toward me, and jumping up into the trees to rebegin our journey home.

'Yes... I've felt it... for you...'