#ashesburned

[petalillusions]

It's nearly an hour before he's unlocking the door to her apartment and coming back inside. He knows she's probably awake by now. Kurenai has always been a light sleeper but that never stopped him from trying to slide out of bed without disturbing her. Sometimes it was easier to run errands this way, especially today when he wanted to keep a small element of surprise.

He sets a few bags on the small kitchen table after slipping off his sandals and then makes his way back to her room with a hand in the pocket of his pants. His fingers are closed a small box, about the size of his palm, and he runs a finger over it as a reminder that it hadn't disappeared during his walk from some of the market stalls back to her apartment. Asuma climbs back into bed next to her, shifting his pillow behind his neck after sitting up halfway. "Morning, sweetheart. Sorry for disappearing on you." He stretches both his legs before relaxing again and extending his arm out so she could fit herself into his side if she wanted.

His other hand pulled the box from his pocket. It wasn't heavy, barely the same weight as his lighter and he managed to stealthily tuck it under his thigh, if only for a short moment. "I picked up some groceries to make dinner later. Or we could go out. I'll leave it up to you." Asuma was simply happy to spend time with her. He always was. Nothing was going to change that. She was his person. She would be for as long as he lived.

Only a few more moments pass before he holds the box out to her. Nestled inside is a silver bracelet made up of joints that were delicately molded mimic the shape of vines and between each of them were small flowers made up of red, oval shaped gems. A small smile forms. It's soft, usually it's only reserved for her, and Asuma waits until she takes the gift before his hand is resting back in his lap. "Happy birthday. I love you."

Today of all days, Kurenai will pretend she doesn't wake when Asuma exits their bed. She remains like that until he returns, his weight dipping his side of the bed, and she turns into him as he offers her his arm.

Slowly, Kurenai pulls herself to sit beside him, fluffing out her bed hair as she does so so that it flies wildly around her shoulders. She leans against him and admires the box for a moment before looking up at him.

"I only need you, Asuma." She leans in to kiss him, soft and slow, before she finally accepts the box. Inside is a beautiful bracelet made up of vines and flowers, carefully and intricately woven together in a seamless circle. She smiles and holds out her slender arm to him.

"Put it on me?" He does so, carefully clasping it around her wrist, and she takes a moment to admire it. "It's beautiful, Asuma." Red ringed eyes lift to him. "Thank you."

[petalillusions]

"Hey, you okay? Did Tanamo get you too?" He asks as he walks over to where she was standing and reaches out to gently inspect the cut on her cheek. It didn't seem all that deep, nor did it look like it would scar but he still couldn't help but worry about her whenever he saw her with an injury. It went without saying Asuma would have been beside himself if she did.

As far as he could tell, she didn't have any other visible injuries. Good. A small smile tugs at the corners of his lips as he turns his head to glance at Akagahara Forest for a moment. "How'd your test go?"

"No, but our makeshift kunais tied to a wire did." She leans into his touch as he inspects the cut on her face, but her even tone and bemusement indicate that she's not hurt anymore than that.

Kurenai places her hand atop his and then pulls it down to clasp between her hands. "It went surprisingly uneventful. I feel as if we got extremely lucky. What about you?" Like herself, he bears a scratch, but little else.

[petalillusions]

"I told you I'd make it out of there okay. Though, yeah, I probably shouldn't have started smoking in there to begin with. You were right about that." Nothing he can do about it now but shrug it off. They passed their test, no one was caught, and that was all that mattered at the moment. And they still had some time to spare before the next test began.

The smile that forms on his face in the next moment is teasing as he leans back against the trunk of one of the trees near the academy. One of his hands is shoved into his pocket to start thumbing over the smooth metal of his lighter while the other cards through his hair. "That trapdoor was turned out to be pretty handy, huh? Also kinda cozy too." His tone is playful, that lilt in his voice is back again, and the smile he'd given her grows only a little bigger.

"As jounin, we have to set a good example for our students." He's been one longer than her but perhaps his leave of the village made him forget.

His smoking habits don't normally concern her unless she's trying to kiss him, but out on the field is a different matter. Exam or not, they needed to take it seriously. And not everyone in attendance is a resident of Konoha. It's left her more on edge than she's willing to admit.

Asuma though...nothing seems to phase him. Bringing up that at a time like this... Kurenai looks away and hopes the darkness hides the heat she can feel warming her cheeks.

She only just keeps her tone steady. He flusters her far too easily. "I may not be there to save you during the next trial."

[deercove]

"Hey, Shikamaru. Good work. I'm proud of you for taking the lead the way you did." Asuma smiles, walking over to the other and sitting down in the grass next to him. His back was against a tree, legs extended out in front of him and his gaze wanders up towards the moon still high in the sky.

Asuma's head turns back to his student, brows furrowed for moment when he remembers the way Shikamaru hesitated and his breath hitched through the mic. He hadn't had time to check in with him after the first test though the least he could do was ask. "I'm not judging you or anything but... I noticed you sounded a little unsure after you left the classrooms. Like the breath caught in your throat kind of nervous. There wasn't a whole lot of time to ask during this exam and we needed to focus but I wanted to know if you were okay or if there was something I could do to help if you needed it?"

Shikamaru had a pretty good idea what this conversation was going to be about even before Asuma took a seat.

A part of him had hoped that Asuma didn't notice, that perhaps his little mishap would be brushed aside as brute effort to get through the vents—but Asuma had watched over him all these years, always attentive, always there. Only a fool would try their hand at lying in his face.

Shikamaru was that fool.

"I'm outta shape." He feigned a yawn and tucked his hands behind his head as he laid back in the grass. "I wasn't expecting to be thrown into the Exam and made into a spectacle." At least, that's what he assumed this was all about. Entertainment for the feudal lords. Still, a heads up would've been nice.

Far above, a stray cloud floated across the night sky, its wispy tendrils curling for the full moon. It was the perfect excuse to draw his gaze away; he didn't trust himself to look at Asuma in the eye.

Asuma had enough to worry about. The nukenin. Chouji's health. Ino's love life. In comparison, Shikamaru was fine. He had nothing going for him physically, and he didn't give a damn about relationships. Sure, he had woken up drenched in cold sweat and gasping for air the past few nights, but that was just the byproduct of ...

Of what? Of nearly drowning? Of nearly letting his comrades' lives slip through his fingers while he toddled around with half-baked theories?

It wasn't the first time he had a close call, and in this line of work, it certainly wouldn't be the last time either. Everyone had their own burdens to carry. This was unfortunately his.

The same stray cloud drifted over the moon, cloaking them in shadows.

"... So, you and Kurenai-sensei."

He didn't really care, but he needed to change the subject.

"It's not my place to lecture you, but had this been a real mission ..." His lips curved into a faint smirk. "Should I start factoring in the possibility of you getting distracted?"

[deercove]

"There's not gonna be time to squeeze a nap in once things start picking up the pace. Better get that rest now while you still can." His voice is teasing, and the smile on face is small as he approaches where his student was laying in the grass and sat down next to him. He knew Shikamaru well enough to know he wouldn't fall asleep when there was work to do, or when stakes were high.

"I think you have the right idea. You've always been pretty good about conserving your energy." Asuma lays down now to stare up at the puffy clouds as they slowly floated across the light blue sky. Despite the tension being as high as it was already, relaxing in the moment is a little easier than he thought as he tucks one of his arms behind his head.

Sleep was once his safe haven.

Whenever the world got a little too much, he'd call it quits and find a quiet place to rest. But lately, he hadn't been able to do that.

Every time he closed his eyes, he'd see the bewildered look on the black market vendor's face when she stopped mid-spiel to say, Sarutobi Asuma. That caused a ripple effect to those gathered. Asuma, Asuma, Asuma, they whispered.

It reminded him of the strange faces he'd been seeing around Konoha—faces hidden by masks, figures cloaked in shadows, not doing anything but moving slowly, seamlessly, as if they were on a mission only they knew of.

"Asuma." He kept his eyes on the clouds.

Shikamaru didn't like asking questions. Life would be so much easier if he could stay blissfully ignorant. But this—this he had to know.

"Are they here for you?"

[petalillusions]

"Hey," Asuma approaches Kurenai from behind, one hand barely touching the small of her back before sliding past her to sit down near the open window. He's already got a cigarette between his fingers and his lighter in the other hand but he makes no move to bring it to his lips yet. He's keeping his focus on her. "Got anything you wanna take care of last minute? There's no way of knowing how hectic it's gonna get." Or if they were going to be separated and if there was going to be some sort of attack. The thought leaves him on edge but he ignores it for now. The exams hadn't even started yet, he shouldn't be so worried.

There was plenty of time to think of ways everything could go wrong but he needed to focus on where he was needed and what he could do, and right now, he was focused on Kurenai. The jounin sets his cigarette back into his pouch, and holds out his empty hand't to invite here into his space.

Newly purchased bomb tags and senbon lay among her tools. A kunoichi's tools that she still sometimes does not feel right to wield, but they are hers just as the title is.

Asuma's voice draws her attention and calms her all at the same time. Silent, sturns to look at him as he speaks.

"I've double checked that I have everything ready." She nods. "I'm prepared. What about you?"

She's silent for a moment and takes the time to fit her hand through his, intertwining their fingers and drawing closer to him. She fits perfectly in the space between his legs, enveloped by his presence. "Everything that has happened lately has me worried. Promise me that you'll be careful." Red-ringed eyes meet his. "Don't...do anything reckless."

It is a futile request for them. They both chose this life and the danger that comes with it. But hearing the words from him, no matter how true they are in the end, will make her feel more assured.