Kiraabi: Killer Beauty (UP FOR ADOPTION)

Old Dogs

"Koi," Naruto said the word, carefully...reverently, "you are so beautiful."

Sakura dropped her gaze to the blanket as she felt her check flush with heat. A smile managed to find its way across her features in spite of her embarrassment at being stared at. With a soft voice, Sakura managed to muster, "Arigato, Naruto-kun."

Sakura looked up to find herself lost in the deep blue of Naruto's eyes. The intensity of that blue made her heart pound as she whispered, " Ashiteru, Naruto-koi."

In that moment, Naruto forget everything - his ramen, the picnic, the mission...everything. Setting down his bowl, the nin leaned forward placing his hand upon hers and pulling gently. Without thought or hesitation, the young kiraa responded to the invitation, likewise forsaking her meal for the closeness of her koibitodoushi.

Without ever breaking their shared gaze, Naruto gently guided Sakura until she was seated on his lap. Naruto then captured Sakura's lips, savoring the feel and the taste. Sakura quickly found herself laid upon the blanket, held captive by Naruto's attentive kiss and gentle hands. Soft touches moved through her hair, along her neck to the cleft of her shoulder.

Sakura gasped out a deep moan as her kare peppered her skin with a string of kisses going along the most sensitive part of her neck.

"Wow," thought Inner Sakura as she eagerly returned his kisses, "he's really good at this!"

It was so easy to get lost in the good feelings given by his touch and kiss. Everything felt so right.

"They are looking for something. The Akatsuki have several camps dedicated to mining...it's something very valuable, but no one knows what they are looking for. The camps hire the men from nearby towns. At first there is nothing suspicious about the sites, but one year after every new dig site starts the workers begin to disappear, never returning home again. The digs recruit replacements for the lost workers, either with bribes or force, until there are no more able-bodied men available. Several villages near the fire country's borders have been left with almost no men of fighting age within the town."

Tsunade listened intently as Jiraiya related his latest intel. The news of the missing nin was distressing. Border villages left with only civilian women and children represented a threat to the Fire Country's security.

Jiraiya continued, "From what I could gather and see for myself, roaming gangs aren't a real problem either. It seems most of the villages welcome the men all-to-eagerly, almost throwing their unmarried daughters at them. So the villages aren't being attacked either. The situation leaves our boarders undefended and we still don't know what the Akatsuki are after."

The Hokage mulled over the full implications as Jiraiya finished his report then drank deeply from his cup.

"Hmm," Lady Tsunade mused aloud, "If the villages are not under attack, then what was the true purpose of requesting aid for the safe conveyance of the Shogun's daughters? What game is he playing at?"

"One of my contacts did tell me that recently the Shogun's guards have started to disappear. Maybe there is more here than meets the eye."

"Maybe," Tsunade agreed.

Once he was finished, she began to share her latest internal concern, with her valued friend and counselor. With such delicate matters, there were not many Tsunade could go to for counsel, historically too many parties looked for this type of opportunity to serve their own purposes. For now it was best to keep the details of the Haruno situation between her and her most trusted people: Jiraiya, Shizune and Kakashi. The two sannin ate their lunch and downed sake as the facts were shared.