He wandered toward the training grounds, watching from a distance. The Uchiha sparred among themselves, their Sharingan flashing in the sunlight. On the opposite side, non-Uchiha shinobi trained, separate, distant. No open hostility—just a quiet, unspoken divide.
He exhaled slowly. A hundred different ways to pry that gap wider flickered through his mind.
By the time he slipped back home, the sun was dipping low, painting the room in long, lazy shadows. The door clicked shut behind him, and he immediately felt her presence.
Pakura lounged in the corner, legs crossed, arms folded, her sharp eyes tracking him without a word. The flickering candlelight danced across her face, softening her edges but not the intensity in her stare.
Souta smirked, kicking off his sandals. "Miss me?"
Pakura tilted her head, unimpressed. "You were gone longer than usual."
He shrugged, crossing the room toward her. "Had to scope some things out."
She didn't reply right away, just watched him with that look she got when she knew he was scheming. Finally, she huffed softly. "Spit it out. What's brewing in that head of yours?"
Souta didn't answer immediately. Instead, he closed the gap between them in a few strides, bent down, and scooped her up into a princess carry with practiced ease.
Pakura's brows shot up, her arms snapping around his neck for balance. "Souta, what the hell—"
"Easy," he murmured, adjusting his grip as he grinned down at her. "I need to borrow you for something."
She shot him a flat look but didn't squirm out of his hold. "This your new way of sweet-talking me into your messes?"
"Hasn't failed me yet." He carried her over to the low table, plopping down cross-legged with her still nestled in his lap. "I need you in my corner for this one."
Pakura sighed, resting her chin on his shoulder like it was more trouble than it was worth to argue. "You're being cryptic again."
"Don't need you to know the whole play. Just be ready when I call."
Her green eyes flicked up to his, sharp and searching even in the dim glow. "You're cooking up something reckless, aren't you?"
"Not reckless," he said, smirking faintly. "Just… big."
Pakura narrowed her eyes. "You always talk like this before things get messy."
He chuckled, low and easy. "That's why you're the one I need."
Pakura let out a soft huff through her nose, clearly unimpressed with his attempt at charm, but she didn't press him further. "Fine. I'll back you up. But if this blows up in your face, you're digging yourself out."
Souta's smirk widened. "Duly noted."
She rolled her eyes, but the gesture lacked any real bite. Instead, she shifted in his lap, settling more comfortably against him like she'd resigned herself to his nonsense. "You can let me go now, you know."
He tilted his head, grin turning mischievous. "What if I don't feel like it?"
Pakura arched a brow, her tone dry. "Then you'll wish you had."
Souta laughed, leaning in closer. "Terrifying." His breath brushed warm against her skin as he dipped his head, pressing a slow, deliberate kiss to the side of her neck.
She tensed for a split second, but didn't pull away. His lips trailed lower, grazing her collarbone before he nipped lightly, coaxing a faint catch in her breath.
"Relax," he murmured against her skin, voice soft but teasing. "Just thanking my favorite backup."
Pakura snorted, though her fingers tightened briefly on his sleeve. "This isn't thanks. It's you being a pain in the ass."
Souta chuckled again, his teeth grazing her skin once more, leaving a faint mark. "Maybe." He kissed the spot soothingly. "But I think you like it."
Pakura suddenly pushed against his shoulder, her strength enough to make him stop. "We're not married," she stated firmly, her voice steady but her cheeks slightly flushed. "We can't go further than this."
He blinked, then leaned back with an amused grin. "That's your concern?"
"Obviously." She narrowed her eyes, shifting out of his hold. "And you should take it seriously."
Souta stretched lazily, unfazed. "So if we were married, I could do whatever I wanted?"
Pakura crossed her arms. "Not whatever you want. But you wouldn't be able to tease me like this without consequences."
He smirked. "Sounds like a challenge."
She sighed, standing up and dusting off her clothes. "It's a warning."
Souta watched her, still grinning. "Sure it is."
Pakura shook her head.
...
The moon hung low over Konoha, casting long shadows over the quiet village. Most civilians were asleep, and the patrols had begun their late-night rounds. It was the perfect time to move.
Souta crouched on a rooftop near the village cemetery, his eyes scanning the area below. The graves stretched out before him, neat rows of stone marking the resting places of those who had passed.
Pakura landed beside him silently, her presence a constant reassurance. "You're really doing this?" she whispered.
"Like I have a choice?"
Pakura exhaled, rubbing her temples. "There's a difference between being ambitious and being reckless."
"And I'm neither," he murmured. "That's why you're here—to make sure I don't get caught."
Pakura didn't look pleased, but she nodded. "Fine. But if this goes wrong, we're not fighting ANBU over some corpses."
Souta gave her a two-finger salute before dropping down into the graveyard, moving between the stones like a shadow. His steps were measured, careful. He had done his research—he knew which graves belonged to civilians who had been buried recently.
He knelt beside a fresh grave, the earth still loose. Digging by hand would take too long and make too much noise. That's where Pakura came in.
She landed beside him, forming a quick hand seal. A wave of heat pulsed from her palm, evaporating moisture in the soil, turning the dirt brittle and easy to move.
Souta didn't hesitate. He worked fast, his hands pulling away chunks of dried dirt until his fingers brushed against wood.
A simple casket. Nothing fancy. He pried it open, revealing the stiff, lifeless body within.
Pakura glanced at him. "One down. How many more?"
"Two," he whispered.
She muttered something under her breath but didn't argue.
They worked in silence, moving from grave to grave with the same efficiency. Each time, Pakura's Scorch Release dried the soil, making it easier for Souta to dig. Within half an hour, they had secured three bodies, their forms wrapped in thick cloth to conceal them.
The hard part was getting them out of the cemetery without being seen.
Souta glanced toward the patrolling shinobi in the distance. "How long until they loop back?"
Pakura narrowed her eyes, watching their movements. "We have maybe three minutes."
Souta grinned. "Plenty of time."
///
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