As they walked along the dirt road, a small roadside shop came into view. It was a simple structure—wooden beams holding up a slanted roof, a few tables set outside, and the scent of grilled meat wafting through the air. The shop owner, an elderly man with a kind smile, stood behind a counter, flipping skewers over an open flame.
Kushina's stomach betrayed her before she could say anything, letting out a low growl. She quickly folded her arms, trying to act unfazed, but Travis had already heard it.
He smirked. "Sounds like someone's hungry."
She scoffed. "Shut up. I was going to eat when we reached the outpost."
"Yeah? And risk fighting on an empty stomach? Bad idea, princess," Travis said, stepping toward the shop. "Come on, my treat."
She hesitated, glancing at the sizzling skewers. The smell was too tempting, and she hated to admit it, but she was hungry. With a sigh, she followed him to the counter.
"Two meat skewers," Travis said, pulling out some ryo and handing it to the shop owner.
The old man nodded, quickly preparing the food before handing them each a skewer. Kushina eyed hers for a moment, then took a bite.
Her eyes lit up slightly. "Mmm…"
Travis grinned, watching her reaction. "Good, huh?"
She huffed, swallowing her bite. "It's decent."
"You mean delicious," he corrected.
She took another bite, clearly enjoying it despite her attempt to act indifferent. Travis leaned casually against the counter, eating his own skewer while watching her.
"You know," he said, "for someone who acts so tough, you're kinda easy to please."
Kushina shot him a glare. "You wanna get punched?"
He chuckled. "Hey, just saying. Food, a nice mission, good company—you must be having the time of your life."
She rolled her eyes but didn't argue. Instead, she focused on her skewer, finishing it quickly before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
Travis handed the old man a little extra money. "Thanks, old-timer. Best skewers I've had in a while."
The shop owner chuckled. "Glad you liked them. You two make a good pair."
Kushina choked slightly, coughing as she turned red—not from embarrassment, but irritation. "We're not a pair!" she snapped.
Travis laughed. "Yet."
She gave him a death glare, but he simply walked off, forcing her to catch up.
As they left the shop behind, she muttered under her breath, "Annoying idiot…"
Travis only smirked. 'She's warming up to me.'
.....
Travis didn't waste time fighting the Three-Tails, instead using his power. With a subtle shift in the story's flow, he ensured that a nameless villager from the Leaf would be chosen as its Jinchūriki. The battle that should have taken effort was reduced to a footnote, something that simply "happened" in the background.
With that settled, they began their journey back to the Leaf, stopping at a town within the Land of Fire to rest for the night. The town was bustling despite the late hour, warm lantern light spilling onto the streets as merchants packed up their stalls. The inn they chose was modest but well-maintained, the scent of fresh tatami and polished wood filling the air as they stepped inside.
Travis approached the front desk, a casual smirk on his lips as he placed some ryo on the counter. "We'll take a room for the night."
The innkeeper, a stocky man with a practiced smile, glanced at the money before shaking his head. "I'm afraid we only have one room left."
Kushina raised an eyebrow. "Only one?"
It was a lie, of course. Travis had made sure of that beforehand, slipping extra ryo to the worker to ensure this outcome. He played along, shrugging as if it didn't matter. "Looks like we're sharing."
Kushina huffed, arms crossing over her chest. "Tch, fine. But if you snore, I'm kicking you off the bed."
Travis chuckled, grabbing the key. "Fair enough."
The room was simple but comfortable. A single bed with crisp white sheets sat against the wall, a small table by the window, and a closet for storage. A dim lantern flickered on the nightstand, casting a warm glow over the space.
The two sat together for hours, their conversation flowing naturally. Kushina, despite her usual feisty attitude, had a softer side when she let her guard down. She spoke about her dream of becoming a strong kunoichi, of making the Uzumaki name proud, and of her struggles in the village.
Travis listened, nodding occasionally, throwing in a few jokes that made her roll her eyes but smirk nonetheless.
As the night deepened, Travis stretched and stood up. "I'm going to take a shower," he announced, grabbing a towel.
Kushina glanced at him, then quickly looked away, clearing her throat. "Uh, yeah, go ahead."
The sound of running water soon filled the room, and Kushina found herself sitting on the edge of the bed, lost in thought. She played with a loose strand of her red hair, frowning slightly.
'He doesn't plan on us doing anything else besides hanging out, right?' she thought, her fingers tightening in her hair.
The door creaked open, and Travis stepped out, steam drifting from behind him. His shirtless form glistened slightly with water, his well-toned physique on full display as he casually dried his hair with a towel.
Kushina's eyes flickered toward him before she quickly looked away, her face heating up.
"That was nice," he said, tossing the towel aside as he pulled on a shirt. "Aren't you taking one?"
She swallowed, forcing herself to focus. "Um… I'll do it in the morning. I should go to sleep." She slid under the covers, turning onto her side with her back facing him.
Travis smirked, watching her for a moment before turning off the lantern.
'How shy of her,' he thought as he lay back, hands behind his head, a satisfied grin on his face.
...
Morning came, and the soft light of dawn crept through the window, casting a warm glow over the room. The faint chirping of birds outside mixed with the distant sounds of the town waking up. Kushina stirred, blinking away the last remnants of sleep before realizing something—Travis was still out cold.
Not wanting to risk any awkward morning interactions, she quickly slipped out of bed and rushed to the bathroom. The sound of running water soon filled the room as she showered, letting the warm stream wash away the lingering drowsiness.
When she finished, she stepped out, her long red hair damp and clinging slightly to her back. She dried herself quickly before slipping into her clothes. With a determined nod, she walked over to the bed and shook Travis by the shoulder.
"Wake up, lazy ass. We need to get back to the village."
Travis groaned, stretching with a yawn before cracking open one eye. "Why the rush? Let's hang out here for a bit. I mean, what's the point of rushing back? You get home, and nothing interesting happens."
Kushina frowned, crossing her arms. He had a point. The moment she returned, it'd be back to her usual training and dealing with the villagers' stares. Nothing exciting ever really happened unless she forced it to.
'He's not wrong,' she admitted in her mind.
"Fine," she relented. "But tomorrow, we're leaving."
Travis grinned, pushing himself up. "Sounds good to me."
Just as he swung his legs over the bed, he suddenly paused, realizing something—he had gone to sleep in just his underwear. The cool air brushed against his skin, and before he could react, he noticed Kushina's eyes involuntarily drift downward.
Her gaze landed on the bulge in his briefs, and for a split second, time seemed to stop. Her face turned an alarming shade of red as her brain processed what she was seeing.
"Wha—?!" Her entire body tensed, and steam practically burst from her head.
Travis smirked, amused by her reaction.
Kushina's embarrassment quickly morphed into anger, her fist cocking back. "You perv!" she shouted, throwing a punch straight at his face.
But Travis was faster. He leaned back, dodging her strike with ease, his smirk growing wider. "Come on, it's not like you actually saw my cock."
"Fuck you!" she growled, swinging again.
Travis laughed as he effortlessly dodged each attack, moving just enough to stay out of reach. Her face was still red, her frustration evident as she kept trying to land a hit on him.
Then, in her blind rage, her foot caught on the edge of the rug.
"Ack—!"
She tripped forward, losing her balance. In an attempt to catch herself, she dropped to her knees—only for her forehead to collide directly with his crotch.
Thump.
Silence.
Travis blinked, staring down at the situation. Kushina was frozen, her forehead pressed against him, realization dawning on her at a painfully slow pace.
'This is… peculiar,' he thought, suppressing the urge to laugh.
TO BE CONTINUED