Internal Conflicts [Group | Mission]

{Thread Reference: Thrown Off Balance}

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A week would have passed since Ami had almost died at Sojiro's clinic. She had since returned to her own village and then come back again to Nikkousato, a new locket now replaced the shattered one with her antidote around her neck. She had come here for a mission, a collaborative one that involved protecting a merchant as they traveled between regions. The moon village had sent her and she was to work with one other person, from what she gathered. It would seem that the merchant in question was traveling a little beyond the moon village, which made sending her logical, as she had questioned many times before why they were always asked to work with sun shinobi. Not that she minded at all...

As she sat on the ever-so-familiar boulder outside of the Sun village gates, she would look around the desert plains. It definitely felt like her second home now, having spent more time here than in her own village. The girl heaved a sigh and waited patiently for her partner, her mission scroll in hand. Again she had failed to ask about a meeting place, hoping that whoever her partner was would instinctively find her. The weather as humid as ever, she took out a handkerchief and wiped the beads of sweat from her neck and face, at awe as to how sun shinobi could bear living with such weather. It was early afternoon, the sun casting its unforgiving rays down on her. She secretly hoped whoever it was would show up soon so she could escape the heat.

It had been about a week since Sojiro and Ami's last encounter in his office and, since then, a lot had changed with Sojiro. Some could say that the events that happened in this last week would forever shape the type of person that he was but, if you asked him, that was a dramatic assessment. Hikari Usagi had gone rogue and, despite his best efforts, the rabbit had managed to escape. It was probably hard to not hear about the rumors of the Rogue rabbit but, since it happened, Sojiro had actually been removed from the field. This would be his second mission back in the field since being forced to take medical leave to recover both physically and mentally from the damage he received. It was annoying but he wasn't someone to question orders that were given, especially if they were simply like this. He had enough staff that the clinic and dojo didn't suffer too heavily from his absence, but it was hard to teach people when the teacher wasn't around. Regardless, thankfully things would be able to start going back to normal with this mission.

He had been taxed with protecting a merchant as they traveled to the Moon Village, which honestly seemed like the village was coddling him. He wasn't going to let it bother him but there was no denying it; his first mission had been to protect a warehouse and now this? But, regardless of his personal thoughts on the matter, the man would have headed to meet the client and together they would travel towards the gates of the village. The client had taken refuge inside of the carriage, having a personal servant that was in charge of driving the carriage. This gave Sojiro the chance to sit on the roof of the carriage, crossing his legs underneath him and resting a hand on his lap. As they got closer to the gates, his nose had picked up the scent of someone that was familiar; Ami Hyuuga. Since the mission for Hikari, the village had actually started to give him more information about his missions, telling him that this woman was definitely his partner.

The carriage would come to a slow stop as it came out the gates, "Well this is a new sight, so it is possible for you to travel without getting roughed up." He would tease as he saw the girl finally, sitting on the carriage and looking down at the woman. Sojiro would move to stand, showing his new attire in its full, something that was much tamer than his old one. The man even had socks and a pair of sandals. He slid his right arm from underneath the coat that was resting over his shoulders, bending a bit so that he could offer Ami a hand up and onto the carriage, "Did you bring your medicine?" He asked but, as he would presumably help her onto the carriage, a soft breeze would blow through the area and something would catch her eye. Or, the lack of something. Sojiro's left arm was completely missing, from the shoulder down. Once they were on the carriage, it would start moving again and he would move to sit cross legged while facing ahead of them.

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The sound of a carriage approaching made Ami tilt her head upward, finding herself staring at Sojiro, perched on top of the vehicle. His attire was different, so different that she almost didn't recognize him. It was very surprising for her to see this change, as they had only met one week ago, although the circumstances of their meeting was quite different from what they were now. She assessed what she could see of his outfit and smiled, liking the fact that he looked less scary in normal clothing. Ami took his outstretched hand and hoisted herself on top of the carriage, her eyes softening as she listened to him. Although the tone in his voice was still the same as what it originally had been, his choice of words definitely improved. She ran her fingers over the locket around her neck and nodded her head when he asked her about her medication.

Was he showing signs of caring...?

She decided not to think so deeply of his words, knowing that he probably had only asked out of a doctor and patient relationship. This would be the second time she was to be his partner on a mission and she really hoped that it would go well. It suddenly dawned upon her that out of all the times they had crossed paths, she had always been injured or ill to some degree. As a soft wind blew, she would notice something...or the lack of something that made her eyes narrow. The smile that she had given him immediately tensed, her eyes drifting to his arm and then slowly to his face. Ami didn't conceal her surprise, her alarm and her worry as she raised a hand to where his arm should be, giving a small gasp as she was met with nothing but air. "W-what....w-where..." she couldn't formulate a coherent question, her eyes not leaving Sojiro's face.

What happened to him? It had only been a week and he went and lost an arm?! The young woman struggled to comprehend, thinking that maybe it was just a prank he wanted to play to mess with her emotions. But no...no matter how crude a person was, they would never go to such lengths, she concluded. Then where was his arm? At that fleeting moment she had forgotten that they were going on a mission, or the fact that they were sitting on top of a moving carriage with a client inside. She was only concerned for the doctor beside her.

Sojiro would watch the woman's hand as it had gone to touch her necklace, his eyes seemingly leaving her hand and instead trailing her body for a moment. Perhaps it was because she had always gotten injured, or they had met in the dark, but he had never actually taken a moment to admire the woman as... Well, as a woman. His eyes didn't hide the fact that, for that moment, they enjoyed the presence of her form and eventually found their way to her face. She was kinda cute, too. But, by the time his eyes had come back to her face, her eyes had found something on his body as well. Or, something that wasn't on his body. As she reached a hand out to grab at where his arm used to be, he would furrow his brows, "Well, that was just rude." He would state, though not with any actual anger.

The man would still have taken his seat, despite the woman being shocked by the lack of his limb. The man would shrug his own shoulder in response while tapping the spot on the carriage next to him, motioning for her to join, "It's kind of a crazy story. But the short version is, I lost it in a bet." He would give a small laugh, offering the woman a grin that was almost... Charming? His attention would then turn back to the desert that was in front of them, the weird hybrid of camel and horse creature that was pulling the cart having absolutely no troubles tugging them along the road. As it currently, was, Sojiro didn't pick up on anything odd with his nose in the surrounding area. That meant that all of the enemies had decided to start hiding their scent, which was unlikely, and instead, it seemed that they would be safe for the moment being. As the cart continued to move, he would move to lay back and put his only arm behind his head so he could use it as a pillow. His eyes would shut and, in that moment, he looked almost peaceful as he would converse with Ami.

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Ami immediately retracted her hand when she heard him comment that the gesture was rude. Indeed it had been uncalled for, not many people would just grab a person's arm or the lack of one for no real reason. Her eyes remained on his face, still trying to figure out what had happened to him. As she pulled her arm back, she took the chance to study Sojiro. It made her realize how little of his face she had actually seen even though they had met now four times? Each of their previous encounters had been either after sunset or she was too busy being beaten up to notice what he looked like. Sojiro was handsome, his features slightly rough, which matched his personality well.

She would take the seat next to him, watching the clouds above. It was a peaceful day, and peaceful days were few and far between. He had lost an arm in a bet?! What kknd of twisted bet had he been in? The smile he gave her was charming, and she found herself blush without realizing. Ami quickly turned her head away from the man and cast her eyes downward. The girl had always regarded him as a skilled medic, and had maintained a strict doctor patient relationship with him. For the first time she saw him as something more, as a normal guy. "That medicine, how did you know?" Her voice was soft, and her question sudden, referring to the bowl of medicine he had given her the last time they had met. 

Although it didn't show on his face, there was a big part of Sojiro that was grateful when the woman didn't pursue further about his injury or how he lost it. He would rather not have to shut her down, seeing it was something he didn't want to talk about. Not that he cared about it, it was just in the past. Before his mind could go spiraling down those train of thoughts, Ami had started to speak and it broke him out of the partial trance he had fallen into. He would turn his head towards her and blink, "Oh, that. Other patients have similar heart conditions, so I'm used to making my own concoctions." Which was true but not the reason why he was able to help her. The actual reason was the fact that Sojiro had implanted a second heart into himself, which was unknown to anybody, and had needed to take the medicine to while his body adjusted over the course of several weeks.

He was lucky the same concoction ended up working for her, "I'm glad that it worked though. If you don't mind me asking, how did it compare to your normal medicine?" Although it was a very doctor-like question, it was asked in a fairly calm and relaxed manner. His gaze would fall back to the cloudy sky ahead as he appreciating the views from his laid down position. When Ami wasn't looking at him directly, his eyes trailed the shape of her shoulders and her neck, before drawing his eyes away suddenly. What the hell had gotten into him? Taking a deep breathing, he would shift his eyes close and cross one leg over the other and then releasing the breath as an annoyed sigh.

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"I'm glad that it worked though. If you don't mind me asking, how did it compare to your normal medicine?"

She had never thought about the answer to that question, trying to recall what she had experienced after taking the medicine. Her usual antidote worked much slower and had more of a gradual numbing affect. But the medicine he made for her gave her relief quite quickly, although perhaps the strong dosage had made her heart palpitate more than usual. Ami remembered that the medicine made her drowsy, as though laced with a sleeping pill. "It worked a lot faster, though the side effects came on stronger and they were a little different from my usual medicine." Indeed, her side effects were usually not drowsiness but nausea and stomach problems. It amazed her that two different medicine could both work on her illness.

As the carriage rolled along, she shifted in her spot, watching the passing clouds above. Of course she didn't notice Sojiro stealing glances at her. And she would hope that he would not notice her do the same, her eyes resting softly on his very distinct facial features. Underneath the strong and rough exterior, Ami could see the gentleness of a man, of a doctor. Her lavender eyes would rest on his face for a moment, travel down to his body before looking away in the opposite direction again, her face revealing her sentiments. She couldn't believe that she was captivated by this man, his demeanor and personality fascinating, since she already had Keiji. The woman would shake her head a little, as though to shake unnecessary thoughts away, not meeting Sojiro's gaze.

For awhile, they seemed to keep missing each other's gazes and that would be fine but as the moments passed, Sojiro began to question himself. Why was he only stealing glances? That was so uncharacteristic of him, he was not a shy man or bashful. He would stop thinking about that for a moment as he considered the woman's response, softly nodding his head, "Hmm... I see. A few tries and I'm sure I could get rid of the side effects completely..." He wasn't exactly talking to Ami in that moment, the look on his face showed that he had slipped into deep thought in that moment and was thinking out loud. It shouldn't be too hard to get a more refined combination by the time, he just had no reason to perfect the medicine since he had no reason for it anymore. Regardless, he would shake his head and come back to reality, "Though, that's up to you. I'm not really going to force you to do anything unless you're into that." He said with a soft laugh.

His eyes had started to stare at her form again, brows pressing together for a moment but this time he didn't look away. He found some of his lost confidence so, as the woman would move her face to try and steal a glance at him, she would find him looking at her. If she didn't look away, his eyes would trail up from her form to meet her eyes confidently before giving a small wink. Now that had felt right, waiting to see her reaction before he would relax his head against his arm again and turn his attention back towards the ceiling. As they traveled across the desert and towards the greenery of the fields that the Kataki Road took them by, the scents in the air changed but nothing seemed like it was getting closer.

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"Though, that's up to you. I'm not really going to force you to do anything unless you're into that." Ami would turn her attention back to Sojiro, listening to him. He was an amazing doctor, his skilled unmatched by anyone she had ever met. The thought of not having side effect every time she took her medicine would be such a relief for her. It would mean less pain and agony, two sensations she had wanted to rid of all these years. The girl would nod her head slowly, her hands reaching to the clasp of her locket. She proceeded to take the locket off of her neck, and handed it to Sojiro. "For your experiment and research..." she whispered. The locket was of intricate design, in the shape of a purple butterfly. The wings part could open to reveal her small antidote.

And then silence would fall on them once more as she focused on the sound of the carriage taking them past fields of desert land. She had never sat on top of a carriage before, quite enjoying the openness and freedom it gave. Ami struggled and battled her desires to steal glances at the medic beside her. Thankfully the couple of times she had had gone unnoticed. She shook her head, trying to focus on Keiji, thinking of what he could be doing at that moment. It was no use though, for when she turned her head subconsciously in the direction of Sojiro, she would notice that his stare. The confidence in his eyes as they locked into hers was definite and unwavering. She found herself unable to take her eyes off of his, mesmerized by what they were trying to communicate. She felt her heart beat faster, if not skip an entire beat as they held each other's gaze. She hadn't stared this deeply into anyone's eyes except for Keiji's.

There was a difference...a difference between the two men, even with their gaze. Though they both exhibited confidence, Keiji's was soft and loving, his emotions brought forth in his eyes. But Sojiro gave a more defiant stare, as though to hide instead to bring forth any emotion he had. The wink he would give her then took her breath away, her blush deepening though unable to look away. She had begun to appreciate this man for more than just his profession and it was beginning to scare her.

When she had taken off the locket and offered it to him, he would take it from her carefully with the only hand that he had. He would rotate his body a bit, putting the necklace in the shinobi pouch that rested on the lower part of his body. As time had passed and eventually their eyes had met, there was a moment of tension that Sojiro was not used to. Her face turned a deep shade of red and his brow raised, had she been feeling the same way that he had? No, he could tell by the look in her eyes that she was much more innocent than him; but that only made the situation tenser for him.

Sojiro would slowly, though easily, move into a sitting position with his legs still stretched in front of him. The way that he came up would close the distance between their bodies, pressing a part of his bare chest against the woman's arm and bringing his face inches from her. The action was quick and possibly deadly, as though he was going to claim her lips in a fierce and passionate embrace... But, the moment before impact, Sojiro would have stopped. He would speak in a low voice, his lips brushing against hers, "Won't your boyfriend be mad~?" The man asked, with a smirk toying at his lips. Sojiro didn't much care about their relationship, he could enjoy a carnal pleasure and then move on, but the three of them had been on a mission a bit ago... And he saw the way that the boy looked at her, and the way she looked at him. Is this something she could do?

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The closing of the distance, the touching of their bodies sent static-like shock through her veins. In mere seconds, the man's face was inches from hers, smelling his breath close. The girl's eyes widened as his lip gently brushed over hers, the intensity of his eyes speaking otherwise as he toyed with her. The mechanics of a player, or one who at least had a lot of experience in capturing the attention of women. That was how she felt at that moment. His gaze spoke volumes to her, even though it may have been misinterpreted volumes. To her it seemed rather impossible for him to see her the same way Keiji saw her, at least from their few interactions.

She took a moment to think, her eyes still holding his gaze. The soft brush against her lip had softened her resolve, though the conflict in her mind hadn't. She wanted to kiss him, an insane and unfair desire she knew, but she would exhibit the very little self control she had left inside of her. Her gaze dropped to the ground but her hand would find its way to his one arm, holding it gently. It was questionable why she was touching him, but something within her wanted to. She heaved a soft sigh before her eyes would once more travel to his face, searching in his eyes for an answer she didn't even know she was looking for.  

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Perhaps the touch on his arm had come so suddenly for him that he thought of it as an invitation to kiss her. Or perhaps she had given him mixed signals. But her eyes widened a fraction as he moved in, until the distance between them ceased to exist. The kiss he gave her was not definitely not one she had ever experienced. There was no passion even though it was strong, taking away her breath for a moment as he held her in the kiss. Unlike the kisses she had shared with Keiji, Sojiro's lacked in not technique, but in love, something that gnawed at her insides. It bothered her so much that she found herself drawing away from his kiss, after a moment of being caught unprepared.

It wasn't that she didn't like his kiss...it wasn't that at all.

But it angered her to be kissed not out of love or any feeling whatsoever. She found it a little hurtful that he had only kissed her probably because she was a woman, not because she held any special place in his heart. As she drew from him, her hand would go to touch his lips, to stop him. Ami tried to suppress the anger that she was feeling inside because she wasn't exactly angry at him per se. He had acted on the moment, and she had allowed it, but she knew that if she had put any feeling into it it would be the end of her.  "Sojiro..." she whispered, her eyes holding his gaze. It was unlike her to not look away out of embarrassment or anxiety when being confronted. "Don't give me a reason to misunderstand..." she would finish the sentence, hoping that he understood. She did feel something for him, feel something that was not just what he felt for her, she was sure, and she didn't want to admit it to him. Because when a woman puts in more emotions than a man, she would already have lost the battle known as love.

As she looked into his eyes, she wouldn't find the same kind of expression looking back at her. It wasn't that he was incapable of caring but something as deep and intimate as love, the man in front of her didn't think he was capable nor did he want to be. There was a slightly disappointed look on his face as he let out a soft breath before giving a soft shrug of his shoulders, "If you're sure." Was the nonchalant response from the man as he moved back from her and onto his back, sliding his right arm underneath his head for a pillow again and turning his gaze upwards. He didn't seem bothered by being rejected, what was there to be upset about? He had been the one who reminded her of her boyfriend, he wasn't in the habit of swirling up drama just for fun.

He would slide his right leg over his left, watching the clouds passed and they continued on their travel together. As breeze would roll over the area and the man would close his eyes in that moment, enjoying the way it felt as it caused his clothes to flutter. Unless she spoke, a bit of time would pass before he would ask with a smirk on his lips and raised brow, "I'm assuming you still want me to work on your medicine, right?"

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It was a battle of emotions she had not expected to have. In fact, it scared her a little that the conflicted even existed in the first place. As he drew away, her fists clenched, her knuckles turning white as she bit the bottom of her lip. What was wrong with her? Why was she suddenly faltering, doubting? She had...liked the kiss he gave her, something she would never will herself to admit and as she stole another glance at him, her eyes took in a different man than she had come to know. The cold and calculated him was replaced with someone warmer. Although it still stung that his actions were not out of feeling but pure desire. It made her angry...ever so slightly.

The girl would only give him a small nod at his question about her medicine. She tugged at her locket mindlessly, having never doubted Sojiro as a doctor. She found her eyes drifting towards him, resting on his face more times than she had expected. The girl tried to look away, look up at the skies, but they seemed to find themselves back to his face. There was no blush, but her face held that painful expression that was a woman trying to fight her emotions. Ami only hoped Sojiro wouldn't ask her for if he did she was sure she would give into her last resolve.

Sojiro would let his eyes glance over at the woman as she nodded her head to his question, "Sounds good to me, then." The man would say before letting his eyes slip closed again. He had taken in the details of the woman when looking at her, the confusion in her face and the emotions that she seemed to be dealing with. It hadn't been his intent to start the hurricane in her mind, though it wasn't something that he took personal blame for. Sojiro thought about how it could come back to bite him in the ass if word ever got back to Keiji, but that wasn't something he was worried... At least, not in regards of it getting deadly. Whatever happened, if it happened, probably wouldn't be pretty.

But, regardless of his thoughts, Sojiro wouldn't comment on it. Unless provoked, the man would close his eyes while resting on his arms. With one leg crossed over the other, he would fall into a state somewhere between napping and being awake, relying on his nose to keep him alert to any dangers that could approach them. But as it was, the journey seemed safe so far.

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Her heart fluttered and was still skipping a few beats as she bit the bottom of her lip mindlessly. Her hand instinctively traveled to her heart, her expression still a little pained. The girl would look at Sojiro's face one more time before turning her attention to the skies above, her mind still in a whirlwind of emotions. At least the mission was calm, and the journey peaceful, which was probably good enough for her for the sake of her emotions. Ami sighed heavily, her heart still beating rapidly. The carriage rolled on and the two of them would sit in silence.