I do not own any Naruto charaters or settings.  I only own my OC, Akuma Izoku.

This chapter does not describe any blood or violence.  

I hope you enjoy the story of Izoku, Avenger of the Akuma Clan of the Village Hidden in the Shadows!

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The giant wooden doors ground against the concrete below them; as the two entered, they were required to present their papers, which had been taken care of by Niramu and Bimu earlier.  After the process of citizenship was completed, the Shadow shinobi up front nodded at them in greeting as they passed through.

“Welcome to In'ei.” A dark-haired Jonin greeted Izoku with a flirty smile. Blushing, she cracked a small smile and responded in a small voice.

“Arigato, Misuta-san.” She batted her eyelashes.

Kakashi appeared at her side at once, his dark eye filled with some sort of dark aura. He put a protective arm around her waist, pulling her close to him. Izoku, though little shocked, relaxed a little as she guessed it was only to emphasize their “lovey-dovey couple” act.

“Let's go, darling,” he rumbled, glaring at the shinobi, who looked away, a little embarrassed at his rash and senseless move. Izoku just giggled.

The two walked into the village without any suspicious activity, Kakashi's arm still around Izoku's waist. As she walked next to him, she felt him shiver a little bit as her head leaned on his shoulder; she looked up at him with cute eyes.

“So, sweetheart, what do you want to do?” She smiled.

Kakashi looked down at her with an expression mixed with strain and anxiety.

“I don't know." He shrugged, putting his free hand in his pocket. His eyebrow raised in surprise.

“What is it?” Izoku asked.

Kakashi furrowed his eyebrows.

“This.”  The shinobi pulled out a heavy pouch of coins, thick and glorious.

“Kami.” Izoku smirked. “Niramu-san didn't have to go so far with the money.”

“From the looks of it, we'll be staying here for at least a month.” Kakashi quickly stuffed the money back in his pocket. “We'll need some jobs if we're to blend into the village.”

“Right.” Izoku nodded, releasing her hand on his hip. His hand quickly grabbed hers to put it back in its previous place, shocking her.

“Uhh...” He scratched the back of his head cocking to the side. “J-just avoiding suspicions at all costs, that's all.”

“Hmmph.” Izoku smirked again, an evil glint in her violet eyes. “You can't just get enough of me can't you, dear?”

Kakashi gulped and grinned nervously.

“I guess not, sweetheart,” he chuckled, ruffled a little bit.

“First thing's first.” Izoku pointed to the south neighborhood enthusiastically. A piece of her died inside her heart. “Our apartment Niramu-san promised us.”

Kakashi nodded in agreement and the couple started walking in the direction Izoku had directed them to. The stroll was quite peaceful; the villagers had stands erected on every corner of the streets, selling various items such as food, stuffed animals, and exotic goods.

“Would you like to try our rare yutaka midori sencha green tea?” an older man asked them as they walked past.

“Ooh.” Izoku pressed an interested finger on her bottom lip. “I'd love to!”

Okaasan always made the best tea. Izoku's thoughts filled with sorrow as she sipped some tea samples. I miss her tea.

“Arigato!” Izoku waved to the old man as she walked away with Kakashi, a small bag of tea leaves in hand. He stuffed his hand in his pocket walking on the cobblestone streets as Izoku ran up to him to grab his arm childishly. She giggled as they passed more stands, Izoku stopping at some to look at the goods of her old home that she used to enjoy so much.

They finally reached their apartment, Kakashi finding the key in the same pocket as the money and pulled it out. He unlocked the knob and turned it, revealing a well-kept room with a kitchen, a couch in the middle, and a separate room that led into the main room by a small hallway.

"Kawaii-desu.” Izoku grinned. She stepped in and took off her dark ninja sandals, Kakashi doing the same. She plopped the bag of tea leaves on the kitchen counter, collapsing on the couch. She snuggled into one of the pillows as she sighed, breathing in the clean scent of laundry from the soft fabric.

“I'm taking a shower.” Kakashi announced as he passed her. “After that, we should go out for some dinner.”

“Sounds good,” Izoku sighed again. “But I'm taking a shower also before we go.”

“Alright.” He shut the door to the bathroom. The sound of running water soothed Izoku's ears as she laid across the couch; she had always loved rain, and since it was a rarity in the valley, she cherished every moment of the sounds of any running water. She closed her eyes to rest them, stinging a little as she shut her eyelids. The sound of water ran on for twenty minutes before it stopped. Reluctantly, Izoku got up from the couch and stumbled over to the bathroom door, dizzy from getting up too fast.

Kusso. Izoku held her throbbing head. This is why I'm always so careful about getting up so quickly...I hate this feeling...

She bumped into something wet and rock-solid. She looked up as she saw a towel-covered Kakashi, his chest exposed but his face still covered by his black mask.

“G-gomen'nasai!” she squealed as she jumped back. Kakashi just chuckled. He walked past her and into the bedroom.

“It's fine." He smiled. “I wonder if they stocked this place up with any more clothes...?”

“I-I'll be in the shower.” Izoku bit her lip as she slipped into the bathroom.

“Mm,” Kakashi grunted as he rummaged through the dressers. “Ahh, here it is! Fresh laundry!”

Izoku just chuckled and locked the door. She stripped herself from her clothes and immediately hopped into the shower, glad that the hot water could beat against her sore muscles and wash away the dirt and grime away from her skin. She showered for thirty minutes, enjoying the soothing hot water before getting out to dry herself. She wrapped her hair in a towel and then covered her body in another. She unlocked and peeked out the door.

“Oi, Kakashi-kun!” she called out. “Is there anymore clothes for me?”

“It's in the top draw of the dresser in the room!” he called from the kitchen.

“Arigato!” She quickly ran into the room directly across the hallway and closed the door. She picked through the pieces of clothes, all very dark in the color scheme. She picked out a dark purple kimono top with light sakuras reaching across from the side and a baggy pair of black knee-length shorts with elastic at the ends. She tied the purple obi-like fabric Bimu had given to her earlier across her waist and then brushed her hair with a comb, also provided by Niramu and Bimu, laying neatly in the drawer. She towel-dried her hair and then combed it again, drawing the smooth wood through her hip-length raven hair. She looked in the mirror, rubbing underneath her eyes and her high cheekbones before going outside.

Kakashi was dressed in a dark gray t-shirt with dark long pants, his black mask and strip of fabric still on his face. He looked at her and raised his eyebrow in curiosity.

“I like the top,” he commented.

“Yeah, me too.” Izoku smiled. “Sakuras are my favorite flowers.”

“They're pretty.” He nodded.  His eyes flickered to her face.

The two stood there awkwardly for a moment.

“I think we should treat ourselves to something,” Izoku suggested. “As a celebratory dinner for being promoted to ANBU and for tasting food besides onigiri for the first time in three days.”

“I agree.” Kakashi laughed, starting towards the door as Izoku followed closely behind him.

“Where do you want to eat?” Izoku asked him as they walked through the lantern-lit streets. The night sky above them shimmered with twinkling stars.

“Wherever you want to eat.” He shrugged.

“I know –” Izoku stopped herself, clearing her throat. “I heard of this one hot pot place in the middle of town...when I was talking to the vendors on the streets. Maybe we should go there?”

“Sounds delicious.” Kakashi smiled, blushing as his belly growled.

Izoku laughed.

“Hot pot it is!”

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Comment!  Remember to comment, PLEASE!  Stay tuned for the next chapter!  (This one was short, gomen'nasai!)  Anyhow, please vote and follow me!  And as always, thanks for reading!