Naruto: The Prince of Lust

KURENAI

Sitting comfortably on Kurenai's couch, cups of tea and an empty box of dango on the coffee table, Kurenai just finished explaining last night's dinner with Naruto, Karin, and Hinata. Kurenai remained silent, waiting on her pensive friend.

The choice to remain silent was finally broken with a short snicker. Slumping her shoulders, Kurenai exhales as her dearest friend gradually chuckles louder. The erotic kunoichi manages to yell, "are you fucking shittin' me?!" before laughing out loud. The dark-haired woman leans back, holding her gut as she laughs for several long minutes, till she's leaking from her eyes and hurting from her jaw and abdomen.

"Anko," Kurenai eventually groans.

She can't completely stop snickering, however, she calms down enough to apologize. "I'm sorry, babe," she says. "It's just- come on! The same fucking thing? The same situation twice in one year? It's insanity! Asuma had to be the escort for that bitch-princess and now Naruto has to escort the Kazekage's daughter!"

"It's not funny," Kurenai groans around rubbing her frustrated face. "And it's not the same-"

"You have to tell him," Anko interjects rubbing the laughing-tears from the corners of her leaking eyes.

Shaking her head with some confusion, Kurenai asks, "tell who what?"

"Oh don't even try to spin that nonsense with-"

Kurenai cuts in, "it's not nonsense-"

To which Anko easily cuts in, "I'm not an idiot-"

Leading Kurenai to interject, "I didn't say you were but don't just assume-"

"You're falling for him! For Naruto," Anko yells, silencing Kurenai. "Why else would this bother you enough to tell me? Because you're like, really and properly falling-"

"I'm not-"

"You are," Anko maintains. "You are, and stop bullshitting a bullshitter."

Kurenai begins to say, "I…" however, can't quite separate her thoughts from her emotions and it's unclear to her what she wants. It still amazes her that Naruto can matter this much to her; that she's truly considering a public and committed relationship with him. But it's not what's expected of her. What if it doesn't work? Would her father approve? Would her Hokage approve? Is their relationship fine as it is? Kurenai is bombarded with questions she can't answer without some perspective. It's why she immediately called Anko. Exhaling, Kurenai simply talks to her friend.

"Anko, I know for sure I love parts of him and really really like all of him," Kurenai begins. "He's just amazing, plain and simple. Someone who's suffered so much for so long and still cares that much about his village is almost impossible to imagine in our world, but I see it in him every day. He's handsome and strong… really strong. In fact, I'm fairly certain he can be promoted to a special-Jōnin on his Fūinjutsu acumen alone."

"That's hilarious," Anko quips with a snort. Having read the genin's jacket, Anko knows a great deal about the blond and comments, "Uzumaki Naruto, the dead last of his class being bumped up to the brain sect with all the other geniuses. Kami, who would've thought, eh?"

"He's just full of surprises," Kurenai replies. Blushing, she honestly adds, "and the sex… it's, well, otherworldly. He's a beast and I can't keep up anymore."

"Mnn, do tell," Anko seductively voices with a coy grin.

Ignoring her friend's lewdness, the raven-haired beauty speaks, "there are so many reasons why he's great, but that's not love; not romance. When Asuma and I were together, every day was pure joy. I felt so loved and beautiful and energized and smitten and nothing in this world seemed insurmountable so long as I loved him and he loved me."

Earnestly, Anko asks her confused friend, "and you don't feel the same for Naruto?"

"No," Kurenai sadly answers.

"I guess I'm screwed then," Anko huffs.

Focusing her curious gaze on her friend, Kurenai asks, "what do you mean?"

Anko prefaces her answer by asking a question. "Does that mean you can't love Naruto or someone in a different way?" Kurenai isn't sure how that relates until Anko further explains, "what you just described when you and Asuma were together is the type of love I hear all these young bitches gush about like it's the single most amazing thing in the world. Not that I'm knocking you for it, but, five, six years ago, you were the same. That's romanticism and if that's the only way to have that long-haul love, then I'll never find someone because I can't stomach shit like that."

"It's not the only way to love someone," Kurenai admits. With considering, the red-eyed Jōnin states, "your love will be different from my love but that certainly doesn't say you can't wake up every day just thrilled to be alive, in love, and full of hope."

"I get that," Anko agrees, adding, "and that sounds nice."

"It is," Kurenai assures her.

However, Anko's face winces as she slowly affirms, "a little too nice."

Tilting her head so her lush ebony hair slides farther along her shoulder, Kurenai groans, "Anko…"

"No, babe," Anko protests. With animated hands and a head full of steam, Anko argues, "I like the sound of that, really, I do, but, rhetorical question here; who's dick is currently fucking you into high heaven? Are you going to blame not currently being with Asuma on timing, circumstance, or your careers? As if things like that are strong enough to erode that life-long pure joy?" With racing thoughts, Kurenai remains silent and Anko continues to say her piece. "In my rather humble observation, a long-lasting healthy relationship needs more than just that frilly love or, by definition, it's not as strong as it can be. It's like you tell your brats, you need more than one skill up your sleeve or you don't make it in this world. You love Asuma but as great as your love was, as much joy as you had, you aren't together. You guys didn't have the… whatever else you needed to get that mission success."

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