Crow's feathers - Naruto fanfiction

Chapter 32 The choices we make

Taryn sighed as she stared out of the window of the room she was sharing with her team. It was raining. Of course it was. So close to the border of the village hidden in the Rain, the weather was bound to get affected.

The boys had been staring at the falling water for quite some time. Growing up in the dry climate of the desert, they hadn't experienced much rain in their life. Nonetheless, Taryn wasn't sure why they were so fascinated by it. Whatever it was, it had lost its magic effect and now they were spread across the room, trying to occupy themselves.

She looked up when there was knock on the door and went to open it. One of the maids of the inn handed her a note and hurried away again. Taryn stared at it confused and glanced down the porch in both directions, but couldn't find anything suspicious. She closed the door again and opened the note, unaware of her team watching her.

She crumbled the note and stared back at the window where the rain continued to fall.

"Are you going to see him?" Daro's voice sounded from the other side of the room. Taryn looked up in surprise. "It's from him, isn't it?" Daro asked, "are you going?"

There was anger in his eyes. Taryn turned back to the window. Her voice was empty when she answered him. "Are you going to stop me Daro?" she turned to him again.

The atmosphere in the room was heavy. Kuro and Hiro watched them concerned. Suddenly Daro flew out of his seat. "Why?!" He was trembling from withheld anger. "He's a traitor and a criminal!"

Taryn walked up to him. Her eyes were cold. "It has nothing to do with you."

"All he ever does is hurt you! Why do you go to him every single time?!"

Taryn saw the shimmer in his eyes and reached out to him. She pressed his head against her shoulder. The moist that was leaking in her neck indicated that he was crying. "Kuro, Hiro, step outside will you," Taryn said without looking at them.

Kuro stood up slowly and silently tugged Hiro with him who was looking from Daro to Taryn and back with a confused expression. "See if you can find some restaurant where we can eat later," Taryn said.

The sound of the rain grew louder and died away again as the door opened and closed.

Daro pushed away from Taryn and turned his back on her. He leaned on a nearby table and refused to look up.

"Daro," Taryn's voice was calm now. "You can be angry with me, even hate me, but you will do it to my face. Look at me!"

"You wouldn't understand," Daro muttered.

"Try me!" Taryn snarled.

Daro turned around with anger tears in his eyes. His hands were tightened in fists. "He doesn't deserve you! He's a criminal!"

"I was a criminal once too," Taryn reminded him.

"But not anymore! Why would you still want him when there are so many other guys you can choose from?!"

Taryn stared at him. She hadn't seen that one coming. "Daro... you're fifteen..."

Daro looked down. Still trembling he muttered, "it's not my fault my parents didn't have me sooner."

Taryn stared at him sadly, not sure how to handle this. "Daro..."

"I would protect you!"

Taryn took a step forward. "You're a sweet..."

"Don't," Daro said and turned away from her, "Don't say it."

"Say what?" "Sweet 'boy'. I'm not a child!"