Healing Hands and Tedious Fingers

Chapter 10

(NPOV) I collapsed into my bed and curled into a naked ball. I was dead to the world. After lying in bed feeling sorry for myself all day, I finally got up. I put on some comfortable clothes and headed into town get some food. It wasn't long before Shikamaru found me on a bench, gazing at the bar across the street.

"Naomi, thank god, are you ok?" He said pulling me into a hug. "What did Kankuro do to you?"

I sighed and smiled at him. He really was my best friend. "He didn't do anything, this is my fault." I admitted.

"I assumed he was trying to get with me, and I was wrong, I shouldn't have said the things I did to him." I fiddled with my thumbs.

"Naomi, if you would just talk to him, I'm sure he would forgive you." He smiled down at me. He studied my face, I'm sure he noticed how it only got guiltier.

"I made a huge mistake." I said sadly, pulling my hair to the side.

"What is that? Oh Naomi, no." he rubbed his neck, as he sat by me. "Why did you go back to Kiba?" I rested my face in my hands.

"It was after I freaked out on Kankuro, I ran into him on the street, and I was weak." I looked at his serious face.

"I need to see him before he.." I started to say.

"He is gone already Naomi, I'm sorry but they left." He interrupted me, as he patted me softly on the back.

"Goddamit." I threw my head back in aggravation.

He put his arm over my shoulder as he stared off at the bar. "So you and Kiba then?" he asked.

"Look at him over there." I said snarling. Kiba stood there at the bar, with his arm on another girls shoulders. Laughing and having a great time. "He never loved me, not even last night." I sighed.

"I made a mistake, but I promise you, I won't ever make it again." He nodded in agreement, as we sat there in silence for a while.

"I need a favor from you though Shikamaru?" I smiled at him.

"Anything." He smirked.

"I need to send a letter to Kankuro." I made eye contact with Kiba across the street. I knew that by his face, he would have a hard time forgetting me when he took that young girl home tonight.

"What a loser." Shikamaru shook his head, we both laughed for a good moment before saying goodbye, and going our separate ways.

(KPOV) It had been a couple of weeks since I left the leaf village. I didn't waste much time feeling sorry for myself, instead I stayed in my room. I worked hard in my workshop on my puppets.

Temari knocked on the door to my "office" as I called it.

"Yeah?" I said aggravated at her disturbance.

"Hey brother." She said leaning on my bedroom door. "Gaara wishes to see you in the morning."

"Alright." I kept my reply short.

"Also, this came for you today." She placed a small envelope on my table and pushed it towards me, before turning around and leaving, closing the door hard behind her.

"What a bitch." I said as I sliced open the envelope. I narrowed my eyes and pinched between my eye brows, the letter was from Naomi. I stood up from my desk and walked over to the window by my bed.

*Dear Kankuro, I can only hope that you will take your time to read this letter. Over the past couple of weeks, I realized that I was wrong. I know that you may be just a one man, but I can't help feeling as if I misunderstood you. Not only did I think you were a creep, I actually went back to the biggest one of them all. I didn't intend on ever seeing Kiba again. I should have been nicer to you; the truth is I've been bitter since he broke my heart. As soon as I realized you were willing to be with me that way, I closed up. I guess I thought that all you had eyes for was sex. Then I go off and do exactly what I accusing you of wanting. To be honest, I don't think it would have been such a bad thing to be with you alone like that, I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about it. Kankuro, I want you to know that because of my fear of loving a man again, I learned a valuable lesson. I was weak, and I gave into Kiba's charm. I wish more than anything, I could go back. If I could I would have been a batter woman. I would have maybe started the beginning of a great friendship, quite possibly a relationship. I don't know if you will ever forgive me, I wouldn't forgive me either. Kiba never looked at me the way you did while we were at dinner, I get butterflies even now. I should have taken that into consideration then, but I was a fool and in return I hurt your feelings. To make things worse, I just had to run into you after my night with Kiba, and I know that only cut you even deeper. I want you to know I don't want to the "bitter bitch" you had called me that night. Also know that, if you were ever my man, I'd never break your heart. I hope to hear back from you. I promise I'm a better person than that, again I'm sorry.*

Sincerely, Naomi.

I read over her written words, carefully reading her message to me.

I laughed to myself. "She is a very complicated woman." I said to out loud.

I sighed rubbing the back of my neck, as I sat on my bed. The setting sun cast shadows on my walls, as I fell onto my back. I clinched the letter in my hand as I was in deep thought, should I give her another try? I crumbled the letter into ball using both hand and tossed it in my trash.

"No," I said standing suddenly. Why should I give her a chance? I barely knew her and though she was a very beautiful and a suiting woman for me, she was from a whole other land, a 2 to 3 day trip just to see her. I couldn't be entirely sure that she was as nice as she used to be, seeing that she proved me otherwise. And how was I supposed to know if she wasn't seeing dog boy the whole time? If I were to date her, she could be with him anytime I wasn't around.

It just didn't seem logical to me, I decided I wouldn't be writing her back. She was right to think that I thought about her in bed, of course I did. I'm a 21 year old ninja, and single at that. Plus with her wearing that sexy ass black and red dress, I could hardly stop looking at her. I'm pretty sure she had me hard from the moment I saw her that day at the hospital. That wasn't the only thing I thought about though, believe it or not. I would have been a true gentleman to her, and if she had decided to give into lust, I would have treated her like a real woman.

I sat back at my desk, fidgeting with Black Ant, another strong puppet of mine. I just needed to dedicate the rest of my free time to my work and forget about her, plain and simple.