A Little to Late

 

Akira was back at Akatsuki base while Ren was at school; she was in the bedroom at Pein's desk thinking about Mayuri. As the thought more about her, the more she became familiar to her.

Why do I feel I have met her before? She pondered, her history, her stipulation, her appearance… this all seem…familiar to me, but why?

As Akira could recall in her childhood before her village was destroyed, she did know that her mother was a spell caster, but she did not know if it was her mother that cursed Mayuri. Akira continued to sit at the desk trying to figure it all out.

"How are things going?" I familiar voice said.

She looked up, it was Pein, "Good so far, but something about Mayuri keeps my mind wondering. She seems so familiar to me, but I don't know why." She looked up at Pein, "Pein, by any chance do you have her information that's more… in depth?"

"I'll see what I can offer,"

While she waited, she recapped events that she could remember in her early days.

Flashback

"Akira, what do you think about… marriage?" asked the older woman.

"Marriage?" the young girl said, "I don't like marriage, it's too much of a handful! I rather play in dirt!"

The mother gave a heartfelt laugh, "as expected from my young dragon in training, I ask you this because we need to prepare you for your marriage meeting,"

In the Tomah clan, the mothers' prepare their daughter for their future wedding, usually at the tender age of seven. For Akira she was a candidate for the tradition. At the age of eight, the young girl will be match up with a potential future husband and the two children will grow up together and marry. That is how the tradition goes, Akira however did not want to have a marriage meeting, but it was in the village's laws. Or at least that what the elder dragons say.

"He's a nice boy Akira, I picked the perfect one for you," her mother assured.

"But I don't want to marry ma! I want to be the best dragon shinobi in the village!" the young girl cried.

The mother sighed, she agreed with her daughter's view on the tradition but with her being an aid for the elder dragons the tradition was a must, "Just meet him Akira, for me,"

Akira sighed, "Fine…but I won't marry him!"

The next day Akira was dressed in a traditional kimono, her and her mother sat across the table and waited for her daughter's 'future husband'.

"I hate this so much," the young bride to be muttered as they waited.

"I know," sighed the mother, "just pretend to like him at least,"

"Tch…fat chance," she huffed.

Moments later, a young boy came in; his mother as well was at his side. Akira eyed him, if looks could kill the boy would be dead in an instant.

"Hello," the boy's mother said with a respectful bow, "I'm Hino, and this is my son Kyo, it's a pleasure to meet you two,"

Akira and her mother stood and bowed, "hello, I'm Yuna Tomah, and this is my daughter Akira,"

The four sat down and went down to business, as the two mothers talked Akira noticed that Kyo sat with a unpleasant face as well, he himself did not like the marriage meeting.

"I think they'll get along just fine," Hino finally said, "your daughter is very bright and beautiful,"

"Thank you," Yuna smiled, "Same with your son, he's perfect for Akira,"

Akira wanted to jump up and scream at how wrong this whole 'tradition' was, she did not approve of it at all.

When the meeting was over, the two mothers continued to talk, allowing Kyo and Akira to be alone. The two children glowered at each other.

"I'm not going to marry you," they both said in unison.

The two kids gasped.

"Wait, you hate this tradition to?" Akira asked.

"Yeah," Kyo answered, "it's stupid; I rather play in dirt,"

"SAME HERE!" she agreed.

"You're a girl, I though girls hated to get dirty?"

"Not me!" Akira smiled with pride, "I'm the biggest tomboy you'll ever meet, plus I'll be the best dragon shinobi in the community!"

"Heh, your pretty cool, I thought you'd be some prissy girl,"

"Well you thought wrong, I like being different,"

"So…what do we tell our parents?"

"Lie," she said simply.

"Huh?"

"We'll pretend were into each other and years later we won't get married anyway!"

Kyo went with the plan, and their mothers fell for it instantly, they thought they accomplished something great. But boy were they wrong.

About a year later Kyo and Akira were out playing tag and what not, their child's play was shorted when Hino came to them with another girl about their age with her.

"Who's that mom?" Kyo asked.

"This, is Mayuri," she answered with a slight dramatic affect to it, "she will be your new future bride,"

The two children gasped at the unexpected remark.

"Huh, b-but why?" Kyo asked, "I thought Akira was,"

Hino looked at Akira with detest, "not anymore Kyo, I found out that Akira was a fake all this time, she's not even interested in having a wedding when she's older. That is why I went to a new village and brought Mayuri here. A future bride that will be perfect for you,"

The girl hid behind Hino's leg, feeling embarrassed, "so let's go Kyo!" Hino cried out, "I don't want you being around these liars!" she grabbed her son and dragged him away.

When Hino was far enough, Mayuri turned to Akira and said, "I'm sorry…" her eyes were sincere, and Akira could tell she had nothing to do with it.

When Akira was left standing alone in field, she slowly walked home with her head hung low.

Akira quickly looked up, realizing how she remembered Mayuri, "So that's where I know her from!" she cried out to no one in particular.

Pein came back in to hand her the files, "did you figure it out?"

"Yes, I sort of met her when I was young," Akira explained.

"Well here's all the information I have of her, hope it helps,"

Akira took the papers, there was not much information but there was just enough to clear things up. Moreover, there was, on the report there was a section about her having a relationship with someone of the name of Kyo, and it was defiantly the Kyo Akira once knew, the Kyo she was assigned to marry.

Mayuri and Hime' were out walking to the market to get some ingredients for dinner. As they walked, Mayuri felt someone grip on her arm; she turned around expecting it to be Hidan but instead it was not Hidan.

It was a tall man.

Weird colored eyes.

Short black hair with a purple highlight.

Could it be?

"Mommy that's the creepy man!" Hime' shouted.

"Mayuri," the man said.

"K-Kyo?" she gasped, "what are you doing here?"

"I've been looking for you," he stated, "what I did was wrong ok, I just wanted to say I'm sorry,"

Mayuri frowned, "like I'd forgive you, you cheated on me! And you know it was wrong!"

Hime' gasped, "You broke my mommy's heart? You little fuck face bastard!" she shouted.

Kyo widen his eyes, noticing the small child, "Y-You have a kid?"

"Yes, this is my daughter," he rubbed his neck at the awkward situation, "I take it you're married as well huh?"

She grew quiet, "not really, I have a very… complex relationship at the moment,"

"Yeah, my dad is the most bad ass dad you'd ever meet!" Hime' bragged.

"Watch that mouth…" Mayuri warned.

"Sorry…"

"Guess I failed at my duty of trying to fix things…" he gave a nervous laugh, "well, guess its plan B for me, heh. Well I'll get out your hair, see you around I suppose," Kyo gave a final wave of goodbye and walked off.

What did he mean by 'Plan B'?

"Did you know him mom?" Hime' asked.

"Uh…Sort of, but that's all over now," The two continued to walk, however that comment he said about 'Plan B' was glued in her mind.

When the mother and daughter came back home Hidan was sitting on the couch watching TV with a bored look on his face, he gave a mild glare at the two when they came.

"Took you long enough! I am over here bored out of my fucking mind! And hungry at that!"

"Sorry, we got a little held up at the store," Mayuri told him, "I'll get started on the food,"

While Mayuri went into the kitchen Hime' stayed put near the door with a look that caught Hidan's attention.

"What's wrong with you kid?"

Hime' peeked into the kitchen making sure Mayuri was not paying attention, she then sat next to Hidan, "today, when we were walking to the store. We saw…. The creepy man!" the little girl whispered.

"No shit!" Hidan said a little too loud.

Hime' placed a finger over her lips, "Shhhh! don't let mommy hear!"

Hidan leaned in, "so what was his name?"

"Kyo… er something like that, he used to date mommy before she met you,"

Hidan raised an eyebrow, this information given by a seven-year-old interested him, "you don't say huh? Well then, thanks for telling me kid,"

She smiled, "Your welcome daddy!"

Mayuri poked her head out the kitchen, "the food is ready,"

"Fuck yeah!" Hidan howled. What Hime' told him was still in the back of his mind though; he just wanted to wait until Mayuri told him herself.

Days later, Akira dropped Ren off at home after school, she had he own errands to run. She began walking her way to the Akatsuki base; she was to worn out to fly so she decided to take her time. As she walked, she could not help but notice a man wondering around as if he were lost. She had time on her hands so why not?

"Excuse me sir, but are you lost?" she asked.

He turned around, but instead of replying, he just looked at her. Dumbfounded.

"Are you okay sir?" she asked, not really taking notice on who the man was.

He shook his head to come to his senses, "I'm sorry, it's just that….you look like someone I know….long ago"

Akira gasped, "Wait, does your name just so happen to be…"

"Kyo,"

She gasped again, her eyes grew wide, "it IS you,"

"I glad I found you after all these years!" he gave her a hug.

"You've been… looking for me?"

"Yeah, I always wondered how you were doing, and when I found out about your village, I was devastated. I thought you were dead as well,"

"Heh, no… I'm alive as you can see," she gave a small smile, "so… did you ever get married?"

Kyo sighed, he told her the story of how he was forced to grow up with Mayuri, they lasted a good eight years or so until they divorced. However, he did miss Akira; he was the first girl he had a liking to, he wanted to grow up with her not Mayuri, if he had to marry someone he wanted it to be Akira.

He told her the story when he decided to date Mayuri to try it again, which lasted a good while until he had cheated on her. Akira was blown away by his words and all that happened.

"Wow Kyo… I do not know what to say—"

Kyo bowed, "please Akira, will you marry me!"

Her heart sunk, he did not know that she was already committed to someone and that she had a kid at that! "Kyo… I'm sorry but—"

He looked into her eyes and held her hands, "I'm serious this time, you are the girl I want, and I want to be married to you. We can have the perfect life to—"

"I can't marry you!" she blurted.

His eyes widened with shock, "H-huh? W-why?"

"I'm sorry Kyo, really I am, but I'm with someone at the moment, and… I have a son now,"

Kyo was astounded by her words, not only Mayuri had a child and man but his loving childhood crush Akira was in the same boat, his heart sunk with defeat knowing that he had no chance with her whatsoever.

"I'm sorry," she said carefully.

"I tried to go for Mayuri again to settle things straight, but she has a child. Therefore, I thought about you and went looking for you, and what do you know… you have a child as well! Guess I'm late on everything…"

"I'm sure there's a woman out there you can marry,"

"You don't understand Akira, my whole life I was focused on you or Mayuri; I can't just find a new woman to marry,"

"But you CAN, this time it's your choice, not your parent's choice,"

He shook his head at the comment; he did not want to find a new girl. Because little did they know, Kyo wanted to marry Akira or Mayuri for a particular reason; he just did not want to tell them. "I have to go," he rushed, "I'll see you later," and with that he walked of quickly with his hands shoved in his pockets.

What is his deal?

Since Hidan was on a mission, Akira decided to visit Mayuri again, taking Ren right along with her.

"Mayuri we really need to talk," Akira, said when they got to their doorstep.

"I was just thinking the same thing," she replied.

While the kids played outside the two mothers talked inside in the living room.

"I ran into Kyo today…" Akira stated.

"No kidding? I did to just a few days ago!"

"What did he say to you?"

"he claimed he's been looking for me after we broke up, he came and apologized and asked if I forgave him," Mayuri explained, "but I didn't, I couldn't, just something about him isn't right… what did he say to you?"

"Sort of the same thing, except he said since he couldn't have a chance with you, he came looking for me. When he saw me, he practically poured his heart out to me, he asked me to marry him right then and there. I didn't have Ren with me so I had to deny his request as graciously as I could," she explained, "why do you seem apprehensive of him?"

"when we were dating, I kept hearing him mutter things about he can't wait to marry and earn some type of trust fund… it all didn't sound right, and he never really showed affection towards me, that's why…" Mayuri sighed, "I just hope Hidan doesn't find out about it in any way, I think he'd hurt me,"

"Well if he ever tries to lay a hand on you or Hime' you can always call me,"

She nodded, "Right,"