Hidden Copse (Private)

Anei smiled at her, reaching down and lightly ruffling her hair once again. With flying colors. What a great little kid. He was sure to normal people she seemed distant, unfriendly, anti-social, unapproachable and strange...But he had to admit, to someone like him, she was very charming in her own way. He knelt so that he was eye to eye with her and placed one of his gloved fingers over his mouth.

"Nevertheless, it must remain our little secret my friend."

Friend? Paks stared at Amimono-san, with open shock. Although she quickly gather her control and pulled herself together. No one... No one had ever called her that before.

She hesitantly smiled at him and nodded. "I won't tell Amimono-san."

Besides, Paks knew that some people were hasty and that they would not like Amimono-san just because of his associations. Paks felt a sort of burning feeling inside her, like, like she did not want anyone to get in the way of her new relationship, now that she finally had a friend.

Anei smiled brightly, one of the few times he smiled from the bottom of his heart, and it was across his entire face, not only his lips, his eyes sparkling. He chuckled happily as he winked at her, having seen her reaction and guessing what it was a reaction to. Progress was being made after all, real progress. And yet, though he would scarcely admit it to himself, it wasn't wholly a tool he sought in her after all.

"Good. I won't either."

Paks nodded as if that made everything right in the world.

"Do you want to train now? Or did you need to see more of Suna?"

Anei pondered this for a moment, still kneeling in front of her. There would be a little more danger of being discovered if he was seen with someone as notable as the student of the Kazekage, but even if the worst should happen, he was prepared.
"It's up to you, of course. I'm always up for some more training, though it would be nice to see more of your village. I'll even have a tour guide this time."

Paks smiled at him a little more readily this time.

"I can show you around."

Anei nodded seeing her smile again, measuring that this in and of itself, from her, was a very good sign. He rose again like a coiled snake lifting its head, standing up before her, still looking down.

"Very well, I'd like that. Lead the way."

Paks nodded and turned back the way they came. She quietly traced their path, stepping where her footsteps were already, so as to further disguise this whole affair. When they got closer to inner Suna she stopped shadowing her steps from earlier and began to show Amimono-san around.

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Anei returned to the copse after having been shown to the shop by Paks, a new pouch of senbon tied to the inside of his coat pocket, black leather, of course.

Paks stood next to him, looking around. She carefully looked at the trees that were around before picking one of them. Then she walked over to stand a little ways in front of the tree.

"I'll show you how to hold them first, okay Amimono-san?"

Anei smiled walking over and standing next to her, turning his head to look down at her with an affectionate grin, pulling one of his senbon from his coat.
"Alright."

Paks held out a hand to demonstrate. She slowly moved her fingers around to show where to place them. Curling in all but her thumb, which she moved up higher on the senbon, pressing it against the side.

Anei watched carefully, his fingers flexing a little restlessly with anticipation. With something so small as the senbon, it was hard to really feel its position through his leather gloves, even as tight as they were. Holding the senbon in his mouth for a moment, he pulled off his gloves, revealing skin beneath even paler than normal, which for him, was saying a lot. He stuffed the gloves into his pocket and wiggled his fingers again, getting them used to the air, something they rarely felt, then ran his fingers over the senbon, getting a good feel for it, before imitating Paks' demonstration.

Paks nodded, but reached out and carefully pushed his pinky closer to his other fingers and his thumb farther out.

"See?"

Anei shivered just a little bit, stopping, closing his eyes. Now that he stopped to think about it, had anyone ever really touched him before, skin to skin? It was a strange sensation, especially for one whose skin was so sensitive from lack of use. He smiled sheepishly at her even as a tingle lingered on his fingers, reaching out with his free hand to pat her head.
"I s-see. Thanks."