[Konoha]
Piercings aren't a popular aesthetic in the Shinobi world. The core beliefs of a ninja are the lack of a presence at all times. Clothes must blend in with the environment; one's breath must flow with the wind, and footsteps must be silent.
The idea of metal protruding out of the flesh will only be a disadvantage to espionage.
But then again, humans will be humans...
Hidden in Konoha's shopping district is a building barely suitable for a low-income earner; the space is as spacious as Ichiraku's ramen shop.
The front had plain white paint still smelling of moisture, a bright red sign glowing like the Red light districts, but this store didn't please the flesh with skin-to-skin contact, it brought pleasure through a needle to all the layers of the skin. Zen needles is Konoha's latest attraction for body modifications. The artist, Suiren, comes from Amegakure( The village hidden in the Rain). A black-haired, pale-skinned woman with calm charcoal eyes and an arrangement of studs across her body, from a nasal stud resting on the bridge of her nose, a star-shaped stud under her left eye, anchoring her cheekbone and ear piercings on the lobes and helix.
Suiren arrived in Konoha to a month long process of verifying documents, Anko's interrogations and the mafia-style business section where even registering her business nearly never came to fruition if it wasn't for Shizune's kindness to deliver her matter directly to Lady Tsunade.
Squeak
Suiren slouched back on her leather seat across from the client chairs, both of the full body leather seats are positioned in front of her equipment desk, a disorganised place where her piercing tools, cleaning supplies and personal items had their own community. The mirrors are slightly dusty and the lights would flicker at screeches of clients. This is Suiren's domain, no longer did she have to plastic wrap her items to prevent the rain from damaging them and unlike Amegakure, Konoha had litter of curious folks peeping through the windows to observe her world, and the very first of her clients were two Kunoichi who flaunt their alternative lifestyle.
Ding!
"Suiren. " Tayuya's voices echoes down the piercing shop. hips
The redhead Anbu has her hands resting on her hips, wearing her thigh-level black tights; the fabric is snug on her athletic figure ad a navy blue long-sleeve shirt that hid her fingers.
"Hey, Suiren." Tayuya playfully greeted.
Kin stood next to her Anbu sister in a grey kimono, keeping her modesty; unlike her partner, Kin's hair remained tied up in a bun, and her skin was glowing softly.
"Sorry for being late." Kin apologises as they enter the shop.
"It's fine; let's just get started. "
Ding
" Tayuya. Kin. Are you both seriously–"
Taiju's words died out at the sight of Suiren's piercing kit, the medical-level tri-bevel hollow needles shimmered under the lights.
Taiju gulped at the kit. For a man used to steel piercing his skin and brushing his fingerprints across his blade, the idea of leaving steel in his flesh made his skin crawl.
"I hate needles..."
"What!? Are you serious?" Suiren blurted out in utter shock at the fact that Taiju is scared of needles.
"The irony of a swordsman afraid of metal in his skin~" Tayuya chuckles lightly at his discomfort.
"Don't judge him, Tayuya. Besides, you have a fear of snakes. Kin teases.
"That's a rational fear!" Tayuya snaps at her with a blush creeping up her neck. "That snake f#cker kept us as his guinea pigs so that he can perfect hissing little Curse mark for the emo brat." Tayuya rants.
Suiren shook her head at their antics, with an amused smirk pulling up her lips.
"Can we get this done?"
"Yes", Kin and Tayuya simultaneously said.
Snap
The sound of her nitrile gloves hitting skin was the indicator for Taiju's phobia.
"You can hold my hand, Love." Tayuya laced her fingers with Taiju's.
The swordsman tightened his grasp on her.
"I hate this."
[ 30 minutes later...]
Blughh–
Taiju is hunched over a dustbin, emptying his stomach after witnessing Tayuya and Kin get matching dermal piercings, one on Tayuya's right cheekbone and one on Kin's left cheekbone, the cerulean blue studs highlighted their facial features, adding a taboo beauty to them that most Villagers would condemn for.
"Isn't this a sorry sight?" Masami clicks her tongue at him.
"Masami. Taiju acknowledges her presence.
The Hyuga member crosses her arms over her Anbu breastplate. Her pupilless eyes stared down at him.
"Lord Danzo talks about you like some wild animal he could never tame. I just see a domesticated stray dog." She jabs at him.
"That's an accurate analogy. Taiju shrugs off her jab. Standing to his full height, he is now looking down at her for a chance.
"Did Danzo send you to spy on me? Sai and Fu were doing a decent job at being my stalkers."
Masami smirks at his words, rolling her pupil-less eyes, "Are you really that scared of a stud in your skin?"
"It's not about fear." Taiju shakes his head in disagreement. "During my time in the Maggots pit, Danzo would put my body through it, blades tasting my blood, elemental attacks and continuous torture. " Taiju confesses.
"Oh..." Masami averted her eyes from him.
Taiju clenches his fist to suppress his emotions.
The chatter of the nocturnal critters passes through the moment of silence.
Masami reaches for her kimono's obi, breaking her binding to reveal her pale abdomen and bandage wrapped chest.
"What the –"
"Relax, bud. Don't act you haven't seen a woman's body before ~" Masami gave him a knowing look.
Her right hand led his left to her pierced belly button. His cold fingertips met the tail end stud through her belly button.
Masami shivered at the contact, looking up at him with a vulnerable look.
"The Hyuga clan is very old-fashioned. Those not born to the Main family are either servants of them or compound workers. Even we who serve the Hokage are put under limitations to keep the Kekkei genkei from enemies. These eyes give us the ability to see beyond visual capabilities, but we are watchers in a bird's cage." Masami whispers.
Taiju took in her words, "Then why the piercings if you know your Clan would disapprove?"
"Because they're the only thing I get to control. My body has already been set to be wedded to Hyuga Neji. The studs are the only part of me that isn't predetermined. "
Taiju placed his palm flat against her piercing.
"Taiju–" Masami gasps at the touch, a warm blush on her cheeks.
Taiju's scarlet eyes met her pupils. "I don't know anything about clan politics, but Anbu to Anbu, you are more than just some ninja. You're your own person first; no villager, elder, nor Tsunade herself can tell you any differently. " Taiju preaches to her.
Masami blinks rapidly with her mouth open, completely taken aback by the assurance in his tone.
"D-don't say something so stupid..." Masami lightly shoves him back.
Taiju chuckles at her flushed reaction, "You're the second Hyuga I've seen flustered. " He teases.
"Shut up!" Masami snaps at him.
"I appreciate you looking out for Hinata. I know she's still finding herself but she needs people who are patient with her." Taiju spoke gracefully.
"Yeah, yeah...I'm her guardian either way, my best interests is her wellbeing." Masami undermines her impact.
"Don't try to act all nonchalant after blushing up a storm."
"Do you want me to shut down your Chakra system?!" Masami warns with her Byakugan active and her hands in a gentle fist position.
Taiju's right hand lingers on the sheath of his blade; Shifuku rumbles lightly at the fake threat.
"Are you confident in your little palm technique to immobilise me before I can cut off your fingers?" Taiju humours.
"Try me, Bloody swordsman. Masami grins at him.
Rumble...
"Oi–no fighting near my shop!" Suiren commands.
The piercing artist had her arms crossed over her chest, her nitrile gloves still on and her own studs gleaming in the moonlight.
"Taiju, your girlfriend is fighting tears and my leather seat. Come inside and comfort her before I pierce your ass." Suiren threatens.
"On it!" Taiju rushes inside the shop, not taking any chances with the Amegakure artist.
Suiren looks over at Masami.
"Masami. "
"Suiren. "
The two women greeted each other like two men in a Mexican standoff.
"Be careful with him; he has a harem of lethal kunoichi. "
"I'm quite aware of his suitors. Masami nods, fixing her kimono with little to no care for the person watching her.
"Right..." Suiren clears her throat, " Is it healing okay?"
"Yeah, Hinata's ointment helps with the pain."
"That's good." Suiren nods.
[ Back in Zen needles]
"OH-KAMI!" Tayuya screeches like a wounded animal, the Redhead has her nail clawing at Suiren's leather, her teeth clenching to the point her gums might bleed, and the reason for this excruciating pain is her rash belly piercing, which Suiren offered for half price.
"That lady scammed me!" Tayuya groans.
Kin was positioned on her right, having her hand nearly crushed by Tayuya's grip.
"Tayuya, you're hurting me."
"Not now, Kin! Where's Taiju?!" Tayuya whips her head around.
"I'm here!" Taiju came tumbling in like a cartoon.
Tayuya's eyes lock on him with a scary focus.
"Get your ass over here." Tayuya demands.
"...Kami, help me."
End.