Hair Discussion

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I have no rights to Naruto.

This is a continuation from my one-shot Hair. Enjoy.

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Shaking his head Inoichi left the Hokage's building making his way to the bar to meet his team mates. His mind reeling over everything he had heard and seen. Oh Hiashi had done nothing inappropriate or even intimate by normal standards but for him touching Sakura's shoulder, his hand resting on the small of her back screamed public display and was nearly at the level of intimacy that bordered obscene for the stern and stoic Hyuuga. A man that hardly praised his family in public.

Lifting up the flap to enter the bar Inoichi sat on a stool next to Shikaku nodding at the large Akimichi beside him. Gratefully taking the sake from Shikaku Inoichi downed it in one gulp, lifting a hand for a refill which he sipped slowly enjoying the slow burn down his throat.

"What happened?"

Inoichi debated whether to tell them or not, but knowing his daughter the news would probably be over Konoha in a matter of minutes. Turning to Shikaku and Choza Inoichi asked.

"Did you know Hyuuga Hiashi was in a relationship with Haruno Sakura?"

He probably should have timed his question better as Shikaku spat out his drink and Choza started to choke before giving a chest rumbling cough. Eyes watering and wide with shock the two looked at their blonde team mate.

"What!"

"Are you serious?"

Sipping his sake Inoichi nodded.

"We are talking about the same girl right? Pink hair, medic, same age as our kids?"

"Yep." Inoichi reached up to tighten his ponytail as he answered Choza.

"How did that happen?" Shiakau tilted his head.

"Not a clue."

"How did you find out?" Choza raised an eyebrow.

"I went back to the office to collect the file I left and found Ino and the others there with Hiashi and Sakura. They or Ino thought Neji and Sakura were having an affair."

The flap to the bar suddenly rose, the trio faced with a curious Yamato and a slightly angry Kakashi – who they only realised was angry due to the narrowed eye and tone of his voice.

"Who is Sakura having an affair with?"

The bar was as quiet as a graveyard, every Shinobi knowing how protective the Copy-ninja was of his only female pink haired student. Raising his head as he sat down Kakashi glared the occupants into submission only looking away as they lowered their heads and the talk in the bar resumed. Turning his glare on Inoichi Kakashi repeated himself, Yamato ordering two drinks and handing Kakashi his.

Inoichi looked at his teammates who resolutely looked away, without support Inoichi sighed. "She's in a relationship with Hyuuga Hiashi."

A pin could have dropped the bar got so quiet, Inoichi watching the silver haired ninja intently, watching the moving of his muscles, stiffening as he prepared to stop Kakashi-Inoichi stopped, why did he have to stop Kakashi if he did something stupid.

"She is twenty Sempai." Yamato said quietly the same watchfulness in his eyes as Inoichi's but he would have to stop Kakashi from attacking the Head of Hyuuga Family.

Kakashi glared at the counter before him, hand reaching out to grab Yamato's sake as he downed both his and Yamato's sake in a flash. "He is over twenty years older than her."

Yamato ordered another drink, passing Kakashi's along and sipping his own before it was taken from him again, turning to look at the Shinobi in the bar until they looked away.

"How did you find out?"

Inoichi glanced up and looked at the counter and how quickly the sake was being drunk. Not one to usually over indulge due to his duties with the Interrogation section Inoichi called the bartender over and ordered a jug of sake, the way it was being drunk at the moment it was needed. If only to keep Kakashi where he was until he heard the whole story.

"Ino found a hair on Sakura and thought it was Neji's, so she followed Sakura who went to the Hyuuga compound a few times during the week, then she gathered her friends when Team Gai were on a mission and Sakura was at the hospital and told them Sakura and Neji were having an affair."

"Impossible! My student would not be so un-youthful as to betray his beloved TenTen like that!"

Kakashi winced at the bellow from Gai who hearing the tail end of Inoichi's speech had lifted the canvas flap and entered the bar, his face determined as he defended his student.

"He's not!" Shikaku spoke.

"Then why do you accuse him of such a deplorable and un-youthful thing!"

"He didn't." Choza spoke as the bartender laid a basket of chicken wings before him and Choza passed them along before taking a load. "Ino thought they were."

Gai sat down a smile taking over his face that glinted so bright that the Ino-Shika-Cho trio had to shield their eyes. "I knew my student was too honourable . . . ." Seeing the glare Kakashia and Yamato were giving him Gai gave a sheepish grin. "Or Lee's beautiful blossom to do such a thing."

"She's with Hiashi."

Gai nearly fell off his seat at that, looking at Yamato in disbelief, mouth opening and closing before he shut it with a snap.

"Inoichi is explaining how he found out."

Gai turned to Inoichi expectantly, the blonde sighing at the hard gaze in the green spandex who was probably thinking how his mini-me student had had his love stolen.

"Ino though Neji and Sakura were having an affair so she got everyone together and told them. Hinata had met her the days she had visited the compound but Sakura had arrived too early to just have met Hinata. Kiba said the hair Ino found on Sakura was Neji's so they all thought it was true."

Inoichi took a sip of sake taking a break from speaking, wanting to bang his head on the counter as the flap opened and Kurenai entered followed by Anko and Ibiki.

"Ahh here you are, is everything alright?" The ever gentle Kurenai asked looking at her friends with concern as she took a seat, Anko jumping on a stool beside her and helping herself to the jug of sake, grabbing an empty cup from behind the bar.

"What crawled up you asses and died?"

"Hiashi and Sakura are together."

Anko stilled, the cup of sake centimetres from her lips as she processed Kakashi's words. Ibiki chuckling as he reached out and took the cup from he,r happily sipping it as the purple haired interrogator processed.

"Damn lucky girl."

Kurenai gave a minute nod as the men looked at the woman incredulously. "Well she is." Anko stated, a devilish glint in her eyes that made Ibiki snort as he drained the cup. "He's all uptight and stern in public, get him into the bedroom and he's probably into all that kinky shit."

Ibiki smirked as the men shuddered, Kakashi's the most prominent as his student was on the other side of this conversation.

Kureani smiled as the men looked at her for verification, lips teasing. "Well I don't know about that but he is a very handsome man, very attractive."

"Don't forget we've never heard of him being in any other relationship, damn he could be re-enacting the entire Karma Sutra. Lucky girl." Anko sighed as she swiped her cup off Ibiki and poured herself another drink sipping away.

"How the hell did you find out about this?" Ibiki asked slightly annoyed that he hadn't heard of this sooner, but as it wasn't imperative to Konoha's security or the performance of its Shinobi it wasn't really of interest to him. As one the men looked at Inoichi who quickly repeated what he had told the others.

"So they confronted Neji today who got angry – well as much as any Hyuuga does and told them he hadn't been at the compound the days Sakura visited. Kiba explained the scent and realised who it was as did Hinata and Neji, they wouldn't tell Ino who ran off to confront Sakura."

"Who was at the meeting with us." Shikaku pointed out, letting Inoichi continue as every listened.

"Yep, Neji and Hinata then explained that Hiashi had given him the cologne that Kiba had scented and they started to panic before Chouji realised that maybe Sakura was helping Hiashi with some physical therapy and ran to the Hokage's office to stop Ino from embarrassing Hiashi."

"Hey what are you all doing here?" the canvas flap rose and Genma raised an eyebrow at the collection of Jounin at the bar, cups of sake in hand. "Okay what's with the serious faces?" He took the senbon from his mouth and looked over his friends.

"Hiashi and Sakura are fucking."

Genma looked at Anko and placed the senbon back in his mouth chewing the end of it. "Yeah right."

"It's true." Choza added.

"Lucky bastard." Genma whistled appreciatively around the senbon. "Sakura is one hot babe."

Ibiki gave a chuckle that made Genma laugh as Inochi and Kakashi shuddered.

"She's the same age as my daughter."

"Don't talk about my student like that."

"Hey it's the truth." Genma shrugged with a grin.

"He's right she has become a bit of a stunner the last few years." Shikaku said.

Kakashi held up his hand for them to stop, Ibiki interrupting them.

"What's the problem, if the clan had its way they would have arranged a marriage between Hiashi and a sixteen year old. Can't imagine the girl being walked over."

"It is kinda strange, I would never have put those together," Kurenai said, gratefully accepting the new jug of sake from the bartender and passing it around.

"Yeah it kinda is." Anko pointed her thumb at Ibiki. "I'd have put you and pinkie together before her and Hiashi."

Ibiki spat his sake out as did everyone else that had taken a drink looking at Anko with unadultered shock.

"Are you mad!"

Kakashi nearly roared at Anko, not caring that the whole bar was now listening intently to the group, hanging on their every word.

Anko smiled showing her canines. "Nope, I've seen the girl fight, she gives as good as she gets and has a hell of a temper on her. Could imagine her and Ibiki bringing the house down."

Shudders ran down everyone's spine, a sick feeling crawling into their stomachs as Ibiki simply looked thoughtful.

"Yack! Enough about my student!" Kakashi demanded.

"What about you Yamato, nothing to say about Sakura?"

Yamato shrugged his shoulders at Ibiki's question, enjoying the rarity of seeing Kakashi uncomfortable and encouraged it. "Sakura's a beautiful young woman; she was never my student only my teammate so while I'll warn Hiashi never to hurt her, and look out for her I have no problem with Sakura's sex life."

Kakashi swivelled in his seat, pointing his index finger at his friend. "Shut up."

Smiles and laughs were hidden and covered up, the Shinobi slowly turning to Inoichi to hear the rest of the story.

Ino barged into Shizune's office and asked Sakura what Hyuuga she was having an affair with. Hiashi asked her to explain which is where the rest of them ran into the office and apologized and explained their theory. I came in and heard the explanation, Sakura turned on Ino and was about to hit her when Hiashi put his hand on her shoulder and got her to calm down."

"He touched her?"

The words were tentative and whispered, Inoichi nodded at Yamato, awhistle filling the air in appreciation of such a public gesture from the Hyuuga.

"And he called her Sakura."

"Oh my." Kurenai exclaimed knowing full well the man's reservation on public displays.

"He gave some drone about thinking things through before you act and that I should have a talk with Ino." Inoichi let that sink in before dropping his bombshell. "Then he thanked Ino for making the relationship public,that he had been trying to get her to do so for five months."

"Five months! How long have they been together?"

Gai asked, for once dropping his usual accolades of youthfulness.

"I don't know."

"My goodness." Kurenai sipped her sake, taking a chicken wing from Chou's basket, Anko taking one and chewing furiously.

"So they all looked on in shock and Sakura accused Hiashi of finally getting his way. Hiashi smiled! A real smile and told Hinata and Neji that he would see them back at the compound for dinner with himself and Sakura."

"I can't believe it." Shikaku shook his head.

"I saw it and I still can't believe it." Inoichi stated. "But that's not the end of it."

Kakashi resisted the urge to knock his head on the counter.

"He touched her shoulder and smiled, for Hiashi that was sex in public. What else was left for the Hyuuga?" Genma questioned, senbon hanging from his mouth.

"He put his hand on her back and led Sakura out of the room. His last words – Now all that is left is to convince you to move into the compound with me my dear."

"Holy Shit!" Genma nearly swallowed his senbon as Kakashi turned and stared at Inoichi.

"Are you sure that is what he said!"

"Wait! Okay I know when it comes to the Clan stuff I don't know much but huh?" Anko looked around in confusion, Gai looked somewhat uncertain while the rest were in disbelief, glancing up at Ibiki she saw the shit eating grin on his face just as he said.

"Didn't think Hiashi would have it in him, or the stamina."

"Yack! Stop!"

Kakashi's protest was slightly ignored as Anko grabbed some chips from the basket the bartender dropped off turning around for an answer. Feeling a prickling at her back the purple haired Jounin turned around and hissed at the eaves dropping bartender smiling as he scurried away, glaring at the listening people around her. Shrugging she turned back again, she didn't feel like making every stop listening.

"He wants her to marry him." Choza said.

Anko choked on her chips, slapping Ibiki when he thumped her on the back with a low laugh. "He asked her to move in with him, not marry him."

Kurenai sat demurely in her seat sipping her sake. "It is the same thing for Hiashi."

"He's very strict on etiquette and protocol, and while many of the Clan families have relaxed over the years the main families still marry before the couple officially move in together. Sakura would have to marry Hiashi to move into the compound."

Anko took the cup of sake a smiling Kurenai offered her throwing it back her throat just in time to see Kakashi, Yamato, Inoichi and Gai do the same.

"Do you think she knows?"

"If she doesn't she soon will." Inoichi answered Yamato, the laid back Jounin watching his Sempai carefully. "Hinata and Neji knew what Hiashi was talking about the minute they heard it, so did Shino and Shikamaru. The rest were in too much shock."

The dark low chuckle that filled the bar made the Shinobi look up at Ibiki, the bandanna clad Jounin scratching the scar on his face.

"While Kakashi is debating whether or not to go to the Hyuuga Compound and confront Hiashi and warn him not to hurt her, and Yamato is thinking how quickly he can stop him, and Gai is wondering how to break the news to his mini-me, some one very important has been forgotten."

He let the confusion settle on their faces, Genma getting it quicker than the others his senbon drooping downwards before Ibiki said.

"The Hokage."

"Oh fuck."

The words were chorused and the sake passed around and nearly as one the Jounin threw the burning liquid down their throats.

"I say we let her find out on her own." Choza raised his hand and well practiced Shikaku raised his "Second.", Inoichi finishing "Motion carried, she finds out on her own."

A little giddy and perhaps a little – a bit drunk the Shinobi laughed.

"I can't believe it – Sakura and Hiashi." Kakashi deadpanned resting his chin on his hand.

"You going to over there and warn him off."

Kakashi tilted his head at Genma. "I got my reputation by being clever and skilled, going to face both Hiashi and Sakura at the same time is neither."

"Thank Kami I've never been on the other side of her fist." Yamato raised his glass in a silent toast.

"When she has the needles out its worse."

Ibiki actually squirmed at Kakashi's words making the Shinobi laugh so hard they clutched their stomachs.

"Aww did the big bad pinkie get you with her needles?" Anko roared with laughter, grabbing Kurenai to stop herself from falling off the barstool.

"Wait till it's your turn Mitarashi." Ibiki set his black eyes on his comrade and smiled, Anko instantly sobering up with a curse knowing Ibiki would come up with something awful enough that would require a barrage of needles.

Gai stood, the green spandex clad Jounin having only drank two or three cups of sake the steadiest of the lot, a sorrowful look on his face. "I must break the news to my youthful student that his beloved Cherry Blossom is with another." He waved his hand and turned to leave the Jounin just catching the serious look on his face and heard his muttering. "And convince him not to challenge Hiashi."

"Did Gai just speak normally?" Kurenai smiled as she looked for confirmation.

"Next the sky will be falling." Kakashi groused as he looked over his shoulder at the canvas flap waiting for someone else to come in yelling that it was.

Inoichi stood, grabbing the counter as he swayed slightly. Taking in the empty cups and the number of jugs on the counter he realised he hadn't eaten nearly enough to stop himself from becoming drunk over the friendly drink – even if the conversation made them drink more than usual in their shock and amazement.

"I don't know about you but I'm heading home, be well out of the line of fire when Lee comes running through the street shouting about Sakura and Hiashi at the top of his lungs."

Instantly his former teammates followed him, the trio leaving together and walking down the streets, Kuernai bowing out to collect her child as Ibiki simply nodded and dragged Anko back to the Interrogation cells. Admonishing her like a child that her break was over and it was time to go back to work.

"You're not even going to have a word with Hiashi about your precious Sakura?"

"When I'm not as tipsy and can think stra- fuck." Kakashi actually let his head fall on the counter as Yamato worriedly called his name. Kakashi barely moved his head, his lone eye meeting Yamato's and Genma's. "Naruto."

Groans of understanding came from the two men, Genma suddenly nudging Yamato who got a wary look on his face at the glee in the senbon chewer's eye.

"Hey Kakashi you know your only fourteen years older than Sakura, you could be the one going with her."

Kakashi sat up, moving faster than he thought he could and called out. "Another drink!"

Genma burst out laughing, Yamato rubbing his face with his hands and blanching at what Genma said next.

"Crap Kakashi what will you do when she pops out baby Hyuuga's."

"Make it a double!"

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Dia Duit,

I got to thinking how would people react, and laughing shock kinda came to mind. Hope you all enjoy.

Lots of love,

The Rose and the Dagger x x x