Uchiha Sasuke strolled noncommittally through the streets of Konoha, his hands shoved in his pockets. He wore the green flak jacket of a jounin and skillfully ignored the occasional sneer. He had left his small, sparsely furnished apartment after receiving as missive from one of the Anbu whose eyes he constantly felt on his back. Twelve years back in the village and they could still not completely shake the suspicion that he would one day snap and decide to destroy the village. Although he must have been doing something right as he could tell the number of watchers he'd had has been diminishing. The message was from the Hokage. She requested his presence with all deliberate speed. He took his time.
He knocked once and then entered. He was summoned, after all. Tsunade sat at her desk, hands massaging her temples in irritation. In the twelve years since the war she had changed very little. The seal on her forehead kept her looking young but even so some signs of wear and stress illustrated her feature. A few fine lines around her eyes and her stature was not quite as young and robust as it had once been.
She thrust out her arm, a manila folder in hand. "Uchiha Sasuke," she smiled, an almost malicious grin plastered on her face, "You have officially been issued a genin team."
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Do you not remember last year, Tsunade-sama?" She had attempted to assign him a team the year before. Two of the children's mother's had decided that they would never let a bloodthirsty traitor ever get near their precious babies. What if he decided to kill them?
She slammed her free fist down on the table, it shook and the towers of papers experienced a mini earthquake. "Of course I do, Sasuke, my dear."
"Read the file before you question my judgment," a dangerous glint lit her amber eyes, "I am certain this year your adorable young charges will remain under your watchful eye for some time. I realized last year's mistake. These parents are sure to have no problem with your—situation."
He looked questioningly at the folder before taking it into his hands and critically glancing at it's contents. His frown deepened. The first page was a file on Hatake Gin, Kakashi and Shizune's son. He flipped on the next page, it read Uchiha Yuu. Sasuke cringed and held the page out to Tsunade. "Really?!You expect me, me, to be his sensei? I won't do it."
She looked him levelly in the eye, not flinching from the red eyes with swirling tomoe that looked back. "You will. You are best qualified for the job, and you know it."
"I killed his father Tsunade! I decided a long time ago that—that he shouldn't know who I am. What I am."
"And I'm not asking you to tell him. Don't. I don't care. But you will train him. Or else I'll throw you out. Exile you from Konoha. I doubt Itachi would have wanted that."
He looked at her closely. "You wouldn't."
"I assure you. I would." Her voice was cool, she meant it.
He angrily flipped to the next page in the folder. Himura Mitsuki. He didn't recognize the name. "What makes you so sure this Himura Mitsuki's mother won't demand her precious darling be moved to a new team when she hears the village's number one traitor is her new sensei.
"Number one." she laughed, "You value yourself much too highly. I'd say you're at about number four really."
Sasuke growled.
"But I know there will be no problem with this squad." she smiled again, "In fact you're supposed to go meet them in a few minutes."
Sasuke gave no response. He'd lost on this end. He decided if he could not persuade Tsunade he would just have to make his "adorable" little genin wish they had never graduated.
"The academy, Sasuke, room 204."
He left wordlessly.
"Don't be late," she called at his retreating back.
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