Title: The Difference Between
Series: Naruto
Rating: T
Genres: Drama, sorta-angst, adventure, romance.
Warnings: Crack, swearing, shounen-ai, shojou-ai, hetero, authoress running away with the canon?
Verse: Canon Redeux.
DHC: Oh lord, here's another cracky chapter for the most part. This fic is probably gonna be slow moving and rarely updated. I've got Not This Time and Crisis Reverted to work on. As well as my many other projects. But, I do hope you readers enjoy my insanity. If you do, please leave some feedback. I'd like to see your reactions to my work, even if it is a simple comment of 'WTF!' xDD
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"I'm getting to old for this," Tsunade muttered as she stretched out over the length of the small couch in her office while Kankuro supported her, letting her lean back against him, wrapping an arm around her middle as she shifted nearly restlessly to get comfortable.
"You can never be too old to relax," Kankuro reasoned with a snort.
"No, but you can be too old to be having liasions with such a youngster," She replied with a wry grin.
He snorted. "I told you before, I don't care. You, my fine lady, are in dire need of someone to distract you in a good way."
"And I suppose you think that's your job?" She replied, teasingly.
"Yes, yes I do. Now shut up and relax." The puppet wielder continued to grin even as the woman muttered 'brat' and relaxed completely back against him, her back conforming to the length of his torso.
One of Kankuro's hands idly twirled a strand of her hair from her two tails, the other idly rubbing circular patterns against her abdomen and hip. He was rather lucky, he thought. To have this woman's affection for his own. He knew how scarred she was, how afraid she was to lose those she cared about. She was so fragile, but so strong. It wasn't just her beauty--or other assets, as a certain perverted sannin would put it--that attracted him to her, though those were just a bonus.
He truly looked up to her, and all he wanted was to support her so he could see her smile. He didn't care if others thought this was wrong, because they could just go to hell. They didn't understand how much this woman needed the company of someone, perhaps not a lover, but just a companion. If he could be even that for her, then he was happy.
Tsunade's eyes slid closed at the slow, repetitive motions, sighing in comfort, letting out a quiet hum as she felt her conscious drifting, her mind just wandering. Good lord, she felt like a young girl again like this, just leaning against Kankuro and daydreaming. She was Hokage, she really shouldn't be doing such frivolous things.
But, the other was so good at being persuasive when he wanted to be, she was surprised he wasn't a member of Gaara's council with the way he could argue. Then again, she hadn't really put up too much of a fight this time. Too much was on her mind, and she wasn't surprised that the other could see it. For a boy--no, she could no longer call him that, no matter the age difference--for a young man who only wielded puppets and had little socialization, he could sure read a person.
Or maybe she was just slipping in her old age. A small, wry smile tugged at her lips at the thought.
"What are you thinking about?" Kankuro inquired, letting his fingers trail from playing with her hair to tracing his bare fingers along her collarbone lightly. She had to fight a shiver at his casualness and the lower tone of his voice.
Her grin crooked up a little higher. "Just about how I'm really too old for you."
He snorted again. "So what? Everyone's entitled to their own happiness. If I make you happy, that's all I care about. I'm happy enough just to be beside you."
Feeling playful, she purposely pressed more weight onto him. "You're behind me, not beside me."
He chuckled quietly. "Same thing. Just as long as I'm with you, how is that?"
"Mm," She replied amusedly.
A quiet knock came to the door of her office. Tsunade's eyes snapped open. She went to get up, but Kankuro's hand stilled her. With a wiggle of his fingers, two chakra strings reached out under the crack of the door.
After another moment, they slipped back and Kankuro nodded. "It's your assistant."
Relaxing once more, Tsunade nodded. "Come in,"
The door opened and Shizune stepped in.
She was a little surprised at the sight, but had become rather used to it since the near bi-monthly visits from Kankuro began.
"Tsunade-sama, I've the scrolls you wanted." She spoke, holding them up before she went over and sat them on the desk.
"Very good. Thank you, Shizune." Tsunade replied, rubbing her temples lightly.
"Is there anything else you need, Tsunade?" She dropped the formalities when they were in private mostly.
"Some good tea with a splash of sake in it. I've got a headache just thinking about the work I'm going to be doing."
Kankuro let out a quiet snort, and Shizune was tempted to laugh, but she held it in. "Alright, but just this once. You know the alcohol just counteracts the tea. I will be back." With a light smile, she turned and left, closing the door behind her.
Tsunade sighed, but slowly sat up. "I guess it's time to work."
Kankuro felt like arguing with her, but he knew this was important, from what Tsunade had told him about it--which was little, but the bare minimum detail. She went over to her desk and sat down in the chair, opening the scroll and began to read it. He propped his own legs up onto the couch and reclined back, content to let her work for now. He could pester her in a little while. For now, the silence was a comfortable one.
Shizune returned several minutes later with the tea and offered Kankuro some, but he declined. It wasn't really his forte. He'd never been much of a tea-drinker. Coffee, however, was another story.
-----
Itachi was slowly walking down the lane that headed towards the Uchiha complex. Gaara had accompanied him for a while, but he had requested some space of his own for a little bit, which the Kazekage respected and detached himself from his presence. His steps were silent, but to him, they felt so heavy as he neared.
"Welcome back," Came a voice.
He stopped, eyes flitting towards the gates of the complex. Leaning against the large bars stood Nara, Shikamaru with his hands in his pockets and his head tilted upwards, looking at the sky.
"I was wondering when you'd come home."
Itachi's lip tightened just a little before he spoke.
"Hello to you, too, Shika-kun."
The other pushed off of the gates with a sigh and scratched the back of his head. With a flick of his hand, the gates gave way, permitting entrance to the grounds within.
Itachi's brow rose silently, but he said nothing. He stepped beside the other male for just a moment, pausing to look down at him, and he only recieved a stare in return, before he stepped past and continued inside.
Shikamaru's footsteps fell into place beside his.
"How did you know I was home?"
The younger nin sighed. "Mendoukusai... You resonate with me, to put it bluntly. I could feel you returning."
"How far is the corruption?" The Uchiha asked, staring listlessly at the large estate infront of him as they continued walking.
"Approximately 37.4 percent and rising each day." The other replied grimly, casting a glance around the silent district.
The other nodded silently. They reached the estate within five more steps.
"I see... Foolish otouto." He replied softly, before he turned to the other.
Shikamaru looked up at him. "Will you... Become my anchor?"
"You understand what you're asking of me..." The other sounded mildly warning, cautious.
"Yes. But I need someone, something to stop this. I can't take this feeling of my mind sinking further and further into insanity. You're the only one I can really trust to understand. It's too troublesome to explain it to anyone else, and they wouldn't understand the depth of this."
Itachi sighed, eyes closing heavily as he leaned back against the large door to the estate. All of a sudden he just wanted to sleep again, to be put in a permanant death so he wouldn't have to deal with it all. After a long bout of silence, he finally spoke.
"...Very well, Shika-kun... I will become your anchor. At least until we bring back your beloved."
Shikamaru snorted loudly at that. "Yeah, yeah... More like pain in the ass rather than beloved..."
"I can hear the affection in your voice, you know."
"Tch. Troublesome."
Itachi silently turned, placing his hand on the doorknob. With a silent breath, he turned the handle and pushed the door open.
Horrible memories flooded through him, visions of bloodied family members and the smell of blood assaulted his senses. He almost doubled over until Shikamaru placed his hand on his back, bringing him back to reality.
He swallowed, before taking a step inside the house with a hollowed 'Tadaima'.
Shikamaru followed after and they went to the kitchen first. Making himself at home immediately, the usually lazy-nin went about to making tea for the other, who looked on with mild intrigue.
"I live here from time to time..." Shikamaru mumbled quietly in response to the look.
"I look after the place since...no one else really will. Naruto and Sakura help from time to time, but... It's mostly me."
Itachi nodded silently. "I suppose that's only the proper thing to do..."
The other snorted silently. "You'd know,"
"Hn."
Five minutes of silence, Shikamaru served the other the tea before taking a seat in the chair across from the other with his own cup. Really, when the Uchiha fully looked at him, he could see the signs.
The way his fingers drummed anxiously, the way his eyes would focus in and out, dilating every so often, the subtle way he worried on his lower lip. The corruption was definitely getting worse. He took a long sip of his tea with a frown.
His brother really had done a lot of damage to many people.
-----
Naruto sat beside Sakura silently where they were waiting for Kakashi to show up.
"Late as always," He commented.
"Yeah..." She responded with a slow smile.
They sat in silence for a moment.
"Do you think.... Itachi will make a difference in us bringing Sasuke home?" Sakura finally asked.
Naruto looked thoughtful. "Well... He knows Sasuke best, he's always been the one to see into him and push him. I think once Sasuke finds out Itachi is alive, and finds out the truth, I think maybe he will come to his senses. I think Itachi-san is truly worried about Sasuke, I could see that much in his eyes the way he talked about him."
"I hope so." Sakura nodded.
Out of nowhere, a loud yelling got their attention. Their heads snapped up to the sky just in time to see Jiraiya falling to earth and land in a huge crater several feet from them.
Both of them facefaulted. Naruto crawled over and leaned over the ledge a little. "Ne, ne, ero-sennin, what the hell did you do this time?"
He got a loud giggle in response. Oh god, Naruto thought. He knew what was coming.
"I just got the BEST inspiration ever!" Jiraiya slurred as he clumsily climbed out of the crater to sit heavily on the ground beside it. He had a drunken flush and looked dazed and had a broad grin on his face, along with a nosebleed.
"That sand girl really knows how to hit!" He gushed, still grinning.
"You were spying on Temari?" Sakura facepalmed.
"Yep! She and that Hyuuga girl were getting pretty friendly in the onsen... Oh, man, I've got so many ideas gushing forth! I may have another Icha Icha novel coming soon!" He giggled.
Naruto groaned, "You stupid pervert..."
TBC