3. Plans
Sleeping in has become a thing of the past. Having an early bird for a son, who did not allow for anyone to sleep, when he didn't, made that sort of impossible. And he really did wake up with the birds and the first rays of the sun, which the blinds couldn't keep out in their entirety. Considering that it was summer made that way early.
Sayuri was standing in the kitchen, while Ino fussed over Mikan and tried her best to feed him his vegetable puree without ending up with the green mash in her own face. Ino was visiting them really often, especially now that Kiba was on a mission. She enjoyed playing with Mikan and Sayuri was sure that she also wanted to show Kiba that her wish for a baby was not born out of a whim and that she was definitely ready for it, which her boyfriend apparently didn't believe.
Due to Ino's sociable nature, Sayuri knew just about every single detail of their constant quarrels, though she couldn't help but wonder if Ino's accounts weren't a tad one-sided. Either that, or Kiba was secretly an evil villain, hellbent on destroying every bit of happiness in Ino's life. And, let's face it, Ino wasn't the kind of person who would put up with that.
"C'mon, be nice and say Aaaahhhh," Ino opened her mouth up wide and once Mikan did so, too, a victorious grin stretched her lips and she at once used that chance to bring a spoon-full of food to his mouth. Just in time Mikan pressed his mouth firmly shut, though – he wouldn't be fooled that easily.
"Clever little boy." The Yamanaka clicked her tongue and looked down at the green pulp she was supposed to feed him. "I wouldn't eat that either."
"Are you hungry?" Sayuri asked and turned around to the two of them. "I'm almost done."
"Thank you, but I just ate. Leave that for the hard-working men."
"Hmm… I don't know about the hard-working…" Sayuri grinned and turned back around to finish the last few rice balls. "Naruto and Suigetsu are fooling around most of the time."
"Well, that gives them fewer chances to mess up."
"True. And they won't get in the way of the real workers."
"This house will look great when it's finished."
"I hope so."
Sasuke did a lot of work on the house, or rather paid a lot of people to do so. She would have been fine with the house as it was, as long as it just had a bathroom and a complete roof, but Sasuke wanted it to be big. It was supposed to represent the new Uchiha clan and it should also look like that and he was still determined to not have it stay with only the three of them, so they'd need space, which is why they added some new rooms and an upper floor, although that one was far from being habitable, which is why they were staying on the lower floor in the meantime.
That was also one of the reasons why their furnishing looked more like a make-shift solution. More importantly though, even now, a year after Konoha's destruction, the demand of furniture was much greater than the supply. If you wanted new things that usually entailed a long waiting time and the prices were enormous and considering that they still haven't finished building the house, they decided to wait with buying new furniture before it ended up being damaged or something. They had all they needed – those things were pretty old and worn though and most often broken, but they served their purpose and the whole ground floor was baby safe, which was important now that Mikan took a fancy in crawling around and exploring every single corner.
"I'll bring them the food then. I'll be right back and you be a good boy." Sayuri pointed with her free and at length no longer rice-covered hand at her son and tousled his hair in passing.
She stepped out into the living-room, from where she could already hear a multitude of voices, most distinctly those of Suigetsu and Naruto and went upstairs. Once there, she walked along the long aisle towards the left half of the house and entered the room that only had three and a half walls up to now, but there were some masons just in the process of changing that. At the faraway end of the room, she saw Suigetsu and Naruto with one(!) saw in their hands, which unsettled her a little, especially since it looked as though they were quarrelling over it. With them was Iruka. She had been really surprised about seeing him in front of their door this morning, but Naruto had told him they were installing a parquet floor today and so he volunteered to help them, since he was quite good at it. At least someone who knew what he was doing.
Sasuke was closer to her. He was standing with Tazuna – another well-known face – in front of a table with a blueprint rolled out on it. From the looks on their faces it could have been an unsolvable enigma instead of a mere plan. There were nine people in here; she hoped she had cooked enough.
In the old house they rarely ever had any visitors, whereas now their home was almost always full of people and not only hired workers, but just people who dropped in to say hello. It still filled her with dread to think back of the time in which they had been so close to giving all of this up. In fact, she had thought it would be inevitable; that they would never be allowed to return and then Sasuke hadn't wanted to do so in the first place, but in the end things went more smoothly than anticipated. Once they had gone to Tsunade and told her about their change of mind (and she had been as surprised about it as Sayuri had been herself) she had at once supported their decision and Danzô had known better than to disagree with her. In the end the frictions between the Hokage and the leader of Root (and of course the whole situation concerning Madara) had been the best thing that could have happened to them. It allowed them to return to their hometown and resume living among their friends.
Just the thought of her sitting all alone somewhere in the middle of nowhere, without another person but Sasuke and Mikan, maybe without ever seeing any of these people again… She couldn't even put into words just how grateful she was that Sasuke changed his mind and the least she could do was make sure he would not regret his decision.
"Ah, Sayuri-san," Tazuna said in his booming voice, "that looks delicious."
"Thank you. Please help yourself," she smiled and offered the brimful plate to him, and the bridge builder didn't need to be asked twice. He at once took three of the filled rice balls and took a seat in an unsteady folding chair, from where he had a good view of everything going on around him.
"You?" She turned to Sasuke who briefly looked up.
"In a minute," he said and was just about to focus on his plans again, when they heard a crash and at once turned their heads towards the source. It had come from the other side of the room, where now both Suigetsu and Naruto were lying on the ground and from the look on Iruka's face, he was just about to give them a proper roasting.
"Those two…" Sasuke groaned and shook his head.
"Uh-huh," Sayuri giggled and watched how he turned his attention back to the blueprint again, but then she placed the plate of food right on top of it and slung her arms around Sasuke's neck, before giving him a long kiss.
"What?" he asked as she broke the kiss again and he couldn't help but frown about the beaming smile on her face.
"Nothing," she shrugged and pressed another peck on his lips.
"Hey! How about working you slacker! This is your house after all!" Naruto barked and pointed with his saw at the young couple.
Sayuri dropped her arms at once and gave Sasuke a sheepish look, before she took the plate again and carried it to the other people, hoping to appease them that way and of course it worked. With Suigetsu and Naruto it did anyway and the others probably couldn't care less, as long as they were getting paid by the end of the day and Sasuke paid them ridiculous sums of money, even the volunteers, and he didn't care if anyone felt offended by that. He didn't want to be indebted to anyone. The financial savings of the Uchiha clan really came in handy and Sasuke as the sole heir had unrestricted access to it. Needless to say that he'd rather have it otherwise…
"Is there anything you need still?" Sayuri asked, once she had made sure that no one would starve, but the only reaction was synchronously shaking heads.
"Sayuri-san?"
She heard someone call her from downstairs, but it wasn't Ino and she couldn't really identify the voice either.
"Yes?" she murmured sceptically and rushed through the corridor and to the circular staircase, from where she peered down to see who was visiting. "Tsuzumi-san?"
Okay, she sort of knew him after all, he's had something to do with the Chunin exams, but they had never yet talked to each other, so no wonder she hadn't recognised his voice. All the more surprising was it to see him here in their house and then he even knew her name. Curious and curiouser…
"Can I help you?" she asked sceptically as she slowly walked down the stairs, her grey-blue eyes remaining focused on the brown-haired Jounin.
"Depends."
"On what?"
"Are you Sayuri?"
So he didn't know who she was after all…
"Yes, I am," she nodded and folded her arms in front of her chest, still somewhat suspicious about this intrusion into her home.
"Then I have a message for you from Tsunade-sama," Tsuzumi said in his most official tone of voice.
"A message?" she asked, furrowing her brows. Usually messages were thrown into the mailbox or slipped under the door or on rare occasions they ended up pinned to the wall by a kunai, but such a formal announcement? That was definitely unusual…
"Yes," he nodded, "you are to come to the Hokage residence immediately."
"Why?"
Sayuri turned around quickly to see that Sasuke was now standing right behind her, asking the very question she had just meant to ask herself.
"I'm only the messenger," he replied curtly, "and as such my task is accomplished."
He nodded at them, before he turned around to leave. And he left them with a lot of questions.
She was officially called to the Hokage.
Immediately.
That sounded really important and she just couldn't think of a single reason why Tsunade would want to see her. She had withdrawn from active duty and she was no longer working in the hospital either. She only dropped in from time to time, when Sasuke was at home or they had someone else to look after Mikan. But by no stretch of the imagination could she fathom what the Godaime wanted from her. But it didn't really sound like good news… These official calls were rarely ever related to good news.
"I guess I better go." Sayuri turned around to Sasuke and from the look on his face, she was sure he had just wondered about the same things as she had, without finding an answer either.
"Hn," he nodded grimly and finally focused his coal black eyes on his girlfriend.
"I'll ask Ino if she can look after Mikan a little longer."
And then she'd set out to get her answers.
Tsunade's office wasn't really far away, so Sayuri reached it in less than ten minutes. Once inside the familiar corridor, with the green carpet and the wooden wall panelling, she could no longer deny that she had a somewhat queasy feeling about the meeting.
They were back in the Hidden Leaf since about four months, but she still dreaded that Tsunade would change her mind or would be forced to change her mind. Everything went way too smoothly back then. They had expected major difficulties, especially considering their whole demeanour. Tsunade had asked them to keep in touch and Sasuke had been against it, but at least he would have yielded on that point. Then Tsunade had asked them not to move too far away and Sasuke had been against it again, resolutely so.
Early the next day, after a night spent in a hotel, rather than in Naruto's flat (there has been too much to discuss still, they couldn't have done that in front of him), they had visited the Hokage. She had already looked grim, as though she had prepared all night for every single argument they could bring up, so she wouldn't have to think long about a way to counter it. If all else failed, she could still use a display of her superhuman strength in order to stun them into submissiveness – at least that's what her eyes had told them. Her amber eyes had strongly reminded of those of a lynx.
Sasuke hadn't looked much different either; stern and unrelenting, although relenting was what they had come for. It was probably a habit of his. He was just terribly stubborn, which is why it had surprised her so much that he changed his mind in the first place. But he did it for her, so she'd be happy and he did it for them, his family, so they'd be as safe as they could possibly be. Maybe he also did it for himself, so he wouldn't have to be worried all the time, but that was really the only advantage that he, personally, gained out of their staying here.
He had felt bad about it, she was sure he still did. After all the lies Madara had fed him, his image of his hometown had changed drastically and definitely for the worse. Just the thought of having to live among the possible murderers of your entire family… Sayuri understood all too well why Sasuke had wanted to move away. She was sure that Madara was incapable of producing but a single truthful word, but what it came down to was that they would never know. Maybe he had told the truth, maybe it was all a lie. But for their sake Sasuke had decided to give it a rest and not ask any further questions. That was probably what was hardest for him; living with all the uncertainties, but he did it for his new family. What better proof of his love could he possibly give?
Tsunade had been all too prepared for a long, nerve-wracking argument, but then they had entered her office, and although Sasuke had looked stubborn enough, ready for a confrontation as well, the smile on Sayuri's face had shaken her harsh façade a little and led it to be invaded by wonderment. Then came blank disbelief as Sayuri announced the good news, although she hadn't been quite sure just then, whether Tsunade saw it as good news as well… It might not reflect well on her role as Hokage to allow criminals to live within her village. People might see it as a weakness; that her soft spot for a group of individuals was detrimental to the well-being of her village and then use that as a foundation to protest against her decision. Up to now no one had done so though, at least not openly. But then it's not like anyone knew the truth about them.
In fact, they had more or less been welcomed with open arms and really many people volunteered to help them settle down. Konoha shinobi looked after another in more than one way… This was really the ideal place for Mikan to grow up in. Maybe it was a bit narrow-minded to think that this kind of solidarity only existed in the Hidden Leaf, but it's not like she had a comparison. Konoha was the only home she had ever known and she was glad that it would also be the home of her son.
"Come in."
Tsunade's voice, firm as always, drifted through the thick oaken door, the second Sayuri's knuckles only brushed the wood. She must have been waiting for her already, which usually wasn't a good sign. The Godaime was terribly impatient.
"You asked to see me?" Sayuri inquired, as she entered Tsunade's large, but awfully crammed and untidy office. It showed that Shizune has been sent on a mission; her employer was immersed in chaos.
"That I did," Tsunade responded in a matter of fact tone, but did not carry on and left it at analysing her former student closely.
"So…?" Sayuri asked eventually, feeling her level of anxiety rise gradually. "What is it?"
"Well," Tsunade began and folded her arms on what little free space there was on her desk. Was she bracing herself for delivering bad news? The Godaime's body language was usually pretty easy to read, which made her such a terrible poker player. She had her specific gestures for tension, suspicion, anger, worry and exhaustion and this one clearly spoke for tension.
"Well…?" Sayuri repeated and nodded eagerly, wishing the Hokage would finally stop keeping her on tenterhooks and talk in complete, meaningful sentences. She could already feel her hands become clammy as she waited and tried hard not to flinch under Tsunade's intense scrutiny.
But she hadn't asked to see Sasuke. Whatever Tsunade had to say couldn't be related to their staying here. If it were, she would have demanded to see the both of them, but she hadn't. But then she didn't like talking to Sasuke (she had told her so in one of her less sober moments), so maybe she left it to her, to tell Sasuke about whatever she couldn't get herself to utter to begin with.
"Tell me already."
"Hm…" Tsunade nodded and got up, before she began straying through her office. "After due consideration I've come to the decision that you are ready to take part in the medical exam for the next level."
"Huh?" Sayuri stammered, completely lost for words. She had expected quite a lot of things, but definitely nothing like this.
"You asked for permission to take the exam, did you not?"
"I-I did, but that was like… two years ago…"
She had known that it took some time to be allowed to the exam, but after not receiving a response after a couple of months, Sayuri had taken that as a no and wasted no further thought on the matter; especially after Sakura had gotten her permission in less than a month and she was definitely no Sakura, there was no point deluding herself.
"Yes it was. Did you change your mind?"
There was a look on Tsunade's face that told her that any answer other than a yes would gravely disappoint her and she couldn't let her down now, could she?
"Well, no, but why now?
"We could need some more high-ranked Iryonin and now that you are not distracted by any missions, you have enough time to prepare for it."
That wasn't quite true. With her rather time-consuming son and then the building work on their house, she was left with far less spare time than she's had while she still acted as a ninja.
"And when is the exam?"
"By the last of this month."
"That's pretty soon…"
"That leaves you with nearly three weeks to prepare. You think you're up to it?" Tsunade settled back in her chair and watched the violet-haired kunoichi intently, seeing her hesitance all too clearly.
"Guess so…" she shrugged and chewed on her lips as she thought back of the last time she had actually done something in that direction.
She had done a lot while she's still been in Suna, but ever since they came back, her main focus had lain on security systems. She had even helped out (and stolen ideas) in Shikamaru's squad to turn their house into a literal fortress. She had placed many seals in their home, so it's not possible to mould chakra in there and Madara couldn't possibly materialise right into it. If he meant to come, he would have to do so in front of the house, which bought them at least a little bit of time and then the alarm of the village would be set off and it would only be a matter of seconds until help arrived and they were warned in advance of course.
They thought that was pretty much all the protection they could have from no other than Uchiha Madara and they had no idea how effective it would be when it came down to it, but they'd rather not have a reason to find out.
"Guessso?" Tsunade repeated with a raised eyebrow, her hands folded underneath her chin.
"Yes," Sayuri sighed and slumped her shoulders, "I'll somehow make it."
"Very well," Tsunade smirked complacently and rose to her feet again, stretching her arms above her head. "If you need any help, feel free to consult me. You may go now."
"What?" Sayuri gazed at the blonde woman incredulously. "That's it?"
No bad news?
"Basically… yes."
"Then why the immediately?"
"I'm sitting here since eight o'clock and I'm about to starve. I finally want to have lunch," Tsunade said casually and shuffled towards the door, while Sayuri couldn't think of anything to say and left it at gaping at the Fifth.
She was officially ordered to the Hokage by a Chunin on such short notice and only because Tsunade wanted to have lunch? So she had been worried for nothing? Unbelievable… But then that was better than if there had actually been any trouble. Fifteen minutes of unfounded anxiety were definitely better than days, or maybe weeks, of justified one.
Having two idiots on a building site seems worse enough; take three and you have a disaster.
If Sasuke had known who was standing in front of the door, knocking in a patient, but persistent rhythm, he would have thought twice before bothering to walk down the stairs and opening.
It had been weird enough to hear the knocking in the first place. Due to the constant in and out of the workers, the front door was open all day and usually whoever visited saw that as an invitation to just come in. Even the messenger from earlier had waited in the corridor, so of course Sasuke had been rather curious to see who it was, especially since Sayuri was gone for more than two hours now and he really did wonder, what Tsunade could want from her.
With all that in mind, Sasuke had interrupted his work and abandoned his post as Naruto's and Suigetsu's watchdog to answer the door, but once he did he wished he hadn't.
"Sai…"
Sai: the newest and without a doubt least popular member of Team Kakashi, or Team Yamato, whenever the Hatake was sent on another mission, which happened often enough. Aside from not being popular, he was also entirely redundant. He had joined the team, as both he and Sayuri had been in Suna still, waiting for their son to be born. The original Team 7 had only consisted of two members then, Naruto and Sakura and the team-leader, Kakashi, of course. They had needed a third man then, because all teams had to consist of three men in the least. Now that Sasuke was back, they were three again, four with Sai, and although they had been a four man cell most of the time (it seemed to slip Sasuke's notice that he had been gone for no less than three years) they could do perfectly well without him; especially considering how much he disrupted the, as it was, rather odd dynamic of their squad and was more of a curse than a blessing, and yet he was still there.
In this very moment even right within Sasuke's house.
He really wished he hadn't opened the door, but it was too late for that now and although Sasuke hadn't bothered to act like much of a host, Sai had nevertheless followed him all the way upstairs and now he stood there in the middle of the room, with a pen in one hand and a notepad in the other. He almost appeared lost, on first sight anyway, but if you took a closer look, you could see how intently his eyes were following the present people, and then the comments he dropped, more often than not, didn't exactly speak for discomfort either.
Naruto and Suigetsu had settled their quarrel over the saw and the Houzuki now used his decapitator in order to cut the wood into the right size, which meant Naruto had the saw all to himself. Even though he didn't seem to be able to concentrate on his task, since he was too busy looking up and scowling at Sai.
"Oi! How long are you just gonna stand there?" Naruto barked and with his clear blue eyes fixed on his team-mate, he didn't see just how close he had just gotten to cutting off his fingers. "Do something or get out of here!"
"Maybe I should," Sai said in a thoughtful voice, "but you in turn should rather stop, before you do any more damage."
"What?" Naruto barked, but then saw how Sai pointed his finger, so he followed its direction, until he noticed to his horror that he had cut some kind of zigzag into the wooden board, when there sure enough shouldn't have been any.
"That's all your fault Sai!" Naruto leaped to his feet and waved his saw at the dark-haired man. "You distract me on purpose!"
"Lame excuse, you moron," Suigetsu, who had watched the entire scene with a large grin on his face, snorted and passed another perfectly clean cut board to Iruka.
"Hey! Whose side are you on anyway?"
Traitor.
"Didn't know this was about sides…" Suigetsu drawled and looked into the air, as though engaged in deep contemplation. "I guess I'm on the side of whoever doesn't give me more work…"
And that coming from someone who helped voluntarily.
"That's a really handy tool you have there," Sai murmured and pointed at Suigetsu's Decapitating Knife. "But I wonder why you always carry such a huge sword with you… Are you trying to compensate for something?"
"Compensate?" Suigetsu asked with a baffled face. "You know," he started in a low voice, while a sly grin appeared on his lips, "One more word and you'll have to compensate for your head."
"That smile is fake." Sai pointed at his opposite, while a similar expression appeared on his face.
"Is that all you have to say?"
"For the moment…"
What a weird guy.
"Yo, Sasuke!" Naruto rose to his feet and patted the dust off his hands, after he had hidden the piece of wood he had just mutilated among the pile of intact ones. "Did you make up your mind about the Chunin exams?"
"Hmpf," Sasuke snorted dismissively and didn't deign to look at the blonde again.
"Fine, I'm off then." Naruto snapped, a little sulky about the lack of enthusiasm on the Uchiha's side. "I don't plan to stay a stupid Genin for the rest of my life."
"Whatever," Sasuke shrugged, but was reminded again that Sayuri still hadn't returned from her meeting with the Hokage. Maybe Naruto would run into her… and knowing Naruto he would come running right back here in case something should be going on, like Tsunade not letting him in because she had something else to do… and knowing Naruto he'd also find out just what it was… Either way he'd get the information soon enough.
Naruto couldn't stand to sit around and do nothing.
There were people like Shikamaru, who could lie around day in and day out or others like Ino who only searched for someone to chat with. Just nothing useful; nothing with a purpose… that was something he could not square with his conscience. The only idle time of his day was reserved for ramen; the rest was filled with either missions, training or he did his best to help out wherever help was needed and that was quite a lot still. Although they were planning to have all the construction work done by the end of the month – at least concerning public buildings and institutions. And it was about high time for that…
As Naruto walked down the street, heading toward Tsunade's office, he wondered if he was really helping out so much at Sasuke's house because he wanted to do his friends a favour, entirely selfless, or if he wasn't rather interested in Sasuke finishing his house as soon as possible, so he'd finally have a worthy training partner again. They did train from time to time, but not really often. Sasuke had his obligations; it was his house after all and then he also had a family. Naruto, however, didn't really have anything to do, whenever he wasn't assigned to one of these stupid and far too rare missions. Everyone else from their age group was sent out far more often, which usually left him alone here, or that's how it felt at least.
That was the reason why he wanted to take the Chunin exams. Once he was a Chunin he would go on better missions with all the others and working to pass the exam seemed like at least some sort of purpose. He didn't have any doubts that he would rush through the tests with flying colours. After all he was the one who saved the village from extinction and the others were but a bunch of Genin, but maybe there was at least the remotest possibility that he'd face a challenge. Who knew? There was often word about young geniuses…
Not that it would make a difference to him…
Many people greeted him on the way; they always did wherever he went. It had taken him quite some time to get used to it. After being either shunned or ignored for the majority of his life, being smiled at or patted on the back for no apparent reason was sort of surreal. But then they called him a hero, and apparently this was how heroes were being treated.
Smirking at the thought, Naruto strolled down the street, nodding at everyone passing him, until he caught sight of a well-known person, walking his way.
"Sayuri-chan!" Naruto waved at the violet-haired kunoichi, who was carrying a huge pile of books, reaching up to her nose.
"Naruto-kun?" She turned around a bit, so she wouldn't have to look over the books at the blonde Genin, who was hurrying to close up to her. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, what are you doing here?" The Uzumaki countered. "You've been gone for quite a while."
"I know," she sighed, already having a guilty conscience because of relying on Ino to baby-sit for such a long time. "Tsunade sent me to the library to get a couple of books for her and once I returned she had another list of books I'll need for my exam." She lifted the books a bit higher for emphasis, while a grimace contorted her features.
"Exam? Are you taking the Chunin exam as well?" he asked excitedly, hoping to have at least someone there he knew. But why did she need books? Reading something would be about the last thing he'd do in order to prepare himself. Reading was pretty much the last thing he'd do period.
"Nuh-uh. I'm a Chunin already, remember? I'll take a medical exam."
"Oh…"
Yet another person who had something to do.
"Well, I'd help you carry your books, but I'm on my way to Tsunade."
"Never mind, they're not that heavy."
"Next time then." Naruto smiled apologetically. "See you around." He grinned and walked off, towards the big red building, Tsunade resided in.
There's been a time when he's been here pretty much every day, always with a request on his lips. At the beginning pretty random requests for more and most importantly better, more dangerous missions. Then the requests for permission to go after Sasuke. Then again requests for better missions and then at some point he gave up. He still wasn't happy with how things were going, but over all these years his requests haven't really gotten him anywhere; that he had come to realise, which is probably why he didn't show up here without an invitation. Once he had one, there was enough time to complain, but often enough he thought whybother?
He surely had changed. And now he went to Tsunade to ask her to let him enter the Chunin exams instead of complaining. But it was a request nevertheless. Maybe he hadn't changed that much after all…
"Oi, Tsunade-baa-chan!" Naruto hollered as he entered the Godaime's office, but stopped then, as he saw that she was by no means alone.
"Uzumaki Naruto," Koharu, a member of the village's council, croaked in her craggy voice, "Brash as always."
"What do you want, Naruto?" Tsunade just ignored the old woman's remark, so Naruto decided to do the same. The Hokage looked sullen enough and he could fully understand her. This Koharu wasn't the nice kind of granny.
"I want you to sign me up for the next Chunin exams."
Straightforward and honest. Naruto has never been one for indirectness and politeness strategies, which is why he usually appeared rude; even to the people who knew him. But now that he was a hero, a star, people simply dismissed his behaviour as eccentricity.
"That is not possible," Koharu responded before Tsunade even had a chance to and at once drew Naruto's attention to herself.
"And why is that?" He glowered at her from the corner of his eyes, but the old woman seemed rather unfazed.
"Because there is no such thing taking place in Konoha this year."
"What?" Naruto's eyes widened, but the initial surprise was soon replaced by pure, raw anger. If there was one thing he couldn't stand then that was being lied to. "What are you talking about? I heard some people talk about them!"
"You had better check your sources the next time," Koharu replied calmly, while all Tsunade did was stare at a point in space, somewhere beside Naruto's angry face.
"Bu-"
"-Do you really think that after what happened, we would organise something as laborious as a showcase exam?"
This all corresponded to the truth, which is why Tsunade didn't interfere. What they didn't tell him though was that this year the Chunin exam didn't take place in Konoha, but Kumo Gakure.
Naruto obviously didn't know that they wouldn't have allowed him to get a higher rank anyway. His Genin status served as a solid excuse to keep him from taking part in dangerous missions and Konoha's council was of the opinion to have it stay that way and thought it was for the best. Tsunade however was of a different mind. Her main concern wasn't Naruto's physical well being; she was rather concerned about the day he would finally become aware of the web of lies they had woven around him.
She already knew that they were doing him wrong with their overprotective treatment, but she dreaded the day he would know as well.
Shushuya – probably the most popular pub there was in the Hidden Leaf, was about as full as it was every evening, regardless of weekday or weekend. There were many wooden booths, like in a restaurant, where the customers could enjoy the rather limited range of dishes being served here, the spicy smells of which permeated the air and excited the senses. Most of the people didn't come for food though, which is why almost every single stool at the bar was occupied and people had to settle for the regular tables after all, although they didn't bring that typical bar-vibe across. It somehow felt different to get drunk while sitting at a long bar with people around you who did the same, or if you did so while sitting at a table all by yourself.
The more advanced the hour, the harder it was to get one of the popular seats and many people, mainly men, already stood in queue, waiting for someone to go home or get carried out, it didn't really matter how they left, as long as they did. Even so, the man entering Shushuya at one of its busiest hours, didn't bother to get in line, but walked with deliberate steps to the end of the bar and came to a halt in front of an empty but obviously reserved stool.
"Nara"
"Uchiha," Shikamaru nodded, without looking up and shoved one of the two glasses towards the free space next to him. Without asking any questions, Sasuke sat down and closed his hand around the glass and there they sat now, both with their eyes directed at the array of colourful bottles at the wall in front of them, while they let the din of their surroundings wash over their minds. Despite the general noise level the silence between them was not quite uncomfortable and didn't seem in need of breaking, although talking was actually what they were here for, but that had time.
Silently they drained their sake in a perfectly synchronous motion and in a matter of seconds their glasses were full again though no one had asked for a refill. There just wasn't any need to, which was probably the whole charm of these occasional get-togethers. They had company without being forced to act the way you did when you had company; isolated togetherness in which they could let the day settle into dust with a good drop of liquor – and of course these meetings also served a more serious purpose.
"I sorted through the files you gave me," Shikamaru eventually broke the noisy and yet profound silence, "It's gonna be a tough piece of work and you'll definitely need more people."
"Hmpf," Sasuke snorted dismissively and revolved his glass in his hand, before he again downed its clear content.
"I'm just telling you how it is." Shikamaru shrugged nonchalantly and lit a cigarette, before offering one to Sasuke as well. His black eyes rested a long time on the offered item and for a moment it seemed as though he actually contemplated taking it, but then he gave the Nara a disgusted look, before he turned away and filled their glasses again and somehow Shikamaru couldn't help smirking. So drinking was okay but smoking wasn't?
"I don't want anyone to get dragged into this."
"It's too late for that."
"Hmpf," Sasuke snorted again, though this time rather with a resigning quality, since he knew the Nara was right. And there went the next round and at length they were beginning to feel the heat crawl up their throats, but it hadn't quite reached their heads yet. It seemed to take longer and longer each time.
"You have anything concrete yet?"
"As I said, it's a tough piece of work," Shikamaru evaded a clear answer and stared straight into his empty glass. "Double or nothing," he said and filled their glasses to the rim. At this rate, they most likely had a long night ahead of them still.
It were the same roads that had only weeks ago taken them away from home and onto the battlefield, straight towards the innocent stretch of land they had turned into a cemetery. The roads were the same, nothing had changed and yet they no longer seemed to be leading anywhere and certainly not home.
It was a blur of a journey, filled with countless unspoken words, unshed tears and rotten thoughts, until the high town walls crept up on the distant horizon, lacking the sense of security, of comfort, they usually conveyed.
Their home was almost within reach and they prepared to spread the terrible news.
They couldn't have known just then that there was no one left to listen to them.
…
…
