I don't own Naruto
Prediction confirmed, work went to hell, muse went out the window, you name it, it happened and is still happening so if anything in this chapter feels forced let me know. I may not change it but I can at least avoid it in later chapters and other stories. It's probably going to be a while before the next chapter gets put up so apologies in advance.
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It had been a very long night for Itachi. Jiraiya had wisely fixed what he could of the street and paid for what he couldn't while the Uchiha sat across the blond legend with an untouched bottle of saki between them. Tsunade's assistant Shizune had appeared with in the hour. By the time Itachi finished giving the med nin the tragic farce that was the life of Naruto Uzumaki it was two in the morning.
Worse yet the girl hadn't shown back up meaning she was looking for, found, or planning trouble. His money was a combination of all three given her mood with the first and third in the lead and the second coming up close behind them and waiting at the finish line.
"So, your telling me that the Kyuubi no Kitsune, the thing that just about destroyed Konoha, actually chose to go back in the seal at least according to a clearly mentally unstable and abused girl and is now supposedly helping her see in a manner she has never described."
Itachi started to respond but Tsunade cut him off. "This girl, who was a boy by my last recollection, has also been trained by numerous elite including several S class and has relations to numerous clan heirs and secondary heirs, has both the thirds and Danzo's borderline paternal support and is a self-made genius in sealing."
She reached for the saki when he only nodded. She finished it before she glared at him. "What the fuck were you thinking brat?"
"That the kitsune was the only thing she trusted at her most vulnerable moment." His answer silenced the woman like he knew it would.
The jar clinked softly as she set it back on the table. "I can't argue with that."
"The council tried?" He remarked, gallows humor all to evident in his tone.
She smirked, making her assistant shiver. "Konoha must have been a very interesting place to live these last few years."
Itachi raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Not until I taught her the shadow clone." The woman blinked, he laughed. "Oh yes, an Uzumaki's body combined a chakra demon like the Kitsune and masterly crafted seal, that girl has to bind herself with four different chakra restraints before she can even use the traditional clone and the first thing she substituted with was a leaf."
"What of the fox's chakra, can she use it?"
"Once, we got lucky." Itachi was very careful to instill the notion he was not going to go into further detail with that last word. Most wouldn't have been smart enough to listen, Danzo and the Hokage among them. Tsunade either acknowledged the need for discretion or actually understood as she simply slumped back in her chair.
"She hates me?" She murmured like the mere concept was completely ludicrous.
"Clearly." Itachi's answer was dry offering no opinion or possible clue as to why.
"Have you ever seen her hate anyone?" Itachi made a mental note to never underestimate this woman. Her grasp of his adopted sister after a single meeting was downright terrifying.
"Not since she killed my father." He found the horrified look Shizune gave him hilarious but he buried it. "And even then, it was more sadistic pleasure in making certain he knew who did it, it's actually personal with you."
Tsunade only nodded. "I had a feeling, she's to much of a shinobi for such foolishness."
"Clearly not?" He wasn't disappointed in the girl, in fact he was glad to see past the mask she'd warn for so long.
"Her hatred gave her the edge she needed to beat me." Tsunade snapped back. "I think we both know how dangerous that makes her, especially since she chose not to kill me when she had the chance."
Itachi nodded in agreement. "I suppose that is true, though I'd wager the fox may have more to do with you living then being her missions objective."
"How much sway does that fox have over her?" Tsunade's voice low and troubled.
Itachi shrugged. "Unknown."
The slug hime's gazed at the young legend across the table from her, her youthful appearance unable to hide her years displayed in her light brown eyes. "Your personal estimation?"
Itachi shook his head. "You want information like that you'll have to be reinstated as a practitioner in Konoha again."
Tsunade gazed at him, her eyes filled with about as much life as Naruto's. "What is your mission at this very moment Itachi Uchiha?"
"Locate and convince Tsunade Senju to return to Konoha." Was the crisp formal answer he gave.
"That's the toads mission and your cover story," Tsunade shot back, "What is your mission?"
"Introduce Naruto Uzumaki to Tsunade Senju, what occurs does not matter. If it is possible to convince you to return do so, otherwise return to Konoha a month before the exams begin."
"Then you've succeeded."
He shook his head. "No, Naruto thinks of you as an enemy, something to destroy or evade, the fact that she knows your name just means she's going to be more cautious."
Tsunade smirked at the boy's quick but sound summery of the whiskered blonde's opinion of her. "What would you count as a success then?"
His answer came without hesitation. "When she tells us why she hates you?"
Tsunade knew her surprise showed, at least to the shinobi across from her. "That's a rather lofty goal."
Itachi's hand brushed over his left thigh. "Very." Neither spoke after that and what little was left of the night for Itachi was spent if fitful bouts of sleep and worry. All of which became lethargic annoyance as he woke to another screaming match between blondes. This was one of the reasons he'd fallen in love with Yugao, she didn't scream when she was mad. More dangerous yes but that just turned him on more.
As for his cherished sister he was certain a week-long survival and evasion course beginning the second the chunin exams ended would be just the thing to teach her to appreciate silence first thing in the morning. As for making him worry so much. . . he'd just have to get creative. Sasuke would certainly appreciate the fact he had not been included this time around.
"Why the hell should I give a fuck what you think?" Naruto's howl was like ice picks in his budding headache. "Clearly the only things you use your vast talent for is looking young, jury rigging your liver, and air bags designed for crash landings off the Hokage monument."
Itachi groaned as he dragged himself from his suddenly amazingly comfortable bed and into the hall. The slug hime was glaring at the younger blond without remorse. Itachi frowned, vaguely disturbed by the severe lack of prank material or damage of any sort, making him wonder just what Naruto had planned.
"Until you've tried to hold your loved one's guts inside his body trying to save his life you don't have room to lecture me."
"I never even knew what love was until I lost nearly all my memories along with my eyes and was apparently raped." Naruto snapped. Tsunade recoiled like she'd be sprayed with acid.
Itachi didn't think about what he was doing as he pinned the girl to the wall, dead black and scarlet eyes looking at her, empty white staring back at him. "What are you doing Naruto?" His question was soft. It was the way he talked to people he was preparing to hurt.
"ITACHI!" The Uchiha heir's head snapped towards the shout to see his little brother covered in sweat and panting even as he tried to glare. "How would you feel if Kaa san abandoned us?"
Itachi could only stare at his brother, his razor-sharp mind failing to even comprehend the question. "Why are you here Sasuke?" Only those who knew him would hear his wariness. His little brother simply ran a finger across his left thigh. Itachi had to force himself to keep from wincing at the reminder.
He did however lower Naruto to the ground, not failing to notice the sharpness of her breathing or the speed of her pulse. He recognized the signs now. She was arguing with the fox. To what extent he had no way of knowing but the physical stress displayed was nothing to scoff at.
"You never even cared I existed." The blond whispered. Sasuke was in front of her before she could speak again, hiding her face before any of them could see the tears.
His glare as Tsunade reached out caught even him by surprise and stilled the older blond instantly. Sasuke wanted to hurt her, wanted to make her bleed and suffer and would if given even the smallest reason. "The fox told her about both you and Jiraiya along with the tiny little detail of you being her god parents," He bit out in disgust, "She understands duty, she doesn't understand you."
So many things suddenly made sense to Itachi. Naruto had years to research the slug Sannin, probably going as far as to get a hold of her personal file. Tsunade was supposed to be family. A family before she was ever even hurt. A reason she never should have been. The fact that she'd kept it to her level of civility was amazing enough.
"I thought sensei could protect you." Tsunade whispered from where she slumped against the wall old wounds torn open and fresh ones added. She'd lost a lover and a little brother and now her goddaughter justifiably hated her and this time she was the only enemy.
Itachi didn't care. Grotesque disaster or not his mission was done and he was exhausted. He only vaguely noted his brother following him. No words, no gestures, looks, or acknowledgement of any sort. Both just passed out back to back, neither giving a fuck they were leaving the two most explosive blondes in the elemental nation to sort out their problems on their own.
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She wanted a drink. Badly. She refused if only because she wasn't certain what the girl across the table from her would do if she passed out drunk. Given that the whiskered girl was shamelessly flirting with her apprentice, leaving the girl as red as a tomato, and ignoring her completely meant little.
Tsunade wasn't s class because she could turn boulders to dust with her fist or handle borderline any medical affliction in the nations. One didn't become s class without a single specific edge, chief among them blood lines or powerful weapons such as her grand uncle's sword.
She was one of a very few number whose only edge was their mind and right now, even dulled from years of abuse, it was telling her the girl delaying a discussion she didn't want to have.
"I'm serious your hairs amazing, how do you manage to keep up with it while out on the road as much as you are, some kind of chakra technique or do you have some sort of herbal mix?" Naruto asked as brightly as a girl with milk colored eyes and feral looking marks on her cheek could.
If she wasn't so miserable, she would have been taking rather impish delight in Shizune's blushing while trying to figure out how a blind girl could perceive such detail of the world around her. As things were, her fellow blond was dropping more the few hints of what she was doing to her apprentice with each complement.
"I guess hime's training would help you stay in shape but when was the last time you were able to unwind at a hot spring without worrying about if you'd be making a quick exit because the money you thought you had just happened to be donated to a casino instead? She was also getting progressively more pointed with each suggestive mark.
"I've already scouted out the best places around here if you want, I'm certain hime has more than enough experience keeping herself occupied and you clearly need it." How could anyone much less a thirteen year old be scathing and flirtatious in the same sentence.
Tsunade decided it was time to save her unfortunate apprentice who, by no fault of her own, was in way over her head. "I certainly won't mind but before you go I think you should take the passive part off your aggression and actually talk to me."
The girl could glare. She could glare very, very well. In fact, Tsunade was almost tempted to check for a genjutsu. "Why?"
"Because despite your relaxed demeanor, your twisted little brain is working over time to demean and guilt me over yet another one of my failures while possibly tempting the last bastion of sanity I have left away from me." She didn't judge, simply answered her question. "The fact that I can't tell if you're doing it consciously or unconsciously only scares me more."
The blond leaned forward clearly interested. "So what?"
"I will not let you drag Shizune into this war between us understood, or are you one for involving innocents in potential blood baths?" Tsunade knew she had her with that. The girl may have a shinobi's practicality but that just meant she could weigh the pros and cons of escalating the already heated nature of their relationship.
The girl groaned as she slumped in her seat. "Why can't you just be an old broken hag I can easily hate, just a worthless excuse for a former legend." Tsunade opened her mouth to respond but the girl cut her off. "Instead your rational, empathetic, and have been trying to get this girl to go home for years."
Shizune's eyes widened even as they shot towards Tsunade who grunted in annoyance. "Some faith, taking the brats word right off the bat."
"To be fair, she knows you well enough to actually realize that it would be something you'd do." Naruto commented. "Besides why would you make at least yearly visits so close to Konoha while noticeably becoming so much worse with your vices if you weren't trying to drive her off."
"Someone's been keeping an ear out."
"Everyone needs a hobby."
"And you just decided yours would be tracking an S class boozer with remarkable success I might add."
"Stories are easy find considering you don't do much to try and stop them."
"Careful brat, your starting to sound diplomatic."
The blond groaned. "I think I'm getting sick for the first time in my life."
Tsunade blinked. "I doubt your natural vitality would allow much less the fox."
"Then why am I always distracted, moody, and can't stop staring at those things on your chest."
Tsunade groaned as she rubbed her eyes tiredly, "Your right brat you are getting sick and with you this may very well be the worst disease you could ever contract."
"What?"
"Puberty, the nations are as good as damned." The older blond stated dryly.
Naruto blinked before grinning. "Says the woman in clinical denial that she's going through menopause."
The auras about both blonds changed even as Shizune vanished with Tonton. Those that remained suffered nightmares for years to come all while the Uchiha heirs slept through it without even twitching.
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Itachi didn't know why but Tsunade simply agreed to come back. The original tension between her and Naruto was gone with what remained more like a cat and dog that were forced to live together. They hated it but kept it professional. As professional as a cat and dog with advanced training in mind games ever would at least. He personally had already scent message to the Hokage to put his usual on Jiraiya being the first one they teamed up on. The fallout would be amazing.
The journey back was interesting, informative, and at times a little more intense than the Uchiha's or toad sage would have preferred but between Sasuke and Shizune, something akin to peace was kept, though he had a feeling this cold war between the two of them was only in its infancy. Konoha was about to get an in-depth lesson in S class subterfuge and he was only going to watch.
He also wasn't surprised to have a messenger hawk find them a mile out of town with instructions to bring Naruto to the council chamber upon arrival. He gave the girl a look, she only seemed amused. It seemed Konoha was about to get another lesson even sooner.
It was rather amusing to watch the faces of the civilian council morph from arrogance to surprise as the two-remaining loyal Sannins and both Uchiha heirs flanked the blond pariah as they entered. Danzo however didn't bat an eye as he rose. "This council has convened in light of your actions immediately prior and during your latest mission Uzumaki."
Naruto already looked bored out of her mind. "About what?"
"You kidnapped the Kazekage's daughter for your own amusement, on top of the fact of who her father is, she is also one of the few capable of calming sands Jinchurikee who's seal was poorly done leaving the boy unstable at the best of times." Naruto wasn't even looking at the elder any more, fingers twitching subtly. "And within the same hour, you brutally assaulted one of this villages highest ranking and valued shinobi."
This got the old 'war hawk' a few looks given the fact that Jiraiya was often beaten by villagers and kunoichi alike. It had happened so often it be weird for it not to.
The war hawk continued. "I've even received reports of the attitude you gave lady Tsunade when you and your superiors approached her, exceptionally unbefitting of a kunoichi of Konoha young lady, what do you have to say for yourself."
Itachi watched as Naruto checked her watch. "Only three minute's worth complaints, for someone of your reputation I'd expected you to last longer, Ibiki can go on for an entire hour and that's just his average." She shrugged, "I wouldn't be too worried about it, it's common for men of your age to have performance issues."
The council is dead silent as Danzo gaped at the blond. Tsume starts cough and is quickly joined by Tsunade followed by Shikaku. The cough descended into laughter which spread through the room like wild fire. Even Hiashi was covering his mouth but the shaking of his shoulders was a dead giveaway. The civilian side of the council simply looked horrified.
Danzo simply stood there. Naruto shunsined to his side and kissed him on the cheek sweetly. "Love you to old man."
He broke and ruffled her hair. "That's the last time I play villain around you kid, you don't play fair."
Hiashi was the first to recover and managed to call the room to order. "Now that we've heard the defendant, I think we should actually hear what charges are laid against her."
The Hokage smirked. "I spoke with the Kazekage on the matter personally, while he was a little put off by young Uzumaki's forwardness he did admit that his son handled the separation surprisingly well, even going as far as to say the boy admitted to enjoy the peace and quiet." He looked towards his perverted student. "What of you Jiraiya, we haven't had a chance to discuss her assault yet have we?"
Jiraiya couldn't seem to find a spot to look at given the hot water he knew he was in. "No comment on the matter."
His sensei didn't bother to hide the wolf like smile before he looked at Tsunade. "You Tsunade, reports are rather varied but all generally point to the same conclusion."
Tsunade only snorted. "The brat and I have personal issues to sort out, nothing this esteemed council needs to trouble themselves with." Itachi was pleased with how willing the woman was to call out the council on their bullshit.
Politics had no place amongst pragmatic militaristic shinobi, that the old fools thought it did would be almost adorable if it wasn't targeting his little sister. That was irritating, like an itch he couldn't quiet reach. That just meant he needed a back scratcher. Something adoring little sisters were remarkably talented at.
"I'm certain they were just looking out for the civilians," Naruto commented, still hugging Danzo, "After all, foxy chan did make something of a mess, they certainly wouldn't be attempting to undermine the Hokages rightful authority over one of his Kunoichi for their own purpose." The faces on the council went from stunned politicians to sheep in a room full of wolves.
Konoha boasted the largest civilian population of all hidden villages by a considerable margin. It made having a civilian side of the council a necessary evil. The line had blurred over the years and the fox's rampage given them an unexpected boost in authority but now with a single almost innocent sentence it was painted once again.
Treason was a dangerous word even unsaid and Naruto had just slipped a noose around each of the civilian council members. She knew it, they knew it, and so did the gathered shinobi and soon so would every single jonin and chunin the village possessed.
The blond vanished a reappeared by the hokage hugging him as well. "You need anything else old man."
The third chuckled as he ruffled her hair. "That will be more then enough Naruto why don't you go hunt down your teammates, I believe Ms. Yamanaka was interested discussing something with you."
"Cool, later." She vanished once again appeared a few feet from the chamber doors throwing them open easily before striding out with a sensual gate Itachi tried not to imagine since he didn't look back. He wanted to chew the living hell out of Anko for teaching her seduction techniques but that would simply be handing the woman black mail material.
That didn't stop him from rushing home and reassuring himsel- his girlfriend she was the only one for him.
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Ino poured over the notes on her clan's seal of silence. She understood the words, that didn't stop them from reading like a goddamn training manual. Her head echoed loudly as she slammed it against the table, momentary pain all but welcome as she groaned in irritation.
"Sup Ino." A bright bubbly familiar and very unexpected voice chimed right beside her, sending the willowy blond under the table with remarkable adroitness before a small puff suggested the use of a substitution.
"Don't fucking do that Naruto." Ino screamed from where ever she'd switched to on instinct.
"Don't blame me for honing your survival instinct." The whiskered blond commented lazily as she perused the notes. Ino stormed back in with a haughty glare but didn't have time to speak before Naruto caught her in hug before releasing a shunsin that left them in front of the hot springs. Ino switched with a near by log on reflex a heart beat later.
Naruto only chuckled. "Still not fast enough though." She remarked already striding into the spa.
Ino grumbled but followed her. The receptionist gave her a knowing smile before directing her to the massage room. The damn blond had payed for the works. It took two hours and by the time she settled in the private onsen she was a step away from falling into the most blissful sleep of her existence.
Somehow the insane blond went and made it better as Ino barely had chance to settle in the softly bubbling water when she appeared pulling the chopsticks from her pale blond hair and began to brush it gently. Already smooth and perfect the fox girl's comb and fingers passed through easily all but making Ino purr.
"Your horrible, I hate you so much." She half moaned.
Naruto giggled, sounding more feminine then Ino had ever heard before. "Your welcome."
"Thank you for not spiking anything." Ino mumbled blissfully more then ready to just fall asleep fully trusting her teammate to keep her from drowning or succumbing to the heat.
"Do you want me to administer your clans seals?" Naruto's voice was a gentle purr some where between caring and amused.
"Obviously, you're the only one in the village honestly qualified."
Naruto giggled as she rested her chin on Ino's shoulders brushing their cheeks together even as her arms looped around her fellow blonde's shoulders loosely, her body splayed out seductively on the stone floor. "I guess Jiraiya would be disqualified for obvious reasons."
Ino groaned and splashed the girl. "Don't say that things name when I'm naked."
Her fellow blond laughed even she pressed against her playfully. "But you aren't quite naked, are you?"
She didn't know what possessed her to say it, the words simply came out. "Do you want me to be?" She felt Naruto shudder at her words but the blonde's following smile was just a little to gentle.
"Yes, but not like this."
"Why not?"
"Your too vulnerable, to open."
"To easy." Ino added as she gazed at the water wishing it would swallow her.
Naruto's arms tightened. "Because this isn't the real you Ino." Ino blinked. "The real you is proud, vivacious, and outgoing. She doesn't take crap without giving it right back and fights tooth and nail for what she believes." The blond slipped into the water and into her lap with grace she rarely displayed. "And if you really want me after all of this, you'll claw your way through the elemental nation to make it happen."
Her words sparked something in Ino who smirked. "I never took you for the one who wants to be chased Naruto."
The blond laughed. "What can I say, sometimes a girl just wants to feel special."
Ino arched an eye brow as she examined the blond. "So is there any reason your completely naked in my lap?"
The whiskered blond adopted a cute if exaggerated thinking pose complete with a finger pressed against her lips before smiling at her brightly. "Encouragement."
Ino groaned in disgust as she pushed the laughing blond into the water.
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Tsunade looked at her old sensei. "Itachi told me whisker's called dibs on the ones who assaulted her but never if she followed through." She could see the old man's features darken.
"I recall her claims but will admit that I simply accepted them in light of the circumstances. To my knowledge she has not singled or sought them out though I very much doubt she has forgotten."
Tsunade nodded. "That one burns brightly but only to cover the ice-cold depths of the ashes beneath."
He smiled softly. "I think we both know there's something in those depths beyond ice."
Tsunade sighed but nodded. "I do and that scares me even more, her flames are anything but your will of fire and they never will be."
"All fire burns child, hers burns Konoha's even as we speak and I couldn't be happier for it." Her teacher responded
The faces of the civilian council came to mind and Tsunade laughed softly. "She's your forest fire then."
He nodded. "A much needed one at that, my eyes have never been clearer even in the time of her father." The look of regret was distant but no less painful on the old shinobi.
Tsunade's brow furrowed at her sensei's hidden meaning. "How so?"
"Misplaced mercy, hasty decisions, unwarranted aggression, so many countless regrets all held together by the question of if it was ever even worth it."
Tsunade frowned. "Peace has always been your dream sensei and Konoha has that."
The Hokage laughed bitterly. "Yet in that peace, those so many gave their lives to protect turned their grief and rage against an innocent child." He rose from his chair and turned towards the window. "The child of the man who saved them giving his life in the process to do so."
Tsunade couldn't help but note the irony of the circle her sensei's thinking had taken. "The civilians have never understood the ways of shinobi before, much less something as intricate as the Jinchurikee."
Hiruzen nodded in agreement. "Yes, even here were ninja and civilians exist side by side harmony is miniscule at best." Truer words had never been spoken. Shinobi kept to the same housing districts, shops, restaurants and bars, they rarely even traversed the city through its streets much preferring the speed and convenience the roof tops.
Few actually realized it but the closest civilians and shinobi ever mixed was the council and the academy. Even public parks and play grounds had unspoken rules about them or were simply designed in ways civilian parents would never allow their children on.
The Uchiha had in their own arrogance and seclusion thought themselves unique in the suspicion placed upon them by the civilians in yet another delicious irony of life when the simple fact of the matter was that shinobi were killers, thieves, and liars that could vanish, change appearance or multiply themselves on a whim before they were even half way through their teens. By the time they were twenty they could normally harness the elements in shows of destruction no civilian could ever hope to match.
Then there was the Hokage.
Tsunade had been disillusioned to superstition from an early age and having travelled extensively heard more ludicrous tall tales and beliefs then she could ever hope to account, all built around a thousand different perspectives over the generations. Villages that rarely ever saw shinobi were bad enough. She could only imagine what fabrications came simply seeing the truth on a regular basis.
It was a shocking revelation to the mednin but strangely enough an amusing one as well. "You wouldn't bring up doubts if you didn't have a plan professor." She rarely used the title given to him by world of shinobi.
He turned back to her with the same wolf like grin she'd seen in the council chamber. The same one that had made her shiver as a child just before he rained all manner of hell down on her and her team. "I do, one I think you will find rather amusing, it even made young Itachi smile."
That certainly did catch Tsunade's attention. "Oh, and what part did Naruto have in its conjuration?"
Her sensei only chuckled deeply as he took his seat once again, activating the privacy seals as he did. "Someone has our resident genius pegged already I see."
"Which one?"
Her sensei laughed softly. "Yes my dear, yes."
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Yugao opened her eyes to see Itachi gazing at a series of claw like scars on his lower thigh, of the few scattered about his body they were easily the worst. "What's wrong Itachi?"
Her boyfriend gave a tired sigh. "I never knew why Naruto tapped into the fox's chakra the day she gave me this, the shift was almost instant." He lay down, pulling the blankets over both of them. "Sasuke warned me that it would be a mistake, told me she was in no condition for intense combat. I didn't listen thinking I knew better."
She shifted closer to his, her fingers running across his chest. "You said she was still aware."
"In a manner, I think she knew who we were but the desire that the chakra brought on were simply beyond her abilities. If Karite had not shown up when he did," He didn't finish, his razor-sharp mind no doubt conjuring any number of possible outcomes.
There was the reason ninja developed peculiar traits. Killing a stranger may be an empty affair but constantly imagining ways those you loved could die. That took its toll and no one was better at it then Itachi.
It made him a good man and lover, and someday it would make him an amazing father. Unless it broke him before he had a chance which she wouldn't allow. The added pleasure of faint surprise in his gaze as she straddled him was just an amusing bonus. "Do you remember what I asked you when you first asked me out?"
"Why?"
"How did you answer that question?"
"Because you'd ask me that."
"And what happened when I told you I loved you?"
"My eyes."
Yugao smirked. "This world is your puzzle box Itachi, you flit through its gears and pistons like a ghost tweaking it to your hearts content."
"Until I get blindsided by something." He finished easily.
She shrugged easily. "Your next to impossible to surprise Itachi, its hardly your fault you don't have the experience to react or accept it when you do."
He chuckled deeply. "You're having way too much fun with this."
He winced as her nails dug in to his ribs. "Of course I am." She admitted easily. "I have Konoha's clan slayer, her most feared anbu captain, the one and only Uchiha Itachi naked and vulnerable beneath me."
He only smirked. "And what do you plan to do with him?"
He hissed as she pushed her self back, rubbing herself against him. "First I'm going to deal with the kunai poking me, then I'm going to tell him to get some sleep before informing his little sister her brother is being an idiot again." She relished the panic in his gaze but didn't let up. "And if that isn't enough I'll have to get his mother involved."
She payed dearly for that last remark and loved every second of it. Cherished every moment this predator's coal colored gaze gazed at her like she was his world. With how far his eyes had degraded over the years she'd come to covet each and every time he did.
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The wire pulled tight, the training area exploded even as Shikamaru panted as he lay on his back, the early morning clouds not even a passing thought in his mind as he struggled to regain his breath.
Choji munched on a bag of chips not far away, stop watch beside him. "Ten seconds faster but I think you rushed placing a couple of those tags and I know I caught sight of the wire twice." The summary was short but rather blunt for anyone who knew Choji. He didn't have the experience or the training to give real feedback but the simple fact that he could pick out any number of faults at all told Shikamaru just how far away he was from his goal.
Shikamaru didn't respond, his eyes on the clouds even as his mind whizzed over the last runs improvements and faults. Exhaustion was by far his greatest weakness provided he kept control of the field, that he'd lasted an entire hour after only a half a day's worth of recovery was good though. Fights between shinobi never lasted more than a third of that unless it was a pitched battle something he'd approach very differently.
Finally he grunted as he pushed himself to his feet. "Thanks for helping Choji, even on your day off." His parched throat didn't appreciate talking.
Choji, bless his soul, tossed him a canteen even as he laughed. "We almost never get to see each other Shika, like I'm going to turn you down just because its all business with you these days."
Shikamaru smiled at his friends completely unintentional probe. He'd never find anyone with a bigger heart then Choji, the big boned thin-skinned boy simply accepted his friends no matter what. What fascinated him though was his natural ability to hide questions in comments without ever intending to.
He'd seen Hinata start talking about her feelings for Sasuke after her teammate had innocently asked her how she felt about Naruto's rather abrupt 'test' in front of the Hokage's tower. She'd choked on her words obviously, but the damage was done.
Shikamaru wasn't certain if it was a combination of his intelligence gathering and subterfuge training or a childhood of being dragged around by tomboy Ino or a mix of both and simply spun together by his kind nature but Choji made talking to him so easy it was honestly a little spooky. He'd have to mention it to Hatake. Such a talent couldn't be left idle no matter what.
After he indulged his friend's curiosity though. "What can I say, training with Naruto is motivating."
His friend chuckled. "Must be if she can get a Nara's survival instincts rearing even when she's not around."
Shikamaru laughed. Choji wasn't wrong about the results at the very least, Shikamaru had kept his nose to the grindstone of his own accord since his father had let him view his clan's records.
"Your chakra control slips during exhaustion or multitasking," A third familiar voice commented, both genin following it back to where Kakashi was reclined on a tree branch, his ever-present orang book open in front of him, "You should focus on turning that into a habit instead of a conscious effort."
"Suggestions?"
The Jounin favored them both with an eye smile even as his book closed with a soft snap. "A few."
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Hinata was enjoying a day off with Haku when she instinctively dragged the girl out of the path of a blond blur before activating her bloodline. "Damn it Naruto."
The girl laughed from the pole she was perched on. "Language Hinata, wouldn't want to your father to think us lower class nin were corrupting you."
She scowled. "I've heard what my father has to say about you, he won't even bat an eye at my language."
The blond held her hands over her heart. "I didn't know he cared." The crowd they gathered being made up almost entirely of nin rippled with muffled laughter at the blonde's dramatics.
Hinata only shook her head fighting a smile. "When did you get back anyway?"
"Yesterday, brought the slug hime home as a souvenir, old hag even plans to stay for a while." This little number sent a very different set of ripples through the crowd, starting the genuine lack of respect in the girl's voice for the most famous kunoichi in history and finishing with the fact that the woman actually was back in the village, possibly for good.
Unlike those gathered, Hinata had spent enough time with the blonde and Sasuke to know how to look underneath Naruto's surface. The girl's lack of respect for authority was legendary in the village. The scathing quality of her tone however was usually reserved for the civilian council.
She was about to speak when Uchiha Itachi of all people appeared and vanished with the girl even as Sasuke dropped from a nearby roof. "Thanks for keeping her occupied Hinata," Sasuke smiled gently, a look of exasperation on his face. "She's been rather difficult lately."
Hinata gave him a blank look that had him sweating. "Naruto, difficult." She said the two words in a manner that questioned how he could stand to use the two in the same sentence with a straight face.
Sasuke chuckled weakly as he rubbed the back of his head, something she'd never seen him do but loving it. "Yeah, um," The gathered crowd was snickering at the young Uchiha's debacle, "Can we discuss it in private."
Hinata let him sweat for a moment before nodding.
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Itachi was struggling not laugh even as Naruto was snickering her self sick beside him at his little brother's expense. "I'd say its pretty much official on those two." He murmured softly.
"Yeah," Naruto answered between snickers even as she accepted the pouch from coins from her brother, "but it'll take those two years to actually realize it."
Itachi arched an eye brow at the girl. "What makes you say that?" He only got a blank milky white look. "Point taken." He remarked sullenly.
"We can still get it registered though," Naruto consoled, "And we get to tease them endlessly, just imagine all the possibilities."
Itachi's lips twitched in a threatening smile. "Your thoughts?"
She looked so much like a fox with the smile the spread across her face as she danced away, hands behind her back in a mocking show of innocence. "Not telling."
Itachi narrowed his eyes. "Then I guess we'll just have to get started on your training then."
The girl blinked caught off guard. "What training?"
"The chunin exams start in a month and I'm expecting you to leave them in a pile of smoldering ashes by the time your finished." He stated easily even as he moved closer.
"But- I can already do that?" The girl stuttered briefly as she tried to keep from backing away from him, she'd already showed weakness though and Itachi was on it faster then sharks to blood.
"Oh, perhaps, but I prefer certainty."
The blond swallowed, chakra building in preparation to flee. Itachi smirked. "Run little fox, lets see how far you make it." The blond vanished and Itachi's hands flashed in a flurry of seals even as a torrent of fire blossomed from his lips. The inferno took the form of a grinning Fox as it soared above the village. The civilian's screamed, genin starred in awe, Chunin and Jounin grinned widely, those off duty already shooting off on a fox hunt.
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Haku had never considered the dramatics those in her age group even remotely appealing. "Sasuke, what is Naruto's issues Senju Sama." Hinata's perfectly cultured voice and posture had the young heir of her rival clan squirming against the alley wall. The sight was quickly compelling Haku to change her perception as she sashayed up beside the boy, catching his arm in hers loosely even as she put her chin on his shoulder. She'd thank Anko for the suggestions later as she watched the boy's cheeks flush brightly.
Despite their joint effort and distinct advantage, the Uchiha collected himself quickly, a feat no doubt only feasible due to his long exposure to the whiskered blond. "I can't and won't talk about it Hinata." Haku wanted to prod more but she knew the look in Sasuke's eyes. She'd seen it when he'd taken her barrage of ice needles for Hinata and she couldn't help but admire that his Sharingan wasn't active.
She settled for a mock pout as she let go of his arm, dancing away from him playfully only to drape herself over Hinata, her cheek brushing against the bluenette's even as she hugs her about the shoulders. "So what should we do now?"
Hinata blushed even as Sasuke groaned. "I knew Anko would be a horrible influence." The ice user giggled even as she nuzzled against a blushing Hinata affectionately making the smaller girl's hands raise as her old habit resurfaced.
Pale callused hands caught them gently before she could get any further, white eyes met black as she looked up at Sasuke. Black that tinged scarlet even as Sasuke hissed in pain as they shut on reflex.
Hinata caught him as his balance staggered, guiding her teammate to a knee.
An irritated grunt came from the alley's entrance causing Haku to look up only to blink in surprise at the sight of Gaara of all people. The teal eyed boy's gaze was darting about the alley expectantly, sand swirling between his fingers. "Where's the demon?"
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Before you ask, yes, I know I'm an ass but hey you've got at least some plot development going and a few questions answered. I want to go faster but so many important details get left out. Won't stop me from starting all Naruto Fic's after the time skip or completely changing everything though, Flashbacks are the muses gift to writers everywhere. Short, easy, and conventional.