Quickie: Hi everyone. FF is acting weird, so if you already read this chapter, I apologize. I thought I had posted it, but FF said I didn't, so I reposted it, and hopefully it goes through this time. Also, I'd like to give a very big thank you to everyone who actually read this thing. Then I'd like to give a huge thank you and fat kiss to those that read AND reviewed it ** THANK YOU & MUAW!** I had no idea how lovely it would feel to read reviews based off of something I wrote. It's truly intoxicating. Now I know why other authors practically beg for them ;D Thanks again everyone. You guys are the best!
Chapter Four:
Tsunade raised a single brow at the Kazekage. Though just a boy - and a short one at that - he had the presence of a leader. The kind that evoked both fear and respect. However, Tsunade felt neither of those at the moment.
Mostly, she wondered if Akatsuki had taken more than the tailed beast out of him. His brain too, perhaps.
"You want to leave?" she repeated his words.
"Yes."
"You," Tsunade leaned back in her chair and gave the Kazekage a hard stare, which he returned in full, "requested this immediate visit. You had me clear my schedule for the next three days so that we could re-write treaties. And now, after you've journeyed all the way here, out of your sick bed, away from your terrified people, you've just changed your mind?"
"No."
"Then please, by all means, explain."
"No," he bowed low, his actions telling her what his spoken refusal did not. While he would not explain his apparent lack of sense, he was sorry for it and hoped she understood.
She didn't. Nor did she really care.
Tsunade rose to her feet, towering over the short red-haired Kazekage and braced her fisted knuckles atop her cluttered desk. Leaning forward, she gazed steadily at the Kazekage, slightly impressed that he didn't lower his gaze to cop a peak at her cleavage. None of her shinobi were so well trained.
"What do you know about sake?" she asked.
He quirked a brow less brow.
"I'll have one of your assigned guides take you to my good friend Oguri Masi, who will show you my favorite bottle of sake. You will then bring that straight to me. Not my assistant. Me. With my schedule cleared for the next three days, I daresay I'll have plenty of time on my hands to enjoy your very thoughtful gift."
Pale eyes glanced slowly around the mounds and mounds of paperwork covering both her desk and floor, a chair in the corner, and a very wide windowsill.
Tsunade ignored the condescending look and smiled at the boy as she rounded the desk and moved to open the door behind the Kazekage.
Outside, Shino and Hinata stood. Shino looked...oddly flustered, as he stood towering over the petite kunoichi, whispering something to her.
His voice immediately paused in mid-sentence and he and Hinata turned to bow at their Hokage. "Hokage-sama, Kazekage-sama," they said respectfully.
"Shino..." she paused. Was the Aburame heir actually sweating? "Hinata," she changed course. "inside. Shino, remain here. I'll be with you shortly."
Shino inclined his head and as Hinata stepped forward, Tsunade saw that she'd been holding the sleeve of his jacket. She released it slowly, using the same grace she executed all things in.
****************
Aburame Shino had come to several decisions in the last hour and a half:
He did not like the Sand ninjas, particularly Temari, but it was her brother, the Kazekage that he trusted least of all.
He watched as Hinata flashed him a small nervous smile as she exited the Hokage's office behind Gaara of the Sand. However, his attention wasn't solely on Hinata. It was on the small boy before her. The boy who slowed his gait so she could walk more or less beside him. The boy who, halfway down the hall, turned and simply stared at her.
Shino dragged his shaded gaze from their fading backsides and stepped into the Hokage's office.
"Shino...Why are you not guiding the rest of Gaara's camp around Konoha?"
Behind his glasses, Shino glared at his Hokage. He wasn't angry with her, merely her question. "With the exception of Ambassador Temari, the rest of Gaara's men are at the apartments."
"Temari is not an ambassador," Tsunade smirked, wondering if she should impart a nice juicy tidbit of gossip on to the Aburame heir, but knew he wasn't the type to care. So, she simply waved him on to continue his explanation.
"My apologies. She's always here and I just assumed...I won't make such assumptions again."
"Did you or Hinata lead Temari somewhere in particular?" Tsunade inwardly giggled, wishing like hell Shizune or Ino were here. Hell, even Kakashi would appreciate the humor in this situation.
"She asked me to find and take her to Nara Shikamaru."
"Then?"
"Then," he growled, sharply slanted brows lowering a degree, "told me to buzz off."
Tsunade just barely stifled her laughter. "And Kankuro? Has he raided the bath house yet?"
"No. He was being tended to by Ino-chan when I arrived at the apartments. Somehow, a build-up of sand was lodged in his windpipe."
"Hmmm..." she wondered how that had happened?
"Baki and the other guards?"
"They appeared to be re-packing."
"Yes, the Kazekage has decided to shorten his visit. He leaves tomorrow morning. Which is actually quite fortunate, for I have the perfect mission for Team Kurenai."
"Then I will have Hinata report to you as soon as we've returned the Kazekage to the apartments."
Tsunade smirked, not missing the slight emphasis he placed on we. Poor little Hinata. Boys always lost their heads over the meek and innocent types.
"No."
Brows dipped again, "No, Hokage-sama?"
"You may remain here. Gaara and Hinata are merely running an errand. They'll return shortly enough. You will escort the Kazekage back to the guest apartments, while Hinata gives me her report."
Shino bowed, turned, and left. Snarling behind the high collar of his coat.
***********
Shikamaru didn't completely hate Temari. He just hated being the person everyone in Konoha expected to see her with.
The first time she had come to Konoha alone, studying their ninja school system, Shikamaru had been assigned to act as Temari's personal guide. Now, it seemed, whenever she came here, he was stuck with that same duty. He could claim it as a miracle whatever it was that had kept Tsunade from assigning him guard duty to the Suna royals this time, but suspected it was more along the lines of Tsunade seeing Shino and Hinata at the same exact moment she found out Gaara was coming, and a little light went on in the Hokage's head.
Still, here they were. Together. Running through the woods of Konoha at a very discreet pace. Temari was two paces behind him. Not because - Shikamaru thought - she couldn't keep up, but because behind all puppets were their puppeteers. And Temari was just that. A far greater puppet master than that of her younger brother Kankuro.
Except only Shikamaru seemed to know where Temari's true talents lay. And perhaps Tenten. Perhaps.
As the forest trees grew denser, blocking out the remaining sunlight, and casting a faint dusty glow on their surroundings, Shikamaru caught the sound a wonderfully familiar voice.
"Now Akamaru!"
Slowing his pace and leaping down from the trees, Shikamaru landed in a low crouch.
Temari remained up high. No doubt with chakra strings at the ready.
Half wishing Kankuro was around, since the puppeteer hated his guts, and had a nice way of keeping Shikamaru and Temari apart, Shikamaru stood upright, stuck his hands in his pockets, and waited for the inevitable.
Up ahead, no more then fifteen feet away, and riding atop the massive, shaggy, white Akamaru, Kiba let out a loud barking laugh that rivaled Akamaru's own happy woofing. They had caught Shikamaru's and Temari's scent and were now running straight for Shikamaru.
Shikamaru looked up, past Temari's smirking face, past the thick leaves along the highest branches, and to what little he could catch of a floating cloud. He didn't notice Kiba and Akamaru being a mere five feet away now. Or that Kiba had leapt off of Akamaru and straight into the air. He did, however, take note of Kiba landing on the same branch Temari was still standing on because the dog-nin's head was suddenly blocking his view of that spec of cloud.
Kiba pressed his hand against the thick tree truck, smiled broadly at Temari, and said, "Hey there, Sand Princess."
Shikamaru finally looked down. Just in time to see Akamaru skidding to a slippery stop, barking rapidly. Mud splashed all over Shikamaru. Who, sadly, didn't speak nin-dog and couldn't understand it when Akamaru said, "Move or get caked!"
Up above, Kiba – who did speak nin-dog - was laughing at his Leaf comrade. "You too lazy to move, Shikamaru or too busy cloud watching like usual?"
"Both," Shikamaru sighed, removed one of his hands from his pocket, considered using it to wipe at the mud, but thought better of it, and repocketed said hand. Why get his hand dirty? Mud would just smear about anyway. He could wait and clean his chuunin vest, pants, nose, and cheek later. "She's all yours now. Meet you here at...what, dusk?" he looked to Temari for the answer.
"It's nearly dusk now. Return here in two - no, three hours," she commanded.
"Hmph," was his response before he turned his back on to them and muttered, "Troublesome woman."
***********
"Ours are better," the Kazekage stated, right before stuffing the other half of his daifuku ball into his mouth.
Hinata could only shake her head as happiness grew inside of her mouth. Daifuku was a rare treat for her. The small round rice cakes stuffed with various sweet fillings (her favorite being melon paste) was only ever served during a Hyuga ceremony. The last one having been in honor of her younger sister graduating from the Ninja Academy at the age of 9.
Still chewing, Gaara reached for another pale white ball, "Ours are a bit sweeter. We toast them and dust them with sugar.
Hinata swallowed, "Toasted?"
He nodded, "It gives them this perfect crunch, so when you bite into it, it seems as if the filling actually explodes on to your tongue."
Hinata stared at him with lust, "I have to taste that."
"You'll love it."
Hinata quickly averted her gaze as he tried to catch it. Though she liked that he was back to staring at her with soft green eyes, they still unnerved her. He still unnerved her.
But she hadn't stuttered or fidgeted once since they'd retrieved the Hokage's "special gift" from Oguri Masi-san, so maybe she was a tiny bit at ease with him. Or the deliciousness of the daifuku was just that distracting. Yeah. It had to be the daifuku.
Chewing on the last bite of her daifuku ball, Hinata glanced around - anywhere but directly at Gaara. It was a beautiful day. Still warm despite the rapidly falling sun, so they had opted to walk around as they enjoyed their dessert.
Hinata knew they should have returned to the Hokage Tower by now, but the Kazekage had wanted to visit some of his favorite places in the Leaf. As they were all public places - what with the majority of them being food stands in the middle of the civilian district - Hinata couldn't see why she shouldn't indulge him. Especially since she was still a bit peckish and he had great taste in food.
Looking up, she took note of the pinkening clouds. Sunset was an hour away. "Should we return to the Hokage tower, Kazekage-sama?"
"Gaara," he corrected for the fifth time. "And no, not just yet. I'd like to visit the training fields Lee won't shut up about."
Hinata smiled gently in amusement, "All of Konoha is a training field for Lee-kun, and we've already walked around half of it."
He stared at her profile, "Can we walk around the rest or am I only permitted to see the public areas of the Leaf."
Hinata's mirth fled, "Um..."
"I'm an ally but still an outsider and your Hokage isn't an idiot. Lazy, perhaps, but not stupid."
Relieved that he understood, Hinata bowed her head.
"What about ramen?" Gaara quickly and smoothly changed the subject. "Naruto often goes on and on about someplace called Itchy Itchy...No - wait - that's Kakashi..."
Hinata snuck a quick glance his way and couldn't help but smile. Gaara looked all of five-years-old, squinting his face up in such a pensive expression. "The Ichiraku Ramen Bar?" she offered.
He looked down and over at her. "Probably. Do you want the last one?" he gestured to the single daifuku ball left inside the container that had once held six multi-colored balls of deliciousness. The last one was green.
"No. Please finish, Kaze-" she cut herself off, feeling the dark look he was giving her, blushed, and quickly corrected herself, "Gaara-sama."
He reached over, took the daifuku between both sets of fingers, and broke it in half. Holding one half out to her without a word.
She took it, glad for the offer since she really did want the last one, but good manners dictated that she allow him to have it. With a soft-spoken, "Thank you" and a timid smile, Hinata bowed before biting into the pastry. Well aware of jade eyes watching her the entire time.
"So," he tossed the empty container into a nearby trashcan, "Where's this ramen bar?"
**************
Shino was confused. He did not like the feeling of not understanding, so he was also very annoyed. And because Hinata had yet to return with the Kazekage and no one but him seemed to notice this, led to fury. Quiet and unspoken, but fury nonetheless.
Tsunade, Ino, and Shizune were all laughing. The Hokage had asked him to return to her office and explain what Temari had made him do. The giggles had started then.
But when Ino explained how she'd just finished extracting a quarter of a pound of sand from Kankuro's windpipe and lungs, giggles had turned into boisterous laughs. Not at all a lady-like sound.
And here he stood, forced to stay and watch until the Hokage excused him.
"I almost pity Shikamaru," Ino said; wide smile lighting up her pale aquatic eyes.
"The Nara brat?" Tsunade humphed, "Kankuro's the one that had to be treated by both you and Sakura this past week."
Shizune smiled at that, "I hope you made him suffer?"
Ino shook her head, "Of course not. I'm a professional."
"He didn't recognize your face, eh?" Tsunade smirked knowingly.
Ino scowled suddenly, "No. And lucky for him to, otherwise I would have done far worse than given him a dose of black false hellebore."
Shizune laughed, "That's much kinder than what I would've done."
"Poor lad," Tsunade shook her head, though she was giving Ino a look of pride, "How long did he vomit?"
"Just until all the sand was gone. I gave him cold ginger juice to keep him from emptying his stomach further."
"Much kinder," Shizune shook her head, seeming disappointed.
"And you wonder why I don't let you treat Kakashi anymore," Tsunade eyed her assistant.
Ino covered her mouth to keep from laughing.
Shizune sniffed.
Tsunade's hazel gaze suddenly shifted to Shino, "I take it, you buzzed off when Temari told you to, eh?"
The corner of his top lip lifted in a sneer behind his collar, "Hai."
"Shame. I'd love to know what the sand kunoichi is forcing that lazy Nara to do this time."
"Bondage," Shizune guessed.
"No!" Ino frowned, "Shikamaru's just a cover. It's really Kiba Temari's after."
"Inuzuka?" Tsunade and Shizune gasped. Even Shino blinked behind his glasses.
Ino nodded, "Hinata told me he was really upset over not being a guide with her and Shino-kun. Which is weird, given he's usually adamant on getting only B-rank or higher missions. Then I remembered how Kiba kept trying to get Hinata to wear her hair in pigtails once it started to grow out, just like Temari's. And last week, I overheard his sister Hana telling Kurenai-sensei that she had overheard Kiba whimpering Temari's name in his sleep."
Everyone stared at Ino. Tsunade stared in doubt. She knew for a fact that Temari was allergic to dogs. Shizune stared, because she had a sudden memory of Kiba during one of his many hospital stays whimpering what had sounded like her name. And Shino stared from behind his shades because he couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with these kunoichi. All three were very talented, highly respected, and yet it seemed they spent the majority of their time gossiping.
And worse yet, none of them knew what the hell they were talking about.
"Shino!" Ino suddenly gasped, threw on a huge, far too bright smile, aimed directly at him. "You're Kiba's teammate. When was the last time you heard him mention Temari-san?"
"Not since the Chuunin exams when he called her - and I quote - 'a weird looking dude in a skirt'," Shino drawled in the boredest of tones.
Ino's smile faded several notches. "O-kay," she said slowly. "What about Temari... Did she mention him on her way to Shikamaru?"
"She only prattled on about how pretty Hinata was, especially her eyes, being unable to wait to get her hands on Shikamaru, and why was I dressed like I leper."
Tsunade grinned, "See. Nara."
Shino cleared his throat, "Once in Shikamaru's presence, she literally placed her hands around his neck and proceeded to choke him," Shino continued.
Tsunade blinked at him, then looked away from Shino to Shizune, "So, bondage, like you said."
"I-I hope Shikamaru's alright," Shizune let out a giggle that sounded more strained than the other near-cackles she'd been producing since this hellish meeting had started.
"I'd assume so. I can see him from here," Shino inclined his head to one of the massive windows directly behind Tsunade.
All three kunoichi turned or shifted over to look.
"Ino. Bring him here," Tsunade commanded.
Shizune shifted a worried look to her Hokage, "Are you going to-"
"No!" Tsunade half laughed, half scoffed. "What's the fun in asking him right out when we can make him tell us?"
Shino slid his hands into his pocket, lowered his chin so that only his sunglasses were visible between his high collar and drawn hood. He watched as Ino ran off, eager to do her Hokage's bidding, and Shizune shook her head, muttering about distractions and paper work never getting done.
Shino smiled. A smile of determination and not just a little bit of cruelty. If he was going to be stuck here waiting for Hinata, then he was sure as hell going to be entertained.