dawning
.:suspire:.
chapter nine
Expression growing increasingly severe, Shikamaru sat on the edge of the bed as he listened to Shino's report. His deadpan voice was clear and discernible above the occasional scratchiness of radio static, but the squad leader still didn't want to believe what he was hearing. Rubbing his brow, he breathed a deep, tired sigh.
"When did this happen? Over."
"Seven hours and twenty-three minutes ago," Shino said. "Over."
The muscles in Shikamaru's jaw jumped and clenched. Seven hours ago, he and Sakura were perched on a roof overlooking Gekkani. Five and a half hours ago, he and Sakura made contact with their targets. And one of them, Kisho, had been acting distinctly curt and hurried at the time.
'Shit.'
The transmitter wasn't expected to work for very long. The battery, under ideal circumstances, was designed to last for a little over 24 hours. After that, it simply faded out and became inert. So it didn't surprise anyone when it stopped sending a signal. What was surprising was the fact that it suddenly turned on again.
It wasn't supposed to turn on again. The only way it could be activated was if someone purposely reset it. Which meant you had to jam your fingernail in one particular groove and then turn the thing over and jam your fingernail in another groove to push a switch. Or, if the battery were dead, you had to know how to take the thing apart, replace the battery and then reset it. Either case, it was impossible for it to start broadcasting on its own. Someone had to have found it and then known how to activate it.
'Why can't I be assigned easy missions anymore?' Shikamaru asked himself. 'Why do I always get the troublesome ones?'
Jaw clenched, eyes closed and head dipped forward, Shikamaru sucked in a deep breath through his nose and tried to force his muscles to relax. He could feel a knot of tension beginning to form between his shoulder blades, in the exact spot where Sakura had been healing him not more than an hour ago. The cynic in him smirked at the irony of it. Didn't she say she was going to try to get his chakra to naturally flow into the troublesome areas just so he wouldn't experience this kind of pain again?
'I should have just kept my mouth shut and let her finish,' he thought as his eyes naturally sought her out. Leaning against the wall on the other side of the room with her arms folded over her chest, she stared at the wood floor. Though she wasn't looking at him, he knew she was still paying attention to his half of the conversation.
"How long did the signal last?" Shikamaru asked, watching her. "Over."
"Only a few seconds. Our equipment blinked. We checked our end for the trouble, but everything here is fine. The transmitter was definitely sending. Over."
He was still uncomfortable with the knowledge that a signal was sent at all, but Shikamaru didn't feel quite as troubled anymore. It was within the realm of possibility that the tiny transmitter simply had a short. Which seemed likely given the fact that seven hours had passed since the gadget had been noticed and nothing unusual had happened.
Yet.
Fortunately, tomorrow was the last day of the 'Romance Festival' and their last day in Hitofuki. After that, they were expected to make contact with the Sand. If Shikamaru felt that the team was in trouble, he would order them to leave sooner, and the team knew that.
Rubbing the back of his head, he sighed. "Okay, listen up," Shikamaru said, catching Sakura's eye. "Your departure time has not changed, but ours has. We will meet you on the road before the rendezvous. But for tomorrow evening, I need eyes. Over."
"Roger."
Adjusting the microphone and earpiece, Shikamaru relayed carefully coded instructions to Shino. It was important that Hinata look at Gekkani, Kisho and Ami. With her Byakugan, she would be able to see what he could not. Whatever additional information she could provide would hopefully help him get better insight into what was going on. Unfortunately, there was only one safe opportunity for her to do it. And the timing of that opportunity made it impossible for them to allow Hinata to get a second look if their targets failed to make an appearance.
When the conversation was over and the radio switched off, Shikamaru let himself fall backward onto the bed with an exasperated sigh. He felt the weight of Sakura's stare upon him and frowned. She'd been keeping her distance from him since he apologized for kissing her. In fact, she seemed downright angry at him, which boggled his mind. He was only telling the truth. He had acted inappropriately and there were consequences when that happened on a mission. He was simply trying to be ethical, for both of their sakes. One would think she'd appreciate his forthrightness, but she was reacting in the exact opposite way he expected. She was avoiding him, even to the point of not wanting to be within a few feet of him.
That bothered him, more than he cared to admit.
"What's going on?"
"The transmitter suddenly turned on this morning," he said, tone jaded. "While we were watching the restaurant no less."
"Did they hear anything?"
"No. The signal only lasted a few seconds."
"A short?" she asked.
"I think so. If we've been found out I'm sure we would have seen something by now, but one can never be too sure."
She nodded, paused. "What do you expect Hinata to see tomorrow?"
"You already know," he said.
"Is that even possible?" she asked. "To create a jinchuuriki so early? I always thought it had to be closer to the time of birth before attempting to do such a thing."
"I have no idea, but I want her to look anyway."
She paused, considering. "Wouldn't it be easier to have Hinata look at Ami at her house? We know where she lives."
He frowned. "I'd rather avoid the residential area if possible," he said.
"Then you want to go to that 'Farewell Celebration' thing tomorrow night?"
"Not particularly, but we don't have much choice."
Sakura gave him a measured look and Shikamaru recognized her unspoken thought. She still wanted to go to Ami's house.
"It would be too troublesome if we went to her home," he sighed. "Ami is probably under even more control there than at the restaurant. Plus, we don't know what kind of people she lives with. It's unwise."
"I see," she said, voice taking on a slightly annoyed quality. "You want to go to this celebration tomorrow and you want me to talk to her again, correct?"
"Mm."
"The festival will be crowded and chaotic," she said.
"I know."
"But you still want to go anyway."
"That's my decision, yes."
Sakura sighed and ran a hand through her hair, pushing a few errant locks out of her eyes. He peered at her, noting her frown and standoffish behavior. When her eyes met his, she seemed even more aloof. Then she pointedly looked away from him, showing him her profile. The gesture felt somewhat dismissive.
'Troublesome woman,' he thought, scowling in her direction. When Sakura shifted her weight and glanced back at him, he didn't bother to look away. Nor did he bother to stop scowling. That seemed to annoy her more and she quickly broke eye contact.
"What are you going to tell the Hokage and Kazekage?" she asked, voice clipped as she examined her cuticles.
"I'm going to tell them both the same thing. I don't see any reason to keep what little we've learned from the Sand." He paused, waiting for her to look at him again. "Do you?"
"No."
The silence returned. Anxious and uncomfortable. Sakura was only standing a few feet away but she may as well be on the other side of the country.
"Regardless of what I tell them," he sighed, "it will still be troublesome for everyone."
"This could easily lead to civil war for the Wind Country," she said.
His jaw muscle jumped, clenched. Lips forming a tight line, he said nothing. He didn't have to. They both knew it was true. The rift between the Shinobi of the Sand and the Feudal Lord of the Wind Country was decades old. And the recent war with the Sound didn't help to alleviate that internal tension. It only made it worse.
"The Feudal Lord might be able to prevent an uprising with diplomacy," Shikamaru noted.
"I don't think he'd be that lucky twice," she said. "He barely escaped a coup d'etat after the Sound were defeated."
"I understand he made a deal with Gaara."
"That was because he had to."
As the pupil of the Hokage, Sakura was privy to information that most shinobi would never hear a whisper of. Curious, Shikamaru baited her for more. "I take it you met him?" he asked.
"The Wind Country's Feudal Lord?" she scowled. "Three times."
"What's he like?"
Sakura shrugged and pushed a pink lock of hair behind her ear, "He's a jerk."
Shikamaru lifted a brow and waited for her to continue.
"He's a typical Feudal Lord," she said. "Arrogant. Power hungry. Spoiled. Phony. He's not that much older than us. He is a very effective speaker and when you first meet him, very charming. Good looking, too, but he's also paranoid."
"What did he say to make you think that?"
"Nothing specific," she shrugged. "It's just his overall attitude. The way he carries himself and the people he surrounds himself with. The way he talks about the Sand and shinobi in general... It's not quite condescending but neither is it sincere."
"Pretentious."
"Right," she said, shifting her weight to face him more fully. "He sees the Shinobi of the Sand as a threat to him personally, as though they covet his power and wish to take it for themselves even though they willingly give their lives to protect him. I'm certain that if he thought he could get rid of the Kazekage and completely dominate the Sand, he would do it."
Shikamaru studied her, a shadow of a smirk playing about his lips.
"And if he tries to do that," she continued. "The resulting civil war wouldn't just be limited to the Wind Country. He would have to hire foreign shinobi to fight for him, forcing the poorer shinobi villages to get involved first. Konoha would naturally side with Suna and then every other nation with a grudge against us or the Kazekage would get involved, too."
Shikamaru was almost grinning. Listening to her, watching her... it was engaging. She had a very good grasp of politics. Of course, studying under Tsunade would help to develop that, but it wouldn't give her real insight. And the way she spoke about the Feudal Lord showed that she was really paying attention. Sakura had a true interest in politics. She saw beyond the rhetoric to the cunning and psychology that helped to form and reshape entire nations.
Most peers his age didn't care about politics. Many of them didn't even know the names of the Feudal Lords who were allies to the Leaf, let alone those who were hostile. They were far more interested in honing their ninjutsu skills and finding their place within the shinobi hierarchy than they were in the delicate strategy of political intrigue, but that was what set Shikamaru apart from his peers. It wasn't that he didn't care about his skills or being a good leader, it just wasn't a pursuit that kept his interest for very long. Strategy, theory and intellectual analysis were the things that he really enjoyed. When the bureaucracy and hubris of politics are removed from the equation, only the maneuvering and tactics of those in power remained. And in that way, politics is much like chess.
Sakura recognized the subtlety. She saw how the pieces were being moved and understood the bigger picture. Shikamaru liked that. A lot.
'I wonder if she's any good at shogi..?'
"That's the Akatsuki's real goal," she said. "To spark the Shinobi Wars all over again."
He snorted and gave her a dark smile, "And when the fighting is over and many of our best soldiers are dead, what better time is there for them to strike?"
• • •
NEXT DAY - EVENING
It was rather difficult to hear with the drone of insects all around her. They swarmed, moving in sync as they clamored together to form a net-like shield around Hinata and Shino. When the process was complete, they were neatly cocooned together in a bubble made of kikai. It was then that Shino fed specially molded chakra to the insects, manipulating them into transforming, thus completing the camouflage effect and visually melting them into the leafy background.
In such a cramped, dark space, Hinata couldn't help but feel a little claustrophobic. She was tempted to use her Byakugan early, just to escape the visual confines of the cocoon, but she needed to conserve her energy. She was expected to observe Shikamaru and Sakura for at least two hours. Longer, if possible.
Hinata had never used her Byakugan for so long. Truthfully, she didn't know if she could. So it was important for her to focus all of her energy and thoughts to the task at hand. She would have to narrow her focus to a sliver of concentration and ignore everything else going on around her. This meant she would be totally vulnerable to attack, and completely dependent upon her teammates to protect her.
Sasuke would provide the first layer of defense. He was stationed several yards away, warning traps set all around them as he kept a keen eye out for any possible hostiles. Next was Shino. The cocoon that made them appear invisible to the casual observer also hindered Hinata's vision from the inside looking out. To her unaltered eye, it was like they were surrounded by a dark, moving parchment. But Shino could see beyond the shield. He could see everything the kikai could.
"One minute," Shino said.
Hinata nodded. Settling herself more comfortably in position, she breathed deeply and centered herself. Then proceeded to perform the hand seals necessary to release the full power of the Byakugan. The instant she finished, the world rushed around her. Solid objects became transparent as her vision expanded to encompass a near 360 degree circumference. Automatically, her mind began to discard the useless information flooding her brain as she narrowed her focus. Trees, rocks, a road, a gate...
Hinata narrowed her eyes. She pushed past the gate and saw buildings loom before her in the washed-out colors of her negative vision.
"They should be in position now."
Her jaw set with concentration. Once again, she pushed her view forward. People clogged the streets in a constantly moving mass. It was difficult to discern roads from walkways as everyone used whatever path was available to get to where they needed to go. With her focus so narrowed and the constant flux of people, Hinata had a hard time finding the throughway that Shikamaru described to Shino last night.
'He said it would be a main road... so it's probably going to be more crowded than the other roads...'
Hinata spotted two such roads, both of which intersected in the center of town.
'Where are they...? Which road..?'
Swallowing hard, she picked the throughway pointing to the north and narrowed her focus even more. Shikamaru said that they would stand out from the crowd. Somehow. Hopefully, Hinata was looking in the general area where Shikamaru and Sakura would be so she could see what he planned to do to attract her attention.
"Find them yet?" Shino asked.
Hinata bit her lip, but didn't dare risk breaking her concentration to answer.
She saw a flash of chakra in the distance. Holding her breath, she quickly pushed her vision forward until she finally spotted two familiar figures standing several feet apart. The first figure's hand came up and the second figure mirrored it. The first figure lifted their leg and the second figure mirrored it again.
"Kagemane no Jutsu," Hinata whispered, a relieved smile playing about her lips. "I see them."
Hinata focused on Shikamaru. He performed one more motion with his hand for Sakura to copy, then his chakra flashed once more, marking the release of the jutsu. Moments later, with joined hands, they moved down the street.
• • •
The sun had only been down for an hour and already the streets were filled with inebriated people. Music and laughter condensed around them, reverberating through their flesh and bones. Couples clung together; some swaying to the melody that overflowed the center of town while others busied themselves with games or food.
The music wasn't too bad. The tempo was uplifting and lively, but not too fast. Clearly the intent was to get people dancing, and dance they did... in their own drunken way. Watching them was amusing, but having to navigate around them was another matter entirely. Still, they weren't near as annoying as the couples who simply stood in the middle of pedestrian traffic to kiss and nuzzle. On more than one occasion, Shikamaru had to refrain from snidely telling the amorous couples to 'find a room.'
All in all, everyone around them was having a good time. Toothy grins, joyful giggles and the near free-flow of alcohol combined to make the 'Farewell Celebration' the most boisterous and winsome Shikamaru had ever seen.
It was also starting to give him a headache.
His only reprieve was the fact that they no longer needed to navigate their way through the crowds. Shikamaru had the foresight to make reservations for dinner at Gekkani. They would be one of the few couples able to dine without having to wait hours for a seat. But it was with dismay that he realized that the restaurant had closed the main dining area and opted to serve their patrons on the patio. Several restaurants close to the center of town were doing the very same thing. It made sense with the pleasant weather, clear night skies, free concert and opportunity to see drunken people make fools of themselves... but that didn't mean Shikamaru wanted to eat outside. Especially when he didn't immediately spot their targets upon arrival.
That was troublesome. After all, he had a mission to finish and a deadline to keep. Hinata and the rest of the team couldn't stake-out the village all evening. If she didn't look at Ami and Kisho with the Byakugan now, it was unlikely that she ever would. Scowling, Shikamaru immediately began thinking of alternative options to make use of Hinata in case their targets didn't show up.
"I don't see her anywhere," Sakura said after they were seated.
"Neither do I."
Her expression tightened, but she said nothing more. Moments later, a waitress they hadn't seen before arrived to take their order.
"Is Kisho here today?" Shikamaru asked the server. "I'd like to tell him 'hello.'"
The waitress smiled, "Well, he was here earlier, but I haven't seen him for a while."
"Oh, I see."
The waitress smiled, "If I see him I'll let him know you were looking for him."
Shikamaru gave a slight nod. "Thanks."
When the server left, Sakura caught his eye.
"You want to talk to him?" she asked.
"Not really," he shrugged. "But I figure if he's here, then Ami is probably here, too."
Sakura nodded.
They sat in silence for several minutes, each looking everywhere else but at each other. Still, there was no sign of their targets. Only when they were nearly done with their meal did Shikamaru make the decision that they would have to go to Ami's home. It was the only way to get the information he required. Now all he needed to do was come up with a believable excuse to explain to her why they were there.
'We could use Henge no Jutsu to transform ourselves into someone familiar to her,' he thought. 'But it would have to be someone we know she's not afraid of...'
A tokkuri of warm sake was suddenly placed before them, pulling Shikamaru from his thoughts. He raised a brow at the waitress. "We didn't order this."
"No, the sake is on the house."
"Kisho..?"
The waitress smiled. "That's right. He noticed that you didn't seem to be celebrating."
The corner of Shikamaru's lip twisted upwards, making his scowl look more like a grimace. He didn't want to drink, or feel pressured to drink. It was his policy to avoid alcohol. It made him too talkative, too moody, too hasty and too sloppy. Not good for a shinobi who simply wanted to lead a troublesome-free life.
"We typically don't drink," he said.
The waitress hesitated. "But... he said... Do you want me to take it back? It's on the house..."
"No, no. That won't be necessary," Sakura piped in, giving Shikamaru a meaningful look. "This is a special occasion. And Kisho is very kind to do this for us."
The waitress relaxed, her expression softening.
"Where is Kisho?" Shikamaru asked.
Glancing over her shoulder, the waitress sighed. "He's around somewhere. I only saw him for a few minutes. He's been busy all day talking to people."
"Friends?"
"No, business people," she said. "Every month they stop by and Kisho has to work with them for a couple of days."
"Oh," Shikamaru rubbed the back of his head. "Well, tell him we said 'thanks.'"
Their waitress inclined her head in acknowledgment before stepping away from the table. Sakura was already sampling the sake when Shikamaru turned his attention to her.
"It's not poisoned," she whispered.
He nodded and Sakura began to fill a sakazuki. She pushed the alcohol toward him. "It's actually pretty good quality stuff," she added as she filled the second cup.
Shikamaru lifted a questioning brow as she sipped.
"What?" she asked.
"Didn't realize you were a connoisseur of sake."
Sakura snorted. "I've been Tsunade-shishou's student for eight years," she said. "Her lessons didn't always revolve around biology, medical jutsu and chakra control."
"Ah."
She took another sip. Her cup would need refilling before Shikamaru even took his first drink.
"I take it that you know a jutsu to get rid of intoxication... right?"
Sakura smirked, but said nothing.
"Is that a no?"
"Tsunade can instantly detoxify her blood with a jutsu she developed years ago. She promised to teach it to me when I pass my Jounin exam."
"Oh."
"But alcohol is like any other poison, so I do know a couple of tricks that will help to speed up the process of detoxification," she finished her drink and smiled. "At least enough to stay out of trouble." Making an exaggerated nod toward his still untouched sakazuki, she asked, "Not a fan of sake?"
He frowned, noting the developing rosiness of her cheeks and more relaxed demeanor. She was probably just starting to feel a buzz.
"I'm just not a fan of being mentally impaired while on a mission."
She snorted and refilled her cup. "Won't it look suspicious if we don't drink? Every other couple around us is pretty well drunk by now."
"We're leaving soon anyway," he said.
"So we can drop the pretext now?"
"Of course not."
"Then have a sip and become mentally impaired for a while," she said. "It might be fun."
"No thanks," he said, eying her warily. "In fact, you should probably slow down a bit."
She sipped the last of her sake and reached for the bottle to refill her cup. "Is that an order?"
"No."
"Good," she said as she returned the tokkuri to its place on the table. "Because this is just what the doctor ordered," she paused and smirked at her own choice of words. "No pun intended."
Shikamaru sighed.
"Relax, sweetheart," she said, voice barely above a whisper and full of sarcasm. "I know my limits. Tsunade-shishou made certain of that."
The shadow user's frown didn't diminish, but he let the subject drop without another word. After several moments of scanning the crowd for their target, he sighed. "It looks like were going to need to head over to the residential area after all."
"Whatever for?" she asked, voice especially sweet. The tone annoyed him to no end.
"Why do you think?"
Sakura swallowed a mouthful of sake, then pointed her chin at something behind him. "Our girl is here."
He turned in his seat to get a look. Sure enough Ami had finally made an appearance, and she was talking to their waitress.
"Good," he said. "You should go over and talk to her. Gather chakra in your hand and touch Ami's shoulder or something. Hinata will see what you're doing and know to look her over carefully." He reached for his sakazuki, "I'll find Kisho."
Without pausing to breathe, Shikamaru finished his sake in a matter of seconds then moved to refill it a second time. Sakura grinned knowingly, "You want him to smell the alcohol on you?"
He rubbed his chin with the back of his hand as he finished the second cup. "Yep."
Dipping her fingers in her sake, Sakura flicked a few drops of the liquid at him. He lifted a brow at her. She smirked and did it again.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Helping you out."
He gave her a queer look.
"You want him to smell it on you, right? Then make him really smell it," she explained, a sly smirk tugging at her lips. "We're all about deceit here and playing games. Gotta make it 'look real' so no one gets suspicious."
'Gotta make it look real...'
Shikamaru scowled at her comment, but refused to acknowledge it. She was about to flick more drops of sake on him when a familiar voice stilled them both.
"H-hello."
Shikamaru and Sakura looked up to see Ami standing near their table, a timid smile lifting her features.
"Um..." her smile faltered. She nervously cleared her throat. "S-sorry, but... I was wondering... is this... yours?" she asked, holding up the barrette they left behind days ago.
• • •
Sakura took the barrette offered to her, "Yeah, that's mine." She quickly turned it over in her hand, looking for any obvious signs of tampering. There were none. Giving Ami a wide grin, she asked, "Where'd you find it?"
"Oh... well, one of the busboys found it. He figured that it belonged to one of us, but I thought I remembered seeing you wear it the last time you were here."
"Thank you," the medic-nin smiled as she peered at the girl, noting her shy countenance and the delicate blush starting to rise on her cheeks. Immediately Sakura was reminded of Hinata and she grinned widely as she pocketed the barrette.
"Ah, there he is," Shikamaru said. "Good."
Sakura looked up and saw Kisho standing near the main entrance of the restaurant. He was speaking to a man she had never seen before. Without hesitation, Shikamaru stood, nodded at the two women, and then excused himself.
'I guess that's my cue,' Sakura thought as her squad leader approached their secondary target. It didn't take much concentration to gather extra chakra in her hand, but Sakura felt a sudden burst of fuzziness when she did it, as though the effort of molding her chakra had stirred the pot of her own intoxication.
'I guess I really should have slowed down. I'm a little more tipsy than I thought. Foolish.' The corners of her lips curled up in an amused smirk as she wondered what Tsunade-shishou's reaction would be to her current state.
"Are... are you okay?" Ami asked. "You look a little flush..."
Sakura couldn't help but to snort, then giggle when Ami's expression turned uncertain.
"Yeah, I'm okay," she said, offering the girl an apologetic smile as she struggled to control her emotions, forcing herself to concentrate past the alcohol-induced fuzziness. "I shouldn't have had so much to drink so quickly. My husband warned me to slow down, but I didn't listen."
She grinned at the young waitress, who could only manage a hesitant look in return. Seeing her unease only made Sakura smile more. "Don't look so worried," she said. "I'm just a little drunk. It'll pass."
Ami smiled and managed a weak laugh. "Oh. Well... do you want... more?"
Sakura shook her head, "No, no, no. Shikamaru would kill me. Not literally, but he wouldn't approve. No. Had too much already. Thanks."
"Oh." The young woman pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes, "I can bring you some coffee if you'd like. Or water, maybe?"
"Naaa. I'll be fine soon."
The girl nodded and shifted her weight. She was going to leave. Seizing the moment, the pink-haired kunoichi touched Ami's hand, her fingers brushing the scar. The sudden contact caused the the girl to recoil.
"S-sorry." Sakura said, giving her a sheepish grin. "I was just wondering how you did that."
The girl pulled her hand back, curling her fingers into a fist and doing her best to hide the ugly wound from her. But Sakura didn't let the question die. And being tipsy, she didn't feel quite so bad about pushing the girl to answer her.
"Looks like you had a nasty accident."
Ami nodded hesitantly as she glanced around them.
"What happened?"
"My... my finger got caught between two gears," she said.
Sakura frowned at the well-rehearsed lie, but played along anyway.
"Really?" She peered at the scar, "Looks like the wound got infected, too."
The young woman's brows rose in surprise. "How did you know that?"
"I'm thinking about becoming a doctor," the medic-nin grinned. "I have to study this sort of thing."
"Really?"
"Mm-hmmmm."
Ami hesitated for a moment as she considered something. Then, with obvious nervousness, she discretely showed Sakura her hand again. "Does it... does it look... bad?"
Sakura frowned, "What do you mean?"
"It's ugly, isn't it? The scar? People always look at it and I... I can't wear gloves anymore, and..."
Giving the girl a reassuring smile, Sakura said, "The scar will fade on its own. There are some creams you can buy that might help with the redness and make the skin feel softer, but it will get better on its own. Just give it some time. If you can find yourself a good doctor, like a ninja who specializes in medicine, they might be able to get some of the tissue to regenerate."
"They can do that?" she asked, eyes brightening.
"They can't regenerate a finger, but they can help some of that scar tissue disappear, which will make the skin look smoother and less red."
"Really?"
Sakura nodded.
"The doctor who stitched my hand mentioned something like that," she said. "Something about medic-nins... but I was so groggy I thought I was dreaming."
"He knocked you out so he could treat your hand?"
"No, I was sick. I had a bad fever and I was throwing up a lot," she explained. "It was a few days before I was allowed to see a doctor so it got infected and made me sick."
A familiar feeling of dread hardened in the pit of the medic-nin's belly. "Do you mind if I look at your hand again?" Sakura asked, feeling a little more sober in light of the information being communicated.
Ami nodded and the pink-haired kunoichi carefully examined her hand, turning it over as she looked. It definitely wasn't a wound caused by machinery. The scar on the palm was perfectly straight and wedge-shaped. If Sakura had to guess, she would say someone took a hatchet or chisel to her pinky, then tore the rest of the finger off. That would explain the mismatched scars on either side.
"Looks like you were lucky to keep your ring finger, too," Sakura said, doing her very best to hide her unease.
"That's what the doctor said! The infection was spreading to my—"
"Ami, does he hurt you?" she whispered, holding tight to her wrist.
The girl's eyes widened.
"Are you in danger? Tell me the truth."
Ami tried to tug her wrist free, but Sakura refused to let go.
"Just nod if you are," Sakura whispered. "Please, don't be afraid to tell me."
"I-I..." she swallowed hard and glanced around them. Kisho was watching and the fear became evident in her eyes. "Let go. Please!"
"Ami, there are people who can help you. You and your baby—"
She yanked once more, freeing her wrist from Sakura's grasp. Without a word, Ami turned on her heel and hurriedly walked away. Sakura watched her leave and was annoyed to find Kisho staring at her, his expression cold and hard. He nodded toward the medic-nin once and said something to Shikamaru. Whatever was said caused her squad leader to glance at her, but his expression revealed nothing.
Kisho, on the other hand, was staring at her with an animosity that made Sakura's blood boil.
'You bastard!'
If she had been totally sober, she would have remained seated. She would have let Shikamaru handle Kisho and wait for her squad leader to signal her for assistance or return to their table. Instead, she rose from her seat and went to them.
• • •
It was uncomfortable talking to Kisho. The man was clearly angry about Sakura talking to Ami. He kept glaring at the two women, his jaw clenched and shoulders tense. Shikamaru did his best to distract the restaurant owner, but he doubted his efforts would be successful for much longer.
"She's a bit of a busybody, isn't she?"
Shikamaru lifted a brow and pretended not to know what Kisho was referring to. "Hmm?"
"Your wife."
Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Sakura watching them both. Ami was no where in sight.
"She's just social," he said with a shrug. "Always has been."
"Seems like a busybody to me," Kisho said, still looking past Shikamaru to stare at Sakura. "You're going to have a difficult marriage if she doesn't learn her place."
Frowning, he asked, "What exactly do you mean by that?"
Sakura came to stand beside him as Shikamaru waited for Kisho to answer the question. He visibly tensed at the sight of her, his eyes narrowed in anger and chin raised in defiance. Sakura responded to his unspoken annoyance by meeting his gaze with an unflinching resolve that barely concealed her own anger.
Kisho snorted and folded his arms over his chest. Without missing a beat, he answered Shikamaru's question. "Your wife likes to stick her nose in business that doesn't concern her," he said, dismissing Sakura's presence by speaking about her as though she wasn't there. "That makes her a busybody."
The pink-haired kunoichi tensed beside him as Kisho continued.
"That little stunt she pulled yesterday with Ami, asking those questions—"
"I simply asked her about her pregnancy!" Sakura said, her words slightly louder than necessary. "There's nothing wrong with that."
"I wasn't speaking to you, girl," he sneered. "Learn your damn place."
Eyes narrowed and fists clenched tightly at her sides, Sakura's voice took on a dangerous tone that Shikamaru recognized as a clear warning. "My place?" she asked. "What place is that? Under a man's heel?"
Kisho looked down his nose at her. "Yes! A woman's place is under a man. Her purpose is to please her man. That's all you're good for. The sooner you learn this, the better, but I suppose it can't be helped, considering you're from a country that allowed a woman to become Kage."
Aghast, Sakura could only stare in muted shock. Even Shikamaru was taken aback. The more Kisho's words soaked into his mind, the angrier the Jounin became, but as was his nature, he kept that anger steadfastly in-check.
"Don't talk to my wife like that," Shikamaru warned, voice clipped.
His caution went ignored.
"I wouldn't have to if she acted like a lady. She drinks alcohol like a man, she acts like she's equal to a man... It's offensive!" Turning his attention to Sakura, he asked, "What questions did you ask Ami tonight? I saw you touch her hand. Why would you do that?"
"I just asked her what happened—"
"It's none of your business what happened. She's my concern!" he railed. "Mine!"
"You don't own her," Sakura said, verbally pushing Kisho even more. No doubt the sake was affecting her better judgment. "She can speak to me if she wants to. She didn't do anything wrong and stop acting like she's your property or something! She's not, you pig!"
Kisho's eyes narrowed, his arm twitched and hand raised... Shikamaru knew his intent was to backhand her. There was no doubt in his mind that Sakura could easily evade the incoming blow, even if she was a little tipsy. But knowing that didn't prevent him from instinctively reacting. The way Kisho spoke to her, the way he looked down at her... and now the intention to hurt her...
Sudden fury hardened within Shikamaru and he caught Kisho's hand with ease. With a simple twist, the old man's thumb was pushed back toward his elbow, threatening to tear tendons and break bone. With just a modicum of additional pressure, it would be easy to break the man's wrist.
"This woman," Shikamaru said, nodding toward Sakura, "is my wife. Don't talk down to her and don't you dare touch her."
• • •
Her smile was wide and dimpling as she clung to his arm, leading him away from Kisho and Gekkani. She didn't know where she was leading him and she didn't care. She simply knew that they needed to leave the restaurant.
Still feeling a buzz, the irony of the moment wasn't lost on Sakura. Her fingers intertwined with his as they distanced themselves from the restaurant. She could feel Kisho's animosity as they walked away. She didn't need to look back at him to know that the old man was glaring at them. But they kept walking and she kept smiling, even as Shikamaru continued to chafe inwardly beside her, his scowl cutting dark lines in his face. Sakura had never seen him so angry before, had never imagined that he could be so angry. But she knew she had to get him away from there.
"Would you relax?" Sakura whispered, squeezing his arm. "Come on..."
Jaw clenched, he closed his eyes and slowly exhaled out his nose. Seeing him like that, outraged because of what Kisho had said to her and attempted to do... it made her feel good. Protected. Even (dare she think it?) loved. Or, at the very least, cared for. And seeing him now, still tense and simmering and so unlike she'd ever seen him before, she was suddenly struck with the desire to push her fingers through his hair, pull his face down toward hers and kiss him.
So she did. Gently, almost timidly. On the cheek, just barely touching the corner of his mouth.
His eyes opened suddenly and they peered at each other. One bewildered and the other slightly amused. Sakura couldn't help but grin. And Shikamaru, he was still too surprised to even scowl.
'He said kissing me distracted him, didn't he..?' she thought. 'I wonder...'
She would kiss him. Really kiss him, the way she wanted to, just to see.
He had been so matter-of-fact when he confessed and apologized to her. So detached and intellectual about it. As though he had simply handed her the wrong tool for a job. It was his detachment that had irked her. Still irked her. Not only because his demeanor left her feeling rejected, but the implication about her that it suggested. She felt like garbage. Like someone to fulfill a need and then tossed aside.
But Shikamaru had just defended her. And in a weird way, claimed her. She kept telling herself that it was just the moment, the sake, the stress, the deadline... but there was more. To become so angry, so protective...
He cared about her.
Alcohol-induced bravery made her lean toward him, stretch upward, and brush her lips against his. He didn't pull back. He didn't move. She repeated the feather touch and so did he. She didn't know exactly when his lips parted, or if she was the one to open her mouth first, but she was aware of the moment his arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer. Tighter. Deeper.
It was fulfilling. Kissing him, feeling him wrapped around her as his hands moved over her back and her fingers trailed from his neck to his wide shoulders. Every inch of her felt wonderful and electrified. She never thought simply kissing someone could feel so good. So reassuring. But it did.
After several long moments, he pulled her more tightly against him and she felt his arousal. The knowledge that she could make him feel that way only excited her more and she rewarded him by running the tip of her tongue along his lower lip. He deepened the kiss then and Sakura felt her insides flutter in response. Hands moving along her curves almost possessively, Shikamaru caressed her cheek before tangling his fingers in her hair. Between the brief seconds where they parted just to breathe, Sakura suspired against him. The sound of her breath, or perhaps the feel of it against his flesh, caused him to pause. To tense. To reconsider.
They said nothing as they gazed at each other, a plethora of thoughts and feelings playing across their features. Shikamaru was the first to regain his concentration and his expression reflected as much. The corners of Sakura lips pushed downward as she searched his visage. One arm still hooked around her waist, he pushed her hair behind her ear before letting his hand drop to his side.
Sakura was confused. He felt distant to her and yet he was still holding her, still keeping her near, as though stretching out the moment. But it ended, as all moments did. He stepped away from her, expression troubled and more than a little uncertain. In silence, they began walking again, leaving the raucous crowd of honeymooners behind them to begin the next phase of their mission.
Lexicon:
sakazuki: tiny cups used for drinking warm sake
tokkuri: small ceramic pitcher for serving warm sake
