"Sasuke's a genin now," I said, looking at the person by my side.

The male beside me chuckled before pulling me closer. "I knew he would pass."

"He has Kakashi as a Sensei and his teammates are Naruto and Sakura."

"Are you planning on working with the kunoichi?"

I nodded. "She's as most girls her age and absolutely in love with your brother. She sees nothing beside him."

Itachi hummed at that. "Love is not crippling, as we are able to vouch for."

"But at the same time, we've also known each other for many years, and can actually say we know each other enough to fall in love with something." I tightened my arms around my best friend turned lover. "The girls surrounding Sasuke who say they love him hardly know anything about him. I want to turn her into a kunoichi who will be feared and won't only have eyes for one person."

"If I recall, you also only had eyes for one person," Itachi pointed out with a teasing glint in his eyes.

I nudged the face in front of me with my nose. "Two, because I adore Sasuke as a little brother. The amount of people have grown since those days. It's mainly Sasuke's friends, but I've begun to care a little for the other ninja in the village as well."

"But not as much as myself and Sasuke, am I correct?"

I nodded before my eye twitched. "However, I have had some overly friendly friends as well. Apparently Iruka has taken an interest in me."

"Iruka?" One of Itachi's eyebrows rose.

"Sasuke has noticed and any time he's around while Iruka's trying to get me on a date, he makes an excuse." I smiled ever so slightly. "I believe he really doesn't want Iruka to come between us."

"Do you think he suspected that anything like this would happen with us?"

Itachi's foot nudged my own so I did the same in return. "He believes you to be possessed and us to not have had a single form of contact since the incident...But he knew how close we were. It's possible that he may've wanted me to eventually become his sister."

"He did quite enjoy the fact that you looked so much like family already." Itachi laid his head on the pillow under it, tucking my own head into the crook of his neck. "Until this is all done though."

"This will suffice for now."

I can recall when things began changing between Itachi and I. It had been around the time we turned fifteen. A few times before, we had disguised ourselves as a happy couple meeting up and to be honest, I enjoyed the feeling of being around Itachi as a lover. At first, I had ignored the feeling but eventually couldn't do so anymore. Instead of telling Itachi, I took advantage of one of our disguises and kissed him deeper than he intended.

Unexpected things tend to confuse Itachi, who had pulled away for a moment to regard me. Later on when we had passed through the confusion and into actual dating territory, I had asked him what he saw in my face, or the face of the person I was disguised as. He had chuckled and said that my face was pinker than he'd ever seen.

Though he has seen it become more so after that incident, as he sometimes likes to remind me. He has no room to talk though because I do believe I'm able to get some color on those cheeks just as he can do to me.

During the confusion itself Itachi had asked that I give him some time to sort out his thoughts. He knew what the kiss meant, but at the same time he also wanted to make sure he didn't make the wrong move. I allowed him the time as I had previously spent time thinking on that same subject and knew the feeling of worrying over how it would change things.

We had been unable to meet up the next month, but the month after that, Itachi had told me that he returned my feelings. He had just been worried about what may happen if things went wrong between us and wanted to think things completely through first. Nothing in particular really ever changed within our relationship though. We were still best friends, joking around as we use to before we had decided to officially, without the knowledge of any other person, date. As time passed and our relationship became intimate, things still haven't changed much.

Such as now, we still talked about the same things we use to even as we snuggled on a bed together in the inn room we checked into. Itachi had managed to slowly get away from his undercover mission alone for longer periods of time, being able to spend half a day by my side instead of just a few hours. It still wasn't as long as we'd like, but any time was better than nothing.

"Has he started going through puberty yet?" Itachi asked after a while.

I shook my head. "Not that I've noticed. I'm expecting it any day now though. I'm also worried about dealing with Naruto as well during that time."

"He's been depending on you more?"

"I feel like he should just move in, but I don't know if I should take him under my wing with Sasuke."

"What's stopping you?" He was asking it less to hear the reasons but more than likely to allow me to get my worries out.

"Secrets. I'm not sure that I'd be able to keep them if he was living with Sasuke and I. At the same time, he has the Kyuubi as a secret and I'm not sure that would stay hidden from Sasuke if they were actually living together instead of just being over so often." I pulled myself slightly closer to Itachi, if it were possible. "I don't want more secrets to keep in a place that should be safe and comforting, but I don't want more people to know of things that few people should know about. If he'd know Sakura would also have to know, as keeping secrets from teammates can disturb the balance, then Kakashi would eventually become suspicious and manage to get it out of one of them."

Itachi cupped my face with the hand that wasn't tucked under me, rubbing his thumb against my cheek. "You'll make the right decision in the end. And even if you don't take in Naruto, he sounds happy from what you've told me. It won't bother him continuing as he is, and if it does, then you can make your decision then."

"I know." I allowed him to pull my face closer to his for a kiss to my forehead.

"What mission did you take to leave the village this time?" Itachi asked after a while of silence.

"Escorting an elderly woman back to her home. I took it ahead of time since it would be slower going. She didn't mind being carried though once her legs began to hurt and that allowed me to get some time back." I kissed Itachi's neck. "She reminded me a bit of your aunt, the one that loved to make sweets for you and I when we'd head to the academy."

"You miss them."

"I do. The Uchiha treated me as family more than my own family. It made me feel wanted." I continued kissing until I reached his lips. "Your family took me in and treated me as one of their own."

"One day-" There was a pause as we kissed. "You will be one...Not yet though." He kissed me a little longer than before. "But know that one day you will be."

At present time, there was no way we could become married as normal. We weren't too young considering the marriage age with shinobi, but we were separated still. Itachi was considered a missing-nin and if we were to wed, I would take his name publicly and that would cause trouble between both ranks. Itachi with the Akatsuki and the rest of Konoha with myself. Itachi would be attacked for leaving and meeting up with an enemy ninja and I would be accused of treason. Sasuke would become more of a target because I'd do anything for the younger Uchiha and people would want to use that to get information from me about Itachi.

We just couldn't risk any of that. Not until our mission was completely finished.

"Until that day...I can still enjoy the time we have together."

As our relationship has become intimate, Itachi and I have begun bathing before going our separate ways. The reason for this is that our scent, which normally faded by the time we came into contact with someone who had a stronger than normal nose, would remain on one another for much longer. Animals could smell the difference between a normal scent and something intimate though, along with some of those with enhanced senses, such as the Inuzuka.

Neither of us were particularly worried if someone thought we were sleeping around while out on missions, but we were worried if each other's scent was detected along with that scent. We've come up with excuses just in case though.

With Itachi, he only really had to worry about his partner's enhanced senses. I had just a little more bit of freedom as I could just bring them to the Hokage and let him decide what to tell whoever caught the scent. Regardless of plans, we still didn't really want to be caught.

"Do you have any flowers left?" That didn't mean we weren't prepared. We hunted down various plants that those with sensitive noses hate the smell of and carried it with us when we met up.

"I'm using the last of what you gave me today."

I nodded my head. "I'll be sure to bring some next time we meet up." Behind my home, in the woods, I grew a nice amount of the various flowers we needed to cover our scent. It kept Inuzuka from passing through, but the Hokage approved of it because if anyone else needed it for a mission where our enemy had a strong sense of smell it would come in handy.

I'd also be paid since they'd be taking it from my personal garden.

Kiba hated being in the backyard ever since I've put them there, as did his mother and sister. All three still visited, but preferred to stay inside where the smell wasn't as strong. The rest of us didn't have that sort of problem.

My hand went to his chest and glowed green. "Do you think we should ever let Sasuke know what could've been?"

Itachi's hand came up and covered my own but did nothing else. "Possibly once everything has settled down and we're able to reveal the truth."

"I suppose that would be best, since everything will be sorted out by then." Once I finished with my jutsu I leaned forward a placed a kiss on the area I had just had my hand on. "Close your eyes." My hands glowed green once more and I placed them on Itachi's closed eyes. "Not much longer now. I don't even give it half a year and we won't have to bother with this little issue."

"It's all because of you." Past my arm, I saw Itachi's smile.

"I can't leave my best friend to suffer." I leaned forward, moving my arm, and kissed Itachi's uncovered lips. He returned the kiss, but didn't continue further until I removed my hand.

"Best friend, am I? Do you treat all of your friends this way?"

"Only the ones who've been really good. Now come closer for your treat since you've been such a good boy." My smile changed to one of a mischevious grin which Itachi returned with a smirk.

Needless to say, Itachi and I had to take a shower as we had a few other plans and we would be leaving the inn to take care of them.

"What am I learning today?" I asked Itachi. "I have a few water attacks and something I've learned to do with Kasai that I want to teach you, but that's as far as I know."

"Various jutsu I've picked up from enemies."

I nodded and finished up washing Itachi's back with a kiss to the soapy skin. "Hurry up while I get dressed then." We finished up fairly quickly before leaving at separate locations in the inn to meet up in the woods before running as though in chase to get some distance from the village.

It was only when we hit a clearing that we stopped and began fighting one another. We didn't sense anyone around and watching, but we would hold up the image of enemies until we parted. It never hurt to be too careful with a mission as delicate as ours.

On occasion Itachi and I sparred, in the form of a fight, to be able to learn jutsu that the other learned while we were apart. This meant that we knew a larger variety than most people would learn since they were only one single person. We liked having such an arsenal though, and it wasn't often that we could spar so we took advantage of it.

It also needs to be noted that we moved so far away from villages because sometimes our fights cause quite a bit of destruction. The village we're near at that point in time doesn't deserve to suffer.

From Itachi during our spar I learned a few lightning based jutsu, one fire, and one water. I taught Itachi a few water jutsu and a little trick that made Kasai look like a fire bird. For the most part, as even he knew, I would show him jutsu enemies have used, but on occasion I have showed him jutsu from our own fellow shinobi. He didn't use them in fights, but we both agreed that it wouldn't hurt to have some hidden jutsu as backup.

Also, because of my healing sessions, Itachi's reserves haven't depleted as they were and have gone back to normal. He was able to use his jutsu quite a bit more than he would've been able to had I not decided to learn medical jutsu.

As far as medical jutsu went, I haven't quite reached Lady Tsunade's status, but I was fairly close. I read as many medical books as I can in my free time along with watching medic-nin in the field and the hospital. Itachi, thanks to my persuasion, agreed to learn some as well, but only wanted to use it if it were a dire situation.

He's Itachi Uchiha. There was no way he'd ever enter a sitatuation that was dire.

That didn't mean I didn't want to be prepared.

"Until we meet again," Itachi told me seriously as I stared directly into his Sharingan.

"Until that day." And I ran off, back toward Konoha.

It was uncomfortable, a squirming feeling in the pit of my stomach, that we had to pretend to be enemies while so far away from either side, but it was for the safety of everyone involved that we had to do such a thing. Any slip, just the tiniest of details, could ruin what we worked so hard to get to.

It was a two day journey for me to return to Konoha, including resting time so I didn't push myself or have to take Soldier Pills, so I wasn't particularly worried about Itachi's scent being on me when I finally arrived back at the village.

Soldier Pills, also known as Military Ration Pills, are very useful to have, able to replenish the person's chakra. It's said to allow the person who takes it to fight for three days without rest and most ninja keep a few with them just in case.

I prefer to avoid taking them if possible because the surplus of chakra feels like electricity crawling just under my skin and it's an agitating feeling. When I take them, I'm jittery the rest of the day along with the day after that and it makes staying in one place difficult.

Speaking of pills, I also avoid Blood Replinishing Pills if I can, which I'm normally able to do. It cancels out the jutsu women use so we're not trackable by our blood and makes it much worse. Inuzuka normally are forewarned by kunoichi if they're in that particular period of time just in case during a mission they need to take one of the pills. This way they can either move away from their comrade, hide the smell behind another strong smell, or ignore it if they're able to.

The forewarning makes sure that they don't react badly to the smell.

It's an unpleasant side of being an Inuzuka, someone with more sensitive senses, or contracted with animals with strong senses. Aburame don't have as much of an issue, but are also forewarned so their insects don't react to it.

That means that Kiba and Shino's female teammate will have to let them know when she's in that particular section of time during missions.

That's not to say that kunoichi always take dangerous missions during that time. For the most part our times are logged and kept track of so that the females won't have to take missions that would lead them to taking a Blood Replinishing Pill. Some of us aren't worried, myself being one of those, and still take missions during that time. The ones who do worry normally take D and C rank missions if they still want to take one.

"I come back to my house filled with Genin and Jonin." I stared at the filled living room. "What did I do wrong?"

"Sasuke invited Sakura and I to come over," Naruto told me. "And he said the others could come too. We invited Ino and Hinata because they're part of the teams too...And our Sensei just followed us. Something about making sure we stay out of trouble."

"Did you go through my underwear drawer again?" I asked, leveling Naruto with a stare and a hand on my hip. "Because I told you to stop doing that to mess with Sasuke."

"I didn't do anything!"

My eyes roamed the living room before stopping at Kiba. "Kiba? If you did, I'll follow through with keeping strong smells in my room."

"I swear I didn't do anything!"

"They didn't do anything," Kurenai told me with a small smile.

"I'd like to hear more about this underwear incident," Kakashi said with a smile behind his mask.

I shook my head before going over to Sasuke and ruffling his hair, as is habit and something I do after not seeing him for prolonged amounts of time. "I'm home. What would you like to eat?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Whatever you feel up to making is fine."

I glanced around at the rest of the boys I've become accustomed to seeing around. "Any of you boys have preferences today?" At them shaking their heads I then turned to the girls. "Ladies?" Another head shake. "We'll eat some ramen."

"Yay!" No need to say who was that excited about our meal.

I caught the eye of the Jonin in the room before going toward the kitchen. They followed me in, as I expected them to.

"So, you knew our teams would pass," Kurenai stated, helping me with the food as Kakashi and Asuma sat at the table.

"As I've stated, they're a capable bunch." While waiting for the pot to fill with water, I glanced over at Kurenai. "I was thinking about the teams earlier and realized you have a male Inuzuka and Aburame along with a female teammate."

"Yes. You knew this before."

"We've learned the jutsu in kunoichi classes, but you still should talk with them just in case she needs to take a Blood Replinishing Pill. It wasn't covered in classes since most people don't have sensitive noses." Honestly, I think it should've been something covered in the classes as not every ninja had their parents to be able to warn them of such things. And the ones who did, didn't always remember to give a warning and that could cause some trouble on the field.

It took her only a few seconds before she caught the meaning and nodded. "I'll talk with Hinata before them to let her know."

"Ino should be fine," Asuma cut in. "Since Shikamaru and Chouji don't have any strong senses."

"I should probably talk to Sakura," Kakashi said with a sigh.

"I'll speak with her on your behalf since its your nose," I told him. "Your team will be here often enough regardless, so I'll take care of it since it's a feminine topic."

"Sakura and Ino are friends, so she'll probably take care of letting Ino know," Asuma said, obviously not wanting to have such a conversation with his genin team.

"All of the genin need to learn about it, just in case." I gestured toward the living room. "It's something most of us are told by our parents, so I'm sure they'll be able to get any specifics they'd like from them." My gaze went to Kakashi. "I'll take care of Naruto and Sasuke if you'd like."

He shook his head. "You can tell them any feminine things they need to know, but I'll talk to them from a male's point of view."

"Sayuri, Kiba's going through your underwear!"

"Naruto!"

"Do you mind watching the food for a little bit Kurenai? I need to extract an Inuzuka from my room and I'll take advantage and quickly wash up from my mission."

She nodded and I took my leave to see Naruto grinning at Kiba, who was being held back by his teammates.

"He's just trying to get Kiba in trouble again," Sasuke explained, a book in one hand while he leaned against the other.

"Watch over him while I shower."

Sasuke glanced up and caught my eyes before nodding. He'd be sure that no one would peek in on me while I was washing up. While their Sensei were around I'm sure they wouldn't cause any trouble, but it never hurt to have someone else keeping an eye on them.

In my room I noticed that Sasuke had folded our clothes while I was away and left the underclothes underneath the other items on my bed. When everyone finally leaves, I'd have to be sure to thank him since I was away for a little over a week and unable to take care of our clothes.

I quickly showered before checking both Sasuke's room and the room Naruto uses when he's over to make sure the two rooms were in order. Sasuke's, as usual, was fine, but Naruto's was a little bit of a mess.

"Naruto, clean your room," I told the blond as I passed through the living room to head back to the kitchen.

"I told you she'd notice," Sasuke stated, not looking up from his book.

"I was hoping she wouldn't since she's been away all week," Naruto groaned before standing up. "I'll go clean up the mess."

"You've already got two of my genin trained," Kakashi said once I stepped into the kitchen. His eyes were focused on his book as he relaxed at the table. "How do you do it?"

"Finish before the ramen is done Naruto, and you'll get two helpings before everyone else," I said just loud enough for him to hear me.

There was a loud thud and things were shuffling around a little faster.

"You find out what they want." I took over for Kurenai and allowed her to relax at the small table. She began a conversation with Asuma and I listened to both that and the genin in the next room over while I finished up with the food.

Naruto managed to finish cleaning up his mess before the food was finished so I fixed him two bowls of ramen before serving the rest of the large group.

The genin ate in the living room while the jonin just sat around in the kitchen.

"Hmm?" Kakashi looked up and glanced out the window. "Seems you two ladies are being summoned."

My eyes drifted over to the bird flying in a specific pattern outside of my window. "I suppose we are." I stood and went to the living room to put my hand on Sasuke's shoulder. He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye as he ate, ignoring the others as they told their stories of the missions they had taken so far. "I've been summoned. Keep an eye on each other."

Sasuke nodded and I left our home with Kurenai by my side.

"Kurenai. Sayuri. I have a mission for you two."

"Details?" I asked.

"It was requested that kunoichi were to do this mission, but the details as to what weren't specified. The number also wasn't specified so either of you are free to decline this mission."

Neither of us made a sound, to which he nodded.

"I assumed as much." We were then given the location and who our client was before we left for our mission. There was no specified amount of time, so I guessed it would take around a week or more. The estimation came from the fact that it would take three days just to reach the location. Without specifics though, we have no way of knowing if we'd be in the field for a week or a month.

Kakashi would keep an eye on Naruto and Sasuke for me, and if it came down to it, I could send Kurenai back to her own team if we'd be away for so long.


AN: As this isn't a romance story, the romance is just a minor side-plot of sorts. Snippets will be seen of Sayuri and Itachi, but every chapter will not be dedicated to the two of them.