A/N: See previous disclaimers. I still don't own Naruto. It I owned Naruto, I wouldn't be worried about how the manga was about to end, because I would know how it ended. I would also need fewer antacids. As it is, I am worried and out of Tums.
Glad to be back to updating this story; it is fun to write. Lots more to come, friends – I appreciate you sticking with me on this short story that turned out to not be a short story. Jump aboard the S.S. Minnow, and sing along, gang – we're going on a three hour tour (a three hour tour…!)
Double or Nothing
Chapter 10: Front Money
Front Money - Cash or bank check/cheques deposited with the casino to establish credit for a player who bets against that money.
For the second time today, Shikamaru had a troublesome thought:
Inuzuka was going to kill him.
First, that Omozukai jerk made it sound like he had been inappropriate with Tenten, but he'd cleared that up. Thankfully, 1) Inuzuka wasn't stupid, 2) he had to get back to the restaurant, so he didn't have time to think about it.
Unfortunately, now Shikamaru had lost Inuzuka's partner.
Shikamaru read over the last text from Tenten again.
5:20 PM: 'Don't need a ride. Checking something before work. Phone dying so turning it off. Will be at hospital by 7 per Capt. Nara. Hana is bringing dogs to hospital.'
He called her as soon as he got it, but it went straight to voicemail. He tried to use the emergency app on his phone that linked the department phones, and any of the ones with his software on it. No dice.
One minute he had been lying lazily in his bed, enjoying the break before he or Chōji went to pick up Tenten, the next he was scrambling to figure out where the hell she was. He flicked through her previous messages.
4:39 PM: 'Lee had to check on Sanshō, so Inuzuka stuck here. When do you need him?'
He replied at 4:46 PM: 'Around 9. Possible LT/DU.'
4:47 PM: Favor: don't bug Inuzuka until after 7:30; he looked like hell. Akamaru staying with me.
That was 'long-term, deep undercover,' in their world. He had been half asleep when he replied, and he had vaguely wondered why she wasn't sleeping. Hadn't he told her to set her alarm for 6:00? She had been working crazy hours just like the rest of them, and she had still been awake from the previous evening when this all started.
Shikamaru groaned. He also had a message from his dad letting him know that Kiba had stayed with Tenten so that there would be another person (and two dogs) present. The thing was, that Kiba was going to be pissed as fuck if he realized Tenten was off on her own, and no one knew where she was. Why hadn't she taken Pakkun? He jerked on jeans, a long sleeved shirt, and his standard army surplus zip up utility vest that had pockets for things like phones, lighters and cigarettes. He hastily pulled his hair back up into his normal ponytail 'tch'ing as it snagged on his earrings. With his phone jammed his phone between his ear and shoulder, he muttered to himself as he sat on his bed to yank on thick socks and combat boots.
"Yes?"
"Captain, Officer Tenten is on the move. It appears she has left her apartment, and her phone is dead. I don't know where she is headed, and she hasn't been fully briefed on the situation yet. You got anything?"
"I see." Captain Nara could be heard clicking through some screens. "All transmissions from her line stopped after 5:21 PM. Hm."
Shikamaru paused. He knew that 'Hm.' He hated that 'Hm.'
"What is it?" Shikamaru sighed, lacing up a boot.
"That last text she sent you – she didn't send it from home. Actually… neither was the one before it."
Shikamaru stilled. "What do you mean?"
"She called for takeout; presumably it was delivered. She must have sent you the second text on her way out. Her phone's last location was… just by Alliance Station."
Shikamaru reflexively checked the clock by his bedside. So she had been on her way out of her apartment by about 4:50, and quite a ways away by 5:20. She would try to be back at the hospital by 7:00. He started calculating how far she could have gotten, how far she could go, and in which direction she could have gone. "You're sure about that?"
"Yes," his father replied.
"Great," Shikamaru muttered. "There is no way to know if she was driving or about to get on a metro, a bus, a cab-" he groaned. Inuzuka really was going to murder him. The thought struck him like lightning. "She did this on purpose," he swore.
"How so?"
"She never lets her phone run out of charge, and she has one of those backup packs in her bag at all times. I can't access her phone at all; that means that she took the battery out. She purposely didn't let me know she didn't need a ride until she got to the station and then made it impossible to get a hold of her. She was either on her way to a contact she didn't want us to know about, or she already visited that kind of contact and is now headed somewhere else."
"Probably," Shikaku agreed. "She knows to be careful."
"You don't understand," Shikamaru stood quickly, stuffing items in his vest and heading out of his room to get his keys. "From there she can go to any of her contacts; and they aren't just in her old neighborhood. Lots of them moved on to even worse places in the area. She often leaves her car and takes public transportation so it won't get jacked while she visits. Even Kakashi doesn't know all the places she could go. She really could be just about anywhere in Konoha."
"She could be," Shikaku answered calmly.
"You seem unconcerned that our lone female officer is off of the radar while known to be a potential target for a psychopath." he said pulling on his coat. "Why is that?"
"I have faith in our officers," his father replied mildly.
"Oh?" he asked stilling with his keys in his hand. "And do you have faith that our K-9 specialist isn't going maim your son for losing track of his partner? Because I don't."
"I have faith in all of our officers, including you, Shikamaru. Nara out."
Shikamaru looked at his phone with a grimace. His dad had just essentially told him not to worry. "Yeah, right," he muttered. He checked the time. He could get to Chōji and do some rounds before he had to go to the station. Palming his keys, he headed out of the door, mind racing with multiple strategies. He had just started the car when his phone buzzed in his palm.
'Listen to your dad and don't worry too much.'
He stared at the text. He didn't know the number. He did, though, know the fan icon. "Easy for you to say," he muttered.
'Two words. Morino Ibiki.'
Shikamaru's grin was slow, but sure, as was the sense of relief that washed over him. Those two words spoke volumes; he just might not get his ass kicked by Inuzuka after all. "Then again," he sighed, "This is Tenten we are talking about. Anything could happen." He put his phone in its designated vest pocket and pulled out of the lot. He'd better get in to work a little early tonight... just in case.
Madam Yuki left the KPD unobserved and drove her sleek, black car into a gated, underground garage. Kazekage had helped her to revamp the security for this building, and the KPD would not have been pleased to know how many ways people could be kept out. That being said, if the KPD or anyone else was coming over uninvited, they should be grateful that there were things keeping them from reaching Zabuza. She entered her home quietly, removing her shoes at the door, and taking her gloves off, finger by finger.
She hung her sweeping coat in the closet and set her parcels down. Moments later, she had changed, washed her face, and showered. She wanted to be devoid of any of the scents associated with her Madam Yuki character. She used a simple, clean soap that didn't smell like much of anything. She opted for a similarly unscented cleanser for her hair, and as the water swirled in the drain, Madam Yuki washed away. Haku stepped out of the shower, a towel over his lean hips. There was nothing of the feminine delicacy in his movements, although he was indeed beautiful. He wrung his long hair into a towel before leaving it loose to dry. In moments, he was dressed in a pair of worn jeans and a simple t-shirt. He padded out of the bathroom into the adjoining room, then entered a thickly carpeted closet that most women would have killed to own. Part of the massive closet was filled with Madam Yuki's exquisite wardrobe, part was a mix of Haku's more modest attire, and another partition entirely was a collection of uniforms, theatrical makeup, and anything else you could imagine someone undercover would need to change their appearance. He selected what he would need for the evening, and put it to the side. He stepped through to another partition of his closet that Kazekage had designed and Kankuro had helped to build. The concealed door opened to a weapons room. He eyed the senbon, kunai, shuriken, knives, and other assorted weaponry that were at his disposal. He picked up and opened a small case of senbon thoughtfully. His training as an assassin gave him an extensive and functional knowledge of the body, its nervous system, its pressure points, and the associated weaknesses therein. Oddly enough, that same knowledge gave him an uncanny knack for acupuncture and massage, but he (as Madam Yuki) handled very few clients directly. He had trained others, though, in the healing parts of his trade, and was as good of a teacher as he was a practitioner.
And he was an excellent practitioner.
The senbon in his hand, when flung with precision, could incapacitate an enemy quickly and efficiently. There was a fine line between putting the victim into a deathlike state, and killing them, but Haku could walk it. That was how they had faked Zabuza's death, after all. He snapped the case of senbon closed and put it among the things he would take with him this evening. Once he was satisfied that everything was in order, he checked the time. He would have just enough time to tend to Zabuza, and then transmit some findings to Kazekage before he left. He doubled checked to make sure he had a heavy-duty Maglite with his gear. You never knew where you would be when the power went out.
Tenten glanced over her shoulder as she hopped off of the bus that brought her to the old, largely abandoned neighborhood on the outskirts of Konoha. Sora-ku had once been a prosperous development, but time and shifting fortunes had slowly eroded away any trace of the ambition that caused someone to christen this area 'Sky-ward.' She checked her watch; if she stuck to her schedule, she would have just enough time catch the infrequent bus back to the metro stop. If she ran late, she'd have to get there on foot, which was more inconvenient than unsafe, assuming she stuck to the main streets.
She wasted no time making her way to the aged building three blocks over. This particular brick structure was in far better shape than its neighbors, and was structurally sound, if not worn and bowed with time. It was rumored that prominent clans built an underground armory in this area when Sora-ku was in its heyday, and therefore the military policed the area in secret. There was never any proof of that, but Tenten noted that there were very few vagrants or squatters in the older, empty buildings. As far as largely abandoned neighborhoods went, Sora-ku was the quietest and nicest in Konoha. Maybe it was because the development was more isolated, bordered by forested public lands, an old military training ground, and a cemetery; maybe it was because the few remaining residents were incredibly vigilant. Maybe it was because there was little to steal, and any unauthorized activity always seemed to be quickly discovered and interrupted – for whatever reason, this is one of the few neighborhoods where Tenten would venture confidently alone, and Kakashi wouldn't fret too much.
She pushed open the storefront door, to be greeted with the sound of a soft bell, and the bobbing heads and/or arms of at least 30 maneki-neko, or Fortune Cats. The other 70 or so did not move, but gazed out from their perches with a single raised paw.
The woman behind the counter looked as if she herself was part cat, her grizzled gray hair pulled back into an explosion of a ponytail behind her head, her hairband vaguely reminiscent of cat ears. She pulled her scarf tighter around her neck as she looked up from the magazine she was reading, her stout, heavily-lined features breaking into a friendly smile.
"Tenten," she greeted her warmly. "It has been a long time."
"How are you, Nekobaa?" she asked, crossing to the counter, pausing when a cat lept up in front of her and butted her head against Tenten's shoulder. "Good to see you, too, Hina," she stroked the cat's head. "Where is Denka?" A darker cat jumped up next to the first, purring loudly. Tenten laughed. "I see they have their winter kimonos," she observed.
"It is too cold for them in this drafty old building," Nekobaa said, holding a hand out to the cats. Denka in his blue outfit and Hina in her red turned and nuzzled her hand before curling on her lap and shoulder, respectively.
"You are the only person I have ever met that can make a cat wear clothes," Tenten grinned. She was fairly certain that Nekobaa could make a cat do anything she wished; it was like the Inuzuka's and their dogs. "How is Tamaki? Doing ok at the University?"
"Doing very well," the grandmother said proudly. "Dean's and President's list every semester so far. I had my doubts, but that internship she had with your friend really paid off."
"Hana is an excellent Vet," Tenten agreed. "She said that Tamaki has the right disposition for the job. Besides," Tenten grinned. "I think Hana would be glad to have another Vet handle the cats. She understandably has lots of dogs at her clinic at all times."
"Hmph," Nekobaa snorted. "I am surprised that an Inuzuka even treats cats, but she was very kind to Tamaki."
"When does she graduate?"
"Next spring," Nekobaa stroked Hina's head as she lept from her shoulder to the counter before circling twice and curling up under the old woman's hand. "She wants me to move," she added mildly, "but I am an old woman. This is my home."
Tenten looked around the shop. She knew that Nekobaa lived in the apartments above the shop and was dedicated to the cats in the area she felt depended on her. Tenten was amazed that the shop never smelled like 'cat.' The stinging smell of ammonia that she commonly associated with too many cats (or as Inuzuka would argue, one cat, because that was too many) was nonexistent here. Nekobaa sold some of her natural pet remedies and specially blended litter to other shops in Konoha; that was how she supported herself and managed to squirrel away enough money to pay for her granddaughter's education. Tenten fished a few things out of her old backpack and handed them over to her.
"Thought these might come in handy," she offered. "And here is your mail."
Nekobaa looked over the items thoughtfully. "Been busy, I see," she commented. She leafed through the handful of letters Tenten had given her. She stood from the counter slowly, and made her way to the small back room. Tenten watched as she put several of the letters into different slots of an old, wooden cubby, then drew out several more. She came back to the counter and handed Tenten the letters. "Is this about your Captain?" she asked quietly.
"Yeah," Tenten nodded glancing at the letters before tucking them into a book in her bag. "I have a family name now, and a few other things. Can you keep your ear to the ground for me?" She gave Nekobaa a run-down of the basics of what she needed to know, and the names to listen for. The old woman absorbed all of the information while absently stroking the head of whichever cat slipped under her hand.
Nekobaa nodded. "That family isn't really in my neighborhood, but I shall let you know if I hear anything." She looked her up and down. "Are you still partnered with that Inuzuka?"
Tenten gave a small nod. "Yeah."
"I can't believe that you of all people ended up working with dogs," the old woman muttered.
"You and me both," Tenten laughed lightly.
"Well, at least, then, someone will be looking out for you," she sighed. "I did hear," she said slowly, "that you might have to be careful, my dear. That perhaps you had gained notice from a few less than savory corners."
The hair across the back of Tenten's neck prickled. "Oh?" she asked casually. "Where did you hear that?"
"From me, for one."
The old woman looked over Tenten's shoulder with dry amusement, and the officer did her best not to sigh as she turned toward the smooth, deep voice.
"If you will excuse us, Nekobaa," the man said, pushing away from the wall, where Tenten swore he had not been just moments ago, "Our friend, here, has to get back."
Tenten reflexively checked her watch. She still had plenty of time to get where she needed to go, and she had more to ask her contact. When she looked up at Nekobaa, though, she knew she was out of luck.
"Are you going to give her a ride?" Nekobaa asked, arching an eyebrow.
"I don't need a –"
"Yes," he cut her off, sauntering up behind her and putting a firm hand on her shoulder. "Thank you for your time."
Sensing that she had little to no choice in her impending departure, Tenten shrugged and reached a hand for Hina's head as she padded across the counter to brush by her arm. "Thanks for everything, Nekobaa," she smiled gently. "I'll be in touch."
"As will I. Get going, you two." She shooed them out of her store.
Tenten stepped out of the opened door and past the quiet man, automatically going to the familiar car she saw parked half a block down.
"So did you follow me?" she asked.
"Something like that," he shrugged.
"And you are going to tell Kakashi that I was behaving and taking every sensible precaution?" she prompted as they walked side by side.
The half smirk was one she recognized from years of experience.
"Sensible?" he asked, calmly.
She shrugged. "I'm guessing if you are here, then you'll fill me in as to why that might or not be the case," she sighed. "My car is back at…" she trailed off as she glanced in the back seat. Her bag with her change of clothes was sitting in plain view; the same bag she had locked in the trunk of her car. "Picking locks again?" she asked.
He opened the car door for her. "Whatever gave you that idea?
"Gee, I don't know," she muttered, ducking into the car and banging her boots out of the door to keep the snow from the impeccably clean floors. She heard the deep, throaty chuckle before the door shut behind her. He slid into his seat as she clicked her seatbelt, and patiently waited for him to explain.
He turned the key in the ignition and the engine purred to life.
"My car isn't where I left it, is it?" she asked dryly.
"I believe it was dropped off for repairs." He replied idly while pulling away from the curb.
"Repairs," she repeated flatly. "What kind of repairs."
"I couldn't possibly say. I'm not a mechanic, Tenten."
"So which Captain came up with this little plan?" she asked, glancing over at him. "Nara? Morino? Kakashi?" she narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Uchiha?"
He didn't even bother to shrug.
"I thought Shikamaru was supposed to fill me in. How did you get stuck with the job?"
He slid a glance over to her, and she arched an eyebrow, clearly waiting for an explanation.
"Shikamaru was slated to debrief you, but I…volunteered."
"What, did you miss me?"
The smug smile was not unkind. "Something like that."
"Fine," she pulled her coat tighter around her. "But if this is a 'be nice to my kid brother even if he is crap with women' speech, you can save it. Kakashi already gave me several."
He laughed, a low, easy sound. "That isn't on today's agenda, but I'll pencil it in for next week." He checked his mirrors for a tail, like he always did, before glancing over at her. "This is serious, though, Tenten," he said, and she knew from the tone of his voice that he was no longer joking with her. "We have several things to discuss. The nature of your assignment is going to change; we just aren't sure to what extent."
Tenten frowned. "I know Lee, Inuzuka, and I are on the radar," she said, watching the stoic profile, "but what has everyone so jumpy today?" She looked him over, piecing together what little she had heard already. "You wouldn't be here 'just because.' So what is going on? Is there some reason you think I need to be protected?"
He kept his dark eyes on the road. "That remains to be seen." He could see her jaw tighten as he flicked his eyes to the clock on the dashboard. "Let's take it from the top."
She watched him for a long moment before settling back into her seat. "Alright, Itachi," she said evenly. "I'm listening."
Kiba closed the door behind Sai and listened for the sound of his departure. He had a knot in his gut over the things he had said about Tenten, and an aching in his jaw from clenching his teeth. He felt Akamaru's soft fur and not so soft head under his fingers as he butted up against him with a low whine.
"It's alright," he said absently, scratching behind his ears. "We won't let him do anything to hurt our friends." He turned back to his dinner, but found his appetite wasn't up to par. The dogs didn't have any such qualm, though, and he saw Akamaru trot over to finish his dinner then lap up water. Kiba realized that Tenten had left bowls out for both dogs before she left. Pakkun jumped down from the couch and disappeared around the corner; soon Akamaru followed. Kiba raised an eyebrow and followed. He found both dogs munching on something. There was a post-it note at eye-level on the wall.
'If you found this, the dogs found their treats. What can I say; it's good to be the favorites. Check the fridge. Vegetable drawer.'
Kiba followed the instructions and was surprised to see a six-pack of beer from his favorite microbrew tucked neatly between the containers of sliced peppers, carrots, and celery. The post-it said 'See. Second-favorite isn't so bad. Be careful tonight.'
He felt some of the tension seep out of him at her note, and decided a drink was definitely in order. He scanned the note again as he pried the bottlecap off and took a long pull from the bottle. "No," he blew out a sigh. "It's not so bad."
He pulled his phone out and called his sister.
"I'll drop the kids off to you," he said as soon as she picked up. "It's on my way home."
"That would be a big help," Hana sighed with relief. "When should I look for you? The clinic is closed, but I have a bunch of work to do here."
Kiba glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall. "I can leave here in fifteen," he said, glancing around at what he'd need to take with him.
"Don't bother bringing anything other than their leashes," she said, guessing the direction of his thoughts. "I'll make sure I get some things together for Tenten. It's about time you order food for the Big Guy anyway, right?"
"Yeah," he replied absently, watching Akamaru return to where his dinner used to be, licking the empty carry-out container with gusto. "Thanks, Sis. See you in a bit." He hung up after that, but he knew his sister wouldn't take offense; Kiba and Tsume were pretty cut and dry on the phone. Kiba looked to his mostly eaten dinner, and forced himself to down a few more bites before letting Akamaru and Pakkun finish it off. In minutes, he had gathered up his stuff and straightened up. He went back to the bedroom to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything. He pocketed his charger, straightened the covers on his side of the bed, and folded the sheet that he slept under. He realized belatedly that when he fell asleep there hadn't been a sheet. He fell asleep on top of the covers. Looking over to the other side of the bed, he saw that it had been straightened neatly; he could almost believe he had been the only one sleeping in the bed not even an hour ago.
But he hadn't been alone.
She had been there with him.
He looked down at the sheet in his hands.
She was looking out for him. The note, the dinner, the beer, making sure he slept alright… all small, simple gestures, but no less definite than what he had been up to all day. The thought stilled him.
Minutes later, both he and the dogs were on the other side of the locked door, and the apartment was pretty much how he had found it, except for the small one-word note in his rough scrawl that sat under a bottlecap and over the folded sheet he left on the pillow.
The note might have only said "Thanks," but he was pretty sure the "for everything," that he didn't bother to write would still come across loud and clear.
Karashi checked his phone for the time. He slept longer than he intended, but he still had time to get everything done. Lee sent him a text to let him know that he had taken Sanshō out on some errands and for a ride, and not to worry about her. Karashi offered to come by, but Lee assured him that both he and Sanshō were fine, and that he should continue with whatever youthful plans he had for the evening.
He smiled at that.
For once, he was actually excited to head over to the Tavern, rather than just nervous. He forced himself to actually down some food and shower before calling Tenten. Glancing at the clock, he saw it was only just now 7:45 – plenty of time to speak with her before he had to leave. He sent her a quick text asking if it was a good time to call; he knew her schedule could be rather fluid. The minute or two it took her to reply was the longest part of his whole day, and that was counting the hours when he had been interrogated by a mob boss and his paler-than-pale bodyguard.
The chime that was followed by the 'Now's great,' made his chest constrict painfully. He took a few more deep breaths and forced himself to count out two more full minutes before calling her.
"Hello?"
Karashi felt the warmth settle over his face and slide down his neck. "Hey, Tenten, it's Karashi," he managed with an easy tone. "Sorry we got interrupted earlier."
"That's alright," she said and then hesitated a moment before adding, "Was everything okay? Seems like you had to leave in a bit of a hurry."
"Yeah, fine," he waved off the question. "Just had to clear up some stuff for a private client I have been doing some catering work for. You know how some people can be."
"Oh, I remember my waitressing days well enough," she replied with a shudder. "I'm glad everything is alright."
"Everything is fine," he assured her. "I'd really like to touch base with you, though, and finish our chat about the Winter Carnival. In fact," he added, "I have a couple new dishes I'd like your opinion on – not our normal fare, and definitely not curry," he added quickly.
"That would be great," he heard her smile. "I just got word that my work schedule is changing, so tomorrow isn't great for me. Is the day after tomorrow okay for you? Oh, no, wait," she paused. "That is Sunday. Would you rather wait for-"
"Sunday's good," he interrupted, wincing at his less than cool tone. "Sunday works. It's fine," he added, in what he hoped was a reassuring voice. "I usually work ahead for the restaurant on Sunday, anyway. You can drop in any time after 1:30; I should have things up and running by then."
He heard some paper rustling. "Is 2:30 alright?" she asked, clearly checking her schedule.
"Sure," he couldn't help the smile. "I'll plan on seeing you at 2:30 this Sunday. Shoot me a text before you leave so I make sure I unlock the door for you. It can be loud in the kitchen, and I might not hear you knock."
"Will do," she said warmly. "Thanks for taking the time, Karashi."
He felt something inside of him twist and bend achingly at the sincere gratitude in her voice. It was everything he could do not to make a big deal out of it, or ask if they could just meet up tonight, or if she was seeing anyone, or –
"Not a problem," he managed. "See you then."
They exchanged their goodbyes, and he was soon staring at his phone as it blinked her name and 'call ended.' He did it. He called her. He called her and talked to her. He was going to see her Sunday. She would be with him in the restaurant on Sunday, and with any luck, Lee wouldn't be able to come. It would be just the two of them. Like before.
He looked up to an old, faded picture on the small corner shelf. It was a picture of him and Tenten sitting on the side of the pool of the old community center. They were maybe six years old. From the time he was six until they were twelve, it had been just the two of them – she had been his only friend. Somehow when Lee joined in it didn't feel like sharing, more like expanding. Still, there were plenty of times he wished it was just the two of them again. His smile was hopeful and uncharacteristically determined. Maybe now, he had his chance.
Tenten looked at her phone, and sighed, leaning against the wall. Itachi had given her the run-down of what was up on the ride back. Of course Itachi being Itachi, and especially Itachi being Itachi who had talked to Captain Nara, there was more to what he had to say than what she figured Shikamaru would have told her. She put her phone in the pocket of her jeans. That was the first change. She was not to go to the hospital in uniform anymore. For the remainder of Kakashi's stay, she was not officially on protection detail. She could go and visit, and stay as long as she liked, but she had to do it out of uniform. She suspected that Itachi was implying that she not carry any department weaponry, but they both knew that it didn't matter. She probably owned more weaponry than the department, and no one would be brave enough or dumb enough to stop her to check where she was likely to hide it.
She had told Karashi the truth; her assignment was being "re-evaluated," as Itachi had so diplomatically put it. She was on forced leave tomorrow and partially on Sunday. That had been a negotiation on her part. Itachi wanted her to take two days to make the transition to working daylight hours again. He relented and said she could take the Sunday mid-morning shift with Kakashi if she then went directly back to her apartment and wasn't to be found investigating around Konoha. When she had readily agreed to that, he narrowed his eyes and ticked off the places outside of Konoha that would also be a violation of the agreement. She hated that he was that smart. She'd have to tell Captain Nara about her meeting with Karashi, but she was sure it would be alright.
Tenten glanced at her watch. It was almost 8:00 PM. She hadn't heard from her partner since his last text well over an hour ago. He still had time to get to the tavern, but she had a nagging urge to check in with him - especially now that she knew more about the people they were dealing with.
It was beyond frustrating.
She wanted to be in on this, and providing backup. She didn't like being pulled from the thick of things, even if she understood the wisdom in Captain Nara's plan. He wouldn't pull her from action just because some sick jerk liked to target women. As much as she knew she was looked after by the KPD, Nara wasn't just keeping her out of the mix for her safety. Just like they were holding Sasuke back in case they needed him in a board room, they wanted her out of the equation in case she needed to be called in to keep an eye on Karashi from a quasi-civilian standpoint as they tried to transition him out of the gang safely. Tenten knew that what he didn't say was "We are hoping to get him out and Inuzuka in." She had to appear to be as little of a threat as possible, so she had to limit her visible department activity. Also, the less she was around, the less likely other members would start to ask questions. It was the best way she and Lee could protect Karashi – she knew that. She even understood it made Inuzuka's job easier and it would help him keep his cover.
She still hated it.
"Tenten?"
She turned and smiled to see Hana approaching with Akamaru and Pakkun in her wake. Pakkun stopped long enough to sit on her foot and have his head scratched before trotting past her, scratching on Kakashi's door, and being let in.
Hana watched, amused. "What did you do to get kicked out?" she asked.
"Itachi," she grumbled. "He had to catch up with Kakashi, and it is a boys-only conversation. They told me to go get a cup of coffee or something until they are done. I'm going to head to the first level with the cafeteria and coffee shop."
Hana chuckled sympathetically, and Akamaru shoved his huge head into her hip consolingly. Tenten smiled down at the big goofy dog, and rubbed his ears fondly. "Looks like it is you and me for a while, Big Guy," she said as he tilted his head up so she could scratch under his chin.
Hana hesitated. "I can probably take them both," she offered. "Just not until after Sunday."
Tenten threw the thought away with a wave of her hand. "Don't worry about it. I'm glad to have them. Besides," she half grinned, "when else can I get away with spoiling my favorites rotten without interference?"
Hana laughed. "Don't go overboard. I don't want them at the clinic for an overdose of treats."
"Spoilsport," Tenten teased. She scratched Akamaru's ears thoughtfully. "I don't know how long he… how long these two will be staying," she corrected. "I'm sure Pakkun will go back to Kakashi once he is discharged, but…" she let the sentence trail off. Hana knew that Tenten was trying to say there was no way to know how long Kiba would be gone.
"I've got what you need," she assured her. "I already put a bunch of it together in my car. Do you want to come with me to the parking lot? We can put it in your trunk."
Tenten's eyebrow twitched. "I got an unexpected ride here," she grimaced. "My car isn't in the lot."
Hana decided it was wiser not to ask. "Do you want me to drop it off at your place?" she offered. "I am sure Lee or Guy would let me into the dojo."
Tenten nodded gratefully. "That would be really helpful," she smiled. "I won't leave here before 6:00… at least I think I won't – and I am not sure where to from there. Are you sure it isn't too much trouble?"
Hana gave a curt shake of the head. "No trouble at all," she assured her. She checked her phone. "I should get going," she apologized. "You sure you are okay?" she eyed Tenten, then Akamaru, and then Tenten.
Tenten was reminded of how much she liked Hana. She saw much, said little, and offered help where it was needed. Tenten was pretty sure she wanted to be like Hana when she grew up. "I'm good, Hana. Thanks."
"My pleasure," she said with a warm smile. "And don't worry," she lowered her voice. "My brother is a stubborn little mutt. He'll be fine."
"I know," she said, before looking down to Akamaru. "I have faith in him."
"He has faith in you, too," Hana said mildly. "Otherwise Akamaru would be fighting the triplets for space on the couch."
Tenten thought about Hana's three large gray dogs and laughed. "Glad I can help."
"Let me know if you need anything," Hana finally offered. "Open invite, okay?"
"Yeah, Hana," Tenten nodded. "Okay."
Hana said she was going to stop in and say hi to Kakashi, and a moment later, Chōji rounded the corner fresh from his lap around the floor.
"Thanks for keeping an eye out here while I did the rounds," he smiled jovially. "You're good to go. I'll let you know when Itachi is done."
"Thanks, Chōji. You want anything from the cafeteria?"
"I'm good," he shook his head. "I brought my own stuff. Go relax for a bit; you've had a long day."
"Haven't we all," she sighed. "But I won't argue with you, Chōji. Text if you change your mind, okay?"
"Will do," he assured her.
With a wave, she made her way down the hall, absently musing on all that had gone on today, and reaffirming her earlier conviction that she was in desperate need of coffee. Akamaru padded behind her, and if he hadn't bumped her, she wouldn't have noticed the boy rounding the corner in the wheelchair until it was too late. She moved out of the way.
"Sorry," she smiled sheepishly. "I was in my own little world."
The boy – she guessed he was preteenish – stared at Akamaru. "I didn't think they let dogs in here," he gaped.
Tenten chuckled. "They don't, normally. Akamaru is a service dog."
"Where is his vest thingy?"
Tenten winced. "He is sort of big for them, and the last one we put on, well… let's just say it didn't last very long." She looked the boy over; they were just outside of room 152. "Were you headed somewhere?"
He shrugged, and his face fell to standard-issue-sullen-teen. "Just taking a lap," he muttered. "Wanted to get out of my room."
Tenten looked him over, and years of working with kids helped her to instantly recognize the lonely-masked-by-sullen. "I'm going to go grab a snack," she offered. "Would you like to sit and have a cup of tea or hot chocolate with me?"
The boy looked up at her skeptically.
"I don't know you," he said suspiciously. "Why would you even ask me that?"
"Because if I don't miss my guess," she leaned over him and sniffed carefully at the room behind him, "we have some friends in common – or at least one friend. A friend with bushy eyebrows and a youthful demeanor?"
"You know Lee?" his eyes went wide.
"Yeah, for a long time," she chuckled. "I'm guessing he brought you curry," she added wryly. "Sanshō's food is a hard smell to forget."
"Yeah," the boy gave a half smile, and Tenten was pleased to see how even such a small alteration transformed his features from sullen to younger.
"C'mon," she nodded. "I'm buying. Any friend of Lee's is a friend of mine. I'm Tenten, by the way."
Ranmaru knew he shouldn't. He had to check on that Captain and do some more research into that Kusabi guy. Lee and Sanshō had given him a lot to think about, and...and…
He looked up at her. Her hair was pulled up into a single messy bun. Her eyes were laughing and hazel – maybe grey – maybe light brown – maybe even part green; he wasn't sure. She didn't look like she had any makeup on. Maybe mascara? She was casually dressed in jeans tucked in, calf-high, worn brown leather boots that looked like they'd travelled for miles, and soft, pale blue sweater. She looked… friendly. Comfortable. The way a sister might look. He was suddenly reminded of how lonely he had been – how no one but Lee had visited. The big dog nudged at his hand, and he was sold.
"'Maru," he finally replied, deciding to give a variation on his name.
"Good to meet you," she beamed at him while Akamaru thumped his tail. "Let's tell the nurses where we're heading."
Ranmaru half returned the bright smile. One, he wasn't used to smiling. Two, he was kind of dazed by her open friendliness. Were people really just like that? For no reason? What if Raiga came by, and he wasn't there? He didn't realize he had followed her to the nurse's station until they had made it to the elevators.
He looked up at her as she leaned against the wall of the elevator and smothered a yawn. She was tired. She was tired and she was still taking the time to be nice, but didn't want him to see she was tired. He held onto the wheels of his chair tighter. Screw it – Raiga could wait a little longer to find out what funeral he had to plan.
The bartender at the Snake, Slug, and Frog Tavern had been around for a while. He had worked for many, many years behind the bar, and at this tavern for at least the last three. When the property had been bought out, he had been given two months full pay while the new owners restructured the business. He assumed that meant that they changed vendors, because there wasn't really that much different about the place, other than the clientele. The bar had been on its way down for a while. It wasn't really a trendy place. The beer selection wasn't bad but it wasn't fantastic, either. The new owners weren't doing much to attract a new clientele; in fact, there seemed to be a pretty steady and shady rotation of folks. The only real improvement was the chef, who ran the kitchen by himself and with a great efficiency.
The bartender had an eye for faces and a nose for trouble. He was keeping a subtle eye on the group that had started hanging out lately. Thankfully, the power-outage had been resolved before they had come in. The cook said the food wasn't harmed, so that was a relief. Their WiFi was off, and their security system had to be rebooted, but the tech now sitting at the bar in his rough uniform said someone would come tomorrow to put it online. The tech suggested calling the cops to let them know, but the bartender decided against it. He told the cook that if anything started to get the hell out and not look back. The cook just smiled his general kind smile and said that the bartender worried too much.
The bartender was pretty sure he didn't worry enough. He saw the Kurosuki's filter in, and that girl Ami that liked to hang around them. He was surprised when the young man with the ponytail showed up (Karashi, was it?) since he seemed to be so out of place with the rest of them.
When the tattooed stranger strode in, the bartender watched him carefully. He sized him up in one fell swoop. This guy wasn't looking for trouble, but if there was a fight, he'd be the one of the ones ending it. The bartender peered at the tattoos. No dog, so not an Inuzuka. He shuddered. Tsume had mixed up enough brawls to be sort of legendary in bartending circles. He heard she had been back at it recently, and he was relieved it hadn't been on his watch. A couple of clans had similar facial markings, but for all he knew, this guy was from out of town. Konoha was a large place, and lots of people came through. He glanced around in a bored, assessing manner, probably taking in the locals. The Kurosukis were over at their preferred seats near the pool tables. Ami rushed over to him and draped herself on his side, pulling him toward the others. The bartender watched as the three big players looked over.
Years of experience meant he was used to figuring out his customers. From what he could tell, the majority of the gang was hung up on this Raiga person they all talked about. These three, though; they were different. The beady eyed one – Kusabi - he was newer to the family. The other two were apparently not in the family, but they were in charge of something. The way Kusabi acted around them - his 'in charge' persona might fool the ragtag family - but clearly these other two held more sway. The bigger, bulkier one was Waraji. He had a patch over his right eye, and a scar over his left eyebrow. There were hints of tattoos on his arms, neck, and chest but he hadn't seen them clearly. The other one, Zōri, had red tattoos under his eyes, and looked like a skater with his knit hat and his faded blue-white hair. He was the quieter of the two men, and smaller, but he had proven to have a viciously cruel streak. He clearly was the thinker of the two.
The girl brought the new guy over to the bar, and the bartender pretended not to be listening in keenly. He busied himself with a few things, half turned to the quiet man at the end of the bar. He had come immediately to check out the cable/power outage and had managed to jury rig something tonight to keep their point of sales system online, but it would have to be fixed tomorrow. The tech told him that he'd keep it quiet, and the bartender decided not to tell the bosses. The tech had a gruff voice and a bulky coat and hat. He was clearly keeping to himself
"Wasn't sure you'd make it," Ami said, pressing against the newcomer.
"I'm not one to miss out on a good time," he smirked. She giggled as the man signaled the bartender and ordered two drinks; one for himself and one for Ami. The bartender watched her drink carefully, but the man kept it in plain sight. The bartender had seen a fair few things in his day, and Ami was the kind of girl that could end up passed out and on someone's shoulder if she wasn't careful. The bartender tried to suggest bottled beers and things to keep her chances of having her drink tampered with to a minimum. She listened when she felt like it, which wasn't terribly often.
The man paid in cash and left a decent tip, though, so the bartender didn't mind so much. He watched Ami drag him over to the others.
He kept an eye on that group all night. He was attentive to the other few patrons, but the tech kept to himself, the blond guy with the hoodie on stayed in his corner looking bored, and the three men playing darts in another corner – one chain smoking, one chewing a long toothpick, and one who couldn't stop coughing – kept to themselves. He watched as this new person was introduced to the family, but noted that two of the Big Three – Waraji and Zōri – had taken an interest in him. As the evening wore on, the new guy talked to Karashi, but more and more, Waraji and Zōri drew him into conversation. It probably helped that he bought a fair few rounds. When it was closing time, he breathed a huge sigh of relief. At least that was over.
The new guy was headed for the door, having clearly waited until Ami was in the bathroom to make his departure. "Kuromaru," Zōri called after him. The man in the black leather jacket half turned and looked over his shoulder with raised eyebrows.
"8:00. Tomorrow. Here."
"I can do that," he shrugged. "Ja, ne," he called over his shoulder as he swaggered out into the bitterly cold Konoha night. The bartender sighed heavily to himself. Just what he needed – one more badass-punk-gangmember thrown into the mix. Why couldn't any of them start drinking at Sly Salamander down the road?
"Looks like everything is clearing out," the chain-smoker said good-naturedly. "Guess we'd better take care of our tab."
The bartender wordlessly handed over their bills.
"Your food is way better than expected," the man with the (was that a giant toothpick?) spoke up.
"That's Private Kosuke," the bartender said, counting out change. "Says he worked mess duty long time ago. Never wanted to be promoted beyond a private for some reason."
"Well, either way, that was some great grub" the smoker said, counting his change and leaving a tip. "We'll be back."
The three men left and the bartender felt some of the tension leave his shoulders. At least there were some sane patrons that weren't going to start some kind of trouble. Thanking the fates for little favors, he set about closing down the bar, grateful that no one stuck around to cause trouble. He said good night to Kosuke and went home to catch a good night's sleep before he had to meet the security/tech guy in the afternoon. He hoped they'd send someone that knew what they were doing; he didn't need any extra problems tomorrow or any other day. When he bolted his own door against the increasingly cold wind, he gave a small shudder. He hung up his coat and put another tick on the notepad on his counter.
"Days since a brawl has started at work: 5."
"A new record," he muttered. He hoped the new guy didn't break the streak; it was the longest he had since the place re-opened. "Here's hoping," he sighed, and was soon soundly asleep.
Itachi closed the door behind him, and hung his keys on the rack on the wall before taking off his shoes and hanging up his coat. He was tired, and it had been a long but thankfully uneventful night. His investigations into Kakashi's case had taken an unexpected turn after Captain Nara had filled him in on the day's discoveries. Unlike Sai, Itachi could make a good guess as to how Tenten would respond as both an officer and a person. It probably helped that in anticipation of her going off on her own, Ibiki had tagged her car the night Kakashi was shot. He was nowhere near thick enough to tell Tenten that.
"How much sleep have you gotten," he asked her casually as they wound out of Nekobaa's neighborhood
"I'm good," she shrugged.
"Hours, officer."
She shrugged again.
"If I had to guess," he said, flicking his eyes to her, "You got somewhere around three this afternoon, and maybe four nearly twenty-four hours before that? Given what you've been up to, you can't have had more than four hours of sleep a day."
"And what have I been up to?" she asked noncommittally.
"The same thing I have," he replied dryly. "You've been making contact wherever you can to find out what happened to Kakashi. He was my Captain, too, you know," he added.
"Yeah," she looked out of her window. "I know."
"If all goes well, he should be released next week. In anticipation of that, we are shifting you to the day watch."
"What else?" she asked keeping her eyes out of the window.
What else.
That was the big question.
He told her about the gang links, the new information, and how she was on the radar for these criminals. He told her about Waraji, and his victims. He told her what he knew her partner wouldn't want to hear: that she was also being put on the day shift because she and Lee were the contact points with Karashi. Itachi knew they couldn't keep her out of this investigation; they needed her participation. However, he wanted to help keep that participation down to a minimum for as long as possible.
"That is an awfully heavy look."
He looked up as the light flicked on in the hall, outlining the curves of a familiar silhouette.
"I was wondering when you'd get home."
"Long night," he sighed and went toward the kitchen. He saw the kettle was full and two mugs were at the ready. He smiled to himself as he flicked on the kettle. He heard the soft footfall and turned with an appreciative look.
"You didn't have to wait up," he chided gently.
"Says you," slender but strong arms slowly wound around his neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "What kind of girl would I be if I didn't wait up for the best looking Captain in the military? That's downright unpatriotic."
He chuckled at her and she studied his careworn, handsome face.
"You stayed out to monitor the activity tonight, didn't you?" she guessed.
He gave a half nod. "My brother was on the detail; I wanted to make sure everything was alright."
"Was everyone okay?" she asked, although she knew the answer from how he spoke with her.
"No problems," he answered. "The officer made quite the impression, and no disturbances or suspicions were raised. He was invited back tomorrow, so I'd say it was a successful first pass at infiltration."
"What about Tenten?" she frowned. "I'm worried about her."
"She is safe for now. More than safe, actually," Itachi admitted, breaking their embrace to pour the hot water over the teabags in their mugs.
Her eyes widened. "…You put her under surveillance, didn't you," she breathed.
"Nara, Morino, and I are meeting with Kakashi tomorrow morning to go over everything and figure out the best course of action," he continued, ignoring the question. At her sharp look he arched an eyebrow. "She has been within sight of an officer since this morning," he conceded. "It doesn't hurt that everywhere she had to go was part of an assignment. Akimichi and Yūgao were at the hospital, too. But, no. Strictly speaking, she isn't under surveillance."
He watched her as she turned to put the stoneware coasters over the mugs to help the tea steep.
"Her partner is worried about her," she said, absently, fiddling with the tag of a teabag. "I hope her shift change gives him peace of mind, if nothing else." She frowned at the mugs. "I'm worried about him, too." She admitted. "From what you've said, he could be undercover for a while."
"Your brother is a good man, and a good cop," Itachi assured her. "He can handle it."
"I know," she sighed. "Mom was still military when I was a kid and a cop after that. This isn't new. It's just different when it's your little brother."
"Tell me about it," Itachi smirked. He placed hands on the counter on either side of her, and she leaned back into him, looking over her shoulder to plant a kiss on his jaw.
"Are you okay?" she asked quietly. "I know Kakashi is important to you."
He turned her to him, brushing his knuckles across her jaw gently.
"He's not the only one," he said mildly.
"I know," she said simply.
"I am sorry," he leaned his forehead on hers. "You know I won't be able to tell you most of what goes on with this."
"I know," she said again, resting her hands on his chest. "Secrets come with the territory."
"I am sorr-"
She cut off the familiar apology with a kiss. "It's fine," she whispered. "I knew what I was getting into when we started this."
"Of all the secrets I have to keep," he chuckled. "You are my favorite."
Hana smiled slowly at him. "Are you trying to flatter me, Itachi?"
She watched as his eyes darkened, and she saw the beginnings of that slow-burn-smolder that spelled a long night for both of them. He pulled her to him with an achingly slow kiss before trailing his mouth along her jawline.
"And if I am?" he whispered against her temple before leaning over to nuzzle the crook of her neck. He smirked when he felt the quickening of her pulse and heard the shallowing of her breath.
"Itachi," she warned him with half-lidded eyes.
"Mm-hmm?" he hummed against her neck, his hands tracing lazy patterns up and down her arms and then her sides.
"The tea" she murmured. "It will get cold."
"That is a shame," he admitted, "but I have some other important business to attend to."
He scooped her up before she could protest, brought her back to their room in the apartment that no one knew they shared, and laid her on the bed. He raked his eyes over her hungrily as he slowly trailed fingers from her face, down her side, across her hip and to the top of her bent knee.
"Thought you were off of the clock," she said, reaching up to run gentle fingers through the length of his silk-smooth hair.
"Overtime," he murmured. "Long overdue overtime. Now," he leaned into her and trailed kisses down her neck as he ghosted fingertips up the inside of her thigh. "If you don't mind, I'd like to get back on task."
Hana arched against him and raked her fingernails down his back before urging breathlessly: "Proceed, Captain"
Ha! Bet you didn't see that coming! Don't worry; neither did I. Lots more to come, friends - thanks for staying with me! I'd love to hear what you think; drop me a line; even if it is just to say 'hey.'
Cheers
- Giada
PS: If anyone knows where I can get an Akamaru, PM me. I'd be all over that like Naruto on ramen.