A/N: s'up peeps~ i felt like playing with this for a bit...
after that long chap, here's some downtime and shenanigans~
ENJOY!
Hinata's Story: 12~13~ish
So I'm just going to skip ahead cause screw D-ranks… even if they are EXTREME!
Ugh… I eat one of my cina-buns from the paper bag I have with me up on the roof I'm sitting on. It's one of those rare days where Team 6-9, or as Anko-sensei has started to shorten to since she gets bored with saying the 'tack', 6 't' 9… real creative there Anko… grumble grumble… I still want to strangle whoever approved of that for a team designation, let alone as one for the first in history team of all Konoichi…
Anyway, day off from the general insanity that is my life… by the way it's been about, eh, four months? Since the thing in Wave. We each got commendations from that senile Hokage, mostly for fending off higher level missing-nin but also for our sensei successfully brokering a meet with an A-class missing-nin and hiring him, let alone a missing bloodline from Kiri. Oh, saving a poor country or something who have been giving us all sorts of business as well… whatever, it didn't stop us from still having to do D-Rank EXTREMES when Anko got bored, but we've actually been mostly doing C-ranks, with Haku attached to us as a supervisory period to test out his abilities for shinobi application. Zabuza's been working with ANBU, specifically the T&I head Ibiki by giving him all sorts of information on Kiri torture tactics and key figures we could potentially get information from…
It's amazing what one can learn by knowing how to read lips from over forty feet away and through several buildings… just saying~
-cough- anyway, no I'm not spying on anyone today… officially at least, it's my day off… and damn do I need it, working my ass off with both my teammates in improving our combination abilities as well as our weak points. Sakura's been a surprisingly good sparring partner, both as an opponent and as a doubles partner, we had a fight with Team 7, or Team Bros as some of us rookies have started to call them, hehe, the other day. My idiot cousin and Tenten went off god-knows-where to do their 'spar', her back in that half-on/off kimono shirt but I'll get into that weirdness later, leaving Naruto and Sasuke against Sakura and I. it was… kinda funny to be honest, I finally revealed I can do the Kiten, surprising Naruto as his Kagebushins were made effectively worthless, but Sasuke came back with these massive fireballs I'm sure his brother has been teaching him, plus some nifty kunai tricks I'm sure Tenten would have been drooling at. But I was explaining how Sakura and I have become great partners right? Well somehow without my telling her she figured out the Byakuugan's blind spot, Sasuke I expect figured it out from his brother as he always liked us being competitive and honestly as much of a cool guy as Itachi is I'm sure he'd give his brother as much of an advantage as possible, anyway, so with Sasuke's spiffy new knife-tricks he tried hitting me in the blind spot only for Sakura to block it without my saying, then the two of us worked back to back against hordes of Narutos and fireballs from Sasuke… I have to say our endurance has really improved if we managed to actually out last not only Sasuke who had to go to the hospital for chakra depletion but Naruto as well… sure he was still ready to fight, but considering his 'partner' dropped like a rock and he was up against two taijutsu masters on his own… he yielded soon enough…
I think in all the commotion we all totally forgot Neji and Tenten… neither Anko or Kakashi seemed to notice as I think the two of them exchanged some cash, and I didn't see Neji until way later back home with his shirt basically ripped to shreds and grumbling to himself about crazy women and snakes…
Oh yea, that's a thing too… I'd thought I'd been seeing things the first time it happened, not to mention Tenten's weird know-how about snakes, but apparently Anko-sensei had her sign the snake summoning contract. I don't honestly remember if I mentioned this or not, but that is just freakin' weird. Firstly I didn't even know Anko had access to the contract as I thought Orochimaru did, plus some weird stuff about a sword and yadda yadda, but when I asked her all she said was she was playing strip poker with a bigass white snake which makes like no sense to me but somehow that gave her ownership of the contract… which HA! I couldn't help laughing about in my head because that is seriously going to screw some things up for Orochimaru later, but feh, like anything else in this timeline has sit straight anyway… but yea, apparently she'd felt she owed Tenten, being her apprentice I think? So Anko had her sign the contract…
Have to say I now get why Tenten wears sleeves when she can… its really weird watching some of those snake summoning techniques without something covering the fact they kinda come out of her body… its freaky and frankly I'm glad Anko didn't offer me the scroll way back when… yesh!
Plus the snakes seem to change color depending where she summons them from because of her tattoos… it is really weird to me just how much sense this makes now after the fact…
Anyway, with Tenten being this generation's snake summoner it makes me wonder how that'll screw things up later, but for now it makes her an interesting sparring partner for Sakura and I. Have to say, our 'Senpai' has really stepped up in being our senior and teaching us when Anko decides to go off and do 'Anko-things' Ie: eat dango, mess with her boyfriend, scare small children, and hang out with her new gay best friend Zabuza… I know I'm a kid and shouldn't know that kind of stuff but pfft… please, I saw the way he was checking out Gai… also, eww.
I think I was making some point then got lost on a tangent?
Right, on roof eating cina-buns on my day off…
Tenten's off doing 'Tenten things' meaning either tormenting my cousin or training… that's like ALL she does, so yea, one of the which…
Sakura's either sleeping, reading, training, at the library, at the training ground, pigging out at some restaurant, or stalking Sasuke… one of the which…
Haku, our unofficial fourth 'woman', heh, is probably off training with Rock Lee. I get the feeling Zabuza may have some ulterior motives here, but while he's working with T&I and if we're not available, he told Haku to go learn under Gai, heh, which includes Gai's 'apprentice' Rock Lee. Now, I kinda remember the guy from way back… over a century and a half… when and he was a green spandex wearing weirdo super taijutsu nut. Sakura and I had the displeasure of joining Haku on one of his outings to train with the guy, and frankly I think Haku has a screw loose since he thought it was 'fun'… of course the ice wielding jackass she-man was also using his ice abilities to literally 'skate' around the village, so yea… that's a thing. Also I think Rock Lee has labeled Haku as his 'eternal rival' but Haku is just sort of oblivious to the entire thing… he thinks it's fun! I've mentioned he's insane right? Well, that and his whole dressing like a girl thing… even though he's obviously straight, much to my own embarrassment and adding my dear senpai to my payback list… no I'm not going to kill her, she'd make a great lieutenant, I just need some… appropriate revenge eventually… hehe… anyway, he's freakin' nuts.
Speaking of Haku's weirdness about dressing like a girl, I don't know if Team Bros has figured that out yet? My cousin seemed indifferent and I know if he tried to peep he'd know in a second, but it's him, pfft, like he'd ever actually use his eyes like that! HA! And I've seen Sasuke blush around him on occasion, much to Sakura's rage-induced-annoyance. I know that once she gets over the whole jealousy thing and she remembers that Haku's a straight dude she'd find it as funny as I do. Kakashi just seemed to look at Haku, his book, and Haku again a few times before shrugging and leaving. I never knew the cycloptic man that well so I have no idea how to interpret such a reaction. Then there's Naruto… who was extremely buddy-buddy with Haku at first… like weirdly overly excited about him… then Tenten said something to him and suddenly he was murderous towards the she-boy. Part of me says she told him about Haku being a dude but even then I don't see that as a reason for Naruto of all people to go murderous on someone… hrm…
We'd tried introducing him to others from our graduating class, to mixed results. Ino thought he was a girl… then when we told her he wasn't she seemed even more excited… it was kind of creepy honestly. Shikamaru of course didn't care, either way, Choji I think called him pretty, Kiba tried hitting on him, and Yakumo was blushing in his presence but I have no idea which way that was going. Shino was quiet as usual, though after Yakumo's response I could have sworn I heard more buzzing.
As a requirement for Zabuza and Haku to be 'allowed' to permanently stay here they had had to get checked out by reputable shinobi, basically the clan heads. The three chosen to 'verify' them were Inuzuka Tsume, who I think molested both of them not caring about opinions, Uchiha Itachi, who sort of just giggled, and my own father Hyuuga Hiashi. Now my father has always been the hardest man in the world to tell what the hell is going on in his head. So to save my team the sanity of dealing with my uptight clan I had them wait by the gate, Tenten was very displeased and I swear I heard someone laugh from the gardens when she loudly complained. Anyway, I took the two along with Anko, because she was 'officiating' with me to see my father. I have to say they probably got looked over by every Hyuuga within the compound, so if they were planning anything sinister it's generally safe to say they would have been caught. Not that I expected anything, I'd spent a month with the guys after all and apart from some annoyances thanks to my own team, they were decent enough guys… definitely lieutenant material.
So we showed them off to my father, who had gone full Hyuuga-Lord mode, probably also because I'd brought my normally excitable teacher with me, and he was ready for mental war on these potential threats and my sensei. Suffice it to say Anko-sensei scared the fuck out of him, Zabuza and Haku, when before entering she henged her outfit to look like a decent kimono along with her hair up properly, and introduced us and spoke to my father properly. I'll admit it was jarring for a second… then I remembered Anko's favorite pastime was… er, is? At least from my timeline before… doing tea ceremonies. She actually had a school of it back in Ken as a kind of 'side project'… so the fact she pulled that out on my father, of all people, even serving him properly while keeping her normal creepiness to a bare minimum was worth all the insanity of Wave to see. The look on my father's face, priceless.
Suffice it to say he waved off Haku and Zabuza as having his support, though I think he couldn't quite think as Anko not being Anko still had him freaked the fuck out…
Man I can't wait for her to pull that on Sakura and Tenten, hehe, they might just attack her, weirded out so bad, haha!
Okay, so yea there were a few amusing things that happened these past few months, but I'd still rather keep it quite simple, I only have so much time with this cina-bun and this roof before something stupid ruins it.
"Yo, Hina-chan!" speaking of which…
I glance to the side as I have a cina-bun in my mouth to spy Naruto grinning that stupid grin of his and crouched next to me. I deliberately take my time eating just so I don't have to respond immediately, I was raised properly… back in my original time, this one is a coin flip; mom wasn't around long enough to teach 'much', my father is my father, and instead of 'proper, upstanding' Kurenai-sensei as my primary female input this time around its Anko… and that just says a lot about my social development right there. When I finally finish my cina-bun, much to his pouting annoyance, I don't even bother looking at him, "Naruto-kun…"
Oh that squinty-eyed pout as he just huffs and finally sits down next to me on the roof, "So what'cha doin'?"
Sitting on a roof, what's it look like? "Nothing particular, it's our day off…"
"Mmhmm," again that adorable angry pouting, I wonder why he followed me up here, "So not hanging out with the rest of your team?"
I unconsciously snort, he looks at me funny, "It's my day off…" then throw in a giggle because why not? I deal with Sakura, Tenten and Anko's insanity on a daily basis, I'm not spending my free time with them until we're old enough to drink… then it'll be worth doing.
Those suspicious squinty blue eyes of his glance around, "So… no hanging out with Haku either?"
I raise a brow, is he jealous? "No? Why would I?" oh this better not be about the damn flashing! IT WAS TENTEN'S FAULT! I had no conscious say in the matter! And it was the easiest way to 'disable' the guy when we were fighting him as an enemy along with a horde of douchebag thugs!
He seems to continue his thuggish pouting, which I will not admit is utterly adorable, as we both watch the street below. It's the middle of the day, not much really going on… as far as I know?
"Oi," Naruto nudges me with his elbow, he is SO lucky I don't lose my balance, "Isn't that Anko-san and Zab-er…" I glance at him at the weird stumble, he runs a hand over his head, "… That guy… who you guys brought back from Wave?"
I raise a brow and look where Naruto's pointing. Well, I'll be damned, he's right. Not far below us at one of the open stalls is Anko and Zabuza, her hanging off his arm like she was back when we got back from Wave. I'll be honest, I have no freakin' idea what the hell my sensei is doing… hell I don't even know what my future friend is doing. Orochimaru was damn good about 'beating off the boys with a big stick' from his 'daughters' so like I said before I had no idea who her twin boys' dad was. The guy had to have been an expert at stealth to get passed the great white snakey of obsessive paternal-ness… she never really got into anyone else after her boys were born so it's not like I really got to see Anko in 'date-mode', by the time we became friends… well, 'dating' was a luxury no one could really afford… plus not many options. As they say 'the good ones die young'…
I know for a fact this Anko is crazy about her rather… boring… boyfriend, to the point of being overly paranoid and insecure. Well, by Anko-standards. Amazingly I haven't seen her near a bar or smelling like sake when we start training, so I suppose Iruka's doing something right? Right?
Then there's this whole… Zabuza… thing?
The guy's gay. Like gayer then those summon-sunset-backdrops Gai excels in. I have no idea about the 'Beautiful Green Beast' to be fair, he died with Lee… a long time ago… -cough- but some of the things those two did were quite questionable. Even Orochimaru was weirded out by just stories of those two and he's… well, him. I have it on good authority that he had no idea half the things he did were considered so creepy-gay, hehe, if anything the man was completely asexual (considering he was 'The Immortal' yea, suppose that's not that surprising) and anything he did that came off to 'others' as some manner of hitting on anyone (even young boys?) was just him pandering to their egos, or at least that was his story and he sure as hell stuck to it.
Naruto and I watch the pair for a few minutes while my brain tries to compile and analyze all the data I have on Anko, past and now, and anything that would explain this behavior. I've got nothing.
"Wait," Naruto's scratching his head with that squinty look, "In'it she dating Iruka-sensei?" I just shrug having no clue at this point, "So why's she all flirtin' and hanging off Zabuza like that?" I can't help but look at him as he switched to a crossed armed thinking pose, seems he's given up pretending he didn't know Zabuza's name. Wonder if he snuck one of Itachi or Kakashi's bingo books, I'm sure the 'Demon of the Bloody Mist' is in there… I know because I swiped Anko's.
"Hmm?" I try to lower myself into as comfortable a position as possible, I don't know what it is but being around… him… just prevents my body from acting normal. I've sworn to myself I'm not falling for him this time, I swear, he's just… a friend… if that… a colleague? We work together, nothing more! And while I've tried to avoid him as much as possible due to my earlier screwing up of his timeline I've invariably made him integral to my life, since we've been 'friends' or at least training buddies since we were small kids, originally working under the same sensei, then class, now genin… its freakin' complicated!
Still that doesn't account for or make any damn sense why my body continues to act the way it does, almost like it has a mind of its own at times… like why the hell can't I just tell him to fuck off or throw him off this roof when it is clearly what I'd just love to do right now!
Ugh, whatever… I roll my eyes internally and just keep watching, "W-well… they became friends in Wave…" why is my voice all sweet and low? That's not me! That's not how I talk! Ask Sakura! "Maybe she's just being friendly and showing him around?" okay even I know that's bullshit…
And judging by the look Naruto's giving me he knows it's bullshit too, "Pfft, yea right," he turns back to watching the two and I can finally breathe, "Guy like that? All big and hot and badass and stuff? No wonder Iruka-sensei's losing, I mean look!" he points down to the 'couple' and I notice another person entering the stage, lo and behold, it is in fact Iruka-sensei. What the hell is he doing? Naruto just flails about, "See, SEE!" he throws his hands up as if his favorite team just fumbled a play, "Completely outmanned! Right there!" what the hell Naruto? He turns to me with this angry and dare I say it, accusing look, "Obviously she's dumping him for big, tall, and burly!" he leans in creepily close and I have no idea what the hell is going on?! "Is that what you girls are into right now? Big creepy guys like that?" what? "Or girly guys like his apprentice, huh? Older, smooth looking, great hair, bloodline limit?"
Whoa, whoa, whoa… hold up, what?! WHAT?! WHAT?! The fuck just happened?! Okay, for this moment only I am actually grateful for this body's inability to translate my older thoughts because I am completely fucking lost?! All I can do is blink as I'm stuck staring into his bright, angry, blue eyes and process what he said trying to find his trail in logic and what he's apparently accusing me of…
I'm still drawing a blank…
For whatever reason this is the first thing that comes out of my mouth, as quite honestly it's the only thing that makes sense to me, "Is this about Sakura-chan?" She likes girly looking boys with bloodlines, right? Sasuke counts for that… is he trying to spy on Sasuke-kun for her? cause if he is his bro seriously has nothing to worry about, that girl has two lifetimes of being stuck on that jackass for whatever reason, at least this time around I managed to tweak him a bit so he's a bit more humble and not so much of a demented prick… sure, I liked my Sasuke, we were great friends and drinking buddies, but he could be so fucking dower sometimes! And this is me talking!
Blue eyes blink momentarily before he slips into that squinty look, "what? No? What about Sakura-chan?!" he grabs me around the upper arms suddenly very worried for some reason…
"Uhm…" I'm drawing a blank too… so it wasn't about her? Okay… so who else? "N-nothing, you were just saying… um, Tenten-san?" she likes my idiot cousin right? Or at least as target practice from what I can tell… that's a thing right? Maybe Neji's asking about her? Probably trying to drive her off?
"Tenten?" Another blue eyed blink and I think he draws me in closer… I need an adult? Wait, I am an adult!
For once I seem to have access to full controls of this prepubescent body… or it's just my natural reaction to such proximity violations, whatever! "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKK!" without thinking or knowing what I'm doing I kinda… err… well… Jyuuken him and send him flying about three blocks… er… uh… oops?
There's a scream following his descent and I think it's an apology… well now I just feel like a jackass…
Oh well, back to my cine-bun!
Naruto's story:
"SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRYYYYYY!"
Oof!
Bleh, leaves… damnit I hate flying through trees, is it weird that in this timeline I've been tossed into more trees by my future adorable badass wife than anyone else? Combined!
"Ugh, damnit!" I'm somewhat stuck upside down in a middle branch, oh well time to figure out what just went wrong. I remember we were watching her sensei being kinda a bitch to Iruka-sensei, hitting on and hanging all over Zabuza, IN FRONT of the man! I mean what kinda woman does that?! I know if my Hinata ever did that, not that she ever WOULD but still, I'd have kicked the jerk's ass for touching her! Obviously it's his fault for seducing her! Probably using some mind control jutsu or something as clearly my lovely curvy angel from heaven would NEVER cheat on me! I'm Uzumaki-freakin'-Naruto! The hottest man across three timelines! DATTEBAYOU!
-cough- I mean…
What the hell was she talking about? Bringing up her teammates? Obviously I was asking about her and Haku! I've seen the way they hang out! Grumblegrumble… maybe it was a bad idea keeping those two around if they're just going to screw up pre-established relationships!
I may have to kill Zabuza for Iruka-sensei's sake… at least Haku, as NO ONE! Not even a friend from two lifetimes ago that taught me one of my most cherished values, IS STEALING MY WOMAN! RAWR!
"Oh, hello, do you need help getting down from there?" a rather pleasant voice calls from below me.
I straighten out and look, finding a rather attractive young woman with brown hair in a bun and long fringes framing her face and-wait… I know that hairstyle! I twitch, "Haku?"
Unfortunately this is also the moment the tree branch I'm stuck on decides to break and I fall screaming to the bush below. There's a pleasant laugh following me as I rub my head and bitch under my breath.
"Here, let me help," a gentle hand comes to my shoulder and brushes a few leaves off, "there no harm done…"
I hate that I'm grateful to the prick, "Thanks…" I'm probably a bit of a jerk to him, shove my shoulder away from his helpful grasp and get up in an angry pout. I feel like being an asshole alright! This guy's all… good looking, with a bloodline, and older and… all that stupid crap girls like for some reason…
So why does he have to have the nicest smile on his face, "Is there something wrong, Naruto-kun?"
Ugh, right I know him this time too. Team Bros and I met him when he was training with the girls, Neji immediately thought 'she' was hot and Sasuke may have had a nose bleed, heh… there is no way in this life time I'm telling them the truth, just to savor the humiliation they'll eventually feel when they realize he's a dude.
I look away from him with a pretty obvious angry pout, "Nah… no man," crossing my arms doesn't help and I think my face gets more scrunched, "Well, no, not that I think… its just… no…" scratching my head…
Haku just stands there, in his girly outfit with this nice smile on his face.
DAMNIT! Why's he got to be all empathetic and shit?! My pout increases, "jus'… Hina-chan…" I mumble some more incomprehensibly but I think he gets it.
I look over to him and I swear he's blushing, prick.
Is that a little blood? MOTHERFU-!
"Ah, y-yes," he wipes his nose and waves his hand as if nothing just happened… YOU SONVABITCH! "She is a rather… unique specimen, along with the rest of her team," he gives a beautiful smile, I have literally no other way of describing it since… well… even out in the open and a dude he still primarily looks like a hot chick, jerk.
I just continue to glare at him like a punk. How much I just want to beat that pretty little face of his in… but I'm a civil man, I can deal with this… "No you can't" shut up Kuzu-chan. He huffs in the back of my head.
Pouting with my grumpy fox-face I lean in on the guy, "So… yea… you been hanging out with them a lot, huh…" dick.
His girly well-trimmed eyebrows raise up in the center a bit looking, I dunno, sympathetic? "Y-yes, I still prefer their company," his smile increases again, making him look super girly, "They are the first people from this village I met and they are very precious to me," there's something honest about his next words, something I hate to say I can totally relate to, "They are… the first people besides Zabuza-sama to fully accept me; as a tool, as a friend, as something important." That smile of his just keeps getting brighter, "They are my very precious friends."
Goddamnit…
Now I remember why I can't hate this guy. He's too damn genuine and open. When he cares, its with his entire being. He's the kind of friend people would die to have. The kind that would die for you…
And it seems Hinata and her team are among his 'precious people', and I'm left in the dark this time around… that's kinda depressing.
I knew him first, we were friends first, and I watched him die, twice, for me… now we're not even comrades… this world sucks.
A hand comes down on my shoulder and I look up into that pretty face again, "Don't worry, Naruto-kun, you are very precious to me too…"
…
I can't help but blink. Can this guy read minds along with fucking with ice?! Also, "Dude I don't swing that way!" I toss his hand off quickly, but hopefully my… er… enthusiasm isn't taken offensively. I may have fallen for your hot charms in my first life, but dude no! I will not be fooled again!
Obviously Haku doesn't take it as a slight as he just chuckles, "Of course, of course," then there's something a bit more… I dunno, I can't really apply 'sinister' to the likes of Haku, but that smile sure as hell creeps me out, "Hinata-sama would be most upset otherwise…"
Er… what?
"HAAAAAAKUUUUUU!" a voice shouts from the distance… I think its Lee?
Haku jumps a small bit, smiles and turns around waving off in the distance, honestly I don't see anything, before turning back to me, "It seems my team is calling," he bows politely and gives that disarming smile again, "I hope to see more of you in the future, Naruto-kun." What? "We can talk more about our shared precious people," and he's suddenly skipping off…
What?
Iruka's Story: interlude
Most people look at me and they think: there's the nice academy teacher, non-threatening, unassuming, completely harmless.
Anko looks at me, and I can see it in her eyes; here's something worth having.
She's a strange woman, in fact that's a good thing to me. I'm, well, to put it bluntly, my life is fairly peaceful and honestly quite boring. Hers is nothing but pure chaos, most caused by her own machinations. Heh, I wonder if she even knows that word.
She's not stupid, just uninterested in a lot of things. If she can't poke, prod, and drive it completely insane, it's generally not worth her time. Its why she has so much fun with, as she puts it 'her kids', Team 6-9.
I had nothing to do with the name, neither did she though I doubt anyone would believe either of us. She likes to stir up chaos, so I knew the second she took on an apprentice she was doing something. No, she doesn't tell me 'everything', in her words 'that would ruin the surprise' and she definitely loves surprises, at least on other people. Even if they don't even know they're involved in one of her 'surprises'.
She does care about kids; it's just so mixed up like everything she does I don't think normal people can fish it out or understand her bizarre notion of 'caring'. I blame the sonvabitch that screwed her up as a kid.
I think people forget she's only a year older than me, so I remember seeing her around and training in the academy, before taking off with that asshole. I didn't see her much after that, just random bits and pieces from after she came back and was already doing stuff on her own. She kept her distance from everyone then and I can't really blame her, we all were kind of jerks. Yes, I'll admit, I've often let my own grudges blind me, like with Naruto originally. At first I ignored the kid because, well, that's what everyone did… it wasn't until after Anko started, er, 'hunting' me, as I feel that sounds more like her than courting or following me around because of her interest in me, that I honestly started looking into the kid.
He hung out with Itachi-san's little brother, and Hinata to an extent, though the two have always seemed like rivals to me, but Anko always goes on about how 'cute' they are together and how much they'll be… er, 'together' later in life. Trust me she uses much more colorful language.
At first I'll admit I was appalled, the idea of the highly successful and talented Hyuuga Heiress and… well, the Kyuubi container? It just seemed insane, and honestly I kind of just chalked that up to Anko being Anko.
But then I started seeing it to, maybe it was just the suggestion but it made me start to pay more attention to the kids. Hinata wasn't the perfect Heiress many Konoha civilians go on about, and prior to the Uchiha Massacre it was obvious she had some arranged marriage or something clans do with Sasuke. But afterwards any legal bindings would have been void but the two didn't change, and honestly they never seemed like they 'liked' one another, just were old friends.
But every time she was around Naruto? Her temper flared, she acted out, and adorably she would faint if he got too close. Anko said that was because she was too young to understand she 'like-liked' him, and well… after watching it a few times I couldn't argue, it was sort of adorably cute.
Sasuke would try to defend her when she was 'vulnerable' like a good 'brother' to her, then be completely immobilized by Naruto's friend Sakura, who was a girl with surprising talent for a civilian kid. She had no clan name, no bloodline, but surprisingly could keep up with Nara Shikamaru in intelligence, making an odd friendship there, along with Aburame Shino whom she sat with most of the years I taught her. But her closest friend was, weirdly, Naruto.
I recall several other teachers joking about how ill-bred trash attracted each other, and I'm fairly certain they thought those two would be interested in each other later in life like how Sasuke and Hinata were supposed to be 'arranged'. But I guess there was a lot more going on with my students than I thought.
Anko pointed out to me that before meeting Naruto, Sakura had no talents beyond her wits, and was friends with Yamanaka Ino, which I noticed before, but didn't understand why they were less friendly later. They weren't full on 'rivals' like Naruto and Hinata, but they weren't really what I'd call 'friends' anymore. And it was after all that that she started taking her training seriously, unlike most of the other girls except Hinata. I was surprised when yet again my 'better' half told me it was all thanks to Naruto.
The boy must have found her one day and they just hit it off, spurning each other on to do better, and somehow that meant Sakura now has one-ton punches, according to Anko, and Naruto was second in his class, the first ever 'Ninja of the Year' with Hinata as the first female Rookie of the Year.
I had an impressive class, I'll not lie, and I would have probably paid 'less' attention to them if it weren't for my girlfriend. I doubt anyone would believe me if I ever said that out loud.
She has a unique perspective of the world and generally notices things most people hide. Her insights into others are honestly quite scary.
But I think that just gives her a certain blind spot, one that thankfully I'm here and can see bright as day.
I know I'm not an elite fighter, nor will I ever truly be a jounin or genin trainer. My skills are the basics with a little bit of decent genjutsu and taijutsu. But I know how to use what I got and well… sometimes I'm not the 'nice, innocent, honest' man everyone takes me for.
I know what she's doing with this Zabuza guy. I know he's not interested in her and she's not interested in him, maybe I am a bit of a romantic fool but I know she'd never turn from me like that. She'd skin me alive before being a coward and cheating on me, that's too much like her sensei.
She's afraid, and maybe a little bit curious, to see what I do in this kind of situation.
To be honest, I've noticed long before this how nervous she is around the subject of our relationship. There's the 'normal' way things work: the guy being the stronger shinobi, higher rank, better skills, always saving the damsel and proving how much of a man he is, with the girl being the one that quits after chuunin to raise their family, cook dinner, and mainly be domestic.
I couldn't see Anko be domestic to save her life. She likes the thrill and chaos of her life right now too much to stop and do such a thing. And honestly, I'm happy with that.
Of course what makes me happy makes her nervous. I'm used to being that 'unassuming nice guy', I have no ambition or desire to be more than an academy teacher, I like my job. It's safe, its secure, and really I can't screw it up. And with her at my side I can be better at it in fact. I'm okay with being the domestic.
But the problem here is I have no problem with ignoring what people say about us. I don't care about the old ladies that think I've been bewitched. Trust me, if Anko tried a genjutsu on me I'd break out of it quicker than she could blink and have her under one of my own. It's actually one of the few things I'm better than her at, not that I flaunt that.
The only things that get to me are the things people say about her, and watching as she simply accepts it.
That's one of the things I had to learn, and it was through her telling me to give Naruto a chance, that I realized the looks he got from those brave enough when he didn't have an Uchiha or Hyuuga nearby, were the same looks she got from our entire forces.
It's stupid the kinds of things people say about others, assume about others.
Not one of them would believe me if I said she doesn't have a snake fetish or a sex dungeon. Her little old apartment is fairly normal. A bit sparse actually as she owns very little and I always get the feeling when I'm over that she's always ready to just up and leave. It's not her place, she just lives there.
Its things like this, what people say, how they affect her behind that stupid smile she puts on, and how she lives that tell me just how skittish and vulnerable she really is… and maybe I'm an idiot, but I am a nice guy, and I have to save a girl like that.
I can't do much more than cook food for her and watch cheesy old movies and giving her a comfortable place to stay, but damnit I'll do it!
Somewhere along the way I fell in love with her… and I know she did the same to me.
And that is what has her so scared.
We've been together for a few years and while under 'normal' circumstances that means moving in together, marriage, kids, and growing old together, all of which I wouldn't mind, I also know this is Anko. She has to do things at her own pace, which is surprisingly slow compared to 'normal' people.
Suppose she is like a snake, she has to ease out of her burrow slow and careful, darting back into hiding at the slightest vibration and remain so still as to not even move when stepped on, all waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
This thing with Zabuza is her creating a distraction, trying to force that perfect moment to strike or flee…
She's waiting to see how I react and I know it.
It's a game, a stupid one. Either I get angry and react violently, attacking the guy or challenging him, and proving my 'manliness' or I passively ignore it and let her do as she pleases, likely meaning she'd leave me or think she's supposed to. There are too many double-standards in this situation for me to handle properly and like I've already said, I don't exactly follow the same rules as others.
I'm a domestic male and I'm okay with that…
But that doesn't mean I'm completely harmless.
I can play games too, and while I know she likes surprises on others, its rare she gets a surprise on her… but maybe I like that a bit.
I smile brightly at the two of them in the market, pretend to be completely oblivious to the obvious going on in front of me. I can tell Anko is a little disappointed, pouting a bit but not fully showing it, and Zabuza's sharp eyes just watch me. I make an excuse and continue on with my shopping for tonight's meal.
I'm not the best spy around or the greatest at stealth, but there is an advantage to being completely underestimated and in a place where your opponent thinks they're safe. Especially if they're distracted by their own disappointment. Anko tends to get distracted when something doesn't go according to her plan. That pout of hers is really cute.
I mill about, going about my business while mentally keeping track of the two. With the 'show' over and Anko annoyed she quickly gets bored and wanders off with Zabuza not caring in the least. The two seem to be great friends, and I'm happy she's found someone who's an adult she can get along with without having a prior relationship with them. I've observed the large Former-Kiri-nin, he's an interesting guy to be honest, I'd hate to meet him out in the field.
Luckily we're on my turf.
"Heh, so this is how you do it in Konoha, huh?" the deep gravelly voice spoke from the end of the alleyway.
Zabuza is a really big guy. Even only a few feet from him he's imposing, more so since we're in a back alley near the market. I knew he walked this way to his apartment, on the other side of town, from the previous times he and Anko have hung out. I may not be the best ninja around but hey, I can do what I've been trained when the time calls for it. Especially when it means surveillance of my fake-rival.
The big guy turns to me with flat thin eyes and just stares for a long moment, "So… we doing this thing or what? I've got stuff here that needs a fridge…"
Suppose I can see why Anko likes him, he's quite… straightforward. I give him one of my 'charming' teacher smiles, "I just want to have a quick chat about my girlfriend…"
The big man just rolls his eyes, "Yea, cause I didn't see that coming," he cracks his neck and puts his groceries in one hand, bringing the other up and cracking it ominously, "Again, we doin' this or what?"
His nonchalance is oddly refreshing, my smile widens, "I know you have no interest in her."
For a moment he halts his posturing, raising a non-brow, "That so?" he is a good shinobi, he's not going to confirm anything.
That works fine for me, I'm the one with all the cards here, "I know what you're doing, or more so, what she is doing and how she's bribing you to help her out."
The sharktoothed man laughs, its deep and terrifying, "That so, huh?" he wipes a fake-tear out of his eye before putting his hand on his hip, smirking with sharp teeth down at me, "Gotta give you some credit sensei, didn't think you'd figure it out, just get pissed and either attack me stupidly or be a little bitch and run with your tail between your legs," his eyes sparkle with unbridled amusement as he scratches his nose, "Like earlier…"
He's goading me and we both know it. He's testing if I'm really that level headed and really know or just blowing hot air. I give him my most charming smiles, "I've known her for a long time, I know her better than she does herself," my smile spreads, maybe getting a bit sinister, its not often I get to be the man after all, "I know she's afraid, I know she's playing with me to see how I react, but I've never had a problem where we stand or who she is…"
"Heh," Zabuza's hand is back on his hip and he's looking at me in a way I've never seen him look at anyone before, it feels analyzing but I'm not sure, "You're really something, eh, sensei?" he turns back down the alley, waving his hand over his shoulder, "Take care of her."
I quirk a brow, not expecting him to leave so quickly or give in so easily, but I shrug, turning my way, "I will, that's a promise."
That'll probably be the only time in my life I'll stand on even ground with a true Jounin, oh well, seems I got his respect.
Now, which Dango stand is closer, I've got a few things to settle tonight.
A/N: Zaby's such a chill dude~ was gonna have more but it felt good to leave it there, after all, not all chaps need be huge? now to maybe go work on some serious stuff~
thanks for those still reading or waiting for this crack, sorry its been awhile, RL has been... frustrating... that's a good word for it... eitherway, love you guys :3
Till next -Salute-waves- Sayounara, Mina!
-Ikasury