Where you go, I will follow...
Summary: Hyuuga Namiko never asked to be placed on a team with Maito Gai, but maybe fate knew exactly where she belonged or was it ever in fate's hands? Maito Gai didn't like leaving things to chance after all.
Disclaimer: I do not own many of the characters in this story. This wonderful fandom belongs to its creator.
Chapter: A Rival
Namiko stared at Genma evenly, but Genma looked increasingly uncomfortable with the attention. She didn't care. She continued to eat her ramen but her eyes never left Genma's glanced to Gai over Namiko's head, but the green-clad shinobi was immersed in an eating contest with a random patron of the ramen stand. Namiko was starting to really freak him out
"Gai will get too jealous Namiko," Kakashi said from behind Genma.
"Oh come on, he spends more time with you than me and he's going to get jealous from me training with Genma? Genma's not even attractive!" she exclaimed.
"Hey!" Genma exclaimed.
"Sorry Genma, but you honestly repulse me," she said.
"It's good to hear how you really feel," Genma muttered.
"Really, it's not your fault. It's that cocky, all-women-love-me air that you tend to put on around anything with a pair of breas-"
"He gets it, Nami-chan," Kakashi interrupted before Genma got really frustrated.
"What's all this about anyway?" Genma demanded.
"Namiko is carefully selecting an eternal rival to keep her on track to becoming the most powerful shinobi in the village!" Gai shouted. He'd won his contest and was back with them in the here and now. He faltered at a thought that seemed to strike him as he looked from Genma to Namiko and back before scowling and stabbing into a fresh bowl of ramen with his chopsticks.
"I wont choose Genma-kun, Gai," Namiko assured him with a sigh, realizing with an irritated snort that Kakashi was right because Gai immediately relaxed.
"It would be easier to choose if you weren't so picky about my spending time with men," she said, scowling at him. He gave her a sheepish smile, but she rolled her eyes at him, stabbing an egg with feeling. He was so frustrating.
"So you don't get enough male attention from Gai then?" Kakashi said. Gai choked on his noodles and Namiko's face flamed.
"Well, if that's the case and Gai can't satisfy you, you know I'm always available…" Genma commented, nonchalantly taking a slurp of his noodles. "Kakashi is probably more than happy to oblige as well." Gai continued to choke, but his hands were curling into fists, anger following swiftly on the heels of his shock. "It's important to get some variety."
"In your training of course," Kakashi said, both he and Genma well aware of what they were doing to both Gai and Namiko. Namiko placed a hand on Gai's back, rubbing it reassuringly.
Namiko drew up her courage and put on an unaffected air. "I'll have you know, all of your perverted double meanings aside, you two bakas couldn't even begin to imagine the number of ways Gai satisfies me," she said focusing on her food to keep from losing her nerve. Her red face took a bit away from her aloof demeanor. Gai was able to settle himself, grinning with a satisfied expression while both Genma and Kakashi looked a bit sick. She smiled to herself. It served them right. They'd started it. She'd had no choice but to defend her former taicho from their perverted insinuations.
Namiko licked her lips, feeling Gai's hand settle on her thigh. Quickly drawing a deep breath herself, she took Gai's hand removing it and giving him a look before standing. She left enough on the counter for the four of them including Gai's contest bowls, grinning brightly before kissing Gai's cheek and leaving them behind.
The Hyuuga made her way through the village, looking around as she walked, wondering if this was perhaps fruitless. It wasn't fair being restricted by Gai's overly-jealous nature. She'd thought she was bad. Once Gai had her, it was like his possessiveness knew no bounds. She could have a drink with two specific men without Gai losing his mind and those two had been seated with them at Ichiraku's but if Kakashi was his and she couldn't have Genma…
Namiko kicked a rock, wondering if it was perhaps impossible. Then she looked up seeing a pale young woman with choppy dark hair and she suddenly felt inspired. It was some civilian girl, one she was pretty sure she'd never even seen before, let alone spoken with, but she'd reminded Namiko of a particular kunoichi one who was strong and persistent and always improving. She was also mean and volatile and didn't put up with crap from anyone including Namiko's own dear Maito Gai.
Mitarashi Anko was easy to find. It was past 1700 hours on a Tuesday. Namiko headed straight for the most frequented bar there was and when she wasn't there, the Hyuuga moved on to the next. Sure enough, Anko was already two drinks in and looking quite open for conversation. Namiko smiled. Perfect. She headed towards the snake-summoning kunoichi, hoping for a spot of luck today.
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