Holy shit, guys. You all never cease to amaze me. We have now passed the 100-review mark, the 300-follow mark, and we're quickly coming up on 200 favorites. To be honest, these aren't milestones that I usually pay super close attention to, but I've never hit these marks before so they feel kind of important suddenly. This was another chapter where the reviews just didn't stop coming, even though more than a full month has passed and this update is a little late… (I've just been unavoidably busy. Finals and holidays and such…)

To keep everyone (myself included) on track with the timeline, the way I have it, the Uchiha massacre took place shortly before Sasuke's ninth birthday in July. So he's been with them for a few months. It's now late-October of their ninth year. There will be a short, but obvious, time-skip in this chapter, so hopefully that should clear up any confusion.

So without further ado… Thank you for reviewing chapter 26: Yolea Irk's, EverBear01, X Mika-Chan X, Zeuseus, donstehly2, Silver Cinnamon, Music of Madness, Savvy0X, davycrockett100, KakashiHatabae, Alyce DreamEater, and QuietCat15! And thank you athenaincarnate for reviewing chapters 1, 2, 8, and 9, Miss Nanami-chan for reviewing chapters 3, 22, and 26, and Pr1nc3ss K3nny for reviewing chapters 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18! I think that's everybody! Thank you all so much!

Chapter Twenty-Seven

The next day was unseasonably warm. Truly a beautiful day to drag Naruto out of bed at the crack of dawn and supervise him while he repainted all of the houses he'd defaced the day before. Sasuke rose also, without any prodding, and tagged along silently. Perhaps taking a petty sort of pleasure in seeing Naruto punished?

Maybe this wasn't the healthiest sort of behavior to encourage, but I let it go. Sasuke willingly spending any amount of time with us—without even being asked—wasn't something I wanted to shoot down. The morning wore on, and the residents began to notice Naruto making amends, even if he was grumbling all the while. Not all of them looked particularly grateful, but no one came out to confront us, and I only caught sight of a few quietly appraising his work once we'd moved on.

We had almost reached the last house when Naruto stopped to glare at Sasuke. "What are you smirking at? What are you even doing here? I thought you had 'nothing to do with this'?"

Sasuke had turned aloofly away at Naruto's mockery. "Maybe you shouldn't have dragged me into it, then."

I gave him a pointed look when Naruto raised a fist in escalation, and he whirled around with a huff, stomping down the street to the final stretch of marred homes. Silently, I placed a single finger on Sasuke's shoulder, a sudden jolt of uneasiness taking hold in the pit of my stomach. He looked at me questioningly but stayed behind. Naruto didn't notice a thing, and once he'd pulled ahead enough by my judgment to be out of earshot, Sasuke and I started forward again at a much slower pace.

"So…" I began, not even managing to avoid sounding reluctant. "Do we need to talk about revenge?"

I had known the day I'd taken him in that we would need to have this conversation sooner or later. Sooner rather than later, for safety's sake. But I had not come up with much of a game plan in the last few months.

He eyed me curiously. Maybe a little warily? He knew I was being a little evasive, for sure. I knew, if we were going to do this for real, we had to start off on the right foot. (Because I was counting on things going downhill, fast.) If I had any hope of leaving an impression on Sasuke, I needed his trust, and that meant showing all my cards. We stopped across the street as Naruto began on the next house, and I sighed. He waited expectantly, knowing I'd gotten a handle on how to work with him by now.

"You know I'm not talking about Naruto. Weird as it is to encourage, the way the two of you antagonize each other could actually be good for you. For both of you," I corrected. There was no putting it off any longer. "I need to know what your plans for the future are."

And just like that, he completely shut down. Any sign of light or curiosity in his eyes died out, and he turned his head to settle his gaze on Naruto. Now it was his turn to be evasive. "It's a little early to say."

I forced my tone to be light and just the slightest bit sarcastic. "Well, that's a relief. And here I thought you had some crazy plan to track down Itachi and kill him to avenge your clan."

He flinched visibly at the mention of Itachi's name, keeping his eyes closed until he'd recovered himself. When he reopened them, he answered darkly, "Maybe it's not so crazy."

"I think that's up to you." When he didn't respond in any way, I crouched down to put myself below his line of sight and gently turned his face to mine. He tensed up at my touch this time but didn't resist. I silently thanked my instincts. I was no expert on child psychology, but I'd be willing to bet looking down on me made him feel more in control, even if just a little bit. "Listen. I won't pretend I have all the answers. I won't try to convince you I know exactly what you're going through. All I really can promise is that I've only got your best interests at heart."

His hands clenched and unclenched into fists at his sides as he tried to maintain his composure. I could see his expression reluctantly opening back up a bit.

"You want me to be totally honest? I'd rather you try to start over and put Itachi out of your mind. But I know that's not realistic—not fair—and I am capable of compromise. I'll save my objections for another time. And we will touch bases again in the future. But if forgetting revenge altogether isn't an option… just promise me one thing. Prioritize. Don't put the rest of your life on hold to accomplish this. Revenge loses its value if there's no life after it. And if your vision ever does start to tunnel, take a step back. Remind yourself of the future that you're fighting for. Because, whether you're ready to acknowledge it or not, you are fighting for something. Any action's worth can be measured in the effect it has on you afterwards."

This was about as reasonable as I was capable of. Even Sasuke didn't seem to be able to find a good counter, and I could tell this fact scared him a little. But, slowly, he nodded his agreement. We had a deal. As long as I could keep him open to at least discussing it, I might just be able to avoid the great defection after all.

I straightened back up and he looked away. I didn't stop him when he walked away without any indication of where he was going. He had a lot to think over. And whichever conclusions he reached, they wouldn't mean much if there was someone hovering over him the whole time. There came a point where I just had to trust that I'd done all I could and left enough of an impression to make a difference.

The sun was high in the sky by the time Naruto climbed down from the last house, the street looking neat and orderly once more. He made his way across the street to me and seemed to notice something mission from this picture for the first time. "Hey, where's Sasuke?"

"He went off to get some training done," I answered casually. "I convinced him that I had the supervising covered."

"Hmph!" Naruto grumbled, not showing an opinion on this development one way or another. For all their bickering, I knew he didn't hate Sasuke's very presence. Not to the point where he wanted him gone completely. He rubbed a hand across his cheek, smearing still-wet paint down his face. I laughed a little at the sight.

"Come on. Let's go figure something out for lunch."

Sasuke returned after the sun had set, pensive and even more quiet than usual. I let him be and simply nodded a goodnight when he headed for the stairs. Naruto, lounging on the counter while I looked over the store ledgers, seemed to notice our exchange. Clearly, he realized something had happened between us and stayed quiet as well.

In favor of following through on Naruto's punishment, I had taken the day off. But the next morning, once the boys were off to school, I opened the store at the usual time. It was an… uneventful day. I had not forgotten Kakashi's promise (threat?) to return and make my life even more stressful in some way. And perhaps that was why I was a little on edge all day. But I didn't catch sight of a single headband designating a ninja until late afternoon… and they didn't belong to Kakashi.

The pair who entered the shop were vaguely familiar. I wasn't as up on my minor characters as I'd once been, but I recalled these two as proctors from the Chunin exams. Genma and Hayate. I had to guess they were off-duty. Their browsing was relaxed, as if they had all the time in the world. Not unlike Kakashi two days earlier, I suspected they had also had the time to wait until the store was empty.

And I had not missed the glances in my direction. At last, I ran out of patience and asked as polite as could be, "Can I help you with anything?"

They didn't really answer, but I got a smirk from Genma and a soft cough from Hayate. The latter slowly picked a charm off a display and they made their way up to the counter. While ringing them out, I saw it was a pair of crossed swords to be attached to a bracelet or necklace chain most likely.

"Interesting choice," I commented. "Celebrating something?"

Hayate coughed again, though I suspected it was to cover up embarrassment this time. "That's… official business, I'm afraid."

I smiled a little as I wrapped up the charm. So his Anbu girlfriend must have accomplished something. I wondered, was there more room for the glory to be spread around a bit now that Kakashi was off the squad? She had served under him for a time, if I remembered correctly. I handed over the gift, and Hayate tucked it into one of the pockets on his vest. Standing behind him, Genma's smirk was still in place. It appeared lighthearted and playful, but I didn't trust it. I was sure this was what they had really come in for. And he didn't disappoint.

"It's a shame we can't all hide our relationships behind official business," Genma commented entirely too casually.

"Yeah," I said warily. "That does sound convenient."

Hayate shot his friend a look and they moved to head out. But Genma threw one last thing over his shoulder just as they were walking out the door. "Don't take it too hard, miss. Kakashi turns everyone down."

I heard Hayate huff and sigh and Genma bark out a high-spirited laugh, and then the door shut behind them and the shop was silent. And in that silence, something exploded behind my eyes.

That bastard. So this was how he wanted to play it, was it? Had he seen a double opportunity and jumped at the chance? Because it would not surprise me in the least to hear there were rumors growing along the shinobi grapevine regarding Kakashi Hatake and the weird civilian girl he'd been spotted with over the years. Except maybe now he'd been able to convince them that I was the stalker in that equation. That I was just another lovesick fangirl he'd finally turned down.

I was blinded for a while by anger and indignance. But just as quickly, it all cleared away. Well, if this was how he wanted to play it…

Game on, asshole.

I waited a week. Waited for things to settle down enough for his rumors to have taken root in the minds of those curious enough to care. But not so long that an addition to the story would seem suspicious. And then I sought out Gai.

Luckily for me, he stuck pretty faithfully to his routines. It was not even much of a challenge to intercept him while he circled the village on his hands.

"Hey! Gai!" I called, not caring who saw me waving him down.

He saw me and his eyes lit up in recognition. "Ah! Kakashi's… friend." He paused just long enough for me to be sure the rumors had reached his ears. Though likely not from Kakashi himself. He was much too crafty for that. I, however, had no such qualms.

"Kani," I supplied easily, unperturbed. "I suppose you've… heard some things about me lately?"

He nodded as best he could with all the blood rushing to his head like that. "I must admit I have. Thought not all of it makes sense."

I nodded as if relieved someone understood. "Right. You've known me long enough to know I'm not just some little girl with a crazy crush. Kakashi and I have been… close for years."

He nodded again, seemingly fascinated by the turn this conversation had taken. "Indeed! I thought so! I will never understand how some rumors get started."

I was counting on that. As he shifted from hand to hand, I went in for the kill. "You see, the thing is, Kakashi and I did get into an argument the other day, and I haven't seen him since. I'm sure he's just very busy, but you'll probably have a better chance of tracking him down than me. If you see him, could you tell him I'm sorry? I just don't want to throw away a good thing over some petty fight. It's worth another shot, I think."

His eyes sparkled intensely, and I knew I had him. "You are absolutely right! You can count on me! What kind of rival would I be if I let him throw away his chance at happiness?!"

I thanked him profusely, let him continue on his way, and then smirked to myself. Gai was perfect. He'd believe just about anything, he couldn't keep his mouth shut, and he was just close enough to Kakashi to convince people that anything he said regarding his rival's personal business might just have a ring of truth to it. All I had to do was sit back and wait.

Living in the middle of town was proving to have its advantages indeed. Kakashi continued to keep his distance, and none of his comrades showed up to pretend-browse and drop more suspicious comments. But the village center was a mixing ground. And if you knew the right places to eavesdrop, it wasn't hard to stay on top of the gossip, even the shinobi side of it.

It did not take long for Gai's news to make the rounds. And as far as I could tell, most people bought it. It soon became underground common knowledge. All these years, Kakashi Hatake—their uptight, consummate professional—had had a secret civilian girlfriend.

And then, for what felt like the longest time, there was nothing. Perhaps Kakashi had not planned on messing with me for an extended period of time. Was that first rumor all the effort he was willing to put into this? No. Just when it seemed like everyone had moved on to something else, there was more.

The civilian girl hadn't really been a girlfriend, per say. More like… a friend with benefits.

And then something more shocking surfaced. Kakashi was not quite the professional everyone thought he was. And if his… friendship with the girl was really nothing serious, why had he gone to such lengths to cover up the affair he'd had while away on a mission?

But that wasn't the real twist! Ironically, it was the girl who had the real issues with commitment. She claimed to love him but wasn't willing to make it official. That was why it had been a secret all these years. The one-night stand had been meant as a wake-up call, nothing more.

But maybe it was his lifestyle she really had a problem with. Kakashi was a well-known workaholic, after all. Sometimes the girl suspected he was more dedicated to the job than to her.

And so it went. Over the next year, we pulled every cliché ever written until it was a little crazy to think anyone still believed these stories. But, despite having both our reputations dragged through the mud and never actually seeing him in person, I was enjoying our relationship more than ever before. And I had a sneaking suspicion that he was having just as much fun as I was.

The year the boys were ten, Iruka called me in to the academy again, but for once, the meeting wasn't spurred by a conflict.

"I'm worried about Naruto's chances of graduating," he said once we were settled in his empty classroom. "He's always struggled to keep up with the rest of the class, but he's at an age now where it could be a problem. You understand, I'm sure, that I can't send these kids out into the world if they're not ready."

I nodded. "Yeah, I get it." I mulled this over. I had not actually given Naruto's school troubles much thought, knowing they eventually worked themselves out. But I could hardly tell Iruka that. "So what would you suggest? He does put the work in."

"Yes, I'm aware. Though his attitude in class can be… less than enthusiastic, I know he works harder than most of his peers. I suspect that it's precisely because he hasn't been getting the desired results, though, that he prefers to do all of his training on his own. The academy has set up mentoring exchanges with some of the older students in the past but… To be frank, even if Naruto were to agree to it, I don't think we'd have an easy time of finding another student who'd be willing to tutor him."

I nodded again. Yeah, I'd suspected as much… Slowly, I asked, "What about Sasuke?"

Iruka seemed lost for a second. "Sasuke? His grades are fine."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "Right, but how are he and Naruto getting along in class these days?"

He blinked. "Oh. Well, we haven't had any major problems in a while. Actually, now that you mention it… While they're certainly not attached at the hip or anything, they are interacting a lot more. Naruto usually sits next to him in class now. Not that they really talk, but I think it's helped motivate him a little. I guess I'd say they're getting along. I mean, they're constantly snapping at each other, but there isn't the real anger behind it that there used to be. I'm not sure I can really explain it. But then, you probably already know."

Indeed. It sounded like their dynamic in public mirrored the one they had at home. And as Iruka had said, that dynamic was a far cry from the two being really friendly, but I would definitely say they were comfortable with each other at this point. They had become a regular fixture in each other's lives. And for this particular problem, that simple, comfortable familiarity might be enough.

I stood up from my seat, ending our meeting. "I think I can take it from here. Thank you for your concern." And I left him there, with a bit of a blank look on his face. I couldn't say anything for certain just yet. He would just have to trust me.

Through some stroke of luck, when I returned home I found Sasuke looking over some notes in his room and Naruto nowhere to be found. So I went right in and sat myself at the edge of his bed. He raised one eyebrow—with a sophistication that felt much too mature for a ten-year-old boy—and turned his chair around to face me.

"What do you think about Naruto?" I asked without preamble.

"He's annoying," Sasuke answered flatly, immediately. "He's loud. And rude."

I laughed without restraint. "I guess I won't ask you what you think about me."

He eyed me seriously for a moment. "I'm reserving judgment." I wagered he was half joking.

"In all seriousness, though, you've gotten used to each other, right?"

He shrugged but didn't try to convince me otherwise.

"Like, to the point where it wouldn't kill you to spend some time together?"

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"I went to go talk to Iruka today about Naruto's chances of graduation. I'm sure I don't need to tell you what his grades look like. But the problem isn't that he doesn't train, either. I figure that maybe he just isn't focusing his efforts on the right things. He could use someone to supervise him."

I left the bait where it was and waited to see what Sasuke would do with it. There was no disguising that it certainly wasn't the most… appealing proposition he'd ever had. His nose had scrunched up in muted distaste. At last, if only to clarify, he asked, "And you want me to help him?"

"That is the idea. Even if we could recruit an older student to tutor him, Naruto doesn't always take instruction well. We need someone he'll actually listen to. And, whatever problems you two have, he does respect you."

Sasuke mulled this over, calculating the headache involved, I'd imagine. "And why should I want to help him?"

It was my turn to eye him for a moment. "You tell me. I know you're still looking for something from us. Even if you're not entirely sure what it is you're looking for. I think spending some time with Naruto might help you find it."

He considered this. And finally, "Fine. I'll… supervise. But I'm not making any promises."

I spread my hands, palms turned upward. "That's all I ask. Thanks, sunshine."

He scowled at the nickname—one of a few I'd grown fond of since he'd truly started to settle in with us—and turned back to his work. The first step had been taken. But I knew this wasn't cause to relax just yet. The first step might be the hardest, but it was the second step that had the potential to bring everything crashing down.

Review please!

I don't own Naruto.

This was a really fun chapter to write. (Even if it was typed up in between holiday gatherings.) I feel like there was a pretty even blend of lighthearted moments and seriousness. I hope you all enjoyed it as well, and happy holidays!