Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the characters contained therein, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto who is kind enough to let fans write fiction. I make no profit from this nor do I intend to.

Re-write as of 10/2012

Chapter 36

Life Is One Big Judgment Call

Life is a compromise of what your ego wants to do,

what experience tells you to do,

and what your nerves let you do...

Bruce Crampton

...he thought as his own evil smile spread across his lips

Ibiki walked into the Tipsy Kunoichi Tavern once again looking for Genma. He thought that it was high time that he and the Jonin had a little talk...Genma's interest in Ayumu was starting to irritate him, and he didn't need any more irritations in his life right now. Once again, all life in the bar came to an abrupt halt at his appearance. Ibiki couldn't help but let a small smile curl his lips; he rather enjoyed having that kind of effect on people. It gave him a slight edge that he always took advantage of.

He spotted Genma sitting in the same place with the same people as before; Kakashi, Iruka, Anko, and Genma all were sitting together in a back area and drinking. What the fuck, these people never leave this joint? He thought with slight annoyance. He walked back to them and nodded almost imperceptibly to them in greeting.

"Shiranui, we need to talk..." and with that he motioned with his head to a table across the way but still out of the general bar patron area. Like before Ibiki didn't wait for Genma to follow or even acknowledge him. He just turned and motioned to a bar maid to come and serve them.

All conversation at the table had stopped when Ibiki was seen walking towards them. Like before, when Ibiki had made it known that he was there for Genma curious eyes turned to him. Unlike the last time though Genma didn't leave without a few questions thrown his way.

"Genma, what does he want with you this time?" Anko asked looking somewhat worried. She thought that she might have an idea, but she certainly didn't want it to be right...Ibiki might be there to warn off Genma from Ayumu. Ibiki was cleaver, and he could not have helped but been upset at Genma's behavior the night of the School Exhibition. But even Anko wasn't really sure about either Genma's intentions towards Ayumu (his cousin, for God's sake!) and Ibiki's real reason there. Ibiki always played his cards close to his vest. She knew, she had seen him countless of times interrogate people. The man could mind fuck with the best of them.

"Don't know Babe, and I really don't care. But I am curious, I must say..." Genma stood up to leave but not before Anko put a hand on his arm to briefly stop him.

"Watch yourself Genma, whatever he is here for isn't going to be good..."

Genma only twirled the senbon in his mouth around and winked down at Anko. "Don't worry...you'll see...Besides, what could he really do to me?"

Indeed, what could he really do to you but provoke you somehow, she thought worriedly.

Genma walked over to Ibiki's table and sat down across from the man. He leaned back in his chair and just watched and waited. Morino was sitting back in an almost leisurely posture with a (fake) smile on his lips, and like the night of the exhibition it didn't reach his eyes. They were dead cold. Genma couldn't help but let a small shudder pass through him. He had never seen such a soulless look. What was it that his cousin saw in the man?! He had gone on a few missions with Morino and knew him to be a capable and deadly Nin. The man could handle almost anything thrown at him. But where Morino really excelled was after the capture and during the interrogation. Morino was a Master in the Art. He had watched him break men and women that were thought to be unbreakable, and he had used any technique necessary. Genma had seen Morino use psychological as well as physical means, and they all had been horrifying. So what was it that drew his cousin to him?

Morino suddenly leaned forward and placed a hand on the table and dropped his smile. So it begins, thought Genma with anticipation.

"You complained before about me jerking you around and wasting your time, so I won't spend any time on small talk or chit-chat. I'll just get right to the point: watch yourself around Ayumu. I don't know what bullshit you were trying to pull that night at the school, but it won't be tolerated. At all. Keep your relationship with her strictly familial."

Ibiki spoke in a soft and deadly voice, and the look on his face mirrored it.

Genma answered with a wide smile and a chuckle. So, he thinks to warn me off of her, eh? Genma stood his ground against Ibiki and refused to be pushed around by him.

"My relationship with Ayumu is between Ayumu and myself, and has nothing to do with you. At all. Besides," Genma said cocking his head to the side and throwing Ibiki and narrow look, "our familial tie is tenuous at best. She and I are only distantly related. By most opinions we would not even be considered related."

Genma was succinct and almost non committal. He wasn't going to let Morino push or intimidate him. Genma was a strong Tokubetsu Jonin as well, and he didn't have any problem going toe to toe with the likes of Morino.

"It really doesn't matter what you think about your heredity, but rather what Ayumu thinks, and she considers you family. She calls you 'cousin', and that should be enough."

Genma smirked. "If you want to go that route then think about all the unions (and Genma crowed inside at seeing the other man imperceptibly tense up at the concept) that are always being devised in order to keep familial ties tight."

Genma gripped the senbon tighter in his mouth between strong, white teeth as he grinned at Ibiki. "And besides, maybe being called 'cousin' isn't enough…"

"Well, it is going to have to be," Ibiki growled.

"You're not her keeper," Genma said with a frown. "Last time I checked Ayu was a free woman and old enough to make her own decisions."

Ibiki smirked and raised an eye brow. "She does make her own decisions, and she chose me."

"For now, maybe," Genma said blandly. "But there are also other factors that you might need to consider as well," and he purposefully led Ibiki's gaze with his own to the table where his friends sat watching them. And in particular to Kakashi who was watching the pair with real interest.

Genma turned his attention back to Ibiki and smiled wickedly as he watched Ibiki and Kakashi trade silent stares.

"Never saw that one coming, did you?" Genma whispered evilly.

"As beautiful as Ayumu is I am not surprised that others see what I see," Ibiki said blandly and turning his attention back to Genma. "That is only to be expected."

Morino suddenly smiled and shook his head in an almost pitying way as he leaned back and placed both arms on the back of the booth.

"But enough of you trying to change the subject and divert my attention to unimportant matters. Everything and anything that has to do with Ayumu also has to do with me. If you want me to spell it out so your boozed and over-sexed soaked brain can comprehend it, I will. She. Belongs. To. Me. That's all. I'm not saying that you can't see her. Not at all. I know that Ayumu genuinely likes you, but your latest behavior though has me wondering...What is it exactly that you want from her? Hmm?"

Genma closed his eyes a bit but never lost his smile. In fact, he even had the audacity to show more teeth.

"Like I said, not your business, Morino. At all. Besides, she isn't some 'thing' to be had. She's not some-"

"She certainly isn't some fresh piece of ass to have and then walk away from. Isn't that how you work?" Ibiki snarled softly.

Genma lost all traces of congeniality to him. Fine, if the prick wanted to play nasty...so could he, and with the best of them. Genma leaned in as well and laughed lowly.

"Funny coming from you, and of all people. You don't exactly have the reputation of being around to see the morning light..."

"No, I didn't, and it was mutual. I had no need for anything more than a fuck-buddy. Same as you. Until I met Ayumu, and now I have stayed far beyond the next morning. Certainly not something that you have ever done. Also, unlike you, I know far more about Ayumu then you have ever known, or will ever find out..."

Ibiki also by this time had moved to lean forward, placing both palms flat on the table. It was apparent to all in the bar that a wicked storm was brewing between the two men. Their postures were now almost prehistoric; teeth were bared, bodies tensed and wary, and any veneer of civility was long gone. They looked ready to tear each other's throats out. Kakashi and Gai were poised to intervene if necessary. They too had no idea what was happening or even what was being said, but they knew that whatever it was couldn't be good. The malevolence emanating between the two men was rising at an exponential rate.

"I don't know Morino, maybe I should be asking you what your intentions are? You think that you aren't going to fuck and run on her they way you usually do? What is it exactly that you think that you can give to her that someone else can't? She belongs more with me then she ever will with you..."

Ibiki threw his head back and laughed. Loudly and with great mirth. "She'll never belong to you they way she does me. I can – and do- give her much more then you could ever dream of. And for once use the head between your shoulders and not the one between your legs – you might become a bit more enlightened for once..."

Genma didn't rise to the bait. He knew what Morino was trying to do and he wasn't in any way going to let the man push his buttons like that.

"Listen Morino, I've known Ayumu a hell of a lot longer then you. She and I have been friends for years. It's natural for two people who have known each other like that to eventually fall into a more – familiar – relationship. I am not even saying that either of us wants it, but," and Genma leaned forward with a warning glint to his eyes, "if she is willing to explore it I certainly would not turn her away..."

If Genma's eyes were fiery and full of passion, then Ibiki's were cold and fathomless. While Genma radiated all the heat and power of a small sun then Ibiki in turn commanded the cold and unforgiving atmosphere of space. Both men were ready and anxious for the other to make the first physical move. They could see that talk was leading them nowhere. They were swiftly coming to the point of no return; eventually their higher reasoning was not going to be enough, and the only satisfying outcome would be reached through physicality.

Genma couldn't help but think that Morino might be right. Morino might be more to Ayumu then he ever would. It still galled him that all the man had been doing was stating fact. Genma was if anything a reasonable and intelligent man, and no matter what he might appear like. His easy and loose ways were nothing but a veneer that covered his true self and intentions. People only saw what he let them see, except for Ayumu. She had always seen through his facade to the true man underneath. It appeared that Morino was the same way. Ayumu must see something that no one else had ever seen, or probably ever will.

Something within Genma snapped, and in a blinding, natural reaction that led to an uncharacteristic pettiness he threw a psychological 'snap' at Morino. One that he knew might not knock him down, but would give him something to think on...something that would eat at him like a poison in the dark.

"Fine, you might have her for now...you might be sleeping with her right now. But know this Morino," and Genma got up to leave, but not before finishing his parting shot. "Know this, that while you were ignoring her, while you had tossed her aside- and no matter what the circumstances or reasons - I slipped my way in. I did a run-around, and you never even knew it... Nice stain glass window she has over her bed, isn't it?" and Genma winked and sauntered calmly away.

Ibiki didn't react – outwardly that is except to throw money down on the table and walk sedately out. He never looked to the right or to the left, and he certainly didn't look at all perturbed. Inside however he was fuming. He was a roiling and seething storm. He had not only let Shiranui get the last word in before he could, but the fact that he had lain in Ayumu's bed, and more importantly with her, sent him nearly over the edge.

That bitch, was all that he could keep thinking. After all her posturing and exclamations about wanting only him she hadn't even let the sheets get cold...What the fuck?! She couldn't have missed me that much to take him into her bed...between her legs...

Ibiki by this time was grinding his teeth, practically gnashing them. He was stalking down the street in such a visibly foul mood that people moved out of his way. The anger and frustration were coming off of him in palpable waves. He moved like the great bear that he was named after. Moving through its home with no care as to what stood in its path.

And what the fuck is going on with Hatake? How did he even enter the picture? He was there that one night at the bath house, but had there been others?

Ibiki stopped in the middle of his walking and clenched his fists tightly before him, and glaring at the ground in pure rage.

First Umino, then Shiranui, and now Hatake too? What the Hell…how many Nin's have been sniffing after her ass?! What kind of fucked-up situation is this? What kind of vibes has that woman been sending out?!

"Do I have to stamp my name across her ass so everyone knows?" Ibiki snarled out loud.

"I know that I had to do that with mine," an old man said as he passed Ibiki by.

Ibiki turned to glare at the geriatric out for an innocent evening stroll.

"Sorry about that," Ibiki mumbled and instantly relaxed his grim visage.

The old man stopped and waived a hand in the air. "No need, son. Happens to the best of us at one time or another. And yes, you most probably will have to do something like that, and expect to have to do it here and there for years to come. I still have to do it, and my old girl is in her seventies."

"Well that is a comfort," Ibiki said dryly.

"It is all part and parcel with having a beautiful woman on your hands. They are a lot fun but a helluva lot of trouble," the old man said shaking his head and moving on with his evening walk.

"They are at that," Ibiki said with a heavy sigh.

Ibiki thought of going straight back to ANBU but instead decided that he would confront Ayumu. No way was he going to let this percolate over the night. No way was he going to lie in his bed and think about Genma and Ayumu wrapped around each other. Ibiki was not only frustrated at Ayumu, but himself as well. He had never felt so unsteady before. He had never let anyone get to him the way he had let Shiranui get to him. It was as if all his training went out the window with just one short sentence. As Ibiki walked he methodically and slowly let the anger and hurt melt away. It was as if the walking and the calming breathes that he took helped him to place things more into perspective.

Ibiki thought about their month apart. He tried to look at it clinically, coldly, and logically. He only had himself to blame. He had been the one in essence to dump her. He had been the one to walk away, with only her physical welfare, and not her mental or emotional state in his preeminent thoughts. He still thought that at the time it had been the right thing to do. If he had to do it over again and knew what he knew now would he? Maybe not. Certainly not. But he was as new to this game as she was. He had never held anyone as close to him as he did her, and not even his own flesh and blood. Not even his own brother. He had never in his life felt such a blinding rage as when Shiranui had implied that he and Ayumu had...but had they really? Something didn't sit right with him. The more time elapsed the calmer he got, and the more angles he could investigate.

Just knowing Ayumu, and indeed Genma as well, he could see that she would never have anything as personal with Genma as they had. Besides, Ayumu would never tolerate his sexual proclivities. She almost lost her mind over just thinking about him and Anko. With Genma there eventually wouldn't be any doubt, he would move on and Ayumu wouldn't like that. She wanted, needed , and craved stability. A constancy that only he could give her. He gave her a clarity that she said that she had never before felt. He helped her make sense of things.

Ibiki thought about asking Ayumu about what Genma said. He would know immediately if anything had transpired between them just by looking at her face, just by looking in her eyes. She was a transparent, unskilled and pitiful liar, and so she just never even tried to. The woman still blushed for shits sake, he thought with a slight smile. She was probably the only woman he knew who could blush at the drop of a hat. Even after all their intimacy she still sometimes blushed afterwards or even just seeing him naked...

Flashback

Ayumu sat up in bed and pulled the cover around herself to shield her breasts as she leaned over the side of the bed to retrieve something. When she sat back up she saw that her movements had pulled the sheet entirely away from Ibiki. He was lying on his back slightly propped up by pillows. One knee was raised and one arm was behind his head, and he was feeling self-satisfied as usual. He saw that Ayumu couldn't help but stare long and hard at him. She just couldn't help herself, and especially when he postured for her benefit. When her eyes traveled up his body to his face and she saw that he was watching her she turned beet red. He practically saw the flames come up off her she was so embarrassed at being caught.

Ibiki couldn't help but laugh and lean over to haul her against him. He tried to tug the cover away but she held onto it like a limpet. A tussle ensued with Ibiki winning of course, and Ayumu covering her breasts with her hands and closing her legs together. And still she blushed.

"Ayu, what are you doing? After all that we did, and after all that we've done you still blush. Why? You have not only seen it all you've touched it as well..."

Ayumu's blush now ran down almost to her shoulders and she couldn't look him in the face anymore. That only made Ibiki laugh louder and hold her harder. He turned her chin up with his hand and saw that she had a few tears in her eyes. He immediately stopped his laughing and kissed her tears away.

"Ibiki, don't laugh at me...I can't help it sometimes. I just don't have the experience that you have. You're the only serious relationship that I've ever had. You're really the only man whom I've honestly seen both naked and touched as well. Even with the man before you it was while being partially clothed, in total darkness, and not very comfortable. In so many ways I am new to all this still...I'm sorry..." she whispered, and Ayumu looked away now with a touch of shame added to her embarrassment.

Ibiki cupped her face in his hand and stroked her cheek with a thumb. "Ayu, never be embarrassed or ashamed around me. We- you- have nothing to be ashamed of. I can't begin to tell you how much pleasure it brings me when we do things that not only you haven't done before, but me as well. I like how we are experiencing this together."

Ibiki kissed the side of her mouth and ran his nose against her cheek. He felt Ayumu bury her head against his neck and hold onto him tightly. He then felt wetness against his skin. As soon as he felt the wetness he could feel her sobs start up. She moved her hands from around his neck and curled them against the back of his head. He could feel her start to shake...

"Ayu, baby...shh..."

That just made Ayumu start wailing. "Oh, Ibiki! I don't know why you've put up with me for so long...I can't do anything right..."

"No, baby, you do everything right," he said against her skin. "And everything you do is always right…"

"I hope so," she said softly.

"I know so," he answered firmly.

Ibiki ran a thumb across her cheek and nipped her nose. "Ayu, that other guy sounded like a real ass. To not appreciate the beauty and bounty he had in his reach was just plain fucking stupid. But," he said grinning, "it all worked out in my favor..."

Ayumu gave him a wet but happy smile. "Leave it to you Ibiki to find yourself a rainbow in another person's rain storm."

Ibiki nodded and winked.

But deep down Ibiki knew how she felt, because he felt the same way. It made something in his chest pull and tighten to hear that she felt as unsure as he did deep down. He held her against him and just quietly rubbed his hands up and down her back until he felt her give a huge sigh and snuggle in not crying. He could feel her hands timidly run up and down his arms. When Ibiki could feel her tension decrease remarkably he asked her to look up at him. He was met by large, amber eyes that looked into his with nothing short of absolute and unconditional trust. The look never failed to humble him.

"Ayu, there is no shame in not having spread yourself around before we met. I know that it is prehistoric of me to be glad that you didn't- that I have in essence been your one and only relationship, but there it is. I like the fact that you can blush around me, because of me. It is very complimentary to my ego..."

Ibiki saw a small sparkle start to glow in her eyes and then a full out laugh came from her.

"Ibiki, like your arrogance and ego need any more inflation...Anyway, I've also caught you turning red a few times and I guess coming from a man who started sleeping around when he was twelve that's a big compliment."

Ibiki rolled his eyes and looked almost condescendingly at her. "Ayu, it's different for guys-"

"What?! What kind of crap is that? 'Different for guys...' Oh, so when a man sleeps around he is just being 'manly', but when a woman does it she is just considered 'slutty'? Is that it...Ibiki?" Ayumu said starting to look genuinely unamused.

"In short? Yes."

Ibiki kept a straight face but inside he was roaring with laughter. Ayumu's eyes got real round and she looked ready to have an apoplectic fit. She just made it so easy sometimes. She was so easy to lead about, and instead of finding it boring or annoying Ibiki found it very worthwhile and amusing. Especially since when she got into these kinds of moods (and especially when they were in bed) it always lead to a tussling and wresting match that always provided him with a very satisfactory ending...

End Flashback

By the time that Ibiki had reached the end of the memory he saw that he was in front of Ayumu's house. He hadn't even realized that he was there until he found himself at a standstill. Well, isn't that interesting? He thought wryly. His body without his mind even knowing it just automatically piloted itself to Ayumu. Like she was a lodestone and he was a piece of iron, their attraction being natural and irrefutable.

He stood momentarily outside her house looking at it. It seemed that someone had started work on the roof and more of the gardens were coming slowly back to life. As he looked at the small house he remembered the conversation that they had not too long ago about a color scheme. She was definite on having at least three colors but she wasn't quite sure yet. They had looked at a few color pallets and both had agreed on the royal purple, fiery amber, and wine red. By next summer they figured that the house would be ready for painting. More importantly by next summer Ayumu figured that money would also be available to pay for the costly endeavor. He knew that the koi pond in the back would also be ready soon for fish, but she had sadly said that she doubted that money would be accessible to afford such an extravagance until the following year. Ibiki thought that as son as the pond was ready that he would buy her a pair as a starter. He had never bought her anything and he knew that she deserved a little something at least. This way she could enjoy all the hard work that she had put into everything.

Ibiki was taken aback at these sudden domestic thoughts. They seemed to come naturally to him. He had never, ever thought about anything in regards to his domicile- ever. He had never really cared about what his home looked like, as long as it was neat (he knew Ayumu referred to it as a sterile nightmare, but he thought she referred to anything in such terms that was neat and orderly) and everything in their proper place. His home was somewhat barren, but only because he spent as little time there as possible. He was either working or here, at Ayumu's.

It all came back to Ayumu for him, and that was the reason that he really was so upset, and not about Genma or the other fucktards. There never was any true reason to suspect that Ayumu and Genma would ever become a pair. He wasn't even so much upset anymore that the pissant had stood his ground against him. In fact, he had expected much more. No, it was the fact that Ibiki was comfortable and content, and he didn't like the idea of someone disturbing that peace, the status quo. For once he had found something that had eluded him for years: a home. He had been socially adrift and segregated for so long, and now that he had found someone to share himself with he didn't – wouldn't – let anything come between them.

So Ibiki walked into the yard and up into Ayumu's house, and planned on never speaking to Ayumu about Genma and their past together. In the grand scheme of things it really didn't matter. All that mattered was the here and now. Here was Ayumu and now they were together. Ibiki knew what really mattered in his life. Ayumu.