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-Chapter 34: Where is Home-

It had been two weeks since the former leaf nins arrived in Namigakure. It was a rough start, but people had begun to fall into place. Naruto had begun to dilligently create different seals, some to detect intruders, some booby traps, and an assortment of other things. He'd even managed to create a seal that completely removed the neccesity of locks and keys, a simply identification seal set to a persons chakra. Gaara had immediately jumped into the financials of the city, working side by side with Shikamaru. That's right, city, in just two weeks the workers had expanded the village to nearly the size of the city above. The redhead had managed to somehow turn a profit on manual labor and scrap materials, when he attempted to explain it to his two companions, they only looked at him as if he was speaking another language. Zaiaku was responsible for gathering new shinobi, since wave country was a haven for missing nins, it was a simple enough matter. Although some of these nins were a bit rough around the edges they were turning out to be surprisingly loyal. Sakura and Hinata, along with Rin, had been running the hospital until a sufficient amount of doctors could be aquired. Temari, Kakashi, Zabuza, Momji, Gai, Kurenai, and Asuma had taken to polishing the skills of the ninjas that Zaiaku brought in. Thankfully he at least had an eye for talent. Yes, Namigakure was growing exponentially.

Currently though, Neji and Tenten were in the engineering quarter and peering at a small egg shaped object, "Well?" questioned the weapons mistress and now weapons developer.

Neji, who had a surprising like and affinity to electronics, gave her a hesitant nod, "I suppose there is no avoiding it."

"Neji-kun! Tenten-Chan!" shouted Lee as he entered the room, in his normally exuberant manner, "What are our greatest minds creating today?" He then spotted the small object and picked it up, "What's this? We are making metal eggs?" He shook it a bit, causing Neji and Tenten to pale, "It does nothing?" he then noticed a pin portruding from the side, "I see, I must remove this to activate it!" He did just that.

"DOWN!" shouted Tenten and pulled the item from his hands and tossed it into a trashcan. An explosion rocked through the sealed room and black smoke was quickly sucked out through the city's vents. "BAKA!" she shouted and smacked him on the head, "This is the weapons division, you can't just come in and start pulling on things!" A groan from across the room caused her to shift from scolding to concerned, "Neji-kun!" After she and Lee managed to remove some destroyed tables, they found the Hyuuga genius with a gash in his forehead and a broken arm, "Lee, we have to get him to the hospital."

The chunnin saluted, "HAI!" he replied and gingerly lifted his teammate

"What did you do?" questioned Rin as she saw the three enter the lobby, "This is the second time this week!"

Tenten blushed, 'who new Neji was so accident prone?' She then glared at Lee, "He was playing with our new invention and...well-"

"He blew up the lab," finished a newly appeared Sakura, "Maybe Lee-san should be banned from the engineering district all together?"

The green beast pouted, "Sakura-san is so mean!" Then he scanned the lobby, "is Momo-san here?" he questioned as a light blush graced his cheeks.

Sakura smirked, "No, she went up to the city with Zaiaku-kun," she replied, "they should be back later."

"YOSH!" he shouted and gave a thumbs up, "this gives me adequate time!" He then sprinted out of the hospital

A short while later, Tenten was hopping from foot to foot out side an examination room, waiting on Neji's status, 'Why won't they hurry up!' she thought. As if answering her, Sakura stepped out the room and smiled, "Well?" questioned the weapons maker.

"It's just a scratch Tenten," replied the pink haired girl, "His arm is set and once healed it should be as good as new." She stepped closer to the girl and grinned wickedly, "He's under anesthetics right now, if there's anything you want to ask him, now would be a good time."

Tenten watched the retreating form of the medical genius, "Hmph, nosey!" Then she thought about her words, 'Let's go have a talk,' she thought with a sinister grin. Whatever she had been expecting, this wasn't it, "Who knew?" she whispered

Neji was currently sitting up and grinning, much like their teammate Lee, "Ohayo, Tenten!" he exclaimed as he glomped her, "Itai," he mumbled as he pouted and rubbed his broken appendage.

Recovering from the sudden, and uncharacteristic, assault she helped him back onto the bed, "You shouldn't be so active Neji-kun," she scolded, "You broke your arm, please rest."

"Oooh, Tenten-chan is kind as well as beautiful!" he exclaimed in an almost overly Lee'ish manner

The weapons mistress blushed crimson, "Yo...you think I'm beautiful?" She looked up and came face to face with the stoic features of Hyuuga Neji, "Neji-kun?" she whispered.

"I do not think you are beautiful," he replied softly and cupped her face, "I think you are sublime."

Her blush faded as a realization hit her, "You weren't under anesthetics at all!" she shouted and bopped him

He laughed dispite her pout and the sharp pain in his head, "Tenten, I'm a ninja, deception is one of our many skills."

"Why would you decieve me?" she questioned in earnest, eyes narrowed slightly

Neji placed his hands in his lap and looked down at them, "I have not always treated you kindly, sometimes being overly critical," he sighed, "I was afraid of you rejecting me, so if you did so I could simply feign ignorance." He frowned as she began to giggle, "This is amusing?"

"Hai," she replied, "The great Hyuuga Neji afraid of a girl?" She smirked as he bowed his head again, "Neji-kun," she whispered a few inches from his head, when he looked up he met her eyes, "don't ever be afraid of me." Tenten leaned down and placed her lips on his, it was chaste, but a promise of more to come. The weapons mistress leaned back and smiled, "I should get back to work."

When his kunoichi exited the room, he flopped back down on his pillow, a smile gracing his face. "Nara was wrong," he commented to no one, "girls are far from troublesome."

Zabuza was glaring at the nins in front of him, "Some of you are barely Gennin," he stated with a glare, "ALL of you are shunned, here you are welcomed with open arms and given full trust." He then radiated a killing intent strong enough to make a kage wet their pants, "If you betray this village or commit a crime, however, you'll wish you were dead."

"Saa...Zabuza-kun is being particularly vicious today," observed Kakashi to Gai

The taijutsu master nodded vigerously, "Who would think that a former missing nin would be so fiercly loyal."

The demon of the Mist glared at them, then turned back to the new recruits, "You will be evaluated, ranked, then assigned a team." Several groans were heard, "Soon enough we are going to begin accepting missions," he replied to said groans, "you will learn to operate as a cohesive unit."

Naruto groaned and slammed his head on his desk, "This sucks!" he shouted to the empty room, 'I don't even get any company.'

'I suppose I am chopped liver?' snorted the Kyuubi

'You're not the best conversationalist,' retorted the Jinchuuriki with a half smile. He then looked down at the stack of seals he had yet to complete, "DAMNIT!"

"That sounds productive," came a soft female voice from the doorway. As the door swung open fully, it revealed Temari leaning against the doorframe and smirking at him, "Long time no see."

Naruto frowned, she was right, with all the craziness with the war and escape he hadn't had a chance to sit down with her. "Yea," he replied with a smile, "it's a mess, but come in." He stood up and knocked a stack of blank tags on the floor, "Perfect," he grunted.

The sand kunoichi giggled at him, "It's ok," she then caught sight of his appearance and frowned, "How long have you been here, you look like shit."

"It's only because I pale in comparison to your radiant beauty," he proclaimed with a flourish and sarcastic tone, he recieved a knock to the head, "So violent."

"Don't pout," she gave an exaspirated sigh and then leaned down and placed a kiss where she hit him, "better?"

He gave a pensive look, "Well not really," he replied with a grin, "I mean you did hit me pretty hard." For added effect he whined a little and portruded his bottom lip. It was quickly snagged in between a set of teeth, that didn't belong to him.

Temari slowly released his lip and then pressed her's to his softly, "How 'bout now?" she questioned, her mouth a breath away from his. She smiled as he nodded with his eyes still closed, "better be safe though," she whispered and closed the distance again. She felt his tongue slide over her lips and gladly met it with her own, "You...know...I was...coming...to ask you...if you...were...hungry," she questioned inbetween their quickening kisses

"You have no idea," groaned the blonde as he crushed his body to hers. He was losing himself in the feel of her, when he felt cool fingers on his stomach, running over his defined muscles, "T-Temari-chan," he moaned into her mouth and grasped her wrist.

"Don't stop me," she pleaded softly, "we won't have many moments like this, let me..." she paused and looked deeply into his eyes, "let me love you."

It had been months since Naruto thought about the start of his journey, and his previous life, "Temari-chan."

-Flashback-

Naruto approached Temari from behind and wrapped his arms around her, "I love you," he whispered into her ear as they stared at the stars over Konoha

The kunoichi turned and looked deep into his eyes, "Times like these are going to be rare with the war Naruto-kun," she took a deep breath and continued, "I melt when you tell me you love me and when you hold me." She reached up and released her hair, "I was never a woman for words," she gingerly removed her sash holding her top together, revealing her black undergarments and fishnet, "let me show you what you mean to me."

-End Flashback-

He glanced down at the woman he loved more than anything in this world, her eyes were pleading, and with his heightened senses he knew she was willing, "Temari-chan," he whispered, "I'm not going to lose you, we can take our time." He watched her face contort into a slight frown, "I promise-"

He was cut off as she embraced him again, with more passion and an equal amount of need

In the city above Zaiaku was pushing Momo down the street, "See anyone?" he questioned the girl

"Not really," she replied with a huff. She then fidgeted with her blanket, "Zaiaku-nii-san?"

The ice-nin looked down at her, "Hai, little-one?"

She looked up at him with earnesty, "Do...Do you love Sakura-nee-chan?" She giggled as he stumbled at the question, "It was just a question."

"I care about Sakura-hime very much," he replied, "but she's had her heart broken by the first person she ever loved, I can't just take his place so easily."

"You're scared," interjected the little girl with a knowing grin, "someone like you shouldn't be afraid of anything!"

They were now at the bridge, Zaiaku stopped pushing her and kneeled down to her eye level, "I'm afraid of a lot of things little one," he stated with a slight far-away look, "of losing Sakura-hime, Naruto, Gaara, Zabuza, all my friends-"

"Me?" questioned the girl in a small voice

The ice-nin smiled softly, "Hai, especially you." He stood up and began pushing her to the village elevator, "Have you been practicing your seals?"

She gave a nod, "I can use a basic healing jutsu, it's not as strong as Sakura-nee-chan's, but it's getting better." As they made their way down to the village she smiled as she spotted a familiarly clad ninja, sprinting down a tunnel, "Lee-kun!"

"Momo-san!" he shouted in reply, "Zaiaku-kun, how are you both today?"

"Lee-kun, did you mess something up in the lab again?" scolded Momo almost immediately when she noticed his lack of teammates, "you really shouldn't be down there, it's not really a place for a person like you."

Zaiaku let out a laugh at the taijutsu master's pink tinged face, "So how bad was it Lee?"

"It was a glorious disaster," came the voice of Sakura with a hint of irritation, "Neji got banged up pretty bad and the cleanup took almost four hours." She the spotted Lee holding something behind his back, "Lee-san, what is..." she narrowed her eyes, "are those flowers?"

"Yes!" he shouted and produced a small bouquet of assorted flowers, "for Momo-san, flowers for a flower." He bent down and handed them to her, "I hope you like them," he added as he placed his hands behind his back. He continued before she could respond, "I was also wondering if you would like to have dinner with me?"

Zaiaku's mood went from jovial to slightly apprehensive, "I don't know if that's a good idea," he stated with a glare. He recieved an elbow to the ribs from Momo and a kick to the shin from Sakura, "Fine, but I think I'll have a word with Lee."

Momo glared at the back of her newly aquired protector, "Zaiaku-nii-san is being frustrating, it's just dinner." She looked up and saw her sister's sad face, "maybe you both could come with us?"

Sakura smiled down at her, "I don't think so, I believe Lee-san has some things he would like to say to you." She began to absentmindedly fidget with one of her gloves, "besides, you can't force things."

"Zaiaku-nii-san is so afraid of moving too fast for you that he isn't moving at all," stated Momo as she watched Zaiaku put Lee into a headlock, "but if neither of you do anything about your feelings, then what's the point in having them?" She contorted her face into a half grimace, "I think their conversation is now at the point of Zaiaku-nii-san blatently threatening Lee-kun's health."

Sakura jolted out of her thoughts and looked up to see the object of her affections grinding his knuckles into the head of her sister's crush, "I think you've explained enough, Zaiaku-kun!" she shouted while prying the ice-nin off of Rock Lee. The pink haired girl watched as her sister and date made their way down the tunnel towards the food district, "They'll be fine."

"Hmph," grunted Zaiaku as he crossed his arms, "I don't think I explained things to him well enough." He looked over at his cherry blossom and saw her with a wistful look on her face, "We could go get dinner if you would like, Sakura-hime."

"Zaiaku-kun," she chided, "I know that you're very busy with recruiting and me with hospital getting into full swing."

He took a deep breath and exhaled, "I miss being around you," he confessed. He then reached up and ran his hand over the fur of his collar, "but I don't want to smother you, so I don't go out of my way." Sakura smiled and gripped his hand, "Huh?" he questioned dumbly

"I've already had dinner," she stated with a smile, "but let's go outside and watch the sunset." When they made their way back to the surface, the sun had already began to set into the ocean, "It's beautiful, I've never seen a sunset on the ocean." She then turned and smiled at Zaiaku, "What do you think?"

His breath hitched as the sun outlined her face, "Yea," he mumbled with his hands in his pockets, "it looks heavenly."

Sakura smirked and poked him in the shoulder, "Don't think you're going to get any play with just a set of googly eyes and a cheesy line."

Zaiaku went wide-eyed and threw up his hands, "I wasn't trying to get play!" he shouted in defense.

"Oh," mumbled Sakura, her mood changing immediately. The quiet began to frustrate her, "Well why the hell not?" she shouted, "Everyone keeps saying we're afraid of each other, so what exactly about me terrifies you?"

"Losing you," he blurted without thinking. Turning his head, he then leaned back against the huge bridge support, "how's that for an answer?" He sighed and crossed his arms, "This is the part where I say something deep and meaningful," he then snorted, "I can't think of anything for the life of me though."

Sakura smiled softly, "That was perfect," she stated. Zaiaku turned his head and looked down at her as she wrapped her arms around his waist, "Don't be afraid of me, and don't worry about smothering me," she continued. She reveled in the coolness of his skin and the smell of winter that rolled off him, "I told you a long time ago that I hate to be far away from you, and from now on this is as far as I get."

"And Sasuke?" he questioned with a hint of bitterness in his voice, "what of him? Are you just seeing him in me?"

The pink haired girl looked up at him, "I actually thought that for a while," she replied earnestly. "With you though I don't feel the slightest need to prove myself," she continued with a smile, "I feel content, like being with you and next to you is the only place for me. I've never felt like that before. It's like I've loved you in another lifetime." She sighed wistfully, "crazy right?"

"Yea," replied the ice-nin with a grin, he then leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead. She responded with a slight grumble, "What is it?" he questioned with a hint of amusement

"Don't kiss my forehead," she mumbled with pink cheeks, "unless you were aiming for my lips and it got in the way."

Zaiaku cocked an eyebrow, "I hit what I aim for."

"Aim lower," mumbled the pink haired, then she ran her fingers up through his hair and got them tangled there, but by that time she had her lips planted firmly on his and was doing her best to close the non-existant distance that remained between them. For Zaiaku it was everything he had ever remembered, and for Sakura it was a new, but oddly comfortable feeling as his cool breath mixed with hers. It was then that she decided, mint was her favorite flavor. She slowly leaned back and smiled, "Wow," she whispered as she put her fingers to her lips. "You really are amazing," she sighed as she placed her head on his chest

"Only for you," he whispered while tightening his grip on her

Gaara looked over at his newly aquired comrade in financials, "Go home Nara, it's getting late, surely there is someone that is in more need of your company than me."

The lazy genius leaned back and let out a wide yawn, "I suppose," he replied, "Ino has been wanting a lot of my attention lately, so troublesome." He then stood and gave a half wave to the redhead, "Same time tomorrow then."

Gaara smiled and gave a slight nod, then went back down to the reports, "So much left to do," he sighed

"And it all has to be done tonight?" came a soft voice from behind him, "you work too hard Gaara-kun, Naruto-kun, and Zaiaku-kun as well."

He turned and ran his fingers through his hair, "Hidden villages have been around for hundreds of years," he replied as Hinata sat next to him, "they have their steady resources, adequate shinobi forces, substantial exports, and a steady source of missions. The only thing we have an abundance of is secrecy, no one knows we exist."

Hinata moved behind him and began to massage his shoulders, "I think you worry too much, wave country isn't like it used to be, we'll have plenty of missions."

"We have the potential to be one of the strongest villages in the elemental nations," he sighed as she began to work a hard knot of muscle that had developed due to being hunched over a table, "but if we do not plan everything perfectly then we could very well collapse on ourselves."

She smiled as he rambled on about nothing, "You're done for tonight," she stated simply as she closed his books, "Ino-chan isn't someone I would like to emulate, but I am going to have to insist that you spend less time working and more with me."

Gaara cocked an eyebrow at the lavender haired woman, "I suppose that was an order?" He commanded his sand to wrap around her and pull her closer, "I do not take to being ordered around well."

Hinata smirked triumphantly, "I suppose I should feel privilaged that you respond so well to mine?" She tried to keep her composure as she fought down the twelve year old little girl inside her that wanted to blush and faint from being in such an intimate situation with the object of her affections.

"Do not become too full of yourself Hyuuga-san," replied the redhead as the gap between them was continually decreased by his sand, "I am still quite dangerous."

"Oh?" gasped Hinata as she was pressed fully to him, her face inches from his "I should be concerned then?"

A low growl emitted from the Shukaku vessel, "Terrified." When they finally met, it was timid and gentle, like their personalities. Though soon enough fingers were tangled in hair and a combination of pantings and sighs filled the air. "I suppose I could make more time for these types of situations?" he questioned as they rested comfortably against each other after their impromptu make out session.

The former Hyuuga heiress smiled against his neck, "I'm glad you see things my way."

Shukaku let out a hardy laugh, 'And we are once again, whipped!'

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End Chapter 34

Read and Review - Fluff abound! I felt like I had prolonged the relationships long enough and that now with everything coming close to a climax that it was time to get them rolling a bit more. I tried to make the situations intimate/romantic without being overly sexual, although I did try to give them that edge and feeling of pent up aggression waiting to come out. And it will! .

Preview Chapter 35: The Enemy