A/N: Hope you had a lovely weekend away Cathy! I'm so very glad you're enjoying it & thank you again for the reviews 3 Happy reading.

Chapter 40

"Nothing can just be straight forward with them, can it?"

Her mood hadn't improved, if anything, it'd dwindled down so far that Jiraiya was safest at a considerable distance from Tsunade.

"You mean Hatake and Sarutobi?"

"Them too but no. The two old fools who call themselves Elders."

She had one eye closed and the other squinting into the opening of the sake bottle that he'd left behind. "Tch." Assumedly checking the contents and disappointedly finding it empty.

"They are avoiding me."

"Wouldn't that make you happy?"

He threw his arms up to the sides as Tsunade pat him down, searching for another bottle that she knew he'd have hidden in a pocket somewhere.

"Normally but…"

He'd known her long enough to be able to read most of her body language and facial expressions with ease. Having ruled out the other pair from the equation had all but given it away.

"Ahh. They're not supporting the succession then?"

Tsunade's face lit up having procured another bottle of sake to wash away her anger. The cork squeaked upon being pulled out by her teeth and she spat it out over the balustrading she was perched on. He observed as a small stream of sake overflowed from her mouth, down her neck and into…

"Support. Bah! When have you ever know those two to support me Jiraiya? Won't support me while I'm in this position, but they're not willing to support me getting out either."

"Are you sure-?"

"Once I could understand. Three times. Jiraiya they've cancelled every attempt I've made to have a meeting to discuss the next steps."

His busty counterpart was not the most patient soul however, even he would likely hit his limit in her position. And in a way, the longer the Elders danced around the request, the longer it would be before they could enjoy themselves. The other issue was that if it dragged out too long Tsunade's feet could get cold putting an end to the recent development in their relationship.

Her head rolled around the pillar and cushioned into his bicep. With a deep sigh she offered him the remaining dribble of sake in the bottom of the bottle.

"I suppose its poor timing; with the Chunin exams and all."

"There's that."

The frogs croaked and the crickets chirped creating the soundtrack for the night. He could stay. It wasn't like he had another agenda of greater importance. There were plenty of bath houses around and other possible places where he could conduct his research for his next novel. And Tsunade would never ask him outright.

"It's good to be home."

Her hand scrunched into the sleeve of his forearm. "For how long?"

This time he accepted her offer of sake. "For as long as it takes." He took another drink, the last of the liquid flowed down the back of his throat. "Just do me one favour?"

"Hm?"

"Keep two nights from now open."

"Why?"

"You'll have your answer soon enough."

"Regarding?"

"Your other issue."

"Kakashi and Nina?"

"Mhmm."

"Knew there was a reason I kept you around."

Jiraiya threw his arm around Tsunade's shoulders and they made their way home. Well, Tsunade stumbled, but it was never kind to point out a woman's flaws, unless he wished to wind up on Kakashi's lounge for the night.

"Sasuke?"

"Hnn?"

"I was talking to you."

"Sorry."

It'd been what? Days, no, weeks since the last time he'd detected it. Obscured by their surroundings Sasuke could still distinguish it based on the unnatural aura it was giving off.

"It's fine. I was just saying…"

Her voice mumbled out. There was something about the chakra that engulfed his attention.

"Sasuke? Am I … am I boring you?"

"Huh? No. Just…"

He observed Sakura for any signs that she was sensing what he was and it didn't come as a shock to see that she was just upset at his unjustified distance.

"It's nothing."

"I guess it's to be expected that you might be a little nervous about the exams."

"What?"

There were times when Sakura was annoying, and this was one of them.

"I just mean its normal, you know?"

"Sakura …"

The signature was getting closer.

"I'll see you around."

Sasuke could hear the lecture he'd be copping from Naruto already for abandoning Sakura like he had, but there was a very small window to try and track the source of the signature down before it disappeared.

Sorry Sakura.

The upcoming exams had the streets bustling and Sasuke struggled to weave his way in between the crowds. In the end he took to the rooftops and about two blocks later he spied a clearing and dropped down. The chakra remained detectable and he estimated that the distance between them couldn't have been any more than ten or so meters. Unfortunately, he was confronted by the last person in the world he wanted to be.

"Aren't you supposed to be with Sakura?"

"Not your business. Move."

"Where's Sakura, Sasuke?"

The distance was increasing and the signature was fading.

"Not now, Naruto."

Tch. The quantity of Naruto multiplied and Sasuke was now boxed in by four shadow clones and the real deal who was pointing his index finger millimetres away from the space between his eyes.

"Answer me dammit! I warned you."

"It's none of your business. This can wait."

"Sakura likes you a lot, you know? Maybe it's fair to say she loves you. And what, you just stand her up like that? Like it's nothing?"

He wanted to avoid this escalating, as this sort of thing tended to do with Naruto.

"Naruto, I'll ask one more time. Move."

"No."

Sasuke blocked the simultaneous attacks with his forearms and thighs causing two of the clones to pop into a puff of smoke.

"You idiot Naruto!"

"Hey! What's the big idea Shikamaru?"

Naruto was dragged off by Choji and Shikamaru but not soon enough. The chakra had yet again disappeared. Tch.

He should go back to Sakura and … That was just pointless and her tendency to mother him wasn't what he was in the mood for.

"You idiot. Have you forgotten the rules of the exams?"

"Huh?"

What a drag.

"Naruto if you had been caught fighting by anyone other than myself you and Sasuke could have been disqualified."

"Oh yeah. I totally forgot, you know?"

Still the same old Naruto; act first, think later.

Choji was munching on a bag of chips. "What was all that about anyway?"

"I warned him. I warned Sasuke to treat Sakura properly or I'd deal with him. Bastard was supposed to be at a dinner with her tonight and I found him wandering around the streets. Which means he's probably left Sakura waiting or worse he's ditched her."

"Who cares?"

"What, Shikamaru?"

"I'm not going to pretend to understand what it is you two see in him. Sasuke's a jerk. Sakura deserves better."

"Tell Sakura that. But there's no changing her mind."

"Well then maybe they deserve each other."

Shikamaru had kind of expected at least a small amount of protest on his remarks but Naruto didn't come to the party at all. Maybe he wasn't so naïve as he'd once been.

The knucklehead turned his back on them both and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Anyway, I better be off."

"Right." "Naruto…"

"Yeh?"

"Good luck with the exams."

"Thanks."

It wasn't like Shikamaru to interfere or involve himself however, he wanted Naruto to succeed. The guy had incessantly reminded them all how he was going to be the Hokage one day and he wasn't about to let someone like Sasuke Uchiha prevent him from achieving that goal.

"Where are you going Shikamaru?"

"Home. See you later Choji."

Lying to his best friend was pretty poor on his behalf and although, that's where he should have gone, Shikamaru wound up standing in front of Asuma's headstone.

The vociferous panting stirred Nina's consciousness bringing into that place of limbo between not quite asleep but not prepared to be fully awake either.

"You're in his spot."

Judging by Kakashi's slightly hoarse voice he'd only just started coming to as well. Peeping her eyes open one at a time she was faced with the fullness of Bull's muzzle and his hot and pungent breath.

"Give me a second, Bull."

"Kakashi…"

"Hmm?"

"Care to explain why I can't move?"

"Look for yourself. Bear in mind any space you give up you aren't likely to recover."

Nina slowly sat herself up to find seven canines sprawled out in varying positions on and around the bed.

"Nina…"

"Huh?"

And without a second's notice the bed dipped low on the side she was laying as Bull made no reservations in reclaiming his spot. Kakashi pulled her out of harms' way and to the only available position- atop of him.

"I did try to warn you."

"You did."

He gathered and twisted Nina's hair to over her back as she scooted down, her legs between his, her head nursed comfortably on his chest and the top of her head just hit his chin.

"Sorry about that."

"No need to apologise. This is their home."

Definitely different.

Idly stroking his fingers across Nina's temple and hair line he attempted to think of time this had ever occurred.

"In case you were wondering, Boss."

Pakkun padded up Nina's back and took up a spot on her lower lumber in order to encourage Kakashi's hand to scratch his ear and not draw circles on Nina's skin. Kakashi quirked an eyebrow at the pug.

"The answer is never."

"Morning Pakkun."

Nina stayed in place unbothered by the little dog.

"Floozy."

Nina felt the beginnings of Kakashi's rebuttal and lifted her head, silencing him with a soft kiss, without removing the mask he'd put back in place at some stage during the night.

The tender warmth that was encompassing her soul was short lived as the realisation of what the day was came over her.

Asuma's birthday.

Not that she would share the intimate details of what was unfolding between her and Kakashi, however, she couldn't help but wonder what Asuma would think?

Clamping down on it all- the thoughts, the feelings, the questions- everything that was beginning to churn her insides and making her feel terribly nauseated, she pressed her ear to Kakashi's chest focussing solely on the steady rhythmic doofing of his heart.

All eight dogs' ears pricked up.

Striking. Not a behaviour they'd exhibited before, to his knowledge.

Enmeshing their bodies farther, Kakashi wrapped one arm around the entirety of Nina's small frame and the other held her head endearingly against his chest.

"Anyway..." She cleared her throat, swallowing a gulp of saliva tainted with bile. "I should get up. I have…I mean I want..." The second time there was more bile than saliva and it burnt on its descent.

The room spun on tilt for a minute or two. Get it together Nina. She had work today and life went on. Death was a part of her everyday life and his was no exception.

"I should have a shower."

She deftly untangled from Kakashi and the dog pile surrounding them. Hmpf. She may have been naked but she noted that there wasn't even one pair of eyes on her as she made her way to the bathroom.

The pipes groaned to life behind the closed bathroom door. He'd need a shower too following last night. Shit. The meal Nina had cooked was still out on the stove.

"And that was, Boss?"

"It's Asuma's birthday today."

He slipped on a pair of grey tracksuit pants and headed into the kitchen.

Kakashi banged the spoon on the last bowl a few times signalling for the rest of the pack. He went to rinse the spoon but remembered the water system was a little finicky and he didn't want to risk giving Nina an unexpected burst of cold water in the midst of a much needed hot shower.

Back in the bedroom, Kakashi stripped the bedding and loaded it all into the washing machine which he wouldn't turn on until Nina was finished in the shower. He then remade the bed and started on his usual morning workout routine.

He heard the door creak open but had his back to the bathroom, with his feet hooked up under the underside of the bed while he was doing sit ups.

The clock read 6am, she didn't start work for two hours so would have plenty of time to meander her way down to Asuma. Although, with what her eyes were feasting on in the reflection of the mirror she may very well stay put.

For the time being Nina had herself in check now and she would pass on breakfast with her stomach's queasiness persisting.

Opening her pack she located the roll of bindings for her chest.

"Paranoid?"

"And justified."

The kages must have been smiling down on him today, either them or Asuma was lending a helping hand because Nina had ensnared her breasts with a restrictive covering, but provided an opening by choosing to wear a skirt today.

It skimmed along the floor at the back, meanwhile the front hardly touched her knees, with the seams held together by a buckle either side. It was normal attire for kunoichi as it allowed freedom in movement whilst allowing access to their thighs where most would have a pouch strapped to it holding an array of weapons such as kunai and shuriken.

Kakashi gave a half strained, airy snigger and rolled over to start on push ups. He'd underestimated Nina before and it'd done him a great disservice. There was no way he was going to accept she didn't have a secret agenda.

Two feet in shoes with toenails painted in a glossy, jet black polish scuffed the floor directly in front of him. He threw a sideways look to where her pack had been and was no longer.

Temporary. It didn't have to be.

The feet shuffled away from him in the direction of the bedroom window that opened up out onto the balcony.

"Nina…"

"Hmm?"

It was a seldom occurrence but Kakashi was tongue tied with the multitude of questions he wanted to ask her.

"See you tonight?"

That's not what he had intended to ask. Shit. Which way would she interpret what he was asking?

"Planning on crashing the ladies' night, Hatake?"

"No, but it is a small village."

"I suppose it is that."

"That wasn't what you meant, was it?"

Of course it wasn't, but then Nina was no fool nor a dependent. Her reply had been what was needed. She had a home of her own. It had been a band aid solution, and band aids were … temporary.

"Pakkun, I need you to locate Master Jiraiya."

"Right."