A/N: Thank you for the continued support & to Cathy for the review- hopefully you get to read this before another busy week ahead (getting to the end of term makes for crazy schedules) I hope you're enjoying the standard of writing. This is as close to on par for the standard I intend to revamp the entire story at. What do you think?

Enjoy & happy reading x

~Chapter 44: Diversionary Tactics~

"I've worked with cadavers who look more alive than you, Nina."

She supposed they were well passed fakery, and her friend's observation wasn't too far from the truth considering how she felt.

"Afternoon to you too Shizune."

Holding onto the rail, Nina swivelled her body around, sidling in beside the Fifth's right hand lady, and leant her head on her shoulder, letting out a sigh.

"We can go another night, you know?"

"No."

"Nina…"

"No, this is fine. More than fine. It's…"

There were lots of reasons and she lifted her head from Shizune's shoulder with her focus on her left foot scuffing against the worn wooden step. Rebuking on the night's revelry would only leave her to her own devices and mind, which was overrun with umpteen problems and very few solutions.

"It's long overdue and we all need it… I need it."

Taken aback from her candidness, Shizune's hand slipped off the step's edge. She really hadn't given too much thought as to why Nina had resigned herself to Kakashi's lap in the jonin lounge. A two week hiatus and under normal circumstances would mean plenty of rest and relaxation. If anything, Nina had come back in a worse condition than what she'd been in when leaving Konoha.

A few hours ago and too caught up in the contemplation of some elaborate cover up, she'd failed to see the simple truth of the matter; Nina was exhausted. So desperately so that…

That idiot Hatake.

He could have been enough of a gentleman to give the lady the lounge.

Casting her eyes over the slightly younger woman, she was far from a blank canvas for her to gussy up. Every part of Nina screamed fatigue; from the darkened, puffy bags under her eyes to her bedraggled locks, which were pretty near free of the plait that hung down her slouched back.

"You were supposed to finish at 4pm."

Plucking at the open fingertips, Nina removed her full length gloves and laid them over her lap. Both were still damp, their wetness transferring into her skirt. Tch.

"Yeah. Ayame needs to be full time, the new girl is hopeless."

"I'll let Lady Tsunade know."

"Thanks."

The Hokage and any of the higher-ups were high on her avoidance index. Bumping into any of them, particularly Lady Tsunade would most assuredly result in further pressing regarding the status of her and Kakashi.

When did shit get so damn complicated?

Right-Shushu-ya. Damn Asuma and his big dumb foot.

Nothing quite like her normal force, Nina's foot banged clumsily down on the step below. The wood splintered right along the full length of the step. Heh. Another job for Tenzo.

Nina was the most accessible she'd been in weeks, almost months, and Shizune was set on taking the chance to pounce on her lowered guard. As to not tempt her friend into closing up like a clam she remained watchful of her chosen oration.

"I am surprised to hear you say that, though."

"Hmm why?"

"You didn't seem to take her and Kakashi hooking up well."

"Shizune, we've had this discussion. That had nothing to do with why I was …"

"So you admit it?"

"Admit what?"

"That you were pissed and not just about the bet."

Suspending from the inquisition to give Nina a moment to recollect, she looked straight ahead. The sunset was glorious and from where they sat they had full view of the sun dropping behind the mountain range.

"I mean about Kakashi and Ayame; both before and after your mission."

She'd said it in jest upon parting ways with Kakashi, but there was a definite similarity in her responses to the Ayame debacle and whenever Anko's name had made its way into the conversation. Jealousy was a novel emotion to Nina. The biggest issue was not her mistrust of Kakashi, rather it was her distrust of Anko. Her roughness dichotomised with her polyamory rattled Nina's sensibilities.

"I was." Shizune may have been smirking however, Nina hadn't finished her response. "But only because it was affecting the quality of her work."

Seeing her so dejected she figured it was worthwhile throwing Shizune a bone.

"You'll be happy to know I did take on some of your advice."

The only decent conversation they'd had where she'd been able to give Nina any advice was prior to her mission. Since then Nina was a damn locked box- cold and unapproachable.

"Some huh? Just how much is that exactly?"

"Enough to ensure the success of the mission."

"That's more than the nothing that you've previously claimed happened."

"Enough that it may as well have been nothing, and it certainly doesn't change that stupid bet. Satisfied?"

"Meh, it doesn't matter either way. I'm more interested in this Sukea guy who sent you that flower. Just who exactly is he?"

Nina gave a disgruntled groan. "Wish I could tell you."

"Oh for the love of the Fifth, Nina! We're supposed to be friends, aren't we?"

Unintentional or not, she still felt the sting of the connotation Shizune's question had been fused with.

"We are."

And Nina quickly added it to the horde of reasons why tonight was indispensable.

"I really don't know who Sukea is."

The burnt orange sky turned Nina's eye colour to a temperate, golden shade of brown and it gave Shizune inspiration for the colour pallete she could use for when she made her up.

"Come on, we should get ready; even miracles take time."

Uncurling the hem of her pants, then flattening down her tunic, Shizune started scaling the steps up towards Nina's door. They really needed to get a move on otherwise poor Kurenai would be standing around waiting for them after being told to meet up at 530pm.

"Didn't Kakashi pass on the message?"

"Huh?"

Nina was distracted, seemingly admiring the dipping sunlight.

The orange hues had transformed into variegated tones of red. Maya. An image of the little girl with fire-red hair twirling-in-spot from the night of the festival merged with the sky before her. Ironic. Nina was missing her whilst enjoying a sunset, which was something that she had missed whilst back in Amegakure with Maya.

"I knew he…"

"Something about meeting at your place at 530, right?"

"Mhm."

Holding one hand out, palm up, Shizune awaited for Nina to hand over the key.

"It should be unlocked."

"Oh." She turned back to the door which was indeed unlocked and pushed inwardly to give them clear passage. "Look we don't have much time so, get in and …"

She had her back to Shizune, taking in one last look of the fading light on the horizon.

"And what?"

When she didn't get a reply Nina angled her head back up to the entry at the top of the staircase to see what it was that had caused the cut off. It was if someone had hit the pause button, freezing Shizune in spot- bug-eyed and mouth agape.

"I'm sure it's not as grand as your place…"

"No, no. It's not that. I was going to suggest skipping the shower on account of how nice you smelt. However, it's not your perfume, it's…"

Discreetly, Nina took her nose to her left collarbone and gave herself a sniff. All she could smell was bleach and sweat; her typical odour following a hospital shift.

"It's what?"

"It's that."

Shizune was indicating with a tottering index finger to the inside of her apartment. Evidently, she wasn't going to be able to string a coherent sentence together so, Nina bounded up the remaining four steps to find out what it was that had her so stunned. At about the second step from the top it wafted thickly into her nostrils and her right big toe clipped the top step and she tumbled into Shizune, bringing them both down into a tangle of limbs. Not bothering to untangle Nina turned her head to the left and she too became awestruck by the sight before them.

In a frenzied tussle, Shizune broke free of Nina and crawled along on all fours to the coffee table where a matt white, rectangular card had been placed purposefully to make it easily seen from the doorway. Centred on the front half of the card, penned in immaculate penmanship using a gloss, black ink was the name "Nina".

With the card in hand she rose cautiously to her feet, mindful of her surroundings she stepped in and around the beauteous obstacles to deliver it to Nina, whom was yet to gain her bearings.

On every surface within the living space of her humble-sized apartment, there were a plethora of oversized bunches of pink lilies overflowing from within an assortment of coloured ceramic vases.

There was such an abundance it had been astonishing that Shizune had evaded them all to and from her besiegement on the coffee table to retrieve the card. Stabilising herself by pushing the door trim into the groove of her spine, Nina pinched her fingers around the stiff card which Shizune was holding out for her to take possession of.

The room came alight when Shizune hand skimmed in behind her shoulder to flick on the switch belonging to the ceiling light. It took a few moments for Nina's eyes to readjust to the change from the dusky shadows to the pearly white light that bounced off the card and calligraphy.

"Who's it from?"

Nina regarded the room, turning to Shizune's face and then back to the card that would have the answer. Slipping her right index finger between the two halves to bend back the half which had her name on it, she read the name that appeared on the inside. Noting it was also written in the same gloss black ink as her own name.

"Sukea."

"I need a shower."

"Nina Sarutobi! Is that all you can say?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"Like this."

Ignoring the banging on the door from an irate Shizune, Nina stripped down.

"How about you pick out my outfit?"

"Fine! But this conversation isn't over."

And like hell it was. You can't walk into something like that and pretend it didn't happen. Who was this mystery-man Sukea anyway? Pink lilies weren't an easy commodity to source, let alone the cost involved once you did find a florist.

Opening Nina's cupboard she wasn't surprised to find an appalling number of outfits in which to select from. Talk about a miracle…

"Remind me to take you shopping one day."

Shizune knew it'd fallen on deaf ears and continued to flick through the coat hangers. Nina was one of those women who were fortunate enough to be able to look good no matter what they wore. Nina could wear a brown hessian sack… aha! Perfect.

"Hurry up in there! Kurenai will be waiting and I need a-"

"Shower. I know."

Dabbing her hair dry with a secondary towel, she seen what had been laid out for her to wear.

"I'm not wearing that."

She marched over to the cupboard to amend the clothing choice.

"And why not?"

"Because I can't."

"Unless you plan on being naked that's pretty much the only choice."

Nina reviewed the outfit from the reflection in the mirror. To wear it out for a night where Shizune would be doing everything within her power to set her up with a prospective mate, felt like an act of betrayal.

"No. I have to have something in here."

The hangers with the an emerald green skirt and cream off-shoulder top, with lace detailing that ran along the neckline and around the arm cuffs that would loop around her biceps were shoved violently into her arm.

"Shizune…"

"Please?"

Too tired and whirling from the lilies and the revelations rendered from Sasuke, Nina awarded Shizune's puppy-dog-eyed plea a nod. "Fine. But just the skirt."

"Deal. For the top can I suggest…?"

Shizune huffed in annoyance. Rounding the bed to sit on one side she occupied herself by bouncing on the edge when she set eyes on a small cardboard box fastened closed by a pretty pink ribbon. Nina was ransacking through her drawers and sensing no harm in a quick peek she leant over and grabbed the box from the bedside table, stashing it under a thigh as she checked on Nina's progress.

"I know it's in here somewhere."

"I don't care if you don't like it but…"

The dainty tingle had Nina's head snapping up at Shizune and her eyes honing in on the ornate hair pin she was holding up to inspect.

"This is… wow. Where did you get it?"

Nina settled herself, straightening the bands of her selected top before walking backwards to have Shizune zip the back up.

"It was a gift."

"Alright, turn around."

Nina did as she was told, taking a few steps forward before turning so Shizune could appraise her attire. In the mean time she returned the hair pin to the box and set it down on the bedside table.

"From?"

"Can't remember."

That old nutshell?

"Well, there is no use it being stuck in a box. Get some shoes on; Kurenai will be waiting."

"But…"

"But nothing. Let's go."

With her head jammed in the bottom of her cupboard looking for the black heels she'd worn for Kakashi's birthday celebrations, she sung out to Shizune.

"Grab a vase or two for your place."

Coming into the living room that resembled more of a florist dedicated to a sole flower type, Nina noticed Shizune was empty handed.

"You're not walking out of here without at least one."

Mimicking what she had done to her, but with clothes, Nina shoved a vase into Shizune's chest.

"I can't. It wouldn't be right considering Sukea went to so…"

"I don't even know who the fuck he is. Just take one; I insist."

Well, she was smiling, that was somewhat of a promising sign for the night ahead. A touch of makeup, wrangling her hair and there was no limit to the possibilities of what the night may bring.

"They've left the Hokage's assistant's place."

"Good. Track them down and take him with you."

"Anything else?"

"No. Once you find them, he'll know what to do."

"Got it."

Another reason he missed Asuma's presence at times like these; his smoking rituals gave Kakashi the excuse to meet up with Pakkun outside. However, in saying that this was kind of an exception- as it was when concerning Nina. The overall plan was more complex than usual, but she wasn't the average woman either and for his tactically inclined brain, the challenge was welcomed.

Kurenai had clearly been waiting for an interval in their trio to speak with Nina one-on-one and it finally came when Shizune dashed off to the tearoom toilets.

"So, Sukea?"

"Mhm." The contents of Nina's teacup rippled as she blew along the surface, taking another sip and setting it down onto the china plate. "What about him?"

"For a woman who just had a horde of uncommon flowers such as pink lilies delivered, you don't sound impressed?"

"I'm not. I mean it's nice and all, but it's a bit…"

"Overwhelming and definitely not your style."

"Exactly."

What the hell was Kakashi thinking? He should know her well enough by…

"And I'll only ask once, promise, but Kakashi Hatake?"

"Mister eternally unavailable?"

"Not the case from what I seen at the…"

Yeah. Nina understood that feeling. How the spoken word would grow talons and disallowed them to be projected off the tongue.

Kurenai's crimson red eyes closed and she took a sip of tea.

"Wake. Asuma's wake. You were holding hands."

"We were. And like I told Shizune…"

"Told me what?"

It was over in a split second where Kurenai gave a genial smile in Nina's direction; accepting that their time was up.

"That there is nothing between Kakashi and me."

"There you go spouting on about nothing when you've admitted you took some of my advice."

"I also said that it may as well have been nothing."

"Then why are we even talking about him? What about this Sukea guy?"

"Make room I want to hear this too."

Ino dragged out the last available chair of the four that surrounded the table. Wood on wood grating loudly against each other echoed throughout the teahouse to which the staff waggled their fingers in their direction. Nina mouthed a silent apology to them; everyone else seemed unfazed.

"I just heard about your delivery Nina, and I can vouch that it didn't come from us. Only thing that did was the single lily I delivered earlier and let me tell you that was hard enough to get a hold of as it was."

Kakashi, you bastard. He'd planned for this to happen. Manipulating the rumour mill to deflect from him to her. Just fucking great.

"Nina here, claims she doesn't know him. I don't think she's telling the whole truth. I say we move onto to Shushu-ya where we can loosen her pretty little lips with some sake. How about it?"

"Kurenai can't drink."

"Doesn't bother me."

Nina shot her brother's soulmate a dirty look feeling let down that she hadn't given her a fighting chance against Konoha's rumour mill queens. She was given a shrug of shoulders, and a trifling giggle. Outnumbered, with not one person in her corner, Nina was ushered out of her seat and through the streets to Shushu-ya.

Kurenai's belly had popped and then some, and really just in the last two weeks. The expectant mother cradled the top and bottom of her diminutive round baby bump. There was the so called tell-tale pregnancy glow which was highlighted under the warm lighted lanterns that lined the underside of the buildings. Her slender kunoichi figure was filling out in wondrous womanly curves. Being a haven for one of Konoha's Kings suited Kurenai. She hoped that miscreant they'd apprehended was getting his just deserves under Ibiki's wrath. Her anger jumped to guilt; the very same thing Kakashi had cautioned her to let go of. I'm sorry Asuma. Bringing herself back to the present, Nina thought back to the anticipatory Aunty vibes she'd felt when the news first broke and how her effort had been missing since then.

"I am sorry about this."

"Heh. No you're not." They came back together after dodging around a stall that jutted out from the front of a grocers. "Anyways, it's me who owes you an apology. I haven't been around a lot and…"

"But you are here now and that's all that matters. You'll be a great Aunty, Nina."

"Thanks."

Walking a few steps ahead of them, Konoha's rumour mill was in full swing as Ino's and Shizune's unchecked vocal chattering and overly animated facial expressions reached far and wide into the village.

"I guess Asuma's so called brotherly intuition was askew."

"Huh?"

"He was convinced there was something between you and Hatake."

"I thought you said…"

"I did but … please?"

Kurenai was the ideal big sister. Funny that. Anything said between them was unthreatened from becoming public knowledge; including from her brother if he were still alive. Unfortunately, Shizune didn't have the same respect for confidentiality, nevertheless she still cherished her as a true and dear friend.

Their steps became less hurried, the gap between them and their friends increased and Nina kept her voice to a hush.

"What did Asuma say?"

"A lot and nothing at the same time. Said you could do worse."

Heard that.

"What happened on that mission?"

"Enough…"Nina's sigh mutated into a yawn. "Sorry. Enough to fulfil our mission's requirements."

"A little more specific for the pregnant woman."

It wasn't medically substantiated however, she'd heard it plenty in her time to assign a small measure of belief that there was such a thing as pregnancy brain.

"Anyone looking from the outside wouldn't have had any problem accepting we were a bonafiable couple."

"And from the inside?"

"What's with all the whispering you two?"

This time, Nina couldn't be more thankful for the interruption and their arrival at Shushu-ya.

"I'll get us some drinks. Water Kurenai?"

"Yes please."

Nina made her quick withdrawal and knew instantly that she was in for more trials when greeted by the owner at the bar.

"Here to check out the refurbished bathrooms, Nina?"

"That and a ladies night."

The plainness of his sneering scoff proved that he too had reservations about a mundane set of events occurring for the night ahead. Her recent history within the walls of Shushu-ya had all the makings of a best-selling drama novel. Come to think of it, there had been a different male lead role- Kakashi and then Raido, and tonight… well who the fuck would know?

The conversation between the trio back at the table was fixated on the mystery man Sukea. If only they knew the truth. But alas, that wasn't a mystery she could divulge and it'd be a detail Kakashi would have factored into his plan, without question.

Her body jolted when her elbow was linked with another belonging to Shizune.

"Come on already. You seem to have gotten lost."

"Sorry. I was just payi…"

Everything and everyone fell silent; all that could be heard was the metal of a handful of coins and rustling of paper notes being placed on the wooden bar.

"You're a hard woman to track down Nina Sarutobi."