The streets of Hidden Leaf village

Late in the afternoon, after Nagato's disappearance was reported

Yahiko stared at the pavement as he walked through the busy streets of the Leaf village at night. His friend still hadn't come back yet, and he was worried. Jiraiya-sensei dispatched the ANBU to look for him after Yahiko had reported earlier that evening that he hadn't come home. They were scouring the village, looking high and low. Orochimaru had asked for a few to be detached to his command for the time being. Jiraiya-sensei had agreed, but bitterly. If the pale man knew where his apprentice was, he didn't want to share with the Hokage. Yahiko also asked to help.

"Only until sunset," his master had said. And so it had gone.

He went to every place that he, Konan and Nagato had visited recently. He was disappointed to find absolutely no trace of his friend. With his spirits considerably low, he decided to make one last stop at Konan's apartment. His hand had been perfectly poised to knock when he hesitated. Did he really want to worry Konan? Nagato was her friend too, but did it do any of them any good to tell her now, at the end of his allotted time to search?

Biting his lip, he cursed himself. Pulling his hand away he turned to leave, and the door handle began turning. The door opened, and Konan stepped out wearing a plain purple cotton T-shirt and long blue sweatpants. Her frown was just as cute as her smile.

"What are you doing here, Yahiko?" Her voice was playful, and he felt himself relax as he faced her.

"Oh, uh… nothing really." He met her eyes, a deep orange the color of sunsets. "I'm just… have you seen Nagato? Since the hospital, this afternoon?" The surprise on her face told him what he needed to know.

"Nagato? Why, has something happened?" She stepped outside the doorway and shut it completely behind her. He was suddenly aware of the faint scent of her perfume, the scent Lady Tsunade had given her for her last birthday.

"Not sure. He never came home after visiting with Orochimaru-sensei. I'm just checking." She nodded and glanced at the sunset.

"Mind if I join you?" Her eyes turned back to him. Beautiful, orange eyes. Eyes the color of… oranges. Tangerines, maybe? (He was doing his best, alright?)

"Sorry. Sensei only gave me until sunset." He let out an explosive breath, and she jumped. "That's not enough time, dammit. He could be anywhere!" The anxiety that had been growing since he realized Nagato was missing finally exploded. He started pacing back and forth. Konan relaxed a bit and, smiling, attempted to lay a comforting hand on his arm.

"I'm sure he's fine—," she tried to assure him, but before she could finish, he rounded on her.

"Fine? Fine?! He's been missing for hours! Do you even care?!" The slap came out of nowhere. Konan's hand, quick as a snake, whipped from her waist to Yahaiko's cheek in less than a second. The blow was both powerful and surprising. Yahiko stumbled back a few steps into the railing, eyes wide and cheek stinging. Konan gasped, her eyes widening as well.

"Y-Yahiko, I'm so sorry, I— I don't know what came over me." She took a step or two forward and tried to touch his cheek where she slapped him. He jerked his face away from her hand and ducked towards the stairs.

"it's fine. Was a jerk, don't sweat it," he mumbled. His pride was more wounded than his cheek, and he quickly went down the steps. He took them two at a time and jumped to the middle platform below. Konan finally seemed to stir herself, running swiftly to catch up.

"Hey, wait up. Yahiko, listen to me!" But he felt like doing neither. He kept up the ridiculous chase until they were on the ground level: him brooding and running, her calling his name and giving chase. Hearing her bare feet pitter-patter on the stone walkway, he slowed up a bit. He couldn't say why, but he wanted so badly to apologize. Of course Konan cared. He had crossed a line, earned the slap. It still upset him though.

She grabbed his arm firmly and yanked him to a halt.

"Yahiko!" She breathed exasperatedly, and he saw she was panting. He realized his own breath came a bit hard and fast, too. Turning halfway, he refused to meet her gaze. Choosing to look anywhere but those perfect orange orbs, he grunted.

"What? You made your point." The friendly atmosphere was gone, had been killed the instant he turned his wrath on her. It's my fault, he reflected glumly. Konan gave no hint that the gruff rebuttal hurt her any more than his accusation had.

"Look at me," she said softly, no trace of anger or hurt in her voice. He grit his teeth. She always did this when they fought. When he didn't, she leaned to where he could just barely see her face in his peripheral vision. She always did that, too, when he ignored her.

"Look. At. Me." She repeated. He obeyed this time. His coffee brown eyes met her sunset orange ones, and for a moment neither one of them spoke. Try as he might, he just couldn't keep up the tough-guy act when he looked at her. Like a lightning rod, her eyes absorbed all the anger out of his tired, anxious, worried muscles. His whole body sagged and with it came a sigh just as weary. He leaned against the wall and slumped down to a seated position. She squatted down next to him and studied his face.

"Nagato will be fine." She sounded so sure of herself that he looked up at her and felt the truth of her words. A steady calm filled him, and he blinked like it was all so obvious. What was he thinking? This was Nagato they were talking about. He laid his head back against the wall and took a deep breath.

"You're right. Dammit, I'm sorry, Konan. I just…" he trailed off, and she nodded. Squeezing his arm, she lifted it up off the ground and cupped his hand in hers.

"I know," was all she said. It was all she needed to say. They both remembered the many times he had gone without food just so she and Nagato could eat what little they had. It had been a hard war, and hard wars always drained the food supply. Not even orphans could beg hard enough to earn full bellies back in those times. "I forgive you, Yahiko. It's alright. After everything you've done? It's more than alright."

He made eye contact with the kunoichi in front of him and studied her features. She was no longer the little girl that was like his sister. Where she used to have skin so tight you could see bones, there was now a healthy, toned amount of muscle. Where once he skipped meals just to feed her, they shared instant ramen and cookies and chips and sodas. All because they could, because of the generosity of the Third Hokage. Where once he saw the girl that was just a friend, he now saw someone different. He saw… what, exactly?

Her face was nice to look at, and her eyes, God, he could get lost in them. If only he never had to blink or sleep. Her cheeks were soft and round, and her chin was the perfect ratio of roundness to complete the set, making up her perfect face. Her nose was long and slender, straight as an arrow and not too big. Pretty, even. Lastly, her lips. Oh, boy, her lips. As a boy he had never thought about kissing so often as he did now, and every time he did, he knew exactly what lips he wanted to kiss. Full and soft, though not too big. She didn't need lipstick to make him sweat, yet the few times he'd seen her wear it sent his heart into overdrive. If he needed to describe her in one word, it would be perfect.

"Yahiko?" She asked again. He blinked and saw that she was blushing slightly. I was staring, he thought, and started blushing too. His internal temperature must've risen to 10,000 degrees.

"A-ah, sorry. I didn't mean to… um, I'll just get going." He looked away and pushed himself to his feet. She looked down and stood as well. She wrung her hands together and spoke, barely above a whisper.

"Y-you don't have to go… I wouldn't mind the company." She was inviting him to stay, he realized. She glanced up, red as a beet and hopeful. God forgive me, he thought. I have to decline in a way that lets her save face. Internally, he wanted nothing more than to stay, and see what happened. God, did he ever. But he needed to find Nagato, or at least report his failure to the Hokage. He touched her arm gently and spoke softly in the most soothing voice he could manage.

"Konan… I'm not saying no, just… not right now. Not—," in an instant, Konan mumbled something that sounded like 'sorry' and bolted for the stairs. He called after her, and she ignored him. He watched her run up all three flights of stairs and then disappear around the corner. He growled in anger, but not at her. Never at her.

"Idiot!" Kicking the ground in his rage, he balled his fists. "You completely embarrassed her. Stupid, stupid man." Turning, he meant to follow after her. He made it halfway up the second flight of stairs when one of Konan's neighbors started down. He didn't know their name, but the woman stopped and gave him a look that made him queasy. How many of them heard? He couldn't bear the shame that her eyes made him feel. She knew. And she was accusing him.

He turned and fled down the stairs as quickly as he could, running until his feet met stone, then he kept on running. He ran all the way back to his apartment and burst in through the door. Slamming it shut, he fell back into it and slid to the floor. Only this time, nobody came to comfort him. He sat there, catching his breath, and reprimanding himself for a long time. The heat he gathered from his run, along with the tightness of his flak jacket, was starting to become too much for Yahiko to handle. But he didn't take it off.

He would sweat, he decided, until his shame wore off. His long run across the village, along with his rage at humiliating Konan and his inability to find Nagato, had exhausted him. Hunger tugged at him too, but he ignored it. Food was too good for him. When he felt like he had tortured himself enough, he pulled the zipper down on his flak jacket and shrugged it off. The cool night air coming from an open window was all he thought he deserved. He had never seen Konan so red and embarrassed. He would've laughed if he hadn't thought she would never speak to him again.

Yahiko sat there all night. Somewhere off near Konan's apartment, someone was setting off fireworks. Probably leftovers from the Hokage ceremony. The smoke left behind reminded him of the smoke that had been coming from the burnt-out ramen shop, Ichiraku's, all day. The rumors that the owner had left a stove on by accident, causing the place to burn down, or that it was all planned so he could file a false insurance claim, had already begun spreading. He knew that it was really the result of Orochimaru-sensei's battle with ROOT, but half the village didn't even believe the ANBU existed, much less an evil offshoot organization. He rose briefly to get a glass of water and a snack, then returned to his seat to rest and ponder.

It had only been a day since Jiraiya-sensei became Hokage. Already, Yahiko was sensing a shift in the power dynamic. He didn't know what exactly the shift was, but he felt it, nonetheless. It had been a crazy 48 hours, and with the new mission he had been given just a few hours ago, it would only get crazier. He drank his water until the glass was half empty and then set it down to eat his microwaved food. Exhaustion wanted to claim him, and he knew a good, hot shower would put him right to sleep. He was not one to deny his body, so he stood and closed the window before going into the bathroom and shedding his sweaty, sticky clothes. The water was hot and ready for him when he stepped in. Half an hour later, he was asleep in his bed. It was only when he woke the next morning that he remembered he never reported back to the Hokage.

Lord Hokage's office

The next morning

"I see. And what was he doing, besides wandering around aimlessly?" Jiraiya asked the man sitting across from him. The blond hair and blue eyes of his former student always made the ladies go wild. Minato Namikaze had only ever seen one woman, much to Jiraiya's heartbreak. He was a ladies' man at heart, though only for his wife. Minato rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"How should I say this? He was making hand seals. Over and over again, only in a combination that never made any sense to me. He also kept saying something I couldn't hear, although it stopped when I approached." He frowned slightly. " I can't say for sure, just that I saw him in need and decided to help."

Jiraiya nodded and sat back. "Well, thank goodness he's alright. No major injuries, and his hearing will return with time. Descendants of the Uzumaki clan have exceptional healing abilities." That last comment was aimed mostly at Minato's red-headed bride, Kushina. The angry kunoichi had always healed quickly, and her clan was renowned for its special chakra-related healing techniques. The gesture wasn't lost on Minato. He was as sharp as ever.

"I see. So this… Nagato, was it? He's an Uzumaki as well. That confirms what I thought, sensei." His eyes narrowed, and he lowered his voice. "Though, a Rinnegan user roaming freely in the village? Are you sure that's wise sensei?" A twinge of anger flared in Jiraiya's gut. He had seen these kids grow, from war orphans scared of their own shadow to admittedly splendid shinobi. They had earned the Leaf headband, and he would not discredit them in private.

"Nagato is as noble a shinobi as myself, or Orochimaru. Don't question his loyalty in front of me. I won't stand for it even from you, Minato." The blond man stiffened and nodded curtly.

"I.. understand, and apologize. My intent was not to offend." His jaw clenched. "Only to… understand, I suppose. What are they… I mean to say, what are three former Rain shinobi doing here, sensei?"

Jiraiya steepled his fingers in front of his mouth and thought about the question. His student gave no indication of impatience. He finally sat forward.

"I saw the potential in those three. And I figured it would be a shame to let them fall into harm's way. So I asked Hiruzen-sensei to allow me to foster them here. He agreed. Long story short, he gave them headbands as they had proven their skill level to be at least genin-equivalent, and the rest is history. Let it not be said, though, that they haven't earned their current ranks. Two of them are Jōnin, and, if they succeed in this next mission, I mean to elevate the third as well." Minato didn't look pleased at that prospect but nodded all the same.

"I see." He was about to say more when there was a polite three knocks on the office door. Jiraiya looked over his shoulder and the clock above the curved window of his office. Right on time, he thought to himself, smiling.

"Come in," he said conversationally. The door opened, revealing a usually dour-looking Konan accompanied by an unusually uncomfortable-looking Yahiko. The pair were… tense. Awkward, to say the very least. He frowned as they entered. Their arms brushed briefly as they did, and one might have thought they hurtled into each other at the speed of light. Yahiko grimaced, and Konan scooted away in an instant to avoid further contact.

His eyes were wide as saucers as Yahiko pushed the door shut with an all-too-loud slam. A thick silence fell over the room. His eyes flickered in between the two. Konan entirely avoided looking in the general direction of the orange-haired boy. On the other hand, Yahiko couldn't stop looking at Konan, something like regret or long in his eyes. What in the world had gone on between them? And when Konan's eyes finally peeled over to the left, Yahiko's met them. Both of the teenagers quickly looked away, blushing red as roses.

Oh.

Understanding dawned on Jiraiya like the rising sun. One of Tsunade's many bets involving the children had finally come to pass. One of them made the first move, he thought. From her complete and total refusal to look back over towards the left side of the room, he bet that it was probably Konan. Yahiko was also a likely candidate, but he figured that if it were him, Konan would be the one staring.

Minato cleared his throat, and Jiraiya motioned for them to sit. He motioned with his head for his oldest student to move from the chair on his left to the one in the middle, and he did without complaint. It was a poor sort of buffer zone so that the two teenagers didn't drown the whole room with their awkwardness. Though how well it would work remained to be seen as Konan sat to Minato's right, and Yahiko to his left.

"Let's not waste any time. This mission is an S-rank retrieval. The subject is none other than the third and final Sannin of the Leaf, Tsunade Senju." He let the two newcomers absorb the information. Yahiko had stiffened, while Konan finally lifted her gaze from the carpet. He made sure they comprehended before continuing.

"Her assistance is critical to the recovery of Lord Orochimaru, who as you know, is currently in the Leaf's hospital recovering from his combat wounds." He laid out the details of the mission as matter-of-factly as he could in the shortest time possible. He hated the energy that now permeated the room, and was sure the others did, too. They squirmed each time he said the others' name. Minato, thankfully, sat still and composed.

"Unfortunately, this will be a rocky road. Tsunade is currently suspected to be in the Hidden Stone village. Right across the border of Rain." Both Yahiko and Konan went pale. Neither seemed happy to be returning home, and Jiraiya felt for them. But he couldn't show it now. "This is a multi-faceted mission. While the retrieval team will be going after Tsunade, the infiltration team will be responsible for acquiring intel that our spy on the inside never got the chance to send. You will head to the border as one single team, then before the barrier team arrives, Team Two will teleport into the village. Team Two will, of course, be headed by Minato. He specializes in the Teleportation Jutsu, and you should have no trouble getting where you need to go." He sat back and turned his attention to Konan, who looked surprised to be addressed directly.

"You will lead the retrieval team, hereby known as Team One, and make as much noise when you cross the border as possible. Move as fast as you can, in as many directions as possible, while still holding formation and heading towards the village. While you do that, the barrier team should focus exclusively on you." Konan blinked, still surprised into stillness. He leaned forward.

"Konan. Do you hear me?" She blinked a few more times, then nodded.

"Yes, sensei. I hear you. But… Why me? I've never led a mission before. Only as the second-in-command, never Team Leader." The doubt in her voice tugged at Jiraiya's heart strings. He took a breath and pressed on.

"Konan, how long did you study under Tsunade, after the war? A year? Two?" The girl looked away and muttered.

"A year and a half, sensei." Jiraiya nodded simply.

"That's why. She knows you, but the Hidden Stone ninja probably won't. Despite your Jōnin rank, you've managed to stay under the radar of the other villages. It will be the key to this mission. They won't suspect a former student coming to retrieve her for a delicate operation. Maybe something like you're coming to get her to finally pay off her debts." He nodded. "You know what? I rather like that idea."

Yahiko frowned and glanced at his sensei. Jiraiya saw, and knew they were all thinking about his position. He looked at Konan, who turned a stark shade of white, and he made his decision.

"Yahiko, you'll be on Team Two under Minato." Both teens visibly relaxed. Yahiko even sighed in relief. Jiraiya would have smiled if it hadn't been so strange.

"Konan, Minato, you two are dismissed. I'd like you to stay a bit longer, Yahiko." The two Jōnin stood and left the office without a word, and Jiraiya turned his full attention on his young student. He made sure to stow his Hokage voice and pull out his concerned teacher one instead.

"What happened, Yahiko?" He asked. No preamble. No dancing around it. Straight to the heart of things, like always. Yahiko flushed a pretty shade of pink.

"Konan…" he shifted uncomfortably in his seat before making eye contact. "Konan propositioned me last night." Jiraiya felt his eyes widen, larger than saucers this time.

Oh.

For the second time that morning, understanding flooded Jiraiya's mind like a river after days of heavy rain. He wasn't quite sure what to say. Yahiko, thankfully, filled the silence for him.

"I said no," he amended quickly. "Although I tried to be nice about it, she ran off anyway." He frowned and looked away. "Am I… bad? For humiliating her?"

Jiraiya took a moment to gather his thoughts, which were many. Truth be told, he wasn't sure if his students even properly knew what sex was, though he didn't want to insult their intelligence by asking directly. Instead, he molded his response under the assumption that they did.

"Yahiko," he began gently. "Rejection is hard for anyone. There isn't really a way to soften it up, especially when someone offers to have sex with you." This time, Yahiko's face was the one that lit up as he understood the context of the previous night's event. He seemed to understand, at least.

"So… I didn't do anything wrong?" He sounded hopeful, and Jiraiya nodded slightly.

"So long as you didn't insult her, I suppose not." He raised an inquisitive, threatening eyebrow. "You didn't insult her, did you?" The intended bodily harm was not glossed over. Yahiko quickly shook his head.

"No, sensei! I would never insult her honor, I swear!" His hands bobbed left and right while he fervently shook his head. Jiraiya nodded and sat back.

"Then, I wouldn't say you were a bad person." Yahiko lowered his head in relief and sighed loudly.

"Thank goodness… my dad always used to talk about the bad guys that hurt women, and what he'd like to do to them." He balled his fists. "Though it never stopped him from whoring. I remember mom used to wait up and scold him. But, despite all the grief they gave each other, he would never hit her."

Jiraiya sat quietly as Yahiko spoke, not wanting to interrupt. His students had pasts that would make a grown man shudder. They rarely opened up to him or each other. Though when you had a friendship like theirs, you didn't need to know much to trust each other. It was as natural as breathing. Jiraiya sometimes suspected the others didn't remember their lives before coming to the Leaf. Either on purpose, or because they had repressed it. For Yahiko to be sharing his past, even if it was just a sliver, told Jiraiya he trusted him. I will not break this sacred trust, he vowed.

Yahiko took a breath, looking like he wanted to say more. Instead, he exhaled and looked at the ground, favoring silence over the pain of remembering. Jiraiya decided to proceed with caution. Praise of his father's words might mean more to the confounded young man before him than condemning his extra-marital affairs. He took a breath, drawing Yahiko's eyes to his own.

"Your father was a wise man," he said in a calming tone. "Truly, it gladdens me to hear you carrying on his lessons." He paused to think for a moment and frowned slightly. "However, I have to ask one thing." The two studied each other, Jiraiya taking a moment to enjoy the stiff and anxious expression Yahiko had adopted.

"Did you want to?" Before his pupil could interject, he held up his hands. "This isn't a damnation of your desires, or lack thereof. It's just a question. Did you want to have sex with Konan, or didn't you?" Yahiko's cheeks were so red that Jiraiya believed he could see the Will of Fire deep inside his heart. The nervous, blushing young man turned his head away.

"Yes. God, yes, I wanted to." He clenched his jaw. Jiraiya just nodded.

"Then why didn't you?" Yahiko's face went from defensive in nature to confused. He fumbled for words and stammered, trying to put his own thoughts together. Jiraiya waited patiently, like a good sensei should. He didn't want to mistakenly guide Yahiko in the wrong direction by telling him to be forceful with his future partners. But still, helping him formulate his own reasons for his refusal would only serve to benefit him. It didn't take too much time.

"I didn't want Konan to feel… to feel like she was easy, I guess." He looked Jiraiya full in the face. "I wanted to, sensei. I won't deny that, only… she has a lot of pride and self-respect. If I had immediately jumped on her offer, it could've made it seem like I didn't respect her." He curled his fists into balls and laid them out on his knees. "And I do. Too much to risk dishonoring her, no matter how much I wanted to accept."

Jiraiya sat back in his chair, his chest swelling in pride and admiration. He smiled, a small smile, but still. He was proud of this young boy. His student, this honorable young man, he reflected. The young man had put his friend, and crush's honor before his own wants. He started to chuckle, making Yahiko frown, confused.

"S-sensei?" His voice was high and nervous. Jiraiya pushed himself out from behind his desk and stood up. Crossing the room, he clapped a hand down on his student's shoulder.

"You've made me proud, Yahiko. More than you could know." The praise made him relax, and he returned the smile cheerily. "You considered Konan's feelings and honor before you thought of what the consequences would do to your own. Truly, a mark of chivalry." The young man's eyes were shining with adoration.

"R-really? Do you mean that sensei?" He was positively glowing, grateful for the confirmation of his goodness and the praise his sensei gave. Jiraiya nodded.

"Yes, I mean every word. You're mature beyond your years, son." He removed his hand from Yahiko's shoulder. "One day, when you feel the time is right, don't hesitate to make your feelings known." He chuckled as Yahiko's cheeks went back to being red.

"How long have you known?" Jiraiya tapped his chin and thought back as far as he could remember.

"Oh, I'd say I knew how Konan felt… probably the day we met in that cave." His student perked up and looked more surprised than anything else.

"That far back, huh?" He pursed his lips. "And… what about me? When did you know how I felt?" Crossing his arms, he looked up at his sensei. "Don't try to spare my feelings. Just tell me."

Jiraiya had to think deeper on that. Shutting his eyes, he selectively went through every memory he had of the two friends interacting near him. There were a ton, and most were just fragments. A bit of a joke's punchline here, a muttered swear word and a mischievous giggle there. Until he came on a memory that hasn't surfaced in a long while. He snapped as the memory came to him.

"Do you remember the trip we went on," he said after opening his eyes. "The one we took about a week after you three were made genin?" Yahiko's eyes widened, and he nodded.

"The training exercise with Lady Tsunade and Orochimaru-sensei?" His eyes sparkled with recognition. "Of course! How could I forget? You made us all Chūnin at the end of it." Jiraiya nodded slightly, though he recalled making nobody a Chūnin. That had been all his friends' doing. He had simply watched, not wanting to seem like he was picking favorites.

"When they announced you had gotten a field promotion along with those two, the look you gave Konan. That's when we knew." He chuckled and nodded, certain of it now. Yahiko just nodded, too embarrassed to speak. With his own feelings now out in the open though, he seemed to get over it quickly.

"Thank you, sensei. Thanks for listening, and…" he trailed off. He took a breath and bowed. "Thank you, Lord Hokage. For making me feel like someone cared." Jiraiya blinked in surprise and felt his own cheeks turning red. He laughed and waved his hand.

"Anytime, Yahiko! It's nothing, really. I wanted to listen." He smiled, and Yahiko lifted his head to face him. "And about my title. There's no need for that, Yahiko. When we're alone, or in favorable company, just plain old 'sensei' is fine with me." As an afterthought, he added, "Oh, and Nagato was found last night. He's been taken to the hospital and is resting comfortably." Yahiko nodded his understanding and waited expectantly for his release to go visit his friend.

"You're dismissed. Have fun," and with that, Yahiko bolted from his office taking the stairs three at a time. His assistant yelped in surprise when the door shot open, and gently shut it with the enthusiasm of a mouse. Jiraiya chuckled and went to sit down. There was a mountain of paperwork sitting there waiting for him to finally address.

Taking the first page, he slid on his reading glasses and dove into the document.