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One More Time

Chapter 5: Interest

Naruto grumbled under her breath while sitting stiffly next to a quiet Neji. He had not pressed against any of her boundaries but the guy was so very different from her. Right now she had been on edge hoping for the word to come back from Jiraiya. She truly had not wanted to suffer under the ever silent presence of the Hyuga glower.

She had been kept back from going out on missions and really needed to know what was going on out beyond the village walls. In all honesty, she didn't want to go on these dates as her mind was still focused entirely on the problem under the surface. Despite the voice of both her own inner thoughts and Karuma within her calling her a liar. The truth was she held no interest for either the Uchihas or the Hyuga but the lone Nara in her path had long ago caught her interest. She just kept telling herself she could do nothing about her feelings at the moment. They had a world to save...that was more important than her muddled feelings...right?

Madara was still alive and being a right pain in the ass. Plus she was getting sick of the constant chill of eyes on her most likely coming from white Zetsu. The creature had been following her around since the disappearance of its other half. and Naruto was tired of being watched over. Sure this would be the perfect excuse for her to go over to Shikamaru and fall into his arms but Naruto still had to be made to appear put upon. Despite her quiet feelings, she could not risk them using Shikamaru against her. Even if she was elated by the situation at hand she needed to appear as if this was all political and only light emotions of contentment were connected to her partner.

To the eyes of the village, eligible bachelors were chasing after the hand of the nine-tailed container. To white Zetsu and Madara, they were in wait of the possibility of Naruto getting pregnant to exploit a weakness in her that they did with her own mother. In all honesty, it had worked for them pretty well the first time but after a few years, they would realize Naruto has no intentions to get with child right away. They would have to act then and Naruto would be ready for them then.

Though last time they had an advantage, Obito personally knew her father and mother and their habits and secrets. Naruto was an enigma to them and she was keeping it that way. Were she to somehow get knocked up she had made plans to give birth in the realm of the great toad sages. No matter what she would live her life but thwart any hope the fuckers had of taking her down. Naruto frowned to herself realizing she was already dreaming of dark-eyed babies with Shikamaru. She knew this was their current cover but damn if only she could have had the nerve to ask Shikamaru out before all this political chaos had occurred.

Naruto truly wished to just wash her hands clean of all this business and focus on trying to win over Shikamaru's heart entirely. She doubted his feelings a bit because at one point in their past he had another life. He had a wife and was just her advisor and second-hand man. Now she was still jumping with the hope that his feelings remained after their war, after this world's bloodshed after all the terrible things she had done to protect her village. So the Uzumaki even held herself back to protect Shikamaru and their possible offspring. Naruto was almost positive if given the opportunity she would fall into Shikamaru's embrace fairly quickly and would most likely end up pregnant. The blonde would not be leaving any chances for the bastards to do to her as they did her mother. Though until any of the three targets surfaced, she could only sit on her ass and appear to be living her life in peace. Well, she should be living her life, even Jiraiya told her she needed to just live in this moment because there was no going back.

That...was easier said than done though.

Now to the problem at hand, sitting in silence for the last forty minutes was grating on Naruto's nerves. Her attempts at conversation had been thwarted by the terse and clipped replies coming from her pale-eyed counterpart. Neji was such a stiff, even in this lifetime and all the changes they had to face together he was still as conversational as a board.

Then again in their first lives, Neji had not been much of a talker then either, so it wasn't truly so much of a surprise. It was even more uncomfortable since Hinata was their chaperone, and the girl would nervously flit her eyes back and forth between them. The soft-spoken teen would blush when caught but would look at her own cousin imploringly as if she wanted to yell at him to talk. Naruto almost snorted at the thought of Hinata yelling at anyone though. She was such a sweetheart in both lives that the blonde knew there would be little chance for the girl to be forced into such a situation.

Though it currently meant she was trapped in this silent shop with her cooling tea and untouched food sitting out before her for another hour or so.

She really should have just eloped with Shikamaru before her return to the hidden village this time. It would have saved them both a lot of wasted time and honestly, it would have fulfilled a deeply hidden dream Naruto had always harbored.

The blonde had been in love with Shikamaru long before their return to the past. Since they had been children the first time around, it had faded when he began seriously dating Temari. Well, she thought it had faded but found her assumption to be incorrect when his words spouted in their panic-filled return made them rush forth with ease. As if she had never truly stopped loving the Nara. Naruto pouted as her thought fell back into her strong feelings for the Nara. She delved into the thoughts a bit before feeling a pair of eyes bore into her.

Naruto's bored gaze flicked back to Neji who quickly and shyly averted his gaze from staring at her.

It was uncomfortable, to say the least.

Naruto trudged through the rest of the encounter before she was finally escorted back to her home and the blonde knew something was wrong. Neji's expression darkened the further into the red light district they traveled into.

Naruto was glad they had the forethought to send Hinata off home before they made their way to her own home hidden behind one of the notorious tea houses.

"You are a shinobi, why don't you move into the dorms." Neji's gaze narrowed as one of the district's prostitutes winked his way. Neji wrapped his arm protectively around the blonde who only frowned.

"I'm guessing you have a problem with it but I've been on my own for a long time. The people here are different but they are loyal to one of their own. The workers you sneer at kept me hidden so men would not rape a defenseless child. Before my acceptance into the ranks, people looked down on the orphan like you did before our match." Naruto swiped away Neji's hand and strode toward the darkened pathway of her home. "I think you should really pull that stick out of your ass before I next see you."

"Be safe on your way home." Naruto ignored the soft call of her name as she charged up into her apartment and slipped into her bathroom to change. Neji was pretty judgemental and it rubbed Naruto the wrong way.

She grew up alongside these people and despite their unsavory background, they were all decent people. It was the villagers and the upper crust of people in the shinobi clans who were terrible. Naruto had been protected from those people who lied, killed, and stole just to get ahead in life. Just to inherit something others had and yet they looked down on her and the people that protected her just because they had grown in an environment where selling your body was the norm. Where gambling houses came after you for repayment. Where liquor flowed freely and Naruto was one of their people. Sure she was a shinobi but the people of the red light district treated her like one of them. Like another human with bad luck who strived to survive in this world and fought to find a place in society. These were her people just as the shinobi were her people. Just as the villagers were her's because she was the jinchuriki of the leaf village. She was also their future Hokage, whether they liked it or not.

Honestly, a sheltered man like Neji didn't have a chance with her even in their past life. He loved the idea of who Naruto could be. The beautiful wife who would stand by his side and guide him, when honestly she wasn't that noble. She aimed to fix this mess they were in and the only way to do it was by getting her hands dirty and fighting for it. To make the fools on the civilian council bow down and acknowledge her. She needed someone who would welcome her, despite the terror she would have to reign on the idiots in control. Someone who could be just as pragmatic and bloodthirsty as she had grown to be.

Yeah, Neji did not belong in her world.

OMT

Naruto pinched the bridge of her nose when Sasuke and Itachi continued their match of glares from across the table. The brothers were trying to decide on what to do for their outing with the blonde. Let's just say it was not going well.

The Uzumaki was wholeheartedly against going out into the village. She would not die a painful death by a fangirl. Itachi and Sasuke both had them and they were all insane and Naruto was not dumb enough to put herself through that kind of torment. She knew for a fucking fact she would do anything to not be tied down to an Uchiha. She sure as hell would not be choosing either shinobi but Fugaku was not a man you insulted, so she had to give the Uchiha a chance. Then reject them and making it seem as if it was an external issue rather than her unwillingness to align herself with their clan. The thought alone almost made her shudder in horror.

If she had to marry Sasuke and have his kid the poor child would run the risk of duck butt hair. Itachi still freaked her the hell out and she refused to bear the thought of having his baby, let alone marry the man who was several years older than she was. She could never get over the fact that he had at one point annihilated his entire clan for his brother's safety. Yeah, that did not make her feel so warm and cozy, and don't even bring up that brother complex.

Yeah, that would be too strange for her to deal with daily.

Focusing back onto the conversation their chaperone Shisui was sitting next to Naruto snickering and making commentary at the brother's expense. The blonde herself just rolled her eyes feeling too damn old. She tried to remain focused despite her mind wanting to linger back to thoughts of Shikamaru.

Her gaze wandered around the tea room, it was normal looking enough. Not like the dark and dreary hallowed out haunt Sasuke had hidden away in her first life. Her eyes flickered to the unassuming seem in the wall by a flowery vase. She remembered there was a hidden latch there containing many of the Uchiha tomes and secrets but they were secure there as only two people were to know of the location.

The clan head and the Hokage.

Having been the Hokage and Sasuke's teammate at one point in her past she knew of it but knew better than to draw attention to it. Looking away Naruto found her eyes searching through the window, she was bored and wished to just leave but knew she'd piss Fugaku off in a heartbeat if she did so.

Naruto settled against the wall letting the arguments of the two brothers wash over her while she contemplated what still needed to be done. She needed to find a way to draw out the three elusive enemies of hers, she truly wanted this to end and aimed to finally settle down. Truly and well settled down in peace with hopefully Shikamaru at her side and not as a facade.

One could only hope.

OMT

The blonde huddled close to Shikamaru, the ever-present gaze of his older cousin was lazily watching the duo. They were speaking in hushed whispers while nibbling on snacks.

"That's kind of dumb Naruto, how in the hell did you even think of going about it in such a way." Shikamaru was scratching his head confused and Naruto puffed her cheeks in feigned hurt.

"It's not dumb, it's innovative." Naruto groused making her partner frown as he shoved the paper in her face.

"If you put that open curved line there it will fucking implode." The pair were talking over a new batch of seal work Naruto was creating. The blonde huffed and rolled her eyes.

"Well duh." Shikamaru sputtered and Naruto snickered.

"It's supposed to disguise the scenery not blow up!" Shikamaru shook his head annoyed and Naruto snorted.

"It will be timed so it traps the person and explodes. I think it would be great for pranks to a lower degree and with paint instead of explosives though." Naruto rubbed her chin in thought and Shikamaru frowned.

"Damn...that is kind of innovative." The Nara huffed and ignored his cousin's snicker as he lost the argument to the blonde. Though when it came to seals Naruto truly was the expert of the two of them. Shikamaru could walk you through a seal and over every detail but he was not creative enough to create some of the more... multi-functional options Naruto came up with.

Shikamaru eyed the blonde who was happily looking over her work. She was sitting in a black tank top with some shinobi pants on barefoot and messy-haired. She truly was a natural beauty even mussed up he could not fight his feelings for her. He was weak and even he could acknowledge it to himself. He wanted nothing more than to pull the blonde into his arms and kiss her senseless but held back. He was no Casanova and barely had any skills manageable to capture Naruto's entire interest and he knew it.

The Nara heir had hoped against hope that he could figure out a way to use this opportunity presented to woo Naruto. Though to be honest Shikamaru had never wooed anyone. No offense to his past life and previous wife but Temari pursued him and he settled because he doubted Naruto felt anything for him. He cared for Temari in his past but his heart had always belonged to Naruto from the moment her bright blue eyes lain on him in the playground when they were three. He had fallen hard when at the time he had thought she was a boy and worried he had been gay but figured the truth out before they had graduated. Then it had been too late to pursue the blonde as they were both preoccupied with their own teams. Then Naruto left and retired even more intimidatingly beautiful and Temari had already convinced him to date her by then.

The previous life he had been a lazy coward when it came to forming relationships and that led to the clusterfuck his life had once fallen into.

Though now that he was gifted with the opportunity he could do nothing more than talk over their future covert operations and duties they have had yet to accomplish. He was still a fucking coward when it came to connecting to the blonde.

It was like he forgot how to be casual with the woman now that there was the chance to date and marry her. His mind was a mess, but Shikamaru couldn't help but keep his hopes for this relationship high.

A soft sight finally slithered out of his blonde companion who eyed the Nara chaperone. Naruto gained a glint in her gaze and that was all the warning Shikamaru got before a screen of smoke burst forth. Shikamaru yelped as Naruto grabbed his wrist and the pair slipped out of the tea room in his home charging deep into the forest away from his home and their chaperone.

They were going to get in trouble. Fugaku would surely hear of this and throw a fit but right now Shikamaru couldn't focus on that. He was keyed into the soft excited laughter escaping his blonde companion.

Maybe he didn't have to force anything. Shikamaru felt it would be better to just let Naruto take the lead on this relationship. That's how it has always been and honestly, it was what made him love her. She was uncomplicated and just lived her life despite the danger lurking around them. Maybe Shikamaru needed to take on that same mindset for a bit concerning the blonde.

The effortless care she put into their time together and continued to do so made him feel warm inside. He was starting to sound like a sap, just like his father.

Was that really so bad though?

Shikamaru didn't think so. So with determination in his gut, he set off to spend some quiet quality time away with Naruto. They both needed a bit of peace anyways, and honestly, he was looking forward to a nice afternoon with just the two of them.

Yeah, that sounded really nice.

Thank you for reading!