Sasuke motioned for the other two of his current teammates to hurry up. The brats at the academy had been insufferable and if he had the choice, Sasuke would've hung them all from the tree Konohamaru had been stuck on not too long ago and never look back. But as things were, violence wasn't an option. So Sasuke chose the next best choice. Escape. Retreat.

The moment the clock struck 12, he rushed outside, his shift technically over. He left Sakura and Shikamaru to deal with wrapping up the shitty lesson on Kumo's history. The amount of groans that topic had garnered from the class full of children had been enough indication that they were going to be bored to death in that lecture. Sasuke smiled internally at that thought. Good. Good that those children suffered as much as he did.

He saw the pink of Sakura's hair around the corner of the gates and hurried off again. Those two were more than capable of catching upto him. Didn't matter that he was practically sprinting at full speed, away from the academy, as if running away from some deadly foe.

In no time at all, Sasuke was outside the Hokage Tower. He wasn't looking forward to giving his report. Usually, all mission reports went straight to the administration desk, where the appointed chunin sorted through all the documents and only the important- A and S rank mission reports - or the reports containing bothersome details were sent to the Hokage.

Not verbal reports though. The first Hokage was known to receive any and all reports verbally, committing details to his memory and occasionally jotting down points of notice. It wasn't until Tobirama's tenure that written reports were made mandatory for any and all missions. Only the occasional assassination was reported orally.

Hiruzen, though, he incorporated both methods. Not evenly. Not randomly. But based on his mood. Not on a whim though, either. Every other day, the Hokage would insist on his chunins or jounins to give him mission reports verbally so he could "interact" with them. If a jounin sensei supervised his genin team's first Tora rescue mission? Hiruzen wanted an oral account of it. He just wanted to laugh at the faces of poor jounins.

And this situation that Sasuke found himself in? Teaching a bunch of over enthusiastic, idiotic kids? Well, there's no doubt the bastard Hokage found his misery amusing too.

"Finally," Sakura said, stopping next to him straight from her fast run. "What's gotten into you? You tucked tail and dashed away like a scared kitten."

"I did no such thing."

"Yes, yes you did," Shikamaru said dryly, already walking into the tower.

Sakura followed, "Oh for fuck's sake Sasuke, come on!"

Sasuke restrained his urge to grumble and trailed along.

"Udon seemed like a smart kid, don't you think?" Sakura asked both the boys, making idle small talk.

"Hmm," Shikamaru hummed, moving his neck to shake of the kinks in it. "Yeah, sharp intellect, encyclopedic knowledge. Kinda like yourself."

Sakura smiled openly, "That was surprisingly sweet Shikamaru. Thanks!"

Sasuke mumbled something under his breath, turning around the corridor and walked towards the Hokage's office.

"What–what did you say?" Sakura asked, matching his quickened pace.

Sasuke yelled, face still not facing the other two,

"I said you fuckers need to hurry or I'm leaving y'all and finishing my report alone."

Sasuke halted when he finally reached the door of the main office. Before he could even think about knocking, an older shinobi, jounin in rank if the special chakric kunai in her pouch was any indication, pushed past him and threw open the door in panic driven haste. Sasuke immediately sidestepped, pressing his body against the wall adjacent to the entrance. He hadn't meant to do something so deliberately intended for eavesdropping. His instincts had just kicked in and he'd followed them.

"–two of them. The border patrol in section 3, northwest of Konohan forest. The chunin team's messenger hawk just came in."

The Kunoichi spoke fast and urgently yet her words came out crisp and clean, refined and clear.

"Two you say? Were their identities recognized?"

"Yes, sir. It's conveyed that the two Akatsuki members spotted were Kisame Hoshikage and Itachi Uchiha. It's already been 2 hours since they were last seen."

"Where were they headed?"

"Difficult to say. Anywhere near the border of Suna, any village there? Or maybe they're headed somewhere else and were taking an indirect route."

"Hm, alright. I'll take care of things now. Thank you. You're dismissed."

The Kunoichi nodded her head and moved towards the door, a little put out that the door wasn't closed shut entirely. Sasuke immediately scooted away, a good 15 steps to his right, trying his best to appear nonchalant.

The Kunoichi didn't spare more than an idle glance towards Sasuke, who by all means and purposes was just an ordinary chunin and the tower of full of those.

"Sasuke?" Sakura called out the moment she saw him, a frown marring her face. Because Sasuke's face was hard, jaw taut with tension and eyes flashing with an emotion Sakura was afraid to put a name too.

"What's gotten into you? What happened?" she asked, and was grateful that Shikamaru wasn't crowding the two. Sasuke tended to close off if interrogated by too many people.

Sasuke didn't reply, still looking at the wall opposite himself. His hands were fisted tightly and Sakura could almost hear his furious thinking. Anger was an emotion Sasuke had always expressed openly.

"Naruto," he said finally. "Which village is he in right now?"

Sakura took the abrupt line of questioning in stride, furrowing her brows trying to recollect.

"Mochita. It's near the north western border shared by Konoha and Suna. Why?"

Sasuke's body was tense, a rubber band pulled taut, ready to snap in half or to unleash all the pent up energy. He exhaled deeply.

"Itachi," he grit out. "He's after Naruto."

Sakura's eyes widened, and she immediately grasped his arm tightly. For support, for reassurance. She didn't really know. She had to let him know though, that if he even thought about going after Itachi for some revenge or some other bullshit, she wouldn't stop him but she wouldn't let him go do it alone either.

"He. The Hokage. He'll send a team maybe. Someone. Right?" Sasuke asked, more to himself than Sakura but she responded nonetheless.

"Probably. What do you plan to do?"

"I want to go. I can't. I don't know. I want to go, even if there's a high chance I'll get into fight with Itachi again."

Sakura nodded sharply and let go of her hold. She signalled for Shikamaru to follow as she went through the door, Sasuke still restraining his emotions in the empty hallway.

"Sir," Sakura spoke firmly, "I'd like to volunteer our team of 3 to accompany the shinobi who will be sent after the Akatsuki. Before you ask of how we know about this mission, you should look for better privacy seals to put here. Might I suggest the work of Chunin Naruto?"

Hiruzen didn't really know how to respond or react beside the completely involuntary chuckle that escaped his lips. This Kunoichi was something.

"That's quite the request. But I understand this is rather important for Sasuke, isn't it?"

And though his tone was light, there was a probing quality to it. A tinge of enquiry, which Shikamaru promptly recognized.

"Yes, sir. I think it'll be best for our team to join the squad, probably ANBU that'll be dispatched. It's what... Sasuke may need."

Hiruzen sighed, not really pleased with what the two chunin were asking for.

"It may be what Sasuke needs or maybe what he just wants. There's a difference there Shikamaru-kun. He'd already been negatively affected by the encounter he had with Itachi on his first C-rank months ago. And that took time to overcome. Lots of new memories to cover the past ones. Exposing Sasuke to his brother again, forcing a confrontation might reopen old wounds rather than healing any."

Sakura chewed her bottom lip, worry evident on her features. She really hadn't thought about what would be best in this situation from an objective standpoint. But it really didn't matter, did it? What Sasuke wanted was clear and Sasuke definitely hadn't asked for this to just get lost in mindless rage again. Sakura knew enough, could read him enough to know his want for revenge had mellowed, his rage had taken a backstep. He looked angered on the fact that Itachi might be after Naruto more than the fact that Itachi had showed up on Konoha's radar. There was no doubt in Sakura's mind that Itachi's presence would still bother Sasuke but if she ever felt him losing his mind to anger, she'd stop him and knock some sense into him if need be.

"That's all valid. But with all due respect, sir," she said, quietly but confidently. "If you don't trust your chunin to put the mission before his emotions than maybe you shouldn't have made him a chunin in the first place."

Hiruzen smiled, the kind only old shinobi who had seen too much, knew too much could give and picked up a brush, writing something down on a crisp piece of parchment.

"Alright. Sakura, Sasuke and Shikamaru, temporary Team S, shall we say? Team S is to join Squad Gamma as on-field reinforcements and scouting help. Your primary objective is assistance," his tone sharpened to emphasize, "and not deliberate engagement with the enemy. You three shall take direct orders from the squad captain, but your team captain will be Sakura."

Sakura straightened her back, resisting the urge to look down and check if her vest was zipped right.

"Sakura. Do you accept the mission?"

Sakura nodded, a ghost of a smile on her face. Despite the severity of the situation, this was an honour for which she felt only elation.

"Good then," Hiruzen said, dismissive all of a sudden, "You two may leave. Make sure to be in the tower, the ANBU squad will arrive shortly."

Shikamaru inclined his head in acknowledgement, walking out. Sakura followed after, and threw the biggest smile at Sasuke when she faced him.

"Done! We're on the mission Sasuke."

Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief, something determined and purposeful lingering in his eyes. Not quite raw but honed and brilliant. Not quite rage but something akin to longing, longing for clarity. Sakura couldn't quite tell.

Tsunade grumbled when the unmistakable sound of someone knocking reached her ears. Her living room was an utter mess, toiletries, clothes, sandals and shoes, everything lying around as she tried to pack all her belongings into the bulky trunk.

"Shizune!" she yelled. "Look which duffer is at the door and tell him to shut the fuck up!"

Shizune makes a chastising sound, "Don't you remember? Jiraiya-sama and Naruto-kun are joining us for lunch."

Tsunade stills, her medical needles clattering to the floor. Shit. Shit. Shit. Fucking shit. She'd totally forgotten about that encounter from last night. Stupid Shizune. Why the fuck did she have to accept that brat's demand?

"Don't open the door Shizune!" she screamed.

"Too late!" Came her apprentice's smooth voice followed by the click of the door opening and footsteps.

"Hello?" the brat peeked his head around the wall divide. "You're sure an organized one, lady."

Tsunade glared at him, shoving three of her battle dresses into one compartment of her trunk.

"So you still train," he said, tone sure. "I thought you'd left behind the kunoichi ways."

Tsunade snorts, stomping her way across the room to pick up the towels hanging in the balcony.

"What do you know brat? You're a green chunin. In over your head. Think you can mouth off and act smart in front a Sannin? Well guess what, kid? I'm not impressed."

The chunin in question didn't turn indignant or defensive like Tsunade had expected him to. Like she'd wanted him too. Instead he grinned lazily, lounging onto her couch after dropping the bag of kunai lying there onto the ground.

"Impress you? Wouldn't even dare. Kami forbid I'd get you attached to me. 'Cause that's such a sin, no?"

And yeah. Yeah that hurt. Tsunade had absolutely no idea about Naruto knew this. This detail. How Tsunade didn't care, didn't want to care about anyone anymore. She'd been naïve once, hopeful and kind and overly caring. She'd loved too much and then she'd lost just as much. She'd done her best, how could she not? She'd trained and honed her medical arts, she'd drained herself of every drop of chakra everyday to develop her techniques but at the end, nothing had been enough. Nawaki had still died. Dan had still died. And she'd stood there, crying, heartbroken, devastated.

So yes, don't blame her if she can't care anymore. If she's wary of opening up her emotions like once she'd freely had. And if that brat somehow understands that and still refuses to respect her wishes, instead trying to provoke her for some petty verbal fight? She had better things to do.

"Shut up or get out," she said coolly, not betraying any of her inner thoughts.

Naruto pressed his lips into a thin line, but said nothing. He got up, collecting and categorising the things thrown around haphazardly and made neat piles. Tsunade didn't comment on it, not then and not when Jiraiya entered in, Shizune in tow and the two sat by the fireplace. There was no fire in it at the moment, but the armchairs were comfortable to relax in anyway.

The silence was precarious. Hanging by a thread. One unncessary sound and it'd shatter readily. All four had too much on their minds, and even more in their throats for their months to spill out. But Tsunade would always choose the tense silence over any conversation about Konoha. Damn that village.

Silences are always meant to be broken though.

"Ah," Jiraiya said, lost and helpless. "The packing is done, I think?"

And yes, the packing was indeed done. As was evident by the now closed trunk and lack of random possessions of Tsunade covering every inch of the room.

"Yes!" Tsunade replied cheerily, too stiff and too fake. "Lunch? Right? Y'all are here for lunch? Shizune–where are your manners? Get them water, or tea? What would you like Jiraiya? Tea? No sake though. No sake. Don't want to be what? Uh, inebriated for this conversation huh? Anyway, get these gentlemen some food. I'll be going for stroll through. Get my muscles moving yeah?"

And before anyone knew what was happening, Tsunade was at the door and out already.

Naruto hit his head with his palm.

"Erm, I'll go after her," Jiraiya said, standing up.

Shizune waved her arms uncertainly, "So sorry for that. I think I should go after her though."

"No," Naruto stood up, hopping towards the exit. "I'll get her back. You two stay and eat maybe? Drink? I don't know. Do whatever."

Shizune nodded, hesitant and confused as Naruto's head disappeared under the stairs.

"I have a feeling this will end in a disaster." Jiraiya whispered.

"Isn't this a disaster already?" Shizune replied.

Jiraiya chuckled, "Oh no, by Tsunade's standards this is just the tremor before the earthquake."

Shizune groaned.

Author's Note:

Thanks for reading, lovely people.

P.s- Sasuke definitely mumbled "don't flirt you fuckers" back there. XD

Have a nice day!