Part I | Chapter 9

Kisamaru and Nikato had left the Inn for lunch. It had been a long time since Kisamaru had visited Suna. The heat was as relentless as he remembered and the dry dusty air irritated his throat and lungs. Nikato had been talking on and on about this great traditional place he always went to when in Suna (which had been a mere two times). Kisamaru found their cuisine painful, but the redhead enjoyed anything eatable and burning spices obviously were included.

"Yeah! That's the place." he nodded towards a small, somewhat dingy restaurant. Before they could enter it, Nikato halted with his hand pressed to the door "Shit. She's here."

She. That's what the two friends called her, The Kyura also. After a month of training, their team's dynamic had not gotten any better. Besides sparring, they mostly ignored each other. Hansuke-sensei had tried, he really had. Sometimes, Kisamaru felt slightly guilt about hindering things for their sensei. The animosity and resent against the Kyura always supplanted it though. Her haughtiness really pushed on him. There was nothing to be proud about. Her clan had died in one night, her Village completely devastated. Honestly, he couldn't understand how the Kyura's reputation had brewed.

She was a competent kunoichi, even without using her chakra manipulation, Nikato and himself never did manage to win against her, which only fired their rancour. She just walked through life as if she owned it. She was nothing anymore. Her authority had died with her clan. In the Hyuga compound, the sentiment was much the same. When the Hokage had accepted her as a Leaf nin, dissatisfaction over Tsunade's judgement quickly spread. Hiashi-sama had explained that the alliance between Buki and Konoha had come through the one between Kyura and Uchiha. Considering both clans had vanished - which seemed to be the fate of such sort - it made no sense to receive a Kyura girl as their own. Never trust a Kyura, he had firmly acclaimed. When she had finally been placed in Kisamaru's team, Hiashi-sama had called him for a meeting. He ordered him to carefully watch the girl and hold his walls high from a treacherous Kyura.

Kisamaru had been comfortable in his image of her as a rival to keep both close and far. Until she annoyingly traded places with him. In that panicking moment, when he was begging the gods for his life, and dutifully asking Hansuke-sensei to let him die for Konoha, Kisamaru had never thought she would be the one trying to save him. Drowned in fear and self-deprecation for a stupid mistake, he hadn't heard her yell. Only her comment about the superiority of the Kyura broke his daze. He had loathed her as never before. He had a kunai pressed to his throat and she had decided to boast. It had taken him too long to understand those impossible and steady words coming from a Kyura's mouth. She was trading her place for his. Kisamaru should have been relieved, but doubt and guilt leaked away from an uncharted corner of his being. And the leak hadn't stopped yet. Especially not when he felt with his own medical chakra her destroyed pathways. The others had seen her passed out, but he had threaded through her shattered, famous Kyura pathways. All because of his stupid mistake, because of him, a Hyuga.

"Didn't you want to come here?" Kisamaru asked Nikato.

"Not anymore."

"You spoke so well of the food, I want to try it now."

"I really don't feel like dealing with her. Our mandatory time is more than enough."

"I'm going."

Kisamaru knew his friend wasn't comfortable being alone in a foreign Village and would follow him. He didn't want to face the Kyura alone.

"Oh, come on, Kisamaru!"

When they entered the restaurant, every Suna eye turned towards them. The two Leaf shinobi ignored the hostility, it was just how the Sand was. The Kyura was slouching in a corner table, a glass of whiskey swinging in her hand. Her face continued horribly red. Kisamaru still begrudged the way she had dismissed his offer, but he wasn't going to let that affect him now. There was a chance for a healthy team. The battle with the rogue group had showed how they could work well together. They didn't have form a friendship, they just had to not hate or ignore each other. Hansuke-sensei deserved more than to lead a broken team.

Kisamaru wasn't going to ask permission, which she would probably refuse, he would just sit. The table was round. He slid on the bench, leaving a comfortable distance between them. Nikato slouched beside him.

"Joining your teammate for a drink, hm?" Gohama indifferently commented without looking at them.

"Lunch, actually. Have you eaten?"

"You're too late, then."

They didn't say anything more. Their orders arrived and they began eating. She would sip her whiskey, pretending they weren't there. Nikato was the master at talking, not Kisamaru. She seemed to be just like him. When they finished eating, Nikato was ready to leave, but the Hyuga asked for a beer before he could. Of course, the redhead joined him.

Kisamaru gave an awkward cough. "How was the meeting?"

"The usual thank you card."

"Why did the Kazekage ask for you then?"

"We met during the Chunin Exams. He wanted to catch up."

"Oh, yes, the oh so influential Kyura." Nikato mocked with a wave of his hand.

Kisamaru sighed in defeat. Peace had lasted for some impressive minutes actually. Then, she let go of a small, bitter chuckle and sipped her whiskey.

"It's a pain in the ass really." she inspected their drinks distantly for a while "Sake or scotch?" she asked them.

It was a surprise that she hadn't reacted to Nikato's comment with another sharp one herself. It was even more surprising that her reaction had been another peace offering.

"Sake. I don't know how you can get that down your throat." Kisamaru commented.

She turned to Nikato and waited for his answer. He gave in to her inquisitive glare and mumbled under his breath, "Sake." He would never refuse free alcohol even if it were her paying.

The Kyura promptly ordered three bottles of sake.

"You do know we'll be running through the desert in a bit." Kisamaru reasoned.

"If she's paying, it's only polite to receive a gift."

"Yes. Where's your propriety now, Hyuga? Accept the gift." she said lightly with a mischievous smirk while pouring him a glass and sliding it towards him.

Kisamaru eyed the transparent liquid twirling on the tiny white cup. He had no tolerance comparing to Nikato and apparently the Kyura, who had downed three glasses of whiskey since they were here and looked perfectly composed. He did want to drink. He enjoyed sake in responsible quantities. A bottle was over his responsible mark, but if he just drank half of it, he could make the journey with no problem.

"Come on," she started by holding her cup high "let's see who drinks like a proper ninja."

She downed the sake and Nikato followed suit with a competitive twinkle in his eyes. Kisamaru winced while forecasting a regret and did so as well. Without rest, the other two were already glaring at each other and getting another serving. He tried to sneak this one out, but she easily caught him.

"Staying behind, Hyuga? Let's go, bottoms up." she said and drank her cup.

"Yeah, Kisamaru! No cowering now."

Of course that if the two of them would rally together it had to be for torturing him. Why had he accepted this challenge with two proficient people in drinking?

Their bottles were half drunk and Kisamaru could already see the room blur when he turned his head from side to side. Nikato had relaxed completely, which was the first time around the Kyura. Alcohol always increased his out-going, loud and extremely inconvenient personality. That moment was no different. Although he was only slightly tipsy. Gohama seemed as collected as she always was.

"Wind nature is obviously the superior in battle!" Nikato continued to harmlessly argue "Don't give me shit, Kyura. You say that because lightning looks cool!"

"And being cool is half the job."

"Then you need to seriously work!" Nikato joked, all too satisfied with his retort.

The three downed another cup.

"Oh, my chakra burst was cool."

"Did you see the trees around us? You could have killed us!"

Another cup.

"I knew Hatake had gotten my plan."

"How do you know him?" Kisamaru decided to change the uncomfortable direction of the conversation.

She shrugged. "Coincidences… He was at the Chunin Exams."

Kisamaru knew there had to be more to it. Kakashi-sempai had followed her to the river after Nikato's and hers argument, he had tried to stop her from trading her life for his when not even Hansuke-sensei dared. He had been worried when they thought she was dying. Not that he had showed it, but Kisamaru had seen it.

"Now that's a cool ninja!" Nikato exclaimed.

With that, the redhead started spilling nothings about the Copy-nin, Hansuke-sensei and other older, remarkable ninja of Konoha. Before the Hyuga could realise they were on their way to finish the second bottle, Hansuke-sensei barged through the restaurant's door. He was mad, which was a sporadic, frightening sight, usually directed to Nikato. He only became angry when they made stupid dangerous mistakes. The fact that Kisamaru hadn't been lectured on getting caught by the enemy was a lucky rarity.

When sensei started admonishing them for something Kisamaru was too confused to understand, the alcohol hit all at once. The room spun around his head. His whole body was spinning and he felt as if he was dying. He could feel the nausea coiling in his stomach but was too ruined to speak or even catch the words out of his sensei's mouth. He was going to throw up and there was nothing he could do other than sit, wait and hopefully not die, at least not until sensei killed him himself.

"Shit, he's going to throw up!" a female voice talked next to him.

Then, the world tilted, a gush of wind thrust through him and the light made him wince. He was spilling his guts out and maybe Hansuke-sensei killing him wasn't so bad. People were talking beside him.

"Can someone just hold him?" Gohama asked impatiently right beside him "I'm going to throw up myself."

"How unfortunate." a deep, lazy voice answered.

"And you'll be my target, Hatake."

Strong hands helped him hold himself in a crouch while he kept vomiting. Would it never stop?

"I've never seen him like this." Hansuke-sensei said beside him "How did you manage to get him to drink his ass off?"

"It was about being polite, sensei" Nikato slurred "and winning a competition."

"Which I obviously won."

"Lies, Kyura, lies! Or maybe you cheated! To get us in trouble!"

"Why would I care about getting you in trouble? And why would I get myself in trouble with you?"

"Hansuke-sensei won't punish you! He pities you because everyone hates you."

Kisamaru was conscious enough to know sensei didn't pity her. He felt guilty, just like him, because he couldn't stop her when she traded her life for his student's one.

"Shut up, Nikato…" he said weakly. "Not everyone hates her… Sensei doesn't hate her. I'm sure Kakashi-sempai doesn't too. And I also don't hate Gohama."

That last confession was out of his mouth before he could give it a thought. He hadn't even realised it was true, he didn't hate her anymore. His clan would be utterly disappointed, but how could he loath someone who had wrecked her chakra pathways for him? Thankfully, he wouldn't remember any of this by tomorrow. Unlike the shame of messing up on a mission…

"You're a Hyuga. You're supposed to hate her."

"I'm also supposed to be sober on a mission…"

He heard her laugh.

"How ever touching team bonding time is, if the Hyuga is done throwing up, we have to get moving." Hatake Kakashi said with his dragged, but firm tone.

"You two carry him." Hansuke-sensei ordered.

He was laid against Gohama's back and she gently asked, "Please, let me know if you need to throw up."

With a hand wave from Kakashi-sempai, they were running through the rooftops.

Exhaustion was setting rapidly in her muscles. Her skin was burning more than she had ever felt it. If Kisamaru was conscious, she would accept, even beg, for him to heal her. Gohama was certain she was starting to get a fever from it. She had been carrying the Hyuga since Sunagakure. Nikato was too drunk, he stumbled constantly, and having to carry another person would only be a hazard. Gohama was also drunk. She could control her reflexes better, but the added weight was heavy on her numb, uncoordinated body. Besides, they were following an ANBU pace, ruthless and punishing. Hansuke was being true to his words, they were paying hard for their irresponsibility. Especially Gohama, unlike Nikato had predicted back in Suna.

The ANBU had been merciless. They mocked them for being kids who pretended to know how to drink. They mocked them for drinking in the job, which, as Gohama reminded them, they had also done before a battle. They mocked the two boys for being out drank by a girl. Once they became tired of mocking, they dropped the subject.

For a first mission as a team, it had been odd. The mission was successful, the two teams had manage to deactivate a missing-nin group. The rank had changed from C to A, which meant a bigger paycheck. Considering the terrible team dynamic aspect, it had gone smoother than anyone could have guessed. The three chunin had worked well together when necessity had forced them to. Then, there was the getting drunk together part. A good team bonding moment, as Kakashi had called it. Gohama wasn't asking for a friendship, but for a cooperation. It was important, as they weren't looking to get themselves killed, to clear the hostility that loomed over them. The Hyuga had actually admitted he didn't hate Gohama anymore. That was a giant, unthinkable step, which would not have happened had she not traded her place for his.

Did she hate Kisamaru? There was still animosity on her part, too rooted in her clan's identity to promptly vanish. She didn't think she had ever hated him. Hate was a heavy, cavernous, gnawing sentiment. The only people she deeply hated were unknown to her. Gohama had never been able to give a concrete face to the nin that had destroyed her Village. She remembered shadows, she remembered how they killed and dragged and destroyed, but she could never grasp their figure. She remembered the white mask, not even the chakra signature had she interiorized, just the blank mask and the hand that held the sword soaked in Mother's blood. Gohama hated with every cell of her being shadows and a white mask. What she felt for Kisamaru was closer to indifference than hate. Maybe annoyance, now that his snores were piercing through her ears.

"You all right?" Hansuke asked.

Gohama hadn't even noticed his presence. It was not the time to dwell on those thoughts.

"Perfectly fine."

Unfortunately, she hadn't been able to hide her breathless tone.

"From that look you were giving, I was sure you were ready to kill me." he playfully explained. "Seriously, are you feeling okay, Gohama? You look both red and yellow, if that's even possible."

"Not everyone can get that flawless golden tan like you."

"You have to be really bad, if you're complimenting me." Gohama was too tired to reply in any form other than a frown "Oh, I forgot. I have that balm the Kazekage offered you. You should put it on, your skin is starting to peel."

How she craved the soothing freshness of a balm. One more reason to press on until they reached the Fire Country's border.

"Put it now. Your burns are somewhat scary."

She glared at him. "My hands are a little busy at the moment."

"I can carry him the rest of the way. Nikato still can't put a foot in front of the other."

"Are you pitying me?" she frowned at him.

"No. I just don't want another collapsed person to carry."

"I'll be fine if I just put the balm on."

They both stopped. Without the breeze of high-speed running, the heat was smothering them. He dipped two fingers in the flask and neared them to her face, she dodged them.

"What are you doing? I can put it myself."

"Your hands are a little busy at the moment." He replied with a satisfied smirked.

"I'm sweaty."

"I have Kisamaru's vomit on my feet, do you actually think I care about your sweat? Are you thirsty? I haven't seen you drink any water."

Gohama let go of her pride. She was ready to flop from dehydration. "Yes…" she confessed quietly.

Hansuke smirk only widened from enjoying her reluctance and yielding. He went for her bag and took out a bottle of water. "Open up." he told her with a bouncy tone.

"This is more than enough punishment for what we did."

He leaned the bottleneck against her lips and she drank avidly. Honestly, her pride could go to hell, water was more than worth all of it. She finished the thermos and he dipped some of his own water on her face. The freshness had never felt more invigorating. He spread the balm on the bridge of her nose.

"Uh, that's nice..." she sighed before she could stop herself. He chuckled. "Shut up."

"You're burning up." he laid a hand against her forehead and then her neck "Are you sure you don't want me to take Kisamaru?"

"I'm sure. It's just the sunburns."

He proceeded to cover her exposed collarbone and arms. The soothing of her scorching skin, after more than a day of constant burning up, hid any uneasiness she could have felt from his touch.

"You're freckling." he commented as he applied another layer to her nose and cheeks "All right, all protected, Go-chan." he said, amused.

"Thanks, mum." she deadpanned.

When she opened her eyes, he was staring at her. His hazel eyes clear in the desert light. There was the expected discomfort.

"Kakashi explained why you said what you said. To the Kazekage that is... I'm sorry for not trusting your judgement."

That was the third time Hansuke had apologized to her on that mission. An unknown, uncomfortable tension clasped her chest.

"Let's catch up." she said and started running again.

"You three kids can stay. The others off my office." Tsunade growled.

The ANBU and Hansuke silently left the room. Tsunade's fiery raged eyes pierced into the three chunin standing before her. Gohama had heard of the terrifying temper of the Godaime, which she had dismissed. Now, as she became the object of Tsunade's fury, it didn't seem so insignificant. Her reflexes were ready to start at any movement.

"So." the three startled "You decided to get drunk on foreign territory during a mission." her voice was matter-of-factly, but her expression was furious. "Whose idea was it?"

"Everyone's." Kisamaru responded promptly.

"Hey, don't mix me with the Kyura! She paid for the drinks!"

"And you didn't hesitate to accept them. Kisamaru was the only one practically bullied into it."

"This team had always been exemplar. Since you entered it, Kyura, things have gotten somewhat chaotic."

Everyone loved to blame for the shitty team relationships.

"It was your decision to put me in this team." Gohama said defiantly.

Tsunade stood up from her chair in a flash and hit her desk with her fists. This was how Gohama was going to die, she was sure.

"Are you questioning your Hokage?!" the Godaime shouted "Do you also want to be punished for insubordination?! Get your rank stripped!?"

"You know what would happen if you stripped me of my rank." she did have a death wish.

The Hokage was now standing in front of her, a gush of air shaking Gohama's tresses. The assistant flinched in her corner, which wasn't a good sign. Her expression didn't waver when the taller woman hovered menacingly over her, but all of her insides were quivering. She hadn't felt this scared in a long time. There was a masochistic excitement flourishing in her stomach.

"Are you threatening me, girl?" Tsunade hissed.

"Stating." she quietly corrected.

"You're more trouble than gain. One of these days I'll kick you out of Konoha and set all of ANBU out to get you, brat. For now, you're on D-rank missions for a month." she went back to her desk "As for you three irresponsible, immature kids, you'll be teaching in the Academy for a month from 8am to 12am, starting tomorrow. One more jest like this and you'll go back there as students not instructors! Now. Get out of my damn office!"

The three chunin gladly did. When the door closed behind them, Nikato exhaled, "Well, shit."

"I don't know how to interact with children…" Kisamaru hummed.

Nikato laughed and slapped his shoulder. "You don't know how to interact with people." he corrected with a playful tone. "Neither do you." he said pointing to Gohama "Where you trying to get yourself killed by one of Godaime's punches?"

"Yes." she turned her back to them to leave "Don't be late tomorrow, Nikato."