Chapter Two
The cool air of desert morning burned Temari's lungs as she ran her training course through the wilderness around the Kazekage's Oasis. Hot on her heels were Might Guy and Rock Lee. Faster! She willed now rubbery legs to move, straining against the occasionally unsmooth motion of her right hip and shoulder. She pressed harder, trying to outrun Shinigami itself. Outran you once, I'll do it again!
Temari gritted her teeth as she tried to control her breathing. During the war, she'd been horrifically wounded saving a young child from the path of Ten-Tails. She'd fractured her right shoulder, right hip, and her skull. The past two years, she'd been gone from struggling to stand, then walk, then run, and now finally train like the Shinobi she'd been before the war. Before the injury, before losing your baby. Temari swallowed the acid in her guts at the memory of all she'd lost at the war's eleventh hour. Despite the terrible loss, Temari couldn't fathom having acted differently in the same situation.
The finish line, and the slim, dark-haired man standing at the end renewed her drive, be damned the consequences. Her legs pumped with unholy strength toward her husband, Shikamaru Nara. Her legs carried her over the line, and he clicked time on the stopwatch he held. "So?" she heaved as she sputtered to a stop.
"So what?" he yawned with a tease.
"So, crybaby, did I make time or not!" she shouted.
"Six seconds faster than last time," he smiled faintly. "Right on the money for the Iron Shinobi competition in November."
"Wow!" Lee exclaimed, "I don't even think Hinata ran that fast last time we raced!"
"Amazing!" Guy grinned, "Too bad you're not on Konoha's team this year!"
"If it's all the same," Shikamaru spoke up, "Thank you for taking this year off to train her."
"Think nothing of it!" Lee shot a thumb up, "It wouldn't be sporting to win two years in a row!" Lee and Guy were both repeat champions of the grueling event for chunin or higher-ranking Shinobi. The race consisted of a mile-long obstacle course, followed by a five-mile swim, and capped off with full marathon. By the end of the swim, easily half of the competitors dropped out. To finish all three events was worthy of a medal; to be the first to finish was an accomplishment without equal.
"So…" Temari stared at her husband.
"So, what?" he asked oblivious.
"Race you up to the plateau!" she grinned, still feeling the tingle of her runner's high.
"How about we grab a proper breakfast and do the run later?" Shikamaru stretched out. "Not all of us are training-junkies!" he yawned.
"Lazy bum!" she chuckled, "Fine! We'll do it your way—Choji's way!" She ribbed him with her elbow as she walked past on her way back toward the oasis instead.
Temari noticed Shikamaru waited for several paces before he started walking leisurely. At first, she thought he was just checking out her ass, but she caught him eyeing his smartphone – a gift she'd gotten him last Rinne Festival. The last few weeks, his eyes had been glued to the thing near nonstop.
Slowing her pace, she could see his lips moving as he tapped the screen incessantly. If he's texting someone, he's moving hella rapid! "Hey, crybaby!" she shouted.
"Huh?" Shikamaru had to catch his footing before he stumbled down the sloping trail.
"You need to keep your eyes on the ball," she chided, "One misstep and you'll be in traction worse than me!"
"You would enjoy that, wouldn't you?" he groaned as he stopped, took what looked like several pictures with the phone's camera, and then put it in his pocket. He continued to trot down the trail with no great effort to catch up.
Temari instead slowed her pace almost to a crawl, "What were you working on?"
"Huh," he feigned ignorance, "Oh, nothing you'd find interesting." He shrugged, remaining impassive. Temari's left hand discretely balled into a fist. Shikamaru's most admirable and most annoying trait was his stoicism in times of stress. The sky could be falling, and he'd be calm, collected, and thinking quietly of dozens of courses of action.
Unfortunately, that also is when he clenches his ass so tight you could use it to turn coal into diamond! A lesser wife would have suspected him of having an affair with how tight-lipped he'd been – truth be known, it had crossed her mind. Thankfully, cooler thoughts prevailed before she took her newly repaired fan – an anniversary gift – and beat his ass with it. Despite being a war hero in his own right, Shikamaru didn't have throngs of admirers throwing lacy brassieres at him the way Naruto did. Quite the opposite, many noble houses in Suna resented the hell out of him for removing Temari from the dating pool. While safe at the oasis, there had been several credible security threats against Shikamaru while in the village that required discrete handling – she and Gaara had kept that fact a secret.
She again eyed him. Temari needed answers, and she needed them now. Asking him outright isn't working. I doubt chaining him to the bed and tickling him inch by inch won't get him to open up, either. Temari's eyes, wandered to the overlooking plateau and it hit her, "Hey, Crybaby," Temari waited a patient moment for him to rip his eyes from his phone screen, "how about you and me go stargazing tonight?"
"Tonight?" he asked, voice tight with surprise.
"It's been months since we went up together." But you're up there every other night. "I miss it."
Shikamaru's neck muscles tightened and released several times, and his finger fidgeted as if trying to shape an answer. Temari was about ready to start accosting him when his lips tightened to a forced smile, and he said, "All right, sure." He put the phone back in his pocket and his pace picked up slightly. By all accounts, he seemed happy that she was interested in his favorite hobby. So why the hell is he so stressed?
Temari mulled again the possibility of him having an affair. With who? He was practically asexual when you met him! There was the chance he was just losing interest in general. Then why the façade for almost two years. Temari's pace slowed until he passed her. She stared at her husband as he walked by. He had stood by her when she was bald and bedridden; he had guided her when she was struggling to relearn walking; and he'd insisted on bringing in Lee and Guy when she'd wanted to start training again. Not the actions of a husband looking to cold-bang someone else.
"I love you," she said aloud.
"I love you too, troublesome woman," he replied over his shoulder, slowing turning back to look at her. Something in his granite brown eyes took Temari back to a time all-too familiar as he stared like she was going to dissolve like dust in the wind. The last time he'd given her that look had been while on the hunt for Hidan. You and I, boy, are going to have a serious talk as husband and wife tonight. Keeping secrets like this ain't cool!
The rebuilt Hokage's office still felt foreign to Kushina even years after becoming the Fifth Hokage. The building had been one of the last rebuilt after the events of Pain's Assault and the 4th Shinobi War. Almost the entire first year of Kushina's reign, she'd led the village from a makeshift office at the Hyūga Compound. Sitting in the office where all of her predecessors had reigned left her uncomfortable almost as much as doing this interview for the Konoha Messenger.
"Lady Kushina, you've repeatedly stated that you plan to step down sometime in the new year," the young female reporter probed.
"Yes, I have." Kushina tried to remain diplomatic as she tented her hands on the desk. Minato's gesture of focus and patience was all she could do to remind herself that this was part of her duty. Public relations had been a taxing affair even when she'd only been the first lady of the village. Being the first, and to date only, woman Hokage invited a level of interest in Kushina's personal life that was both annoying and, sadly, necessary.
"Is there any reason why the sudden decision?" the reporter asked.
"It wasn't sudden," Kushina corrected, "I had planned originally on stepping down at war's end to make room for the next Hokage."
"The next Hokage?" The reporter almost laughed in amusement.
"Yes, I've made my recommendation that Kakashi Hatake be elected to the position of Lord Sixth upon my retirement," Kushina affirmed. Retirement. Jeez, you're only forty-two, hardly over the hill!
"But given your popularity and the popularity of your husband…" The reporter trumpeted the general response when she'd first announced plans to step down a few months ago.
"Popularity is not leadership," Kushina cut off the reporter. "Besides, between my husband and myself, we've led the village almost twenty-two years now. The time to pass the torch is now, when there is no crisis, rather than when the next emergency breaks out."
"Next emergency?" The reporter's face twisted. "The shinobi world is at peace, Lord Fifth?"
"And I'm praying it stays that way," Kushina eyed a curious photo framed on the desk. An eclectic collection of figures dotted the photo: Naruto, Hinata, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Minato, and herself. In addition, the photograph of the future contained several children recently born and several yet to be born – including Himawari. "However," she cleared her throat, "I've lived through too many crises to take for granted that there won't be another one somewhere out there." She eyed a different photo sitting next to her future family – Team Minato, just before Obito was lost. Even twenty years later, looking at the photo tore at her guts the same way the burning splinter that impaled her the night Naruto was born did.
"You're not saying you're afraid of leading in another crisis, are you?" the reporter's voice jolted Kushina from her recriminations.
"Absolutely not," Kushina shook her head at the pointed question, "I'm saying that I'm tired. I am the mother of an unexpected one-year-old daughter. My adoptive son is becoming a teenager, and my oldest son…" My baby. "… is navigating his early adult life."
"Speaking of Naruto, what of the rumors of some kind of estrangement from his fiancé?"
The reporter's question irked Kushina, but she chose to not play. "I'm afraid you'd have to ask Naruto and Hinata," she replied, feigning disinterest. "However, I can say that neither has come to me with any such talk." The two were clearly stressed – who wouldn't be – but as far as she could tell they were still very much in love. They survived things worse than what you and Minato faced during the Third War, and they were both younger!
"Well," the reporter jotted several notes, "I thank you for your time." She rose to her feet and bowed. "Good day." The reporter left the office.
"You'd swear the paper had sent the gossip columnist," Kakashi said over her shoulder.
"They're still obsessed with me being Hokage." Kushina sighed as she sat back in the chair.
"And not the least bit interested in me," he shrugged. "Maybe you should reconsider…"
"Kakashi," she cut him off, "I've left raising my baby girl to my husband, my sons, and my sons' girlfriends. I want Akane to know me as a mom and not Hinata or Hanabi."
"Fair enough, but why me?" Kakashi shrugged.
"You've earned it," Kushina smiled. "I've lost track of how many times you saved my life and protected the rest of my family, to no benefit to your own career as a shinobi – to say nothing of many times you saved this village without any recognition for it."
"Kushina, there might be a complication to your plan, depending on how you view it," Kakashi's voice became uneven.
"What sort of complication?" she tilted her head to the side.
"Shizune is pregnant again," Kakashi's tone remained low, pained.
"The Hokage's wife being pregnant is normally not considered a bad thing," Kushina crossed her arms, "In fact, it's usually a joyous occasion. Is there more going on?"
"When the council invoked the succession laws last time, I was not chosen because she was pregnant then," Kakashi reminded her.
"You also didn't have the seated Hokage speaking on your behalf," Kushina retorted, cracking a slight smile, "Kakashi, you'll do fine! No succession council has ever overridden the wishes of an outgoing Hokage. Even with the scandals that plagued Lord Third's early and later reign, they still accepted his judgement in choosing Minato."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow, "I know of the controversy regarding the treaty, and the war, but what happened in his early reign?"
Kushina giggled slightly, remembering the now long-gone Hokage. "Lord Sarutobi was engaged to a noblewoman in his first year, an arranged marriage. However, he knocked up Biwako and was forced to marry her, instead."
"I don't remember that in the history books," Kakashi's eyes opened wide at the revelation.
"Great effort was spent to hush up the issue, and most decided to let it pass when the baby was born." Kushina replied.
"Lord Fifth, Lord Hiashi Hyūga is here. He is requesting to see you." The intercom on the desk buzzed.
Hiashi? She pressed the reply button, "Send him in." The door to the office opened, admitting Hiashi. He was still well-built, but the past several years had not been kind to him. His dark hair was now greying throughout his temples, and lines of worry had carved permanent wrinkles throughout the man's face. "Hiashi, to what do we owe the honor?" Kushina asked.
"Lord Hokage," he bowed, "I have a special request."
"Hiashi, it's Kushina under these circumstances," she corrected him, "Now, what is going on?" she gestured to a chair in front of her desk.
Hiashi regarded her and Kakashi for several moments before sitting. What would make you so distrustful all of the sudden, old friend? "Kushina, I am asking you to reopen the investigation into my mother's death," he said stone-stern, remaining rigid in his chair as if he expected to be attacked.
Of all the things I wasn't expecting him to ask for, that was the weirdest. Ichika Hyūga had created the original garden courtyard that Hiashi's wife, Akemi Hyūga was now famous for. Ichika had been found dead in her garden. Officially, she'd died from anaphylaxis due to a wasp sting. Unofficially, Hiashi had suspected foul play on the part of his father - Hattori Hyūga. "Hiashi," Kakashi spoke before she did, "that investigation was closed over thirty years ago. Do you have reason to suspect we'll find something new?"
"Thirty years ago, many people were afraid of my father," Hiashi spoke low, grave. "He's been dead for several years now, and we've had many great upheavals since then." He turned his palms up, "Is it not time to stop being afraid of ghosts?"
Kushina traced her tongue inside her lip. She didn't believe in ghosts despite having met a few in her lifetime. "Hiashi," Kushina measured her words, "if we reopen that investigation now, those old records could become public information – something accessible to anyone. Are you willing to face that kind of scrutiny?" Kushina remembered too well the self-destructive path Hiashi took after his mom's death – rebelliousness, promiscuity, and several arrests for drunk and disorderly conduct. If there turns out to be an illegitimate child…
"Yes, if it means finally having the answer I've been looking for," he replied, remaining stern. Clearly, Hiashi had no concerns with his past actions.
"And if we can't find the answer you're looking for?" Kakashi asked the question Kushina had in the back of her mind, "Are we to keep the case open forever?"
"I'll accept whatever the renewed investigation's findings are, just so long as I'm assured they are not biased," Hiashi softened slightly.
"Hiashi, what makes you think we'll find something new?" Kushina started softly, hoping to elicit whatever he wasn't telling them, "Most of the witnesses have had decades to forget, and I'm sure I don't need to remind you of the fate of most of the clan elders from that era…"
"I remember well," Hiashi finished for her, "I know most of them are dead, as are many of the people who investigated."
"Then why now?" She asked, needing to know.
"Because," he sighed, "I'm at a time in my life when I'm not getting younger." His shoulders sagged, and he stared to the ground with his Byakugan. "I'm at a time when my little girl is now a woman and a clan leader. I'd much rather settle the account on this now than leave it for her and Hanabi to have to settle someday."
Kushina stared her friend deep in his amethyst eyes. She could sense no deception, but Kushina couldn't rule out ulterior motives either, "All right," she nodded, "I'll talk to Itachi and have the KIB review the investigation."
"I have a secondary request," he added, "I want Naruto assigned to the case."
"Naruto?" Kakashi and Kushina both balked at the same time. "Why him?" Kakashi asked. "I admit he's a trained investigator, but he's not exactly a cold case investigator. Hell, he's not a homicide investigator!"
"He'll have the best chance of anyone," Hiashi said. "Enough of the clan consider him already a part of it. He needs to know what he's getting into."
Kushina swallowed, knowing the strain medical-nin training was putting on Hinata and her relationship with Naruto. If nothing else, him reviewing the case might take some of the pressure off. "All right, I'll call in Naruto, but he will have others with him."
"That works," Hiashi stood and bowed. "Thank you." He rose up, turned, and left.
"That was odd," Kakashi said as Hiashi left.
"Would you have acted differently?" Kushina asked her eventual replacement.
"No, can't say that I would," Kakashi shrugged.
"Good," Kushina sighed as she sank back in her chair, wondering what fresh misadventure she was about to send her son to.
"Okay, Akane, just hang on, almost done!" Naruto said as he secured her fresh diaper. Babysitting hadn't been part of Naruto's normal mission profile in the KIB/ANBU, nor had it been standard training as a shinobi. While he and Hinata had done several babysitting missions leading up to her duel with Hanabi almost five years ago, they'd never babysat a child younger than five. Another brick in the wall of your education. Naruto grinned as he finished getting his baby sister in order, bagged up the soiled diaper, and washed his hands.
His apartment at Stony Bridge had been similar to the one he and Hinata used as a safehouse for a while during the Fatal Lust Crisis. Naruto resisted the urge to decorate the place with much of anything aside from a Hidden Leaf poster over his bed. The only other personal effect were two photos on the nightstand: one of him and Hinata taken during her white coat ceremony last year, the other was a photo of him with his parents and baby sister taken during the summer. He knew the place was temporary, a bachelor pad of sorts. A bachelor pad stocked with diapers and baby food! Naruto laughed as he picked up his sister in one arm and the trash in the other.
Naruto effortlessly carried Akane down the stairs, and he dropped the trash bag in the dumpster as he exited the complex. His legs propelled him down the thoroughfare, and more than a few young ladies turned their heads and eyed him longingly as he and Akane came down the way. Sorry girls, I'm taken! Naruto's grin grew wider as he reached the detour on his way to Ichiraku's and, later, the Academy.
"Lord Naruto, welcome!" the salesman at the Jade Dragon greeted him warmly with a bow.
"Oh, please, it's just Naruto!" he laughed as he protested. "I have the last installment!" He held up his frog wallet.
"Excellent!" The young man clapped and gestured over to the register, "They'll be ready for pick-up by the end of the week!" Naruto paid the considerable sum, lightening his wallet, as he bounced Akane with his other arm. "Would you care to see them again?"
"Please!" Naruto exclaimed like a child getting a sneak peek of his Rinne Festival gift.
The salesman walked to the back of the store and returned holding a black leather case. He opened the case to reveal two platinum bands, each set with two amethyst stones. "Does it meet your approval?"
Naruto and his sister stared at the shiny bands as the sunlight from the store windows made the stones glow like Byakugan. "I'm happy! Very happy!" Naruto said breathlessly. And she will be very happy when she sees them!
"You understand, they will still need some fine tuning, but nothing that should delay us." The man nodded, "It will be ready by Friday, and it will look lovely on your bride's finger."
"I can't wait!" Naruto said breathless as he fantasized about showing it to Hinata, seeing it on her finger for real, and giving it to her on their wedding day. Naruto eyed the clock behind the counter. Crap! I really can't wait! "Thanks! I'll be by to pick them up on Friday!" He said as turned toward the door.
Naruto ran out of the store and made for Ichiraku, grateful to have made it in time. "Naruto!" his fiancé greeted from the counter. Hinata was still in black scrubs, but no white coat. She looked to be in high spirits after a long morning of written exams.
"Naruto!" Teuchi greeted, "She took the liberty of ordering the usual for the two of you!" the older man gestured toward the bowl of ramen at the place setting next to Hinata.
"Thanks, Teuchi, you're the best!" Naruto said as he sat at the counter of the now much-larger Ichiraku Ramen. After it's destruction during Pain's Assault. Grandpa Jiraiya and Hinata had invested in the shop, finally giving Teuchi what he needed to turn it into a full restaurant.
"Awww, hi, baby!" Hinata greeted Akane with a smile then would make men go to war for her. Even exhausted with dark circles under her eyes from long shifts at the hospital, she remained stunning.
"Hinawta!" Akane reached out for a hug, and Hinata took the toddler in her arms, giving Naruto a chance to slurp the ramen before him.
"Thanks, babe! How did it go?"
"I'm just glad to be done with the written part," she groaned in exhaustion. "Now just forty-eight hours to go, starting tomorrow morning!" she bounced Akane again. Hinata's energy seemed to return with each giggle from the toddler. Naruto grinned, staring at his baby sister and fiancé. Soon, the exams will be done, we'll be married, and we'll have our own! Just the thought of Hinata as his wife traced Naruto's spine in goosebumps. The thought of Hinata as the mother of his children would have made his knees weak had he been standing.
"NARUTO! HINATA!" a panicked voice called from the door. Naruto pivoted mid-slurp to see Neji running in through the door. His cheeks were red, as were his eyes. He'd clearly run some distance after crying for some considerable length of time. Neji's normally immaculate outfit was ruffled and askew, as if he'd experienced recent combat. As warm broth ran down Naruto's chin, he felt a sudden chill run down his spine to his toes. Neji is one of the most stoic people in the world. For him to be this disheveled, it must be pretty goddamn serious!
"Neji!" Hinata gestured for him to take a seat next to them. She turned on her stool, still firmly holding Akane, "Please, bring up some tea!" she called to behind the counter. The server delivered and poured a cup for Neji. "Drink it slowly," she commanded.
As Neji sipped, his hands shook less, but he nevertheless still looked beyond stressed. "Neji, when you're ready, do you mind telling us what the heck is going on?" Naruto chose his words carefully in front of his baby sister.
Neji's face tightened like he was about to use his Byakugan. "It's Tenten!"
Oh no! "Neji, did you two have another fight?" Naruto asked.
"Another?" Hinata blinked, unbelieving. "When was the first one, what's going on?"
Neji stared at Hinata with pained eyes, "We had a fight about a month ago, took a break from our relationship for a few days, but we realized how stupid it was!" His eyes sank in what Naruto recognized as shame. Just like how you and Hinata nearly fell apart after Blood Prison. Shivers again traversed Naruto's spine. Aside from nearly dying a few times during the events, he and Hinata both struggled with the guilt of putting one another in danger.
"What about?" Hinata asked.
"It's a long story, but short version: her parents don't approve of me, and we got into it over how committed we were to one another…" Neji sniffled, clearly pained recalling events, "And now, things are worse, much worse!"
"You two decided to call it quits?" Naruto asked.
"No," he shook his head, "I knocked her up!"
"YOU WHAT?!" He and Hinata replied in unison. Akane absently giggled at their stunned expressions, not understanding what was going on.
"It was an accident!" he protested, "Well, sort of…"
"Neji, how do you do it on accident?!" Hinata was struggling to keep her cool as she bounced Akane on her knee, "You of all people should know about using protection!" Neji had always been protective of Hinata, and it had not changed when she and Naruto had
"We did!" he protested. "At least, initially, we did." His voice was sullen, regretful.
"Initially?" Naruto asked.
"We were sent on a border monitoring assignment," Neji explained, "You know, dig in a camouflaged observation post and make sure that no one sneaks across – kind of a moot point considering we're all at peace."
"Go on," Hinata said.
"After two days of living in that wretched hole, watching the border we both got bored…" Neji paused, cheeks turning red and voice tightening, "… and she asked me if I wanted to play a game to help pass the time."
"Let me guess, Kiss Me Until We're Naked?" Naruto asked. Neji nodded. "So how did it go from responsible fun to this?"
"Well, I only brought so many condoms with me," Neji eyed around, making sure no one was listening, "and we ran out pretty quick." He shrugged nervously, "You can figure the rest."
"Wasn't Tenten on the pill?" Hinata asked.
"She had one of those new transdermal patches," Neji sighed, "I'm guessing she got one of the defective ones!"
Hinata nodded and turned to Naruto, "It was minor news last week. Apparently, the manufacturer had some issue with quality control."
"Got it," Naruto nodded, "So, what now?"
"I don't know!" Neji sighed. "I really don't know," tears began choking his voice.
"Have you asked Tenten?" Naruto asked.
"Yeah," he nodded, "her parents threatened to disown her if she doesn't terminate the pregnancy or give the child up."
Both Hinata and he sat with their jaws hanging down. "What did Father say?" Hinata asked.
"He and Mom were torn," he shook his head, "Obviously they were upset at what happened, but they were at least grateful I was going to own the issue." His eyes turned to the ground, "But, I haven't told them about her parents."
"Neji," Naruto furrowed his brow, "why the devil do they object to you so badly? It can't just be the unwanted pregnancy?"
"It isn't," he stared at Hinata and then Naruto, "Tenten and I wanted to get married after the war, but her parents refused to bless our union."
"Why?" Hinata asked, looking like this was the first she heard of any of this.
"Her father called me, 'A pretty boy bum – a courtier without a single accomplishment in his life and who never lifted a finger in hard work,' if memory serves."
"That's ridiculous," Naruto protested, "he does know how many times you've protected Hinata, right?"
As Neji nodded, there was a grim look on Hinata's face. Naruto recognized the look from the prison, from when she'd stabbed him on accident at war's end – guilt. Naruto gently reached out with their shared chakra, and confirmed the heavy, grey waves Hinata emitted when she shouldered the blame for something real or imagined. There is a lot more going on here than just a family issue. Naruto promptly severed their link, not wanting to alert her that he knew something big was up.
"It doesn't matter to him," Neji shook his head, "And when I asked father for advice, he told me to come to you two."
"Why us?" Naruto raised an eyebrow.
Hinata didn't initially know how to feel as she bounced Naruto's baby sister on her lap and Neji recounted his tale of misfortune. Her mind ran the full gauntlet of anger, hurt, disappointment, and finally, guilt for feeling as such. She had a pregnancy scare during the mission to the Land of Sound. In the end, it turned out to be the start of a urinary tract infection. After confessing the scare, Naruto insisted he also use protection during sex without exception – a responsible stance.
While not ready to be a parent, Hinata had been ready to live with the consequences had it become an issue. Just like how you were ready to live with it had you stayed married? The heavy weight sat back on Hinata's shoulders as she bounced Akane on her lap. Had they stayed married, Hinata would likely be bouncing her own baby right now. Had you stayed married, you'd have no excuse to not tell Naruto about the stalker.
Hinata bit her lip as she thought about the situation. Things had been quiet for the past two weeks since Sasuke began shadowing her at the hospital and Sakura walked her to and from home. Hinata had kept secret from Naruto much of her time as a KIB/ANBU operative, just as Naruto did with his more recent assignment. Couples keep secrets, but do they keep these secrets?
A brief sense of intrusion nearly set off Hinata's Byakugan until she recognized it was Naruto trying to sense her emotional state through their Chakra. Normally, he wouldn't do so without permission, but she sensed an overwhelming sense of concern for her as he probed. Quick as she noticed it, he withdrew. You could just tell him everything, like a good wife would do.
"It doesn't matter to him," Neji shook his head, "And when I asked father for advice, he told me to come to you two."
"Why us?" Naruto raised an eyebrow.
"Because I'm the Hyūga Clan leader," Hinata spoke up, "and you're the Hokage-in-Waiting."
Naruto's lips tightened into a wry smile, "You know how much I hate that term."
"Nevertheless," Hinata bounced Akane, "our generation is rapidly displacing our parents as leaders of the Shinobi World. Lord Uchiha plans to step down as head of the Konoha Military Police next year, paving the way for Itachi to succeed him. And your mom has made no secret that she's stepping down by the new year to have Kakashi take over as Hokage." And then it's your turn after him.
"So," Naruto rested his chin in his hand, "it's up to us, then?"
"I guess so," Hinata eyed an unwelcome sight from afar, "Naruto, you might want to take Akane and go," her voice became tense.
"Trouble?" he asked as she handed his little sister back.
"Worse, our adoring fans!" She sighed. She turned to Neji, "Brother can you pack our stuff up to go, and we'll talk this over more this weekend?" Hinata activated her Byakugan and saw two groups converging, one of crazed young women, and an equally large group of crazed young men. Had we just stayed married, they'd have no excuse to mob us. Roses, chocolates, and salacious undergarments were boxed and ready to be gifted.
"Come on, baby girl," Naruto took his sister up in his arms, and the trio exited out the front door. "Time to go see daddy!" He gave Hinata the slightest peck on the cheek, "Call me when you get a chance; I'll be around."
"Love you," she said.
"Love you, too!" Naruto took off running. Normally, he could just use Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport straight to the Academy. However, Akane was still not used to the sensation of teleportation. The last time Naruto had used it, she'd cried for almost a half hour before he could calm her.
I, on the other hand, have not such limit! Hinata got ready to teleport, "Sorry boys, I'm taken," she winked as the crowd appeared from around the corner. As she moved to teleport herself, the sensation of cold gathered in the small of her back; something was inhibiting her ability to teleport. IMPOSSIBLE! The crowd of well-wishing men came at her, offering scarves, handkerchiefs, chocolates, and other gifts. The world began spinning as panic gripped Hinata – someone was holding her here against her will.
"Soon, beautiful," the voice was self-assured, smooth, "soon, I'll have you."
Hinata swung back with her right elbow into nothingness as she screamed, her Byakugan now active. Her left hand drew out a kunai she kept concealed in her scrub top for defense. However, there was nothing, no one behind her or in any direction – other than the now confused crowd of men. "Hinata?!" Neji by this point had reached her side, had his Byakugan up, and was scanning for threats. "Where are they?"
Hinata scanned furiously, "There is no one here," the words did little to calm already frayed nerves. Whomever had been leaving the notes had been here, within whispering distance. He can get at your locker in the hospital, now he can whisper in your ear in broad daylight! Hinata made the hand seal to teleport, and thankfully she made her way to the marking on her locker.
Far from being any refuge, a white envelope stuck out of her locker. He's been here, too! Hinata scanned furiously, again, no sign of anyone nearby. Reluctantly, she reached out to the offending envelop, broke the unfamiliar wax seal, and read: I'm watching you. Hinata didn't wait; she ran to call security and then find Sasuke.
Sasuke's neck and shoulders remained tight as wound springs as he walked into Sakura's office in the hospital. He was out of place in more ways than one: he'd been a former psychiatric patient here after the war, swearing off ever coming back, and he was again wearing his KIB badge. As he stared at the shivering mass wrapped in a shock blanket, he forced his unease to go away. Hinata had been his partner for close to a year before he'd been taken by the Akatsuki, tortured, and brainwashed. Beyond being partners, he did owe Hinata a personal debt – she had been part of the group that managed him through the worst of his mental health issues in the aftermath of the war. Hinata had once found him bleeding out from a suicide attempt involving a bedspring he'd managed to work free from his mattress. Her sheer stubbornness not to let him die was the only reason he was breathing right now.
"Hinata," Sasuke tried to sound calming, but his voice tended toward deadpan. "I need to ask a few questions." He hated asking questions back in the day. Normally, he was the muscle, the bad cop, and she was the good cop.
She nodded in understanding. "Hinata, did anyone know you would be there, other than Naruto?"
"No," she shook her head, "but it wouldn't take much for a stalker to know I'd meet Naruto there. I go to Ichiraku's for lunch all the time!"
"Did you get any look at him?" he asked, "Did Neji?"
"I didn't," she buried her face in her hands, "and I doubt Neji did, either."
That's disconcerting! Sasuke tried to think of anyone who could evade detection via Byakugan. It could have been a genjutsu; she would have been distracted enough for it to work. He eyed Hinata, bracing for the real hard questions, "Hinata, do you or Naruto have any enemies, other than potential leftovers from the war?"
"None," she was despondent.
"Were there…" he paused, not wanting to know the answer if it was a yes, "Were there any other people you've been close to, someone who would be jealous of Naruto?"
"Sasuke!" Sakura protested.
"It's all right," Hinata said, "and to answer, no. At least, I don't think so."
Sasuke mentally reviewed the cases they'd worked on. All the Venom Scorpions were in prison or worse. While Venom and Scorpion both had a motive to kill Hinata, they were well outside the realm of means or opportunity. "Prior to the last few months, was there anyone who tried anything like this in the past? Sending anonymous letters, following you?"
"No," she shook her head.
"Hinata," Sasuke knew he was about to stir up a hornet's nest, "aside from us, have you told anyone else?"
"No," she sighed.
"Hinata, far be it from me to question your decisions," Sasuke cleared his throat, "We really should bring Naruto in on this – maybe even Lord Fourth and Lord Fifth. At the very least, Neji…"
"Sasuke! None of them would let me even leave the house if they knew," she panted desperately, "the final medical boards exam is tomorrow!"
Quite frankly, Sasuke was over being worried about appearances or medical boards. Hinata was being stalked by someone she couldn't track with Byakugan and could apparently block her ability to teleport with Flying Thunder God Technique. She needed to disappear to a safehouse until her stalker was found.
On the other hand, being in the hospital reminded him all too well of what it meant to be a prisoner, if even unofficially. Yeah, and your girlfriend here kept you from escaping the help you truly needed, too! Sympathy gave out to common sense. Like it or not, it was time to take the responsible path and not the convenient one. "Hinata, there is no way around it. You need a protection detail, and I'm insisting we bring Naruto up to speed on this!"
"Sasuke, what about you and Sai?" Sakura offered.
"What about us?" he asked.
"Sasuke, Naruto and Neji will both stick out like a sore thumb," Sakura raised a finger, "You two, on the other hand," are not nearly as conspicuous. You could monitor here while the board exam is going on!"
Sasuke weighed the situation. Naruto was his best and only real friend remaining in the village. Naruto had stood up for him several times after getting released from psychiatric care. Hinata had been Sasuke's partner and had vouched for him when Itachi had recommended him for the KIB. If anything happened to Hinata, he'd never be able to look Naruto in the face, much less forgive himself. He stared at Hinata, seeing a younger Sakura in tears about several near-failed medical exams. "If we do this," he cleared his throat, "we do this my way, meaning one or several of us escorts you to or from the hospital and at least one of us stays here in the hospital with you at all times."
"Deal," Hinata said.
He raised a finger to signify he wasn't done, "And I have to bring Itachi, Naruto, and Lord Fifth in on this." Hinata opened her mouth to protest, "Those are my conditions. Refuse them, and I'll call Naruto right now and explain everything you've told me. Then, you can negotiate conditions with him when he drags you off to Mount Myoboku!"
"Sasuke!" Sakura protested.
"Sakura, I get all couples have secrets, but this one is too damn dangerous to keep! If someone can evade Byakugan, can suppress Flying Thunder God, and who knows what else; they are a threat bigger than just some stalker jerking off to Hinata's photo in a magazine." Sasuke stared with fire burning his heart. "I'll concede letting her stay for tomorrow's medical board exams on those conditions alone."
Hinata and Sakura both exchanged a troubled glance, "Any other conditions you care to lay on us?"
"If we can't flush the guy out by the Yokai Market," he shifted thinking of countless people in costume for the event in just a few weeks, "or if he makes another pass at you, especially if he gets close, you're going into hiding until we get him." He held his palms up, "Take it or leave it. I am not going to compromise security for the sake of appearances."
"All right," Hinata sighed, "you win."
While Sakura appear exasperated, Sasuke could sense a weight lifting from her shoulders. Keeping Naruto out of the loop had been reckless to begin with. Sasuke discretely swallowed a lump in his throat at he stared are Hinata and Sakura; his heart hadn't slowed down from what Hinata had described. Someone who could suppress chakra and evade detection that easily could easily take any one of us down. Obito and Madara were both dead, and Kaguya was sealed away in another dimension. Kaguya wasn't the only one of her kind, we know that. Sasuke suppressed a chill down his spine at the horrible thought of another Ōtsutsuki creature attacking earth – let alone several. "I'll make the arrangements." He closed his fingers into a fist to stop them shaking.
Sai stood before a prepared canvas as he traced his model's gentle curves with a fine point brush. The background had been easy enough to prepare ahead of time, but putting the human form to ink and paint was still among the most challenging feats despite his skill as an artist. Do not get distracted, do not get distracted…
He traced delicately the thin line that would be his subject's inner thigh and paused. His heart was racing, threatening to beat out of sync as he defined what should be an easy part to draw. Dammit, why am I having so much difficulty with this?! Sai remained expressionless as he referenced his model. Ino was posed in a reclined position on a daybed, nude except for her cute smile and her blonde hair. "Everything okay, Sai?" she asked, careful not to move anything other than her lips.
"Yes," he lied, taking a deep sigh, "just planning out my next several moves; the human body has many, many features that demand attention."
"It certainly does," Ino's smile spread out like a rose blooming. Sai had observed a similar smile once on Sakura after she'd engaged in coitus with Sasuke. Hinata had likewise flashed a similar smile on several occasions after she and Naruto had had sexual relations. Sai couldn't understand why she was smiling nor why his throat bobbed up and down as he struggled to paint Ino's goddess form.
He shook his head gently and again tried to define the inner curve of the hip and thigh. Having spent much of his childhood being trained as an emotionless weapon, Sai at best had the emotional capacity of a child – he was aware of that. However, he couldn't tell if Ino was smiling at him because she smiled at everyone or if she was smiling in hopes of having sex with him.
Sai again paused, eyeing Ino. She had everything that qualified as physically attractive, even when fully clothed. She was funny, appreciated art, and she was patient with him and his social awkwardness. He had trained with her extensively during her initiation into the KIB/ANBU, and they had been inseparable ever since. She has also freely posed nude for you since becoming old enough.
He knew women didn't normally pose nude unless there was an element of trust, and usually it carried a reasonable fee. However, Sai had been undercover in enough sleazy dives over the past several years to know that simply showing off a body wasn't the same as permission to touch. "Sai, are you sure you're okay?" Ino had no difficulty in reading his emotional state.
"Fine," he put down his brush and rubbed his eyes, "I'm fine."
"Sai," he felt her silky-smooth hand on his free hand, "you've been having a lot of trouble painting me lately," he opened his eyes, heart running away in his chest as she held his hand in both of hers. "Did I do something to you?"
"I-Ino," he choked. This close, with no canvas to distract him, Sai appreciated her form as if he was seeing it for the first time. Her body and her smile would make a love and beauty goddess weep from jealousy! "Ino, I…" the annoying trill of his cellphone broke the moment. "Shit!" he sighed and huffed. The ringtone was the one he used for KIB-related business, not stuff he could ignore.
Sai reluctantly separated from Ino and answered, "Yes?"
"Sai," Itachi sounded on edge, "I need you and Ino to come in at once."
"Me and Ino? Has something happened?" Since war's end, most KIB/ANBU operations had been pedestrian – white collar crime, kidnapping, and smuggling. Itachi's voice hinted something more sinister.
"I'll explain when you two get in, now get to it!" the line went dead.
"Something serious by the sound of it," Ino began tying her golden hair in a ponytail, completely uncaring of her nude state.
"I guess, we'll have to pick this up another time," Sai cleaned his brush as Ino got dressed. Despite the seriousness of events, his mind wandered to her toned body, her glorious blonde hair, and her disarming smile.
Author's notes: Hello everyone, and thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed. I also thank everyone for their patience with this only updating every two weeks. Between work and a few other projects, putting out a quality chapter in one week is nearly impossible. If anyone here follows the Untold Tales companion to this series, I have a poll on my profile regarding the formatting of the Untold Tales. I'd greatly appreciate feedback!
I'll see you all next chapter. Until then, stay healthy, stay safe, and stay classy!