Chapter Forty

"Ken, this is getting ridiculous," Kaori said, her arms crossed and her hip jutted in the perfect picture of female impatience. She looked around his and Naruto's room, part of the floor space marked off with stacks of sealing scrolls and notes littering the floor with more notes and diagrams covering the small portion of the wall. In the middle of it, Ken sat with a pencil behind each ear and between his teeth, dark circles under his eyes, and one of the elemental masks on his lap.

"Wha' d'you mean?" he asked from around the pencil, eyes shifting.

"First of all," she said, lifting an index finger, "you've been in here almost every waking moment for two weeks. You're lucky the Lord Hokage was willing to be lenient because of you and Tomoko's brush with a jinchuriki." At the mention of his partner's name, Ken blushed and averted his gaze, starting to scribble again.

"And then there's your feelings for Tomoko you need to work through," Kaori said with a faint smile.

"Feelings?" Ken asked quickly after spitting out the pencil. Too quickly. "What feelings? I don't have feelings. I mean, she's a dear friend, a respected colleague, a kickass kunoichi with brown eyes like cocoa and-" He seemed to choke on his words. "What feelings?"

"Those feelings, Ken," Kaori said, crossing the room to grab him by the upper arm and haul him up to his feet. "Now, you're going to have a hot meal, a shower, and a nap. Then you're going to find Tomoko and talk this through."

"Please don't make me," Ken said pitifully, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands. "I can't lose what we have. She's like my best friend." He lowered his hands with a despondent look. "My only best friend ever."

"And if you don't talk to her," Kaori said gently, with the mix of empathy and resolve only a parent could muster, "you will still lose your best friend."

"I don't know where she could be," Ken slurred.

"I can find her!" Karin volunteered, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. "You're not getting out of it, Cousin Ken!"

"Yeah, not getting out of it!" Naruto said, also appearing out of apparently thin air. Maybe he really was sleep deprived.

"Fine," he grumbled.

As Ken moved to take his seat at the dining table, Kaori winked at her daughter. Karin smiled and gestured for Naruto to sit too and keep Ken distracted. As he did, Karin unobtrusively left the house and extended her awareness to find Tomoko's unique chakra signature. She smiled when she felt it relatively close by and began jogging toward the location.

Knock, knock, knock.

Tomoko looked up with surprise and put down her naginata — the blade having been collected after their run-in with Roshi, unscrewed from the original wooden mount, and replaced on a new shaft — and the rag and oil she had been using to polish the blade to stand and pad over to the door. She moulded sensory chakra out of habit and healthy shinobi paranoia and arched her eyebrows at whom she sensed and opened the door to find Karin on her doorstep.

"Hello, Tomoko," Karin said brightly.

"Hi, Karin," Tomoko said back. "Look, not that I'm not happy to see you … but what are you doing here?"

"Helping you," Karin said. "Cousin Ken's finally got his head out of his butt and wants to talk to you about," she gestured vaguely, "whatever's been going on between you two."

"Going on?" Tomoko asked. "What do you mean 'going on'? Nothing's 'going on'. We're great! Ken and I are great. Just two friends that are just great." She chuckled nervously and ran her fingers through her hair.

"R-i-i-i-ght," Karin said, the single drawn-out word heavy with an unbelievable amount of sass for a nine-year-old. "Well, since everything's so 'great,' Ken wants to meet you to talk it out." She propped a fist on her hip just like she'd seen her mom do. "So where can he meet you in a bout, oh say, two hours?"

Tomoko thought about lying, but she'd heard enough of Ken's excited ramblings about Karin being a natural sensor to wonder if she'd pick up on it, so she decided to just bite the shuriken and go along with this. She gave it some thought and pointed to the mountain ridge in the distance, carved with the likenesses of the Hokage.

"He can meet me up there. I think he'll know which one."

Ken scratched his arm with nerves as he reached the summit of Hokage Rock as the sun was setting and painting the sky with streaks of pink and orange. Kaori had insisted that he dress up at least a little bit for this, and so rather than his usual grey, hooded long-sleeved shirt and reddish cargo pants, he wore a gray button-down and slacks. His hair was pulled back in its usual short tail and Karin had spritzed him with cologne of all things.

As he made his way along the ridge, his lips twitched into the briefest smile when he found Tomoko meditating. 'I really did know where to find her,' he thought, glancing further at the back of Lord Hiruzen's likeness. Because where else would a Sarutobi go?

"Hey, Red," Tomoko said with a smile as she stood from her lotus position. "It's been a while."

"Hey, Tomoko." Ken blushed at the sight of Tomoko's attire, a forest-green sleeveless dress with a skirt that fell to her knees and a sweetheart neckline. Her strong calves were accentuated by her usual sandals. 'Guess she decided to dress up a little, too,' he thought, hoping beyond hope that this was a good sign.

They stood there in silence for a little while before Tomoko groaned and ran her hands through her hair. "This is ridiculous!" she complained. "What are we, teenagers?! No, we're freaking adults." She briskly approached until they were arms' length away from each other, her expression set in determination. "So let's act like it and talk about our situation."

"Okay," Ken said, his own resolve rising.

"I really like you! …What?"

Ken and Tomoko looked at each other with wide eyes, having said the exact same sentence in perfect unison.

"Uhm, ladies first," Ken offered.

"No, I want to hear this," Tomoko said with a faint smile.

Ken sighed and squeezed the bridge of his nose. "Alright. Look, Tomoko, I … I realized on the Roshi mission that I-" He cut himself off and tried to order his thoughts. "I have liked you as more than a friend for quite some time."

"Really?" Tomoko asked, her cheeks pink as she played with her fingers. "How long?"

"I don't know," he said honestly, looking away from her eyes as he scratched the back of his head. "Since some time after the first C-rank and before the Chunin Exams?" He growled and shook his head. "Or something like that? I can't really figure out the exact day." He bit his lips and centered himself before adding, "I've been terrified to say something since the mission because I have little to no experience with romance, just like I had with kids before Naruto. And if you didn't feel the same, I didn't want to lose your friendship." He swallowed and decided to go all the way. "You're the best friend I've ever had."

He looked up to find Tomoko's eyes shining and her cheeks red, her hand clasped over her heart. She just … stared at him and said nothing.

"Oh, no. I said too much. I shouldn't have said that. I know it's a lot, I just-"

"I know how you feel."

Ken's rambling was cut off by five short words. He looked back at Tomoko to find her smiling again.

"I realized how much I really care for you on the same mission." She reached out to him, drew back a bit, and then finally placed a hand on his chest. "I was just scared that-" Her blush disappeared to be replaced with a deathly pallor and she drew away, pupils shrunk to pinpoints and breathing suddenly ragged. She squeezed her eyes shut as tears leaked out and she curled in on herself as they fell.

"Tomoko!" Ken shouted and drew her into a hug. She fought his hold for a split second before latching onto him and weeping into his chest. Ken was at a loss on what to do, so he cradled her head in his hand and kept the other curled around her back, content to let her get whatever this was out of her system.

Slowly, so slowly, Tomoko calmed down and the tears stopped. She slowly drew away to wipe the last of them away with the palm of her hand. "Sorry about that," she said, her words shaky.

"It's okay," he replied.

"Did I ever tell you I was engaged once?" she asked, her throat tight as she held her arms around herself.

"No," Ken said, shocked at the sudden turn.

Tomoko sniffled and took a shuddering breath. "His name was Tamiya Naosuke. He graduated from the Academy a year before me. He was able to become a genin, but he didn't come from a shinobi clan. Two years after I became a genin, we were in our first Chunin Exams together and fought in the third round. I won." She sounded smug at that, but also bitter.

"After the announcements were made he tracked me down and asked me, basically begged, to train with him, and I said yes. Whenever I had a break from my duties, I would train with him." She shuddered and folded her legs to sit, and Ken took a seat next to her, placing an arm around her back and a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him and smiled, placing a hand on his.

"Whenever we trained, he always asked me to use clan techniques during our spars. I didn't think anything of it at the time; he said he just wanted to push himself as far as he could. After another year, he took the Exams and got promoted. We didn't see each other again for a few years after."

"When I was seventeen, we were assigned a mission together to hunt down a bear that had turned into a man-eater. And you know how I can be," she chuckled ruefully. "When we found it, I charged straight in and blasted it with fire. It was enraged, but weakened, and I finished it off myself with a rain of Fire-infused shuriken — Shuriken Shadow Clone.

"When the dust settled, I looked back and found him looking at me with … well, I guess awe would be a good word for it. He approached and said he missed my ferocity. Then he dropped to a knee and asked me out." She snorted. "We went out on four really lavish dates and I fell head-first into a pool of infatuation and hormones. On that fourth date, he asked me to marry him …" Her grip on his hand tightened.

"And you said yes," Ken surmised.

"My parents warned me not to, but … yeah, I said yes." She laughed bitterly. "He wanted to rush the wedding; said he couldn't bear to not be married to me. The day grew closer and everything was arranged. Then he had a 'guy's night' training with his friends and I … I thought I'd surprise him.

"I snuck over to the training ground he liked … and I watched for a minute. So imagine my surprise when a clanless shinobi uses the Inuzuka clan's Four Legs Technique to maul a friend's clone or boasts about using an offshoot of the Yamanaka clan's mental techniques to predict his other friend's moves or that he's learned shurikenjutsu straight from a member of the Fuma clan?"

"What happened?" Ken asked, his heart aching for Tomoko's clear pain, but also invested in the story.

"One of his friends asked what he'd learned from 'that cute little monkey girl' and he laughed. He said, 'Nothing yet. But give it a few years and I'll wear her down. I'll get my hands on some real clan secrets. Being a member of the clan, and all.' Then one of his friends asked why he was marrying me instead of just charming the secrets out of me. And do you know what he said?"

By now she was visibly angry, her grip on Ken's hand almost crushing.

"What did he say?" Ken asked, his stomach turning and his own temper simmering as a terrible thought occurred to him.

"He said, 'Why settle for joining a low clan when I can join the Lord Hokage's? Gotta be some really juicy secrets for them to have an old man with the hat for so long, right?'" She shivered and leaned into Ken, more tears slowly running down her cheeks.

"I was a pawn to him," she whimpered. "A means to an end." She let out a sob before continuing. "I couldn't listen to more after that, so I ran to my parents' house. I told them everything I'd heard, and my dad was furious. I mean, my mom was too, but she held him back and said death would be a release instead of a punishment.

"So we went to visit Lord Nisuke, the clan head. We told him everything and he brought it to Uncle's attention. You know the law about stealing clan secrets, so Uncle had full justification to bring Tamiya in for a 'visit' with T&I while they investigated." She paused and took a breath before continuing. "It turns out, he'd been dating girls from shinobi clans but without Bloodline Traits to weasel their secrets out of them, targeting the weak ones who felt unappreciated.

"By the time he was found out, he'd picked up rough secret techniques from a half-dozen clans. He justified it during his arraignment as 'trying to diversify', 'spreading the strength to others', and even," she laughed bitterly, "'using a ninja's stock and trade of deception.'"

"So what did they do?" Ken asked, his voice hard with restrained anger.

"They didn't execute him, if that's what you're wondering. That was considered too quick when the law was written." She finally smiled, and it was a small, frightening thing. "They carved a seal into his chest that permanently blocks his tenketsu."

Ken's eyes widened. "They removed his ability to mould chakra," he whispered.

"And the seal is tied to his major organs," Tomoko added. "If he had it removed, assuming he could find a sealmaster to do the job, it would cause a cataclysmic shutdown of his body. Then they had a Yamanaka strip him of sensitive information and banished him from the village."

At one time, Ken might have considered such a punishment excessive. But hearing how this man had betrayed Tomoko … "Good riddance," he muttered.

Tomoko giggled — giggled — and leaned harder into Ken. "You said you didn't have much experience with romance?" she asked. Ken hummed in affirmation. "I guess that's why it took me so long to sort out my own feelings," she admitted. "After what Tamiya did, I-" She paused to fight still more tears pooling in her eyes. "I didn't think anyone would want me except for my clan."

"I would," Ken said. "If you would have me, too."

Tomoko shifted to face Ken and gave the first real smile he'd seen in two weeks. She slowly reached up to place hand on the side of his face, brushing his cheek with her thumb. "I would like to try," she said, looking him in the eyes — blue-gray to chocolate brown.

"Okay," he whispered.

And like that, the air between them seemed to be charged with something that drew them closer, like the moon upon the tides. They drew closer, eyes fluttering shut … and their lips came together in a feather-light touch that felt like a spark. It lasted for a pair of heartbeats before they separated and rested their foreheads against each other.

"Whoa," Ken breathed.

"Yeah," Tomoko sighed, "whoa."

"So, uhem," Ken stumbled, his brain kicking back into gear, "would you like to, I dunno, head to Ichiraku's?"

"Are you asking me out on a date, Ken Uzumaki?" Tomoko teased, draping her wrists over his shoulders.

"Yes?" Ken asked, then he cleared his throat and tried again. "Yes, I am."

"I'd love to," Tomoko said. She stood up and brushed her dress off before hauling Ken to his feet. As soon as he was stable, she lightly pushed him away. "Last one there pays!" she shouted, already bounding off the Hokage Rock and soaring to the streets below with a joyous laugh.

"You're on!" Ken shouted, following suit with a wide smile. He silently decided to slow his pace to make sure he paid, like a good date.

"Well would you look at that?"

Lord Hiruzen chuckled as he looked into his crystal ball with three Uzumakis crowded around him. When Naruto had burst into his office to tell him that Kaori had said their cousin and Hiruzen's "niece" were about to get together, he'd laughed at the boy's antics. "You aren't going to spy on them, are you, Naruto?"

"Nah, Ken and Tomo are way too good ninjas for me right now," Naruto admitted.

"But perhaps not for me," Hiruzen said, standing from his desk. His appointments were over for the day, and perhaps he could get some entertainment for the evening. He took the crystal ball and pillow he used for the Telescope Technique along with him and led the way to the Uzumaki's rental house. His arrival caused a stir, with Kaori visibly distressed that she hadn't had time to prepare for his arrival.

After assuring her that he was perfectly content to simply sit and enjoy their company, he had placed the pillow and crystal ball onto their dining table and methodically flicked through the necessary hand seals to lock onto Tomoko and Ken's chakra signatures within the village.

The crystal formed the image of them both as Ken arrived at the top of Hokage Rock and allowed them all to listen in on their admitted feelings and Tomoko's tale of heartbreak.

"Oh, that poor girl," Kaori murmured, her heart aching. After all, she knew what it was like to be betrayed by love.

"It was indeed a difficult time," Hiruzen agreed.

They all continued to watch with rapt attention as Ken asked Tomoko out and she agreed before they raced off to the ramen stand.

"I knew it!" Naruto shouted, jumping from his seat and dancing in place. "I called it! I knew it! I saw it coming a mile away!" He continued to dance, much to his audience's amusement. "I knew they'd get together, y'know!"

"I think we all saw that coming," Karin drolled, rolling her eyes.

"They weren't exactly subtle about it," Kaori agreed.

"And yet it took a near-death experience for them to fully come to terms," Hiruzen noted. "I wish I could say it was only them, but such things are tragically common for shinobi." He snorted. "At any rate, I feel we should leave them to their courtship." He put away his things and stood up, taking his hat. "If you all will excuse me, have a wonderful-"

"I do not excuse you," Kaori pointedly said, gently pushing him back into the chair. "I can whip up some dinner for you, Lord Hokage. It's the least I can do for a guest in my home."

"I wouldn't want to be a bother," he protested faintly.

"You're not," Kaori assured as she bustled around the kitchen. "I was getting ready to cook dinner when you and Naruto arrived. Since Ken's eating out, we'll have extra. Kids, make sure he doesn't leave."

"You're holding the Hokage hostage?" Hiruzen chuckled.

"Only if he's unwilling," Kaori said back.

"C'mon, Gramps!" Naruto begged. "We haven't eaten together in forever!"

"Please stay, Lord Hokage," Karin asked, showing her best puppy eyes.

"Very well," Hiruzen decided. "What are we having?"

Omasa hummed a lullaby from her childhood as she hand washed the dishes from the meal her husband had cooked tonight. Kato had left for a week-long mission this afternoon, which left her and Daichi alone. As a mother, her thoughts turned to her daughter alone in her house across the compound and clearly struggling with something. It might have been how close she was to dying on her last mission.

Her maternal instincts had cried bloody murder when she'd learned of it, even as her reason had asserted that Tomoko was an adult and a chunin.

But that same intuition whispered to her that this was something far different than a brush with death. Tomoko had experienced such things before and never reacted this way. She felt that it was more … emotional.

Her musings were interrupted by the sound of cracking glass. Omasa looked to her left to find the shards of a ceramic plate littering the counter beside the sink, and her husband who had been drying the dishes frozen in shock, his hands still curled into claws within the kitchen towel and his teeth bared.

"Daichi?" Omasa asked. "What's wrong, dear?"

"I just had a chill run through my very soul," he muttered. "I think Tomoko is … with a boy."

"A boy?" Omasa asked.

"I can't explain it," he sighed. "I just feel it, in my bones."

Omasa regarded her husband quizzically before chuckling and leaning over to kiss his cheek. "Dear, I think Tomoko's a little old for the 'overprotective daddy' routine." Her smile turned bemused. "And if you're right … and she's with who I think she's with, then we have nothing to worry about."

"Who do you think she's with?" Daichi asked.

Omasa continued her humming as she washed a bowl out.

"Omasa? Who is she with?"

"Well, not a bad first date," Tomoko said as they neared her porch.

"Not bad?" Ken asked.

"Not bad at all," she confirmed with a lazy smile, weaving her fingers with his. They stopped on her porch and Tomoko turned to face Ken with her back to the door. "So, this is it."

"This is what?" Ken asked, suddenly nervous.

"Have you ever dated before?" Tomoko giggled.

"Not really," Ken admitted with red cheeks. "My grandfather and I moved around too much for me to get serious. Plus he was too worried about anyone finding out about us."

"Well, I know," Tomoko said, draping her arms over his shoulders. "And I like you a lot."

"I like you, too," Ken replied.

They stared into each others' eyes for a few long moments before Tomoko huffed, rolled her eyes and leaned up to kiss Ken's lips. He squeaked in surprise before melting into it, placing his hands on Tomoko's hips before sliding them up her sides to hug her back. All too soon, they parted with a soft chu.

"See you tomorrow?" Tomoko asked, her voice almost a purr. "For a mission?"

"Mission," Ken agreed, his voice husky, "tomorrow."

"Good." She opened the door from behind and stepped away from Ken's embrace and into her house. "Sleep tight, Ken," she whispered.

"You too, Tomoko."

Tomoko closed the door and turned to lean back into it and slide to the ground. Her breathing sped up and she clapped her hands to her mouth to let out an undignified girlish squeal.

She giggled even more at the sound of Ken whooping into the night.

Chapter forty, bringing the long-hinted relationship upgrade!

*The name of Tomoko's fiance comes from the two antagonists in Japanese 50's film "The Ghost of Yotsuya" based on the kabuki play, "Yotsoya Kaidan." **I've had Tomoko's backstory in mind for quite a long time and tried to hint at it a little bit. It was painful and fun to come up with and i'm so glad to finally share it.

*We never got much information on the Telescope Technique - Hiruzen's crystal ball spying technique also used by Gamamaru ans Obito Uchiha - so I got a little creative with it.

As always, I hope you all liked it. Leave a review if you wish!

A final note: This story will probably be going on brief hiatus as I churn out more advance chapters. I like to stay at least three chaps ahead, so it may be a little bit. But until then, all the luck on your own endeavors!