In which Tsunade visits a hot spring.
O-O-O
Tsunade pulled the lever. A deluge of pachinko balls rained down, rolling perfectly into the winning receptacles. Bells rang as a cascade of winnings fell into her box.
Shit.
A wave of dread ran up her spine. The last time she had experienced such amazing luck had been during her faceoff with the wannabe bounty hunter Kaito. But any other time, a stroke of good luck could only mean...
Hoping the most recent win was only a fluke, Tsunade pulled the lever again. Once again, the pachinko balls rained down and gave her another win.
Tsunade glanced around the casino. Were cosmic entities once again warning her about an upcoming tragedy? Or perhaps it was a sign that Kaito was nearby?
But Kaito was nowhere to be found. The other patrons looked like normal addicts. They laughed and joked as they wasted their savings on hope and possibility.
Tsunade's eyes sought out Shizune. If her non-gambling luck was about to turn for the worst, it would be best to keep the young woman close by. But Shizune had vanished
Growing worried, Tsunade began searching for her apprentice— though not before exchanging her winnings.
Much richer, she wandered through the casino, on the lookout for any hint of Shizune or Tonton's whereabouts. But there were no traces of them.
Now truly worried, Tsunade exited out into the streets, hoping Shizune had gone out for air. But still, no sign of her.
Tsunade rushed to their inn. She burst into their room. But to her dismay, Shizune wasn't there either.
Panic began to grip her. Her luck was capable of telling the future after all. Had it been trying to warn her of Shizune's fate?
But before she could break down, a slip of white paper on top of the bedside table caught her eye. She ran to it. A ransom?
But it was nothing of the sort. In Shizune's neat handwriting was a short note:
Tsunade-sama,
I heard the public bath in the town has a very well-maintained onsen. I'll be there for most of the afternoon, so I probably won't be back until dinner. Please don't waste all our savings at the casino!
Shizune
Tsunade let out a sigh of relief. So her assistant had decided to visit the local onsen? It made sense. Without a permanent place to live, the chance to rest and recuperate were few and far between. In fact...
She rolled her shoulders back, massaging them with the tips of her fingers. The thought of soaking in hot water for hours sounded more appealing by the second. Why hadn't Shizune invited her along, anyway? Or perhaps the younger woman had mentioned the trip and Tsunade hadn't paid attention?
Whatever the case, the thought of visiting the hot spring wouldn't leave her head. And with the premonition from earlier, it was a good idea to stay close to her assistant anyway.
Mind made up, Tsunade headed out. After some directions from the front desk, she left and arrived at the bathhouse a few minutes later.
There were a few women inside the pool, some soaking against the sides with their eyes closed and some talking to their friends in a low voice. With Tonton resting on the pool's border, Shizune rested, eyes closed and body low in the water.
"Mind some company?" Tsunade asked, already taking a step down into the pool.
"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune's eyes widened in surprise, and she shifted to give Tsunade more space.
Tsunade took her spot with a sigh of contentment, sinking down until her chin was underneath the water. She really should visit the hot springs more often.
Happy to see Tsunade outside of a casino, Shizune relaxed once more. Using Tonton as a pillow, she hummed to herself and lowered herself back down onto the water. They sat side by side, saying little to each other.
Tsunade closed her eyes and began to doze. Shizune and Tonton were fine. The water was doing wonders on her tired shoulders. She had a nice chunk of gambling winnings in her possession.
What was I even worried about?
She wasn't sure how they stayed in the water. But by the time they left, the sun was close to setting and her stomach began to growl. With twin sighs, the two women left the pool, changing back and leaving the public bath soon after.
"That was amazing," Tsunade gushed as they exited the bathhouse. "I feel ten years younger!"
Shizune let out a content sigh. "Same here." She rolled her shoulders back, Tonton cradled in her arms. "I didn't want to leave."
Tsunade grunted her agreement. "Where should we get dinner?" she asked. "I won some extra change at the pachinko parlor, so we can get something nice."
"You won, Tsunade-sama?" Shizune's tone was as surprised as Tsunade had expected. Other than with her competition against Kaito, she rarely won more than a few extra ryo.
"Yup." Tsunade placed her hands on her hips and nodded with a huff.
"You're going to use the money to pay off your debts?" Shizune asked.
Tsunade looked away, already debating whether to spend her winnings in pachinko or blackjack.
"You're going to use the money to pay off your debts, right?" Shizune's voice sounded both exasperated and unsurprised.
Tsunade still said nothing.
Shizune sighed, staring down at her feet. "Why would I expect anything else?" she mumbled to herself.
Tsunade ignored her assistant. What was the point of paying off debts, anyway? She'd just get new debts. It was an endless cycle.
Shizune sighed once more but said nothing else. Quiet, they began walking, turning at the corner. But the person leaning against the wall made Tsunade pause mid-step.
Her earlier luck had been a premonition after all
Jiraiya leaned against the wall of the onsen building, arms crossed with a familiar smirk on his face. With his head tilted up and a knowing glint, it was clear that he had been expecting them.
Tsunade clenched her jaw as the air left her lungs. Why was Jiraiya here? They had not even seen each other in... a long time. What did he want? And, more importantly, what did he want from her?
"J-Jiraiya-sama?" Shizune found her voice first. She took a tentative step toward the man, a frown on her face. "Is that you?"
Jiraiya's smirk widened and he raised a hand to stroke his chin. "The one and only!" he boasted. "I was waiting for you two lovely ladies to get out so we could talk. You two sure took your time."
Tsunade's tongue unstuck itself from the roof of her mouth as she found her voice again. "You... were waiting for us?"
"That's right!" Jiraiya gave an emphatic nod, crossing his arms again.
"You, waited for us?" she asked again, anger and embarrassment beginning to take over her surprise.
"Yes, I did." Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. Did he think Tsunade was being slow on purpose?
"You waited for us..." Tsunade continued. "Right outside an onsen?"
Jiraiya's brain seemed to have finally realized the implications. He raised his hands up in a warding gesture.
"Wait, no, this isn't what it looks like!" he said frantically. "I was just... uh... waiting! I've been following you for the past few days and—" He cringed, realizing how his words sounded too late. "I wasn't peeping this time!"
Tsunade took a step toward Jiraiya, her hands clenched into fists almost against her will. Did Jiraiya not remember what happened the last time?
Seeing her expression, Jiraiya took an involuntary step back, but with the wooden wall behind him, there were few places for him to go. Panicked, his eyes grew wide before he turned his face away, as if bracing for the worst.
Tsunade kept walking. A moment later, she stood in front of Jiraiya.
Despite towering over her, Jiraiya cringed back, eyes squeezed shut. "I swear, I saw nothing!"
The sight sent a wave of emotions coursing down her body. Familiarity. Joy. Nostalgia.
Her fury faded to become joy at seeing Jiraiya again after more than a decade. Even the thought that Jiraiya might have been trying to catch a peek was unable to overpower how happy she was to see him again. Why did they stop keeping in touch, anyway?
"Why are you here?" she asked.
Jiraiya opened one eye, still awaiting a punch. "Is it really that strange to want to say hello to an old friend?"
Only strange if I were to believe it.
"You came here... just to talk to me?" she asked.
Jiraiya nodded. "Why else?"
Tsunade snorted. "Who would want to talk to an old pervert who still thinks it's fun to peek at women in a bath?"
Jiraiya stiffened for a moment before relaxing. "I was in the area and thought we could talk for a bit." He met her gaze with a smile. "So why don't we get dinner together? My treat?"
Tsunade's frown deepened. She glanced back to look at Shizune, who looked, unfortunately, star struck. Suppressing a sigh, she turned back to Jiraiya.
"What do you want to talk about?" she asked.
O-O-O
"You know, when you said it was going to be your treat, I was hoping you'd choose something better than fried noodles," Tsunade complained. With a sigh, she sat down and rested her elbows on the counter.
"Are you really complaining over a free meal?" Jiraiya retorted as he sat next to her.
Tsunade sighed again. "No."
Not after she had done the same thing to the three bounty hunters. And who would turn down a free meal, cheap or not?
"It's been a long time, Jiraiya-sama." Shizune sat at Tsunade's other side, giving the man a curt nod.
"Likewise, young Shizune." Jiraiya returned the woman's greeting with a smile.
To Tsunade's annoyance, she almost sounded reverent to be in the man's presence. She should have mentioned Jiraiya's baser traits more often. The woman was more than old enough to learn about them.
Jiraiya flashed the two women a grin before turning to the main cook. "Three bowls of noodles, please!" he ordered. "Would you like anything else? A drink? Snacks?"
Shizune shook her head. "Water, perhaps."
"An order of pork gyoza and a beer." If Jiraiya was paying, Tsunade might as well order all she could.
Jiraiya only nodded before relaying the order to the cook.
Tsunade studied Jiraiya from the corner of her eye.
The man was leaning forward, an elbow on the counter and his chin in his palm. He looked older than she remembered, with crow's feet at the corners of his eyes and deeper smile lines. But more remained familiar. The lazy expression. The sharp eyes. The way he held himself. The tattoos on his cheeks reminiscent of tears of blood.
The Jiraiya I remember.
"It was very difficult to track you down," Jiraiya said.
Tsunade only grunted.
"It took me nearly a year to find you," he continued, unabated by her response.
She remained silent.
"You haven't aged a day." Jiraiya caught her gaze and flashed her a lazy smirk. "If anything, I think you might look younger and lovelier than I remember."
Tsunade frowned, ignoring the comment. "Why are you here, Jiraiya?" she asked.
After her earlier premonition, nothing good could come out of the visit. Did he need her for something? Or worse, did he or the Hokage want her to return to Konoha? Well, if so, they would have to drag her away by force. She would never set foot in the village responsible for Nawaki and Dan's death if she could help it.
Jiraiya shrugged. "Is it that difficult to believe I might want to talk to an old friend?"
Tsunade snorted. "Yeah, right."
A strange emotion flashed through Jiraiya's eyes. But before Tsunade could study his expression, the man shrugged again. "It's been over ten years now," he said. "I'd heard rumors you were... enjoying life."
"I am." Her words were more forceful than she had intended.
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "If you say." The clear disbelief in his voice made her clench her hands into fists.
Tsunage grimaced. "I don't know what you really want, Jiraiya," she said. "But if you think I'm just gonna let you tell me what to do, then—"
"I'm not here to pick a fight, Tsunade." Jiraiya began to run out of patience as he cut her off. "I really just wanted to see you and make sure you were fine."
"Well, I'm fine." Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Happy?"
Jiraiya only sighed. He opened his mouth to retort when three bowls of fried noodles and their drinks appeared in front of them.
"Now that you're here, I'd like a beer for myself too," Jiraiya told the worker, sounding almost pained.
"Of course, sir." The cook nodded before turning. "The gyoza will be right out, too."
"Thanks," Jiraiya sighed. With his gaze turned away from Tsunade, he reached for a new pair of chopsticks, separating them and muttering his thanks before digging in.
With a huff, Tsunade did the same and turned her attention to her meal, scarfing down the noodles as quickly as she could. The faster she finished, the faster she could say goodbye to her old teammate, and the faster she would find out the truth. Who would track her down just to talk?
"So what have you two ladies been doing in the last... decade or so?" Jiraiya asked as the cook set another beer down on the counter. While the question was for both women, his eyes were fixed on Shizune.
"None of your business," Tsunade mumbled before her assistant could answer. If Jiraiya wanted intel on her life and whereabouts, he would have to force it out of her.
"Mostly wandering the world, Jiraiya-sama," Shizune answered despite Tsunade's glare. "We have jobs every once in a while in clinics or hospitals. But most of the time we—"
"Shizune!" Tsunade cut off the younger woman before she could say anything else.
Shizune blinked. She opened her mouth before closing it. With as much dignity as she could muster, she ate more of her fried noodles.
"He doesn't need to know what we've been doing these past few years," Tsunade mumbled. "It's not like you cared before."
Jiraiya had no retort to that. Silent, he focused on his own meal. An awkward silence fell over their group.
It was Jiraiya who eventually spoke a few minutes later. "You haven't changed, Princess."
Tsunade seethed at the old nickname. "Don't call me Princess."
"I'm surprised you haven't gotten rid of that necklace, Princess," Jiraiya said, ignoring her demands. "How many millions could you get for that little trinket?"
Instinctively, Tsunade grasped the necklace tight with one hand. A gift from her grandfather, it had hung around her neck since her fourth birthday. Except...
The faces of Nawaki and Dan swam in front of her eyes. They had died wearing the First Hokage's Necklace— cursed more than she could have ever predicted. They were dead because of her. Because of the necklace. Because of its curse. Because she had been too weak to protect them.
"If you think I would sell or gamble with it, then you don't know me as well as you think you do," Tsunade said, tightening her grip on the stone.
The necklace only brought death and misfortune to anyone who carried it. She could never make anyone suffer the same fate she had. If all went according to plan, she would die and be buried with it, the curse ended.
Jiraiya said nothing. He took a long draught of beer and ate more noodles.
With a swallow, Tsunade did the same. She forced her hand to move away from the necklace. Eating as quickly as possible, she polished off her meal, gulping down the rest of her beer. By the time she finished, Jiraiya and Shizune were still halfway done.
Staring at the empty plate in front of her, Tsunade considered leaving. But Shizune would stay, afraid of seeming rude. How could Tsunade call herself the young woman's mentor if she left her alone with Jiraiya of all people?
Resigned, Tsunade pulled the plate of gyoza toward her. She ate slowly as she waited for the other two to finish.
"Do you want another beer?" Jiraiya asked, mouth half full of food. "Or anything else?"
Tsunade shook her head. It would only make their dinner longer.
Jiraiya turned his attention to Shizune next. "How about you, Shizune?"
To Tsunade's horror, the young woman nodded. "A glass of iced tea would be nice," she admitted.
Tsunade pinched the bridge of her nose. Why had she agreed to dinner in the first place? And why couldn't Jiraiya hurry up and tell her the real reason he was there?
The rest of the evening dragged on. Jiraiya tried to engage the two women in conversation. But Tsunade refused to say more than a few curt words. And while Shizune tried to answer, she was unable to talk much with Tsunade in the middle. By the time they all finished eating, Tsunade was tired of waiting and Jiraiya had grown increasingly annoyed.
"Well, I guess I'll be going now." Jiraiya rummaged through his pockets and took out a wad of bills, which he placed on top of the counter. "It was nice to talk to you again, Tsunade."
"Wait... are you really leaving now?" Tsunade blinked. Was that all? Where was the inevitable request for help? Or the order to return to Konoha? If Jiraiya left without revealing the truth, then perhaps—
"I told you I just wanted to talk!" Jiraiya retorted, sounding exasperated.
Tsunade huffed, crossing her arms. "And I was just supposed to believe that? No one ever comes just to talk." Even the three men, entertaining as they were, had reached out only because they wanted intel on Orochimaru.
"Whatever." Jiraiya rolled his eyes. "I'm glad you're safe." To her surprise, Jiraiya's voice was honest. "I hope we see each other again soon."
Tsunade swallowed down a wave of emotions before answering. "Perhaps we will."
Jiraiya only sighed. With a tired smile at Shizune and a wave at Tsunade, he left without a single glance back.
Soon after, Tsunade left the noodle stand as well, being berated the entire time by Shizune for her rudeness. As usual, Tsunade ignored her assistant. After arriving at the inn, still being scolded, they prepared for bed.
As she drifted to sleep, Tsunade prepared herself for Jiraiya to reappear at any second. He wouldn't just enter her life after more than a decade with no greater purpose. Would he?
But Jiraiya didn't return during that night or even the day after. Tsunade kept her eyes and ears peeled for him for the next few weeks, half expecting him to jump out at any second. But after a month with neither hide nor hair of Jiraiya, Tsunade was forced to confront the truth: he had just wanted to talk. And she had chased him away.
"Bastard," Tsunade mumbled under her breath as she pulled the lever of the pachinko machine. To her mutual relief and horror, the balls bounced erratically, none entering the correct containers.
O-O-O
"Why can't I come too, Father?" Kimimaro whined. "It's not fair! Utakata gets to go."
"We'll be back before you know it." Harusame smiled, trying to placate the boy. "And we need someone to ensure the compound stays in one piece."
"Knowing Harusame, it's probably something really boring," Utakata added. "And Haku and Kasumi are both in the village. Why don't you hang out with them instead?"
Kimimaro's frown only deepened. "That's not the point! I'm a chuunin of Kirigakure. I can handle anything."
"I'm sure you can," Harusame agreed.
But Kimimaro only grimaced, opening his mouth to argue further.
Utakata sighed. The night before, Harusame had announced he was leaving the village for a research trip somewhere remote in the Land of Water. And for some reason, he had requested that Utakata and Utakata alone accompany him.
And while Utakata asked why, Kimimaro sulked about not being invited. But their mentor had refused to answer, reiterating he only needed Utakata's help. Resigned, Utakata had prepared for a trip while Kimimaro complained about being left behind.
"It's only a two-day trip, Kimimaro." Harusame patted the top of the boy's head. "We'll be back before you know it."
Kimimaro's frown deepened and he opened his mouth as if to continue protesting before closing it back again. Looking almost close to tears, he nodded, resigned to his fate.
"Good boy." Harusame ruffled the top of the boy's head, nearly disrupting his carefully combed hair and making Kimimaro's face turn pink.
"I'll make sure that we come back as soon as we can," Utakata promised with a grin.
While it was clear Kimimaro remained unconvinced, he nodded.
"See you in two days, Kimimaro." Harusame patted the top of the boy's head one last time.
Utakata did the same, following his teacher shortly after. "Make sure nothing burns down while we're gone," Utakata added. "I'll bring you back something nice, I promise."
Some of the sadness left Kimimaro's eyes. He stood up straight and nodded. "Thank you, nii-san."
Running backwards, Utakata left, waving goodbye as Kimimaro got farther and farther away. "See you soon, Kimimaro."
Kimimaro, still sulking, raised a hand to wave goodbye.
"We'll be back soon," Harusame reiterated as he also turned back to wave goodbye.
With their farewells finished, the two men left the compound behind.
"So why are you taking me on this... thing, sensei?" Utakata asked once their home was far behind them. "I'm sure Kimimaro could have come."
But Harusame shook his head. "It's something I've been wanting to do with you for a long time," he said. "Something that I believe will truly make your life better."
"Better?" Utakata crossed his arms, hiding his hands inside the sleeves of his yukata. Other than the presence of a mysterious organization called Akatsuki, there was nothing he could think of to make his life better.
Harusame nodded. "You'll understand later."
Utakata shrugged. "All right, sensei. If you insist."
With that, they said little else to each other. They left the outskirts of Kirigakure and entered the main road toward the capital.
But not long after, Harusame deviated from the main path. With Utakata at his side, they entered the true wilderness of the Land of Water. By the time the sun began to set, they were far removed from civilization.
"Where are we going exactly, sensei?" Utakata asked as the world grew dark around them. They were nearing the Eastern coast. From there, there was the ocean and a smattering of islands, far removed from any population centers and civilians. Were they heading for a military post?
"We're nearly at our destination," Harusame answered, avoiding the question entirely.
Utakata sighed. He was beginning to understand how Kimimaro felt about being left behind. Yawning, he followed his teacher.
"We'll camp out here for the night," Harusame said over an hour later. Already the sun had fully set beyond the horizon. Out in the wilderness, the stars shone bright.
Utakata let out a relieved sigh. "Good. I'm tired." Without waiting for instructions, he dropped his travel knapsack on the ground, where it made a satisfying thud. "I guess tomorrow we'll get to... wherever it is we're going?"
Harusame nodded as he also placed his travel items on the ground, although with much more care. "Tomorrow you will know why I brought you here," he said with a smile. "I'll explain everything then. But for now, let's eat dinner and rest."
Utakata grunted his assent. He hadn't eaten since lunch and his stomach was starting to grumble.
With that, they set up camp. Soon after, they had mushrooms and fish roasting by the campfire.
As their dinner cooked, Utakata extended a camping mat out and laid down. Already, he was beginning to nod off, although the grumbling in his stomach did not allow it. Yawning, he listened as the fire crackled and the fish began to sizzle.
"Utakata-kun? Dinner's ready."
Utakata sat up. With a grunt, he sat up and accepted his meal. The two men ate, chatting little. Once finished, they cleaned up, put out the fire, and got ready for sleep.
"Good night, Harusame-sensei," Utakata said as he crawled into his sleeping bag. Hands at the nape of his neck, he stared at the night sky above him, thinking of nothing in particular. The moon stared back at him, narrow as a snake's fang.
But before he could fall asleep, Harusame brought his mind back to earth. "Utakata-kun?"
Utakata yawned. "Yeah?" He turned his head. With the limited light from the moon and stars, his teacher's face was in shadow, expression nearly impossible to see.
Harusame kept his face turned toward the sky. "There's something I wanted to talk to you about. Without... without Kimimaro here."
"About what?" Utakata yawned again.
The older man shifted in place again and he hesitated before speaking. "I wanted to ask if you're happy."
Utakata snorted before turning to look back up at the night sky. "Yeah, I'm happy. Why wouldn't I be?"
"Because..." His teacher swallowed. "Because of everything I've done to you."
"Huh?" Utakata frowned. What was his teacher talking about? Other than forcing him to eat broccoli as a child, Harusame had never done anything to make him unhappy.
"I think about it often," the older man continued. "What if I hadn't sealed the beast inside of you? What if I could take it out? What if I could give you a life where you weren't rejected because of what's sealed inside of you?"
Utakata sighed and rolled his eyes. "Sensei," he began. "We already talked about it. My life is not ruined because of the Six Tails sealed inside of me. Yes, it's inconvenient, but—"
"Inconvenient?" There was a hint of anger in his teacher's voice. "When was the last time you went to a restaurant without being forced to leave? Can you go out in public without people watching your every move, waiting for an attack that'll never come?"
"Well, yes, but…" Utakata grimaced to himself. It was true that outside of Harusame's compound he rarely met the nicest people. "But that doesn't mean my life is ruined."
"I never see you go out," Harusame listed more evidence. "I don't see you spending time with friends or lovers. The only time you leave my compound is for missions. Is it… is it because of how people treat you when I'm not there?"
Utakata hesitated. It would be a lie to say the villagers' attitudes didn't discourage him from going out in Kirigakure. But how could he admit that now?
"Honestly, it's mostly because I can't take my bed with me outside." Utakata hoped the joke would bring some levity. "It's hard to take naps when walking around the village." And it's not a lie.
But the attempt at humor failed to distract Harusame. "So, you do avoid going out because of your status as jinchuuriki."
"I—" Utakata frowned. How could he explain to his teacher being a jinchuuriki wasn't always a bad thing? Yes, it was impossible to get breakfast at most restaurants and food stalls but…
If he weren't a jinchuuriki, the only place he might have met the other jinchuuriki would have been on the battlefield. What would have happened to Kirigakure? To Yagura? To his team? Where would everyone's lives be, then?
Utakata wanted to explain it all. To tell Harusame about the conversations he had with Yugito. The things he taught the youngest three. The ways Yagura still cared for the village and his family.
He wanted to explain how he had a family. Not only in Harusame and Kimimaro, but with the jinchuuriki. How, even in the worst days, he knew he was never alone.
But his tongue refused to work. The seals that kept the Room secret from everyone would not allow him to say anything.
Would he even believe me if I told him?
"I guess it does play a factor in why I don't go out much," Utakata finally admitted with a shrug. "But who cares about them? Most Kiri shinobi don't even know how to wash their hands."
The second attempt at comedy failed as much as the first.
"So your life would have been better if I had never sealed that beast into you." Harusame's tone of voice was impossible to read, although Utakata detected a hint of anger. At him? Or the situation?
Utakata shrugged again. "I don't know. Maybe."
It was the answer Harusame had been waiting for. "I'm sorry." His words were full of shame and regret, his worst fears now confirmed.
"Sensei…" Utakata turned to look at the older man, trying to meet his eyes. But Harusame had turned his back toward him, the night sky doing nothing to help with visibility.
Utakata opened his mouth, wanting to say something, anything to make his teacher understand. But without telling him about the Room and the other jinchuuriki, could anything change his teacher's mind?
The silence stretched on and on, both men unable to make the other understand. At least half an hour must have passed until Utakata spoke.
"There's nothing we can do to change the past," he eventually said. "And if there's one thing I got out of it, it's having you for a teacher."
Across from him, Harusame said nothing at first, his breathing too slow and even to be asleep. Utakata waited with bated breath, but when it didn't immediately come, he sighed and turned his gaze back up to the sky. If there was nothing he could say to change Harusame's mind, he might as well save his breath.
He had started drifting to sleep when Harusame finally spoke.
"Maybe we can't change the past," the older man said. "But we can change the future."
Utakata smiled to himself and sighed. "There's no point in agonizing over the past."
Harusame was silent for a beat too long before replying. "Good night, Utakata-kun."
"Good night, sensei." With one last yawn, Utakata covered his face with a forearm before drifting off to sleep.
O-O-O
A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long. Unfortunately, I've been very busy. Considering I'm planning to do a post graduate program starting this January, it seems things are unlikely to change. Though perhaps the allure of using writing as procrastination from my homework will actually get me to write more often. Who knows?
Morket is a great beta reader and awful friend for encouraging procrastination by playing video games.
Lastly, I actually suggest reading this story on Archive of Our Own (same name and username). I put links to Naruto fanfiction servers and fanart there, plus I sometimes correct typos or minor errors more often there.
Next chapter: not listening.
