Harbinger

by tigerowl

Naruto's friendship with his teammates Gaara and Haku is put to the test as they prepare to deal with the threat of the Akatsuki. The secrets Jiraiya has kept come to a head, and Naruto must shoulder the responsibility of protecting much more than the Leaf Village. Continuation of Forlorn. AU NaruHina, GaaSaku, NejiTen, ObiRin, OCs *Taoism, Self-Indulgent World Building, longfic

33. Wavering Eyes

Note: Bada-boom. Friendship, implied training, actual training, Scott Pilgrim, fried foods, and a lot of sin. To elaborate, the 'sin scenes' are sexy teenage flirtations and pawing that does not tip the scale towards explicit, but you may now consider yourselves warned.

Chapter Soundtrack: "Ends of the Earth" by Lord Huron

& More, See Bottom of Page

Chapter 33- Wavering Eyes

In the span of the first week, training rolled out at a grueling pace. Entire days were spent flexing muscle, spending chakra, and meals were forgotten or skipped. The only mission that the group of finalist Genin had been tasked with was not really a mission per se, and Tsunade's "look good" assignment had not taken up too much time or attention. The 'wake up, work, sleep, repeat' routine had caught on.

One sunny morning, Gai was unnerved when Kakashi dropped by to ask for permission to leave the village with Tama.

"For training." Kakashi explained casually, "There's an uninhabited canyon a few miles shy of the border with the Land of Rivers. We're working on a technique."

"Surely you could train within the safety of our village?" Gai was stumped.

"Ah…no." Kakashi was not very forthcoming with information.

Grudgingly, Gai gave his blessing, provided that Tama cleared the suspicious request with her parents. Whatever it was, Kakashi did not want his other students, or anyone for that matter, observing what he taught the next generation of the Maito family. Gai could read between the lines.

Anything that Kakashi did not say actually said quite a lot. If he did not want to discuss which technique would be practiced in a location such as a desolate canyon, far from civilization, Gai could make an educated guess. 'Without a doubt, he will try to hone her Taijutsu. Perhaps Ninjutsu as well. Her opponent is guaranteed to be a difficult one…' He rubbed his chin in thought after Kakashi had left, 'The Inner Gates? Forbidden jutsu? My niece is not suited for the Chidori, but…I have no idea how Kakashi seeks to equip her against this adversary…'

Gai huffed to himself, knowing that Kakashi took just as many risks with students as he did. They had criticized each other heavily about it in the past. Now, it was standard practice to pass on high-level techniques without worry.

He looked up at the clock near the bulletin board of the Jounin Standby Station. Lee's practice with his grandfather would be wrapping up soon. There was about enough time to jog around the village before they were set to meet at their training grounds. Gai did a few warm up stretches before taking off, greeting Genma in the hallway as he literally hurdled over his old teammate's head.

---

When Kosuke the small, red toad delivered amaryllis bulbs from Mount Myoboku, along with Naruto's most recent correspondence, Hinata nearly did a jig. The toad merrily exited from the window to go lounge in the garden and wait for her reply.

Hinata set the paper-wrapped bulbs on her desk and took a seat in a chair, ready to devour the letter with her eyes, but Hanabi's whine sounded from the doorway of her room.

"Onee-san…"

Hinata fumbled with the parchment, rolling it up as she gave a squirrely look to her sibling, "Good morning, Hanabi. What's the-?"

"No one spends time with me anymore." Hanabi marched in and collapsed on her sister's bed, "Not you, not onii-san, not Dad…everyone's busy and caught up in Exam preparations…" She brought her fist down on a pillow.

"It's only for a few more weeks." Hinata gently reminded her, smiling.

"I know that, but how am I supposed to not be tempted to steal bikes or smash Konohamaru's face while I wait?" The girl groaned, "Even when he stops by he doesn't want to spar as much as he used to."

Curious, Hinata spun in the desk chair and gave Hanabi a long stare, "Your rival comes to visit you here?"

"When he and his team don't take missions—" Hanabi stopped herself before she revealed more than she was willing to discuss, "So what? I just want something to do. Every day I have to go to the Academy I resent being there, and I resent all the students who ask, oh, you haven't graduated yet?" She sat up and pouted at her sister, "Hmf! Hey, what's that?"

"What's what?" Hinata blinked.

"In your hand."

She glanced down at Naruto's message, "It's from—"

"Yeah, I know what it is— lemme see it." Hanabi stood and held out her hand, "I want to know how that buffoon keeps you interested in him."

Now, there may have been a time when Hinata would have readily handed over a sappy letter to disgust her younger sister with; maybe a few months ago or last year…but today her written exchanges with Naruto had evolved into something private. Sacrosanct, she might say. Certainly not the topics a moody twelve-year-old ought to read about. 'And since I spent time with Naruto at Mount Myoboku recently, well—' Technically, kind of, she had liaised with him in the dead of night, 'What would Hanabi think about reading his reaction to that?' In his body. In the realm of sages that did not welcome outsiders, far beyond the watchful gazes of her family and clan…

Hinata slipped the scroll off of the desktop, stuffing it in the kangaroo-pocket of her sweatshirt, replying simply, "No."

Hanabi was wide-eyed, "No?"

"It's not meant to be read by anyone else. I haven't read it yet."

"Read it with me, then, Miss Secretive." Hanabi snorted, leaning over her sister's shoulder.

Hinata lurched forward and resisted when her sibling made an immature grab for her pocket. Hanabi's interest and temper escalated, palming Hinata's face and pushing her askew to reach for the scroll, "What's in there, huh? Oh my gosh! What does he say to you? What do you say to him?" Hanabi cackled madly, "Give it to me! You know I won't tell Dad…"

"I know you will tell!" Screeching, she tripped Hanabi and let her face-plant on the fluffy area rug. Hinata made a break for it out into the main hallway, running as fast her legs could carry her as Hanabi bayed after her like a bloodhound.

Members of the Hyuga clan noted it was kind of noisy in the house today.

By the grace of a higher power, the chase was interrupted. Hideyasu halted Hanabi when she nearly mowed down two, very full-handed Branch servants trying to clean sullied futons. The man grabbed Hanabi by the scruff of her tunic while she writhed, and he chided her recklessness. Erstwhile, Hiashi had given his steward free reign to discipline and punish Hyuga Hanabi whenever she acted out; most especially in ways that jeopardized her hapless peers.

Though Hideyasu had apprehended her sister, Hinata did not stop. Not even for breakfast.

In ten minutes, she was expected to attend a lesson. Since she knew she could not safely read her correspondence at home, Hinata intended to read it during a break in practice and then burn it afterward. 'If I bury it in the garden Hanabi could probably find it anyway…' She pulled on her shoes and proceeded to the riverside training ground she had been summoned to.

---

Off to the right of the training area, Hinata laid eyes on Neji. As she approached his back was facing her, and he appeared to be in the midst of a long-winded explanation to Tenten. She was seated in the grass priming a very long, thin scroll with ink, nodding absently as she listened. A merry grin spread on her face when Tenten saw Hinata crossing the lawn, and she paused in her work. With that cue, Neji looked over his shoulder.

"Hey! You're not late." Tenten assured the girl as Hinata scurried up to them, "We're just always early. That's kind of Neji's rule."

"Good, I see…" Hinata took a calming breath, "Good morning Onii-san, Onee-san…" She was on time and Hanabi was not chasing her to the ends of the earth. It was time to relax. Hinata then looked curiously at the scroll Tenten was winding up. The older girl off-handedly mentioned that she would be would be employing one of Neji's ideas for the Tournament. Hinata noted the fact interestedly.

"How much time can you spend on Nature Transformation today?" Neji gave his cousin an expectant look, "I know that Uncle has demanded some of your time as well."

"For today he won't, but this afternoon I should join my team." Hinata noted, fidgety at the prospect of testing her Water Affinity.

"We can meet up like this briefly a few days a week, if that works." Tenten stretched her arms over her head grandly as she stood, "So…who's Affinity do you want to see first? Maybe a demonstration would be a good idea."

Hinata's lips puttered like a goldfish, "A-Ah…you mean to say…you have one too, Onee-san?"

Tenten quirked her face, partly abashed, "It's…not well-developed."

"If incinerating an opponent does not qualify as developed, then consider it unrefined. It has its uses." Neji snorted, "Her's is a Fire Transformation."

Hinata gasped, "Oh, like Tama-chan's!"

"Yup. Too bad Tama couldn't be here to join us. She told me that she was training outside of the village for a bit…" Tenten retrieved a scroll from her hip-pouch, "Tama suggested that we ask Sato if he wanted to practice with us, but, well…" She looked knowingly at Neji's sour face, "Neji was in no mood to humor your teammate, Hinata."

"I understand." She caught herself glancing down at her feet in mild disappointment, snapping her chin back up, "But if Sato-kun is interested in developing his Lightning Style with my help, I suppose…it is best we work together during our team hours."

"I would prefer that." Neji concurred. It was settled, and he turned with a slight gesture of his head to his girlfriend.

There was something organic and spellbinding in the way her cousin interacted with Tenten, Hinata felt. From a slight distance, she watched without a word as the two had a brief brainstorm, their gazes placidly locked, and then agreed they would perform a simultaneous demonstration for Hinata. 'Neji-niisan does not act like this around anyone else.' She fiddled with the chain of her necklace peeking from beneath her sweatshirt. Neji's guard was lowered, his countenance at ease, 'He is completely in tune with Tenten.'

Hinata's mouth curved into a pleased smile. It was a Godsend. Her cousin, finally, seemed to be in his own element; away from scathing remarks and posturing in the Main House of their clan, or the chin-up bravado and coolness Neji displayed with peers and friends. This new, authentic self he was comfortable showing around her and Tenten (and Lee too, she ventured) was a marvel. It was impossible not to feel happy for him and his circumstances.

She looked back and forth on the field between the two, observing as Neji and Tenten spaced themselves out with paces measured for a duel. In spite of what they intended to do, they remained utterly calm. Hinata busied her hands in her front pocket, 'I hope that…I will be like them. When Naruto is home, I can be my true self around him…he and I can be easy and peaceful like this. Maybe Naruto-kun will finish my sentences for me, after enough time!' Naruto was getting dangerously close to it in his correspondence, and when she had met him in the Toad Valley.

The summoning scroll whirled in Tenten's hand as she conjured out a beautiful longbow. Hinata puzzled at the sight before looking left towards Neji down the pitch, where he held up a single palm aimed for his girlfriend. The fuzzy feeling in her stomach curdled as Hinata considered that, since time immemorial, Neji and Tenten had zero hesitation when it came to attacking one another.

A small eep escaped her as Neji struck first during a fraction of a moment, with an assuredly unsafe Wind Release Air Palm that soared directly at the girl he loved. Tenten responded in kind with a shot that glowed momentarily blue before igniting mid-air. Hinata's hands clasped in terror inside of her pocket.

The Fire Release bolt ate the vacuum wave that was charged with Wind, and Hinata peeped in alarm and awe as the flame became a horizontal tunnel of burning devastation…turned back on Neji as he waited with an unconcerned look on his face. Ah, right, Hinata's brain blipped, Elemental weaknesses. She shrieked in panic. Earlier, Neji had not been exaggerating when he used the word incinerating to describe it.

Neji propelled himself into a timely rotation, diverting the empowered Fire Release with a shield of chakra. Though a safe distance away, Hinata fell into a crouch and covered her head. She marked that her cousin's rotation was as grandiose as her father's, the diameter of the dome well past five meters by her estimate, hurling away dragon-tongue flames without a care. Hinata deduced that in the eyes of the clan's elders, or perhaps by anyone else's judgement, Neji had all the capability and prowess of veterans among the Hyuga.

She stood and sniffed the singed smells of the field—the grass scorched away from the soil, the crater around Neji smoking…and perhaps some of his hair was singed. Hinata glanced to Tenten who was at the far end of the yard, shielding her eyes with her hand as she whistled, impressed. She tucked her bow beneath her arm and Hinata hurried over to her cousin who was, somehow, completely fine.

"That demonstration was excessive." Hinata declared.

"It was not the first time we've attempted it, so we knew what to expect." Neji was picking at the burned tips of his hair, "Based on what you've witnessed, I expect that you understand why it is not favorable to clash with your elemental opposite in battle."

Of course they had tried this before. Because that was what Neji and Tenten were wont to do with their free time—discovering ways to unleash new levels of destruction while using each other as test dummies. Hinata did not approve of it, but totally got that they would never dare do such things with anyone else. Their sensei may have had a conniption if he'd seen it!

Hinata agreed in a squeak, "I do not wish to press my luck against my elemental opposite."

Tenten nodded in agreement as she strode past, positioning behind Neji to pluck the last bits of ruined hair from him, "For what it's worth, I promised to never use my bow on him even when I'm furious at him, Hinata."

Oh, that was reassuring to hear. Hinata bet that Neji had to proactively get that promise out of Tenten, as he likely knew what havoc she could wreak on him if provoked. His Wind was at a disadvantage to her Fire, plain and simple.

While the couple chattered about Affinity jargon, Hinata was half-listening as she measured the length of the impression Neji's rotation had left. Her small feet lined across the crater in what Sato may have labeled the 'most unfair field-sobriety test' he had ever seen. Thankfully, Sato was not within joking distance. Hinata could not whistle like Tenten could, but she would have after discovering her cousin's rotation easily stretched two-and-a-half times as far as her's.

After hair-damage-control was completed, Tenten happily invited Hinata to try out Water Release, "We reserved this training area for you, you know! Show us what you can do and then I'll let you school my Fire Release with a free shot." She looked cheekily at Neji beside her, "At least someone will be able to do it."

His mouth quirked into a half-amused, half-challenged sneer, but Neji reserved his rebuttal. He'd show her later, oh he would show her.

Neji stayed back a ways while Tenten stood at the bank, hooting and fawning over Hinata's water walking (more like dancing) talent. With little prompting, the girl could wrap water round herself in shapes and orbs, directing it with gestures. It was much more precise control than Neji or Tenten could boast.

Balancing on the slow moving creek's surface, Hinata frowned to herself. Her father had been encouraging her to perfect Air Palm, and Hinata noodled on the idea that she could combine her Elemental Affinity with it. Well, she could attempt it. The theory was there, she acknowledged, remembering how she had combined Water Release with small Jyukken strikes in the Preliminary Round of the Exam. 'I just need to stretch it farther, if I can lead that water-feeling in my chakra into it as I manipulate the shape into a wave…' She paused, owl-eyed, wondering to herself what it might look like if she succeeded.

"Hey, I didn't say you could quit dancing and showing off, Hinata-chan." Tenten grinned devilishly at her, holding her bow up, "Don't make me make you dance!"

Neji's scoff came from behind her but the girls ignored him.

After a few more cartwheels and water acrobatics to appease Tenten, Hinata returned to the shore. She spoke quietly to the older girl, low enough to go unheard by her cousin, "I wonder if I can use techniques…the way that Onii-san can?"

Tenten dropped her voice as well, "He makes techniques look sophisticated…but really Neji is just good at quickly assembling pieces of jutsu. Then it's rinse and repeat." She added in a chuckle, "No pun intended. I think you can do it, Hinata. Today is just a day to try, after all."

"You're right!" She beamed at her confidant, "I'll give it a try."

Behind them, Neji was not enjoying being ignored and excluded from conversation.

With a long breath, Hinata took a stance and raised her palm, taking aim at the tree line across the river. Her father's lesson was still fresh in her mind, and Hinata capably molded her chakra with force, concentrating on expanding the energy just so.

And she may have been a bit hasty with her Water Affinity attempt, not entirely calm or poised enough to feel that droplet, that ripple, that tidal wave inside her blood and bones…she felt a whisper of it, and mistakenly applied that little bit to her vacuum wave.

Her Air Palm soared, easily clearing the river and striking a tree. It had also childishly splashed her in the face, soaking her hair and front. Hinata's grumbling whimper cracked Tenten's façade of maturity. The older girl held the stitch in her side and keened with laughter. Neji finally came to stand beside them, and instead of lauding Hinata's effort, he dove into a technical explanation of what to do better.

These two. 'I know it didn't come out right…but they…' Though she adored and respected them, Hinata could not deny the combination of Neji and Tenten and training definitely had the ability to chafe her juuuust a bit.

So when Tenten continued to chortle and Neji continued to teach, Hinata felt she was within her rights to snap them out of it. With a flick of her wrists, the younger girl willed up two threads of water from the creek and splatted her companions in their respective faces. Both Neji and Tenten fell into immediate silence.

"See?" Hinata smiled happily, "It wasn't that funny. I was doing my best, you know."

Tenten immediately apologized, squeezing Hinata in a one-armed hug, "I know! Sorry, I guess I was just excited to see you in action and I was a giggling mess." She shot a sharp look at Neji and procured a soft apology from him as well.

With the next few tries that further splashed and soddened Hinata, Neji was more constructive with his suggestions. Hinata well understood the feelingsand the nuances her cousin was articulating, but it was trickier than threading a needle from a distance: drawing in her whispering Water Affinity into the chakra she molded. 'Onee-san said that Neji-niisan makes things look easy at times, but…this isn't—this just isn't as simple as it sounds! The balance is so exact and fleeting…' Her lapse of timing, maybe, or the strain of forming a vacuum wave made it so much more difficult to echo Water Release into the technique. Catching a swift butterfly by its feet would be easier— she would have sworn it. It was further testament that Neji absolutely had a grip on what he was doing when it came to high-level jutsu, but Hinata often believed he sought to achieve out of necessity and not out of curiosity.

No one kept track of how much time passed, but eventually Hinata stopped, rattling with heavy breaths. She did take Tenten up on her offered "free shot," and with a simple Jyukken strike successfully fused with Water Release, a wave of water consumed the bolt of fire from the Hiyumi with a hiss of vapor, and bowled Tenten over and down the pitch. Hinata squealed her apology, but the older girl waved off her concerns as she stowed away the golden bow.

Tenten wrung out her sleeves and swiped her slick hair out of her face, "You applied it perfectly just then, so don't apologize, Hinata. I'm sure you can sync that with your Air Palm after enough practice." She motioned for her two Hyuga companions to follow her, "Let's take a break so I can dry off. Good hustle, you two."

Neji wondered at her vague, Gai-like praise. Some things from their team communication would inevitably stick.

They bought lunch from a street-side stand on the way into town. Grilled, marinated eel on sticks, boxed-up, with bowls of fresh vegetables chopped and tossed in vinegar. Tenten was already three-quarters dry by the time they had reached the street that housed her Weapon Shop. It was there that the distressing incident, that which would long be etched into Tenten's memory into her older years—occurred in a quiet, ephemeral moment:

An old man with a wheelbarrow was traveling in the opposite direction, and as he passed the young trio he lost his coordination; tipping the handcart and its brick and tool contents onto the sidewalk. Hinata handed off their bagged lunches to Tenten, and she and Neji graciously assisted the senior citizen. Tenten had half a mind to put their belongings down and help, but she stood straight as a compass-point, staring down the unpopulated avenue to its end. Staring at the intersection where Huo was alone, gazing back at her.

The details and emotions flooded Tenten, oblivious to her companions while they were preoccupied behind her.

Without a doubt, the plastic bag dangling from Huo's hand came from a shop in the Han Ethnic Quarter of the village. What he had been doing there was anyone's guess, and he had been passing by in earnest likely to return to his Exam-appointed guest habitation. They had then seen each other, in some twisted instance of Koi no Yokan, that encounter that her father had described so many times about her mother…but it was evil and inverted and acrid. A singular moment of knowing that they could never be comrades. That they could never understand each other, despite what they shared. That there was only destiny that would bind them as two, and then ultimately subtract one.

Her head and stomach delivered this hideous fact to her heart, and that was when Tenten saw the young man's mouth pull into a delighted smirk. His eyes had strayed to her friends behind her. He had seen into her, somehow, and knew instantaneously just how much they meant to her. He knew exactly what to take. He knew exactly how to win.

Horrified, Tenten whirled around to Neji and Hinata behind her, mouth contorted in a near scream…and found them seeing off the old man with pleasantries, utterly unaware of danger. She whipped her head 'round again to spot the slinking leopard of a ninja down the lane, but it was as if he had never been there— the space he had occupied now empty air. She inhaled a few shuddering breaths and tried to reconcile with the fact that she understood now, more than Lee had, more than Neji had, that Huo was, by design, unique, hostile, and ready to end them.

Neji's hand on her shoulder made her jump.

She looked into his and Hinata's concerned faces, unable to form words as she clutched at the bag in her hands.

"What is it?" Neji asked, but he had mostly asked the question with his expression and how he had closed the gap between them. Hinata took the bag from Tenten and also crowded in, compelled to touch the older girl's arm comfortingly.

"I thought I—" She shook her head roughly and steeled her nerves. The last thing she needed to do was put Neji on alert as he had been in the Forest of Death's Tower. Neither of them needed to fret about Huo any more than they already did, at least not when they were enjoying their time together this much. Tenten would hate to waste the geniality they had built up.

Her laugh was dry and dismissive, "I saw a ghost. I thought I did, well—" Tenten blinked her eyes to make her point and patted her two treasured friends, "It must be nothing. Sometimes I feel like my father…lurks around me."

Hinata latched onto this immediately, tittering on the sentimental notion of a guardian parent as they continued walking. Neji; not so much. He was proficient in sifting lies and truths from Tenten's words, but he was never in the habit of calling her on her fabrications. He preferred to let it linger until she was ready to admit it to him.

They took lunch in the shop with the front door locked (as Tenten had learned a hard lesson about that) and they settled on the tall-backed stools behind the counter. Neji ate and simultaneously examined the scroll Tenten had primed earlier. Tenten snuck a look to her left, where Hinata was huddled in a seat against the wall, burying her face into correspondence.

"Is that from Naruto?" Tenten wondered.

Hinata's eyes shifted up when she replied, "I-It is. I wanted to read it at home, but Hanabi was pestering me."

Neji did not look up from his reading but snorted in understanding. Hanabi had two states of being: bothering her family or bothering her acquaintances. She had no other operational settings.

"This is as well-made as the best tool-summoning formulas I've seen my clan write." Neji informed her, giving her a side-eye smirk of approval, "And you wrote it in one morning."

"It cramped my hand up something fierce." She noted.

"I'll seal your weapons into this if you want to work on the second scroll." He offered.

"That…might take you all day. Maybe even all of tomorrow…"

"That's still twice as fast as you could accomplish it on your own. And at any rate, it was my idea." Neji retorted, "My sealing skill is still shy of yours, but I hope that you'll accept my—"

"No, no, I know that you can do it." She leapt up from her seat, "I appreciate it, Neji. I really do. Wait a minute while I get the first arsenal." Tenten disappeared into the back storage room to retrieve the weapons she wanted to seal.

He ate contentedly until his girlfriend returned with an organized; rolling shelf of metal racks stocked with tools and weapons that even made Hinata's jaw drop.

"Do you make them all yourself-?" Hinata chirped in wonder.

"Of these here? I've forged twenty percent of them, and then thirty percent I bought from weapon-makers I admire." Tenten explained, rolling the arsenal to a stop in front of the counter, within Neji's reach, "The other half were my Dad's weapons. Nearly all of those he made himself."

Tenten skirted around the counter and plucked an ink dish, brush, and a clean towel from a low drawer. She set them down beside Neji as he reached for a bottle of ink from the top of a doorless cupboard. By then Hinata had resumed her letter-reading and so Tenten took her seat beside Neji once again, sighing knowingly as he filled the ink well. She flipped open the locked cash box beneath the counter and procured a razor blade, one which served a singular function in her shop.

She had cut her left thumb for a previous sealing a few days ago, so Tenten opted for her right thumb, swiping the blade over skin before Neji could say a word. He watched in surprised silence as she hovered her hand over the dish, letting generous droplets of blood mix with the ink. The level of sealing they intended to use needed an identifying trace for summoning.

"That's sufficient." Neji noted, cloaking her finger in the towel to stem the bleeding. He called Hinata over to briefly patch her up, and she hopped up and tottered over to heal Tenten who mumbled her thanks. Tomorrow, Hinata would likely not be around to restore her after they worked on sealing for the second scroll, 'But it doesn't matter to me, I have a bottomless box of bandages that work just fine.'

What was clear was that Neji was not fond of seeing Tenten in a state of disrepair, no matter how trivial. These days she would still catch Neji observing her back with his Kekkei Genkai, where her shoulder had been split open on their mission to the Marsh Country. He moodily assessed that scar some days as if he were responsible for the injury. With all of that in mind, Neji had become prone to asking Hinata for healing favors.

Hinata returned to her seat by the wall and buried her face in the letter again. Neji set to work carefully writing identifying seals over the primer, those which would serve as labels for what was stored in the scroll. Tenten stretched out a thin length of blank parchment at the far end of the counter, readying herself for round two of priming. She kept her ink well at the edge of the table top and let her thoughts roam as she worked on auto-pilot.

'I didn't want to ruin it. This…this is great. Neji has been so eager to help and, honestly, he IS amazing help with this sort of project.' She smiled to herself, 'So if I go ahead and make a fuss about Huo stalking around this part of town, Neji will lose it. He wouldn't keep the mindset to continue working on this, let alone get a wink of sleep at night. He'll wind himself up about it. Lee, too…he'd panic if I mentioned what I saw.'

While it was nearly a rational thought, Tenten pondered if she should at minimum be reporting such things to Gai or Tsunade. It was probably the kind of sighting they were looking out for post-Preliminary Matches. 'Yeah, that makes more sense. I can't pretend I'm not terrified or willing to deal with this on my own. I need to squeal to the higher ups, like sensible ninja do.' She nodded to herself as she swept elegant lines and calligraphy onto paper.

Her eyes skirted to the right where Neji held a hand seal, and tapped an identifying mark which consumed the scimitars on the page with a puff of smoke. Tenten could not resist a grin. 'And I thought I liked him years ago, back when he was uninvolved with anyone or anything…' The man was now selfless and thoughtful, more understanding of the feelings of others, 'Not to mention that deep voice…and he smells pretty good, most days. Maybe he'll age like fine wine, if his looks are anything to go by…' She determined that yes; she was unquestionably more attracted to him now than she had been as a tormented pre-teen.

Tenten dawdled in her thoughts, restraining a satisfied grin that threatened her face as she primed her scroll. She was on the cusp of irreparable carpal tunnel by that point and she did not care: she had a first-class boyfriend and it minimized all of her nagging concerns.

What she was not privy to was that Neji had become highly aware of her simpering, eyebrow waggling, and shifty glances. His best guess was that Tenten was pleased with him. He could read her spectrum of emotions and micro-gestures far better these days.

Surely she must have known he was willing to assist with an endeavor that he had suggested in the first place. Neji had a keen recognition of potential, and when Tenten had wrestled old summoning spinners from a closet, he suspected that her parents had not become elite ninja by avoiding innovation. Tenten was suited for hyper-efficient summoning, and he had been quick to embrace it. All told, any way that she could better prepare and defend herself became a priority of his. She would pay him back with swordsmanship drills, he knew.

He held another hand seal and snuck a look at her, noticing how her bottom lip was tucked beneath her teeth, her cheeks flushing. He returned his attention to the two-handed mace he was sealing. Not to read into it too much, but Tenten appeared stirred up and he was not truly sure what about. She rolled her sleeves up her arms and his eyes followed the motion. Her skin had already taken on a faint golden tan from their time outdoors. After being pummeled by Hinata's Water Release, her top sat slightly crooked from drying, resting higher on her full hips, a bit of the skin there peeking above the waist of her pants…and by the time Neji was conscious of his gaze trailing down she had caught him.

Tenten raised her eyebrows at him animatedly and said nothing. She had seen him pause in his work beside her and realized that he was ogling.

She might have told Neji that they couldn't do this here, least of all with his sweet, innocent cousin nearby, but Tenten was not a subscriber of Propriety Weekly.

Feigning a yawn, she stretched her arms above her head to hike her top up. The move was deliberate and unfair, and Neji's face slowly adopted a frustrated pout. Tenten continued scrawling ink over her page and let him fester. The plane of her stomach was exposed beneath the bunched fabric. Neji looked away perhaps for all of one second before he gave up and glanced down again, past her belly button and down…to where the sliver of black spandex shorts was visible beneath her waistband.

"You should have changed before we came here." He muttered out of the corner of his mouth, re-dipping his brush in ink and blood. He had to concentrate to write properly.

"There was no need. By the time we got here I wasn't wet anymore." She tilted her head and dropped her voice below a whisper, "Not so much now."

It did not register.

Tenten counted to five and still got no response. She supposed that his mind just could not go there, or if it was a term beyond his straight-laced vocabulary. 'Ino warned me about this. She said mine may be an uphill battle in terms of flirtation.' She had to agree on that front, 'But I'll be damned if all of the tips and taunts my friends have kindly shared…have no effect on tall, dark, and dense next to me.'

Adjusting the subtlety meter, she gave it another shot, tapping the back of her brush against her bottom lip, "You…look good today." Her mouth curved up a little, and she wondered why it was then and only then he seemed to get it.

A nervous flick of his eyes assessed that, thankfully, Hinata seemed to have forgotten they were across the shop floor, working and whispering. The girl was slack-jawed as she read her letter, which in itself could not have been a good sign.

Neji sniffed at the minx beside him, "Do not expect anything from me while we entertain my kin."

"I would never." The success of the attempt made her impish.

He gruffed in annoyance but was undeniably on the hook. His characters zig-zagged in sad ink splotches on the parchment. With a defeated sigh, Neji moved to the next primed circle to try again, but found that thought process and motor function had gone out the window. He would be a liar if he claimed he did not think of the things Tenten was suggesting, and twice a liar if he alleged that he disliked what she was doing.

If Sato knew how to push a button or two of Neji's, then Tenten had an entire switchboard she was curiously prodding as time went on. Were she kinder about time and place, he might actually have thanked her for the advances.

How had she found a way to speak below a whisper? Or maybe his hearing was just that sharp when Tenten added, "Right now…we aren't doing anything a Shadow Clone can't do."

Hell is described as a place, but Neji thinks this is erroneous. Hell is whatever this agitation is; this ludicrous game Tenten decided to play because all she wants is a silly reaction, and maybe to embarrass him. Or, maybe not at all. Maybe she was serious?

That was neither here nor there when Hinata stirred from her seat and stood, frowning worriedly. Immediately, the parent-like attentions of her companions returned full-force, and both Neji and Tenten asked what the matter was.

"Onee-san…may I speak to you in the back room?" Hinata requested softly.

For a moment Tenten assumed that the flirtations had been noticed and that they had made the poor girl uncomfortable, but Tenten soon doubted it as she followed Hinata to the work room while the girl gestured wildly to the correspondence in her hands.

"I need to get rid of this." Hinata chirped.

"What?" Tenten's mouth quirked in confusion, "You finished reading it?"

"Yes, and this is not something I can bring home. Hanabi was trying to read it…and I knew…I just knew it would have gone badly if she had." Hinata seemed to wilt in relief, "Will you please burn it for me?"

"Are you sure-? Ah…then…" Tenten crossed her arms and gave the girl a wary look, "I don't really want to know what Naruto wrote to you…and neither of us would want Neji to find out—"

"N-N-No it isn't l-like that…" Hinata stammered and rolled up the scroll frantically, "There are just some things I can't…explain…or," She muttered in clarification, "I don't want to explain…if anyone asks."

"If that doesn't sound like guilt then I don't know what does."

Hinata nearly yelped in dismay, but Tenten held her hand out for the scroll, "Give it here, if you're sure you won't miss it."

No sooner had Hinata nodded and passed it over; Tenten flipped the ignition of a furnace and tossed the scroll into the jet of flame.

"And we will never speak of this," Tenten smiled warmly at her, "Because we have each other's backs. Sorry that I teased you before. If it helps…I understand." She added with emphasis, "I really understand."

Hinata's nodding bordered on apologetic bowing. Once the scroll was reduced to ash Tenten shut off the machine.

"Stop now, Hinata, it's fine." She ushered the girl along, "Let's just…behave for the rest of the day…"

---

The week flew by. It had taken Hinata several days to compose a response to Naruto's very detailed thoughts about their rendezvous on Mount Myoboku. She was grateful that Tenten had helped prevent unsanctioned eyes from reading such a personal message.

By that time, Tenten had two new summoning spinners at the end of that week, fully-equipped, and she delighted in testing their functionality against Lee every afternoon. In the mornings, Neji divided time between swordsmanship with Tenten, and grueling Wushu forms with Lee and his grandfather.

Neji had learned from Hinata, who had returned to practice her Water Release applications, that she had seen Ino and Shikamaru using the riverside training ground several times. Kiba and Chouji had also joined them for practice and rotated opponents, as none of them were pitted as first-seeded combatants at the Tournament. Hinata had been inclined to join them, but was roped into training with Sato and Shino at their usual forest training area.

And Hinata may have muttered to Neji (over breakfast) that Sato's Lightning Release, which had been honed with Kakashi's instruction, was not something he should dare take lightly. Neji was highly skeptical, as his Wind Nature was guaranteed to weaken Lightning techniques. Hinata had fidgeted anxiously in front of Neji as they discussed it, insisting that Sato was well aware of Neji's strategies.

"He has been working very hard Onii-san, and I ask that you please take care." She wrung her hands and added, "When Shino-kun tested an Earth Release jutsu he had learned from his father, I…" Hinata dusted her sweatshirt at the memory, grimacing, "I had trouble with it."

"That Nature is sure to challenge you."

"And the insects…" She peeped, holding her face in her hands, "My team is taking training very seriously. I feel like I need to prepare myself before I go back tomorrow…"

At the thought, Neji suggested that she spend some downtime with her kunoichi companions, if any were still available. Hinata took the idea to heart and set out from the Main House with a cheery wave of farewell to him.

Of the friends that she had been able to locate, not a single one had much free time to spend. Hinata was able to sit down with Sakura around noon in the third-floor break room of the Administrative building. Sakura skimmed her hands over a variety of welts and bruises she had gotten during training, explaining to her friend, "Tsunade-shishou has been pushing me to my limit…" She leaned back on an old sofa and groaned.

"The training period has only just started." Hinata said as she took the seat beside her, helpfully healing a bruise on Sakura's back that was beyond her reach.

The girl sighed in relief, "Thank you, Hinata-chan…it's a miracle that you stopped by. I haven't seen anyone since we all started getting busy."

"What about Kiba-kun and Tama-chan?"

"When Shishou lets me have time with my team, I've only gotten to see Kiba-kun, so far. Tama-chan has been going outside of the village with Kakashi-sensei for training…and by the time she gets home at night, she's too exhausted to do anything other than sleep." Sakura rested her booted feet on the coffee table in front of them, "I know she and Sensei aren't playing around. Tama's opponent isn't the type to restrain himself in a fight."

Hinata nodded solemnly in agreement. As it was their friend's first time participating in a Chunin Selection Exam, Tama had rotten luck in the Third Round lottery for opponents.

The two girls stared up at the whirling ceiling fan above and tried to think of anything other than their aching bodies, or what the final bout of the Exam had in store for them.

Sakura broke the silence, "Gaara-kun came back this morning. I haven't seen him yet…I know he wants to train Matsuri as much as possible."

Hinata smiled thoughtfully, "He will come find you as soon as he is able."

"He always does." Sakura shut her eyes and relaxed, "I'm sure Gaara will love seeing me covered in bruises, or with this lump on my head from when Shishou—" She grumbled again, pressing a healing hand to the egg on her scalp, "Tsunade-shishou is a piece of work. She insists that this Exam is reflecting on her and her ability to help our village recover…but she's beating me into the ground."

"She knows you can handle it."

"And to top it off, she wants us to look amazing in three weeks, but in the meantime we're all pulverized from training each day. Seems counterintuitive to me…" Sakura snickered, "But Ino says that's what makeup is for."

"I suppose it is. I've never worn makeup." Hinata looked sidelong to her friend, "Do you know what your team will be wearing at the Tournament?"

"We bought our outfits. I asked my mom to take in a few hems and fit things to us…but what we have is going to have to be good enough. We don't have any more time waste on fashion."

"I agree. I am sewing a few things for my team, but we are making due with things we had on hand." Hinata also put her feet up with a sigh.

"Hmm. I forgot that sewing and knitting are some of your hobbies. That's handy."

"It is, but it's a little stressful when I have to make time every night for alterations. Sato-kun and Shino-kun have grown so tall…I hope they don't outgrow the things I've fitted for them."

"Yeah, three weeks can go by and the guys could go through another growth spurt. What a hassle…"

"I think…I'm as tall as I can possibly get in my lifetime." Hinata presumed, chuckling as Sakura agreed with a tired nod.

"You know, I heard that Tama is 175cm tall. It's gotta be those legs."

"Wow!"

"I want to hate her but I just can't. That hair and those muscles…and she's as tall as a runway model."

"Do you remember when Ino-chan said the grass is always greener on the other side? I really do believe that now. I've accepted the way I am." Hinata stifled a yawn as she added, "I have always thought you were pretty in a way that no one else is, Sakura-chan. Ever since I was small, I thought so."

Sakura grinned and squeezed her friend's hand where it rested on the sofa between them, "Hinata…you're the best."

"So are…" Another yawn, "You…Sakura-chan."

And they snuck in a nap in the break room, which lasted about twenty-five minutes before Tsunade crept in to look for a boxed lunch to steal. She snickered in amusement when she discovered the girls hand-in-hand and snoring.

"Eh-hem! Before I take a photo to sell to local tabloids," Tsunade crossed behind the sofa and ruffled their heads, "You girls had better wake up and get back in the proverbial saddle! The hard work has only just begun!"

---

The next few weeks had all but eliminated leisure time, at least by daylight. The Leaf Rookies had intersecting schedules and training regimens; always in each other's business even when they were not straining and sweating together during practice hours.

Ino had gawked in surprise one afternoon to see Sato casually exiting the dance studio with a duffle bag on his shoulder. She summoned Chouji with a finger snap and they promptly confronted the Hatake, whose tank top and joggers suggested he had forgone battle preparations that day.

"Dance practice?" Ino roughly poked Sato's (now muscled) shoulder, "I thought Tama swore to me you two had put that off until after the Exam."

"Not entirely."

Chouji noted, "If he wants to get his money's worth out of a membership, maybe skipping isn't cost effective." He looked to Sato pointedly, "Right?"

"Yup, I have to go. I don't want to waste a month's tuition. And Ino, I know you're gonna ask: Yup! I took a day off." He confessed merrily, "Kurenai-sensei made me."

"Let me guess! You were starting to grate on her nerves." She jabbed Chouji gently in the side with her elbow and they both made tee-hee sounds.

"How'd you know?" His face dropped in embarrassment, "I asked Shino and he said I wasn't being too abrasive…but I guess all this time together is like cabin fever, except we're outdoors…and I was starting to recycle jokes."

Ino and Chouji winced.

"Yeah, I guess Sensei needed a break…" Sato admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

"We're meeting Shika for lunch," Chouji said as Ino silently mimed for him not to extend an invitation, "Do you…want to join us?" It was too late. It had slipped out.

"Heck yeah!" He clapped Chouji on the back and squeezed between him and his blonde teammate, "You're buying ri—!"

Ino wrenched him aside with a furious sneer, "Hatake…I need a peaceful end to this day, and if you are going to weasel in and tell shitty jokes, you will not in good conscience let Chouji pay for you." She warned in a growl, "Pay up, shut up, and put some deodorant on."

---

That night at a late and unwholesome hour, two Black Ops agents stopped on the roof of the same humble dance studio the Rookies had met in front of.

It had been weeks of uneventful surveillance at Tsunade's request, as both Tenzo and Sai had spent days and nights watching Huo roam back and forth through the village, eat at various restaurants, socialize in a foreign language, and occasionally spar with his Sensei in a designated training area. Root had kept tabs on Huo from a distance and with sensory jutsu, never interacting with their target, from what Tenzo could discern.

The Hokage had been concerned that Danzo was not genuinely suspicious of the violent Exam participant, but her two trusted stooges had uncovered no evidence to contradict the old counselor.

It had only just developed that morning: Huo had become more flighty and less focused on training. His actions seemed defensive; as if he was aware of being watched.

"It's because you smell like garlic." Sai suggested to his Black Ops supervisor, "You ate that horrible meal earlier and now the boy suspects—"

"He can't smell me, Sai." Tenzo ground his teeth in annoyance, "More than likely he was tipped off to Root watching him."

Sai frowned as he sipped water from a canteen, then pulled his mask back into place, "Root has not yet made a mistake. He cannot know they are watching. They have been extremely cautious, so far."

"We can't be sure of the Root's detection level while we're on break, so it's possible they had a lapse in stealth or judgement." Tenzo surmised, "They'll be passing through here very soon. Keep it down and we'll get to the bottom of this."

They crouched in wait for ten minutes before Huo did pass by on the empty street below, avoiding street lamps. He was blocks away from his guest-habitation and looked believably tired. Tenzo indicated with a two-fingered point where Root operatives were tailing carefully from rooftops. Sai watched as the three cloaked agents gave no indication of their presence, not by sound, or shadow, and certainly not by the stink of garlic.

As they turned their heads slowly, stock-still in their positions while watching Huo stalk south down the road…Tenzo noticed another source of movement. From where Huo had come from, likely the Han Ethnic Quarter he had frequented…two hooded youths were following, and not with enough care to go unnoticed, at least by ANBU standards. Tenzo used hand signals to communicate to Sai that they would tail and observe the two careless stalkers below.

The odd, sneaking parade proceeded downtown, with Black Ops agents of both affiliations curiously watching what seemed to be a pair of idiots pursuing the Rock Genin. At the turn of the lane into a dead-end industrial sector, lined with wired fences around a shadowy alleyway with no outlet, the two inexperienced ninja sprang for an ambush. They lunged for the brick-laid passage after Huo, their killing intent clear, certain that he was trapped in the manufacturing stock bay he had wandered into.

Root operatives dove down and stuck the two pursuers' legs full of senbon, stunning them and splaying them out on the pavement face-first. Tenzo gave a single nod to Sai before they too descended to investigate.

A Root ninja gave Tenzo and Sai a questioning head tilt and Tenzo quickly explained, "We were passing by on a patrol when we noticed the commotion. What's going on here?"

"Two suspects were trying to harm a Chunin Exam Finalist." The voice of a woman came from behind a plain Root mask, and she pulled back the hoods of their captives, "These are Dream ninja. Your names?" Another operative was extracting the needles from the backs of their knees.

"Eifa."

"Masugama." The young man clenched his teeth and snarled, "Let us do to him what he did to our teammate. He doesn't deserve to go unpunished!"

"That is not your decision to make." A Root commander had their hands bound behind their backs, "You'll be taken to our detainment block until our Director or the Hokage can respond. You are in violation of Exam policy, as disqualified participants. Yumegakure confirmed your return weeks ago, and agreed your visas here expired."

The Dream Genin said nothing, keeping their eyes down as Root operatives informed them what would come next.

Sai had departed from the group for the dead-end alley to coax the frightened finalist out of hiding. Tenzo followed with a lumbering stride, not surprised that heartbroken Genin wanted to settle a score. Then Sai tensed. Tenzo followed his stare into the dark, exit-less stocking bay only to find that Huo was not there. Tenzo had to remain logical and venture that Huo may have used a jutsu to disguise himself, or was taking cover in the single dumpster nestled against a wall, but his stomach twisted with veteran intuition.

"Commander." Tenzo called over his shoulder for the Root supervisor. The cloaked operative stopped beside them and peered into the passage.

"Are you a Sensor-Type?" Tenzo asked.

"I am." The commander walked calmly into the alley and turned in a circle, "He's not here. In fact, he's not anywhere near us. His chakra is not felt to me at all."

"He couldn't have disappeared. Or gone anywhere." Sai asserted with a hint of frustration.

"He couldn't have." The Root commander agreed. He ran his hand along the brick wall and gazed in deep thought at the sprawling shadows in the far corners of the stocking bay.

The commander exited and was flanked by the Hokage's ANBU as they followed behind the arresting Root operatives.

"He is odd: Sasagainu Huo." The Root ninja determined, "I should not like to explain to Danzo-sama that our objective and near-victim has no reportable end location. Unless either of you know why a Genin can go unnoticed by five members of Black Ops…" He shook his head ruefully, "That boy was never in danger in the first place."

---

Less than one week of training remained.

Sato was inspired to celebrate when Tama returned after what seemed like an age, following a long bout of semi-exclusive training with her Sensei. That day, after Kurenai had banished him again (on account of her joke-induced headache) Sato picked up fresh crab from the market, 'Tama's favorite!' And returned home to steam the seafood. He had sent his wee screech owl, Aroo, ahead to make sure Tama came by his place.

An elapsed time of eighteen minutes passed from when Sato had pulled on the apron that had been gifted to him (Mr. Good Lookin' Is Cookin') to clean and prepare the kani, and Tama knocked once on the door of his flat before stumbling inside. Aroo was perched on her shoulder.

"I'm home!" She paused as she yanked her shoes off in the genkan, reconsidering, "I mean, I'm here, Sato-kun!"

His voice drifted from the kitchen, "Nah, you had it right the first time!"

Aroo flitted from Tama's shoulder to perch on the back of a chair. Then, the owl rotated his head to spy the open window of the living area, and then zipped out to hunt for his dinner.

Sato watched as she trudged into view, dirty, disheveled, and beaten, and she set a tall paper bag down on the kitchen table. His silver eyebrows elevated, "Hey Tama…"

"Hey." Her smile conveyed genuine exhaustion.

"What's that you brought?"

She tipped the bag and spilled a pile of ice packs onto the table.

"Oh." Sato set down a strainer full of crab into the sink and pulled open his freezer, "I'll cool those down for you. Do you…think you'll need all of them?"

"As many as we can velcro to my body, I'll need." She all but whimpered.

The couple stowed away the gel packs into the mostly empty freezer, meeting a few times for pecks on the lips. "Ooh, ouch." Tama scrunched her eyes and drew back, "Even my face hurts…"

"I'm sorry." He said clownishly, kissing the apples of her cheeks as lightly as possible, "Looks like we're going to be icing your face today too."

Her chuckle was weak, and he held her in his arms for a moment before snapping the refrigerator shut with a nudge of his back. "Kakashi…did he go overboard with your training or-?"

"I think it was just what I needed, and we're going to stay in the village from this point on." Her head drooped and she rested her forehead on his shoulder, "It destroyed me, but maybe that's about what I can expect from my match."

"A valid point." Sato spoke into her hair and planted one last kiss on her head, "Go take a bath. I'm making crab for dinner."

She grinned, "That's thoughtful. It's proof that you wanted me to stay here."

"Well I know your parents have probably missed you too."

"I checked on Mom. Dad's away on business for a few days, and Mom doesn't expect me home later." Tama wobbled away as Sato gave her a truly astonished face, "I said I would be staying here."

Inquisitive, he followed her down the hall to the washroom, "Like…she's really okay with you staying here?"

"She really is. After I found out you were inviting me over, I explained that I was too tired to go back across town tonight. Mom understood."

Sato turned his head away from his fiancée and crammed the top of his apron into his mouth, muffling a cheer, 'Thank you, Maito Miako. I need to buy that lady some flowers.' By then the bathroom door was sealed and Tama had the water running. Sato fetched a worn t-shirt and shorts from his wardrobe and set them down on the edge of his bed. 'Did I leave a fresh towel in there for her? I'm pretty sure I did.' He steered himself back into the kitchen to start rice, steam the crab, and make whatever vegetable or addition he had lying around.

He certainly was not the best cook around, but Sato decided that he set a mean table. 'It's like I was a restaurant host in another life…' Even if it did not taste particularly good, it would still look good. Not that he expected dinner to be tasteless. After all, it was hard to mess up crab, as there were few opportunities for him to interfere with flavor between steaming, cracking, and eating.

Tama returned a short while later with her damp hair clipped up, looking damn near perfect in the raggedy old v-neck and three-years-retired boxers. She referred to them as "the soft clothes," and it was not the first time she had borrowed them from Sato. He had a mind to throw them out since they were not to his liking or size anymore, but he kept them for her.

When she made a move to assist in preparations he shook his head and plopped her down into a seat. A moment later, he tested an ice pack and found it was still not cool enough, "These will need a bit longer. Think you can eat in the meantime?"

"I can out-eat anyone in the Akimichi clan, after the week I've had."

They grinned at each other and commenced dinner.

And Sato noted that she did not use her claw-cracker, at least not anymore, because she now had enough physical strength in her fingers to bend iron bars, from the look of it. They feasted and chatted, "Take that apron off, Good-Lookin's not cookin' anymore…" Made a mess of the table, and generally enjoyed each other's company.

He excused her from clean up in favor of flattening her on the couch and cocooning her in ice-packs. Tama let her hair down and sighed, "Ahh, thank you…" She had nearly eaten herself into a coma, which seemed a fair reward for killing herself with training for weeks on end. The sofa was her usual place to lounge after dessert or a long day. It may have been Sato's apartment, but she was the couch's sovereign ruler.

It was heavenly to freeze the pain and aches away, up until her teeth started to chatter, and she could no longer hold a conversation with Sato as he cleaned. A long while passed and she longed for a nap, as was her custom, but it was not possible to fall asleep while glaciating.

After everything had been neatened, he stood over her beside the couch, amused, "Chilly?"

"Yes, and it-t-t's t-terrible and w-wonderful at the s-same t-time…"

Sato pressed his hand to the pack on her chin, "Huh, this is warm already. Want to swap them for new ones?"

"N-Not as m-much as I w-wanna b-blanket…" She admitted.

He interpreted this wish his own way, she noted, as he could have simply found a throw-blanket or something to toss over her and let her continue her reign over the couch. But Sato had scooped her up, packs and all, marched to his bedroom, and deposited her in the bed. He grinned down at her as he pulled the quilt up to her chin, "It's kind of getting late. Get comfy."

Tama noted the alarm clock askew on the bedside table, "Uh…it's e-eight."

"Yup! And it's dark outside. Bedtime."

"B-But I don't want t-to—"

"Easy there, I know. Just stay warm here and I'll be back so we can catch up. I'm going to get the new packs." As he was departing with the old wraps in hand, Tama requested he return with only three, as the nine she had been wrapped up in were just too much to bear and not at all sensible.

She laid there in the dim silence of the bedroom and let her hair fan out across the pillow. 'I haven't done this in a long time. I used to spend nights when we were young, and he was stressed and anxious…but now,' Tama exhaled and pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead, 'This means something different. To me, at least.'

Three ice packs were brought to her and Tama pressed them where she needed them most, thanking Sato again as he settled cross-legged on top of the blanket beside her.

"So inquiring minds want to know," He began, balancing his chin in his palm, "What you were really doing so far from Konoha?"

"Training with the Inner Gates." Tama replied simply, shifting to fluff her pillow, "And other assorted tricks your uncle asked me not to speak about."

"Then I guess I shouldn't ask. Maybe it's just better if I see you in action."

Her puff of breath was almost a laugh, "Yes, no spoilers."

"I figured your uncle was more skilled with the Eight Inner Gates. Was there really no opportunity for you to train with Gai?"

"Maybe he could have made time, but Kakashi-sensei feels responsible for me, and he said that he didn't want Uncle Gai to take time away from his own students."

"Hm, I get that." Sato stretched out beside her, wumping down onto a pillow, face-to-face with Tama. "I'm glad he took this seriously. I felt…worried about you going to the Final Round…just in general, I mean. Most of us are friends and we have no choice but to compete…" His nostrils flared with another thought, "And that jerk…might really try to hurt you."

"Or anyone of us." She noted, "I have worked specifically to not give him that chance."

His smile was small but slightly more assured, "You're a boss."

"Heh, we'll see."

"I mean it."

"And do you feel prepared for your own match?"

"Quite." It was dark, but Tama could make out how bright and playful his ultramarine eyes were.

"That can't mean you just stand there and tease Neji, you know."

"Are you sure I can't?"

She puffed her cheeks and Sato amended, "I know. I'm ready. Sunshine kind of couldn't keep it a secret that she and Neji were improving their Water and Wind affinities, respectively." He brought his hand up and softly tapped the tip of Tama's nose, "And I've worked to make sure 'ol Neji won't get the better of me."

"I sure hope he doesn't." Tama brought her hand up as well and let him twine his fingers with her's.

"Yeah well, Yang Release took forever to get the hang of, and he had better not know what to do about it." Sato dropped his voice apprehensively, "Or I'm shit outta luck."

"That's different. You didn't tell me you were working on that."

"I had to. Pretty much all of my other staple techniques don't affect him at all."

"True."

The ice pack around her chin drooped and he reached to adjust it for her. Tama tiredly shook her head, "No, leave it. My face is just about numb now."

"I'm sure it's not."

"Hm. That, or I have a tingling ice beard. You tell me."

He leaned in and she was able to feel the soft tickle of his breath just before he pressed his mouth warmly to hers, and Tama marveled at the plush feeling of his lips. Chilled or no, she felt it.

Sato drew back with a soft, scratchy sound as he exhaled. They were nose-to-nose, Tama staring in appraising silence at the steep slope of his jaw, the starlight silver of his eyelashes up-close, his virile, clean scent filling her nostrils. No, not even a year ago had she been affected like this, hardly aware of how it had taken no time at all for her to blink and see him, smell him, feel him as an adult. Their friendship stretched between them as a soothing, unbreakable hammock, but new, tenuous threads had formed between them.

Her eyelids were halfway shut when he leaned in again, carefully pulling the ice away from her face and setting it aside. She lost the thought she tried to mutter as Sato slanted his mouth over hers again, his hands searching, and she guided his fingertips to the places that did not sting or scream from bruising. 'He tastes like mint.' He must have brushed his teeth before he had returned, she thought, momentarily lamenting her probably shellfish-y breath. If he cared about that he certainly didn't show it. He had snuck back the quilt and slipped beneath, pressing against her with a comforting heaviness.

Tama trembled, cords of muscle in her arms, back, and stomach trying to relax in the embrace. Slowly, she felt him shift and the fog-headed kiss she had been lost in traveled down and away from her face. She tensed again at the motion, but Sato made reassuring sounds between gentle kisses, scooching back to bracket her legs between his knees.

He loomed over her in a way that looked utterly feline, his eyes glittering, his body lean, and he asked, "Where does it hurt?"

The equivalent of a neurological firework went off in her brain, and Tama was not able to communicate much to him aside from removing the bag of ice from her left flank, where a violet-yellow bruise captured his attention. He bent and pressed a cautious kiss there, and Sato felt a twitch of muscle under his lips as she hissed with a mix of approval and pain. He sought her other injuries, careful and attentive, spying vague shoe and punch marks from combat that blossomed into various purples on her sand-hued skin.

A sound escaped her that stilled him, and Sato balanced over her, electrified for an endless second, and he became deaf to anything but that noise as he leaned down again. He kissed up her arms, to nowhere particularly injured, but she let him, oh god she let him touch and trail along her willowy limbs, hoisting up the shirt to access her stomach that tensed and contracted under his lips. She smelled like the soap from his bathroom. She smelled like him, in his clothes, in his bed, saying his name like small prayers with her eyes trolling over him. Liquid fire was coursing up and down his spine, out to his fingertips as he slid them over her skin.

He kissed her mouth again, her lips soft as flower petals, listening distantly to her nonsense-talk, "Nothing hurts, nothing hurts…you made me…" Tama murmured satisfied, throaty sounds between kisses.

Sato braced himself above her on one forearm while he rested his other hand at the dip of her waist, 'Calm. Stay calm.' He was not calm. He was as taught as a bowstring, harder than he had ever been in his young life, pressed into her thigh after she had gotten the bright idea to hook a leg around him. Maybe Tama had not been precisely aware of his state until she shimmied to reach for a kiss, not knowing the rub of her body against his erection, through pants, elicited a fugitive moan from him. She stilled and stared at him, as if to get visual confirmation of the phenomenon. Sato merely made frustrated, aroused grumbles as he pressed his face into the juncture of her neck and shoulder. She could look. It wasn't as if he could deny what was happening.

"I'm sorry." His tone wavered, struggling, "Don't get…the wrong idea. I didn't plan to do this, I sw—"

"Shh, I know." She brought one of her hands up to card her fingers through his hair, "This is good. I've…always wanted to get close."

Absently, he closed his hand around her wrist.

Tama added, "I feel better."

"I can make you feel better than better."

"I bet, but this is enough."

There was an edge of desperation in his voice as he lay on top of her, in some spots that were painful for her, "How long will it be enough? How long…until you want more?" Sato's face was possessive while he was bargaining, "You've wanted…"

She slipped her wrist free and held his shoulders, allowing the kisses and the press of their hips. Truly, Tama did find it sufficient. She approved that he was a shaking, taught, growling mess, and to go further and risk losing this precious landmark memory would infuriate her.

His voice was saccharine like syrup and it made her shiver, "You've wanted me. I know I made you wait."

"You did make me wait," She gasped to inhale air while he pressed hot kisses to her wrist and the cup of her hand, "J-Just a little longer."

"How did I waste time…not knowing how you'd look, like this?" He seared his lips onto her collarbone, "Not knowing what you can do or how you taste..." Sato's mouth ghosted over the peaks beneath the shirt material, "Tama."

The feeling that pooled low in her belly could not be mistaken, not when he said her name like that. Trembling, she sighed and let her eyes flutter closed, savoring when he pressed against her.

"I need to feel you," He whispered harshly, "I can't spend another moment not knowing what you feel like."

His shirt was hitched up and Tama became conscious of her hands flat against his stomach in a warding gesture, wordlessly pleading for space. There was a shocking amount of scar tissue, she felt; the ridges of flesh that had been mended from his traumatic injuries were jagged and noticeable even against her roughened palms. And muscle; there was tense muscle there too. Tama let herself imagine how rugged he would look naked before determining that, yes, she still needed that space. She kissed him and pushed him off with strength.

He was breathing heavily and made no move to encroach upon her again. Sato curled up and faced her, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"Not yet." She spoke as her chest rose and fell, "I'm not ready yet. All I ask is that you honor the time you made me wait for you, and just lend me a bit of the same courtesy."

He nodded with an unnerved look, not daring to break the eye contact.

"Sato," She cracked a smile, "I want to. You really should know that I want to."

"Then why not?"

"For one thing, I'm not in the best of shape." She raised her arm and pointed to a black-and-blue elbow, "I'm exhausted. We would be much better served if we were, you know, healthy."

"Ah. Right."

"And I don't want to have to think about anything else, like the Exam, for instance. I'd only want to focus on you."

"Yeah, but afterward we'll have to think about our schedules as Chunin, so I guess…well, what I mean is…I don't think we really have to wait."

"Well I think we should wait."

He grinned cheekily, "Even though you want me?"

"Yes, even though I want you." A small, exasperated sigh.

"I'm a fine piece of ass, right?" Sato propped his head up, winking at her, "And I cook."

She blew a raspberry after trying to restrain a laugh, "Oh, a fine piece indeed. And I taught you how to cook." Tama rolled to lean into him, pulling the blanket up, "But you also understand me, and you treat others with kindness and make them feel included. There are things you do that I admire. There are a lot of things about you that make me…" She trailed off, sighing again.

"I hear ya," He pressed his forehead to hers, "I didn't mean to go so fast. I just really want to."

"I know you do."

"Think you can sleep?"

"Maybe. Where did all of the ice packs go?"

"I have no idea. Do you need them?"

"Eh, maybe in the morning." She yawned and tucked herself into his side, happily ignoring the still very obvious erection.

"Hm." Sato secured his arms around her, "Sweet dreams, Tama."

---

After drifting in a sublime state of cuddling, letting consciousness trickle away, Sato was able to dream with sharp clarity. He dreamed of something he had forgotten many months ago in the Land of Rain. He could recall a unique feeling he had purged from his memory.

He could remember dying.

The pain had not lasted. Maybe it was a small mercy that the man with the piercings, that soulless, odd-eyed Akatsuki member had been quick about it. That when he had been crushed into the earth with ferocious force, Sato remembered his senses had all blurred into one sense, and that sense rattled in a high frequency ring that petered off as his brain and its accompanying chemicals could no longer service his heart.

And the high frequency absorbed him into an unknowable place where, a few scant centimeters from his face, there was a giant wall of white light. It stretched up, down, left, and right infinitely. Sato wondered if he was really seeing it, or was close enough to seeing the wall of light with whatever sense dead people could boast in the beyond. But he first noted the lack of feeling: no feeling of the rain and mud on his skin, not his wounds, nor anything of the sort. For the longest time it had felt like he had stood in the vast, bright void wondering at the wall and the nothingness that echoed around him.

He touched the wall and it felt like glass and water and electricity, or something he could never describe as a mortal, only to know that it could be experienced in one or more senses. It was impassable. Sato realized it would not let him pass because he saw, on the opposite side, himself with his hand pressed to the wall of light: a living reflection.

He looked with all of his might at his reflected self, able to see the man there age; see the microscopic cell-turnover, hair growth, steadily growing taller and changing as time no longer mattered in the dimension he spectated in. And the 'reflected Sato' lost interest, walking along the mortal side of the wall, growing older, grinning and joking, stopping to cavort with friends as their images came and went, fighting battles and leading others.

It was maddening torture, running along the wall of light, his hand skimming, trying to keep up with what had been left behind, or what was leaving him behind. The possibility outpaced him; that life kept living without him, seeing his reflection walking as a middle-aged adult alongside Shino, cooler and more level-headed. Watching that reflection of his run and scoop up a small, silver-haired girl onto his shoulders, and Tama beside them with her hand raised for a high-five from their daughter, keeping a toddler boy tucked on her hip.

And their lives spun on and on, their cells multiplied, the children grew, they became older and frailer, and there were flaws, pains, regrets, and imperfections in that life…and he still wanted it. Now faced with the impossible, the dead boy wanted that life as it flickered away and disappeared from the wall. And there was only vast white to feel, see, smell, and hear. Nothing at all worth wanting.

He would become the void, and it was peaceful and perfect, and it was also none of those things. It destroyed identity that mortals frantically tried to craft with their borrowed time, and molded all life back into its primordial state.

Then, as suddenly as he had appeared in the vast, empty, full place, he had left it. He was screaming, because no human body could interpret the landslide signals of pain that welcomed him back to life. Bones broken, organs sundered; bled and destructed to a point that addled his brain and spirit so fiercely that staying awake was a silly task. His brain had been too kind. It shut off.

Sato sat up without opening his eyes initially, first rubbing at them vigorously with the backs of his knuckles. He dropped his hands into his lap and stared into the darkness of the room, making absolutely sure it was not that damned wall of light and the nothingness that came with it. He wished he could forget it again, but Sato knew he never would.

Tama's head rose sleepily from her pillow, assessing his anxious state, and she pawed at him until he flopped down again with a quaking breath. She pulled him close and he pressed his head into the hollow of her neck and chest, gradually calming down.

He was asleep for no more than ten minutes before the pounding on the apartment door started up.

Groaning in aggravation, Sato reluctantly peeled himself away from Tama, replacing the quilt around her as he hauled himself to his feet. The clock readout shone 11:51PM as he padded down the hallway, through the living area, and wrenched the door open. Sai was standing there with a fist raised to knock again.

Sato blinked blearily, "Something the matter, Sai?"

"No. No matter at all." They stood in an enduring, awkward silence before Sai guessed, "Were you asleep, Hatake-san?"

"I was." Sato rubbed his chin and stifled a yawn.

"I apologize. I don't know anyone who goes to sleep at this hour."

"Damn right you don't. You need to socialize with normal citizens for a change."

Sai handed Sato a laminated flier and explained, "For the party, tomorrow. I was asked to invite finalists and other diverse guests. I just finished speaking with Buns upstairs."

"Buns?"

"The kunoichi Weapons Master."

"O-Oh! Tenten."

"She agreed that she would be in attendance with Ladyhair and Superbrows. It is a celebration the Hokage put together to thank finalists for their hard work, prior to the Tournament."

"Wouldn't it make more sense to celebrate after the Exam?"

"Hokage-sama explained that if you and other participants were in states of incapacitation or other injury after your matches that not much celebrating could occur, and so she moved the date up."

"Huh." Sato managed to read the text of the flier with late-night eyes, reading that the festival was set two days before the Final Rounds commenced. He held up the paper and inquired, "Are you going to this, Sai?"

"I am. I was appointed to supervise and prevent unsanctioned activities."

"That'll be good, I guess. You can meet some people this way."

"Hokage-sama said that too."

A sound caught their attention and they craned their necks to see Tama emerge from the corridor of the apartment: all legs and a bit of t-shirt, and she was curious as to what had stolen her bedmate.

Sai gave a flat look to his neighbor, "Sleeping, you say?"

Peeved, Sato warningly hushed Sai as they greeted Tama politely, apologizing for the late night disturbance. She was intrigued by the idea of a Chunin Exam meet-and-greet, glimpsing over the flier.

"This park is close by the Han Ethnic Quarter. I've performed there before." Tama noted, "It's advertising food, games, and music…but…you don't think this could escalate or cause visitors to act crazy? A lot of out-of-towners will be in our village to watch the Tournament."

"Well, Sai said he was part of the security detail, so they probably won't allow alcohol or illicit substances. We're not going to see a rave or anything like that." He lingered on the thought longingly, "But…it would be cool if they had glow-sticks."

"I could put in a request with the Hokage." Sai suggested, "For alcohol, illicit substances, and glow sticks."

Sato nearly balked, "Uh…we can go without the first two, Sai."

"The Hokage has an appetite for alcohol and illicit substances, and she confirmed she will be attending. The third request is for you."

---

In the daylight hours that followed, Sakura capitalized on the free time her friends had recovered. She rounded a corner with Ino in tow and pointed her towards Matsuri. In the precious few moments before Gaara could descend the stairs of his apartment, Ino had snatched his student and swept her off to lunch with kunoichi peers. Sakura would have to thank her later.

Gaara stood on the side walk and swiveled his head left and right, perplexed. It was unlike Matsuri to rush off without alerting him first. He might have dwelled on this unusual occurrence had he not spotted Sakura ambling on the opposite side of the road. As was only natural, he crossed over to her. He thought to himself that maybe Sakura's appearance was not a coincidence.

"Good morning, Gaara." Her smile morphed into an expression of disbelief as she beheld his rare change of outfit: the dusky crimson shirt he had changed into tapered into short, fishnet sleeves. She could just barely detect, beneath the white fabric sash draped and tied 'round his shoulder and hips, the deep 'v' of the top, and the glimpse of pale skin. The black pants and sandals were practical, purposefully casual, and she discerned that Gaara was actively trying to shed his Kazekage persona for the time being.

He tapped a finger against her chin, "Good morning," Gaara added astutely, "Have you disposed of my student, Sakura?"

"Not quite. I saw Ino shepherd her off for lunch, though."

"We only had time to train early in the day. Matsuri agreed to visit the novice Genin team she befriended this afternoon."

"Then give her a day off, hm? You ground her down for three weeks. Just trust her." Sakura encouraged, and as she set off walking he tagged along, "Besides, Matsuri will want to go to the festival tonight. Finalists were invited, and some others were too, I heard."

"By extension I assume I am welcome?"

She tilted her head in delight, "I hope you'll go! If you can make the time..."

"I'll go." He consented, "Though what purpose it serves is beyond my grasp."

"Tsunade-shishou wanted to thank us for our hard work. We get to socialize with participants who dropped out of the Exam but still have their visas to spectate the Final Round."

"That may reduce any lingering hostilities…or it might not."

"We'll see. Shishou will be there too."

The sun was blisteringly bright. Squinting past the window glare of shops and eateries, Sakura made an attempt to direct Gaara to a luncheonette (their hands entwined) and then stopped dead in her tracks.

Gaara looked at her curiously, "What is—?"

"Sakura!" A woman had spotted them. Gaara half-recognized her.

A strangled noise escaped Sakura as she bowed her head and her shoulders tensed, caught in her mother's sights as the woman darted over to them with a canvas bag full of groceries.

"So, today must be the day…" Her mother, Haruno Mebuki, grinned at them and judged them simultaneously, "This is him, isn't it? Well, Sakura, go on and introduce me!"

"Mother." Sakura hissed. Her brain was snarled, having taken as many measures as possible to prevent an awkward encounter, 'Murphy's Law…' and unwittingly walked into one as if it were destiny. Mebuki had once seen Gaara up-close after he delivered Sakura to safety after the Retrieval Mission, 'And she screamed at him to get lost, Dad said.' But of course she wanted formalities to be respected now that her daughter was, ah-hem, the object of a Kage's desire.

Gaara's expression was even and unperturbed.

He waited until Sakura worked out of her internal tantrum and she spoke again, "Hi Mom, well…since we're here…this is Gaara; my boyfriend and the Fifth Kazekage of the Sand Village." Sakura exhaled when she added, "Gaara, this is my mother."

"A pleasure to meet you." His eyes shut as he briefly inclined his head. "I have wanted to meet you for some time now, Haruno-san, but my duties have detained me."

"Oh Kazekage-sama, don't be silly. I was looking forward to this, but I understand how busy you've been. And please," Her tone straddled the knife's edge of acerbic and sugary, "Call me Mebuki."

Sakura's soul nearly left her body. Her capacity for humiliation was blown-out, the meter shot of the scale, kaput, and Gaara was sportingly pleasant and cool as he stood beside her, speaking to her mother as if she was not the most embarrassing person in the universe and everyone knew it.

'How does he do it?' Sakura was trapped in silence, and somewhere in her mind she was hugging Inner Sakura tightly for moral support.

"Gaara-sama, would you please join me and my family for lunch? I just picked up a few ingredients and my husband is home. I know Sakura has no responsibilities scheduled, either…"

'Make a sound. Any sound. Protest!' Sakura couldn't. She couldn't stop it.

"Of course."

'Gaara has lost his mind.' She turned her head rigidly and leveled a glare at her boyfriend's face. He was pointedly not reading her signals. Why was he okay with this? Why could they not enjoy a private meal in peace?

Then, insanely, they were walking. They were walking to the Haruno household and Sakura could not muster up the strength or indignation to stop it.

Her mind rushed through a kaleidoscope of uncomfortable sequences she was unprepared for. They then set foot in the house, Mebuki first, and removed their shoes while sharing an agonizingly slow glance. Agonizing for Sakura, at least. Gaara, with his black-ringed eyes, made a face at her: You need to stop fretting. Everything is alright.

She shook her head at him. As she was the foremost authority on her mother's overbearing behaviors, Sakura truly begged to differ.

"Come inside, welcome!" Mebuki ushered her daughter and the Kazekage over to a low table, turning to Kizashi who was seated there with a deer-in-the-headlights expression, "Dear, look! Sakura's brought by the Kazekage, Gaara-sama—"

A weak intervention from Sakura: "Actually, you invited—"

Mebuki continued speaking over her daughter, "We were just talking about how we wanted to have him over, weren't we, Kizashi?" She gave a nonverbal cue to her husband as if daggers would fire out of her cornea.

"Uh, y-yes…I believe we were." Kizashi smoothly, and confoundedly, confirmed, "It's nice to meet you in person, Gaara-sama, if you don't mind me calling you that." He bowed his head without moving to stand, and ushered for the youngsters to sit, "It's a bit short-notice of you to stop by, though. I thought you might be preoccupied at a time like this."

"My schedule opened up unexpectedly." He sat beside Sakura, still composed, "For that I am grateful. Please call me Gaara, Kizashi-san."

"Sure, but only if you scrap the formalities. I'm just Kizashi." The pink-haired man turned to his wife, who was hovering anxiously, "Mebuki, would you like Sakura to help you prepare lunch, or-?"

"Oh, no, no! I only need a bit more time to finish up. All of you relax for now and get to know each other." Her smile crackled with electric energy, and then she hustled into the kitchen with her canvas bag.

Sakura finally took a breath and dropped her forehead into the palm of her hand.

Kizashi lowered his voice and asked, "Did she drag you back here?"

"Yes." Sakura muttered.

"Yeah…she's been dead-set on this introduction for weeks." His expression was playful as he whispered to Gaara, "That's Mebuki for you. She runs a tight ship. Sakura sometimes says that she a-sails people with her personality."

Sakura flattened her hands on the table, "Dad. Please, even if it's just for today…don't make any puns."

"Too late! Already did." Kizashi turned brightly to Gaara, "You liked that one didn't ya?"

"I didn't hate it." Gaara was roundly ambivalent. Sakura thanked her lucky stars for that.

"Right, I can do better." Kizashi frowned to himself and scratched at his beard, "So I suppose you're here to spectate the Tournament, am I right? Who looks after Sunagakure while you're away?"

"I appointed my older sister and brother to manage the office while I'm here. They are very capable." Gaara added, "I look forward to watching Sakura and my student compete in the Final Round."

"Ah! Your student is also a finalist? Very impressive. And your siblings sound like they know their stuff…" Kizashi chuckled to himself and folded his arms, "But I wonder who you'll root for if Sakura has to face your student in a later match?"

Gaara did not take the bait dangling in front of him and said nothing, not willing to confess to favoritism.

"Dad, that isn't fair." Sakura warned, "There's no reason for him to choose."

The man simpered, "Sure there is! He's only dating you, as far as I know. You should be the preference! But I get it. I won't stir the pot. Just poking a bit of fun..." He turned back to Gaara, "You seem very calm and collected, Gaara. It's no wonder that you're a responsible leader." Kizashi rubbed at his chin again, "I can see why Sakura likes you so much."

"Thank you." He accepted the compliment.

And while the two chatted peaceably, Sakura canted her head and regarded the two most important men in her life. 'They're...mostly compatible. They can talk. Ugh, I went into a panic when Mom was, well, Mom…but Dad…he's really easy to get along with.' She dared take a breath of relief, 'And Gaara's more social and glib than he was a few years ago. He's grown so much. Gaara probably won't be bothered by Dad's jokes…especially if I take into account he had Naruto for all those years!'

"I'm a bit curious, since you didn't mention it, but…" Sakura's attention drifted back to the conversation as her father asked, "What's your surname, Gaara?"

It gave Gaara pause. His family's name almost carried like a title, at least where he came from, and when Gaara thought a bit more on it…his surname had a ring to it not unlike the Haruno family name. He realized, a bit late, that just as Sakura's name was a play on words, so too had he been named.

"Sabakuno." Gaara supplied simply, "My father was Sabaku no Rasa, the first of our line."

"Ah…a newer family name, I see. Yes, that's right." Kizashi thoughtfully snapped his fingers, "Your father was the Fourth Kazekage. Hmm…and that name…" A grin tugged at his lips, "Would be kind of funny…"

Sakura pointed a finger in the man's face, hoping to halt him, "Don't-!"

"It'd be funny if Sakura went from a spring field to sand, wouldn't it? Merely a change of scenery-!"

Sakura stood on her knees and seized Kizashi by his shoulders while he laughed, "Quit it, Dad! I swear—"

"Heh, heh…Sakura, if you got married, imagine! Your name wouldn't change syntactically—"

Before she could lunge forward in a newly ignited fit of embarrassment, Gaara placed his hand on her arm and eased her back into her seat. He shrugged it off. She sat and wondered if her ears were smoking like a chimney stack.

"Yes, she would become a desert flower. Not to put ideas in your head, of course." Kizashi gave a blasé nod to Gaara.

Gaara appeared to be thinking about something, but Kizashi pressed on whilst Mebuki summoned Sakura into the kitchen with a harpy-like shriek.

"Sorry. I am told that I'm a chatterbox, and I can get on my daughter's nerves sometimes. Probably not as much as her mother does, but…" The man smiled warmly, "This is our family. It's a bit silly, don't you think? But we are all that is left of our spring-loving, pink-headed kinfolk. My younger brother died long ago on a mission. Ah, and Mebuki has two sisters, if you're wondering. One married and moved to Tsukigakure, some years back. She lost touch with us…" Kizashi rested his chin on his folded hands, "And my sister-in-law who remains in Konoha, Kaika…she's a real spitfire." He began to laugh wildly and Gaara wondered if he would, or more thoughtfully should, meet the person Kizashi was describing.

"That's all of us." Kizashi nodded, "Now tell me a little about your family."

"It's…a very broken family." Gaara admitted.

"Doesn't matter to me. It's still yours, isn't it?"

They fell quiet and listened to the sounds of Mebuki and Sakura bickering in the kitchen, finalizing the meal.

"My eldest sibling is Temari, and my brother, the middle child, is Kankuro." He relaxed gradually as he spoke, "I was the third child born to my parents, Rasa and Karura. My mother's brother was Yashamaru, and my uncle looked after me for a time after my mother died."

Kizashi nodded thoughtfully, his face serenely propped in his hand.

"Without mother…I could tell that no one was happy. Not my siblings, my father, nor my uncle. I was a constant reminder of the gaping hole she had left." Gaara was surprised by the statement, as if he was only just discovering it, "For that, and some…other reasons…my childhood was turbulent. I ran away from my village."

"You must have been young..." Kizashi supposed, stroking his beard.

"Not quite old enough to attend the Academy. I was discovered by Jiraiya of the Legendary Three in a tourist town in the Fire Country, and he delivered me to Konoha, where he hoped I could thrive." He omitted some details but rounded the tale off, "And while I lived here, my two friends and fellow orphans became my brothers as well. Uzumaki Naruto and Haku."

"Yes, I know. Sakura speaks of them very fondly!"

"Now that my father and uncle have passed on…the support of my brother and sister has reunited us in Suna. We are glad to be together again."

Kizashi shook his head, a bit stirred by the story, "Hm, that's a heartfelt memoir, I'll say…the Kazekage has had a long journey. I don't think it ends there, either." His eyes twinkled, "I'm sure…Sakura is special to you as well."

Gaara nodded in reply because there was no use in forming words to try to describe it. Sakura's presence in his life was a tremendous and treasured privilege.

Following that, Mebuki and Sakura began to make trips to the table with bowls and dishes of food; not speaking in the dining room and then resuming their hushed argument in the kitchen.

With the table set, the women sat down beside their respective male companions. Mebuki gave a sharp look to her daughter which conveyed a message, and with a restrained grumble, Sakura reached for a pitcher of cold tea. She poured for Gaara first, muttering, "Chilled oolong and lemon…"

He thanked her as she poured for her parents next. They expressed thanks for the meal, and then Mebuki rambled on about the dishes she had made.

"I hope most of it is to your liking! That's cold soba in front of you, and I set the dipping sauce there, try it! Perfect for summer. Hm, hm! Oh, and my sister grew these vegetables. They're my favorite marinated with this sesame flavor—"

Sakura tried to derail it, "Mom—"

"And here, some octopus, at Kizashi's request—"

"…Mom."

"—do you care for edamame? I grilled some chicken and onions—"

There was a slightly worried look on Kizashi's face. No one was eating yet.

"Also there's-!"

"Mom." Sakura barked, and a vein bulged near her temple as she spoke, "Let him eat. Please, just let him try something first!"

"Oh." Mebuki settled down and shrunk into her seat, "Goodness, I'm sorry. I got worked up."

"Don't worry dear; we're all going to enjoy it." Kizashi's smile was genuine and disarming.

Almost immediately, there was a noisy slurp as Gaara tried the noodles as instructed. It drew three surprised stares.

He gave a quick assessment, "Indeed…perfect for summer."

Mebuki beamed at him.

---

After lunch and conversation about achievements, work, leisure, family, hobbies, and 'does the desert have any seasons at all?' the meal ended, and Sakura proceeded to clear the dishes from the table. Mebuki politely excused herself and asked Kizashi to meet her in the study at the end of the hall. She seemed contemplative.

Gaara was not sure what to think of the abrupt departure of Sakura's parents. To keep busy, he assisted in putting away leftovers and reordering the kitchen.

"Thank you." The pinkette sighed, "I hope they weren't overbearing…"

"They pale in comparison to the attitudes I deal with at my Village Council."

"Huh! And I thought I had a thick skin."

He supposed, "Not as thick as sand armor, but I could lend it to you if you wished."

"No thanks. That'd tire me out." She scrubbed a large serving bowl at the sink and looked over her shoulder at him, "Is it heavy? I mean, when you cover yourself with sand for defense?"

"It is."

"You don't get tired?"

"I'm used to it." Gaara stood beside her and dried plates as they came clean, "Other things tire me out."

"Like what?"

"Overdoing it at the office. Genin that protest the missions I assign. Elders." He added sincerely, "And not being able to see you as often as I'd like."

"I know. But you can always request me for a mission, when there's an opportunity. I'd never object."

Gaara smiled to himself, "I know. That only works if the Hokage is willing, of course."

"Yeah…Shishou can be a pain in the neck about it."

A piercing shout made them slow in their work. Mebuki and Kizashi's discussion at the far end of the house had increased in volume. Sakura groaned in dread, hoping to never know what it was about, or that her parents had not out-right condemned her choice of a boyfriend.

Perhaps the choice to update the Haruno's home last year to central heating and cooling made this moment in time worse. The voices of two sparring parents carried through the ventilation and echoed out from an air vent on the wall. Sakura beseeched Gaara with her eyes to please, please go to the restroom, go to the family room, go stick his head in between sofa cushions to drown out the noise. Anything so that he wouldn't listen to this…

But they stood near the refrigerator like two masochists, as the voices drifted up from a low vent for them to hear.

"Mebuki, there's no need…"

"-don't pretend, Kizashi, that you do not understand what I mean! What will happen if this continues? A Kazekage can't just leave his post to come live here, just because he loves our daughter. He won't do it. We can't ask him to."

"Then surely Sakura can—"

"No! It's absurd. It's cruel and selfish to ask our only child, our child, Kizashi— to settle down in the desert, where she has no immediate family to support her. Who would help her if there's a falling out, hm? Who will care for her then? Who is there for her when she's sad and alone, or when she's too exhausted to make herself a meal after a mission— and her spouse is stuck in an office! What kind of life is that? She'll be sitting in empty rooms most days, and we'll be here…h-here m-missing her!"

"Mebuki…" Kizashi's tone was consoling.

"Please know…that I'm happy. I'm happy Sakura has a stable relationship, with someone truly remarkable. But I can't. I can't abide the idea of missing the events of my daughter's life because she lives in another country. I always dreamed of being there to see her happy. You know how hard it is…for me…when she goes away. Even for a little while, on her missions…I-I…"

"Now, now…it's so easy for you to worry when you don't have your hands guiding every little thing, my dear. This is not something you can control and you know it. It's hard. Of course it is, because I feel the same way."

"H-How…can you not…worry?"

"I do. I just do it a bit more quietly. By the way, try to keep it down or they'll hear…that'd be embarrassing."

Mebuki was hiccupping.

"It seems to me…that Gaara is very accommodating and generous, especially when it comes to our daughter. Don't be so sure that he won't arrange something to make it easier for her, and us, to be together as a family. If that is the decision they make at some point in time, try to have some trust in someone like him." Kizashi chuckled, "Really…Sakura could have chosen much worse here in Konoha."

A sniffle, "She could have…"

"He's a bit unusual looking, isn't he?"

"Those eyes." Mebuki agreed.

"Quite unique. I didn't feel it was polite to ask but I sure am curious!"

"Well, you're the man with pink hair. You: trying to comment on other's appearances. At any rate…save those questions for another day." Mebuki exhaled and composed herself, "I'm sorry about this, dear. I just had to get my feelings out. I nearly exploded before the end of lunch; so many emotions had built up."

"I understand. Sakura's a lot like you, in that respect."

"But really…she's most like her father…" Her voice was tender.

The door down the corridor clicked open and Sakura mechanically resumed doing the dishes, not saying a word as Gaara continued the drying next to her. Somehow, they'd have to play it off like they weren't eavesdropping pieces of trash worried about what parents thought of them.

Mebuki hurried over to interrupt Sakura's work, "Darling, I'm sorry, please let me wash these. You've done more than enough today. I just had to share some thoughts with your father."

She looked at her mother with shiny eyes, "Is everything alright, Mom?"

"Everything is." Mebuki smiled warmly, "I guess I'm just excited." She turned to look at Gaara, "Maybe I assumed too quickly that the Kazekage would be aloof and proud…that we'd have to posture and impress today…but he's quite a bit like us!"

Gaara set aside one last, fully dried dipping bowl, "I want to be. If you meet the rest of my family…you will discover they act like clowns."

"Thank goodness." Kizashi chorused at the thought.

Mebuki asked Sakura to accompany her across town to deliver food set aside for Auntie Kaika, hoping it would not inconvenience Gaara. For once, the request seemed optional.

Gaara could see that Sakura had softened, that her empathy had compelled her to touch and hug her mother, to react to her with understanding and sensitivity.

He noted, "I will be at the festival this evening and I can rejoin Sakura there. Don't let me interrupt any tasks you need to finish today."

Sakura thanked him and assisted her mother in packing a basket before they set out. Shortly afterward, Kizashi cheerfully led Gaara to the door as he was set to be on his way.

Bowing was customary, but Kizashi extended his hand and firmly shook with Gaara.

"Don't worry! Mebuki likes you. She's just an emotional bottle-rocket."

"Understandable."

"Hope you didn't hear our chat back there. It got a bit loud."

"Not at all. Sakura and I were talking while we cleaned."

"Ah, good." Kizashi twitched his nose, "Honestly, I like you too. I'm really glad you were able to drop by. Come over anytime! I could talk all day."

"Perhaps tomorrow. There will be a lull before the Tournament, which commences the day after."

"Good, good! Hmm, the Kazekage's been a real sport about all of this. And you know…" Kizashi opened the front door and lingered in the doorway, thoughtful, "I've really known you since you were a school kid. I came by the Academy all the time to watch Sakura train in the yards. I knew who you were."

"Ah." Gaara was not sure how to respond.

"You wanted to spend time with her then, too."

"I did." He would never deny it.

"So…" He grinned, "Did you always have a crush on my little girl? Was Sakura the only one for you?"

Gaara regarded him blankly for a long moment before he exited the house, stopping on the top step. He turned around and finally confessed to favoritism, "Even before the Academy...she was the only one."

"Hah! You have good taste, my man. She's my pride and joy." Kizashi was bubbling with laughter, "And I just can't help but like you because she likes you. Sakura and I are very similar, as you know. I hope someday you'll let her be your pride and joy too. You know…show her off for the entire world to see."

Gaara nodded slowly, the corners of his mouth curving up at the notion.

He pointed a finger at Gaara, suddenly serious, "No funny business at that festival, though. A Kage has quite an image to uphold."

"I'll be sure to tell the Hokage that when I see her later."

"Ha!" Kizashi was bubbling over again and wiped a tear from his eye, "I know, right? Sakura has told me…ho, ho," As he shut the door Gaara heard him say, "This guy's a riot."

---

Evening sunbeams skipped over rooftops like stones across a lake. The park that was south of the Han Ethnic Quarter began to bustle as the sun sank; its paths illuminated with hollow, glowing sculptures and string lights criss-crossing above stands. Though not a proper summer festival, some depictions of deities, animals, and shinobi had been pulled from storage and set aglow, lining the walkways and lawns.

Shikamaru asked Chouji to mind his step when he nearly tripped over wires laying across pavement, not yet secured by gaffing tape.

"What's all of this for? I thought we'd have taiko drums and flutes, you know, like usual?" Chouji wondered at a distant stage where amplifiers and band instruments were being tended to.

"It's not time for Leaf's Obon festival yet. The Hokage meant for this to be a smaller celebration." Shikamaru eyed the stage, unimpressed, "Something tells me there was no budget for quality entertainment."

"We got here early; don't be so quick to judge." Ino shooed them along towards game and food stands, "The music probably won't suck."

"Psh!" Shikamaru stuck his hands in his pockets, doubtful.

They were side-tracked briefly by the endless selection of food-on-sticks at a small, tented vendor, then proceeded past some juvenile games: "Hm, Shika, want to scoop me a goldfish?"

"Not particularly."

Chouji pointed out other scoop-it or throw-this-ball kiddie attractions…until down the line of games the tasks became more suited for ninja.

"Hit a target on a motor-spun wheel with a shuriken, win adorable knick-knacks!" Ino's face lit up. All three of them successfully attempted the game and walked off with porcelain idols and statues to stick on a shelf in their bedrooms and forget about.

"Huh, looks like Lee won't be leaving that chin-up test game anytime soon…" Chouji noted as they passed it by, overhearing as Lee was up to 109 chin-ups, and had probably just arrived minutes before them. Chouji supposed, "I guess Tenten and Neji should be here too?"

"I'll bet. Look! There's Hinata at the seating area." Ino hauled her teammates along by their wrists, full-steam ahead towards friends gathering at picnic tables situated beneath tall maple trees.

They passed a large, covered pavilion that had several fans blowing to keep guests cool. Naturally, Tsunade was seated there in a comfortable chair, lining up a variety of drinks, snacks, and diversions on a table that she would enjoy (and probably not share) that night. Tenzo, in his civilian garb, loitered near the entrance of the tent and made small talk with other veteran ninja inquisitively poking around the festival.

The picnic tables to the left of the pavilion had attracted the Finalists as well as many Exam drop-outs who had returned to socialize and watch the Tournament. Beyond a wide space for dancing and foot-traffic was the band stage, and beside it was a raised booth for a DJ, "That's a low vote of confidence in the band they hired…" Ino appraised. She took a bite of a chocolate covered banana on a stick and then greeted their friends, "Hinata! Cute dress. Hi Shino."

"Thank you, Ino-chan." Hinata scooched over, closer to Shino, ushering Ino to sit. Chouji and Shikamaru took the seats across the table from them and continued inhaling fried foods, "I'm happy to see you here! It was a bit awkward with so many…" She trailed off.

"What?" Shikamaru picked up on it, "All of these Exam participants you guys have creamed are back and trying to make nice? Yeah. It's only natural for them to kiss some ass at events like these."

Ino and Chouji had a good laugh at the thought, and Hinata cupped her mouth in her hands and looked around shiftily. The Grass kunoichi she had defeated, Guena, was at the next table over beside her Finalist teammate, Aota. They seemed to be making friendly conversation with Leaf inhabitants who had dropped by, also stuffing their faces. Their sensei Mahoto was in attendance and had a twenty-something look alike by his side, most definitely his child.

Ino took it upon herself to get visual confirmation on the rest of their cohort. Neji and Tenten were now trying to usher Lee away from the game he was dominating while a line of complaining festival-goers had accumulated. Eventually, they had whisked him along to a balance-the-plate-on-a-pole game where, judging by Tenten's expression, the prizes were not worth the stupidity. Neji veered away towards grilled herring and squid. Tenten cursed as Lee dragged her onward.

Gaara's student, Matsuri, appeared in a fit of laughter as she spoke to Konohamaru and his teammates, joined by younger peers and— "No," Ino tapped Hinata's shoulder, "Is that your sister over there? Socializing normally?"

Hinata nodded, "Yes! Hanabi will be competitive and blunt with them…but she does try to make friends."

"Huh. I thought I was going nuts." Ino accepted the cup of lemonade Chouji handed her, "Thanks Chouji. And…where is…?" She craned her neck around in search of her own rival. Hinata giggled and pointed toward a crowd-favorite game.

A wide-mouthed, shocked smile spread on Ino's face, "That's not-! That is. What is Sakura doing?" She stood up to take a look at Sakura squaring off against Kiba in mock sumo suits, lambasting each other in faux-pudgy buffoonery as they laughed and squealed like school children. Akamaru circled the ring while barking. Shikamaru glanced towards the attraction and snorted quietly, amused.

"Oh my gosh." Ino took a seat, grinning, "That kind of…no, that definitely looks fun."

"I want to try it to!" Hinata chirped in delight, "Shino-kun, will you please consider joining me for that game?"

"Sato would be better suited." Her friend peeked at her over his glasses with sharp hazel eyes, as if to implore: Do not make me. For your sake I would agree, but I would hate every moment of it…

Hinata understood. She sighed, "Sato-kun isn't here yet, and neither is—"

"Hold up! They're over there!" Chouji pointed out the couple who was last to arrive, rounding the corner of a storage tent. They were dressed for summer weather as everyone else was, but their clothing was what Chouji described as "That edgy, Hip-Hop stuff."

"They must plan to dance." Hinata tapped her lips with a finger, "I hope music will start soon. I'd enjoy dancing."

Shino breathed a sigh of relief, expecting that she would not coax him into the sumo game.

Sato reached them and loudly greeted his friends, while Tama was more reasonable with her wave and smile.

"You all got stuff to eat, I see…" Sato noted, eyeing each morsel, "What's recommended?"

"Anything on a stick." Ino advised, "Shika got mackerel somewhere, I don't know, but that's what he always wants. Check it out over there— it's like Neji can't quit it with the herring. Huh. It's got to be good." She glanced down at the beverage in her hand, "And not to alarm anyone, but…this is spiked. Good, but spiked."

"Excuse me?" Chouji sputtered, surprised, "I got it at the pavilion that Tsunade-sama is sitting in! Are you sure-?"

"That just makes me more sure." Ino shook her head, "Do you know how much booze she has hoarded in there? Her security guard must have rounded up everything 'unapproved' and given it to her. Seems like some of it got back into the wrongs hands…" She took another merry sip, "Hm! I'm not going anywhere tonight. Might as well savor this!"

Shikamaru and Chouji leveled stern expressions at her that lasted a full six seconds before they too partook of the unsanctioned lemonade. Shino declared something in his cup was not even close to what he had asked for, and he handed it off to Sato to test it.

"Yeesh." Sato batted his lips, "I'm not sure…"

When passed to Tama, she readily identified it, "Whiskey. Whoa, how are they slipping this out? This isn't even mixed well."

Sakura and Kiba joined the group after their skirmish and were greeted, given snacks, and promptly informed to beware of liquids. Shikamaru voiced that if they chose to drink, "Do it responsibly. Don't play any weapon-throwing or other risky games later. Sumo's probably fine."

"Probably hilarious." Ino concurred.

Unceremoniously, Sai approached the table and dropped a cardboard box onto it. They hastily saved their snacks and drinks from tipping. Sai then stood there like a well-animated mannequin with limited manners. "Hello." He managed.

"Sai!" Sato was a helpful liaison, "Everyone, this is Sai. He's my neighbor from across the hall at our apartment complex. I don't know if he's met most of us, so…" He pointed down the line at his friends, "Sai, these are my friends! This is Hyuga Hinata, but I just call her Sunshine."

Sai nodded at Hinata, "Hello Sunshine."

"Then my best friend, Aburame Shino. And here we have Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji, Yamanaka Ino…" Sai's stare lingered on Ino as Sato went on. "Inuzuka Kiba, and this is Haruno Sakura. I think Neji's team is still hanging by the games, but you've said you've met them already."

"It is good to meet you all." Sai parroted a phrase that Tenzo had taught him to use. Eventually, he would be able to superficially judge each of his new acquaintances to come up with nicknames that suited them.

While his eyes were still magnetized towards Ino, Sakura grimaced and waved a hand in front of Sai's face, "Is he alright? If he'd been staring at me for that long I would have stuffed him into a kick drum by now."

"Sorry. He's not well-socialized yet. Sai just joined the standard forces after being raised and trained by the Foundation." Sato elaborated, steering Sai away from Team Asuma before Shikamaru could begin to bristle. Kiba and Akamaru gave Sai a curious passing sniff each.

"Tsunade-shishou mentioned that to me." Sakura acknowledged, nodding, "I didn't know ninja from the Root Foundation…were like this."

"Probably worse." Tama supposed in a whisper, "He calls me Legs."

Sakura snickered.

Tama changed the subject and addressed Sai, "It's good to see you, Sai. What's in that box?"

Sai reached over and pulled the cardboard flaps back for all gathered to peer inside. It was filled to the brim with glow-sticks and glow-in-the-dark accessories.

"Kind of unexpected, but cool." Chouji decided.

"Oh yeah! You got 'em!" Sato was pleased.

"Yes, and Hokage-sama is now in possession of everything else requested." Sai noted, meaning the illicit substances.

"Well, so are we." Shikamaru clarified, "Who's sneaking alcohol out of the pavilion?"

Sai shrugged. He really did not care.

Kiba pointed out that glow-sticks would be of no use until after sunset, but spread the word to other guests in the picnic area that they were welcome to take what they wanted.

And in the few minutes after that the park became busier, more densely packed with people, and Sakura had begun turning in circles hoping to get a glimpse of Gaara, 'Where is he?' Kiba had begun a muttering with Shikamaru and Chouji about "this Sai guy" while Sai had approached Shino to engage in the most stilted, awkward conversation that had ever taken place. Ino rescued the Aburame by giving Sai an intrigued smile, quickly gaining his attention again.

"I thought only Sato liked to use nicknames." She carded her fingers down her ponytail where it cascaded over her shoulder, "Tell me how you met Sato and Tama, Sai. And how about Neji and his team?"

Shino was shocked to find that Sai became a bit more eloquent with his responses while speaking to Ino. He then batted futilely at Sato when the Hatake had begun layering glow-in-the-dark rings around his neck and head.

"You'll be the life of the party later. Just go with it, Shino." Sato assured him. He turned and began fixing glow-in-the-dark accessories to Hinata as well, "Perfect!"

"Oh!" Tama hopped in place as two grown men rushed over to her from the stage, shouting, and then wrapped their arms around her in a group hug, "You're here!"

"Little lady!" A tall brunette man in green flannel squeezed her and then stepped back, "Ready to watch our set, Tama?" He turned to Sato, "Ah, and our favorite Hatake, good to see you, man!" Sato was acquiescent with the hug given to him as well.

"Sutībun, your band's playing?" Sato's excitement was forced but believable, "And young Niiru too…you play now?"

"Nope, I sing." Niiru, in his t-shirt and jeans, spoke shyly, "Better than the rest of the band, anyway."

"Good for you, man. Nice wristbands." Sato gestured at him, "And puka shells. And stuff."

Niiru smiled and revealed he was, apparently, even younger than Sato.

Sakura held up her hands and wedged herself between Tama and the men, "Excuse me, but…who are these people?"

"They're my cousins." Tama explained sunnily, "Fudōshin Sutībun and Niiru; older brother and younger brother. They are my mother's nephews."

"Wow." Sakura blinked at them in surprise, "Nice to meet you! It's neat seeing more of your family, Tama."

Tama introduced her cousins, "Sutī-kun, Niiru-chan, this is my teammate and good friend, Sakura." The men nodded to her, "Over there is my other teammate, Kiba-kun, and there's Shino-kun, Hinata-chan, Shikamaru-kun, Chouji-kun, Ino-chan and Sai."

"Ah, great. I hope you all enjoy our set. It's just a few songs…and we can play longer if the Hokage likes it." Sutībun wilted, "But she's not crazy about our drummer and bassist, so…we'll see what happens."

"How does Tsunade-shishou know your band, exactly?" Sakura was flummoxed.

Sutībun pointed out a man and a turquoise haired woman nearby the stage, "See that guy? That's Sano. He plays bass. Sort of." He turned and noted a game stand where two women were hurling darts, "And that's Kim, our drummer. Oh hey, Niiru, look. She brought Knives tonight. Make sure you say hi."

"I-I will. Later."

Shikamaru had overheard enough and pressed Kiba down below the table, and he also ducked for good measure, "Sano…as in…Sanomune? Oga Sanomune?" Shikamaru gruffed at Chouji who was bemused by his need to hide, "He's the dumbass we had to protect for that wedding. Remember? I told you about it."

Kiba added, "Yeah…that's him alright. Damn, I can't believe he's here. To play music. This is gonna be a nightmare…"

"You don't know that yet." Ino chided them in a sing-song voice.

"Yeah, well…I just don't want to deal with him again. Make sure he doesn't see us or he'll try to be all buddy-buddy."

"Don't sweat it. He's preoccupied with Ramo and he's only here to play." Sutībun assured him, "Speaking of wives…where's Senbō gotten to?" He scratched his beard and looked around for his spouse, his eyes scouring the flow of festival revelers, "I should have said something to her before I ran over here…"

"Well as soon as you start playing…you know she'll be front and center to cheer for you." Tama encouraged, "Is it almost time?"

"Yeah, I guess." He patted Tama's muscled arm and motioned for Niiru, "Come on. Better do a sound check and get rolling." Sutībun turned to the group of Finalist ninja, "Nice to meet you and good luck at the Tournament. Have fun, Tama, Sato!" They hurried back to the stage and shouted for Sanomune to quit loafing around.

"Your cousins seem very nice." Hinata stood on Tama's opposite side, her head tilted in a puppy-like manner, "And they get along with Sato-kun!"

"Yes, Sato is kind of their crowd anyway. Maybe not musically, but for celebrating, absolutely."

Sato whispered behind the back of his hand, "It's just…their music is unrefined. It's garage-band stuff. I can't dance to it!"

Sakura and Hinata chuckled but he shook his head at them.

"Watch out." Sato warned, "It'll give you a headache."

The band assembled on stage and curious festival-goers began to accumulate. From the corner of her eye, Hinata spied Tenten and Neji entering the pavilion and greeting Tsunade. Lee was still by a game booth, his arms already full of stuffed animals he had won. She took a seat at another table with Sakura, Tama, and Sato as the low tremolo of a guitar rumbled from speakers.

The crowd made sounds of excited anticipation, and as many settled their eyes on the small front man Niiru holding onto his microphone for dear life, the drummer, Kim (the Oga clan's faithful maid) raised her sticks and bellowed into a microphone of her own. Tama smiled warily while Sato discreetly plugged his ears with his pinky fingers. Sakura's stomach dropped at the sight.

After the screamed introduction, an assault of electric trills and overpowering drums commenced, rattling the ground and the unsuspecting crowd that had gathered. Somehow, from somewhere within the pavilion tent, Sakura could hear Tsunade decrying the show and expressing her regret of hiring a (nearly) free act.

Hinata pressed her face into Sakura's shoulder for solace, asking, "What is a…Sex Bob-Omb? And why do they call themselves that?"

Sakura had to shout her reply over the din, "I think it's an obscure reference!"

"Told you!" Sato added in a shout.

There was no respite between the first song and the second, which was so shrill in its guitar riffs and weak, inaudible vocals that the crowd in front of the stage began to dissolve and set out for other parts of the festival. Tsunade's tirade continued, prompting Neji and Tenten to evacuate the tent as the Hokage's tantrum got physical. Others exited the pavilion and fled to the far side of the park to avoid the uproar.

Ino was cackling madly when she turned to Tama from her seat, shouting, "This song is called Garbage Truck? How appropriate!"

Tama sighed in weary agreement, feeling bad for her cousins, but simultaneously praying for the end.

When an empty sake bottle soared like a bullet from the pavilion, hit the stage backdrop, and exploded into a million glass shards (thankfully not striking any of the bandmates) Tenzo rushed to restrain Tsunade. Abruptly, the song was cut short and Sutībun wheezed an apology into a microphone before wrestling Sanomune off of the stage.

"That was quick." Shikamaru noted in a normal volume of voice. His friends answered in a ensemble of groans.

A minute later, Tenzo was ejected from the tent and ordered to escort the band away, "Get that other guy up there! The volunteer who knows what he's doing!" Tsunade added in a screech.

Tenzo scrambled to mediate. The band was now back stage and Sanomune was still stubbornly playing a bassline until a cable was ripped out of an amplifier. Visitors in the picnic area began talking amongst themselves and criticizing the letdown performance.

When the way was clear, Tenten and Neji joined their friends at the tables. Lee was a few paces behind them, passing out stuffed animals to revelers who were interested in them. Tenten set down a tray of takoyaki and a very large cup, "Was that supposed to be a try-out or was there a mix-up? That might have been the worst thing I've ever heard."

"That was my cousin's band." Tama confessed sadly.

Tenten tried to backpedal, "Oh! Well, not exactly the worst-!"

"I saw Oga Sanomune was playing." Neji noted, "It was hardly her cousin's fault."

Shikamaru and Kiba seconded the notion.

Lee was down to one last toy, a stuffed fox, and Hinata gladly accepted it. He added his two cents on the performance, "Sutībun-san and Niiru-san were quite good. Oga-sama may have needed a bit more practice."

"You are too gentle of a critic." Neji insisted. Lee just smiled sedately.

The team munched on the last of their shared octopus treats Tenten had the first sip of her beverage and sucked wind in surprise, setting her giant cup down. She glanced around until Ino made direct eye contact with her, smirking, "Whoa, what…what's in this? It was supposed to be some fizzy raspberry thing!"

Shikamaru noted, "You must have gotten that at the pavilion?"

"…yeah?"

"Someone is distributing the Hokage's booze right under her nose. Stick to the vendors outside." Ino recommended as she stole a sip of it with her straw, "Hm, seems like they confused your order with sake and a splash of fruit. Pretty good, actually."

Lee approached curiously and Tenten batted him away, "No! Er— Lee…sorry. Like Ino said, it's best if you get something to drink from a stand near the park entrance. If you had any alcohol you might…well…you know."

He sighed and nodded.

Tenten allowed Tama and Sakura indulgent sips before she whapped Sato in the face, telling him to get his own. When he turned around in defeat, Sato gasped as he watched a familiar face fill the DJ booth and begin tinkering with electronics.

"Hey! That's the, uh, Grass kid that I…I…" He pursed his lips and trailed off.

"The Grass ninja you roasted, Noé." Shikamaru recalled, "Why don't you go over and say hello? He's looking surprisingly healthy after the stunt you pulled."

"Quit it! I never meant to put him through that. Huh. It doesn't look like there's a mark on him! He got patched up pretty well…"

"He does look better." Tama agreed, "Maybe we can expect more from him as a musical talent?"

"I'm not about to get my hopes up at this point." Kiba chimed in.

"Well he seems like a knowledgeable guy." Sato defended, "I mean look at his clothes— he's like a cosplayer, or whatever those people are called. He speaks French and uses poison and swords. He's a classy guy."

"Classy?" Kiba repeated, stupefied, "He tried to poison you."

"You've tried to do worse." Sato provided an innocent reference to their past brawls.

"Yeah, you're right."

While Noé continued setting up, a lilting pop tune pinged and bounced from speakers, calming the frantic, distressed mood of the festival. Stage hands were packing up the band's instruments with dispassionate expressions. Sato and Tama ventured forth to secure their own festival food, bobbing along to the melody out of habit. Hinata helped herself to Neji's final bite of takoyaki before springing away from the bench, joining a small flock of optimists willing to shimmy to the (comparably) bearable music. She had left her fox toy beside her cousin.

Matsuri and her companions had also drifted into the open space to dance and gossip, and Hanabi had sidled up to her sister, stepping just as skillfully as Hinata.

"It was worse before," Hanabi noted, "But now this music is too happy."

"I think it's just to hold us over." Hinata supposed, "He is still preparing his…um…"

"That's a turntable and mixer." Hanabi droned in boredom.

"How do you know what they are?"

"I know about cool things that you don't."

"Ah." Hinata was tempted to press her fingers together in shame.

"But like I said, it sounds too happy. Do you want to play that sumo game with me until the DJ puts on something better?"

Sheer joy illuminated Hinata's face as she quickly raced off with her sister, who bullied others in line to make way and 'find something else to do!' so she and her sister could pull on the pudge-suits and duel. From afar, Hinata's friends watched the humorous spectacle.

"That is just…" Sato and Tama returned and sat down with food across from Neji and Tenten, "This is the best. I love watching people put those stupid things on."

"I had no idea that Hanabi would be interested in a game like that." Tenten could not look away.

"Any activity that can let her boast being the victor interests her." Neji explained. When Tenten hovered the straw of her drink beneath his face he narrowed his eyes at her, but he still took a sip. His facial expression suggested that he did not dislike it.

"It's not bad. I'll share." She set it down between them.

Tama began giggling wildly as Hinata took a running charge at her sister, "She still looks so cute! Mmheehee! Look at her go!"

Sato split that last bit of chicken on a stick with Tama, "Maybe we can play that game later?"

"I don't know. The line got so long..."

The DJ, Noé, made no announcement before testing the waters with a bubbling tune over deep bass. The syrupy pop tune faded into a heavy track with a smattering of suggestive lyrics, and Noé glanced around in concern, wondering if he had completely misinterpreted what the youth of the festival actually wanted to hear. His moment of anxiety abated. Two had left their picnic table and skipped over the open space, and as Noé squinted he recognized them.

'It's that twat who burned me!' Noé was tempted to shut the sound system off and have a hissy fit, but he continued to watch his former opponent, the Hatake, flirt and strut around the beautiful, tall girl beside him, 'This is…' Such willingness to dance actually made him, the panicking DJ, look more competent in his selection, 'Maybe I'll just…stick this one out.' The gesture of goodwill made by his Leaf opponent would not be overlooked, 'Either that or he likes this track.' And, graciously, his two teammates Aota and Guena were busy wrangling up more guests to dance and enjoy themselves.

By the time Gaara had arrived at the festival, as lanterns and string lights glowed against the hastening dark, he witnessed a strange migration of people away from the games and the ever popular sumo ring towards the space below the DJ's booth. He noticed that the only break in the dense crowd was just in front of the Hokage's pavilion. Gaara imagined she did not want to miss what everyone else was watching, 'And this music is…' Was it ever loud. A passer-by had described it as bangin.'

Gaara slipped into the pavilion tent, past some squawking, merry veterans, a pseudo-bartender and waiter, some overheated guests in front of the fan, and then stopped beside Tsunade. The Hokage was leaned over the table, watching a performance in fascination as she sipped wine. She had several unopened bottles beside her.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Hokage-sama?" Gaara folded his arms and was tempted to ridicule her.

She waved at him foggily, "'Bout time you showed up. Look at this." Tsunade motioned with her cup towards the break in the thick ring of revelers (she had ordered them to move over,) and Gaara then noticed dancing.

There was some, he would call it conformist swaying and head-nodding, among those gathered. But those were merely spectators with their eyes fully fixed on the two at the center, flitting with such skill, angling themselves with practiced, rhythmic beauty…all in synchronization to a catchy song that would, admittedly, make him a fan too.

Gaara sighed as an afterthought, acknowledging that it was Sato, and also his comely fiancée, blatantly showing off. Tsunade was thrilled.

"If you had heard what shit the band before this DJ tried to subject us to..." She shuddered, "It would have been bad. I nearly knocked the bassist's head off his shoulders, but I ju-uuust missed." Tsunade illustrated with a pinch of her fingers, indicating her lack of aim with an empty bottle.

"Tsunade-sama, I should tell you that a Kage has an image to uphold, and you appear to be struggling."

"Oh?"

"Yes. I was advised to remain dignified as well this evening."

"And who…" She stifled a burp, "Is spouting nonsense like that? As if we Kage need to be reminded…"

"Haruno Kizashi."

"Ah." Tsunade paused and then her lips stretched into a grin, "That is indeed some advice you should take." She slapped his arm with painful strength, but his sand armor buffered it, "Good for you, you scamp! When did you meet Sakura's parents?"

"Today."

"And how did it go?" Tsunade began pouring him wine.

He made no movement to sit or accept the drink, "Very well. I think Sakura was anxious about the introduction, but they are hardly the most excitable people I've met."

"Well sure. You have that cuckoo councilman Soi in your village, and the puppet master Chiyo too, that old bag." She rumbled in amusement, "And Jiraiya and Naruto. Hm! Say, does Haku count? Has he ever acted crazy and I've just never—" A hiccup, "Noticed it?"

"Not crazy, but he does irritate me."

Tsunade nodded and her head threatened to swing off of her neck and fly away.

"Good, then…I am glad you are taking such an important step." She took a hissing breath and then nudged him along, "Now get a move on. I'm missing the entertainment. Go make out with my student or something!"

"Good night, Hokage-sama." He respectfully took his leave.

When he arrived at the sitting area his friends were clustered in (also apparently imbibing) Sakura must have spotted him from the corner of her eye. She wriggled out from between Ino and Tenten to reach him, pecking his cheek in greeting. She was decidedly sober but still enjoying herself, "You made it just in time! I haven't seen these two cut a rug like this since…I don't even know."

"A few years ago." Gaara recalled. The first time he had seen the pair's unexpected talent his jaw had dropped.

Another dance track bled through the previous before consuming the speakers, the sound of it a tug-of-war between a sweet, cotton-candy chorus and a sinister, sneering electronic refrain of lyrics rebelling against marginalization. The rave tune had rustled the crowd, many of them jumping and obscuring the performing duo from view. Sakura was about to puff in aggravation of missing out on the display, but a timely beat-drop, frenetic and nightmarish, had emboldened Tama and her silver haired hellcat to clear a picnic table and continue dancing on top of it. No one was going to miss out.

"Well!" Sakura laughed in nervous exhilaration, "They can party."

And then the two spun around and proceeded to booty-shake more fearsomely than any soul on that side of the world had ever shaken. Sakura could no longer narrate what they were seeing. Gaara watched with genuine appreciation for the athleticism necessary to go from low, butt-flexing crouches back to full height for their complex footwork. He heard Tsunade shrieking ecstatically in the pavilion.

Ino had located Hinata (timidly returning through a throng of bodies) and reeled her back towards the group, "In case you haven't heard it's called twerking. No. Normally it doesn't look this good!"

Hinata squealed and shielded her eyes. Shikamaru and the young men surrounding him (excluding silent Shino) were vacillating between hysterical laughter and true, slack-jawed admiration every few seconds. Neji was quietly processing the scene while Tenten hollered her approval, allowing him to hold onto the cup and drink as much as he needed.

Gaara leaned over Sakura's shoulder and spoke beside her ear, "Can you and I go somewhere quieter?"

"Sure! You don't want to stay a bit longer?" She would be sad to miss any escalating insanity.

He shook his head, "There is something I wanted to talk to you about. Just us two."

Sakura's eyes widened a fraction and she nodded, patting his back before scurrying over to Ino. Her whisper was more of a scream in Ino's ear, just to be sure her point got across, "Ino! I'm leaving with Gaara-kun!"

"Already?"

"Yeah! I think he'd be more willing to stay if it wasn't so…ridiculously loud here."

"I gotcha! So…" The blonde smiled slyly, "If anyone asks, like your mother, let's say…you stayed over my house tonight. Right?"

Blushing, Sakura squeezed her friend's face in her hands, "Ino!"

"I'm serious! Get 'em girl! You've been planning to." She winked, "I'll cover for you."

Relenting, Sakura gave her insufferable but true friend a tight hug. She said farewell to her friends without providing an explanation, hugged Hinata as well (Where'd your little sister go in all of this?) and returned Kiba's wave goodbye before hurrying off.

She joined Gaara at the edge of the picnic area that was thin with people, and after passing beneath the park's maples they set out on a tranquil footpath, breathing sighs of relief.

After they had gone, Sai finally moved and shouted only loud enough for Ino and Lee to understand, "Was that the Kazekage?"

"Yes!" Both confirmed.

"Leaving with that flat-chested girl?"

They smacked him.

As the core-rattling party anthem ebbed away into chiming beats, Noé transitioned with a smoother, more cerebral song which the congregation readily accepted and bobbled to. Tama and Sato took a recess to finish the food they had nearly forgotten about, receiving praise from spectators they passed. They were heartily welcomed back to their table.

"As to not raise the collective blood pressure of anyone else at this festival," Shikamaru advised them, "Avoid doing any of that again. Tone it down, jeez."

Sato waggled his eyebrows, "You liked it?"

"That is not the word I would choose. I watched it. I can never unwatch it."

"No you cannot." Sato plopped onto the bench beside him, munching, "Tama and I have practiced that routine at the studio and the music was pretty close to what we use."

"It's fun." She added, also chewing.

A short time passed and most everyone was illuminated by glow-in-the-dark trinkets by the new cover of night. Tama readily instructed participants who gathered for group dances.

Tenten was not willing by nature, but she was pliant and buzzed when Ino and Hinata pulled her to her feet. Neji made no move to intervene and watched as the girls toddled towards Tama and Sato teaching steps; Lee, Chouji, and Kiba had joined as well. Shikamaru, a dedicatedly lazy soul, remained at his table while Shino observed the activities, calculating and considering.

Neji's sip on the drink straw sputtered when Sai leaned in unexpectedly from behind, thunking his hands down on the picnic table, "Ladyhair."

"Sai."

"I think we must be on better speaking terms now. The Hokage considers me more trustworthy."

"I am not one to agree with anything the Hokage believes, not on principal alone. I'll be the judge of what I think of you." Neji asserted, "And I think your insistence on calling me that name warrants retribution."

"Tenzo uses a word called cranky." Sai noted, taking a seat.

Neji grunted at him.

"That may be a more fitting nickname for you, as I have a clearer understanding of your character."

Neji scooched down the bench a bit.

Sai continued and slightly improved on his choice of topic, "I have not yet had the opportunity to properly apologize to you or Superbrows about that mission. Please know that I am grateful that we met." His smile was practiced, "My life has improved. It is strange thinking and feeling whatever I want to, but I do prefer living this way."

"Bear in mind, there are limitations to what you can think and feel without offending or obstructing those around you."

"Yes, I know that." He added softly, "I am beginning to understand."

"Good." Neji relaxed a bit.

Sai looked out over the crowd now stepping and turning in time to music, with its two instructors at the lead, "That is Buns, there beside Superbrows."

"Tenten." Neji corrected him.

"She was the teammate that you were missing during our mission to the Toi mine."

"Yes."

"When I spoke to her yesterday I found her to be pleasant and intelligent."

"She is."

"She did not object to the nickname I gave her. She only did this." Sai imitated Tenten's eye-roll, "What does that mean?"

"It means she did not take what you said seriously." Neji elaborated.

"Ah."

"Lee and I told Tenten about you. She had an idea of what to expect."

Sai nodded and then said, without an ounce of tact, "You two are lovers."

Neji gave him dangerous side-eye.

"It is apparent because of your pining on that mission. Also, she allows you to drink from the same cup, which is generally considered unhygienic, I am told." Sai pointed out, "Buns accompanied you around the festival this evening. I only seek to know more about my neighbor who lives on the floor below mine."

"All of that is true." Neji conceded.

"If so, why are you not over there, where your teammate and potential rival for love Superbrows is dancing with Buns?"

"Lee is our mutual confidant. He considers Tenten a part of his family." Neji was completely unruffled by the suggestion, "He enjoys events like these. I choose not to dance."

Sai reflected on the statement while staring at him for a short while, and then raised the cup in Neji's grasp a bit higher, "Drink more. Tenzo said that makes people dance."

"I would sooner pour this in your eyes."

"You do not always react to suggestions this way, do you?" Sai's face was beginning to adopt human emotion, or at least, bewilderment, "I seek to be helpful."

"The day that you are helpful to me is long down the road, or perhaps even in another lifetime."

"I have perceived that you are tired of our conversation."

"I am."

Sai stood from the bench and nodded, "I understand, Ladyhair. Also, I imagine that the one Sugar calls Sunshine is your cousin, or a relative of yours in the Hyuga clan."

Neji quirked his face in annoyance, "To whom does the name Sugar refer?"

"Hatake Sato."

"Yes, he does call my cousin that." Neji sniffed.

Without much of a farewell, Sai traipsed away to find Tenzo at the pavilion and possibly report on his continued studies of society and how to piss society off.

The music was milder in tone as the night wore on, and Lee was sent by friends to a central picnic table where a volunteer baker and food-fryer had set out a generous spread of desserts. Lee sampled bits of the treats as he picked up selections for the group.

He returned and set a tray down that was piled with confections, announcing as Team Asuma (rather buzzed) huddled in to eat again, "This is called a 'berry tart.' I found it palatable. These taiyaki have red bean filling in the center, and these taiyaki have custard. I have kept them separate. These dango are all the same flavor…"

Chouji was picking up one of everything.

"Miniature crepes, small cups of flavored ice…" He frowned, "The brownies were taken by other guests so quickly that I could not bring any to you. My apologies."

"Those must have been delicious." Ino supposed, leaning on Shikamaru for support as they nibbled at taiyaki, seeking the gooey center.

Lee nodded, "They were. I had a piece."

Shikamaru shrugged and assured him, "All of this is enough. Thanks, Lee."

When Lee returned to his teammates, they were seated a bit further back than other revelers, nestled together and watching the festivities like flies on the wall. Lee delivered crepes to them which they gladly accepted.

Hinata ushered Lee away towards the boogying crowd to dance again, explaining quietly, "I think Onee-san and Onii-san are a little drunk. We'll just let them sit and eat until they feel better."

"Of course! The night is still young."

Fifteen minutes passed and the night was not so young anymore. Nor was Lee feeling quite right enough to dance. He was feeling something, wholly unexplainable and unanticipated, and as Kiba paused to ask him if he needed to rest, Lee shook his head.

"I am well, Kiba-kun. I am simply experiencing several new emotions, about six or seven, I estimate. They do not yet have names and have not been classified by human beings at this point in time." Lee said it with a sincere and straight face.

Kiba was mildly suspicious, "That's great. Your emotions sound…totally original. By the way, you didn't have anything to drink tonight, did you?"

"Nothing other than water, as Tenten instructed." Lee confirmed.

"Maybe you should sit down?"

Lee pursed his mouth and thought hard to himself, "I do not know if I have the ability to do that right now."

"Okay…"

"Excuse me." Lee patted both Kiba and Akamaru on their respective heads. He made a bee-line for the dessert table. He only took two treats for himself, but Kiba watched with concern as Lee somehow fit two large taiyaki pastries into his mouth and proceeded to ingest them as a snake took in prey. How Lee did not choke was miraculous, and Kiba lost sight of his friend when Lee began to dart around and was lost in a shuffle of people.

"Akamaru, please keep track of him. I think I need to tell someone about this…" Kiba muttered and split up with his ninken, returning to where his friends were seated.

Shikamaru and his teammates sat in a row on a bench, chuckling to themselves and making fun of festival guests in varying volumes of voice. Kiba stopped in front of them and put his hands on his hips, "Did you guys witness Lee drink or eat anything…we wouldn't want him to drink or eat?"

"Pffft!" Ino shattered into laughter and slapped her knee. Chouji was giggling uncontrollably.

"For fuck's sake, you three! Answer the question." Kiba grumbled, "Lee is messed up."

"He might have." Shikamaru pulled himself together to reply, "Not that we saw him do it. He didn't drink anything, I'm sure. Tenten advised us not to let him, as Lee is a sloppy and destructive drunk." His mouth cracked into a grin and Shikamaru's head drooped. He snorted with soft laughter while Chouji and Ino braced his shoulders, twittering with hyena-like cries.

"Sorry." Shikamaru cleared his throat and continued, "Maybe he ate something? Where is Lee, anyway?"

"I don't know. I sent Akamaru to sniff him out."

"Poor Lee." Chouji meant it. He giggled again, but he meant it.

"Hee hee h-hold on." Ino tried to catch her breath. They gave her a full minute to simmer down.

"Lee said he ate some desserts a little while ago." She recalled, "All the brownies were gone before he could bring us anything."

"Shit." Kiba swerved around and hoped to spot his dog or their friend.

"What?" Chouji snickered.

"Brownies are the peerless chow choice of stoners." Kiba announced, frustrated, "He ate one of those, you said?"

"Just a piece, he claimed." Shikamaru noted, wobbling to his feet, "This could actually end very badly unless he's supervised. Lee has no tolerance for anything like that."

"An innocent lamb like Lee on drugs…" Ino clucked her tongue, "What'd he do to deserve this?" She and Chouji roared again and held each other in a drunken hug.

"Leave them." Shikamaru said, "They won't be useful. They had more to drink than I did." He glanced around and rubbed his head, trying to reinstate his leadership settings, "I'll ask Hinata to look around for him. Go tell Tenten and Neji about this, for now."

Kiba thanked him and proceeded towards the next table. Initially he did not spot Lee's teammates where he had last seen them, and that was likely because they had rolled off of the bench and ended up in the grass on their backs, where Tenten was neatly tucked in Neji's arms. Kiba stood over them and restrained a laugh. Neji's eyes were shut, but he still seemed to be awake, super relaxed, and stroking the pad of his thumb over Tenten's lower lip.

Tenten was awake, her eyes were open, and with kitten-like satisfaction she had taken a loose strand of Neji's hair and balanced it beneath her nose as if it were a mustache.

"So guys, we have a problem." Kiba announced, trying to ignore their abnormally carefree appearances, "I lost Lee…and Lee is high."

Recognition flickered across Tenten's features, "Lee is what?"

"He's high." Kiba sighed, "I should've realized it sooner, but he slipped into the crowd. He told me some crazy stuff that tipped me off."

Neji sat up with a moan, displeased with the news. He and Tenten had a difficult time finding the strength to stand, and also the willpower to address what potential hazard lost-and-high Lee was.

Kiba explained the situation briefly and Neji scanned the fairgrounds with his Byakugan.

"He is eating." Neji reported, "At this moment, he is leaving a vendor on the east side of the park."

Tenten shrugged her shoulders, "That's not a problem. He's just…really hungry."

"He said six or seven unclassified emotions." Kiba reminded her.

Neji led them around the back of the pavilion to take a short-cut towards food stands, "We should watch him. How Lee reacts to alcohol is predictable, but we do not have a precedent for—"

A towering, glowing tiger sculpture was knocked over. People cried out and ducked for cover. Lee had pulled the sculpture's tethers loose accidentally, and Akamaru had stopped tracking him after being distracted by fallen food on the ground.

They picked up the pace. Neji could not intercept Lee quick enough before he had merged again with a dancing crowd, trampling enough feet to incite a furious mob. Lee attempted to join Sato who was tutting his fingers to a jazzy hip-hop tune, and Lee attempting to replicate the dance was about the same as Lee beating the daylights out of Sato. Horrified, Tama tried to pry the two apart and was unsuccessful.

Neji was watching with his Byakugan and pressing through the crowd, Tenten and Kiba close behind.

Tama was unable to snap Lee out of his babbling, and before he squeezed the life out of Sato (while describing starburst feelings close to his Inner Gates) Tama used her outstretched, iron-bar arm to remove Lee with a lariat.

Neji and his recovery team halted in the open space to behold Lee soaring through the air, and he struck the pavilion's top at an angle. The jostled tent began to sag and collapse, dumping Lee to the ground. Tsunade howled furiously as she was forced to save what sake she could before making a run for it. The tent imploded and Lee was buried somewhere beneath the tarp.

The Leaf finalists all convened once again near the ruined pavilion, digging Lee out of the rubble. Tama was apologizing profusely as Sato, beside her, rubbed his neck tenderly; glad that he could breathe again.

"Lee?" Tenten (pretending not to be drunk) pulled him into a sitting position, "Are you alright? We heard you…ate something…and now you aren't feeling well."

"Forgive my carelessness." He whimpered in her arms, "Flying is so tricky and I…I…"

"Shh…"

"The takoyaki vendor says I owe him 150 ryo."

"You probably do." Kiba imagined, "How did you eat that much in ten minutes?"

Lee's eyes were watering as if to weep, "What do you mean? I did not eat anything! I am famished."

Tenten sighed. His breath stunk of seafood.

Lee pressed his hand to the side of Tenten's face and made uncomfortable, searching eye contact, "Do you feel that?"

"I'm…not sure." She swallowed a drunken hiccup, "Is it like a spinning feeling?"

"Yes, but it is internal. This section of the universe inside of me is turning clockwise."

"Lee…" Tenten struggled to stand and handed him off to Neji, "No. Mine is definitely external. Everything is spinning around me. I think it's time we brought you home. Okay?"

"Okay."

"It's not your fault." Neji tried to comfort his friend but his knees felt like they might buckle as he lifted Lee. What good he and Tenten would be to their badly tripping friend was questionable.

Most everyone was still angry and the Hokage was pointing her finger and stomping. She demanded that Lee's team leave the festival. While it was not the best idea, Tenten and Neji accepted their responsibilities and hauled Lee away, each taking an arm of his around their shoulders to support him as they walked. Tenten mentioned a takoyaki vendor needed to be paid for the food Lee had eaten, but Tsunade whisked them along, growling that she'd take care of it.

Shikamaru took Tsunade aside to explain, emphasizing that Lee did not voluntarily consume a mind-altering agent.

"All the same, he ruined my set-up!" Tsunade's head snapped towards Tama, "Actually, this vixen over here ruined it!"

"Hokage-sama, I'm—"

"Shush! I'm goin' right over..." The Hokage plopped down on a bench, a bottle clenched in her fist. Tsunade made a sound-effect as her bottom met the seat, "Pshoo. Here." Then she motioned for the crowd to part so she had a clear view, "You!" She pointed at Noé in the DJ booth, "Keep playing," She pointed at Tama and Sato, "You! Dance. Refrain from…beaming people."

They did as instructed.

It was not much longer before Shikamaru recommended to his friends that they turn in for the night. While gathering their belongings, Ino teetered beside the picnic table and discovered an odd item. She stared at Sakura's mini-purse in her hands, "What's this doing here? She left…without it."

She turned to Chouji, stymied, "You know, I just…can't remember why this was so important. I am fuzzy inside and out right now…but I am sure Sakura needed this tonight for some reason."

"Not if she didn't take it with her." Chouji bumbled.

Ino released her apprehension and was content again, slinging the bag's strap across her shoulder with the intention of returning it the next day. She hobbled home arm-in-arm with Shikamaru and Chouji.

Hinata had shepherded Hanabi off to return to the Hyuga compound, asking Matsuri and her companions to get rest as well. Kiba barely got a word in edgewise to Tama before he departed, not so inclined to interrupt or witness her rather intimate dance with the Hatake. He and his ninken took off for home.

In the meantime, Shino had enjoyed leftover snacks and un-spiked lemonade. At the table adjacent to him, Tsunade was leaning with her head propped up, sipping the last of her celebratory sake. They were both content to sit quietly and take in the sights.

The dense pack of people attending the festival had dispersed; music maintained a dreamy mood, easing into the darker stretch of night. The majority of those who continued to dance were couples, prospective sweethearts, or those who had no intentions of going home alone.

And in-between the drum beats of one track and the plucking, gentle notes of the next, Sato had maneuvered Tama through the gap between a storage tent and the stage, towards the rear of the platform that was devoid of watching eyes.

They tottered like unstable fawns as they walked, tired out, bumping into the reverse stage wall a few times until coming to a complete stop together, kissing noisily. Sato's hand ringed around her wrist and pinned her arm above her head, fitting the line of his body against Tama's. She made soft sounds that brought him to the brink. Dancing was a ritual of theirs, a single, perfect talent they used mainly to resonate with each other, occasionally to boast, and on some days they could get carried away a little, of course, 'But it's never been like this.' Sato trailed his free hand up her sleek waist, brushing smooth skin. She had lost her jacket somewhere and it gave him more to touch.

She kept no secrets when she moved; Tama danced and it spun a story, told him where she'd been, where she'd go, and what he had to do; and everything she had communicated was an amalgam of need and joy and intrigue that wrapped around him and he could feel nothing else. She, so impossibly, darkly beautiful, that Sato wanted to pay tribute to every inch of her, including the flaws and bruises, his breath hitching when she touched him back.

Tama snaked her hands up his front and around his neck, sighing against his lips, every nerve ending she had flaring with sense and want. He had been magnificent, lithe, and coveted. She had heard women in a tizzy from the crowd, piqued, impressed, and objectifying Sato and how he looked like starlight, like fragments of night sky assembled into a man. He was luminous under her fingertips; he was exquisite beneath her mouth. She paused, at last conscious of how her shirt was lifted up and bunched above a fitted, black sports bra he could do nothing with. Sato instead moved to her waistband, and Tama patted his chest to get his attention.

"Consider…the time and place," She mumbled, still accepting his kisses, "The festival is over and…"

He stopped and pegged her with midnight blue eyes, exigent and pulse-pounding.

"Come home with me."

Tama answered slowly, "To…"

"To do this. To be us, together." His voice was husky, kisses feather-light along her jaw.

"We danced all night."

"Night's not over." Sato reminded, taking her pinned hand down to plant kisses on her knuckles, "Our dancing is never over. We don't have to—"

"Sato-kun," Her voice was clear, "I can't go with you. I promised my mother I would be home, and you know she waits up." Tama presented the sobering facts, hiking her shirt down, "I need to—" She resisted a kiss, still trying to speak.

He pulled back, his face crashing with need, devastation, impatience, "We both—"

"Yes, we both want to, but let me honor the promises I make." She smiled at him, trying to neutralize the disappointment, or whatever cloudy feeling she felt come over him. It did not seem to work so well.

"Fine, then." A bit forcefully, he let go of her wrist and hip, "We're always a trapeze act, going back and forth. I get it already."

"Sato, I'm not trying to—"

"I said it's fine." Sato's voice switched to be soft and gentle, "I'll be alright."

She gave him a long look before kissing his cheek, then mouth, caressing the side of his face, "Don't be upset. I'll see you tomorrow— whenever you want."

He nodded, weighed down with a sickly, blundering feeling as Tama gave a sweet goodbye and jogged out into the dark in the direction of home. His imagination never accounted for such an outcome, not after reeling and reaching, not after the fantasies and an evening of fun and togetherness. It was crushing to return to the front side of the stage and act as if music mattered in her absence.

But the sting and the heaviness subsided, bit by bit, with the minutes and sounds, with the fresh air, with the sake, with the shochu, with the drop-outs and friendly conversation, with the games and all those distractions…that should not have mattered in her absence.

Shino had lingered even past midnight to watch him. In the block of time since Tama had gone home, Shino certainly noticed Sato drink and cope, forgetting his best friend and the Hokage were still nearby. He was a social butterfly and such a disposition would spare him from loneliness, Sato seemed to think.

But Shino knew that neither Sato nor butterflies are really like that.

By the time the festival shut down and the last revelers departed, Sato was drunk among drop-outs walking towards their guest habitations and hotels uptown. Theirs was the same route that Sato would take home, and Shino followed several meters behind them, a respectable berth, and watched.

Close to the building, Shino thought of the phenomenon his mother termed intuition. He felt it stirring. It felt like worry and pity, and maybe also profound empathy he had with his best friend who loves coffee and sweets and photography. His best friend who had died once, and that same friend who always wanted to include him in events while most forgot he ever stood there. But tonight Shino knew that Sato was upset enough to forget him, just this once. And he felt that nagging in the back of his mind, nudging to at least get Sato into the door of his home.

Sai crossed the street and exchanged words with Sato down the road. Shino fell still.

'He will be fine.'

As Sato and the uncivilized neighbor Sai were destined for the same building, all would end well. His father's insect was perched on his shoulder by then, anyway. His parents would still be awake and interested in what he had to say about the celebration. He was wanted and expected.

Shino turned for home under a waxing moon.

---

Earlier…

"We're almost there, Lee." Tenten was puffing in exhaustion and seeing double.

"…not quite." Neji informed her, "We missed the turn." He nearly tripped and knocked the whole operation over, but they caught themselves.

She froze and balked at the corner they had passed, "Wha-? I swore we made that right…"

"Your depth perception—"

"Stuff my depth perception, Neji." She hissed from behind her teeth, "Right up your butt. Stuff it and your…your—" She heaved a breath as they lugged Lee, limp as a sack of potatoes, "Ugh. This is the longest walk of my life."

"I'm here too."

"Yeah, fine, our lives."

Lee was muttering and vaguely frightened, seeing things.

"Shh, Lee. It'll be alright. You can wash your face, drink some tea, and go to sleep." Tenten consoled him. At the corner, their slow, ungainly walk was then a straight shot down the lane towards Wong Leung's house at the end.

Tenten braced a hand along a building's brick wall as they shuffled.

"Before we arrive," Neji added blearily, "We should discuss the mode of delivery that makes most sense."

"You mean…how to get Lee inside?"

"The door will be locked and Wong Leung will not humor intruders in his house."

"Let's knock and let his Grandpa take him." She gruffed, as if it were so simple.

"And what will he think when he sees us in this state?"

"Who cares?"

"Tenten, he believes in corporal punishment."

"…you actually think Wong Leung will beat us or-?"

"There is a difference between thinking and knowing, and I know him very well now."

"Ffffppffff…" She exhaled furiously, halting, and dropped Lee's right arm, "Then…a Shadow Clone. Yeah. Why didn't I think of this sooner?"

"You're drunk."

"And you're a bad drunk. How are you still logical right now? Never mind." Tenten held a hand sign and produced a single clone, "There. We'll send the bunshin with Lee to the door…then we make our escape."

Neji grunted. Solid plan.

They continued their approach as the Shadow Clone walked ahead of them, swaying.

Tenten noted, "My clone is drunk."

"It is." Neji agreed feebly.

The Shadow Clone ambled sideways, completely disoriented, and then careened into an alleyway. Beyond their line of sight they heard it slam into a garbage can and a cat yowled. The clone dissolved at the impact.

"Fuck it." Tenten declared, slowly marching on.

Neji burped and lurched in a panic, as if he were about to empty the contents of his stomach all over the sidewalk.

"Oh suck it up, Hyuga…"

After an age, and thankfully no puking, they came to the end of the street and ascended the small step in front of the house. Neji suggested they set Lee down, knock on the door, and make a run for it. Tenten refused, "He's our friend, Neji! He would never do something like that to us."

She knocked on the door and they waited there with Lee. Shortly before midnight, the team rocked to and fro pathetically until Wong Leung finally answered.

The old man was in checkered, full-length pajamas and a nightcap. He stood silently in the doorway and assessed them.

To try to smooth things over, Tenten attempted to speak Hanwen in the hope it would diffuse the situation. Honorable Grandpa…

He cast a stern look at her.

Lee ate…an evil pastry…he became very sick at the festival…

Neji was shocked she could manage it while drunk. Granted, he had almost no clue what she was saying.

We wished to make sure…home safe… She slurred her words, Unbuttered. Please forgive partridges.

Wong Leung twitched his nose like a rabbit and then stepped away to allow them entrance.

"See? It's fine." Tenten whispered to Neji. With Lee indoors, the two assisted Wong Leung in maneuvering his grandson into an armchair and he gave Lee a cursory examination before turning to the kitchen.

Worn out, Tenten and Neji sat in the chairs at the kitchen table. Wong Leung brought a bowl of congee to his grandson, fitted a spoon in his hand, and then affectionately patted Lee's head as the boy apologized tearily to his grandfather.

Now, now, Lee. The old man said softly, I know that you never do these sorts of things. I made this for supper. Eat it and be well again.

Lee thanked him and tucked into the porridge with sub-par motor functions. Wong Leung ignored the two dozing teens in his chairs and went to a low cupboard, quietly extracting two basins. He moved to the sink and filled both buckets without a word. When both heavy pails of water came to a rest on the tabletop, the rattle hardly disturbed Neji and Tenten.

Until…Wong Leung grabbed the backs of their shirts, one in each fist, and dragged them to their feet.

In their stupor, the two (usually) poised ninja could not resist Wong's powerful motion, in which he cleanly dunked their heads in frigid water in unison. They came up for air, screeching, and then Wong Leung dunked them again. And he repeated. Angrily.

After about a dozen dips into the icy buckets, Wong Leung released them and began a verbal tirade.

YOU, my grandson's friends and keepers, his MOST treasured people! He shoved Neji and Tenten back into their seats while they sputtered, both hyperventilating, Treat him with greater care! Would Lee have eaten an unsafe pastry if you had not been near him to prevent it? Well?

Soaked, Tenten tried to get her bearings to answer, "W-We…"

"What did he say?" Neji rasped, not daring to wring his hair out onto the man's floor.

"He said that as Lee's friends we should have taken better care to stop something like this from happening to him." Tenten relayed the message and confirmed, "Grandpa, you are right. We should have. I'm sorry that this happened. We were drunk and not paying attention, and then this happened to Lee."

And why is it acceptable for you to be drunk at a festival, young lady? Certainly your honorable parents taught you better.

They did. Tenten commanded Hanwen again, I was with friends. I had fun. My judgement is not always perfect, Grandpa, but please understand…my heart could never bear anything happening to Lee or Neji.

The man sighed and folded his arms behind his back, I know that.

She sniffed, dripping with water and starting to shiver, May we…have something to dry off with?

Absolutely not! The chill will help keep you sober for the walk home. Wong Leung crossed to the door and jarred it open, gesturing, For bringing Lee to me safely, I thank you.

She sighed in defeat and stood, ushering Neji out. Before Wong Leung shut the door behind them, Neji held a hand up to him in a bid for peace.

"I am equally to blame." He insisted, "I must care for Lee too, as my closest friend…I would never stand idly by while he might suffer. Going forward, we will not neglect such a precious responsibility to our friend, Shishou."

Tenten wanted to arch an eyebrow at Neji's deeply respectful title for the man who regularly beat and battered him, but she gawked when Neji took a stab at rough Hanwen he had picked up and correctly uttered, I'm sorry.

Wong Leung nodded, I forgive you, Neji. He shut the door.

Neji turned slowly, letting his own personal disapproval sink in, considering how poorly he had comported himself that night. Tenten caught him by the shoulders and kissed him full on the mouth. He looked at her in surprise.

"That was great." She grinned at him, setting out in a careful, quivering walk, "I bet you could pick up the language if you tried."

"I already am." He noted, not at all proud of it.

"I think he really appreciated that, and you know Lee will be fine. Congee fixes everything."

"Does it?" Neji chuckled darkly and then glanced at her, "I will walk you home."

"We're close by already. You don't have to—"

"There are certain visitors in this village who would be delighted to find you alone on a street at night, unarmed and weakened." He reminded her, tugging her along, "I insist."

"Alright, but let's face the facts…we're still not quite 100 percent, and in a fight we'd probably end up…" She trembled and wrapped her arms around herself, trying to scurry without falling flat on her face.

Luckily, the two made it to her apartment complex without incident. As Neji was a highly suspicious person, he made sure to accompany her up the three flights of steps and to her door. They would have looked foolish to residents; their upper halves drenched and disheveled, eyes bloodshot, hair sodden and unkempt. Tenten quickly hurried into her home and snapped lights on, ready to find him a towel.

"I don't need anything." Neji maintained.

She returned to the doorway and inspected him, supposing he would keep warm enough on his way back to the Hyuga homestead. "Thanks for coming with me, Neji." Tenten tiredly rested her head against the doorframe, adding, "To the festival. For spending time with all of us, even if the music was louder than you like…and for drinking with me, which you don't normally do." She smiled, "And for walking me home."

"I would again." He said in all seriousness.

"Yeah, but maybe not tomorrow."

He shook his head in the negative.

"Do you…have anything planned for tomorrow? Other than us picking up our outfits for the last fitting, I mean."

Neji examined the tilt of her head and the increase of pitch in her voice. Her face was a bit flushed.

"Nothing other than that. Perhaps recovering from…this night."

"Right, well…" She spoke carefully, looking up at him from beneath her lashes, "Would you like to stay here?"

Was she ever bold, even after the trials and tribulations they had survived. Her chest was heaving, her breathing quickened, and Neji did not have to dwell long on the thought to know what exactly she wished to do if he consented.

"I won't," He told her, "Though I want to."

The brief flash of disappointment in her expression softened, satisfied with the admission, "Some other time?"

"Yes."

"After the Exam. How about it?"

"Yes."

She gave him an incredulous look, "Do you understand what I'm actually asking?"

Neji leaned down and captured her mouth, his untamed, damp hair streaking coldly along her cheek while he kissed her as if starved, or as if he was about to push her inside and act on her suggestion. He did not.

He pulled back again and said, "I know exactly what you are asking."

Tenten blinked slowly, "Huh. Then…that's settled."

"Goodnight, Tenten." Neji set out and she lingered in the doorway to watch him go, also bidding him farewell.

She called out when he did not head for the stairs, "Hey! Where are you going?"

He indicated a window at the end of the hall, the same one that Tenzo had dragged him out of once upon a time (though she did not know that.)

"Oh. Careful there. That fire escape is rickety."

Neji acknowledged her warning and exited through the window. A second later, she heard a clatter and crash. Tenten hurried down the hall and looked outside. It looked as if he may have slipped (still wet from the dunking) while trying to make a leap from the trellis to a nearby tree. He had fallen down one ladder's length of steps to the next level, and was sorely pushing himself to his feet.

"Whoa! Are you okay?"

"Fine." Embarrassed, Neji safely continued down and met the ground again, doing his very best not to stumble home.

---

Note: Thank you for reading! The next installment will be here soon. Please review and tell me what you thought of it!

Festival Tracks:

200% by Akdong Musician

Booty Man (Cheek Freaks Remix) by Redfoo

Venus Fly by Grimes (feat. Janelle Monáe)

My Friends Never Die by ODESZA

World Princess part II by Grimes

Horsey by MACROSS 82-99 (feat. Sarah Bonito)

Genesis by Grimes

We Can't Move to This by Ellie Goulding

Realiti by Grimes

Bâtard by Stromae

Oasis by Crush (feat. ZICO)

Childs Play by Drake

Eureka by ZICO (feat. Zion T)

Ave cesaria by Stromae

A.D.T.O.Y by 2PM

Too Good by Drake (feat. Rihanna)

Night Air by Jamie Woon

Chapter 34: Errare humanum est