Training with Kankuro

Author's notes: Gosh love these genin...haha. Sasuke keeps trying to redeem himself, Neji and Kankuro train with the genin.

Rated M for sexy scenes between males, swearing, drinking, and gore.

Don't own, just borrowing for the fun of it.

Neji could not help but keep the grin off his face as he walked towards the training field to meet his students the next morning. He had woken up at six and barely had time to shower as Kankuro got involved. They got a bit distracted and Neji scrambled out of the shower at 6:45AM and got dressed. It was five minutes before seven. Neji didn't care if he was late as he was too damned happy.

He spotted Kuma kicking her pole, Tora practicing her aim, and Akino resting against the middle pole. Neji stopped in front of his students and watched them for a moment. Kuma noticed him first and smiled up at him then tilted her head and blinked. Akino opened his eyes and stared. Tora finally turned and opened her mouth to speak but stopped. Neji raised an eyebrow.

"What happened to your neck, Neji-sensei?" Kuma asked.

Neji touched the spot Kankuro had marked then cleared his throat. He kept his flush down then re-hooked his thumbs through his belt loops.

"Adult stuff," Neji said.

Kuma gaped then started giggling. Tora chuckled along with her. Akino rolled his eyes and muttered his word.

"Laps," Neji said.

Kuma flipped onto her hands then her feet and started running. Neji chased after and grinned when Tora and Akino caught up. The laps went by quickly and they sunk into yoga first. Their individual drills went from 9AM to 10AM and Neji grinned when Kankuro strode towards the field.

Kuma poked Neji in the stomach with a laugh. Tora flushed up at him. Akino muttered his word.

"Early lunch," Neji said.

Kankuro held two take out bags in his left hand and Neji strode towards the poles with his students. He blushed when Kankuro wrapped an arm around his waist and planted a kiss on Neji's cheek. He yelped in Neji's ear and Neji looked down at Kuma who had kicked Kankuro in the butt, literally.

"What was that for, squirt?" Kankuro asked.

He rubbed his ass as Kuma grinned up at him.

"For hurting Neji-sensei," Kuma answered.

Kankuro snorted at her and shook his head.

"I didn't mean to," Kankuro said. "I was on a mission from the day before the flowers got there, jeez. I got here as fast as I could once I knew."

Kuma hummed and tilted back and forth on her feet from heel to toe, hands folded behind her back and a grin on her face. Neji kept his chuckle back as Kankuro glared down at her. He didn't look as imposing without the war paint. Besides, nothing held up against Neji's stare and Kuma had grown used to those.

"Still, you hurt Neji-sensei. You should've told your brother to send a message," Kuma pointed out.

Neji chuckled. Kankuro sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He wore black pants and a black tee-shirt but his hood was gone. It was odd.

"Yeah well there are a lot of things Gaara should understand naturally without me having to tell him but I keep forgetting he wasn't raised normally. Anyway, my sister was there too and she knows better," Kankuro said then blinked.

Neji laughed as Kankuro pointed to Kuma and a frown came over his face as his eyes widened. Neji deftly took the boxes of take out and sat with Tora and Akino on the grass. The two were eating lunch but watching Kankuro.

"Hey! I've all ready explained to Neji and he's okay with all this! I'm not going to sit here and be chewed out by a kid!"

Kuma kicked him in the upper thigh this time and he yelped. He huffed at her before moving aside and sitting beside Neji with a grumble. Neji kept his grin back when Kuma happily sat beside Neji's other side with a grin.

"Kids, I don't like kids," Kankuro said.

"We're shinobi," Kuma said.

Kankuro huffed.

"You're still a kid," Kankuro said.

Neji chuckled when Kankuro began picking at his brown rice. Neji ate his rice easily and watched as Kankuro ignored Kuma who dug into her bento box with a smile. The lunch went by nicely and Kankuro wrapped an arm over Neji's shoulders when they were done. Kuma huffed but got to her feet.

Neji watched in amusement as Kuma got in front of Kankuro then kicked his shin. Kankuro scowled and looked up at her with a snort.

"What, shrimp?" Kankuro asked.

"Fight me," Kuma said.

Kankuro stared at her then snorted. He shook his head and opened his mouth but Kuma kicked him in the shin again. Kankuro huffed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I don't have my puppets," Kankuro said.

Neji had noticed the four puppets were not on his back. Kuma tilted her head then grinned at him.

"So go get them," Kuma said. "Akino and I can spar till you come back."

Kankuro scowled then looked to Neji. Neji inclined his head. Kuma facing off against Kankuro's puppets would be interesting. Kankuro grinned then nodded. He got to his feet as Kuma took a step back to give Kankuro room.

"All right, pipsqueak, we'll spar. I'll be back in twenty," Kankuro said.

He strode away. Neji got to his feet and nodded to Tora. She gave him a smile and soon they got lost in sparring. Twenty minutes became thirty and Neji saw Kuma start getting restless. She kept avoiding Akino's punches but not attacking back. Finally, Kankuro returned and Kuma skipped away from Akino. Neji motioned for Akino to come to them and watched as Kankuro grinned at Kuma.

Kuma got into her fighting stance and blinked as Kankuro unleashed Karasu. The puppet clattered as it hung suspended in the air. Kuma looked to Neji who inclined his head at her. She hummed then flipped onto her hands with speed, leaping into the air and aiming her kick towards Kankuro.

Karasu intercepted, all his arms unleashing their kunai towards her. Kuma's eyes went wide and she flipped in the air, narrowly missing the flying kunai as the puppet clattered its way towards her. She began sparring against the puppet but saw the disadvantage she was in.

Kankuro could simply pull his puppet away from her in ways no human could dodge. Karasu also had six limbs and a head which spit out senbon or dust to blind her. She started dancing around the puppet, trying to get to its chakra strings but Kankuro knew better than that. Kankuro whistled where he stood, wavering one hand through the air to control Karasu.

Kuma saw the issue right away and scowled. Neji watched as his student danced around Karasu, trying to get to Kankuro but Kankuro simply moved his hand to keep her back. She began tossing projectiles but Karasu intercepted. Kuma huffed and Neji kept his face neutral as Kuroari came into the picture.

"Woah," Akino said.

"This is why it was so serious Kankuro was injured as he was," Neji said.

Tora nodded. Kuma gulped as both Sanshuuo and Sasori came onto the field with a clatter. Kuma kept up her movement around all four puppets but miss-stepped a moment later. She yelped as she was shoved into Kuroari's open and waiting barrel chest and locked in a moment later. Karasu's arms went into the puppet but without the kunai. Neji chuckled when Kuma started banging on Kuroari's chest.

"Have fun?" Kankuro questioned.

"Meanie!"

Kuma's voice was muffled. She yelped when Kankuro dumped her out of Kuroari. She pouted and all four puppets disappeared.

"Trying to get me back for hurting Neji?" Kankuro asked.

Kuma nodded. Kankuro rolled his eyes.

"Silly girl, Neji doesn't need you fighting his battles. At least you're loyal. C'mon, I'll show you chakra control, shrimp," Kankuro said.

Neji nodded when Kuma looked at him. He laid a hand on Akino and Tora's shoulders and they looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Why don't we try a three-way battle?"

Neji did not regret telling both Tora and Akino to fight him but he was not inclined to get up from his sprawled out position on the grass anytime soon. He kept taking deep breaths to control his panting and the pattering of his heart. His entire body was coated in sweat and his muscles hummed in use. His stomach growled in hunger and his chakra was low.

Akino had kept up a steady stream of ground-splitting (literally) punches which pushed Neji towards any trap Tora tried to set. He fell into two of them, receiving a cut across his right bicep from a kunai (it had been aimed at his shoulder) and almost got blinded by an explosive tag. That one had knocked him into a waiting Akino but Neji (barely) managed to dodge the punch. Tora had kept her distance for the most part but when she saw an opening she came in with a weapon, fist, or kick.

Neji had no issues tossing her away and she caught her body before sprawling gracelessly more times than she would have when Neji sparred alone with her. Neji had not had time to pay attention to what Kankuro and Kuma were doing but saw now Kankuro was helping Kuma master chakra control.

Besides Tenten or Sakura there was no one better to help Kuma with this. A puppeteer needed perfect chakra control to be able to create chakra strings so they could move their puppets. All ready Neji could see Kuma had improved by a good margin and she had spent one afternoon with Kankuro.

Neji inclined his head to where he had last seen Tora and Akino. Tora had gotten to her feet from being tossed into one of the craters Akino had left. Akino had run out of steam and was happily lying out on the grass a few dozen yards away. Tora poked him in the side but he grunted and didn't move. Neji chuckled.

He spotted through Byakugan Kuma and Kankuro were heading towards him, both grinning. Neji said nothing as Kuma sat down beside him a moment later, poking at his stomach with one finger on one hand. Kankuro sat by his head and gently lifted Neji's head into his lap. Neji grinned when Kankuro began massaging Neji's temples and scalp, the back of Neji's head pillowed in Kankuro's lap.

Neji de-activated Byakugan and closed his eyes. Kuma stopped poking him and Neji heard her stand and take off towards Tora. She was going to help their med-nin drag Akino to his feet to at least get final instructions from Neji. Neji chuckled when Kankuro placed a soft kiss on his lips.

"Tired?" Kankuro asked.

"In a good way, but yes," Neji answered.

"Mm, want to get dinner somewhere? My treat," Kankuro said.

Neji opened his eyes and met Kankuro's dark ones. The puppet master had a light smile on his face as he kept rubbing Neji's temples. Neji sighed and shifted to stretch out his legs.

"You always pay," Neji said.

Kankuro shrugged at him then kissed his mouth again. Neji accepted the kiss with a smile and rested a hand on the back of Kankuro's head to keep him from going too far. Kankuro grinned as their mouths stayed a few inches from touching.

"I like paying. Plus I still feel like I owe you for not responding for three weeks. I may have run into Ino on my way here this morning who told me you were so depressed you stopped eating and had to be hospitalized," Kankuro said.

Damn Ino couldn't keep her mouth shut. Neji let out a breath and touched the tip of his nose to Kankuro's.

"Even so, I'm over it. You had good reason. I am curious as to why Temari said nothing," Neji said.

Kankuro shrugged and kissed Neji's mouth again briefly.

"Don't know. I think she's moping over Shikamaru and trying to figure out what she wants to do with that. Between her love life and helping Gaara with his Kazekage duties she got distracted and I don't blame her for that. Besides, it's my responsibility to answer your letters, not theirs," Kankuro said.

Neji hummed and tapped their noses again. Kankuro chuckled and they rubbed noses. Neji twined his fingers in Kankuro's hair and they kissed chastely again. Neji kept his eyes half open, studying Kankuro's jaw line and throat with a little smile as Kankuro kept giving little kiss after little kiss.

"Man, are you two going to be making out all week?"

Neji smirked when Kankuro pulled back and glared at Akino who rubbed the back of his head with a scowl. Kuma and Tora were giggling, hands over their mouths, and their cheeks red. Akino had pink cheeks as well but his frown looked like a little pout.

"Yes, yes we are," Kankuro said.

Neji snorted and pushed Kankuro back so he could sit up. Kankuro sighed but allowed Neji to sit up. Neji knew Kankuro grinned when Neji got to his feet and brushed grass off the back of his pants. Neji looked towards the sky to see it was almost seventeen hundred hours.

"Tomorrow we'll go back to our regular meeting time at oh-five hundred hours. Tora, Sakura will be coming around thirteen hundred hours for med-nin training. Kuma, Akino, we will be triple-sparring for a bit tomorrow. Dismissed. Enjoy your nights," Neji said.

They all thanked him, Kuma hugged him (and stuck her tongue out at Kankuro), and they took off with their belongings. Neji watched them go with a light smile on his face and grinned when Kankuro wrapped an arm around him.

"Dinner?" Kankuro questioned.

"Ichiraku's," Neji replied.

Kankuro snickered but nodded. Their hands clasped as they strode away from the training field. Neji was determined not to have a late night so he could go home, take a proper shower, and change his clothing. Hopefully Kankuro wouldn't mind.

Neji let out a breath as Sakura and Sasuke came towards the training fields at a few minutes before fourteen hundred hours. His team had run laps, done their individual training drills, went through their yoga routines, strength training, and meditated. He had sparred with Tora alone for an hour then all three of them until lunch at noon.

Now he had gone back to sparring with Tora while Akino and Kuma sparred. Tora had been distracted the past hour and she scowled when Sakura came walking up to them with Sasuke holding her hand. She had a blush on her face and moved quickly but Sasuke did not look like he cared. Neji strode towards the duo and watched as Kankuro glanced up from the book he was reading (one of Neji's) to see what was going on.

"You're late Sakura-sensei," Tora said when they all met at the poles.

"Sorry Tora, I ran late at the hospital," Sakura said.

"She had to eat lunch as well," Sasuke added.

Tora sighed but nodded. Sakura smiled at her, bending slightly to get closer to her level.

"We'll do an extra hour tonight, okay?" Sakura asked.

Tora frowned but agreed with a short incline of her head. She glanced to Sasuke and her frown deepened.

"Can he not be there though?" Tora questioned.

Neji coughed to hide a laugh but heard Kankuro (who rested against the middle pole) chuckle. Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly and Sakura flushed a lighter pink before nodding once.

"Sure, no problem. I'm sure Sasuke can entertain himself for an afternoon and evening," Sakura said.

Tora smiled, hugged Neji, and walked away with Sakura. Sasuke stayed behind, watching the two leave with a scowl and Neji raised an eyebrow at the Uchiha. Neji had not expected Sasuke would entertain himself by staying here. Neji met Sasuke's onyx eyes a moment later and let out a breath.

"So," Sasuke said.

"Brilliant observation," Kankuro muttered.

Neji kept his smirk back as Sasuke stared at Kankuro. The puppeteer had gotten to his feet and took the final two steps to stand beside Neji, arms crossed over his chest and a grin on his war paint free face.

"Kankuro, do you mind working with Kuma again on chakra control?" Neji questioned.

"No problem," Kankuro said.

Neji kissed him on the cheek then turned on his heel to let his students know the plan. He would spar with Akino and Kankuro would work with chakra control with Kuma. Kankuro strode beside him and Neji noticed Sasuke follow after a moment. Neji stopped (as did Kankuro) half way to Kuma and Akino who were failing at pretending not to pay attention.

"Do you require something, Sasuke?" Neji asked as he turned.

The Uchiha frowned then shrugged. Neji raised an eyebrow and waited for a response as Kankuro snorted and ran a hand through his hair. Sasuke blinked.

"I want to take you to dinner tonight," Sasuke said.

"Sorry, Neji's taken," Kankuro said. "So are you."

Sasuke scowled then shook his head. Neji huffed.

"He's trying to gain my respect since I am a close friend of Sakura's," Neji told Kankuro.

Kankuro laughed outright and Neji said nothing as Sasuke's scowl became a snarl.

"And you think taking Neji out to dinner will help? Idiot, you can't buy respect, you have to earn it through your actions. Show Neji you're not going to abandon the village and get people killed for your selfish reasons again. In fact, show the entire shinobi community that, including the ones in Suna. Might help ya out," Kankuro said.

Sasuke opened his mouth to argue then closed it. His jaw tightened and he let out a little breath.

"I helped during the Fourth Shinobi War. If not for me a lot more people would be dead," Sasuke said.

Kankuro snorted, crossed his arms over his chest and glared down at Sasuke. Neji had not fully realized how tall Kankuro was until now.

"If not for you the war wouldn't have happened in the first place," Kankuro said.

Sasuke gritted his teeth but they all knew he could not argue. Instead, the Uchiha turned on his heel and strode off. Neji said nothing as the Uchiha walked away but turned to his students. He motioned to Akino who muttered his word. Kuma grinned as she ran off to a side with Kankuro. The puppet master didn't look as enthused but the little smile on his face told Neji Kankuro was warming up to Kuma.

Neji activated Byakugan as Akino came in. The fight went well and Neji also got to pay attention to how Kuma and Kankuro were doing. When sixteen hundred hours came, Neji called to a stop to Akino's relief. Kuma pouted but Kankuro ruffled her hair and she grinned up at him. They met at the posts and Neji flushed when Kankuro wrapped an arm around his waist.

"Good job, both of you. Tomorrow we'll see about going on a C-rank mission," Neji said.

Kuma let out a shout and jumped into the air with a fist pump. Akino grinned. Neji dismissed them and Kuma hugged him before gathering her stuff and running out of the field. Akino was a bit slower but left as Neji and Kankuro watched.

"She's done well with you," Neji said.

He kissed Kankuro on the cheek. Kankuro smirked and kissed him back on the mouth.

"Yeah, you just gotta explain it in a way she understands. Turns out we kind of think the same," Kankuro said.

Neji hummed and gathered his bag before he and Kankuro began to leave the field. Kankuro kept his arm around Neji's waist but Neji didn't mind. The people of Konoha knew he and Kankuro were together thanks to Ino. Neji was not sure if he should like the fact or not but decided it did not matter.

They strode towards the restaurant district and went to a small place with good sushi. The meal went well and the spoke lightly about Kuma's progress, Akino's strength, and Tora's confidence in speaking up about Sasuke.

"I can't believe the bastard though," Kankuro said. "Just because he helped defeat Madara in the Fourth Shinobi War he thinks he instantly gained back people's trust. He hasn't even owned up to his mistakes, just ignores them like he did nothing wrong. Prick."

Kankuro stabbed a crab roll to emphasize his point. Neji inclined his head in agreement and was about to ask they move onto a less intense topic when someone close to him cleared their throat. Neji looked up to see Ibiki looking down at him with a little frown.

"Ibiki-sama," Neji said with a small bow.

"Neji, Kankuro-san," Ibiki returned. "My apologies on the intrusion but I wanted to come and let Neji know personally about Fukui."

Fukui, gods that mission felt like years ago. It had been over a month. Time had flown this year. Neji said nothing as Ibiki took the empty seat to Neji's right, putting Kankuro on Ibiki's right. The bigger man leaned forward a bit and waved away the waitress when she began to come towards the table.

"He's dead," Ibiki said.

Neji opened his mouth to speak but did not know what to say.

"Wouldn't tell me who's behind wanting to get your Byakugan specifically even though I used some of my best methods. This morning I found him in a pool of blood. He bit his wrists to the bone then for good measure, I'm sure, bit through the major artery in his right arm. All we know it that it's dangerous for you to cross into the Land of the Rain. If you and your team are going to take any missions that require you to leave, make sure you stick to places we know and are fine with."

Neji frowned. It limited where he could go: The Hidden Cloud, Suna, Hidden Grass and Hidden Stone as long as he went through the Grass or Waterfalls. He would not dare risk going to the Hidden Mist or Hidden in Stone, at least not with someone from the Konoha Eleven.

"Thank you for letting me know," Neji said.

Ibiki smirked and Neji noticed Kankuro had gone solemn.

"It's not a problem. Tsunade-sama will likely want to speak to you about it in the morning," Ibiki said.

He got to his feet and left some ryo on the table to help pay for the meal. He left before either Neji or Kankuro could protest about the money. Kankuro stabbed another crab roll with a scowl.

"We didn't get anything out of him either," Kankuro muttered.

Neji let out a breath and shook his head. He ate a piece of lemon chicken and said nothing as Kankuro seethed.

"I don't go on many away missions anyway," Neji said.

Kankuro sighed but gave him a light smile. He ran a hand through his hair then leaned against the table with one arm, the other hand (the left) using the chopsticks to pick at his food. Neji tilted his head to one side in question.

"True but still. Someone out there is after your Byakugan specifically and it pisses me off. It doesn't help when you do go on an away mission you'll being going with three genin," Kankuro said.

Neji shrugged and ate another bite of food.

"The missions won't be strenuous and you have seen my genin fight," Neji said.

Kankuro chuckled and nodded. He dumped a bit of deep fried octopus into his mouth, chewed then grinned.

"Yeah, okay, they can help you kick ass. And I know you're smart enough not to go anywhere that's close to enemy boarders. Still, it worries me," Kankuro said.

Neji hummed in agreement. There was nothing they could do until they caught the person going after his Byakugan. Neji wondered why his specifically but did not have to linger long. He could see the furthest and in the most detail. His was the most advanced of the dojutsu of the Hyuuga clan.

"Just, I know this sounds stupid but be careful," Kankuro said. "The last time you tried going on a C-rank mission with your genin you ended up running for your life across the desert carrying all three running from two dozen Rain Shinobi. I'd rather not hear you collapsed on a friend's doorstep for the same reason."

Neji nodded and kept his face neutral. He did not intend to be tricked again. They held hands on the table as they ate and went to talking about mundane subjects. Neji did not mind when they parted ways at nineteen hundred hours. It gave him ample time to pick out clothing, shower, and prepare the vest he selected with weapons and other supplies. Neji snuggled into his large white bear when he went to sleep that night and hoped there would be a good mission for his team to take.

No, I didn't forget about Fukui. ;)

Reviews welcome, next chapter, the second mission chapter coming soon.