A black eyed dog he called at my door
The black eyed dog he called for more
A black eyed dog he knew my name
A black eyed dog he knew my name
A black eyed dog
A black eyed dog.

I'm growing old and I wanna go home
I'm growing old and I don't wanna know
I'm growing old and I wanna go home.

A black eyed dog he called at my door
A black eyed dog he called for more.

Black Eyed Dog, Nick Drake

Chapter 18: A loyal dog

I walked fast in the administrative building. There will be plenty of things to do to organise and supervise everything I wanted. There was so much to do in such a little time. But first I should get to sleep. And even before there was the fact that Kakashi-San was following me.

I passed through the doors. I couldn't hear him behind me, yet I knew he was there. He didn't make the effort of concealing his presence. I wanted to ignore the man, but the chakra he oozed was so pregnant I felt bad having it near me. I finally stopped dead in my tracks in front of a street.

"If you're so willing to talk with me, then come forth." I said to the wind.

And there he was. I didn't clearly sense his presence until he was on me. Suddenly his gloved hand was on my shoulder and I spun on my heels before I was shoved against the wall of a nearby alley. Or so that was what he wished to do. I wasn't wearing my weights, my body felt light as a feather. Despite the fatigue, I could dance all night long if I wanted to. I flashed my Sharingan on right as I felt the pressure on my right side. I let him spin him, accompanying the move but expanding it instead of finishing it.

I bravely stared at his uneven eyes.

"What was that in front of the Hokage girl?" he asked with a stead voice.

I blinked, cocked my head in the side. Didn't he hear me think out loud? Didn't he read my body language? Didn't he see me mastering my subject? Wasn't he the one who had worked with both my cousin and Brother?

"Could you elaborate, please? I fail to see your troubles at understanding what was happening there, Kakashi-San."

"That, in the room, wasn't Uchiha Yanagi. I know that girl. She hasn't all her head. She wouldn't have been able to plan all this on her own. Either tell me who you are, or who speaks through her mouth."

I deadpanned. Really? Another person who called me a fake? I crossed my arms in front of my chest and chuckled slightly.

"So even the ultimate tracker, the last scion of the Hatake clan finds himself at lost with me?" I taunted him. "Come back to your senses! You're superior to me in every way, except maybe for the extend of our clan's fortune. I fail to see how you lost that I wasn't Uchiha Yanagi. You must have followed me all week, so you must know."

"I didn't follow you. I didn't have to since you were under the Yamanaka clan's protection."

I raised a brow.

"And the Almighty Kakashi is so strong the clans of Konoha bow to him?"

"That! That is what I am talking about! Uchiha Yanagi didn't have such backbone before!"

I shrugged. He may be right. Being sane was far more important before. Now that I was more or less the master of my own mind, though gaps remained, I had the liberty to put all the ideas I always had in place. I wondered how things would have been if I had had the occasion to speak up while my clan was still standing, and if it still stood today. I think I quite like being my own master and making things work. After all I was the only one who kept things working here.

"I grew it." I answered.

"In a week?"

"Well I went on an adventure." I said.

"What sort of adventure, if I may inquire?"

"You may not. You are neither my master, nor a person that I trust Kakashi-San. I do not trust anyone fully in this village."

"Not even Sasuke?"

I scoffed. I turned my dôjutsu off, no need to waste energy in a pointless conversation such as this one.

"I'd be an idiot if I gave any piece of information to that kid. His brains aren't only screwed like mine were, he doesn't think at all. And let's not talk about what to say and not to say, since I'm not good at hiding things."

"You certainly got better by being in the Yamanaka clan."

"Told you, I went in an adventure. And don't ask anything else: I don't trust you. I don't know who you promised to watch over me for, but that doesn't make me likely to trust you. You are wary of me, just like you were wary of my late Brother and my cousin."

"They were exceptional ninjas. Looking down on everything and everyone will never lead you anywhere, Yanagi. In the end you'll just end as a bitter and lonely kunoïchi."

I slightly smiled at him. He was speaking of himself, wasn't he?

"Then I'll try not to follow your example, Kakashi-San. Now I'll get back to my apartment."

I saluted him before walking away again. He was following me. But I won't give him the satisfaction of answering him. I didn't know if Kakashi-San was to be trusted. But for the time being, I was too tired to try anything.

I silently crawled inside the house, checking for traps. If it still amused Sasuke to prevent me for entering, I should be aware of my surrounding. I saw his small form leaning on the corridor's wall, half asleep. His eyes flashed open as soon as I slammed the door. There was an ominous click, as well a smirk tugging his lips.

I moved as soon as the noise came at my ears. Slightly shifting my position, I bend my knees a bit and shot my hand upwards, deftly pinning three kunai by the handle with a senbon. One or two needles were needed to stop the other projectiles coming from other various direction in the room. I caught the last one aiming the back of my head with a simple flick of the hand. My feet were tiptoeing on the floorboard with ease, avoiding any suspicious place. In a fistful of seconds, I was near my little cousin. I threw a Bunshin and casted a Chameleon Cloak illusion around me while I was at it.

Sasuke jerked when I patted his head. He was dumbly looking at the clone.

"You should get to bed little cousin." I said. "Tomorrow's a great day."

Uncharacteristically, he leaned on me, sharing my heat. He draped an arm around me. He was more tactile than usual these times.

"Okaerinasai." He muttered.

"Tadaima." I replied, cupping his head in my hands.

I put my forehead against his. I used to do this after Itachi-Sama flinched his head, as if that simple gesture could ease his pain. We also put our brows against each other, pushing like a pair of idiots, when he and I were arguing when little. It amused our big brothers greatly; after all anger and fear were the only emotions Father had left me when he passed away.

At least there was nothing he could take from me anymore.

I ruffled Sasuke's hair and he pouted.

"Let's get to bed, brat." I said.

"Stop calling me that!" he complained.

"I might when you become a real man." I replied.

He raised a hand. I still was four inches taller than he was. I was really tall for a girl. It didn't matter, because I wasn't your average girl. I was Uchiha Yanagi, last girl of the Uchiha clan and self-proclaimed regent of said clan since nobody did anything to keep our clan afloat.

"One day I'll be taller than you." He said.

"One day, yes. But not tonight. Now let's go to sleep. I have lots of training to do tomorrow."

"You train too much, you know?"

I yawned in answer. I fell on my bed with a sigh of contentment. I was about to sleep when I felt it again. I couldn't tell why, because I didn't sense him, but I had guessed Kakashi-San wasn't the kind to give up after our conversation.

"Can't it wait tomorrow?" I grumbled in my pillow.

I droned to the window and stared outside.

"You're such a stubborn man, you know that? It's not like I'll disappear in a puff of smoke or whatever. What do you want?"

He only crouched on the small overture. There was not enough space for a human being to stand on the windowsill, yet the Jounin seemed perfectly at ease. I noticed the amount of chakra in his feet. I cocked my head to the side. I had learned to jump from high places to high places, but blatantly defying gravity I couldn't do that.

"I'm checking up on you." He said.

"I thought you'd be reassured with what happened before the Hokage. I had allowed your presence for that purpose alone."

"You might be lying."

"I'm a bad liar."

"I thought so. But it seems there are a lot of things I had thought about you that were proven wrong lately."

"So you thought it was a good idea to deprive me of sleep? Only to see if you were right? The Hokage believed me when I said I'd be working for him. I am loyal to Konoha."

"So where your brother and your cousin, and you saw where this led them."

I sighed. Here we were again. I pinched the bridge of my nose in annoyance.

"Kakashi-San, Brother was a man of peace and I believe he died as one. As for Itachi-Sama…"

"He kill your entire clan, girl. I feel responsible for you. I don't want you ending like your brother because you wanted to ask questions to the wrong person. I worked with Itachi, and I have seen his real face. I knew you want to remain faithful to the memory you have of them, but this world is a twisted one. I don't want you to…"

"Please, don't be a Sasuke number two. I know Itachi-Sama was a complicated person. I know he wronged me in every way possible. Believe me, I know. Itachi-Sama has always been there when I was… That doesn't concern you."

He gestured the inside of the room.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

I raised a brow.

"Oh, so you're asking nicely now? Come in, now that you're here."

I drew back. I heard him shut the window behind him. Sasuke was asleep. Why was I allowing him inside? Why was I letting him ask so many questions? Why did I wanted to show him I felt in the right? He was just… I couldn't say why. He just annoyed me. He had been reluctant to teach me, yet he did. I thought we had no connexion, yet he went to see me in the hospital when I felt wrong. He came to check if I was all right when I was in Ino's body. He even volunteered to interrogate that man for me, even though I had yet to get the information.

"Since you won't allow me to sleep at all, let's have a nice conversation." I said. "I don't know why I should be trusting you at all. You're the one who's always nagging me with this loyalty stuff and all."

"Yet you do." He said.

"Strangely enough I do. Let's have some coffee."

I guided him to the kitchen. He slouched in a chair. What a polite man he was! I put the black power in the pot and let it brew. He took a deep breath behind me.

"I'd like to know more about you." He said. "I want your version of your story. I want to know who you think you really are."

"And you think I'll answer freely? That doesn't seem fair?"

"What is in this world?" he mused.

"True enough." I replied.

I peered outside the room to check the clock. I started counting the seconds in my head. I wondered if I could stand the ticking noise now. The moon was shining bright outside. I still didn't like it, even though she was only white. Black and red nights had been enough to disgust me from this time of the day.

"Fine. Let's say I'll tell you things you don't know about me if you tell me things I don't know about you. Deal?"

"I really think I'm being forced into this… I only agree because you're getting too much on my nerves."

I leaned against the kitchen counter. So? What did he want to ask me about?

"Monday morning, your Bunshin came to school but wasn't detected by anyone there even though you had no body of your own. And then your clone was a Kage Bunshin. Why? You don't know that technique." He said.

"Jiraya-Sama had wanted to meet with me. His summon was a bit rude and I lost control of the technique I was using. He was the one to replace me. Tell me about…"

"Nope! I said I'll be the one to tell you something you don't know. And I'll tell you that I'll turn 26 in three weeks." He interrupted me playfully.

"Very interesting." I commented. "I think I'll learn tons of useful things tonight."

"Another question to you: why did you hide your talents? At the hospital you said you managed to conceal your progress. Why did you do such a thing?"

I silently filled a cup for him and one for me. I sipped mine.

"It's a silly story. But I trust you'll be an understanding man. I was chasing after Brother, always chasing after him. So I tried really hard until I could do blue flames with my Katon Jutsu, something really hard to do. Even Brother couldn't do that. I thought that if I could be as good as Brother, one day Fugaku-Sama would allow me to work alongside him. I wanted it to be a surprise. I thought he would be thrilled at the perspective. So one evening, I asked him to come with me to the pond. Itachi-Sama and Sasuke were there too. I showed them what I could do. Really, it might be the only day when I was a kid that I felt proud of myself, earning kudos from the sons of my clan head. But Brother wasn't pleased. Suddenly he pulled me aside with anger, there was this deep chakra oozing out of him. He asked me if I was showing off."

I remembered the feeling and flinched. "Are you showing off, Yanagi?"

"So… When I saw it wasn't working, I thought I should do totally otherwise. He didn't like me being strong. Plus, being strong would bring even more fame to my stepfather and I didn't want that. I only wanted Brother to be happy about that, to be happy about me. So I… I decided that I'd become weak."

"Hmmm, interesting story." Kakashi said. "I wanted to make my father proud too when I was a boy, so I get your feelings."

"I had gathered so much; you're the son of the White Fang after all. Even though he preferred his teammates to his mission, and that what caused his fall."

Kakashi-San visibly crisped his fingers around the cup. He drank the contents in one big gulp just as I was yawning. I barely saw his mouth. He looked handsome. I wondered why he hid it so much.

"You've been reading again; I guess?" he asked.

"Oh no, that I heard from Tekka-San at the Police Station. You were quite the talk of the town for a moment. That makes two questions, give me two answers."

"You're a hard woman to deal with."

"I have to. Give me your silly answers. You expected to tell me who your father was, right? I thought it was unfair you knew so much about me."

"I read the Icha Icha series. It's written by Jiraya." He offered

I rolled my eyes in annoyance.

"Everyone knows that! The book's in your back pouch, and you're always reading it. And the last part is about someone else."

"Then my favourite vegetable is eggplant. I'm an O blood type."

"An universal donor, eh…"

"Tell me about something else. I want to know of your relationship with Uchiha Itachi?"

"Why? You're still afraid I'll turn my back on Konoha to join him?"

"Just answer the question. Itachi was your age when he left the Village. I thought he was loyal to the village as well, but I was wrong. I want to know what's between the two of you. You seem to respect him very much."

"I do. He is a man of honour; he has always been. He had been there for me when I lost Father, and he supported me again when I lost Brother."

"He killed your Brother."

"You don't know about that." I said with a tight voice.

"The Police Report says…"

"Fuck the report, okay!" I exclaimed. "Itachi-Sama swore he wasn't the murderer, and I believed him."

I hadn't noticed my anger had started bubbling inside of me. I should be careful. Kakashi-San's visible eye half-closed. I braced myself for the shock.

"If he swore to you he didn't kill your clan, would you believe him?" he asked in a cold tone.

I leaned towards Kakashi-San.

"What do you want to prove so badly, Kakashi-San? That I am so faithful of Itachi-Sama, the teenager you trusted yet was such a monster? Don't make me laugh! Since we're confiding secrets to each other, and by the way you're still to give me two pieces of information, I'll tell you what I think. I think Uchiha Itachi has been framed. The man who pierced my lung and killed Uchiha Tekka in front of me certainly was not Uchiha Itachi. If it had been him, if he had truly turned against our clan then I would have been dead."

"I supposed I should believe in the delusions of a traumatized girl, then? Someone who believes a convicted murderer more than the proof her beloved clan gathered?"

"So that's where you wanted to go till the beginning, right? Let's say it makes three information about you. Now I suggest you finish your thoughts, dog." I spat.

His hands went to rest on my neck. His kunai was glinting.

"I could slit your throat with ease."

"Yeah, I guess you could. Sasuke is more likely to be manipulated than I am. Kill me if it pleases you. I'm not afraid to die. Though, I'd appreciate if it didn't happen for the time being."

"Then here's what you should know about me. When I was a boy, not older than you are, I was given that Sharingan by Uchiha Obito as a present. He made me swear to watch over his siblings and his cousins, which I believe I did, even though I couldn't fulfil the other promise he asked of me. I came to know Itachi-San deeper than you think, and that is why I believe there is more to know than the official reports about Shisui's death as well as the fall of your clan. I swore another oath to a great man, the Yondaime Hokage, and I'll remain loyal to the Hokage and the village until I die. However, I can't condone a government that wipes out clans out of a whim because they seemed dangerous. Such is why I wanted to know where your loyalties lay, Uchiha Yanagi. Is that enough information for you?"

I sat down, baffled by what I heard. He believed there was something fishy as well. Just like I did. I would have never guessed. I think he just skyrocketed in my esteem. I felt like apologizing. But not only about my hasty judgement.

"I think I shouldn't have thought so poorly of you, Kakashi-San. You truly are a man of honour, and I apologize for my behaviour. I… will also make apologies about the questions I asked about your eyes the past few weeks. I didn't know it was my half-brother's, I don't remember him for I was born during the Third War, you know?"

I only know what he looked like through Itachi-Sama's memory I had been shown about me. I felt uneasy with all the devotion and the promises people made around me. I didn't feel worthy of it.

"I noticed your unhealthy curiosity about my eye, indeed. Well it's only natural if crows can freely fly with a transplanted Dôjutsu"

"If I asked you about your eye, it's because I remember a Sharingan the night I almost died. It wasn't a normal one, you see? Itachi-Sama had his own marks, just like a shuriken. But this one in his right eye… I knew it couldn't be Itachi-Sama. Plus, the man was too tall; Itachi-Sama wasn't much bigger than I was."

"So you're saying there are several people with Sharingan transplants out there?"

"I don't know… It might just be an impression, but I was thinking that Sharingan had the same chakra as yours. I can't really say since I'm not a sensor, but..."

"I think you're just messing things up. I supposed I was an easy person to blame with the Sharingan."

Yeah, but now there was Danzô. And he looked way more like the culprit not to be him.

I felt angry and powerless. People decided they could take my people's eye just because they were dead. Plenty of corpses, plenty of power lost. It was disgusting. I drank the bitter coffee, didn't get burned.

"I probably am. I have nothing against you, but I know the only way these people got a Sharingan was to steal from the corpses of my clansmen. In the end, I'm useful because of my eyes, aren't I?" I spat.

"What does that make me?" he replied.

"You might be right…"

I sighed, making the remnants of coffee spin in my mug. Back and forth. Back and forth. I was at a loss of words. I had been aware that I was just a pawn to the higher ups. I was just adding value to myself by completing missions and training. I was someone to be kept as long as I had my assets and keep getting some: my clan name and possessions, my eyes, my fighting abilities, the fact I could make Uchiha babies and be wed to other clans… Heh! I knew that, but I kept learning it the hard way. I had thought pretending to be weak would have helped me. But the old coots would never have been fooled by such a petty trick.

And if they had been, they had someone to look inside my head, to check whether I was lying or not.

I clunked my cup hard on the kitchen table, gritting my teeth in anger.

"What should I do?" I asked Kakashi-San. "They came to you as well, right? What did you do to make them loose their grip on you?"

"They never let you go once they have you. They will think of anything that could make you do what they want you to."

"Things never change, do they? They've been doing that in my clan as well." I said.

But now I didn't have Brother nor Itachi-Sama to shield me from the clan. I had no one left.

"But if I don't resist, they'll get to Sasuke." I muttered. "I can't let them touch that kid. It's the least I could do."

I supposed I was trusted enough by Itachi-Sama to take care of his brother. I wouldn't have lasted long if that hadn't been the case. That and he loved his brother way too much. I felt uneasy with that: Itachi-Sama and Sasuke had always been closer than Brother and I had been. I was told it was a natural thing: the Uchiha clan was renowned for his cold demeanour (though I heard some interesting rumours about what happened in an Uchiha bedroom).

"This child seems important to you."

"Why shouldn't he be? We're the last Uchiha remaining."

"There is still Itachi." He remarked. "Sounds like you appreciate him more than his brother."

"Our relationship is different. Sasuke is a playmate and we've survived together. Itachi-Sama is Itachi-Sama."

Kakashi-San chuckled.

"You're getting a bit better at hiding what you don't want to hear." He said.

"What would I be hiding?"

"You're shaper and more criticizing when you're talking about Sasuke. When you talk about Itachi, there really is something big about that. And don't get me talking about your brother."

I looked away. He chuckled again.

"Stop mocking me, Kakashi-San." I grumbled and drank the rest of my coffee. "Another one?"

"With pleasure."

"Here you go."

"So what's the deal with Itachi? We both know he might not hold all the responsibilities for the death of your clansmen."

"Sasuke saw him. I believed he wasn't fooled, even though he fell for Itachi-Sama's Genjutsu. It is certain that he at least killed his parents. That is unacceptable."

"You have a lot of respect for your ancestors and relatives. You're seeing their graves every day."

"You're seeing your dead comrades every day, is that any different?"

I was a bit bitter. I knew he wanted to lead this conversation somewhere, but I couldn't tell where. Kakashi-San raised his empty hands towards me in a calming gesture.

"I'm not saying this is wrong, Yanagi." He said.

"I'm not saying you do." I mumbled.

Danzô had said they held me back. I couldn't forget them. Especially now that I had failed them. How many corpses were looted? I had seen nothing coming. Even in the depths of my grief I shouldn't have lost my awareness. The bodies were desecrated? How could I know the ashes under the tombstones were the right ones?

I felt sick.

"Yet, even though Itachi committed those crimes, even though you can't forgive him, you're still holding a lot of respect for him." Kakashi-San said. "Where does it comes from?"

I looked at the window.

"I don't think we're close enough to talk about these things." I muttered.

"Are you implying we might get closer?" he taunted me.

I shrugged.

"Who knows? You're the one who promised to keep me safe, didn't you? That means I should trust you a little. Your experience was close to mine. It would be foolish to drive you away."

We stayed in silence, watching the day chasing the night away. The clock was ticking. It didn't bother me as much as it did. Kakashi-San asked me how important time was to me. I told him a bit about the time and space relationship in the illusions my clan did. In the end an illusion worked the best in a receptive mind. A mind was more receptive if it was lost. The most important bearings were related to time and space. I told him about the grief and the loose grip I had of reality.

"It's the hardest when you can't count on anything." I said. "I can never be sure of what's real and what's not, I'm always expecting to find things that don't add up."

"You think taking pictures will help for that?"

"It's just a security. If the illusion is in my head, there might be a chance that the picture show me how the reality really is."

"What is reality? If what your senses can be fool, what is real? Is that what you believe? Is that what you build with your own hands?"

"I can't go on thinking that if it's true then it's real. What I think as correct might be false to some others. In the end reality is just the sum of all the viewpoints. If we all think the same, then it is true. But people are willing to believe anything that is said by someone who looks wise or powerful."

"Then what is your reality? What do you see?"

I sighed.

"It's fun, right? My clan prides itself on our eyes. As if we could see anything that happens, even the future. Yet I am blind to this reality. I guess it can be an advantage somehow."

"Is that so?"

"If I can't grip the reality, then no one can use the reality against me."

"That sounds about right. I might prove you wrong, though." He said.

Kakashi-San drank his coffee fast again. I barely saw him. Won't he injure himself someday, hiding his face that way?

"Has anyone got to see your face yet?" I asked.

"Some people did." He reckoned. "You got a glimpse, didn't you? You weren't satisfied with that?"

He stood to reach the coffee pot, filling his cup again. His hip brushed near my shoulder. I moved so he wouldn't touch me at all. He leaned on me on purpose. I felt my face flushing. What was he doing? Silently, he turned to refill my cup, my back resting against his flack jacket. The filling took an awfully long time, caged as a was by his arms. I straightened my back.

He had a thoughtful hum as I sat still, unable to know what to do or what to think.

"You're really weak to this, Yanagi, aren't you?"

"W… What are you…" I stuttered, hardly keeping my cool.

Boys, men and all that jazz. This was something I didn't know. I may have said to Ino I would marry the person I would be ordered to marry, that I saw no interest in dating, there still was these hormones surges. She had briefly talked about that to me, wondering about it. I had felt so free in her body, and now I was trapped in mine.

Kakashi-San put his cup near mine and drew back to put the pot back in its place. I relaxed while he was gone, but I was sure he hadn't finished. Indeed, he was back. I tried to make my hands lay flat on the table. Was I afraid of him? Well I wouldn't call that feeling fear. I guessed there was curiosity and longing in it. Damn puberty! I felt very ashamed.

With slow studied moves, the Jounin took his cup. I could only see a minimum skin when he moved. The moves of his cuffs near his protection gloves hid strips of tanned skin. I knew he was strong. I felt the heat radiating from him. I wouldn't ashamed me more than I was already. Yet I felt my lower abdomen lurch, in these parts I only touched in intimacy. A sensation of pleasure coursed from it, and I felt like I was trembling hard. I felt a shift of skin against my clothes. I was mortified.

I tried to focus on something else. Kakashi-San's hand landed on my shoulder and I jerked savagely, away from him, only to hit his Chuunin vest. I jumped again. He had the nerve to chuckle again. I felt aroused and slightly damp near my nether regions. His nose twitched under his mask. I had never felt so low in my life.

That was enough!

I grabbed a kunai from my pouch to hit him with it. He easily caught my wrist, snaking hour joined arms against our bodies. I was pressed against him with one hand.

"Calm down Yanagi-San, you know I wouldn't hurt you."

"The only one about to get hurt is you." I growled, struggling against him.

"This is yet to be seen."

He reached for his cup. I planted my feet on the ground and managed to make him lose his balance. As soon as he went unsteady I pushed hardly on my legs, shoving him against the wall. I sunk my elbow on his diaphragm to blow the air from his lungs. Guessing that the situation wasn't advantageous to him, he threw us on the ground.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" I hissed.

"I'm proving you wrong. See how easily I can reach you with ease? There are many things you can be manipulated into, Yanagi. You can't anticipate everything. So stop thinking you're unattainable, would you?"

I was helplessly pinned to the ground. I struggled. I saw him use a bit of force to immobilize me.

"Okay, I give!" I said. "Now let me go."

"I thought this might be the occasion to work on your grappling techniques. You suck at that, see?"

"I never asked for your help in that domain, you pervert!" I groaned.

A chair clattered near me as I finally managed to free a leg and twist out of his grip. A few seconds later Sasuke jumped in the room, worriedly calling my name. He paused and his eyes widened just like Kakashi-San and I. The position was ambiguous. I was still red in the face, and quite aroused. I couldn't tell anything for the other. He released me as I was about to hit him hardly on his side. I stood in front of the boy. It couldn't be worse.

"Go back to bed, Sasuke. I'm currently busy with your cousin." Kakashi said before I could find my words.

We both glared angrily at the man.

"Sorry for the interruption. I wasn't aware you were doing that sort of things." Sasuke said tightly. "You do realize your position as the last Uchiha woman, right?"

"What? No! Sasuke, I'm not that kind of person. Kakashi-San is… uh… teaching me." I said lamely. "It got a bit out of hand, actually."

The boy's hand shot forward, and he motioned me behind him. It was a bit funny since he was smaller than I was. Kakashi-San seemed to find the situation amusing.

"I don't know who you are, but you look like a high ranked ninja. So I'll be clear with you. I will allow no such behaviour with my cousin."

"She volunteered." Kakashi-san assured.

"I did not! Blame my hormones! And where did you think you could allow of forbid things on my behalf?"

Damn chauvinist shinobi stuck in a patriarchal system!

"I won't have you ruin the reputation of the Uchiha clan by playing with other guys!" he yelled.

"What the…! I don't play with guys!"

"Oh yes you do! Don't play innocent! I saw how that Hyuuga guy looks at you!"

I blinked. Kakashi-San folded his arms, like watching a live show.

"Neji-San? Is there something wrong with my relationship with him?"

"Wrong? Is it me you're asking that? He's totally into you, and you're saying nothing!"

"What do you mean by that?"

Into me? Like physically inside of me? Hum, might be metaphorical? Does that mean he was turning into me? Hum… It was true that he wasn't as annoying as before, since we got to know each other. I had half expected to have us jump at each other's throats but it wasn't the case anymore. Especially since I wasn't using my full abilities against him (we were training under a Taijutsu specialist, so that meant I should use only Taijutsu-aimed techniques if I resorted to Genjutsu or Ninjutsu, and Katon definitely wasn't ideal for full contact). I got it! I snapped my fingers!

"That mean he's becoming more like me, right! It explains why he's nice to be around."

Sasuke deadpanned, and then he gripped my shoulder with a sour face.

"Are you that obnoxious?"

I raised my brows.

"About what?"

"Nope, nothing. Everything is right." He said patting my shoulders with contentment.

I'll never understand that kid. There he was glaring again at Kakashi-San… Who wasn't there anymore. Instead there was a pile of books on the kitchen table with a note that read: "valuable teaching material. Please read it."

"What is that?" Sasuke said. "Where did that man went?"

"Don't look at me that way! I didn't see him leave either." I said, flipping through the books.

I tried not to look at the man hanging on our ceiling. I should ask him how he defy gravity that way. That was a practical skill I'd like to acquire.

"He has even the audacity to leave you with gifts! It's not because he knows you like books that I'll acknowledge him. He looked like he was almost forty!"

The ceiling sneezed with indignation. I disregarded that fact. Sasuke was looking outside by the window and didn't hear the man. I had been lend the first volumes of the Icha Icha series. I heard from Neji-San it was romance. He had had a short look at it at our first team meeting. His face was all red! It was the first time I knew Neji-San was really weak to romance. I'd never known that ice cube had a sensible heart in fact. I read a few lines about a fight between ninjas and a local girl that had been abducted. After he won, the girl accepted to reward her saviour, and she invited her in her room. And then… I shot the book close with a sigh.

"All right. Why porn books?" I asked out loud. "You think it would be educational?"

I glared at the ceiling. I knew about those things, what happens in a bedroom. Did he want me to die with embarrassment? I scowled at him.

"You'd be a terrible teacher!" I told him.

"I'm teaching you." he pointed out. "I thought you liked my teachings."

"I don't call encouraging me to pursue you while being out of me and throwing Genjutsu training. Even though I learned a lot."

"Then that's teaching." He shrugged.

"No way in hell." I said. "Would you like to get your books back?"

"Read them first. You might learn valuable lessons. I did."

"Like sexually assaulting a teenager?"

"Is that what happened? I also call that teaching."

"You might be the only adult who lends a Genin some porn and still calls it teaching."

"Don't worry, your future boyfriends will thank me for that."

He looked at me up and down. I went red again. What was with that attitude? I heard him mutter something about the whole male population of Konoha owing him a big time. And why future boyfriends? I had a lot of male friends already.

"I have a lot of friends who are boys, but it looks like you're talking about something totally different." I said. "Why should they thank you for making me read porn?"

"Are you doing that on purpose? That I-don't-know-what-happens-between-a-boy-and-a-girl attitude?"

"What happens between a boy and a girl? At what point? There are a lot of possibilities. Depends what they are doing in their respective lives, right?"

"You're so innocent I almost feel guilty lending you these books. I wish I'd be nearby the day you connect the dots."

I coked my head on the side, not understanding what he meant. And then he was really gone.


I hope you enjoyed this chapter :)

Girl-luvs-manga: Yanagi's my girl of fire and ashes :D

RadioPoisoning: Unfortunately Yanagi will stay oblivous to other's feelings because she can't understand love. As for making think the others are enemies, both Danzo and the Hokage want her to their side. Even though she is young, she will be an excellent ninja, and her clan still owns 1/3 of the Village.

Duyiil: Lol for what?

elisq: Why politics? Because it's never very shown in the manga, that's why. I want to write an interesting story, not merely vamp the original plot.

Leila-Chan: Thanks for your enthusiam :)