Everyone's Got Secrets Chapter 12, a naruto fanfic

Everyone's Got Secrets…

Chapter 12:

"Just how much of it was a lie, Sasuke?"

Sasuke wanted to laugh at the question, sitting as he was on the grass, hot and sweaty and erect. Instead, he heard his voice make a kind of raspy gurgle that might have held a hint of his intended wryness. He licked his lips, his eyes not wavering from Naruto's as he told him the complete truth, praying the blond would hear him this time, and praying that it still mattered after what had just happened.

"I've never lied to you."

The air rippled like the ringing of a large and distant gong; from the connection of their eyes, Sasuke could see that Naruto had heard the absolute veracity of his statement. Everything stopped, hanging in recognition of the thin thread now stretching between them, one that could be made stronger if they both worked at it.

After a moment, because it seemed right to say it, Sasuke added, "Moron."

He watched with his red eyes as Naruto rubbed the blood from his lip with the back of his hand, the edges of his eyelids squinting from the sting. His teammate's voice was calm, though there was a similar significance in his reply.

"Tell me your plan. Bastard."

Sasuke let out the breath that he'd been holding.

He watched Naruto intensely, crouched and bleeding in more than one place. Those blue eyes still met his, however, and Sasuke tongued the inside of his cheek where he could taste his own blood; his teeth had cut straight into the skin from the force of one of Naruto's punches. He swallowed, preparing to answer though he didn't quite know how—he had so many of his own questions taking up his brainpower.

The afternoon heat was relentless, coupled with an uncomfortable humidity; Sasuke wasn't sure what was sweat and what was grime trickling along his skin. Every part of his body was throbbing, but the physical discomfort from the aftermath of their battle took a backseat to the overwhelming sensations that were trying to quarter his heart.

Something monumental had happened; he could feel it pounding in his ears along with his own pulse, deafening him to the background sounds of the afternoon. For a moment, all he could understand was the shock, disappointment, anger, and relief that twisted his insides in knots.

Every bit of him had wanted it—had wanted Naruto to take that last step. He'd wanted to give himself over to their mutual rage, to his surprising arousal under the rough hands of his rival, to the hunger for Naruto's powerful fury that had struck him like nothing he'd imagined before. It was unbelievable—both the shocking existence of such a desire, and the disappointment that it hadn't, in fact, been fed.

At this moment however, what scared him most was the knowledge of how badly he'd wanted Naruto to break them. If he had, Sasuke was sure things could never again move forward or backward; they would be stuck at that same level of abusive passion, cruel even as it satisfied for a fleeting instant. He'd wanted Naruto to break them, because then it wouldn't be his—Sasuke's—fault. Not his fault, and not his responsibility.

He should have known that Naruto would be too strong to give in.

That strength was what drew him to Naruto, what had earned his respect, and why he despised himself right now—he wasn't sure whether he'd have been strong enough to stop them had Naruto pushed to keep going. Sasuke's body was bitterly disappointed, even while he was glad that maybe they'd have a chance to make things right. He and Naruto had agreed to a truce, however tentative, which meant what they did now, here, would set the tone for the rest of their interactions. They could step back just as easily as step forward.

Slowly, but with as much grace as he could muster, Sasuke got to his feet. Naruto did too, but stayed and watched as Sasuke moved directly to the spot on the ground where he'd seen Itachi's gift land with a plink. Naruto had a good arm; he had to go nearly halfway around the house.

He reached down and picked up the thin cable, the three beads miraculously still attached and whole. The clasp was mangled on one side and missing on the other, but if he was lucky a jeweler in town might be able to repair it. Sasuke closed his fist around the cool glass and metal pieces, squeezing their edges into his palm—he wavered between the newly rising anger that it had been broken, and the relief that it had a chance at being fixed since it was irreplaceable. Sasuke didn't miss the irony.

He turned as he heard his rival approaching the spot, picking his way carefully through the mess they'd created. Naruto was still watching him with that cunning that came over him in intense situations. Sasuko still couldn't believe the blond had had the balls to set traps for him on his own property.

Sasuke waited until Naruto was close enough that he wouldn't have to shout. "You never met my brother, did you."

Naruto's brows met above his striking blue eyes. "Itachi? Not that I remember…" His voice trailed off.

Sasuke sighed, looking away. It hurt that Naruto had broken his necklace, the one that matched his brother's. He might as well have ripped out his throat. But it helped to see in his face that Naruto hadn't known he'd almost destroyed the last present Itachi had given him before—

"What does he have to do with your plan?" Naruto asked, interrupting his thoughts.

The plan.

Sasuke paused, considering, slipping the remains of the necklace into his empty shuriken pouch. This wasn't the time to analyze all the confusing, conflicting urges inside him, or to be sentimental about his brother, or to address the fact that someday he'd have to figure out how to revive the Uchiha clan (as Naruto had so bluntly pointed out). Those could wait.

Right now, their truce required that he share the plan, and Naruto listen. After that…?

For now, maybe it was best to pretend this was just another mission.

He turned away from Naruto, eyes roving over the littered weapons and evidence of shinobi combat all over the yard. He inhaled a breath filled with the pleasant familiarity of regular ninja activities, and took a step forward, steeling his mind with the same kind of emotionless focus that made their missions a success. There was a distinct sense of relief that coupled such deliberate mental discipline, and he embraced it, continuing around the house to the door, expecting Naruto to follow him.

Naruto crossed the threshold after him, and Sasuke shut the door while Naruto shrugged out of his filthy orange jacket and turned to hang it on one of the hooks. Sasuke knelt by the front door and took another deep breath, his fingers shifting seamlessly through the long combination of seals despite the twinge of pain in his right hand. He had just enough chakra to spare to make sure they weren't disturbed.

Chakra prepared, he pressed his crossed palms into the seal carved into the base of the door, closing his eyes against their sudden burning as the chakra-alarm system activated at six other points along the perimeter with a rush and a snap to complete the shape. Sasuke felt dizzy. He'd definitely overused his Sharingan.

"What was that?" Naruto asked behind him, and Sasuke replied without turning around, his head aching. It didn't surprise him that Naruto could feel the jutsu surrounding the structure of the house.

"It's a barrier. Itachi made it the last…" his throat closed on its own. He moved his hands from the door. "Someone may have followed us."

"You didn't set it the last time I was here."

"We weren't targets then." Sasuke replied.

"I could have stationed some clones," Naruto commented.

"You're not supposed to be at my house, Naruto."

Temples throbbing, Sasuke got up from the floor and met Naruto's eyes briefly before heading up the stairs. On the second floor, Sasuke turned to the left, passing the flight of stairs that led up to his bedroom. He walked to the end of a short hallway, slid open the first door they came to and flicked the switch to light the fan-shaped sconces in the four corners.

The room he used for planning strategies and tactics was windowless and stuffy, cramped by shelving and bookcases on every vertical surface save the closed door on the opposite wall. All available space was packed to the brim with scrolls and tomes that dated back to the first Uchiha shinobi; rescuing these had been no small task.

Sasuke moved to the low table in the center and knelt on the far side, taking out two sheets of parchment and his ink set from underneath. Naruto entered without comment, wincing as he knelt opposite him, and then folding his legs into a more comfortable position. Sasuke was glad he'd left the door to the hall open; it was rather warm inside.

As he prepared the ink, Sasuke watched Naruto looking around the room. He was unusually quiet, but from Naruto's expression he seemed impressed with the amount of knowledge represented by the contents of the shelves—it was good to see his teammate's hunger for learning, something they had in common even with their opposite approaches. Sasuke dipped the brush and began to make neat characters, and Naruto settled his eyes on the ink marks spreading over the page.

"Now that we know what the Hunt entails, this will be much easier," Sasuke began, the room filled with the gentle scratching of the brush against the surface of the parchment.

He made an outline on one sheet, and on the other he quickly listed all of their opponents, dividing them by rank, and then further by the categories he'd grouped in his mind. Sasuke turned the first page sideways so they could both read it, pushing it halfway across the table between them.

"Here is what we know," he indicated the points of interest with the handle of the brush. Naruto turned the parchment a bit more, and then followed the dark ink with his blue eyes.

"Stage one is to find Morino Ibiki. We know he'll be in Konoha, and we have to find him in order to get to stage two."

Naruto nodded, and Sasuke continued, "Stage two is where we look for the spheres. We know the size, shape, and color of the spheres, but we don't know how many you'll need to go on to stage three."

Naruto looked up, "Or what's inside them."

"Yes," Sasuke agreed. At any other time he would have smirked, since Naruto had anticipated some of the more important facets of the competition contrary to the belief that he had a terrible memory.

Sasuke cleared his throat instead, "It might be best to heed the Hokage's advice, in this case. Her warning seemed genuine." He reached for the second sheet of parchment, placing it overtop the first. Naruto's eyes flicked over the names he'd written.

"These two columns are our opponents." He pointed to each cluster of names as he explained, "These twenty are the Chuunin, including us, and this side has the seventeen Jounin. These first groups are the shinobi you or I have fought before. Next are the ones we've seen fight, but not fought ourselves. And then the last are the ones neither of us have seen fight before. We'll need to see what information we can get about them."

"Why is Kakashi's name by itself?" Naruto pointed at the precise characters, looking up at him.

Sasuke paused, folding his hands in front of his face. They were getting to the heart of his strategy. He debated internally for a few moments, and then met Naruto's eyes across the table.

"I should probably write Iruka's name too…" He shrugged, resting his hands on the table's surface. "Do you remember when we were training, two days ago?"

"Across the lake?" Naruto propped his chin on his hand, "What about it?"

"I told you the Hunt wouldn't be like taking bells from Kakashi."

Naruto's eyebrows slid together. "I remember."

"Well," Sasuke leaned forward a bit, "What if it was?"

Naruto looked at him for a moment, but Sasuke could see the gears turning behind the handsome, whiskered face. "You mean the spheres."

"Exactly," Sasuke nodded. "Have you ever gotten a bell from him by yourself before?"

Naruto shook his head, pursing his lips. Sasuke tapped Kakashi's name on the parchment.

"Neither have I. However…" He let the implication sink in.

"We get the bells when we work together," Naruto finished the statement.

"Every time." Sasuke relaxed somewhat, now that there was clear support for his earlier argument. "Technically we aren't trying to eliminate him since he's a different rank, but it could turn out that he has the one sphere that makes the difference. And it wouldn't hurt to keep him from stage three if at all possible."

Naruto was fitting more of the pieces together for himself, "Zabuza. That's what you meant, before. Outside."

Sasuke did smirk then, faintly, and Naruto returned it with half a grin. The small step forward felt nice. "Exactly. And that was when we were Genin." He let the rest of the thought hang in the air: Think what we could do now.

Naruto's stomach chose that particular moment to growl, the noise completely incongruent with the intensity of their planning. Naruto moved his left hand to cover the sound.

"Okay, Sasuke. I see some of what you're getting at. But what do these marks mean?" Naruto reached across with his other hand, touching the names that had a tiny, shuriken-like star drawn beside them.

Sasuke looked away, collecting his thoughts. Naruto had never met Itachi, so he couldn't understand why people quaked at his brother's memory. Personally he was unsettled; he didn't want his clan to be measured only by how strongly people feared it. It wasn't what Itachi wanted either.

"At Tsunade-sama's speech," Sasuke looked back at his teammate, "Do you remember how some people were acting strangely?"

Naruto's eyes narrowed, "Yeah."

"Itachi never told me what happened during the Hunt last time, at least not in any detail…" Sasuke ran his fingers through his hair, pushing it off his hitai-ate. The room was getting so humid that the cloth under the metal plate was damp from his steady sweat.

"But from what I've pieced together, something must have happened–something that everyone who fought against him hasn't been able to forget."

"Hmmm," Naruto was pensive, eyes flicking over the names on the parchment, "So these are the ones who fought against Itachi last time?"

"Possibly," Sasuke leaned forward, resting his elbows on the surface of the table. His voice held a hint of dry humor. "Those are the ones who seem to think I'm just as scary as my brother. And today I tried to convince them they were right."

He wanted to laugh at the absurdity that anyone could possibly think he was as strong as Itachi—he couldn't even be close.

Naruto glanced up at that, "Is that what the whispering and staring was all about last night?"

Sasuke shrugged, looking away. "Kakashi says I look like him. So it's possible that people assume I fight like him as well. It's not a bad thing; it'll help us in the end if we make it an advantage."

"If that first part's true, then I'd definitely remember if I met him," Naruto commented. Sasuke glanced over in time to see his teammate's lip curl wryly at the statement. Then the blond continued, the spark draining from his face. "That would explain why everyone was asking me about you at registration."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, and Naruto moved some of his damp hair away from his forehead. "I told all of them that you weren't competing. I insisted, since you'd told me yourself that you weren't, and then you came to compete anyway." He paused, their eyes meeting, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Sasuke frowned. Well that explained why Naruto had been so angry, at least in part—everyone must think he'd lied, something totally unacceptable for him. Damn it! One more thing that had been out of his control. Sasuke scowled, remembering the frustration of not being able to find his teammate so that he could tell him the plan and avoid all this mess. Where the hell had he been?

"I searched for you before registration, but you weren't in any of your normal places. So where were you, Naruto?"

Naruto's eyes widened a fraction, and he quickly reached behind his back, like he was looking for something… near his shuriken pouch? Sasuke couldn't tell what he'd been reaching for, but Naruto swallowed, and brought his hand back to his lap, empty. It might have been the heat, but the blond's cheeks seemed just a bit pinker—it was odd.

"I went to registration early," he said, "I wanted to be sure I had a full report." His stomach growled loudly again, but they both ignored it. They didn't need to bring up why it was empty—it was awkward enough already.

Sasuke watched him a moment before continuing, folding his hands once more. "If the goal is to get you to the final round, then my plan of fighting together will serve two purposes." Naruto shifted forward, eyes alert once more.

"First, it will rattle the majority of your opponents if they think Uchiha Itachi—or someone like him—is there. You saw that several Ninja left after I said my name?"

Naruto nodded, face serious. "Eight."

Sasuke went on, "Second, for opponents like Kakashi-sensei, and maybe Iruka-sensei too, I can be your backup. But you'll have to win the third round on your own, Naruto."

"Heh," Naruto's face was serious but his eyes were gleaming. "You can count on it." Sasuke smirked, unable to help getting excited about the competition ahead.

"I think we should go over the things we still have to figure out," he said, shifting the ink and parchment to the side, and lifting the cover from the tabletop. He rose to his knees and set the thin, rectangular panel on the floor behind him.

"This is Konoha!" Naruto's surprised and impressed voice held an edge of excitement. When Sasuke turned back, Naruto had gotten up on his good knee, eyeing the map of the village and surrounding forests that had been revealed.

Sasuke pointed to orient them, "Here is the Hokage tower, and here is the Academy."

"And Ichiraku's is around here," Naruto chuckled, rubbing his fingertip over the place where the stand had been in business for as long as either of them could remember. Sasuke took a moment to survey the outer areas of green, contemplating exactly where Tsunade might set up the competition.

"Tsunade-sama said she'd be sectioning off an area of forest. This area here," he circled his finger around the area in question, "…would be a good choice. Less trafficked, and away from the river. But there's obviously a lot of forest for her to choose from."

"What about here?" Naruto reached across the table to indicate the Forest of Death. "It's already—"

Sasuke shot his hand out before the blood dripping down Naruto's arm could stain the map. Their eyes met, and Naruto licked his lip, as if to check how badly he was bleeding elsewhere as he withdrew his arm, careful not to let any more near-accidents happen. Glancing down at the drop staining his hand, Sasuke made a suggestion, finding it odd he hadn't thought of it before now; a sure sign of how stressful the last hours had been.

"I have medical supplies downstairs in the kitchen. You'll find them in the pantry." He used the water from his ink supplies to rinse the tiny spot from his palm.

Naruto's stomach growled, and he chuckled, getting to his feet. "I'll make some tea while I'm there."

"Tea is in—"

"—I remember." Naruto shot him a partial-grin as he turned and left the room.

Sasuke could hear him hopping down the steps and padding into the kitchen with his typical exuberance, and he took advantage of the opportunity to close his eyes and lean his head into his hands. This planning was all necessary, and not something they could put off. But each minute it took only made his headache worse. He'd release the Sharingan first thing, once the blond left…

Sasuke pressed his lips together. Yes, Naruto would leave after this, instead of anything else that might have been planned before. He sighed, a long deep sigh of frustration, fatigue, and resignation.

Being teammates was better than nothing. They already knew how to work together as ninjas; they were settling into the comfort of it right here and now. They'd plan their strategy, they'd fight as a team, and when this ridiculous festival was over maybe then they could inch their way forward once more, someplace between missions and gate duty and waiting for Kakashi to show up for more missions and gate duty.

It wasn't much, but it was something. And it was far better than what could have happened.

Slipping his hand into his pouch where he could hold onto his brother's necklace, Sasuke took a deep breath and did his best to relax. He held his forehead in his left hand, and listened to the muffled sounds of Naruto in his kitchen, ignoring the part of his mind that was amused at trying to picture the fumbling that went along with the noises.

Kakashi used a henge to blend in with the Inn's regular patrons as he followed the mass of Lords and servants and, of course, the Princess–though she was taking a long time to fuss with her horse.

The afternoon was pleasantly hot, but the scent of water hung heavy in the breeze; Kakashi glanced up at the thickening clouds moving overhead before passing through the Inn's doors. Then he peeked at the roster as he passed the front desk. As he'd guessed, the Daimyo, his daughter, and their essential servants had been housed in suites on the top floor, with the rest of the Lords on the floor directly beneath. However everyone made their way straight ahead to the Inn's largest meeting room, set up for a banquet.

Kakashi knelt and pretended to be searching for something in his pack, obviously someone too unimportant for royalty to notice as they filed down the hall and into the room, the various servants sweeping behind their patrons in an elegant entourage. The Daimyo waited for the hall to clear, save for himself and the three men who never left his side. He was obviously waiting for the Princess, and Kakashi concealed himself effortlessly behind a decorative plant.

The last of the group, Tomoko—followed closely by a very timid looking slip of a maid, and a raven haired man armed with both Katana and Wakizashi—patted her father on his cheek and smirked with more than a little disrespect.

"Send food to my chambers, father, I have to prepare for tonight's performance. You don't need me to discuss horseflesh, I trust."

She turned and started to continue up the stairs, her cloak covering her dainty shoulders. The maid remained at her side, as if the thought of standing alone outside the Princess' shadow was terrifying. Tomoko's bodyguard scowled at her retreating form, nearly as deeply as the Daimyo.

"Tomoko!"

She halted at her father's bark, the look on her face mutinous as she turned partway to regard him, though she said nothing.

"You will attend me after your performance. Clearly we have something important to discuss, daughter." The Daimyo's men were alert, but they pretended not to notice what was going on between the two members of the noble family. Such well-trained servants.

"Very well, your highness." Her ponytail swished behind her as she climbed the stairs before she'd been formally dismissed, deliberately unhurried.

The Daimyo fixed his face to mask his outrage, but he caught the arm of the Princess's bodyguard before he could follow. The bodyguard's face was steely, awaiting instructions from his patron who spoke in a low, angered voice.

"Hisagi-san. Don't you leave her side. Make sure she goes nowhere except to the stadium and back; I don't want her anywhere on her own!"

"Yes, Shijimi-dono."

Hisagi bowed deferentially, and the Daimyo released his arm. The man caught up to the Princess, who didn't acknowledge him as they made their way upward. Scowling after them, the Daimyo chewed on his lip before turning to one of his personal samurai guards.

"Fujimiya. Send someone to watch over the Uchiha as well; choose whoever you want. I don't want anyone coming here, either—it would only cause more trouble."

"It is done." Fujimiya stroked a gloved hand through the graying hair at his temples. His voice dropped several notches as he leaned towards the Daimyo. "No ninja will taint your line, Oyabun."

Fujimiya gave a low, unfriendly chuckle, watching the Princess and her guard turn out of sight on the second floor. Kakashi memorized the man's features; this one must have more status than the rest, based on his attire and the difference in the exchange. The two men shared a look, and then the Daimyo turned his back on the stairs and entered the banquet hall behind one of the lesser guards. The other two followed, flanking him in formation.

Kakashi waited for a cluster of new patrons to pass him on their way to the steps before rising and moving down the hallway towards the very back of the building. Sensing no one behind the last door, he ducked into the Inn's laundry facility, moving quickly behind the racks of sheets and towels and pulling out his radio equipment from one of his pouches. He strapped it to his neck, and then fitted the earpiece, conjuring a clone with identical equipment once everything was set.

He helped to remove a ceiling tile, and then sent the clone to crawl silently back across the hall to listen from between the supports while the Lords got settled for their dinner. Kakashi didn't want to miss any of the mealtime small-talk, since it would probably reveal more to him than any other time. But he also wanted to see if there was anything else to be gained from the Princess before she left for her performance.

Kakashi henge'd once more, becoming a dutiful Inn attendant, and he helped himself to an armload of clean towels. Disguise in place, he exited the laundry and used invisible speed to catch up to the Princess's group. Keeping out of sight behind her, he followed the steady progress up to the top floor, curious about the tension he sensed between her and the guard Hisagi.

The steps finally opened out on the fifth floor, and Kakashi peeked from the stairwell as the three made their way down the long hallway and turned into a shorter corridor; Tomoko's chambers must be at the far end. Creeping through the intersecting halls invisibly, Kakashi was mildly disappointed at the continued silence when Tomoko stopped five steps from her door. Hisagi slowed, the shy young maid halting beside the Princess automatically.

"You're still mad at me, aren't you." Tomoko chuckled, turning her head to look coyly over her shoulder at the prim bodyguard. Her voice was soft, aimed at Hisagi though the maid had to have heard. It was a tense moment before the guard replied.

"I protect and serve, Princess Shijimi. Nothing more. Nothing less."

Hisagi's reply was quiet, but steady. Threatening. His shoulders held a rigidity that told of some kind of animosity between them; Tomoko seemed like the kind of woman who enjoyed making the men around her annoyed, whether it was deliberate or not. Tomoko's lips kept up the smirk, but her eyes sparked with danger.

She chuckled, "We'll be leaving for the Stadium in half an hour, Hisagi-san. Try not to get too bored out here in the hall."

She turned from him then, and continued walking towards her doorway. Kakashi emerged from the invisibility jutsu, the towels heaped in his arms to help block the illusion of his face. Tomoko knocked on the door, and a middle-aged woman, one of the Shijimi maidservants no doubt, opened the door; the yellow and black of her uniform declared her patronage as clearly as the golden swordsman's robes worn by all the Shijimi guards.

Hisagi took up position on one side of the doorway, not looking at the Princess. The older woman's voice was as gentle as her expression, and as warm as the sunlit fabric of her uniform.

"I took the liberty of having food brought up, Tomoka-sama." She stepped back and the Princess strolled through the doorway.

"Thanks, Ayame-chan." Ayame smiled at the compliment, and Tomoko squeezed her shoulder, unfastening her cloak on the way into her sitting room. "Father will forget once he's involved with the rest of the idiots downstairs."

The old woman patted the arm of the young maid as she slipped through the doorway behind the Princess.

Kakashi made his way down the hall, "Pardon me! More towels for the Princess!"

Hisagi regarded him coolly, but made no move to stop him. Kakashi fought the urge to grin–it was so much fun to pretend he wasn't actually a highly skilled ninja. It almost made up for the fact that there were loads of things he'd rather be doing.

Ayame held open the door, giving instructions on where to put the towels though she was regarding Hisagi critically. "Put them in the bathing room. And please have the kitchen send up another serving of fish and rice."

Kakashi surveyed the Princess' chambers, memorizing the floor plan as he deposited the towels where instructed. He gave Tomoko a polite bow, though she was daydreaming as she ate at the low table in the center of the first room, totally unaware of both him and the younger maidservant pouring her tea. Tomoko's eyebrows were drawn from the intensity of her thoughts, but she ate with the same kind of royal grace that had been in all her acrobatic moves.

Not lingering, he also bowed to Ayame, "I'll have the food brought immediately. Excuse me."

He glanced at Hisagi's calculating and sour face on his way out, walking purposefully back down the hall to the corner, and catching the last bit of dialogue before Tomoko's door closed.

"You need to remember to eat, too, Hisagi-san. How will you protect our Princess if hunger makes you brood so?" Her voice was gentle as she teased, but Hisagi wasn't in the mood.

"I appreciate your concern, but I am fully capable of fulfilling my duties no matter how little, or how much I eat."

Kakashi smirked at the pride in his voice. Very samurai. And very male.

Ayame sighed, but the Jounin could hear a smile behind it. "Just humor this old woman and eat some rice. Surely you can do that and fulfill your duties at once?"

Hisagi must have acquiesced, for Kakashi could hear the woman chuckling as she closed the door. He hurried to the kitchens and placed the order, then teleported when the coast was clear to join his clone where it was stationed above the Feudal Lords.

That was the one problem with using a disguise instead of invisibility. There was always the risk of get ting sent on random errands. And Kakashi had to agree with Ayame—Hisagi definitely seemed like he could use something to eat. Anyone guarding a Princess like Tomoko needed all the fortitude he could get.

Kakashi sighed, and sent the clone to follow the Princess to her performance. He peered between the ceiling tiles and supports with his one eye, refocusing his mind on the Daimyo and the rest of his mission.

They were just now bringing in the food; the clone hadn't had much of a report. Fujimiya had sent one of his minions out of the room, presumably to dispatch a guard from the barracks to the Uchiha district. That was pointless, but Kakashi could hardly tell them that. Let them think their swordsmen could be effective against a shinobi at least for a little longer. It was lucky he already had Pakkun tagging along with his protégé—he wouldn't have to send another clone to see how things developed.

Good grief. And this morning had started out so nice, too.

Iruka sat on his sofa, worrying the skin around his thumbnail with his teeth.

He'd done the dishes. He'd sorted his laundry. He'd cleaned the bathroom sink. He'd moved around the books and scrolls and manuals in his "library" and tried to organize them by topic. Finally he'd taken a bath to try and relax, even going so far as to dig out an old thriller and then bury himself inside it while lounging on his couch, though he'd ended up paying the most attention to his thumb anyhow.

He sighed, and tossed the book on the cushion at the far end, giving up. He just wasn't any good at waiting, and Kakashi was taking much too long. The clock above his door showed it had been over two hours since registration had ended–what could the Jounin be doing? Surely by now he'd have come over?

They'd talked about dinner and everything.

He couldn't stop thinking about what had happened in the conference room, from the moment he'd seen Genma all over his boyfriend to the look on Naruto's face before he ran off, leaving him alone on the steps. Iruka stood up and began pacing, hearing Naruto's last words repeat in his mind—

"… Not everyone's like Kakashi-sensei. He's probably up there waiting for you."

Compared to what was happening between Naruto and Sasuke, the things that Iruka had been upset about seemed totally insignificant. And despite the murderous intent behind the look he'd gotten from Kakashi during registration, he just couldn't believe that he had done something to warrant it. And the thing with Genma…?

There had to be an explanation.

Iruka quit his pacing and went to the door, slipping on his sandals and putting on his flak jacket. He unhooked the jacket he'd borrowed from Kakashi and went out the door, draping it over his arm and jumping off his balcony to head in the direction of his lover's apartment. If Kakashi wasn't coming to him, then he'd go over to the Jounin's. There were too many things that needed to be discussed to wait any more. Not that he'd be able to wait without going crazy from the anxiety—he hated when there was any kind of tension between them.

The afternoon had shifted lazily into evening, and the outdoor food vendors were gaining long lines of customers, some of the smaller children still dressed up in Yukata. The sky was thicker with clouds than the night before, and the air had taken on humidity, the kind that usually preceded a hard rain, although it still seemed far off.

Iruka took it all in academically, the higher functions of his brain trying to work out exactly what he wanted to ask, and what he needed to say to Kakashi. It was clear maybe some things should change.

Iruka moved quickly and efficiently over the village, coming to Kakashi's building and entering through the kitchen window, smirking that it was open for him. He hopped down from the counter and called Kakashi's name, but stopped when he caught sight of the coffee table.

Pausing to return Kakashi's jacket to the hook by the door, and eyeing the black cloak next to it in curiosity, Iruka went over to the coffee table to check what he was seeing. He sighed, biting his lip at the two kunai on the surface, both pointing towards the kitchen.

The kunai meant that the mission was in Konoha; they had a different weapon or combination to signify each country on the map. Two of them meant two days; he'd have to assume Tsunade didn't mean to keep Kakashi out of the Hunt if he had been there for registration. And the western direction—north was the bedroom, south was the front door—meant that it wasn't likely to get him killed.

Iruka's brows drew together anyways; Kakashi had never pointed them in any other direction, not even once.

At least now he knew Kakashi had an excellent reason for standing him up at dinnertime.

Iruka left the way he'd entered, closing the window behind him and feeling disappointed, although in a way he was glad for the reminder that ninja could never really have complete control of their lives. Kakashi could get called away at any time. And while not nearly as glamorous, Iruka could be scheduled at the mission office whenever it was required of him, no matter what he personally preferred or how badly he needed a break.

He stopped by his house long enough to change into some training clothes and restock his weapons pouches. Being a teacher did have its perks, and Iruka finally had a great excuse to use the restricted training grounds for more than the usual five-days-a-week practice session. He could probably get a good long workout in before the rain started.

Iruka was certainly no slacker when it came to training and combat, or he'd be a very poor teacher indeed–so he knew better than to rise to Sasuke's taunt. But it also wouldn't hurt to do some more serious training before the Hunt, and it was a much better way to pass the time than sitting cooped up in his apartment. If he couldn't spend his time with his favorite person, then he would spend it on his second favorite activity.

Iruka flushed. His first favorite activity would probably have to wait until after the Hunt, or at least until the Hunt was in full swing if his lover was away on a mission up until it started. And here Kakashi had probably been joking when he'd suggested it! Iruka chuckled as he left his apartment, though he felt more wistful than embarrassed at the idea.

Being a ninja wasn't the easiest life, so maybe it was best to grab hold of the good things whenever you could.

He adjusted his katana in its back sheath, and dashed off into the sticky summer evening, the distant drumming of the festival music rumbling softly in his wake.

Naruto felt surprisingly serene hopping carefully down the stairs to Sasuke's kitchen. He often did after a good fight, but he hadn't been so sure the conclusion of this one would lead to any kind of serenity.

While it had been a little scary, fighting Sasuke today had been a very good thing–there was something new between them now, some sort of recognition that hadn't been there before. As long as he knew his teammate hadn't lied, they had a chance of keeping this bond alive.

It wasn't exactly like before… but it was comfortable. Startlingly so. Planning out a mission, which is what they were doing, in a way, was a familiar routine. They were good at being ninjas, they were good at being teammates. It was a good place to begin.

After wiping the blood from his arm with a paper-towel, and washing the dirt and grime from his hands and skin, Naruto put the teakettle on to boil and got out two mugs. He opened the plastic from the fresh box of tea in the cupboard, figuring that it had to be something Sasuke liked if he had just bought it. Naruto wasn't picky about tea. And teabags were easier than loose tea, anyhow.

Once that was set, he grabbed a banana from the counter and ate it in three seconds on his way across to the pantry. He was starving. He'd replace the banana if Sasuke really minded.

Naruto opened the door, eyes sweeping across the shelves looking for the medical kit; he found it on the floor, tucked under the bottom shelf. He hadn't anticipated the need for bandages today, so obviously he hadn't brought anything useful with him. His pouches were empty now anyhow, weapons scattered all over Sasuke's lawn. The only thing he still carried was the book Kakashi had given him—Naruto had completely forgotten all about it until Sasuke had brought up where he'd been all afternoon.

He wouldn't lie, if Sasuke asked him directly if he had porn in his pocket… but it definitely wasn't the right time to go into any of that. They may have called a truce, but it was a fragile one—things could still go all wrong if they jumped too quickly.

In any case, he didn't think either of them had the energy for more than strategy at this point, which was a good thing; being in a small, stuffy room with his rival didn't make his body respond to him any less, despite what they'd been through, or how dirty they were. Some memories were still fresh.

Sasuke said he hadn't kissed the Princess. Naruto didn't understand how that could be, but somehow he could feel that Sasuke had been as truthful about that as everything else. He'd really had a plan; they were going over it right now. It even made sense. But the kiss and the Princess still bothered him, much more than he wanted to admit. Sasuke had very strong ideas about his clan.

Naruto set the kit on the island, and searched some of the lower cabinets to find the trashcan for the banana peel. His knee hurt the worst; he knelt down to look it over, picking out some pebbles and bits of grass from the skinned surface. Hopefully the Kyuubi wouldn't refuse to heal him overnight as usual.

He took out the scissors from the kit and finished cutting his pants where the ninja wire had started the job. The pants were shot. He'd have to get new ones. Once he'd trimmed the pants into shorts, he spread some ointment on his hurt knee and bandaged it tight, making sure he could still bend and move unhindered.

He touched more ointment to his other kneecap, sliced across in three lines by Sasuke's wires. His arm was next, the minty grease stopping the blood from pooling along the shallow wound; the scratch was longer than he'd thought, now that he was looking. Satisfied, he stood and went to the sink. He wet another paper-towel, wiping the cool cloth over his sweaty, dirty face and neck. His lip had stopped bleeding, but was still a bit tender. He'd have to be careful when drinking his tea.

He threw the detached legs of his pants away, putting everything else back into the kit and trying to close the lid, but he met with surprising resistance. Frowning, Naruto removed some of the items, reorganized and tried again—it still wouldn't shut. He tried a third time, going so far as to lean part of his weight on the lid, but something was still not right. Scowling, he took everything back out again, determined to figure out what he was doing wrong.

Bandages… Gauze… Disinfectant… Pain pills… Ration bars… Ointment… Tape… Ointment… Splints… Band-Aids… Wait.

His blue eyes flicked over the two jars of ointment. He pushed aside the one he knew he'd just used, and reached for the larger jar. He turned it over in his hand so he could read the whole label: ABURAME.

"Shino?" Naruto squinted at it in confusion.

Where had this come from? What was it doing here? Had it come from inside the kit, or had he put it in there by mistake?

Naruto set the mysterious jar aside, returned the rest of the items to the kit, and closed the lid. The clasps caught smoothly, without the slightest need for force.

Eyeing the jar with suspicion, Naruto walked over to the pantry and set the medical kit back in its spot on the floor. He was reaching out to close the door when his eyes caught a familiar sight on the uppermost shelf. He instantly forgot all about the jar—the top level of Sasuke's pantry was completely full of Ramen.

Sasuke didn't eat Ramen, not like Naruto did. And this was a lot of it. Much more than Sasuke would ever eat on his own in an entire month. Even two months. What was he doing with so much Ramen? Like he was stocking up for…

The teakettle started whistling, a sharp noise that rose in pitch until Naruto dashed over and turned the heat off. Getting the mugs ready, he poured in the steaming liquid, and set the kettle back down, leaning against the island for a moment and gazing across the room at the pantry.

A shelf of Ramen. A shelf of Ramen.

Naruto turned around, gazing out the window at the front yard where their fight had begun. The trees waved their branches in the wind; dust and twigs shuffled across the yard from the gusts. He glanced up into the clouds, not dramatically darker but definitely thick and moving too fast, the setting sun a dim glow behind the movements. It was going to rain, later. No wonder it was so humid.

He straightened up, moving to the pantry and shutting the door. Then he picked up the tea mugs and headed toward the steps.

They had some serious planning to do.

Though his knee felt considerably better from being bandaged, Naruto was equally careful climbing back up to the second floor; he didn't want to spill the tea. Sasuke was sitting calmly right where he'd left him, though his red eyes were studying the map. 'What does he still need the Sharingan for?' Shrugging it off, Naruto knelt down on his good knee, and passed Sasuke one of the mugs.

Sasuke looked up as his hand closed around the ceramic; their fingers touched briefly as Sasuke accepted the weight of the beverage and brought it to his lips. Naruto watched his teammate swallow and then he set his own mug next to the engraved map, untouched.

He quirked his mouth in a smile, getting comfortable for the rest of their session. His voice showed a touch of eagerness, "Now, where were we?"

Nothing was more boring than bragging.

Especially when it was a Feudal Lord bragging about his racing studs and their purebred offspring. It was all Kakashi could do to keep his tensai mind's attention on such banal conversation; the dinner dishes had long been cleared away and the general mood in the room was one of lazy self-centeredness and pomp.

Of course, like every group of people, there were always one or two individuals in the ranks who just reeked of trouble. Kakashi had noticed Lords Shimoda and Osada at registration, muttering to each other and eyeing the double doors with something akin to trepidation while being forced to wait like everyone else. Their behavior was equally suspicious here, seated primly as they were in their fancy robes, not deigning to converse whatsoever. They did exchange several looks; Kakashi would keep a close eye on them.

The Daimyo sat at the front of the room, as to be expected. His two guards stood imposingly behind him, armed with Katana and dressed in the Shijimi colors like Hisagi–black and gold. Fujimiya, Kakashi noted, sat next to the Daimyo at table, his Katana resting on the floor beside him.

While the other guards had spoken not a word, Fujimiya had revealed himself to be a close advisor in addition to head of security. The man conversed easily on a wide range of topics, and the rest of the Lords, if they didn't quite treat him as an accepted part of the group, were indulgent of both his presence and opinions.

Three of the wealthier Lords had guards with them as well, but the rest simply had their attendants or aides as escorts. The Inn would be safe enough, nestled in a hidden village of ninjas. Unless of course there were the makings of a civil war between the men seated here, but Kakashi would have heard as much either from his own sources, or the Hokage if that was the case. It wasn't like she didn't know what went on just about everywhere.

Most of the samurai employed by the Lords would be out guarding the makeshift stables; that would logically be their first concern. While these men got along politically, insofar as that was possible, there would not be much to stop them from going after each other's stock either in sabotage, or theft, or illegal breeding. It was amusing they hadn't hired more ninja–if any–considering where they were. All he'd seen so far were groups of Samurai.

With a more noticeable shifting in the atmosphere that preceded rain, the leader of Fire Country decided to get down to business.

"Gentlemen," the Daimyo cleared his throat.

All conversation stopped, though there were still some low murmurs coursing through the room. One of the lesser Lords began to fan himself against the increasingly sticky air. Anticipating a lengthy discussion, Kakashi slipped the edge of his mask down so he could chew and swallow a tasteless ration bar. It wouldn't do for his hungry stomach to give him away.

"Tomorrow is a very exciting day–one we've all been waiting for, and for more than one reason." There were excited murmurs in response to this, and the Daimyo flashed a wide grin across his rotund face.

"The esteemed Tsunade-sama has given us the use of the stadium to have our Show. We are here, of course, to exhibit and trade our finest racehorses in all the country–I know I'm not alone in wanting to breed a line that will finally beat those wretched animals in Wind Country!" His voice grew quite loud, and moved the rest of the Lords to shout their agreement.

Shijimi-dono laughed, holding up a hand to rein them back in. "Now, in regards to the main event of Konoha's festival, I will extend some rules here that will make it more… exciting."

Kakashi watched Lord Shimoda meet the beady eyes of Lord Osada from where they were sitting.

The Daimyo continued, "As you know, each of us will be permitted to submit a single one of our finest and fastest specimens for the event, ten in total–"

"–Are you not including the Princess? Shijimi-dono?" Lord Nishimoto continued to fan himself as he interrupted, bowing his head to make up for the impoliteness. "I know she has several magnificent steeds here with her."

"If I may," Fujimiya bowed to the Daimyo, who nodded once; his face was taut from the very mention of his daughter. "The Princess has expressed no desire to participate in this aspect of the competition. She will, of course, have her stable represented at tomorrow's Show, and has made arrangements accordingly."

There were nods as well as the shaking of heads at this news. Kakashi didn't know enough about the Lords' respective stables to hazard a guess as to what any of the reactions meant. The Daimyo cleared his throat abruptly and continued.

"Out of the ten racehorses submitted to the Hokage, only two will be chosen. Therefore, to make things more interesting, I'd like to arrange it so that the owners of those two horses will get opening bids on the horse of their choice at the next day's Post-Race Auction."

He smiled, watching the appreciative murmurs that accompanied the rule; all of them must think they had a good chance at winning the privilege.

"Now," the Daimyo paused to drink the Sake in his cup, "We will have many opportunities to wager on this ninja competition as the different stages unfold. I, for one, am impressed with how Tsunade-sama has arranged things–for a female ninja that is!"

Kakashi rolled his eye as the room full of men had their little joke; either he was going to grind his teeth down to nubs from irritation, or fall asleep from the boredom of it all. It was ironic that the missions that didn't put his life in jeopardy were usually the most stressful.

He perked up at the tiny beep that only he could hear, and reached his fingers quickly to his earpiece as the clone gave him an update.

"The performance has been cancelled, due to the approaching inclement weather. The Princess is on her way back to the Inn. Her guard questioned several locals while waiting or her to change back out of costume. His questions are unknown at this time."

Kakashi signed off communications for the time-being, until Tomoko and company had returned to the building. He frowned. Something was definitely going on, the Princess at the heart of it, and he didn't feel good about what it could mean. He flicked his eyes in the direction of a man's hesitant cough. Evidently he wasn't the only one who felt uneasy.

"If I may express some concern, Shijimi-dono."

This Lord, Tashima from the Southernmost province of the Country, kept his head bowed until the Daimyo addressed him.

"I'm sure there is no reason for concern," the Daimyo replied, fighting the tightness in his voice, "But please, let us clear the air. We are all friends here."

Kakashi knew from the tension in the room that this was far from true, while also not quite a lie.

"Thank you," Lord Tashima raised his head, his long hair falling unbraided down the back of his green and gold robes. "Forgive the change in topics, but it seems that the Princess has taken an… interest… in one of the competitors. Can we assume that any wagering on that person will be… unappreciated… to your honorable family?"

"My daughter is young and impetuous," The Daimyo answered sternly, waving away the idea with an impatient hand. "Disregard her girlish behavior. I assure you, my family has no claims on any of the competitors, and you may wager on whomever you choose, Tashima-san."

The Daimyo seemed annoyed, ready to get off the subject of his daughter and her earlier display in the Hokage tower conference room.

"I will not stop anyone from betting as they see fit. However…" he met the eyes of each of the Lords, Fujimiya moving a hand to rest on the hilt of his Katana in an unspoken warning in tandem with his patron's actions.

"I will not tolerate anyone taking matters into their own hands. I have already dispatched my insurance that the Uchiha will compete as planned. He is now under my protection."

The Daimyo milked the sudden silence, gesturing to the servant nearby to pour him some Sake. He drank it, slowly and elegantly, and set the tiny cup down on the table with a clatter.

"Besides, I'm sure this Scavenger Hunt would be awfully dull,without a Ninja from one of Konoha's most unique bloodlines to entertain us."

Kakashi was probably the only one aside from Fujimiya and the Daimyo's guards that didn't jump at the sudden thunderclap. The noise was muffled by the walls of the Inn, but was still impressive enough to inspire a wave of panicked gasps. Kakashi watched everyone's nervous twitches without amusement.

These people obviously had no respect at all for the shinobi that policed their lands and supported their rule over Fire Country. He couldn't imagine how Tsunade could stand to deal with them on a consistent basis. Didn't they understand how precarious their status and lifestyle were? In one snap of her fingers, Tsunade could crown herself ruler of Fire Country with little to no loss. He shook his head, crouched silently between ceiling and floor beams.

"I've always thought–" the Daimyo indicated to his servant to pour him some more Sake, regaining control of the conversation with the skill of an old politician, "–The best races are the ones with several stallions. Lord Iwase, is it true you brought the animal of yours that you claim can beat Lord Nishimoto's blood-bay?"

Lord Nishimoto laughed, taunting the rest of them in good spirits, "Ah, but Tougarashi has never been beaten in my province. I doubt he'll lose here!"

Lord Iwase responded accordingly, sitting a bit taller on his plush cushion. "Obviously you haven't been informed of my horse's latest timed lap. Kyoran will run circles around Tougarashi in the scheduled race, mark my words." He ended with an amused smirk, nodding back at Lord Nishimoto with gentlemanly decorum.

The Daimyo drank his Sake, pleased that his Lords were following his preferred topic of conversation as they wound down the hours of the evening with more bragging about the size and speed of their stock. Kakashi yawned, absently keeping track of who boasted about what horse, slipping his mask back up over his mouth. Maybe when everyone was asleep he could raid the kitchens for some real food.

It seemed to go on forever, until a Shijimi servant entered the room, bowing to the Daimyo and whispering a message. At the same time, Kakashi heard the telltale beep from his clone that meant the Princess would be arriving shortly. Lord Shijimi gave the messenger further instructions, and the servant bowed again and backed out of the banquet room. The Daimyo had a brief exchange with Fujimiya before clearing his throat.

"The hour has grown quite late. Let us adjourn for the evening; tomorrow is a very busy day, and we will all need our rest."

Kakashi instructed the clone to follow Lords Shimoda and Osada to their rooms as soon as he arrived, and report if they discussed anything of interest. He'd take over watching the Princess and Daimyo together from here.

Just then, Tomoko entered the room in a rain-splattered cloak, Hisagi and several escort attendants behind her. Kakashi could see her jaw tighten when she saw the room was full–she'd clearly been expecting to face her father on his own. She knelt and bowed gracefully anyhow, her long brown ponytail cascading over her shoulder and brushing the floor in her obeisance. Hisagi and the rest of the staff knelt behind her, completing the show of submission that had been her father's intention.

With a gloating smirk, the Daimyo waved a hand of dismissal to the group of Lords, who rose sporadically and exited the room with a wide range of expressions as they glanced at Tomoko's bowing form, nodding their polite farewell to the Daimyo before passing through the doors. Kakashi was impressed that the girl somehow made her position into an insult anyways; there was clearly no love lost between these two.

Once they were alone, or as alone as royalty could ever be with guards and advisors everywhere they turned, the Daimyo sipped more Sake in a cruel delaying tactic before he addressed his only heir.

"Ah, daughter. How I'd hoped that by now you'd have learned the true meaning of obedience." He chuckled sarcastically, glancing at Fujimiya who wasn't hiding his smirk.

Tomoko lifted her head at her father's acknowledgement, kneeling on the tatami mats and looking every bit the Princess despite having ridden through the first torrents of rainfall.

"I don't need to tell you what the law of Fire Country states, father. I obey the law unquestioningly."

The Daimyo sneered, "Yes, the law. I should never have allowed a daughter of mine to learn to read."

Tomoko laughed, "And you think you could have stopped me?"

"There's no law that prevents me from locking you up, Tomoko," The Daimyo's face was getting purple with aggravation. Fujimiya wasn't too happy with the conversation either, his hands had made fists on his thighs where he knelt next to his leader. "You should be glad of the freedoms you have."

Tomoko smirked at her sire, nonplussed. She spread her hands, "And how would my imprisonment help you, father? The people of Fire Country enjoy seeing their Princess travel and perform. They see you to be a fair and equitable parent and leader because of it." She paused, her voice steeling under her father's glare. "Like it or not, I'm your heir, and you cannot force me to marry. The law permits me my choice of husbands, and I've made it."

The Daimyo's shout was adamant, "You will NOT marry one of them!"

Tomoko raised one eyebrow at his outburst, folding her hands calmly in her lap. "If you will not agree to my request, then you leave me no choice father. Are you willing to consider what I've asked?"

"You are a Princess of Fire Country, Tomoko!" The Daimyo shrugged off the hand Fujimiya had placed on his shoulder to help calm him down. "No daughter of mine will wed a Ninja–I'll not allow it."

Tomoko remained calm, playing her father expertly. "Uchiha Sasuke is practically royalty, the heir to the noblest of Shinobi clans. I should think you'd be pleased by my choice."

"There's no such thing as a noble Shinobi, Tomoko, they are soldiers who do whatever we pay them to do, tools we use to rule the land!" The Daimyo slammed his fist on his food table, spilling the bottle of Sake over the far side. His servants scurried over to correct the mess, but his eyes never left his daughter's face.

She looked him squarely in the eye, "And that is where we will always disagree."

The tension in the room was thick; even Kakashi could feel it. After two whole minutes of silence, the guards and attendants as still as the grave, Tomoko aimed to wound.

"While the law protects my choice, I have graciously offered one to you. You will have to decide whether it's worth a Shinobi as your successor to deny my request. Should you instead agree–I would of course reconsider my options for a more suitable husband. There is nothing more to say."

The Daimyo was furious, barely containing the rage that Kakashi could tell was bubbling under the surface of his twisted face. Unlike his daughter, Lord Shijimi seemed to have little control over concealing his emotions on certain topics.

"Get out of my sight," The man seethed, unable to even look at her for a moment. "I have nothing more to say to you."

"Goodnight, then, father." Tomoko bowed her head once more, her father's gruff voice halting her from rising.

"Hisagi!" he barked at the guard, who bowed instantly, pressing his knuckles into the mats. Tomoko raised her eyes enough to see her father's face, smirking at her like he had just thought of something evil.

"You will see to it that the Princess remains in her chambers tonight. If she so much as steps outside her door, you are to chop off her foot. And if anyone tries to get inside, I expect their head to be hung in this very hall. Understood?"

Hisagi didn't hesitate, "Yes! Shijimi-dono!"

"Take her away," The Daimyo gestured with distaste. "The sight of her sickens me."

Hisagi grunted in acquiescence, and Tomoko rose in a liquid motion to her feet, facing her father's disdain with aplomb. She was very good at knowing when to speak, and when to be silent. Whatever the underlying issue of their quarrel, Kakashi could see she was the clear victor.

Her attendants preceded her out of the banquet hall, Hisagi taking up the rear and ushering her past the doors. As Kakashi crawled along the ceiling in silent pursuit, he could hear Fujimiya speak up.

"Excellent decision, Oyabun," the man tried to soothe the Daimyo's ruffled feathers. "Hisagi is good, my best swordsman, and completely trustworthy–he'll make Captain soon. He somehow keeps the Princess in line; she's never once escaped when he's been on duty."

"Tch," the Daimyo snapped his fingers at his food servant, and held up his empty Sake cup. The servant procured a fresh bottle and hurried to pour. Lord Shijimi tossed it back immediately, wiping his lips with his hand. "That little bitch!"

Fujimiya scratched again at his own temple, chuckling. "No need to worry now. I sent Kotsubaki and Sentarou after the Uchiha. They're from the first squadron; he'll not be able try anything. And with Hisagi guarding Tomoko-hime instead of taking his regular night off? Things will all work out in your favor, Oyabun."

Kakashi furrowed his brows as he slipped between the wooden beams. Once back in the laundry, he conjured another clone, and sent it to watch over the Daimyo. Then he henge'd into a bumbling, drunken festival-goer, splashing water on himself to make it look like he'd been soaked by the rain which was now coming down quite steadily outside. He could hear the echoes of it clearly from the stairwell.

Tomoko's party climbed on in silence, and Kakashi kept up his lurching and giggling for the benefit of the other patrons; he obviously couldn't let his target hear him follow all the way to the top floor. Once he could go no farther in disguise, he went invisible and crept along the wall a safe distance behind the group of five. He didn't want to use up too much chakra if he could help it–he still had another day of this, and then the Hunt. Lord only knew when he'd sleep.

On the fifth floor, the two extra attendants bowed and retreated to their quarters in the main hall. The Princess nodded her acknowledgement, but continued briskly to the short corridor where her suite was located. If her father was really so worried about her sneaking out, Kakashi had to question the sense of putting her in a suite where her door wasn't immediately visible.

Thank God he didn't have children–Kakashi couldn't imagine what it must be like to worry and fight with them like this, or even close to this. Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura were quite enough.

Almost exactly as before, Tomoko stopped a short distance from her door, speaking to her bodyguard but not looking at him at all.

"Did you get it?"

Hisagi waited a moment before answering, parroting his previous answer. "I protect and serve."

She made no reply, save for rapping sharply on her door and brushing past the old woman Ayame when she'd opened it. The handmaiden ducked into the chambers almost unnoticed, and Ayame raised a brow at Hisagi. Kakashi couldn't see his face, but whatever was on it made Ayame press her lips together. With a sigh, she closed the door, the guard taking his original position in front of the door, crossing his arms.

Before Kakashi had completed the seals that would allow him to melt through the wall into the Princess's suite, he caught sense of a familiar presence coming up the stairs. Retreating quickly and invisibly back to the third floor, Kakashi slumped against the wall with a drunken smile on an illusionary face, and met the squished mug of his smallest canine companion.

Pakkun sat down by his sprawled feet, lolling his tongue and making a puddle, and Kakashi giggled like an intoxicated fool and rubbed behind his wet ears while several patrons passed. Once they were alone, he stopped the absurd act, and Pakkun closed his jaws and regarded him with intense eyes.

"Yo."

Kakashi raised a brow, his stomach sinking at the grim expression on the dog's face. He opened his mouth to reply, and heard the beeping in his earpiece from one of the clones.

Lords Shimoda and Osada have retired to their separate rooms, alone. They are meeting someone tomorrow at noon near the Stadium. Intended target and purpose of meeting as of yet unknown."

Kakashi instructed the clone to wait on that floor, to see if any of the Lords tried to meet each other, or leave the Inn. Kakashi sighed, turning his attention back to his dog. He needed to get back to the Princess, but he also wanted to know what had happened with Sasuke.

He stood up, glad that nobody else seemed to be stumbling into the Inn from the pouring rain, and that the Inn's attendants were busy elsewhere. He picked the dog up and tucked him under his arm, dashing invisibly to the window at the end of the hall. He climbed out into the downpour, running up the side of the building in-between the windows. He gauged where the Princess' suite was located, and used his chakra tracer to check for inhabitants in the room next door. Finding no one, he jimmied the lock on the window with a kunai and tossed Pakkun inside, following soon after and shoving the window closed.

He was now completely wet.

Kakashi moved directly to the adjoining wall and pressed his ear to it, listening for the sounds of the Princess talking while he used the chakra tracer to detect where each of the three ladies were. He heard nothing, except what sounded like someone making tea–that would be Ayame, with the handmaiden close by. Tomoko was in her bedchamber. Kakashi straightened up and leaned against the wall instead, senses alert for any further noises.

Pakkun shook himself from snout to rump, spraying water all over the empty bedroom. Kakashi took in the traveling bags, and the several other signs that someone was staying there; this must be where Ayame and the handmaiden slept. He folded his arms across his body, bracing himself for the dog's report, the mood somber.

"You have something to report on Sasuke."

"Hn," Pakkun regarded him wryly from floor level. "Do I ever."

"I don't think that's what Tsunade meant by 'what you need to get in,' Naruto," Sasuke said again, his brows knit in a taut line over his bright red eyes.

"But it's the only thing that makes sense," Naruto tried to tell him once more, pointing to the Forest of Death. "Look, she said she'd be sectioning off part of the forest that we can't get into until we find Ibiki. And when we find him, he's supposed to give us something so we can get in, right? Well you need a key to get into the Forest of Death, so he's obviously going to give us a key!"

Sasuke only sighed, toying with his empty tea mug by turning it in circles on the tabletop. Naruto waited for him to say something. "There are too many flaws with that Naruto."

"What flaws?" Naruto sat up on his good knee, gesturing excitedly, "There's more gates than there are competitors, right? He'll have a key for each of us, and then we can match it to the right gate and go in!"

Sasuke wasn't looking at the map anymore, gazing off to the side as if he were looking far into the future, pondering a multitude of things that Naruto couldn't even comprehend. Instead of responding, Sasuke changed the subject.

"How many of those torches did you get from that idiot salesman? There was at least one."

"Huh?" Naruto sat back on his heel.

This is how it had been for the last hour, back and forth, discussing new ideas, discarding them, and all the while Sasuke sitting there with those eyes, working out a hundred different strategies at once.

Naruto sighed, trying not to get too annoyed. "Just one, I didn't buy any more. Why?"

Sasuke shrugged, turning the parchment pages towards him again and re-reading all the notes they'd added to the list and the outline since Naruto had brought the tea. It felt like it had been ages, and it also felt like they'd only been at it a short while. Naruto leaned forward and rested his nose gently on the top of his bent, bandaged knee, hiding his spreading grin.

This was fun! It was fun because they weren't going to die–they usually didn't get to take this much time with analysis. In the field, they had to be decisive, quick–move in and get out alive. And when Kakashi was there, forget it. He and Sasuke could talk in another language entirely. Naruto was resigned most of the time to be informed at the end of their deliberations when, where, and how often he could bash something up.

But this was different. He'd been thinking about this competition for days now, and obviously so had Sasuke. Fitting their ideas together was challenging in some ways, but so far he liked what they had come up with.

…At least the parts they had agreed on.

Sasuke shifted back to the page of names, still turning the tea mug absently. "Two Byakugan users…" he murmured to himself, and then looked up. "We've still got to figure out what you're going to carry the spheres in. With both of us collecting for you, they'll get bulky, not to mention heavy."

Naruto perked up, "Oh, I already have a plan for that."

Sasuke's eyes met his in a silent question, one brow rising in partial disbelief. Naruto felt a bit affronted.

"What? You think I can't figure something like that out on my own?" His voice was a bit harsher than he'd intended for it to come out.

Sasuke's brows both lowered, and after a moment he sighed, redirecting his attention to the parchment once more, though Naruto was sure he'd been about to insult him. Naruto tightened his lips together. He really didn't want to fight anymore. After a moment, he asked a question to make up for his short temper.

"Hey, Sasuke." Naruto watched his teammate lean his forehead into his hand as he read.

"Hmm." Sasuke didn't look up, switching back to their outline and checking something Naruto couldn't begin to guess. He swatted a mosquito on his arm.

"What's with that jar on the counter downstairs? The label says ABURAME, did you get it from Shino?"

Sasuke glanced at him, paused, and then sat up. He crossed his fingers in front of his face, and Naruto waited expectantly for him to say something. The soft light of the sconces made the room a bit eerie from the darkness that had closed in outside.

"Did you open it? Notice anything unusual about it?"

Naruto frowned, "Er… no… Was I supposed to?"

Sasuke shrugged, "I was curious what you made of it."

"I thought it was an ointment at first, but it didn't fit in the medical kit." Naruto shrugged. "I figured you'd know what it was since it was on the counter."

Sasuke inclined his head, deep in thought. "I found that jar earlier today, but I don't know what it has inside it yet, and I don't know if it was made by Shino's clan. It might be useful, it might not… I'm going to test it tomorrow. It was something of Itachi's, so I'd expect it to be useful but…" Naruto watched him rub his temple, then tuck some of his hair back behind his ear. "We'll see."

They sat in silence for a minute, and Naruto became aware for the first time how tired Sasuke looked. His brows had been creased since they'd started planning, and the nervous turning of the tea mug didn't seem to fit his usual cool demeanor. The air felt thicker than ever; it was going to rain, and soon.

"Hey," Naruto adjusted his position a bit. "We've got almost everything worked out. Why don't we call it a night?"

Sasuke's expression didn't change as he looked into Naruto's eyes, even when the booming thunderclap reverberated all through the house with a crack. Naruto couldn't help but glance back through the open door. The sudden silence afterwards made him want to laugh from the tension.

"Ha ha," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess we should consider what to do if it's still raining tomorrow night, too."

"Hn," Sasuke remarked, setting aside their notes and passing over his empty tea mug so that he could replace the cover over the map. Naruto picked up his own mug and got to his feet, his muscles cramped from all the kneeling.

"It's obvious that the rain will end by morning," his teammate commented, moving around the table and gesturing for Naruto to precede him through the door.

Naruto did, choosing to disregard Sasuke's imperious tone as he descended the steps, hearing the first splashes of raindrops on the windows in the kitchen below. Although the house was mostly dark, Naruto moved past the island and put the mugs into the sink without knocking anything over, and joined Sasuke in the entryway. He began slipping his toes into his sandals in preparation for leaving. Though the shadows had consumed everything around them in variables of gray, Naruto could still see the red tint to Sasuke's eyes as he watched him from his spot on the wall, arms crossed.

Naruto wiggled his foot to get his heel in place, and then unhooked his jacket from the rack, all set to go. They stood there, silent save for the soft pings of the rain.

"Before I release the barrier, let's make sure we both understand what's happening tomorrow." Sasuke stood away from the wall, rubbing his temples again.

Naruto nodded, "I'll come back first thing, and we'll go over the moves we talked about and finalize the plan. And then we'll leave for the Hunt from here."

"Right," Sasuke looked towards the door, frowned, and then their eyes met once more. "Bring all the weapons you want to use, and your combat gear, the things you're the most used to fighting with. And I want to see all the explosives you got from that salesman; there might be something in there that we could use."

"Okay," Naruto agreed.

It seemed simple enough if you left out all the emotional stuff. Like the fact that he was going home to sleep, instead of upstairs. In one short afternoon so much had changed. But it didn't feel right to stay… and Sasuke hadn't asked him to, in the first place.

When he was satisfied he'd left nothing out of his instructions, Sasuke moved to the door and knelt. Naruto could see the faint tremor in his teammate's shoulders as he made the seals and released the jutsu, and Naruto's ears popped from the sudden absence of the barrier. Sasuke kept his hands on the door for a moment, and then stood, opening the wooden panel with a soft creak.

Naruto moved up to the doorway, wondering what it was he wanted to say before he left, when he sensed movement not too far away from the house. Sasuke's head snapped up, and they both automatically flattened on either side of the doorway as they looked into the night. Naruto's hand dove into his kunai holster, but found nothing there with which to arm himself.

"Two," he commented, glancing at his rival with a furrowed brow. The intruders hardly had any chakra signature to speak of. "Ninja?"

"I don't think so," Sasuke shook his head. "Not strong enough."

"I'll check it out," Naruto said, creating a clone and sending it quickly out into the darkness before Sasuke could protest. Sasuke scowled, but refrained from comment.

Naruto pursed his lips, but took advantage of the waiting period to ask, "So it's a two-way barrier then, since we couldn't sense anyone out there while it was up?"

Sasuke tightened his mouth, then looked away from him, "No one can cross it, either way. If I were alone, I'd have left it up all night and dealt with anyone out there tomorrow when it was light."

"I see." Naruto turned back to the open doorway, seeing his clone dart back across the courtyard and into the house, ready to report.

The clone was panting from the sprint. "Two men, armed with Katana. Scouts. Easily avoidable. They've stationed themselves undercover in the main street. It's dark, but they seem to be wearing black and gold."

Naruto clenched his teeth. "Shijimi clan."

Sasuke met his eyes calmly as he said the words, and Naruto felt his fingers tighten into a fist. He patted the clone on the shoulder in thanks, and then released the jutsu with a puff of smoke, once again alone with Sasuke in the dark entryway.

"Are they guarding you?" Naruto broke the silence, "Or are they waiting to attack you when you leave?"

Sasuke's red eyes glared at him for a moment, and then he moved a step away from the wall. "I'm not going anywhere, Naruto. I have nothing to do with them or the Shijimi clan."

"I didn't ask that, Sasuke," Naruto kept his voice calm.

"Well I'm telling you again, in case you still think–" He cut himself off abruptly, and Naruto glanced away from the intensity behind the statement, even half-complete. Another minute of silence stretched taut between them.

"Can I ask you something, Sasuke?" He turned back to face his rival, adjusting his jacket to hang more comfortably over his left arm. Sasuke raised an eyebrow and waited for him to say what was on his mind.

"Why are you helping me?" He held his breath.

Sasuke seemed to relax a fraction, obviously expecting a different question, maybe one that was harder to answer. Naruto watched him, thinking of how much Sasuke had revealed during their planning, how much he'd been strategizing on his behalf, probably since they'd first talked about the Golden Kunai.

And the Ramen.

Sasuke met his eyes, finally. "We're teammates."

Naruto's heart squeezed tight with disappointment for a split second, but he didn't let it show on his face. After all, it was better than nothing, and it was what he'd asked for–the truth. He turned to go.

"And–"

Naruto halted, looking back over his shoulder, his heart speeding up in his chest from the anticipation. Sasuke cleared his throat, glancing down briefly, and then straightening up as they locked eyes again.

"–Because I want you to win."

Naruto felt a genuine grin spread across his face. At those words, the dark, moist night air held a comfort that had been missing, and he could see the corner of Sasuke's mouth curl in a slight smirk. It was just enough to change all his features back into the bored superiority that Naruto knew so well. The urge to go over to his rival and kiss that smirk from his lips was nearly unbearable, and Naruto grabbed onto the doorknob instead.

"Thanks, Sasuke," He said simply, turning enough to show his full grin before closing the door and darting off into the night.

Naruto evaded the two Samurai guards effortlessly, shaking his head, and before he knew it he'd crossed the village and was landing on his own balcony. He stood in front of his door before going inside, grateful to be out of the downpour. He looked out over his street, everything dripping and gray, the full moon shut out by the heavy, water-laden clouds.

"Sasuke," he whispered to himself, pushing his sodden hair out of his eyes, and then he turned to unlock the door.

He fumbled with his key before finally getting it right; his right arm was incredibly sore, and he was much more tired and worn out than he'd thought. In fact, he hadn't slept at all the night before. It was bound to have caught up with him at some point.

He disappeared inside the tiny, pitch black apartment, tossing his ruined jacket on top of the heap of comforter in the corner and going directly to his fridge. He took out the carton of milk and gulped directly from it, emptying it halfway. He gasped, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and returning the carton to it's place, his belly full enough for him to get some sleep.

He stripped his wet clothing on the way to his small bed, not bothering to shower off the sweat, grime, or rain from his skin. Now that he was home, he only wanted to rest. He flopped onto his mattress, grabbing a fold of the blanket with his toes and passing it up to his hand so he could wrap himself up, comfortable and secure.

Naruto was surprised by the lingering scents from the night before, a tangle of his own smell and Sasuke's that mirrored how they'd curled up together before Sasuke had passed out, their limbs entwined while he'd held him and stroked his dark hair for hours. Naruto burrowed down into it, the memories vivid.

It could have been upsetting–but right then, it wasn't. Naruto tucked his blanket under his chin, and let the scents fuel his new goal.

As he drifted into slumber, he smiled against the sheets, determined to make even better memories than the ones recorded here.

"You were right," Pakkun paced back and forth in front of one of the twin beds, "Sasuke had me take him to Naruto."

"And then?" Kakashi prodded.

Pakkun stopped, looking up at him wryly. "You left out quite a bit, Kakashi," he chastised, "You didn't tell me this was a lover's quarrel, of a sort."

Kakashi's blue eye narrowed. "Tell me what you saw."

Pakkun sighed. "Sasuke and I followed Naruto's trail up to the top of the Hokage monument. We found trees blown to bits, and completely demolished rocks. Sasuke was shaken up by it, especially when we found Naruto's vomit."

The dog began to pace again, and Kakashi clenched his teeth. He knew Naruto wouldn't take it well that Sasuke was challenging them all in the Hunt unexpectedly. Not to mention the bit with the Princess. He could sympathize–if anyone ever touched Iruka they were dead. Period.

"From there, Naruto's trail led us to Sasuke's house. We found him standing in the yard, and he challenged Sasuke to a fight." Pakkun stopped pacing once more, glaring, "Remind me to bite the Kyuubi-brat for throwing a shuriken at me. That jackass!"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, but waited for Pakkun to continue, feeling grim. Challenging Sasuke was typical Naruto. It was never good when those two fought, especially when their emotions were so out of control. And of course neither of them would heed Tsunade's rule–not in this situation.

"Sasuke sent me away, but I was able to watch their fight undetected because of the chaos. They've grown impressively, Kakashi, though you'll be glad to know they didn't resort to their most powerful jutsus. Still, it wasn't fun to watch them."

"Could anyone else have seen them fight? They could get disqualified if it was reported."

Kakashi really wanted to ask if they were okay; he knew their skills, and while he hoped they'd have the sense to not kill each other, they could very well be seriously injured. It wasn't a good strategy before a major competition, and he wished he'd been there in case someone had had to stop them.

"I didn't sense anyone while they fought. It was a strange one, Kakashi. Sasuke did try to reason with him in the beginning, but Naruto was adamant. He said that Sasuke would acknowledge him, and also something about Sasuke's clan, how Sasuke had started the fight by choosing someone who could revive it. Anything you'd like to share with me, Kakashi?"

Kakashi watched his dog looking up at him expectantly, and sighed. "Princess Tomoko made a move on Sasuke at registration. It looked like they'd kissed, and not just a small kiss either. Sasuke actually held her off, but Naruto must have been fooled like everyone else, and clearly didn't take it well since they've recently started er…" Kakashi hesitated, "Let's just call it dating."

"Hmmm," Pakkun raised an interested eyebrow. "Then I really was smelling lust on them. It's never been that strong before. You should have told me they were mates, Kakashi."

"Perhaps I wanted to see if you'd pick up on it," Kakashi teased, without humor.

Pakkun glared. "It would have been hard to miss. The fight almost turned into mating, but the Kyuubi-brat checked himself before anything happened. He's strong, that one–I could smell the lust on the Uchiha from all the way across the yard."

Kakashi nodded, relieved that it hadn't gone that far–sex in anger could destroy two people worse than many other things. He was more than a little worried about what all this meant for their next missions.

"Anything else?"

Pakkun nodded, "After the fight, they both went inside. They'd called a truce of some kind, and Naruto asked about a plan. Then Sasuke put up some kind of barrier–I couldn't cross it anywhere, so I don't know what happened inside."

Kakashi cocked his head in interest. 'That's gotta be something of Itachi's.' The next time he visited, he'd take a closer look at it. For academic purposes only, of course.

Pakkun continued, "There must have been a genjutsu in the barrier as well, though it was ineffective on me–there were two Samurai skulking through the streets before full dark. I suppose they were looking for Sasuke's house, but they passed right by like it wasn't even there."

Kakashi nodded at the pug, "That would be the Daimyo's 'insurance.' He thinks two swordsmen can keep Sasuke from trying to visit the Princess during the night."

"Hn," Pakkun chuckled, baring his teeth in a ribald grin. "You mean it isn't obvious that Uchiha Sasuke wasn't made for women?"

Kakashi chuckled, smirking beneath his damp mask at the Pug's dripping sarcasm. He wiped a trickle of water from his exposed cheek, shaking his wet hair further back from his face to drip somewhere else. It was senseless to have Samurai out there in the rain, when they could be doing something much more productive.

"So they didn't find him. Good."

Pakkun made what counted for a shrug. "I stuck around until Naruto left. He and Sasuke talked by the door, and then he took off. Sasuke looked like he was about to fall asleep, certainly not about to go anywhere, so I tailed Naruto all the way to his apartment. I didn't smell sex on him, only a bit of ointment. And fox, of course. Nothing unusual."

"Hmmm." Kakashi was quiet for a moment, processing all the information.

There were several things to be glad about, but he also had some concerns. What had they done in Sasuke's house for the whole evening? If Pakkun had been truthful about the intensity of their fight and Naruto's destruction above the monument–and they'd have to have a talk about that later on–then what would make them hole-up in the house for the evening if it weren't for make-up sex?

"Did they say anything else? You said Sasuke tried to reason with him…" Kakashi watched his dog steadily, listening to the sounds of Ayame in the next room, offering the princess some tea amid the steady sound of raindrops.

"He only said that he had a plan, something about teamwork, which Naruto didn't believe. Sasuke insisted more than once that he was telling the truth. And he asked Naruto if he'd ever met Itachi, right before they went inside. He was picking up the necklace that Naruto had ripped off in the fight. Naruto said he hadn't met him before, at least that he could remember. That's all, Kakashi. Anything important?"

Kakashi thought hard. "Tell me more about the necklace. Naruto ripped it off?"

The dog nodded grimly. "Yeah. The fight turned ugly after that, and the first thing Sasuke did when it was over was retrieve it."

"It was a gift from Itachi," Kakashi mentioned to himself, thinking. Pakkun's ears flattened even more against his head.

"I never liked that one either," the Pug said vehemently.

Kakashi gave him a warning glare, "That's in the past now."

"Tch," Pakkun turned up his nose haughtily. "It was still unforgivable."

"In any case," Kakashi turned the subject quickly, touching the back of his neck for comfort. "I think we can infer that Sasuke intends to scare off some of Naruto's competition, therefore helping him to get to the final round. That must be the plan they were talking about."

"Teamwork, eh?" Pakkun sounded thoughtful.

"I'd suspected as much, from what Sasuke was wearing and also how he acted at registration." Kakashi agreed. "He'd probably expected to wear the necklace in the Hunt as well as registration, to further convince everyone else that he's just like Itachi. I'm not surprised he got angry that it was broken, especially since it had been a gift. He's always idolized Itachi."

Pakkun grunted, and Kakashi sighed.

"Good work, Pakkun. I was going to have you watch over the house, but it doesn't seem necessary. If Naruto could easily avoid two Samurai, there's nothing to worry about if they stake out the Uchiha district."

"Then if there's nothing else…?" Pakkun let the question hang, and Kakashi gave him the most genuine smile he could muster, cold and wet and hungry as he was.

"Thanks for the help, and take care," He waved his signature wave.

"Hn," the dog stood up on his short little legs. "And take care of yourself, too, while you're at it." Kakashi chuckled, and Pakkun disappeared in a bulbous cloud of smoke near floor level.

Kakashi leaned into the wall for a moment, his brain whirring through all the information that had poured into his brain over the afternoon and evening. Somewhere in all the tidbits, the plots of the Daimyo, Princess, Feudal Lords, and his students hid in the jumbled mess. And who knew what else he was liable to discover, before this was all said and done.

With gritted teeth, he flashed through the succession of hand seals that let him sink through the wall into the Princess' sitting room, where he could watch invisibly to see what she was up to. It was quiet; Ayame was reading by the light of a small lamp in the sitting room, and the handmaiden was mending what had to be one of Tomoko's costumes. The Princess was still shut inside her bedroom.

With any luck, everyone would be asleep soon, and he could get some food into his system. He'd always thought his brain worked better if his stomach was busy digesting.

If only he'd been able to eat with Iruka like they'd planned. Kakashi always missed the simpler comforts the most during a mission, especially when stuck in his home village where those things were tantalizingly close.

Sasuke leaned his forehead against the front door, listening to the sounds of the rain creating a symphony of percussion on every surface of the house.

"Idiot." Sasuke whispered, picturing his aggravating blond teammate.

Sighing heavily, he left the door to walk slowly up the stairs, his head throbbing worse than he'd ever felt it before. His brows were creased as far as they could go, though he wanted to crease them even more in anticipation of the moment he released the Sharingan. It wasn't going to be fun.

He'd already worked out how he could minimize the side effects, and once he got to his room he collected a change of clothes and some fresh towels, not turning on any lights. He drew himself a hot bath, and took the time to strip off his filthy, torn clothing, stepping into the glass shower and rinsing all the sweat and grime from his skin before getting down to business. He knew the layout of the house well enough that he could keep his eyes closed through all the preparations.

Sasuke felt remarkably better after getting clean, and he added some soothing oil to the steaming bath water that was ready to ease his cramped, sore muscles. Then he knelt on the cool tiles of the bathroom floor, a rolled-up towel ready. He took a deep breath, and finally allowed his eyes to shift back to their usual deep black, stunned by the sudden rush of pain that swept through his head.

He hunched over and brought the towel to his mouth, pride keeping him from screaming although he bit the folds of cloth hard enough to cramp his jaws. He could hardly breathe, and the second he'd tried to lean his head forward the pain had tripled, and that was more than he'd ever though was possible.

Sasuke concentrated on breathing, on keeping his eyelids shut tight, and on not passing out. He didn't actually retch, which was a good thing; he'd purposefully not eaten in case the pain was enough to make him nauseous. If it was this bad, he didn't want to know what would happen if he'd kept the Sharingan active for longer than the six hours he'd used it today.

As suddenly as it had pierced him, the pain ebbed away and Sasuke slumped forward onto the tiles in exhaustion. He kept his eyes closed, the cool ceramic a relief against his warm cheek. His clan was revered for this ability, he knew. But at times Sasuke wasn't sure it was something worth passing on.

Or maybe he was just tired and cranky, and hungry and confused.

With a sigh, Sasuke got up from the floor and retrieved the ration bar he'd placed on the marble countertop. He didn't have the energy to cook anything, much less taste anything, so the ration bar was ideal. He peeled the wrapper and began to eat as he crossed over to the oversized bathtub.

Sasuke sighed contentedly as he stepped in, first one foot, then the other, and then sinking into the warmth until only his head and the hand holding the bar were above the surface. He stretched out his legs, and rested his neck against the built-in headrest, moving only to take another bite of the nutrition-filled food supplement.

His thoughts started to drift to Naruto, and everything that happened that day, but the increasing tangles and knots of conflicting emotions frustrated him; Sasuke didn't feel up to picking the strands apart just then. He set the empty wrapper of his dinner on the edge of the tub and forced his mind to clear.

Naruto would come over tomorrow, they'd perfect their teamwork, and then they'd fight together in the Hunt. There was nothing more to worry about; anything else could wait. Still, the fact that he would be eighteen in one week held an importance that he'd never considered until now: he'd be of legal age to marry.

Except he only wanted one person, no matter how much of an idiot that person was.

Dunking his head underneath the hot bathwater helped to clear his mind, and he pushed all unwanted thoughts away along with his dripping black hair, keeping it out of his face and getting comfortable once more. To further protect himself, he repeated a phrase that had served him well in the past:

"A large amount of loud enemies is the friend of the Shinobi.
Hide and remain silent.
A Shinobi must understand the proper time when the enemy is tired and ill-prepared."

When his body was consumed by a passive, languid fatigue, Sasuke got out of the bath, and toweled himself dry, skipping the step of putting on pajamas and climbing into his large empty bed with nothing more than the desire for pure, uninterrupted sleep.

In the back of his mind, he was grateful that none of his bedding smelled like Naruto yet. It would be so much harder to sleep alone if it did.

The night was hushed, still.

Kakashi had temporarily released his invisibility, hidden as he was in the corner of the grand sitting room of the Princess's quarters. The open space was dark under the veil of steady, gentle rain and the late hour; the rest of the Inn was fast asleep, though he could hear Tomoko moving around in her bedchamber.

From the sounds, he guessed that she was restless. The noises didn't suggest training; much too arrhythmic. She was too self-confident to be the type to pace in anxiety. No, this seemed like something natural to her temperament–unwilling and unable to wait patiently for time to pass. Of course, this told him what he'd surmised was indeed correct: Tomoko had specific plans for the night, and at a specific time.

The clone on the floor below hadn't reported any activity from the Feudal Lords. The clone watching the Daimyo had informed him that after drinking a great deal of Sake with Fujimiya, the two men had retired, with little of interest by way of conversation and nothing Kakashi didn't already know. Both clones had been silent for nearly two hours.

Ayame had retired early, claiming a headache and giving Tomoko a knowing look as she'd bid goodnight to her patron, and the young girl had slipped away with the older woman, hardly breathing a word as she bowed, dismissed. Tomoko had shut her bedroom door soon after, and hadn't come out yet. Kakashi swallowed back a yawn. At least he'd dried off somewhat.

An hour past midnight, Kakashi instinctively went invisible, his blue eye instantly tuned to the Princess's door as she slid it open and then crept across the floor on silent bare feet. She'd changed into a silk robe, one that was probably a deep maroon though it was hard to be sure in the semi-light cast into the room from the fluttering festival lanterns outside the windows. Graceful and stealthy, she made her way to the front door, pressing her ear against it.

"Are you speaking to me yet?" she whispered, body tense as she awaited a response.

It came in two muffled taps against the wood.

A soft smile, one much more vulnerable than Kakashi had seen on her before, revealed a real woman instead of the cold and imperious daughter of a Daimyo. She turned the lever that unlocked the door with a tiny click, and stepped back several feet, her face settling into the saucy smirk that was her default expression.

Hisagi entered the darkened room and closed the door behind him, and Kakashi raised an eyebrow when the bodyguard turned the lever, locking them both in. The guard's face was unreadable as he stood opposite the Princess, everything about his stance and attire formal, even more so considering the Princess' silken-clad curves.

Somebody's father probably wouldn't be too happy about this meeting.

Tomoko walked slowly towards her guard, like she was memorizing his young, handsome features with hungry eyes, reaching a hand to his waist when they were only inches apart.

She let out a soft chuckle. "My father is a fool."

Slipping her other arm around his body, she raised her chin and lifted her heels from the floor, leaning into him slowly for a kiss. With hardly any effort–she hadn't been going for him as quickly as she had for Sasuke–Hisagi met her cheeks with his strong hands and kept her from completing the kiss in an odd parallel to the scene in the Hokage tower. His brows drew together in irritation as he held her several inches away, their eyes locking in sudden and thorough animosity.

Tomoko smacked his hands away with her dainty wrists, taking a small step back and glaring at him furiously. Hisagi didn't change his expression when returning his arms to his sides, and Kakashi saw the Princess bare her teeth right before her open palm made an imprint on the guard's jaw with a loud crack.

The noise sliced across the room. They stood there, equally furious and defiant. The Jounin suspected that Hisagi could have blocked her if he'd felt the necessity, and it said a lot that Tomoko had hit him anyway. She was the first to break the silence, careful even in her anger to keep the volume low.

"You knew from the beginning how it had to be, Hisagi. I will rule this Country, and I will do it better than my father. Whether you help me or not is your choice–but you can not change who I am. And I won't let you get in the way."

"No, you won't," he agreed with a sneer, "You'll play your games of intrigue while I stand in the wings, the ever-dutiful servant, the lackey that protects you as you crush other people's dreams in favor of your own!"

"You are forgetting the bigger picture!" She crossed her arms under her breasts, her long hair swishing behind her. "This is only one way to get what we want, and you know it's not my first choice! I know my father, and this will make him give in–there's no danger that I'll have to go through with it."

"And if he doesn't?" Hisagi asked, taking a step towards her in ominous anger. Tomoko didn't flinch, but Kakashi could see her fingers making a tiny fist under her arm to steady herself.

"You'll really marry him, that Uchiha Shinobi?"

He'd said the words like they were dirty; Kakashi didn't miss how his hand automatically moved to the hilt of the Katana strapped to his hip.

"It's a small thing, considering what's at stake," she faced him marvelously, for all his intimidating advancement. "You and I agreed it was the best way to bait my father, considering all the talk about him and his brother. Don't get all high and mighty now!"

Hisagi scowled at her, reaching up to her arms and closing his strong hands around her. "You'd really let him touch you? Princess?"

She didn't answer him, only glared with her lips pressed tight together. Hisagi pulled her to him roughly and forced her head back from the fury of his kiss. She struggled against his arms, but she was obviously no match for him, both a man and a swordsman. After an interlude with her protesting all the while, Hisagi shoved her away from him.

"Tch," Tomoko chuckled though there was no mirth in it as she stumbled a few steps further into the sitting room, wiping her mouth.

Hisagi pulled his swords free of his sash in a quick movement and set them on something decorative before coming after her again. She could move quickly, Kakashi knew, but the guard was better trained in seize and capture. He twisted one of her arms behind her body and held her other wrist tight in his hand, pulling her once more against his chest.

"Do you think I could stand it, Tomoko? If he touched you?" he asked, forcing her other arm behind her back and securing them both. She glared at him as he trailed his free hand down her cheek and neck, over the edge of her collarbone.

"Would you have me watch, while he touched you here?" His fingers tugged open the edge of her robe and he fit his hand over the curve of her bare breast.

Tomoko scowled, meeting his eyes. She ceased her struggling, "What bothers you more, Kei? The idea of me with someone else? Or the fact that the famous Uchiha turned out to be raven haired and beautiful and powerful–maybe even more powerful than you?"

Hisagi let go of her long enough to scoop her up in his arms, taking three strides across the room to the cushions there on the floor. He deposited the Princess on her back and ripped open the front of her robe, baring her naked body in the semi-darkness.

Kakashi could make out the words "You are only allowed to be with me" right before Hisagi kissed her again, fitting his body flush against hers.

This time, there was more passion and less cruelty in his kisses, and Tomoko reached her fingers into his black hair, accepting the advances. His hand slid down the side of her body, curving over her hip and then moving all the way back up to her tightened nipple.

Tomoko broke off the kiss, breathless, but clinging to her guard's broad shoulders, "I didn't kiss him, Kei."

The guard kissed her again, then spoke against her lips, "How can I believe that? I know what I saw…"

"Hn," Tomoko nibbled his bottom lip and then kissed him hard. "He's more like you than just in looks, Kei."

Kei pulled away from her so he could look at her face, his brows knit in his forehead in what must be his default expression. "Explain."

Tomoko chuckled, stroking the side of his face and jaw tenderly. "He wouldn't let me kiss him, though I had to make it look like we'd kissed, for the sake of father."

Hisagi scowled deeper, and the Princess' chuckle became more like a laugh. "When he stopped me, he said he belonged to someone else–isn't that exactly something you'd say? Hmmm?"

"It isn't something to laugh about, Tomoko," he stilled her hand on his jaw, and her face became serious. "I nearly went mad today, watching you with him."

"I know," she looked away from him. "I didn't want it to come to this, but father is stubborn." Hisagi didn't comment, but allowed her to resume her lazy caresses along his jaw. "We better hope father accedes, Kei. It may be harder than you think to get Uchiha Sasuke on our side; he's fiercely loyal to the girl he's with." Tomoko met his eyes, and he simply looked at her for a moment.

"I want to change this country, Tomoko. Just as much as you. But you can't ask me to stand by if you take a Shinobi to your bed. What is he, seventeen? He's barely even a man!"

"I never said I'd bed him, Kei," Tomoko arched her neck so she could touch their lips together, shushing him. Her voice was serious, "I swear it; I'll only be with you. My perfect companion."

"As if I'd let you choose anyone else," Kei gave a ghost of a smile before kissing her again, this time slowly and thoroughly.

Kakashi kept still and silent, and looked away as they kissed and undressed, mending whatever had been broken between them from the actions of the day with lips and hands and physical sensation. Over the next hour, Hisagi proved himself to be kind and thoughtful lover despite his earlier roughness, one who knew exactly how to make a woman's body sing from the slightest caress.

It all made Kakashi long for Iruka.

Kakashi wondered how long this affair had been going on; it was obvious that they were more than familiar with this kind of intimacy. He also understood now that Ayame was in on the secret–Kakashi saw some of her earlier actions in a new light.

After a while, Kakashi redirected his attention back to the couple, curled up on the floor pillows in post-coital bliss. Kei pulled out the Princess's hair tie, and stroked his fingers through the deep brown strands, his face calmer than at any other time so far.

Tomoko watched him with a cheeky grin, which he ignored, or put up with. "Kei."

"Hmm," he replied, stroking his fingers all the way from her scalp down her back as far as he could reach.

"It won't be too long, you know. You already have the total confidence of Fujimiya and the rest of them. Two, three years at most."

Hisagi glanced at her, "If this gambit of yours works." There wasn't criticism in his tone.

"The games won't change, Kei. Not even when I've won the rule of the land, and you're the Daimyo at my side." She stilled his hand and pressed it against her cheek.

"I know." He agreed, stroking his thumb across her cheekbone. "But I still don't like the risks you take."

She pressed her lips into his palm, "That's why I have you." Hisagi chuckled, which made her smile. "And that's why I play many games at once–I choose to be more than one step ahead of my enemies."

She nestled closer to him, tucking her head under his chin. Kakashi sighed, wishing fervently that they would go to sleep so that he could go get some food in the kitchens. Or at least not have to hear their pillow-talk.

"So you were successful with your questioning?" Tomoko draped her leg across the guard's thighs, getting more comfortable. "You got the name of the man we go after tomorrow?"

"I did," Hisagi shifted underneath her to aid in her comfort. "It wasn't hard; with all the fuss of the Hunt people were glad to talk, and this man must be popular. I asked more than one person just to be sure we'd have the correct name."

"And?" She prodded.

"Umino Iruka."

Kakashi's heart stopped beating at the sound of his lover's name, all his senses instantly alert. What the hell?

"Hmm, I see." the Princess settled herself. "It'll be easier for us if he's well known. I look forward to it."

Hisagi nodded against her head, and wrapped his arms around her, staring at the ceiling.

Tomoko squeezed him tight, "Stay here until I fall asleep? I hate having to sleep without you, Kei."

"I protect and serve," he murmured, kissing her dark hair, and Kakashi saw Tomoko smile against his bare chest.

Once the Princess was asleep, Hisagi carried her into her bedchamber, and then took up his position out in the hall, his uniform and Katana in place once more with no sign of what had transpired. When it was obvious there would be no further interruptions, Kakashi left off the invisibility, standing in his corner of the empty sitting room and considering what he should do.

What could they want with Iruka?

His mission was to connect Feudal Lords, or those betting on the Hunt, with the Shinobi that were competing. Up to this point, he'd had evidence of sketchy behavior on both sides, but this was the first solid connection: The Princess was going to approach Iruka tomorrow.

While he didn't know exactly what the meeting was about, Tsunade would expect to be informed immediately, which could have many different consequences for Iruka including–although unlikely–disqualification from the Hunt.

Kakashi faced the same kinds of consequences if he didn't report everything he learned to the Hokage.

If it were anyone else, he wouldn't be hesitating. Surely they couldn't intend to try to bribe Iruka to throw the Hunt, could they? It was preposterous. There's nothing they could offer Iruka that would persuade him to do that. Iruka was too honest, too candid, and too good of a person.

And yet… this would make him the one Shinobi that nobody would expect to double-cross them.

Kakashi sighed, moving silently to the windows and looking out into the rain drenched street. Why Iruka? It just didn't make sense. Kakashi could feel himself go cold with the same focus he used in assassination.

Maybe it was worth a little side-investigation. Kakashi couldn't tell Iruka anything about the mission, but he could try and glean some information from the Chuunin before handing his name to Tsunade. At the very least, he could make sure he was nearby when the Princess made her move, even though it wouldn't be to attack–she for one seemed to recognize what shinobi could do, and respected them.

Iruka was strong, no doubt. But Kakashi refused to let him become part of any twisted scheming. Nobody messed with Iruka. Not if Sharingan Kakashi had anything to say about it.

Decision made, Kakashi walked silently up the wall to the ceiling, dislodging one of the tiles and flipping up into the supports. He replaced the ceiling tile without a noise, and stepped bent-over along the supports to the far wall, grateful to be on the top floor where there was a bit more room to move around. After conjuring yet another clone to take his place, Kakashi gathered enough chakra to merge through the wall and out into the rain, hanging onto the slippery outer surface with a chakra-powered grip.

Kakashi leapt off the wall of the Inn, and made his way quickly over the Konoha skyline, disregarding the uncomfortable weather conditions in the hope that he could divert whatever trouble was heading towards his lover.

Other than himself, anyways.

Iruka went completely still when he heard someone at his bedroom window.

He wasn't particularly alarmed; there was only one person who'd be coming into his bedroom this far into the night. But he wished he'd tossed and turned himself to face the other way before Kakashi dropped by, so that instead of the view of his dresser he could see why his lover was crouching in the window frame and letting the rain get all over the floor. Iruka frowned.

"I'm awake," he offered, hoping the Jounin wasn't thinking of leaving.

"I know."

Iruka frowned deeper. What was that strange edge to his voice? He quickly turned over underneath his blankets to see with his own eyes why his lover wasn't acting like himself, and bit his lip. Kakashi's hair dripped rain all down his masked face; his blue eye was keen, but expressionless as it met his own. Iruka saw the radio equipment and gasped.

"Kakashi! Aren't you on a mission?" He sat up quickly in alarm. What was Kakashi doing here?

"I am," the Jounin answered calmly, not moving a single muscle even as the rainstorm pelted his back and continued to soak his clothing, not to mention the floor.

Iruka didn't know what to say. He changed his position to sit more comfortably in the center of his bed, tucking the blankets around his legs against the cool air coming in from the window. He ran a nervous hand over his ponytail, wondering what was going on–but if Kakashi was willing to visit him during a mission, he wouldn't question it.

"Er… are you coming inside?" Iruka finally asked, since it seemed like a reasonable question that had a logical answer.

Wordlessly, Kakashi stepped over the sill and into the bedroom, closing the window behind him. He leaned his shoulder against the glass, the sound of the splashing raindrops a strange accompaniment as he continued to drip on the floor. They looked at each other for nearly a full minute before Iruka fidgeted.

"…Are you hungry?" When in doubt…

"Yes," Kakashi answered immediately, and Iruka was sincerely relieved to detect a very distinct emotion along with the words.

He smiled and scooted off the edge of the bed, straightening his boxers. He didn't approach the Copy-Ninja however, moving instead to retrieve his sleeveless undershirt from the chair where he'd tossed it before climbing into bed, pulling it over his head. He went out of the room towards the kitchen and was relieved that Kakashi made enough noise to let him know he was following.

The situation was odd, and not one they'd ever been in before. Iruka wondered if this strange, calm, silent Kakashi was really what Kakashi was like on missions; obviously they'd never been on one together. He seemed closed off, like his mind was somewhere else, and with that the case it didn't make sense for him to be here, in this apartment, following him into the kitchen.

The way Kakashi kept his distance reminded Iruka of Mozuku's comment at registration. He couldn't argue with it any more now than he could then.

He flicked on the light and went to the refrigerator, bending over to reach for a bowl of leftover rice. Kakashi flicked the light back off when he entered, and Iruka's brows drew together as he stood, turning to find the Jounin leaning against the counter, the light from the refrigerator an eerie glow. Iruka wasn't sorry when the door swung shut. Their eyes would adapt to the dark in moments.

Iruka spooned some rice into a smaller bowl, and passed it to Kakashi along with some chopsticks. Kakashi adjusted his radio equipment, and pulled down his mask, eating the cold rice immediately. Iruka watched for a moment, and then felt self-conscious; he wasn't really hungry, but it didn't make sense to sit at the table if Kakashi was going to stand. So he filled his teakettle with water for something to do.

Kakashi was just about through with the rice when the tea was ready, and Iruka didn't press him with questions as he passed the beverage over to him. Kakashi passed back his empty bowl, and Iruka dutifully filled it up. Kakashi sipped his tea, and ate more rice, and Iruka watched him avidly, trying to keep his curiosity in check.

Finally, when Kakashi had finished both rice and tea, refusing more helpings of each, he seemed to be ready to talk.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Iruka-sensei."

Iruka watched him, slightly unnerved by such formal speech. "No problem."

He took the empty bowl and the tea mug, dumped the rest of his own tea out, and started to wash the dishes; he hated waking up to dishes in the sink.

He dropped the sponge when he felt Kakashi behind him, reaching a cool, gloved hand up his back under the shirt. He froze, not sure what to expect, or how to interpret the touch. Kakashi's hand slid steadily up his spine, gliding over the scar tissue between his shoulder blades.

"I was thinking about your scar," Kakashi commented. Iruka wondered if the Jounin understood how creepy that sounded.

"Oh?" he said, setting down the rice bowl in case he dropped it as well; his hands were soapy. And Kakashi was known to be unpredictable.

"You got it protecting someone precious to you," Kakashi broadened his strokes, moving his fingertips over the muscles around the scar as well.

Iruka chuckled dryly, "I did. And I would do it again."

'Even if I had to face Mizuki,' he thought.

"Because that's the kind of shinobi you are."

Iruka stiffened as the Jounin's body, cold with damp, came up flush behind him. He relaxed again when Kakashi nuzzled his head against his neck, and kissed the skin just underneath his hairline. Iruka let out the breath he'd been holding, aching to touch Kakashi back but not sure if he should.

He settled for saying, "I'd do that and more for you, Kakashi."

Kakashi said nothing, slipping an arm around Iruka's stomach and continuing to stroke the hardened scar-tissue on his back, standing close. Iruka allowed it–he didn't have much of a choice–even though he didn't understand what his lover wanted or needed.

He turned his head, meeting Kakashi's steel-gray eye. "What is it, Kakashi? What's bothering you?"

Kakashi backed away, moving the couple of feet between him and the kitchen table and leaning against it instead. He folded his arms across his flak-jacket, and his face returned to the unreadable mask that Iruka usually never saw. If the fabric mask was down, it was because they were laughing or kissing or talking or otherwise enjoying themselves. Not like this. Iruka rinsed his hands off and dried them on the dishtowel, biting his lip.

"Kakashi… what can I do for you? What do you need?" Iruka took a step forward in frustration, gently touching the Jounin's arm, "You've never come here during a mission before, and I don't know what to do. I know you can't tell me anything, and I'm not asking. But I want to help you, if there's something–"

"–God I love you, Iruka," Kakashi murmured, closing the small distance in a flash of speed to crush their mouths together in sudden and immediate passion.

"Mmphfn!" Iruka exclaimed in surprise, but didn't need much persuading as Kakashi's capable hands clutched him in what felt like desperate need. Careful of the wires strapped at his neck and ear, Iruka held on tight as Kakashi kissed him as if they'd been apart for two months straight.

Kakashi grabbed onto his ass and turned them around, pushing him up onto the surface of the table. Iruka moaned, wrapping his heels and calves around the back of the Jounin's thighs and scowling at the feel of wet, rough fabric. If this is what Kakashi needed however, who was he to complain? It was a small thing to endure in order to ease whatever burden his lover was carrying.

Kakashi pushed him back on the table, kissing him while he unzipped his flak-jacket and shrugged out of it. Iruka helped, slipping his fingers underneath and helping to toss it to the floor, party distracted by the significant weight of it. But he could ask another time.

Once free of the vest, Kakashi worked on removing Iruka's shirt, kissing down the side of his neck as he pushed up the thin cotton. He timed it so he didn't miss any skin as his kisses crept downward to Iruka's nipple, biting and teasing and making the Chuunin squirm while the shirt made it's way up to Iruka's neck. Iruka gasped, pulling the shirt over his head, and giving himself over to the sensations.

Iruka touched Kakashi's wet hair, watching his progress as he kissed and licked and dripped a moist trail down his naked torso. When he got to the waistband of his boxers, Kakashi stepped back and Iruka moved his legs to aid in the removal of his clothing. Casting the underwear aside, Kakashi leaned forward again and drove his tongue into Iruka's mouth, fitting a gloved fist around the Chuunin's exposed erection.

Iruka arched his back, groaning into the kiss and twisting both hands in the fabric of Kakashi's shirt. He tugged on it, pulling it up far enough to reach some of the Jounin's skin. Kakashi's back was scarred in far more places, but it felt so much warmer than the parts of him that were still clothed. As if reading his mind, Kakashi began to undo the button and zipper of his fly.

Iruka used his feet to help push down Kakashi's pants; only a small part of his brain registered that his lover was commando through the shuddering pleasure of their newly naked groins grinding together. He moaned again, rocking his hips in time with the Jounin's and sucking on his tongue, hearing a similar moan vibrate through their kissing. Iruka moved with him when Kakashi stood, wrapping his legs more securely around his lover's waist as Kakashi in turn made broad strokes up and down his back, the table still supporting most of his weight.

"Tell me you have something," Kakashi broke off the kiss to look at him intently with one eye.

Iruka chuckled, pushing him backwards enough to stand up from the tabletop and move to the miscellaneous drawer next to the refrigerator. He tossed Kakashi the new bottle of lube, and then sidled up against him once more, this time pressing his back and hips and thighs against Kakashi's front, reaching around to tug the Jounin's body closer as he faced the kitchen table. He wanted Kakashi to understand that anything he wanted was okay.

Kakashi held the bottle with his teeth, using both hands to rid himself of the gloves, and then those talented fingers were moving all over Iruka. Iruka sighed when Kakashi's teeth nibbled gently along the nape of his neck, and he saw the Jounin set the lube on the edge of the table out of the corner of his eye. One hand slid down the curve of his spine and dipped into the valley of his buttocks, and Iruka smiled, pressing back towards him.

Maybe it was the conversation in the tea shop, or maybe it was all the stress of the day. In any case, at this moment Iruka wanted nothing more than to have sex with Kakashi any way he wanted it. With that in mind, Iruka moved his hands to brace himself on the surface of the kitchen table, leaning forward so that they'd have a better angle. Kakashi's extra height made positions like these easy as well as unbelievably good. He was a tensai after all, though Iruka knew they probably didn't really have time for their usual, thorough sessions.

Kakashi flattened himself flush against Iruka's back, pressing him down on the tabletop and reaching around to link their fingers together. Iruka bit his lip, keeping a ragged moan of desire from escaping at the feel of Kakashi, hard and ready against his ass.

"Do you want me to stop?" He whispered and kissed the question along the side of Iruka's neck, causing a flurry of goose bumps to break out.

"Don't you dare," Iruka assured him, squeezing their interlocked fingers and salivating at the idea of switching it up. Kakashi chuckled in response, and continued to kiss and nibble Iruka's neck and shoulders until he straightened up, gently extracting one of his hands.

Iruka quivered in anticipation, leaning over the kitchen table and hearing the click of the lube being uncapped. It was rather strange waiting to be prepared, since he was usually the one preparing his lover for sex. But it was obvious that Kakashi on a mission was a Kakashi in control. Still, it took some willpower to stay where he was on the table and not take over–defaulting back to what they normally did when they had time together, unhurried and away from their lives as ninja.

Kakashi stroked him then and Iruka hissed in a breath, shocked by the sudden pleasure of the touch. Kakashi took his time, using plenty of lube to stretch him, little by little by little, reaching his other hand down to wrap around the length of Iruka's cock. Iruka moaned, his body jerking occasionally of its own accord, not as used to these kinds of sensations. Soon, and because that's how Kakashi meant it to be, Iruka was more than ready to have something else inside him, despite how intimidating his boyfriend's size could seem.

"Up," Kakashi nudged his ass, and Iruka's heart gave a lurch of anticipation as he obeyed, balancing first one knee, and then the other on the surface of the table. Kakashi stroked his hands down the backs of his thighs and over the soles of his feet, and Iruka cried out and twitched.

"'Kashi," he pleaded, and then sighed, feeling his lover's strong hand on his hips, adjusting him to the right height or angle or whatever it was so that he could maneuver just the way he wanted.

"I'll go slow," Kakashi whispered, rubbing his back gently.

Iruka craned his neck around, smirking playfully even though they were both breathy with urgency, "You can't break me, Kakashi."

Iruka's heart leapt to see a near-smile spread on his lover's face, and then it was all he could do to remain conscious from the feel of Kakashi's very hard, very big cock driving its way into him. He bit his lip and then moaned anyways, holding himself perfectly still. Iruka reached forward and gripped the edge of the table to keep steady from the rush of being filled so full.

Kakashi groaned as he slid the last part of the way in, leaning forward to press his lips against Iruka's bare back. Iruka could feel his quick breaths along his spine, and didn't think he could stand to wait any longer, moving backwards that tiny bit that caused them both to grunt in pleasure. Kakashi seemed to agree with him, beginning to thrust hard and deep, but maybe just a bit too slow.

Iruka pressed his forehead against the table, smiling to himself that this is probably exactly what he did to the Jounin on a regular basis, thrusting just a bit too slow and then working them up gradually. It made him want to take things into his own hands, but instead he just held onto the table's edge tighter, and enjoyed the sensations he so rarely got to experience.

Just then Kakashi moved exactly right, and Iruka bucked underneath him from the intensity. Kakashi's hands closed a bit tighter where they gripped his hips, and Iruka couldn't help but moan along with every thrust–such was the pleasure of Kakashi's cock inside him at the perfect angle.

Iruka could hear the change in his lover's breathing and knew he was close to the edge. The thrusts became more urgent, and Iruka held on tight, bracing himself against the sheer, physical force of his boyfriend's lust. Each pass of his prostate had Iruka groaning on the approach to orgasm, totally disregarding the fact that they were having sex on the kitchen table. Some things just weren't that important.

Kakashi leaned forward towards the end and held Iruka close; his ragged breaths cool against the fine sheen of sweat that had broken out on Iruka's skin. With a shuddering gasp Kakashi climaxed, lurching forward and quivering for several moments in the aftermath. Iruka panted with him, but couldn't move so well from the position he was in.

Kakashi gently withdrew, and then nudged Iruka over onto his back. Iruka smiled, collapsing against the surface of the table and watching Kakashi with half lidded eyes. He wrapped his legs around Kakashi's waist as the Jounin braced himself on his strong arms, one hand on either side of his torso. Iruka had to strain to lift his neck, but the kiss was worth it, full of something much deeper than affection or attraction. Kakashi was the one to pull away, smirking in that way of his and moving lower.

He didn't say anything, just bent his lips down to Iruka's erection and began to tease. Iruka let his eyes close, though he chuckled as he twined his fingers into the still-damp silver hair. After sex like that, he definitely wouldn't last long, not while Kakashi was doing that thing with his–

"Unnnnh," Iruka moaned, arching his back and then biting his lip at his lover's demanding mouth. He was right; it didn't take long.

The next thing he knew, Kakashi was licking the cream from his lips like the perverted Jounin he knew and loved, grinning unashamedly. Iruka narrowed his gaze, sensing that 'je ne sais quoi' that usually meant trouble, at least when Kakashi was concerned.

"Well now," Kakashi smirked, rubbing the back of his neck where the radio equipment was still attached. "I knew I liked this room for a reason." Iruka's jaw dropped, and he struggled to sit up as a hot flush was spreading across his cheeks.

"Kakashi!" he protested, scooting off the table–very carefully–and pushing away from the Jounin, looking for his boxers and undershirt.

"I was really worried about you, you know," he glared, pulling on his underwear and putting the table between them. "You're acting so weird."

Iruka watched Kakashi's brows slide together in his forehead, and the humor of the situation had gone just as quickly as it had come. He didn't say anything as Kakashi efficiently redressed himself, becoming the Copy Ninja once more, though Iruka took some small comfort in the fact that the fabric mask was left down.

"Iruka," Kakashi watched him intently. "I have about an hour. Do you mind if I stay?"

"Of course you can stay," Iruka answered automatically, but couldn't help but feel even more worried than he'd been at first. What was going on with him?

"Good," Kakashi came around the table and pulled him into a hug. Iruka frowned at the dampness of his clothing, but slipped his arms around him anyways.

"I love you, you know." Kakashi whispered against his neck, and Iruka smiled and squeezed him.

"I hope so, you pervert." He hoped the teasing would help, and was glad to hear the older Ninja chuckle into his shoulder. Iruka sighed, "I love you too. Come to bed?"

"Only because it's yours," Kakashi squeezed him tight, and then let go.

Iruka kissed him, and then offered his hand, which Kakashi took. Iruka led them back into the bedroom, and after stealing a quick minute of clean-up in the bathroom they curled up together on top of the blankets. It was obvious he was going to be sore tomorrow, but he didn't mind, snuggling into his boyfriend's arms and looking into that pale eye.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" Kakashi asked after a moment.

Iruka shrugged, watching to see if there were any clues in the Jounin's face to let him know what was really bothering him. "I don't know. Training. And I was going to see if Naruto wanted to go for Ramen, but nothing set in stone."

Kakashi was still for a long moment, that pale eye of his never flickering, though it was obvious that thousands of things were being processed behind it. Iruka tucked some of Kakashi's hair back behind the ear with the earpiece, waiting for him to say something else.

"I want to watch you fall asleep," he said, finally.

Iruka raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

Kakashi nodded, "I want to hold you for a while, and watch you sleep before I have to go back."

"If that's what you want…" Iruka tilted his chin and kissed him, tender and sweet. Kakashi responded to it, matching the tenderness with lips and hands until Iruka felt completely relaxed. He wiggled under the blankets until he was comfortable, still concerned for Kakashi but feeling it was his duty to try and fall asleep as quickly as possible, especially since Kakashi was on a mission.

Before he drifted off, he asked one last question. "Will I see you at all tomorrow, Kakashi?"

Kakashi squeezed him, chuckling in a way that would have been lewd at any other time. "Wait for me here an hour before the Hunt; I have a present for you Ru-Ru."

Iruka smiled, snuggling closer. "You can count on it."

[to be continued...]