Chapter 4

Yukimura was oddly cheerful the next week. He had gotten back from another trip to Oshu.

"I have excellent news," Yukimura beamed at his ninja friend who was currently lounging in a tree, neglecting most of his duties today, choosing instead to delegate them to the rest of his ninja corp.

"What is it dana?"

"Masamune isn't with that fifthly pirate," he grinned, "I guess that Chosokabe had a love hate relationship with Mori. It's hard to explain."

"Ah, I see. How did Masamune take this?"

"He didn't seem too different while I was there. He was the one who told me about it, if anything he seemed..." Yukimura sighed, "Okay, he was upset, and I felt bad that he was unhappy while I was so joyous. We spent most of our time in his chambers than we did sparing, but it was kind of nice. He talked to me about things he wouldn't even dare to tell Kojuro."

"So, you think he likes you back?"

Yukimura gave him a confused puppy look, "Of course he does. We may be rivals but we are also friends..."

"Forget it," Sasuke cut him off. He thought that Yukimura had finally been able to understand what he had been feeling. He may have been hoping for too much.

"Why have you been taking so many missions," Yukimura asked out of the blue, "Shingen said that today is the first day you've taken a break in a while."

"Ah, that," Sasuke sighed. He didn't want to worry Yukimura, nor did he want to tell him that after kissing the legendary ninja and that he was too scared to face the other man. It wasn't that Fuma didn't except his feelings, but it was something new for him and he didn't know how he should go about it.

"You should take some time off."

"That's fine dana really, I can handle myself."

"I order you too take at least a week off to make up for the week of work you've put in," Yukimura said. Sasuke was after all under Yukimura's control. Actually the whole Sanada ninja corps was, but he tended to let them do their own thing.

"Yukimura you can't just..."

"I can, and I did. You can't wear yourself down Sasuke. Take a break."

~.~.~.~.~

By the time Sasuke got home he was more so sulking than he was mad. He knew that Yukimura was doing what he was doing because he was concerned for his safety. But what his master didn't understand was that he was trying to avoid dealing with certain matters.

"You're home," Fuma's voice sounded surprise, "I thought you had another mission."

"Yukimura gave me the week off," Sasuke said trying to escape to his room.

"That's good, you've been working really hard lately," Fuma said pinning Sasuke with his gaze, "If it's costing too much for me to stay I can always just..."

"What," Sasuke was confused before it finally clicked. Fuma thought that he was taking extra missions so he could afford to keep him around, "That's not it," he clarified, "There were just some missions that I thought would be best if I went myself instead of sending someone else," he lied.

"Still," Fuma handed him a wad of cash, "For letting me stay the past few months."

"You don't have to."

Fuma rolled his eyes, "Just take it."

Sasuke accepted the money though he would just sneak it back to Fuma when he was sleeping.

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that you've been avoiding me," Fuma said, "If it's about last week, you were the one who started that."

"That's not it. Look Fuma..."

"It's Kotaro."

"What?"

"I feel like we've been through this before. Fuma is my sir name, Kotaro is my first name."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Kotaro, I didn't mean to offend you. I've just been busy; I'm not trying to avoid you."

"I never said you were."

"You implied it."

"Did I?"

Fuma just rolled his eyes, and Sasuke couldn't help but wonder how often he did that but he didn't know because of the stupid helmet that Fuma is always wearing. He ignored the look Fuma's following gaze as he moved to the kitchen to get something to eat.

"Oh, yeah, that Yukimura kid stopped by a little while ago," Fuma said, "He said he forgot to tell you that he was taking another trip to Oshu. That kids like a love sick puppy."

Sasuke sighed, sure Yukimura was technically his boss and he shouldn't speak poorly of him, he couldn't help but agree. Hopefully Yukimura would figure it out before Masamune did, or Kojuro. He shivered at the thought of what the right eye would do if he found out that something may be threatening his precious Botenmura's innocence.

However, Yukimura didn't tell him to come along on this trip meaning that the young tiger would go on his own.

It was going to be a long week.