Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Imperial Wars of Love and Passion

Chapter 2: Irritating Idiot

Naruto and his family had barely gotten settled into their new home that the emperor rewarded all his officials, before the emperor had called the blond to his study.

And currently, Naruto was going towards that study, hands wringing each other tightly, unsure as to what to do now that he seemed to be going to have a direct confrontation with the man he thought he'd never see again.

"Your Excellency, Official Uzumaki has arrived." The eunuch that had been leading Naruto towards the study called from outside the doors. After he said those words, the eunuch quickly scurried away and Naruto was left alone outside the doors, wondering if he should just go in. However, the deep voice of the emperor quickly answered his thoughts as he heard a quiet 'come in'. Slowly Naruto opened the doors and closed them behind himself; little did he know he would regret that move.

As he turned around, Naruto was captured in another staring contest with the emperor. Black met blue as their gazes locked and the emperor got up from his seat and started to come closer towards Naruto.

"So Naruto… You don't mind if I call you Naruto right?" He smirked in a very cunning way that made Naruto sort of want to punch him.

"No Your Excellency…" He mumbled lowly, looking down and away from the emperor before he got aggravated.

Sasuke's smirk did not disappear as he continued to move towards Naruto, watching the blond step back with each step he took, until there was no more room to run.

"I used to know a person with the bluest of eyes and gorgeous blond hair. She was my first love… Stole my heart first and only time I met her. Do you know what her name was?" Sasuke slammed his hands on either side of the flustered blond's head, face seeming to be getting closer and closer towards the other.

"Naruto…" Sasuke whispered into Naruto's ear. "And I promised to make her my bride, and gave her the precious jade pendant my mother gave to me on her death bed." Sasuke stepped away and walked back towards his desk while Naruto gripped the pendant in his hand tighter.

Naruto bit his tongue in an attempt to stop himself from lashing out at the emperor. 'Stupid bastard… He knows I'm the 'girl' he's talking about and is deliberately toying with me…' His thoughts continued down this path until he heard Sasuke speak once more, but not really catching what he had said.

"Excuse me your Excellency, could you please repeat that?" He asked in as polite a tone as he could muster. Sasuke however, sighed in exasperation. "I don't like to repeat myself… but since you seem to be hard of hearing, I guess I'll have to." Naruto grit his teeth, utterly furious at the tone Sasuke had used, and the words he spoke.

"If I remember correctly, you wrote on your exam that you thought this country needed to be more active in the diplomatic relations of foreign countries. It's a very interesting perspective…" Sasuke crossed his fingers and leaned his head against them lightly.

"And how do you suggest we start these relations if the country in question, does not want to?"

The blond blinked, shocked. Was… Was the emperor seriously asking him for his opinion in the affairs of the country? Naruto couldn't help as a smile formed on his face.

"In the past, royals from these two countries would become betrothed and create family bonds so that the tension would lessen, but-" Naruto started but was quickly cut off.

"So… you are suggesting I marry one of the royals since after all, my bloodline is currently resting in the bellies of my concubines and my brother has been banished from the kingdom? And of course, because the person I would be betrothed to is a royal from the foreign family, it would only be fit to make her the queen of my land. Is my thinking correct?" Sasuke asked in what seemed like an angry tone, though why he was angry Naruto had no idea why.

"I didn't say that! I just merely mentioned it as what was done before in the past! If you are so against giving her the title of queen, why don't you just get a queen on the throne next to you already!?" Naruto yelled. He didn't like how once he thought that Sasuke was actually going to listen to him, he just suddenly blew up at him.

Sasuke was about to yell back his response before he shut up and, from Naruto's point of view, blushed the tiniest tint of red on his cheeks.

"I do not have to answer your impertinent questions Official Uzumaki. You may go now." And with that Sasuke ignored Naruto and went back to the piles of scrolls on his desk.

Glaring at Sasuke, Naruto bowed as was custom. "I shall be going first then, your Excellency." The words didn't seem acidic, but from Naruto's tone, he was anything but happy at the moment.

As soon as Naruto got back to the study that was to be used by the new officials, he let out a very loud, very frustrated scream.

"What the hell is wrong with that guy!? First he basically harassed me, and then he makes me feel like an idiot and throws his mighty emperor power at me! That freaking bastard!"

This outburst could not be ignored by his two companions as they stared at him in shock before Shikamaru let out a sign.

"How troublesome…" he mumbled.

Naruto turned toward Shikamaru and glared at him. "What did you say?"

Shikamaru stared at Naruto and raised an eyebrow at him. "I said… 'how troublesome.' If you weren't prepared to be belittled by the emperor, you should not have taken a position as an official directly under him. As far as his harassment is concerned, there really is nothing you can do about it since he is the crown jewel of the empire. So instead of being troublesome, why don't you just ignore it and focus on your duties?"

Naruto looked shocked; he couldn't even say anything back to Shikamaru since all that the other had said had been one hundred percent correct and implausible.

It was then that Shino decided to speak up. "Perhaps he only harassed you because… he has special feelings towards you."

"Not possible." Naruto shook his head in denial.

'Even if Sasuke remembers me… we only met once and that was when we were small, and he thought I was a girl. It is not possible he would like me now that he knows I am a guy.'

Shikamaru sighed once more before he got up and walked passed Naruto towards the door.

"Troublesome…"

Hours later, Naruto found Shikamaru sprawled out on a bench in one of the many flower gardens of the palace.

Though he only came to look for Shikamaru because Shino had asked him to, Naruto did find that his outburst was uncalled for and a bit selfish of him. Besides, he would be spending a lot of time with Shikamaru and Shino, so to have tension between them would be bad.

So he waited for Shikamaru to notice him… And he waited… And waited and waited and waited. It wasn't long before Naruto got frustrated and angry, inwardly fuming.

"If you wanted my attention you could just announce your presence." Shikamaru's statement startled him out of this inner rant.

"Ah… Um… I'm sorry!" Naruto bowed his head low, apologetically. "For being troublesome…" He didn't look up until he heard a sigh and saw Shikamaru signally for him to take a seat beside him. So he did.

"You were being troublesome… but I wasn't really annoyed at you. I just have… things on my mind." Naruto's interest peaked up at this.

"What sort of things?"

Shikamaru let out yet another sigh. "Well… The story has to start with when I was little. My parents were hard-workers, hunting and farming in the mountains. We were happy for a while. But… my mother fell sick. So my father went to the city to look for work, try and get more money to pay for mother's medical fees. Thankfully… he got hired by one of the most prestigious families in the county."

Naruto seemed to be paying close attention, waiting for Shikamaru to continue his story intently. "And that family was…?"

"Your Excellency, General Hyuuga has arrived."

In a matter of moments, the eunuch had left, and Hyuuga Neji, General of Emperor Uchiha Sasuke, heir to the Hyuuga name, had entered the garden where the Emperor had ordered the Hyuuga to meet him at.

As soon as Neji arrived he gave a bow for formality's sake, before standing at pert attention, awaiting orders from the crown jewel.

"Ah… Yes… General. I would like for you to go to the west and see Pharaoh Sabaku no Gaara, and deliver this message to him." Sasuke slid the scroll from his sleeve onto the tabletop where he was sitting and staring at the gardens from, drinking tea and eating some sweets. "Do not leave until he has given you further instruction."

Normally, Neji would have obeyed and taken the scroll by now, saying he will do his duty with honor and have left. And since he hadn't done so, Sasuke looked at Neji curiously, eyebrow raised.

"Is something wrong General?"

The general looked hesitant, but opened his mouth to speak after a few moments. "If I may inquire, Your Excellency… how long… will this mission take?"

The other eyebrow of Sasuke's rose up to join it's other half. "Since when have you cared how long a mission takes……? Is there… something you need to do in the next few weeks that you don't think you should get away for the time being?"

Neji quickly shook his head in a negative notation.

"Then what is it?" Sasuke questioned, though he had a feeling he already knew, especially when Neji didn't answer him.

"We've been something akin to friends since we were children, there are things I would hope you'd tell me… Neji." Still there was no answer from him.

"You know… I've heard that several years back… Hyuuga took in a family of peasants, and they've become loyal servants to the Hyuuga clan. A family of three I believe… by the name of… Nara was it?" Sasuke took a sip of his tea.

Though Neji's eyes widened a fraction, he still said nothing.

Sasuke sighed, not wanting to push anymore. "You are dismissed. Tell General Rock about the mission; have him go in your place. I don't need any distractions keeping my men from fulfilling their duties. You may go now."

Neji seemed grateful and bowed respectively. "As Your Excellency commands. Then I shall be leaving first."

Sorry this took like a month… I've been busy. And it's summer. I felt this was an okay place to stop. I would have gone on, but I don't want to give anything away too quickly. I mean it's only the second chapter…

Anyways, review! Reviews are love! Thanks again to Chibi-Flamesi for betaing… though she's not here right now, on vacation with family, so this chapter's not betaed, she'll be back soon to proofread. Until next time!