SUMMARY:
They have to decide. They need to decide soon. They need to choose who will give it all away for the other. With Kurenai constantly reliant on Shikamaru to raise her son, and Temari constantly busy with her position in Suna, the pair realise the decision will not be easy. To have a happy life with each other, one of them will have to sacrifice so much... But who will be willing to do it? Or better yet, who will ask the other to do it for them?
Author's Note: I totally did not forget about Shina, Taiyō and the others... Shikamaru and Temari aren't really in this chapter... But its for good reason I promise.
WARNINGS:
NaruHina- Yeah, not a lot of focus on it, but it's there, and pretty obviously there, though in this chapter it's bare minimum... It gets the next chapter.
NejiTen- This contains massive spoilers for those of you who aren't up to date with the manga, MASSIVE SPOILERS, I focus on it a lot. It's really sad...
SasuSaku-Not mentioned in this chapter, but more in later ones to come
ChoIno- Thanks to PenumbraChey again, really helped. Its not really evident, but hinted it.
Thanks for the reviews... Oh my gosh after the whole SasuSaku and ChoIno parts I was freaking out at the first reviews in case they were like 'UHG. GET BACK TO SHIKATEMA IZZY ! ¬ . ¬' But they wasn't! Yaay! Which means I don't need to think up an alternative plot line~
Remember to R&R! Even if you have already, just lemme know if you like where the story line is going and that. It helps me write more I swear~
This is quite a long chapter... It was six thousand words before I cut it into two chapters... So the next one will be uploaded very soon!
"Temari-Sensei has totally forgotten all about us." Akarui muttered dejectedly, sighing loudly as he rolled onto his back. He was waiting in the Inuzuka complex with his team mates, the full Team Nara and an amusingly drunk Konoha nin.
"Shut up Akarui." Taiyō snapped, though it was evident she completely agreed with him. Their sensei had left them in Team Nara's hands for the past three days, it was the middle of the night and she had promised them that she'd meet her team to see how their techniques had improved after training under the influence of a creepy bug guy, a guy in a green jumpsuit and the Inuzuka who was drunk in front of them. Their sensei had definitely left them in capable hands.
"Uncle Kiba? Are you feeling better yet?" Sakkaku said softly as he handed his adoptive relative yet another glass of water. "I told Hana... She said she'll come pick you up in a few minutes."
"Urgh... Not mah shister" Kiba slurred as his head rolled back again, Sakkaku jumped forwards to nudge it straight again, as to stop his Uncle from drowning on his own fluids.
"Oh yes your sister." A feminine voice barked, all the heads of the small genin turned, their eyes greeted by the powerful sight that was Hana Inuzuka. Her three Haimaru brothers at her feet as she folded her arms. Her brown hair was neatly tucked back, unlike any Inuzuka Taiyō had ever encountered she looked rather tamed. Her eyes were also a warm brown, seeming so dangerously dark under the gleam of the stars. She pointed at her drunken brother and her canines walked forwards, working together they managed to nudge the intoxicated shinobi onto the back of their brother whilst the other two ran up to Sakkaku who laughed as he pet the doting dogs. Hana smiled softly as she walked to join her beasts, patting Sakkaku on the head with a contented sigh.
"Don't you change okay? We're made aware of the three vices for a reason, so we don't end up like my little brother other there." She ordered maternally.
"I won't Mother... I promise." Sakkaku grinned widely, his adoptive mother grinned back and looked at the other genin.
"That goes for you all as well."
A round of 'Hai's were heard from the others as they watched the tall woman disappear into the darkness that surrounded the Inuzuka complex.
"So what are we doing here then?" Kasai murmured. "I thought we were all staying here tonight, not waiting outside for a sensei who won't turn up. It's almost midnight and my mother is going to kill me if she finds out I'm still out." The dark haired Sarutobi resembled his mother severely, dark brown hair and her unique eyes, her pale skin and her aptitude for genjutsu. Despite this, and despite not knowing his father, Kasai Sarutobi kept his hair short and fashionably up, just like his father had. Shikamaru told him how his father had died for the Will of fire, hell even his cousin Konohamaru had told him that it was his job to keep the will of fire going, so he altered his appearance just to respect his father like that.
"In Suna, we don't live with our parents." Korosu uttered, standing in close proximity to Shina as hsd become the norm for the two. "Well most of us anyway, if you decide to be a Shinobi then you live in the boarding rooms until you graduate or become of age."
"Wow... So you have to look after yourself all the time?" Shina gasped, looking at Korosu with those insanely big, pupil-less eyes. Korosu nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. The Uzumaki girl whispered wow again before giggling a little.
"You still see your parents right?" Kasai added dubiously, aiming the question at all three of the Sand dwellers. "Because that's cruel to keep you away from them."
"It used to be like that," Taiyō said solemnly, meeting Kasai's gaze remorsefully. "If you wanted to be a shinobi you had to be accustomed to loss. You couldn't have a family so they'd just give you up." Taiyō shrugged as she kicked the dusty floor below her. "Obviously now it's changed, ever since Kazekage Gaara decided that love and compassion is what makes us stronger. We're more encouraged to keep a family and for our family to keep in touch."
"Do you see your family much?" Kasai probed deeper, he saw she was hiding something, in fact all of Team Temari looked like they were hiding something.
"Hey what's with the questions?" Akarui snapped, pointing a finger at the meddling Konoha nin.
"Kasai-kun... It's a little personal don't you think?" Shina muttered uncomfortably, however Kasai ignored all of them, his gaze still focussed on Taiyō who managed a small, sad smile.
"Well?" He demanded, though his voice inched a little softer.
"I'm an orphan." She replied casually, "The only family I have is those you see around you and my village."
Tenten found herself leaving her friends early, she made her excuses, making it seem like she was merely tired and content with going home by herself. This, however, was ignored by Sai who, under the influence of Naruto and Ino, declared to walk her home.
"Sai, you don't even look drunk." Tenten giggled, looking up at the expressionless ANBU.
"Alcohol has too many long time effects." He replied happily. "Also I would like very much to remember the events of a night, rather than crawl home like Kiba-san. You are not drunk either, Tenten-Chan."
"Just Tenten, Sai." She corrected, her friendship with the ex-root nin was a strained one. The pair had barely exchanged any dialogue and seemed to have nothing in common apart from Tenten's appreciation of his art, and Sai's understanding of why she wouldn't talk about certain things. "Though you're right... I didn't drink tonight."
"May I ask why?"
Tenten shrugged, looking at her closely approaching home with a soft smile. "Same as you I guess, I like to remember things." Sai nodded in agreement as he looked up the street.
"I'm not completely sure I understand why Ino and Naruto insisted I walk you home," Sai scratched the back of his head in confusion as he put on a nervous smile. "You are a perfectly capable weapons mistress, who is quite adequate at close range combat, and Konoha is a much safer place now, so logically it could not be for your safety."
"They're trying to set us up Sai," She smiled, shaking her head in amusement.
"Oh.."
"We're pretty much the last two singletons."
"Kiba, Shino and Kankuro are also very single, I believe."
Tenten raised her brow in a sarcastic doubt "You really think they'd match me with any of them?"
"O-Oh... So they'd match you with me?" Sai blushed awkwardly. Tenten, feeling the need to relieve the tension patted his arm friendly.
"Don't worry Sai, I'm not looking for a lover. You're my friend, anyway lots of ladies are looking out for a tough, ANBU shinobi to sweet them off their feet, it would be wrong to steal you from the world~" Tenten laughed as she turned to place her, readily retrieved, key.
"Thank you Tenten-cha-... Tenten." She could pretty much hear his smile through his voice. "Have a nice evening."
"You too Sai!" She called exhaustedly as she opened her door. The musky smell of leaving her house closed up for too long greeted her painfully, the brown haired kunouchi sighed loudly as she slammed her door shut. She travelled around the cluttered living space cautiously, trying not to trip on any of the haphazardly laid out weapons or knock over any of the stacks of novels. Tenten opened up a few of her dusty windows with a loud exhale of air.
Once the apartment was adequately ventilated, Tenten plonked her fatigued body onto the stiff wooden chair that sat beside her desk. She picked up the ready laid out pen and pursed her lips in thought for a few moments.
Dear Neji,
It's been so long since I've written, for that I'm sorry. I visited you today, with Hinata as always. Naruto came to meet us with Lee and we all just stood there for a while. Looking at the marble stone that bares your name and a brief line below it.
'Died a genius and a hero'
You wasn't just that though, you were so much more than the legendary Hyuga who broke tradition. More than a genius or a hero.
You were a friend, a team mate, a cousin, a 'so-socially-awkward-Tenten-could've-killed-you' teen. You were Lee's rival, you were my one and only love.
I sometimes hope you're watching us all, from up there. As I get all wrinkly and lonely, as I get constantly pestered by Lee and Gai-Sensei on my own, I hope you're watching and waiting, because when I get up there I'm going to give you hell for it.
I miss you. I'll always miss you but I miss you more now than ever. I... I know it's wrong, dragging up old emotions, I mean God it's been thirteen years! But it's true. I miss you. Ino and I sometimes joke that I should have done what we call a Kurenai, I should have got myself pregnant before the war so I'd have a child to keep me busy. Haha... If only.
Tenten stopped her writing and wiped two streaks of saline liquid from her eyes as a fond smile graced her lips. She placed the pen back down as she folded away the letter and fished through her bin of a drawer, looking for the blatantly over read note she had wrote to herself almost fourteen years prior.
The group of genin had retreated into a large bedroom, all of them sitting in their designated sleeping bags, sitting in their circle around an eerie lantern as they told each other scary stories from their homes. Sakkaku and Kasai had entertained the group with their tale of the monstrous water demon who dwelled in the depths of the village hidden in the mist. Once the story was completed, the pair sat back down and looked at Akarui expectantly.
"Uhm... Korosu do you remember how that story about Shikamaru-Sensei that Temari-Sensei told us went?"
"The one about the forest?" Korosu muttered.
"Shikamaru isn't scary." Kasai scoffed, receiving a glare from Akarui who nodded to his team mate.
"Temari-Sensei told us this story, a story about Nara-Sensei and his team taking revenge on the man who killed their teacher. They split the Akatsuki pair into individual opponents, and Nara-Sensei took on the immortal on his own. He completely dismembered the immortals body and it is rumoured that you can still hear his screams in the Nara forest to this very day."
"You suck at telling stories..." Akarui snorted, looked at his fellows with wide eyes. "It was a dark night when the dangerous Nara of Konoha set out to exact his revenge. He had set it up perfectly and went forth to steal his enemy's knowledge of immortality, this was thwarted when-"
"That's enough stories." Taiyō snapped, looking coldly at her team mates. "Can we please sleep?"
"Pfft, touchy much?" Akarui snorted, laying back down against his pillow, Sakkaku nodded in agreement as he went to his back also. Korosu checked that Shina was okay first and then leant on his side away from her. Shina had pulled her father's walrus hat over her head and had already begun to snore.
Throughout all of this, Taiyō had remained sat up straight, and Kasai next to her had watched her silently, they both remained like that for what must have been ten minutes. Once both of them were sure that the others were asleep, Taiyō turned to face him.
"What?" She hissed quietly, her eyes narrowed.
"You're an orphan." He stated, she sighed loudly.
"Are all Konoha boys this stupid? I've told you this already!" She whispered spitefully.
"You know that story... You know that was about my dad." Kasai said it like a statement, though the underlying question was evident.
"Temari-Sensei told me."
"Ah... So since, ya know, you know my story... Whats-"
"What's mine?" Taiyō scoffed, shooting him a bitter glare. "You're asking me this now?"
"I-I'm curious." Kasai scratched the back of his head nervously, he wasn't used to such a confrontational girl... Shina was just overly emotional and prone to mood swings... The Suna resident was nothing like his team mate, she was cold.
"Will you stop staring at me and go to sleep if I tell you?" She sighed, Kasai nodded eagerly. "Fine." She sighed, turning her body to face her fellow genin. "My mother was a granddaughter of our beloved Lady Chiyo, who gave up her life for our Kazekage. When I was no less than three my mother went on a mission and didn't return. I was raised by various women and families in the village before being given to the orphanage. That's where I met Akarui. We made a pact from that day to become shinobi together, and we did it."
"What about your father?"
"I never knew him. He ran away from my mother and I when I was born apparently. He was too weak to look after a child. Typical man."
"Ah... Sorry for bringing it up..." Kasai whispered apologetically. His voice becoming softer as he managed a smile. "Not all men are weak like that you know..."
"I know, apparently men from Konoha are also stupid." She huffed, laying down in her sleeping bag slowly, her eyes trained on his.
"Ha... If you keep insulting my gender I'll have to... sort you out or something" Kasai laughed, though his voice took a irritated tone.
"I'd like to see that." Taiyō yawned quietly and turned away from her companion.
"I bet you would..." Kasai muttered.
Then a thousand things happened at once.
Three of the four windows located around the room shattered with a deafening resonance. Shards of said windows travelled towards the stunned genin, Taiyō reacted swiftly as she flicked her wrists, attaching her chakra threads to the larger shards that threatened to harm her companions. Despite her quick thinking she neglected to protect herself and felt a shard splinter into her shoulder blade. She cried out and released the glass she had suspended, moving it away from whom she had set out to protect.
All the genin shot awake and leapt to their feet. Korosu, Sakkaku and Kasai standing in front of Shina protectively whilst Akarui helped the red haired Taiyō to her feet again, who flinched at the new found splinter impaled in her hands. Three large men swung through the window, each of them headband-less though had scraps of fabric tied around their foreheads. They looked from Taiyō to Shina and grinned.
"Which one is the Hokage brat with the Byakugan?" The tallest of the men said, his eyes shielded by sun-glasses, above his lip was a disgustingly ill kept moustache that curled at its ends. Taiyō kept her head down as Kasai moved more towards her. She knew his plan. There would be two guards for both girls, giving the teams more time to think up a better plan before they realised which female was Shina.
"It seems their tongues aren't working... Maybe we should cut them out, Kai." The shortest, stumpy man said. He was clean shaven unlike his companion, but entirely clean shaven. Not a single hair on him at all from what the youths could see.
"Nah nah..." The middle one uttered, obviously named Kai. From what Taiyō could see from her angle he was young, calling him a man was an overstatement, he looked in his teens and was thin. His hair was blonde, not as bright as Akarui but a blonde all the same. "We're better off killing the males, then the Uzumaki will reveal herself."
"No!" Shina cried, pushing past her protectors defiantly and summoning a shadow clone to her side. "You will not harm them. I will not let you!"
"So she shows herself..." Kai muttered, smiling at her then at Taiyō who raised her head in curiosity. "Such a shame since the red head is so much prettier." He sighed sarcastically.
"HEY YOU TAKE THAT BACK OR I'LL-.." Both Shina and her clone lunged forward to have Sakkaku and Korosu hold them back. Shina activated her Byakugan and glared at the teen. "Rrgh... You wanna leave now, before my dad gets here and allows me to beat the crap out of you."
"Ha... That won't be happening girly." The first one to speak, the tall one, laughed before being reduced to a coughing fit. Once the barks had subsided he pointed at the blonde Uzumaki smugly. "We'll be taking you and your pretty little eyes, then we'll sell you back or something."
"Way to ruin the plan, James." The hairless one muttered, James turned and growled at him.
"Shut up, Kidah!" James roared, the pair started squabbling but rested once Kai let out a soft cough.
"We're collecting people of importance." Kai shrugged. "You're on our list, Miss Uzumaki."
"Shouldn't the Kazekage's niece be on your list too?" Taiyō smirked, walking forward as she used micro chakra threads to gather up the glass behind her. "Because I must say I'm offended." The carmine haired kunouchi imitated her Sensei's confident attitude perfectly.
Kai pursed his lips, looking at the nin intently now. "What is your name?"
" Taiyō... Nara." She sighed. "Now I reiterate Shina's order, leave before my mother and uncle find you and kill you."
"I don't think I can comply, Miss Nara." Kai sighed, combing his hair back with his right hand whilst his left hand's fingers snapped together. Akarui and Sakkaku were spluttering for air as James and Kidah lifted them off their feet by their collars, kunai held against their throats with sickly accuracy. The two boy's feet dangled helplessly as they both cursed loudly. The clone that Shina had produced vanished as Shina herself dropped with exhaustion. Korosu helped her up by her arm and made sure she was okay. Kasai moved even closer to Taiyō but it wasn't necessary. The sand nin flicked her wrist and sent a shard of glass flying towards Kai who raised a brow at her. "No no no..." He tutted, grabbing the glass out of thin air and dropping it to the ground with ease. "The fact that you inherited your uncle's particle manipulation jutsu is promising... We could get a good price for you after all... However if any of you so much as move to prevent me from my job I will have the boys killed. Now listen closely, I'm not going to say this twice."
"Hinata?" Naruto yawned as he collapsed into his bed, pulling off his clothes as he waited for his wife to join him. She had insisted they leave early, so the Hokage could get a decent sleep before attempting his paper work, again. He pulled his bottoms off before lazing back into the bed.
"Yes?" She called from their bathroom, leaning her head around the corner as she removed the makeup Ino had insisted she applied. Naruto started at his adorable wife with a silly grin on his lips, too caught up in her beauty to answer her. She was an Angel, an Angel sent from some God who decided the Uzumaki finally deserved to have one good thing, which in turn lead him to gain yet another good thing.
"I-Uh.." He trailed off as she walked out of the bathroom. A silken, lavender night robe clung to her bust before hanging itself across her frame, it ended just above her knees, giving Naruto just enough vision of her pale, shapely legs that looked so inviting under the dim light of their large room. She sat beside him on the bed timidly and smiled, a rosy blush on her cheeks as she wiped some of the drool off of the side of his tanned face.
"Yes?" She laughed kindly, her voice like honey, dripping with a natural sweetness that made him feel so good inside.
"Where's uh-... Where's Shina tonight?"
"She's staying in the Inuzuka complex, with her team and the visitors from Suna." Hinata smiled, stroking her hand across her husband's face. "I've asked Hana to look out for her, and I trust that Tsume will also."
"Good, good..." He grinned, leaning over his wife until she was flat on her back. Her features took a red tint again as he gazed down at her, resting on his arms which he placed either side of her head. Naruto leant into her and heard a small whimper from her lips as his breath tangled with hers. "That means we've got alone time."
"Y-Yes..." She whispered, her eyes going half lidded as her lips reached upwards to his, bringing him to a gentle embrace which he deepened. He fuelled the kiss with pent up emotions, desire and lust exploding out as their kiss became a frantic battle of lips, tongues and teeth.
"LORD HOKAGE! LADY HINATA!" A voice yelled at their door, Naruto pulled away from his lover disappointedly. As a kid, he never realised how much work a Hokage had to do... In the words of his lazy friend:
It was such a drag.
"What?" He barked, moving his head to lay kisses along Hinata's pale neck line. She arched her neck to him and he devoured with affection.
"Naruto it's important!" Ino screamed. "Stop making out with Hinata, it's about Shina!"
The pair didn't even bother to get dressed, the couple merely ran to the door and opened it frantically. They were greeted with the sight of two guards, Ino and Choji, Kasai and one of the Suna genins. But not their daughter.
"Lord Hokage, I'm sorry..." Kasai muttered, bowing his head and sniffing. "I was meant to keep them safe..."
"What's happened?" Naruto demanded, looking at Ino and Choji for help as Hinata pulled Kasai into a comforting embrace, whispering to him softly.
"Three men, they came for Shina. Taiyō lied to buy us time and said she was Temari-Sensei's daughter so they took her too. They took Sakkaku and Akarui too, and said if any of us tried to stop them they'd kill them both." The Suna boy muttered. "I promise to help get her back, Lord Hokage. I will get your daughter back I promise."
Naruto looked at the dark haired boy doubtfully, seeing such conviction on his face that he almost smiled. "Someone get me Shikamaru and Temari."