A/N: This was tough to write since it was my first time trying to add many different scenes in one chapter. I only hope it turned out alright though.
As always, a biiiiig thank you to my lovely beta, chase 3136 who always does such a terrific job! Thank you so much to those who reviewed, it means a lot to me! I always get so excited whenever someone finds my story worthy enough to be reviewed, it's so cool! Even when there are critiques, it's totally awesome.
Oh, and I know Gaara turned Kazekage at the age of 15/16, but bear with me for the sake of the plot.
Chapter Five: Twists and Twirls
The small traditional tavern was surprisingly empty for that time of the day. It was rather hot outside, and the place was already too warm to be comfortable, so it was good that it wasn't crowded.
Kakashi was currently staring with awe at his dark haired student who was sitting across from him at the square, low table, but kept his face as impassable as he possibly could.
He and Sasuke had arranged to meet in order to have lunch together, and yet, for the very first time, the elder Jounin found himself actually waiting for his student instead of being waited for.
It had been almost noon when he went over to Sasuke's place. The raven had opened the door half naked with a pale, sleepy face and sheets wrapped around his waist. Eventually, he went to take a bath and the two headed out to get something to eat, but it was still suspicious and completely out of character. Sasuke was always an early bird, he never slept in and most importantly, he was never late, which led Kakashi to think that something was seriously wrong with him. If that had not been proof enough, Sasuke's more than obvious foul mood was.
As it was, Kakashi did the best thing he could have done to get him to spill the beans to him, by persistently nagging him long enough for Sasuke to lose it and tell him everything he wanted to know.
So now, they were both waiting for their meals, sitting at the most discreet corner in the establishment, and Kakashi was listening neutrally while Sasuke pretended reluctance as he told him everything about the events of the previous night – how he had gone out for condoms but found the stores closed. Apparently, he had been wondering for quite some time now about Naruto's weird behavior towards the Neji issue, so he decided to go over to his place out of curiosity to see how the blond would react if he asked him for said condoms. He had intended to tease his friend a little, thinking Naruto would just take things easily – since he had apparently accepted Neji on Sasuke's birthday – but instead Sasuke found himself facing a very angry and disturbed Uzumaki. They had misunderstood each other or something, because Sasuke had gotten angry too and they ended up punching each other before Naruto came to his senses and almost apologized.
"He said he wanted to talk," Sasuke was saying, absently stirring his green tea with a frown on his forehead as he eyed the brown cup, his face resting over his hand. "But he ended up licking me; right here."
When Sasuke pointed his finger at the reddish bruise he now sported in the corner of his mouth, Kakashi was glad he had not been eating – or drinking – because if he had, he would have choked.
"He licked you?" He asked, raising his eyebrows. "Naruto?"
"Yeah," Sasuke nodded, still averting his eyes from Kakashi's. "And…I'm not really sure what happened; we were close to each other and I got confused. There was this whole…tension going on. I was angry at him, but suddenly I wasn't anymore because I started to wonder if he's been making all this fuss because he has a crush on me or something. So, I kissed him to see if it was true…sort of...I don't even know what I thought at that moment, my body just moved on its own."
"Ah…" Kakashi muttered, shaking his head from side to side in a complacent way despite feeling somewhat excited inside. "You guys are such kids; you always get yourselves in such unnecessary trouble."
"Anyway…" Sasuke proceeded, eyeing him reproachfully for a moment before looking at his cup again. "He gave himself completely and kissed back, and it was…horrible."
"Horrible?" Kakashi asked, laughing softly at his student's choice of words in spite of the seriousness of the situation. "How so? Is he that bad of a kisser?"
"Not horrible like that!" Sasuke groaned, rolling his eyes and blushing slightly. "And that's completely beyond the point!"
"Then what is the point?"
"The point is, it was horrible because it was…rather good," Sasuke admitted, closing his eyes and rubbing his temples gently with the tips of his fingers. "I wasn't really expecting to do it, let alone having him responding! I never even thought he would ever feel something like that for me, I just thought that all this shit was happening because he was jealous I'm having a good relationship with Neji while he's bored to death with Hinata."
The raven opened his eyes and pressed his lips together as if he was sulking.
"Kissing him was…scary," He said weakly but in a firm way, after a pause. "Because I think I might've liked it. We were always opposite sides of the same coin. Whatever I lack, Naruto has and vice-versa. Kissing him was like adding the missing pieces of a puzzle. Everything just fit together so unpredictably nicely it was unsettling."
"I fail to see how that is a bad thing." Kakashi muttered, carefully.
"It's bad because it came out of the blue!" Sasuke spat, finally looking his Sensei in the eye. "How, can you tell me, does something like this just happen? Why didn't it happen before? Why now?"
"Maybe it was a spur of the moment thing?" The grey haired man suggested, shrugging. "You may no longer be underage, but the both of you are still teenagers, barely adults. It's normal that sometimes your hormones get the best of you. I mean, you guys were fighting and anger sometimes distorts people's feelings."
Sasuke just sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"Maybe you're right," He nodded, tiredly. "Still, it happened, and I freaked out to the point of saying horrible things and telling him it was all a plan to test him from the start. Well, I did feel a little used because…I actually forgot about Neji. I was unconsciously willing to lose all control at that moment. When I realized it, I became angry because Naruto had no right to just force his…whatever it is that he's feeling on me just because now he decided he needs my attention."
The chubby waitress brought their orders – Miso soup for Sasuke, and tuna Sashimi with rice for Kakashi – and scribbled down on a tiny pad the raven's request for sake to be brought at the end of the meal.
Kakashi lowered his mask and split his chopsticks apart before grabbing a bit of Sashimi and dipping it inside the tiny ceramic cup of soy sauce.
"Itadakimasu." He said.
"Mm." was Sasuke's reply before the two dug in. They ate in silence for a couple of minutes, the younger one slurping the soup with painful slowness accompanied by an absent look on his face.
Kakashi could not say he was too surprised by the unexpected turn of events between his two male students,since he had always predicted that, eventually, something like that would happen. He had always known they were dense when it came to each other, but he had not expected that they could have taken such a step and turn it into such a complicated matter when things could be so simple. Still, it was exciting that something like that was finally emerging. Maybe, it was already more than time that Team 7 settled things once and for all.
Then again, it was not his place to force things when his students were so impulsive about the matters of the heart.
"So…" Kakashi said naturally, putting down his chopsticks and pulling his mask down for a few milliseconds before taking a small swig of his beer. "Let me see if I got this straight. You have been suspicious of Naruto's behavior so you innocently decided to test what caused it, consequentially infuriating him. During the process you found out he may have a crush on you, so you kissed him impulsively yet ended up proving your point and finding out you actually liked it too, which caused you to panic– since the both of you are committed – and vent your frustration on him, and now you're both mad at each other again. Did I get it right?"
Sasuke just stared at him with eyes opened wide and his spoon hanging half way from entering his mouth before setting it down and swallowing the bit of Tofu he had been chewing.
"Er…something like that, I guess." He said, with an uncomfortable nod.
"The way I see it, Sasuke, you guys are just being childish," Kakashi said, smiling gently and choosing his words carefully. "You should know by now that Naruto is a simple-minded person. When he started dating Hinata, he never once gave her priority over you. Now, you have Neji and all of a sudden he's the center of your social life, which affected Naruto. You guys used to hang out all the time, he was free to go over to your place and you'd sometimes go look for him too, and now that was taken away from him."
"So you're saying that he's upset that I broke our routine?" Sasuke asked, making a face.
"Yes. As nice as it is to have someone, you have to remember that you had other people in your life way before that. You can't just do as you please and get rid of people, or the life you have accustomed them to."
"I never meant to get rid of him, I just didn't really notice I was doing it," Sasuke admitted, scratching the top of his head rudely. "I mean…after all, Naruto and I have been mad at each other ever since I told you guys about being committed, so I didn't really have the opportunity to hang out with him or anything."
"But even after your birthday, you had the time to spend the next few days at the Hyuuga compound just to piss off Neji's uncle." Kakashi reminded him.
"Yeah…" Sasuke said, a poorly masked guilty look crossing his features.
"Look, I'm not sure about any of that crush crap," The older man said, trying to be as fatherly as he possibly could. "What I do know is that the both of you have to keep it together if you want your friendship to last. The fact that he licked you and you kissed him could all have been a momentary thing caused by anger, it could mean nothing. You should just try and find a way to at least bring a little of your old routine back. I'm sure things will be back to the way they used to be and Naruto will be back to normal, you'll see. Just don't force Neji on him, and don't force him to deal with this whole issue until then."
"Maybe…" Sasuke agreed, not without an upset frown, now choosing to stir his soup aggressively.
"However," Kakashi pressed on seriously, attracting the Uchiha's attention once more. "If you do think that indeed Naruto has a crush on you, and that maybe – only maybe," He added, at Sasuke's dangerous look. "…you may feel something similar for him, you should observe him once the 'routine' is back and see if the feeling is still there."
"What if it is?" Sasuke asked suddenly, back straightening at once as if the mere thought itself was terrifying. "What if it wasn't just a coincidence or a spur of the moment thing?"
Kakashi had to smile openly at that. Finally, Sasuke was being a little more open-minded about the whole thing.
"Then you take a leap of faith," He said, reaching out and patting the top of the raven's head condescendingly. "Just because you're in a stable relationship doesn't mean it has to last forever. You're so young; you should definitely see what's best for you and live a little. Besides, it's better now than later anyway. The longer you're with Neji the more attached the two of you will become."
"Are you openly telling me to break up with Neji?" Sasuke hissed, promptly removing Kakashi's hand from his head.
"Not at all! I wouldn't dream of it!" Kakashi laughed, raising his hands in a surrendering gesture. "From all the commotion you guys are causing I'm well aware that you like him. I'm just saying that if you do end up having second thoughts about Naruto you should sort it out quickly before someone gets hurt."
"You're really not helping at all…" Sasuke huffed, pushing his bowl of soup away with a nauseated look before rubbing his face. "But I guess you're right."
"I'm being honest, but this is all I can do to help. It's your business, not mine."
"I know…, I'm glad Naruto and Neji went on that fucking mission together so I can get some rest. They won't be coming back until tomorrow afternoon, at least."
"Just pray that they don't end up killing each other," Kakashi mocked, picking up his chopsticks and resuming eating. "Maa, you should finish that; it'll be no good if you get sick."
"I'm already sick, my stomach is a mess." Sasuke complained.
"And you ordered Sake?"
"It helps me to relax, which is exactly what I need."
"What you need is to eat and do it quickly, I haven't got all day, you know?"
Sasuke raised an eyebrow at him.
"What? Has your life become busy all of a sudden?"
"No, I have a date." Kakashi said proudly, making the younger one finally crack a small laugh.
"You?" Sasuke inquired, sarcastically. "Who could possibly be that desperate to go on a date with a lazy ass like you?"
"That, you shitty punk, is a secret. Now, finish your damn soup before I shove it down your throat."
oOo
"According to Tsunade-sama, we are expected to meet the Kages and respective bodyguards at the borders of the Fire Country in about ten hours. Seeing as we left Konoha at the perfect time, I doubt there's any need to rush since we'll be there before the appointed hour, anyway. I have arranged a schedule so that all of our stops are timed. That way we won't lag behind for too long."
That was the longest Naruto had heard Neji speak in the, nearly, seven hours they had been traveling together through the leafy forest that led their way to the border. After that, despite how much Naruto tried to make small talk, Neji would only reply back to what was absolutely essential to their performance as a team, leaving Naruto to wonder if the taller man really knew nothing about Sasuke and him.
Sure, the Hyuuga was neither the nicest, nor the most talkative person alive and when he was, he tended to be rather harsh and arrogant, but Naruto was used to it. It never really bothered him before.
But now, Neji was Sasuke's boyfriend and the blond Ninja knew he had to somehow make up for messing things up with his best friend, even if it meant a little bit of ass kissing, but luck was definitely not on Naruto's side nowadays.
Naruto had never dealt with Neji alone; there was always someone there with them and always something to talk about relating to the exciting missions they shared. Now, Naruto resented being all alone with him. The silence was more than awkward because the brown haired Jounin was either a much more difficult person to handle than Naruto had thought, or was purposefully being a pain in the ass just to make his life miserable.
The fact that Neji was seriously annoying the hell out of Naruto wasn't helping either. It seemed that the Hyuuga had it all figured out and was determined to be bossy all the way throughout the mission– he decided when they stopped to eat, when they stopped to rest, and when they stopped to relieve other physical necessities. He was the one who decided which way they should go and if they should walk, run or leap from tree to tree. Despite how much Naruto protested that he too was involved in the mission and had every right to make decisions as well, Neji defended that he was the one with the Byakugan, and that he knew best which way was the safest.
The Uzumaki boy had sulked and given up on trying to be friendly when Neji finally opened his mouth to actually start a conversation with him…about Sasuke.
Now, if Naruto thought about it he had been curious about Neji and Sasuke's relationship and how they managed to get along. He had wondered about how their routine as a couple was, had wondered about the sex. Wondering was way too different from actually getting to know things, and Naruto had already settled with himself that he absolutely did not wish to know anything that involved Sasuke's intimacy with Neji.
Neji, however, was of no kind heart since he had somehow decided it was a good move to open that pretty mouth of his to start telling him "The Amazing Tales of How Hyuuga and Uchiha Got Together", as Naruto secretly called it.
In a neutral, but formal tone, Neji told him everything.
Apparently, they had gotten drunk after Sasuke's first massive murdering mission and ended up having sex in Sasuke's apartment – on the sofa, mind you. By the awkwardness of it, Neji had immediately realized it had been Sasuke's first time. Things had gotten a little complicated between them from then on because neither wanted to talk about it. Eventually, the right mood settled more often than not and they ended up having sex a few more times out of sheer impulsiveness until they simply ended up in each other's arms because they, clearly, had some sort of infatuation going on between them.
Neji told Naruto about some of their conversations and purposefully – or so Naruto thought – made sure he mentioned every single situation they had sex in before trying for something serious. Naruto would have gladly skipped that part, especially because he wished he did not know those two had been physically intimate for so long. Even before they started dating, they had done it a lot of times and in a lot of fascinating places. Knowing that Neji was too proud to lie did not contribute to Naruto's discomfort.
What seemed like hours later; he was submitted to this very detailed description of how smoothly their relationship was going despite how similar their personalities were. Yes, sometimes they did fight over minimal things, but such matters tended to heat up the attraction they shared and were easy solved in bed…or wherever it was that would be convenient for them.
"You see, Naruto, if there is one thing I have learned from you is that people have to work hard for every relationship they have, because some people spend a lifetime without a person to hold dear," Neji was saying, walking calmly but firmly beside him. "Whether it's a lover, a family member or a friend, unless you sometimes give in and think about others instead of yourself, it'll never work out."
Oh yeah, tell me about it. Naruto thought bitterly. Your boyfriend gave me quite the hard time.
"What I'm saying is," Neji continued, looking sideways at Naruto's attentive expression. "That Sasuke and myself have come a long way to get where we are right now. Even though, neither of us is exactly easy to deal with, I am doing the best I can, and so is he."
"Right," Naruto said, frowning. "I just don't see why you had the need to spill all this information to me."
Neji stopped walking at once and Naruto mimicked him. They looked at each other seriously in brief silence. On the sky above them, the sun was beginning to set and the hotness of the day was slowly fading into a soft warm breeze.
"I'm telling you all this because I know you haven't been taking this whole situation lightly," Neji explained as a new, colder tone took place in his voice. "I know it must be weird for you to know that your best friend is dating another man; I can even understand you must be hurt that he doesn't spend as much time with you anymore. But this is how things are and you either accept it or you don't. Are you a homophobe or something?"
"What? Me?" Naruto gasped, incredulously. "No! Never! I mean, I was a little shaken up by it at first, but that's not even an issue!"
"Then what is?" Neji snapped back, crossing his arms imposingly over his chest. "What gives you the right to possess the power to upset Sasuke so much? Do you have any idea how fucking angry he gets when the two of you fight? And yes, I know the two of you fought yesterday; I saw the bruise on his mouth."
The blond Shinobi was taken aback with such force he felt punched. Sasuke had been upset?
Of course he had, they had kissed, but still…
"That is a long story, and if he didn't tell you about it, then I don't feel the need to tell you either," He muttered, trying hard to keep his blood from flowing to his cheeks at the memory of the previous night. "We did fight, but we were both at fault. I got punched too, but since I'm a fast healer it's no longer visible."
"Is it because we are dating or is it something else?" Neji asked in a very straightforward manner that intimidated the other one slightly.
"It's…because of many things." Naruto said, sighing. "We were always like this; we fight for everything and nothing at all. I'm just going through a bad phase, that's all there is to it.
Neji watched him carefully, white, discerning eyes boring into sapphire blue ones like he was trying to stare straight into Naruto's very soul.
"I admire you, Naruto, but I really don't care what you think about this," Neji said, resolutely. "However, Sasuke does. He thinks highly of you even though he's too stubborn to say it. Everything you do or say affects him, and if he's in some sort of pain because of you, it's my duty to make sure he doesn't hurt."
Naruto looked back at Neji, blond eyebrows rising up slowly. Surprising himself, he felt his lips curve in a bittersweet smile.
"You do like him," He noticed, unsure of what to feel about such a realization since he felt relieved that Sasuke had someone who cared for him, yet jealous and hesitant as well.
"Would I give myself the trouble of being in a relationship with him if I didn't?" was Neji's immediate answer, causing Naruto to smile more. He felt really stupid and powerless all of a sudden.
"I guess not," He nodded, shrugging and feeling somewhat defeated. "Just don't worry about it, okay? I just kept screwing up and he's not exactly the most tactful person alive, but I'll apologize as soon as we get back. I want things to be back to normal as much as you do. Now, can we please keep going? It'll be night soon and we have to pick up the Kages and find a suitable place to spend the night."
Neji nodded and the two proceeded on their way in heavy silence. They would take at least one more hour to get to the appointed location if they walked faster but they still had two hours before the time they were supposed to meet the Kages, so there was no need to run or go over the trees.
"You know," Neji said, breaking the ice while using a surprisingly softer tone. "I know Hinata-sama is very shy, but she is a very respectable woman, and she has loved you ever since I can remember."
Naruto cleared his throat, shivering slightly for some unknown reason and nodded again, not daring to say anything.
"I don't know much about love, but I know it's not simple," The brunet proceeded with a mutter, a pinkish color flooding his pale features. "I don't believe in love at first sight, but I do believe a person can have always loved another without knowing. Even so, I also believe love can be built with time, effort and dedication. I'm sure that, if you try, you can end up loving Hinata-sama as much as she loves you. Even if things aren't as perfect as they should be, love isn't perfect at all, so you just have to be patient and give her a chance."
"Yeah…" Naruto mumbled, noticing how Neji seemed suddenly all talkative, or maybe he was just eager to keep him out of his and Sasuke's way, something that he could sympathize with and understand since he was also experiencing the same feeling of possessiveness towards the Uchiha, though in a rather different level. "Thanks, Neji, I'll keep that in mind."
However, for the first time it was a promise Naruto did not know if he could keep since it would all depend on how his friendship with Sasuke would go from then on. He truly wanted to focus on his relationship with Hinata, but he knew his mind and his heart were incapable on focusing on too many things at the same time and right now, all Naruto saw and thought about was Sasuke.
Would they be able to make up? Would things change for better or for worse? Would Sasuke distance himself even more from him? Would they change the way they saw each other now that they had kissed? Would they feel differently towards each other?
Only time would tell. However, Naruto felt more than anxious to see the outcome.
oOo
"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura exclaimed surprised, rising from her seat at the desk of her medical office when the raven boy got in and slid the door close behind him.
"I'm sorry for coming unannounced; the receptionist told me you were free now." Sasuke said dispassionately.
"Er…yes, it's been a calm day," She said, smiling nervously while composing the white doctor's gown she was wearing over her clothes. "Please, do sit down!"
She gestured to the seat in front of the desk and waited for the man to sit before sitting once more.
"Are you feeling unwell?" She asked, immediately checking in her metallic drawer for her stethoscope. "You look a little pale, is it the heat?"
"No, I'm fine," He said, nodding negatively and smiling halfheartedly. "I was just wondering if you still have that drinking stuff you used to give me to sleep".
Her mint eyes focused on his dark ones worriedly. The corner of Sasuke's mouth was bruised, he looked extremely tired and by the slight wrinkle that was formed on his forehead, something was disturbing him, but the girl thought it would be better not to ask him about it.
"Is it insomnia again?"
"No. I just want to sleep earlier today, and since that medicine is made of natural products I prefer it over the pills I have at home. At least, I won't feel drowsy in the morning."
"Oh, alright then," She replied, astonished. "Early as in…eight o'clock?"
"Early as in getting in bed as soon as I get out of here to get home." He said, as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
Sakura's mouth hanged open confusedly.
"Sasuke-kun, it's…three something in the afternoon," She noted, carefully.
"Yes, as good a time to sleep as any other time of the day," He defiantly said. "Will it let me sleep until morning?"
"I'm…not sure natural medicinal syrup will be able to make you sleep for so long," She babbled, looking over at the cabinet where she kept all sorts of medicines. "Let me just check what I have here…"
She stood up again with a predictable lack of elegance and went over to the cabinet as Sasuke crossed his leg abruptly and turned his head to the side to stare out the window on the left side of the office.
Sakura rummaged through all sorts of boxes containing chemical and non-chemical pills and powders, looking for something that might satisfy the Uchiha's more than peculiar request.
"May I inquire why you would want to sleep for so long?" She dared to ask, getting on the tips of her toes to reach the shelf with more powerful medicine.
"Yes, you may," Sasuke said casually but with obvious distaste and scorn. "My prodigious brain has decided to work tirelessly today, forcing me to think about things I don't want to think about, not until I inevitably have to think about them anyway. So, I want to shut it down before I get unnecessarily stressed out and end up breaking every breakable object I possess in my house."
"I…see…" was all Sakura could utter. So, he was indeed upset and it was serious enough for him to apparently be on the brink of an anxiety attack. What could possibly have caused such a thing? She wanted to ask him if he had had problems with Neji but refrained from doing so, for it might worsen Sasuke's mood.
"Considering how bad my temper can get, I think it's pretty coherent that I prefer to sleep."
"Yes…well, I do have some pills that are strong enough to put you to sleep for about fifteen hours at most," Sakura said, turning to Sasuke and shaking a small blue box of pills as she walked to her teammate's side. "Take only one today. If your insomnia gets back eventually, you can take this as well, but only half a pill, okay?"
"Whatever, I don't need the whole box, Sakura." He grumbled, getting up.
"Just keep it. That syrup I made you takes almost a month to do; at least you have something in case you need it." Sakura said determinedly. She shoved the box in Sasuke's hands and smiled gently. "Whatever it is that is upsetting you, you can always talk to me about it."
Sasuke pressed his lips together for a moment before smiling back just a little.
"You're a good friend, Sakura," He said, shoving the medicine in his left pocket. "But trust me; you don't want to know about my problems, not this one at least."
"Why don't you try me?" She said, hopefully, putting her hands behind her back so that the raven did not see how anxious they were. Sasuke blinked a few times at her tone.
"Sorry, but I can't. It's nothing, so there's really nothing to talk about. Thanks for this, I owe you."
Sasuke patted her cheek lightly in a way that could be considered affectionate coming from him, and yet, she did not feel his affection at all.
She wanted him to stay for a while longer, wanted to know what had disturbed him, wanted to, at least, be able to play the part of the friend she was.
And then it hit her. Neji and Naruto were away on a mission and the Uchiha had no best friend to brood about and no lover to keep him company. If she had ever thought the gods hated her, right now they were presenting her with the perfect opportunity to get closer to Sasuke now that he was alone. She wanted to gain his trust; she wanted him to willingly go to her for anything he needed. He wasn't really gay, right? He could still love someone other than Neji. Who knew if he would finally end up loving her if he was able to finally see the kind of good woman she could be for him?
She had spent so much time forcing her feelings on him, she had not seen she had done the wrong thing from the start.
"You're on vacation, right?" She asked, forcing herself to calm down the gush of prayers that was flooding her mind. "I have half the day off tomorrow, so I was wondering if you'd come and have lunch with me. I'll cook something for you; it's been a while since either you or Naruto have been over."
Sasuke seemed thoughtful for a moment before nodding once, slowly.
"Sure, I'll be there," He accepted. "Just make sure Lee won't get jealous."
"Oh, please, my mother will be there! Don't say such things, Sasuke-kun!" She mocked, noticing how he instantly relaxed at the mention of her mother. Had he thought she would try something with him?
As the tall, stoic young man left, Sakura was so overjoyed by the chance she got, she spent the whole afternoon daydreaming, almost forgetting she had agreed to meet Lee at the end of the day.
Life was good and fate was, at last, being kind to her.
oOo
"My name is Terumi Mei, the Godaime Mizukage; these are my faithful guardians, Ao and Choujiro, and this young girl is the main priestess of the Water Country, Kirishima Haru."
Unlike Neji, whose face was as devoid of emotion as a porcelain doll's would be, Naruto was utterly fascinated by the astonishing beauty of the woman in front of the two of them. She was tall and amazingly elegant despite having the most fabulous curves – and the most spectacular set of breasts. Her brown reddish hair fell all the way to the back of her knees, and her eyes were a beautiful emerald color. When she smiled, she seemed like she was constantly trying to seduce somebody.
Naruto must have been staring at her with a rather disgruntled look because Ao – the eldest of her two bodyguards and the most intimidating – cleared his throat menacingly, waking up the blond from his trance.
Naruto shook his head to clear his thoughts but laughed stupidly, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Oh, so sorry," He apologized jovially, bowing down with clumsiness. "I am Uzumaki Naruto and this is my comrade, Hyuuga Neji. It's a pleasure to meet you all!"
"Likewise…" The shy boy with light blue hair and glassed named Choujiro said, bowing as well in a nervous manner.
"The pleasure is all mine," The Mizukage said, eyeing both Naruto and Neji pleasingly as she –purposefully – arranged her dress' neckline. "My-my, Tsunade sent a pure-blooded Hyuuga to escort me? How thoughtful of her."
"Is the Kazekage late?" Ao, the man with an eye patch over his right eye inquired rudely. "The sun is almost completely set, and even though this is a quiet and reserved place, we should find shelter as soon as possible; we have been traveling for a long time and the Godaime is tired."
"I'm sure he'll arrive soon," Naruto replied, smile disappearing instantly at the man's arrogant tone. He was quickly beginning to dislike the weirdo already. "Maybe, you should put down your luggage until then and let the Mizukage sit down."
"Oh, forgive my lack of consideration!" Choujiro exclaimed, hurriedly removing the rectangular backpack from his back and placing it on the ground behind the Mizukage, who smiled sympathetically at him.
"Don't worry about me, silly boy, I am more than fine!" She admonished.
"I am sorry, Mizukage-sama, but we were informed that you were bringing two more people with you," Neji intervened with a dry but polite drawl. "Yet, you also brought a girl the Hokage might not be expecting."
Naruto then finally noticed the girl Terumi-Sama had been talking about, the one called Kirishima Haru. She was quiet and small, looked about Neji's age and was wearing a simple dark red Kimono. She was pretty enough, with round features, gorgeous almond eyes and long, curly light brown hair that reached the end of her spine. More than pretty she was cute, like a little cuddly doll. She smiled passively at Neji, who did not seem to notice it.
"Yes, Hyuuga-san, I am aware of that," The Mizukage said delicately, taking a seat on Choujiro's backpack despite her previous words and crossing her legs femininely while winking at Neji, who clearly struggled not to grimace. "Haru is an important asset to the Water Country, so I thought I should surprise Tsunade by bringing her and making a rather valuable proposition that does not concern you."
"I am sorry for the intromission." Haru said respectfully, moving over to stand beside the Mizukage, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear and presenting Naruto with a big, almost intimate smile. Surprised, he noticed she acted shy but had an air of covert confidence. While she looked innocent enough, something about those deep eyes was too farsighted, like the eyes of a wise old woman, and it captured the blonde's attention like a magnet.
The girl was looking at him the way someone who knew him for a long time would.
"How are we going to solve this?" Neji asked, finally turning to Naruto for answers. "If the girl is not expected they might not let her inside the village."
"It's fine, Neji, I'll send a message to Baa-chan through Gamakichi so that they'll be expecting everyone." Naruto said, not wasting time and biting down on his thumb, drawing blood. He squatted before easily performing the summoning Jutsu without really noticing that everyone decided to watch him with great interest. Gamakichi came right away, said a few bad humored "hellos" and patiently listened to what Naruto needed of him. Promising to return as soon as he had talked with the Hokage, he vanished.
When Naruto straightened up he noticed Neji had his Byakugan activated and was scanning the area, probably looking for any signs of the Kazekage or even any apparent danger they might have missed.
"I feel sorry for the Kage of the sand, having to take such a detour just to meet all of us here at this specific border," The Mizukage commented casually, taking off her Kage hat and placing it perfectly over her lap. "I mean, you did make things easier for us since we came by sea. But we still had to take a detour since the currents were rather unfavorable."
"Yeah, I guess it would be easier to come from Suna and stop by the south-westward border, but since we had to pick you and them and bring you to Konoha safely, it was better to meet here, by the southeastern border." Naruto explained, rubbing his nose thoughtfully.
"Well, they were still the ones who had to take the longest trip to get all the way down here," Choujiro said, smiling shyly. "I do feel kind of sorry for them."
"They're coming," Neji informed with his back to them, looking straight ahead to the wide forest they were immersed in. "And I didn't expect him to be the Kazekage."
"Heh? You see them? Who is he?" Naruto asked curiously, looking over Neji's shoulder to try to see something, but to no avail since the landscape was too dense.
"You'll see." The Hyuuga said, smiling mischievously at him and turning to the rest of the group still with the Byakugan on. "We should be getting ready; we'll be leaving this spot as soon as the Kazekage arrives."
Neji's eyes stopped when they accidentally gazed at the oldest man of the group. His smile disappeared in a flash as his brow furrowed deeply. Ao did nothing but raise an arrogant, superior eyebrow at him, but Naruto sensed the immediate imperceptible tension that settled between them.
"That is a convenient accessory you've got there," The brown haired young man said, almost venomously, pointing at Ao's patch. "I would keep it on in Konoha if I were you. I am rather benevolent of old conflicts, but some of my kind may not be so forgiving."
Ao stared at Neji defiantly but did not reply back to his semi-threat. Naruto did not know what his companion was talking about and even though he was curious about it, he feared that it might be dangerous considering they were dealing with the Mizukage of a village that was once Konoha's enemy. He would remember to ask Neji about it later though.
"Such a fierce character for such a young age," The Mizukage observed, laughing slightly and staring intently at Neji. "I do tend to like assertive and attractive men like you."
"As flattered as I am, I'm already spoken for." Neji grumbled, huffing and clearly trying to keep his bad temper in control.
"Really? Such a pity."
The blond Jounin was feeling slightly alienated by then, not liking one bit the murderous look on Neji's eyes and the fact that he did not know what was going on.
He was promptly going to open his mouth to try and lighten the mood when an unfamiliar presence appeared at his side.
"It's the Byakugan," came the whispered, soft and enticing voice of Haru, the Priestess. Naruto looked at her and raised an inquisitive eyebrow at her sudden proximity. To him, she was the tiniest girl he had ever met since the top of her head reached the spot slightly above his shoulder. "Ao has it under that patch and I'm sure Hyuuga-san has seen it."
"Ah…, I see," He muttered, observing her gentle features. Haru then put a small, delicate hand on his arm and squeezed it carefully. When she spoke, her unexpected words shook Naruto to the core.
"I hope we can get along, Uzumaki-san," She said, almost complacently, like a mother would. "We have to or else your fate will be even more merciless that it already is. But I guess it'll be fine, you've already been through so much as it is. Also…"
She stood on the tips or her toes as she pulled his arm down. Utterly perplexed but unable to not do as she wanted, he leaned down and allowed her to lean over to whisper in his ear.
"That boy who was the first thing that flashed through your mind when I looked through it…I have known him all my life, just like I know you."
With that, she beamed at him once more before letting go and returning to her place next to a very abnormally cheerful Mizukage.
Naruto for his part did not have the time to even think too much about what that freaky girl had told him because the bushes behind them shivered with the announcement that someone was coming and obviously, meeting the Kazekage was a much higher priority in his mind.
Six heads turned simultaneously to the three newcomers as they emerged from the ever growing shadows of the trees as night approached. The Kazekage was only a little smaller than him and was wearing his Kage hat that covered the upper half of his face. But the blond did not need to see said face, because even with new clothes he knew that chakra signature all too well and definitely knew the two Shinobi that accompanied him: Temari and Kankurou.
When the Kazekage's head was raised and Naruto's blue eyes met with pale sea green, his heart almost dropped all the way down to his feet. His voice seemed to be stuck inside his throat but, eventually, he managed to regain it.
"G-Gaara?" He yelled, pointing his shaking finger at the man. "What the fuck?"
"Nice to see you too, you big mouthed buffoon." Temari groaned, smirking openly at his reaction.
"Hello there," Gaara greeted calmly in his usual neutral tone. "Uzumaki Naruto."
His life – Naruto thought, too dumbfounded to find the heart to make a coherent remark – had never been so unbelievingly weird.