Naruto hugged Sasuke much in the way a landslide falls onto a valley, rapidly and inevitably. Sasuke had resolved to endure his embrace hoping that if he didn't reciprocate Naruto would make it quick. But of course the idiot had to make a joke of it and hold onto him tightly, even rubbing his scarred cheek high on Sasuke's chest.

"Get off of me!" With a kick and twist Sasuke finally managed to get free.

Naruto stumbled back toward the table with a snigger. "Don't even lie, you bastard, you missed me!"

"Like I missed having an infected wound. And I just saw you, even if was a shadow clone."

"Oh hey!" Naruto laughed. "You figured it out."

"Some of it, Kakashi explained the rest." Sasuke made a face. "You don't need to treat me like a little kid, cheering me for remembering your basic jutsu." He held out the slip of paper with the summoning jutsu to Naruto.

"Okay, fine." Suddenly sober, Naruto took the slip from him. "Did you change your shirt?"

"Hn."

With a sigh Naruto picked up the scroll from the floor and gently rolled it up. "I bet you're hungry. I invited a couple people to come up here and eat with us."

On cue there was a knock at a side door. When Naruto called to them to enter Sasuke was surprised to see it was servants carrying trays of food. Ramen, of course. And small bowls of side ingredients to add to the dish as each person desired. Some things would never change.

The servants, wearing the daimyo's crest and colors, silently arrayed the food at one corner of the long table that dominated the room. They were efficient and moved as if they were unaware of the two men watching them. Well, nearly unaware. Most of the servants were a bit older but one lady seemed much younger, still a teenager to Sasuke's eyes. Her hands shook slightly and she couldn't seem to help glancing at him from time to time.

Over the years Sasuke had gotten used to treatment like that and learned to tune it out quite a long time ago. But this was not a barmaid making eyes at a handsome young man. The fear in her eyes was far too intense. Sasuke hoped she made it out of the room before she fainted.

As they exited one of the older servants grasped the young lady by the arm and practically dragged her from the room.

"Hn."

"Yeah. I guess some of that is going to happen sometimes."

Sasuke folded his arms and stared at the door the servants had used. "Sometimes? I would be surprised if it wasn't all the time." He glanced at Naruto. "Are you going to tell me what I'm supposed to do here?"

"Yeah. But first come on and sit down before this ramen gets cold!" Naruto pulled out his chair and immediately began piling his favorites into a bowl of steaming ramen. "The others will get here in a minute and we can talk about the plan then. Don't worry, I told them you would be here so they won't freak out like the people who served our food."

Sasuke scowled. He wanted to argue and get right down to business, but his own growling stomach cut him off. He didn't even like ramen that much but food was food.

In the middle of preparing his bowl, and Naruto already slurping away, a pair of large doors at the end of the room opened and another servant ushered in two people. A broad-shouldered jonin walked in. He had dark brown hair pulled back in a ponytail and a scar that ran from forehead, through eyebrow and down the cheek, skipping the left eye. An exceptionally poised kunoichi was at his side. For a split second Sasuke didn't breathe. Even though he recognized Shikamaru and Ino, he had to admit she had become a stunning beauty. Long blond hair swayed behind her as a silk, floor-length lavender kimono accentuated every curve without revealing a single thing.

Then he blinked and put his attention back on his ramen. Sakura was really pretty, he told himself. Then he scoffed, called himself a fool and stood up straight.

"Hey guys!" Naruto waved them over to the table. "Come on over and eat!"

"Oh come on, Naruto," spoke up Ino, "didn't you eat enough at the main dinner with the daimyo?"

"Sorry, man, I can't eat another bite. You should have called up Choji if you needed help finishing your food." Shikamaru nodded to Sasuke and pulled out a chair for Ino. Then he sat down.

"I saved some room for ramen, you know it!"

"Why don't you sit, Sasuke?" Offered Ino. "You were making yourself a bowl so you should enjoy your food."

Her tone of voice and the look on her face were perfectly placid and hospitable. She wore a comfortable smile that anyone should have found welcoming. Everything about her was well mannered and graceful. Sasuke didn't believe her for a second.

He silently sat and tended to his ramen. Clearly Ino had extensive training so she would never betray even a hint of misgivings. But she also held back from the basics of cordiality, without so much as a comment on how long it had been since they had last seen each other.

Shikamaru didn't bother with polite graces. He glanced between Sasuke and Naruto silently.

Finally Naruto smacked his lips and sighed with happiness. "Alright! Since you're not going to eat yours, guess I'll have another bowl!"

Shikamaru cleared his throat simultaneously with Ino's hushed, "Lord Hokage!"

Naruto heaved a sigh as if aggrieved. "Why can't you guys just say hi and catch up while I eat?" The flat stares from Shikamaru and Ino made him give up on the idea. "Fine..." he whined.

"I brought Sasuke because Sakura-chan has been taken prisoner by the Iwa shinobi."

Ino gasped and Shikamaru looked up in shock. "What?! How?"

It tickled Sasuke that Shikamaru didn't ask why they had taken her prisoner. He automatically wondered how the Iwa could possibly capture Sakura.

Naruto stared at his second bowl of ramen and made a face. "She surrendered to them."

For just a moment Ino's jaw dropped in quite an unladylike fashion before she clicked her mouth shut. Shikamaru leaned over his elbows set on the table. "Okay, explain to me what happened. In order."

Naruto looked at Sasuke. "Well? You know better than me, bastard."

"Hn." Sasuke swallowed the food in his mouth and put down his chopsticks. He proceeded to explain the past two days with Sakura in general terms, focusing on the confrontation with the Iwa shinobi.

Shikamaru had a thoughtful look as he gazed back at Sasuke. "Someone caught you?" He muttered as if trying to imagine such a scenario. Ino looked similarly baffled.

Everyone made such a fuss. Was it so hard to imagine he had put his energy into protecting Kouki before himself? Sasuke continued with his story. He hitched and studied his ramen as he explained Sakura's wounds and how exhausted she was simply trying to survive. He glossed over their argument and touched on realizing that Sakura was in contact with Tsunade and Naruto.

Sasuke paused for a moment before explaining in very simple terms that they took a walk on the second day noting Sakura was too fatigued to go far.

Ino arched a perfect eyebrow. "You carried her back?" The twist in her mouth said if Sakura had been the one to relate this to her, she would have called her a liar.

"Yes."

"Hey if you think that's something," began Naruto, fingers laced behind his head, "you should have seen him when-"

"Naruto," Sasuke growled. "I told them why the Iwa came after her, or at least their excuse for it. But we all want to know why I'm here."

"Okay, right. Well, I saw your stand off with them. They claimed they wanted justice after what Sakura-chan did. I told them that the treaty would declare that part of the river as Fire Territory, but they didn't want to believe me. In the end Sakura agreed to give herself up so there wouldn't be any fighting over it."

Sasuke could feel a muscle in his jaw jutting out as he gritted his teeth. He couldn't stop himself from growling. "They insisted on insurance that Sakura wouldn't get away from them before the treaty came in."

"But they didn't say that they would take her across the river and into Earth territory as soon as they could." Naruto turned to Shikamaru and Ino. "Bastard says they'll try her for murder and and start torturing her for Konoha secrets as soon as they find her guilty."

Ino pressed her lips together in a delicate frown. "Dammit," she whispered.

"What makes you so sure that's what they'll do?" Shikamaru asked.

Sasuke told him his rationale. With a glance to Naruto he explained, again in broad terms, talking to Sakura in the Iwa camp. He skipped several details of their conversation.

Shikamaru frowned at the table. "Did they know?"

"Maybe they had orders?" Ino suggested.

"It's a possibility."

Sasuke had no idea what they were talking about. Luckily he wasn't alone.

"Orders about what? What are you talking about?" Naruto asked.

"Well," explained Ino, dipping slightly into a slightly bossy tone that Sasuke remembered from their childhood, "you sent Sakura with Kakashi and the others to the river instead of bringing her here. That was a good idea at the beginning of negotiations because she makes everybody tense. And we were thinking once the negotiations were done you would bring her back up here to make sure the daimyo signed without wasting any more time, right?"

Shikamaru added, "I think the Iwa knew Sakura was our secret weapon for forcing them to sign the treaty. I'm starting to think that maybe all their shinobi out on missions had orders that if they found her they should keep her busy and away from the negotiations. And it looks like they were even thinking of getting everything they possibly could out of her, even if they had to torture her. Crap. What a pain."

Abruptly Sasuke realized that Shikamaru wore a silver band on his left ring finger. It crossed his mind to check Ino's hand but there was no ring there. Hadn't Sakura said she and Kiba... Sasuke pulled his thoughts away from the distraction. "Why do you think they had orders? The Iwa that stopped me didn't know Sakura was in the area, they were looking for me specifically."

Shikamaru nodded. "By itself, that's weird but... Ino?"

"One of my contacts in the Earth Country diplomatic delegation let it slip that some of the Iwa shinobi are more in favor of invading Konoha than others."

She looked at Shikamaru who nodded. "I've been working on a theory that some of the old guard want to honor the previous Tsutchikage, Ohnoki, and stay out of war. But younger shinobi want to make a name for themselves."

Ino pursed her lips and added, "Nothing like invading another country for getting noticed. Obviously the shinobi that got you were looking for intel that would help during a war."

Shikamaru spoke. "When Sakura killed the shinobi who were interrogating you the Iwa saw the chance to go from gathering information to directly affecting the negotiations."

Ino made a musing sound. "Sakura is so strong that she can be as much a liability for Konoha as she is an asset."

Now it was Naruto's turn to growl. "Dammit. They want a fight so bad."

Ino nodded. "Hidesaburo wants to make sure his name is remembered through history, even if he has to start a war to do it." She couldn't keep out a faint note of impatience from her otherwise perfectly refined voice.

Shikamaru heaved a sigh. "I wish Sakura played more shogi. This thing with taking Sakura because she killed two trespassers... ugh, sorry, Naruto, but this sets the Iwa perfectly to make their Tsutchikage look good to his daimyo. And if we say one wrong word or put down the wrong foot they'll come at us with invasion and war."

Naruto groaned and sat back in his chair. Sasuke had never seen such a troubled look on his face. "Man, I really wish Sakura hadn't killed those two."

"Me too." Sasuke looked back calmly as the other three looked up at him in mild surprise. "It's my fault since she was trying to help me."

After a moment Shikamaru spoke. "I noticed from when you explained what happened that you didn't really try to fight the Iwa. I get that you're not like you used to be - you're not even carrying any weapons right now. But what did you want back then? And I might as well ask, why did you agree to come here?"

"Hn." That was the issue. The thing he would have to be explaining over and over again to anyone from Konoha. Anyone who knew the angry, lost boy who only lived to avenge his family. It felt like it had taken days to explain himself to Sakura. He wasn't sure he could bear it again and again.

He dropped his hands into his lap. "I don't want anyone else to get hurt. I came here to help Sakura because both she and Naruto said getting the treaty signed was the best way. She'll be on trial tomorrow." Sasuke paused as his jaw tightened. "I won't let anyone hurt her. No matter what."

"But-" began Shikamaru. He stopped when Ino put a hand on his arm.

"Sasuke seems to have his own reasons for seeking a non-violent resolution. That works in our favor." Ino gave him a cool and somewhat withering look. "That is assuming he is truly here to aid the Hokage."

Sasuke stared back coldly. He had realized he liked the idea of Naruto being Hokage, but actually aiding him, working at his side, was something completely different. He deliberately took in a long breath and then pushed it out again. "I already said what I will do." He looked at Naruto. "Now I just need to know how I'm supposed to do it."

Naruto nodded. "I guess I should explain why I brought Ino and Shikamaru here too. As soon as my clone told me you were ready to come up I figured I should get them to come and help me brief you on the negotiations." He gave a self-conscious laugh and scratched his head. "They only knew that Sakura had found you. That's all. So, uh... I guess they were a little shocked."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "More like totally confused."

"Look, Naruto, you know we'll back you up, but this doesn't make any sense. Sasuke hasn't wanted to have anything to do with Konoha for years. And everyone is going to remember way back when he used to say that he was going to 'crush the Leaf,' remember that?" Without waiting for a response she continued. "And now here he is smelling like the countryside and wearing a wrinkly old shirt, here! at the daimyo's palace! Naruto, even you have to understand that looks weird."

Naruto shrugged and sat back in his chair. "I don't care. It's stupid that we've been here for over a week and they're still arguing over damned trade routes. Now they have Sakura-chan all chained up...I'm not going to let them waste any more time. The bastard is going to tell them just how stupid they're being and get them to sign the treaty right away."

Shikamaru had a considering look in his eye, going from Naruto to Sasuke and back again.

Ino lightly rubbed her temples. "Ugh, fine. So Sasuke is going to harass people instead of Sakura. Now I understand why you wanted us not to tell anyone about this meeting. But won't the servants tell people?"

"Actually that was my idea," said Shikamaru. "Give them a reason to come in here and then go out and spread rumors about Sasuke. That way we don't have to waste time explaining it over and over and dealing with shocking our own people."

Ino looked a little shocked herself. "Uhh... you want them to spread rumors?"

Shikamaru gave her a look. "Yes. Shouldn't we? It'll make people curious and afraid, knowing Sasuke Uchiha came back for this."

Her mouth fell open slightly and she looked at Naruto and then back at Shikamaru. Finally she smacked a hand to her forehead, completely ruining the illusion of grace, and groaned. "Are you guys idiots or what?"

"Huh?" came from both Shikamaru and Naruto.

"You guys have maybe two minutes, probably less, to tell Sasuke everything he needs to know before the elders blow the doors in and come here to give each of us an earful! They are not going to care that Sasuke suddenly gives a damn about his old teammates! When they find out that the Iwa took Sakura I bet those old goats will do cartwheels out of sheer joy!"

Shikamaru winced at every other word as he weakly tried to get Ino to calm down.

Naruto looked slightly pale but when Ino stopped to take a breath he jumped in. "Uh. We kinda thought they might do that. So... um... heh..." He scratched a cheek and gave Ino a meaningful look.

Ino's eyes grew wide and she gasped in realization. "Wha...?! You're expecting me to...! No fair! I need to brief Sasuke too! And I want to know more about what Sakura was doing with him in that cottage and-"

"Come on, Ino, you're the only who can do it. You know it's true. Come on, please?" Naruto pleaded.

"Dammit, Naruto, there's so much we still have to do. I'll never be able to get them to leave you and Sasuke alone if we can't even get him to show a little bit of allegiance! Ugh, how could you throw this at me like this?" Ino was half way standing, looking more and more flustered.

"Calm down, Ino, everything happens at its own pace. That's what you always say." Shikamaru leaned back in his chair and looked up at her. "Getting upset just wastes time. Anyway, you can charm the elders in a second and then send them off to the after hours gathering and come right back. That's never been a problem for you."

Ino made a frustrated sound and gave Shikamaru a dirty look. "No. It wouldn't be difficult. But this was your plan, Shikamaru, the least you could have done was give me some heads up." She sat back down with a huff.

Shikamaru looked back at Sasuke and then to Naruto. "She does have a point though. We need to quickly and easily convince our own people that Sasuke is on our side."

Sasuke shifted in his chair uneasily. Would he have to make an oath? Accept a curse seal? He trusted Naruto - a little - but he would never submit to any demands of loyalty from the elders. They might not have ordered the obliteration of his clan but they had stepped aside and allowed it to happen.

"I think I know what might work." Naruto looked straight into his eyes. The look on his face was the same as when he had asked him to come to the palace of the daimyo and work on behalf of peace. "I'm not going to make you declare anything out loud. But I am going to ask you to wear this." Naruto reached into coat and tugged something out and laid it on the table in front of Sasuke.

It was a Konoha hitaiate.

Sasuke stared at it as if it were a poisonous insect that could leap at him at any moment.

Shikamaru cleared his throat. "Yeah. That should work."

Sasuke's jaw worked. Kakashi's words about wearing a costume came back to him. That would be the final piece. Putting it on would erase any distance between being a Konoha shinobi and pretending to be a Konoha shinobi.

He looked at the others around the table. They stared back expectantly, hardly seeming to breathe. Who ever would have thought that this meeting could happen? To Sasuke, the days when he said he would crush Konoha seemed like a dream. But one he could remember rather well. This moment, being invited to stand once again as a Konoha shinobi and follow his old teammate, now the Hokage, felt beyond surreal. He wished with all of his might that Sakura was there.

Sasuke shut his eyes to that idea. Sakura had done nothing but confuse him for the past two days and this was the result. He sucked in a breath. Well, he had made a promise, hadn't he?

He reached out and took the hitaiate. He gestured with it at Naruto. "Just because I'm doing this doesn't mean I'm coming right back to Konoha. This is just to get Sakura free."

"Right." Naruto agreed. He grinned as Sasuke tied the straps around his forehead. Even Ino looked relieved.

"Okay," began Naruto. "Ino, why don't you tell Sasuke what you-"

The two doors slammed open and the elders, Koharu and Homura swept into the room. A servant scurried in, bowing and offering profuse apologies.

Naruto stood and began to greet the elders but they cut him off.

"What is the meaning of this?" Demanded Homura.

"How dare the traitor Uchiha show his face here!" Added Koharu.

Shikamaru and Ino had already gotten to their feet so Sasuke followed suit. He pulled his shoulders back and lifted his chin. Time for business.

Sasuke recalled Sakura's words and hid a smile as he stepped around the table to stand at Naruto's side. Just to complete the effect he engaged his Sharingan. At the very least he was going to want to remember the looks on their faces for a very long time.

Naruto glanced at him as he took his position, hands in his pockets. The blond grinned and looked back at the elders. They gasped and stopped walking, still more than a dozen feet away. Their faces drained of blood, eyes wide. Not exactly exploding, but amusing, thought Sasuke.

They were all the more aged and stooped than he remembered, and in his memory they were quite old. Why were these fossils still getting in the way? Homura leaned in like he strained to hear and Koharu used a cane as she walked.

Ino immediately stepped in. "Lady Koharu, Lord Homura, it is wonderful that you should join us at this time!" Her movement was understated, humble and flawless in its hospitality. The elders were still angry but their eyes were suddenly not quite so flinty.

Koharu eyed her as she spoke, "Young lady, your Hokage had better have a very good explanation for bringing a rogue ninja to the palace of the daimyo!"

"Madam, my Lord Hokage has implemented a plan that will see immediate benefit for the Land of Fire as well as for Konoha."

Homura cleared his throat. "We'll see about that."

"Do you care to explain yourself?" Koharu demanded.

Sasuke had summoned calm to every inch of his being. He began to say, "I have come-"

"Not you!" Koharu snapped. "Why does the Hokage let a traitor speak for him? Your foolishness has been a blemish for Konoha to bear for more than a year, but this is intolerable!"

Sasuke felt the stirrings of anger but Naruto spoke before they could settle. The Hokage was angry. "Sasuke has always been my friend. Nothing has changed! Nothing can change that!"

Homura interjected, "This is a man who said he would crush Konoha, and now you think Konoha should trust him? Just like that?"

"Yes!" Naruto cried. "I trust him. I know he will help us!"

"How can you be so sure? You haven't-"

"I will help him." Sasuke interjected. "I swore I would help my teammate. Whatever I said as a child won't stop me from keeping that promise." Sasuke locked eyes with Homura. He didn't use the hypnotic power of his Sharingan, only the force of his dedication held the old man in place.

"Teammate, huh," scoffed Koharu. "You have given us no reason to believe you will honor your old bond. This is even more ridiculous than if Princess Tsunade's student Sakura were here."

Out of the corner of his eye Sasuke saw Ino rock back slightly. She had been hoping they wouldn't mention Sakura.

"Hmm." Homura muttered with a whispery, rattling voice. "Where is that girl, anyway? Usually at this point in the process you have her storming around, forcing her impudence and violent temper on others."

Koharu eyed Naruto. "Don't tell me her absence is the reason the Uchiha is here."

Sasuke dimly remembered hearing that Koharu was somewhat sharper than Homura. At any rate, as Ino displayed, an exceptional kunoichi could read secrets buried deep in the eyes, instincts and intuition working hand in hand to uncover hidden emotions and motives.

Naruto adjusted his stance, feet further apart, hands in fists. His irritation was palpable. "The Iwa have been looking for a reason to take her prisoner and they finally found one."

"That troublesome girl was captured by the Iwa? I'm not surprised." Koharu appeared to ignore Naruto's frustration.

Sasuke had to force his jaw to relax in order to keep from grinding his teeth. "We are wasting time here. They will have to release her when they get a copy of the signed treaty."

The elders hitched. Their faces showed disgust, as if they would have preferred to never hear his voice again. Well too damned bad.

"The Iwa are your enemy, not me. They are considering an invasion of the Land of Fire. They are looking for methods to destroy Konoha. They tried to get Konoha's secrets from me but failed. Now they will try to get those secrets from Sakura."

The elders were silent as they stared at him. Koharu narrowed her eyes. "That is-"

"Completely in keeping with every piece of intel my team has uncovered." Shikamaru said, stepping forward. "Lord Hokage sent Kakashi's team to the border to check on rumors that Iwa shinobi had been trespassing. What we have learned is that they are acting as if it has always been Earth territory. They are working there and in other sensitive places to annex Fire territory."

"Lady Koharu, we know that Lord Hidesaburo bears Lord Naruto considerable ill will. He also wishes to aid his daimyo in taking strategic territory away from the Land of Fire. We have seen evidence of this repeatedly, not just in these negotiations, but in the years since Lord Hidesaburo became the Tsutchikage." Somehow Ino's tone straddled polite and firm, seeming to avoid being challenging at the same time that it gave no ground. Sasuke was starting to understand Ino's particular strength. Opposing her would be difficult simply because it would very hard to argue with such impeccable manners.

But Koharu knew her business just as well. "That's all very well, but the fact remains that the treaty is nearly finalized, yet at this sensitive point in time the Hokage has chosen to bring a wanted criminal to the table! This presents a threat to our own daimyo, to say nothing of what the people from the Earth delegation will say."

"A rook is exactly what you need for a strong endgame."

"Ehh?" Homura stared at Shikamaru with a completely baffled look. Naruto looked baffled too, for that matter.

"In chess you use the rooks to protect the king and to herd the enemy pieces into position for pawns to take. Then you set up your endgame, and trust me it's hard to beat a good rook ending. At this point in negotiations we need the delegates to settle down and sign the treaty. No more negotiations, no more spending time in talks. Sasuke isn't here to negotiate or convince them of anything. He's here to make sure they don't waste any more time and just sign the treaty."

Koharu looked like she begrudgingly understood. "They will howl." She muttered.

"Let 'em howl," growled Naruto. "Then they'll sign the treaty tomorrow and get the hell out of our country."

Homura eyed Koharu and then nodded. "You must realize this is still reckless, Lord Sixth. You had better be ready to explain yourself to the daimyo, and preferably without as much fuss as you normally make."

"Tsch. I'll go talk to him in a little bit when we go to the after hours gathering."

Koharu's eyes grew wide. "So soon!"

"Yes, ma'am." Answered Ino. "You can understand Lord Naruto's desire to see the Iwa free Sakura as soon as possible. You came here just as Shikamaru was going to brief Sasuke." Without missing a beat Ino gathered the attention of the elders as if she were collecting flowers for a bouquet and drew them toward the double doors. "If you like I will go with you now to the gathering to make sure there are no unpleasant surprises."

Just as Shikamaru had predicted, Ino had no trouble getting the elders to go along with her, albeit with several grumbles and only a perfunctory farewell to Naruto. Ino held the door open for the elders and ushered them out with a smile. Then just before the door closed, she poked her head back in and gave the men inside the room a very dirty look.

"Man, Ino is kinda awesome, for sure!" Naruto had already relaxed and let go of the tension the elders gave him.

"She knows what she's doing. But we should take care of our business and go to the gathering or she'll murder us all in our sleep for leaving her alone with the elders and the daimyo." Shikamaru had one hand in his pocket and the other at the back of his neck like he was only partly kidding about Ino killing them.

"Aa." Sasuke didn't want to do this. But he thought of Sakura in a cage and strangled his feelings. "What do I need to know?"

Shikamaru took in a deep breath and put both hands in his pockets. "Okay here goes."

In about 20 minutes Sasuke heard the names of many the power brokers at the diplomatic level between the Fire and Earth countries and an almost dizzying array of facts and opinions regarding each. Shikamaru kept track of who held militarily strategic importance for Konoha and Naruto could remember what each one liked with his or her ramen.

"Wait," Sasuke interrupted Naruto. "I don't care about your theory of ramen. But every time you tell me about one of them who likes pork with their ramen, you like that one. And the ones who like memna are the ones you think are creepy or problematic."

"Uh-huh..." responded Naruto, as if Sasuke's comment didn't have a point.

"Okay, I thought so."

"Uh... Okay." Shikamaru blinked a couple times at that two them.

"What?" Asked Naruto.

"Uh, nothing. I was just wondering what you might think of someone who liked to add pickled garlic to their ramen?" Shikamaru wondered.

Sasuke wasn't sure where he was going with this and neither was Naruto. "Uhh... I dunno. I guess I'd probably like them. That's pretty bold, but maybe also kind of stupid." As he spoke a slow smile spread over Naruto's face as he thought about the idea of garlic in ramen. "But no one that works for the daimyo likes their ramen like that, right?"

"No, not that I know of. I'm pretty sure only Lord Jiraya liked his ramen like that."

"Oh hey, yeah," Naruto bounced. "That's right!"

Shikamaru grinned. "Yeah, that's pretty cool. I think Sasuke understood what you meant with the ramen right away. But now that I understood what you're looking at when people eat dinner with you, I think I can keep up a little bit."

"Hn." Keep up? Sasuke didn't honestly care about Naruto's food observations, he simply understood what the idiot was talking about on a level free of political complication.

"Heh, yeah I guess the bastard always got was I was trying to say." Naruto wiped his nose.

"Alright. Well, I think we should head to the after hours gathering with the Fire daimyo, Naruto."

"Fine. Let's go."

As they left the room Sasuke asked, "What is this gathering for?"

Shikamaru answered, "It's a late night gathering for the dignitaries to socialize and relax. Negotiations are supposed to be for the day time, and officially that's how it is. But we can get a lot done at night. Some of them like to drink, a lot of them flirt and gossip, and the smart ones do all of that and still charm the right people toward their way of thinking."

"It'd be a lot more fun if I were drinking," grumbled Naruto.

"You're not allowed to drink?" Sasuke asked.

"I promised Hinata I wouldn't since she's not allowed to drink. Oh hey, you bastard! I didn't even tell you that Hinata and me-"

"It's alright, Sakura told me." Sasuke angled himself away as they walked in case Naruto decided to come in for another hug.

"This is gonna be so cool, I can't wait! Man, I wish it didn't take so long for a baby to get born! Hinata's already been so tired and grumpy all the time and she still has a few more months. And Sakura-chan told her not to drink alcohol and I promised I wouldn't either just to make it easier for Hinata, but now we're in different places like this where she's in Konoha and I'm all the way over here and it's really lame you know-"

"I get it." Sasuke interrupted again. He kept Naruto's excitement at arm's length, forcing his mind to stay focused on Sakura.

"Hey, did you know?" Naruto continued unabated, "Shikamaru got married and he has a kid now. Only he was bitching non-stop because his first kid was girl, and Temari promised that since she couldn't do anything to kick his ass while she was pregnant but once she gave birth and she-"

"Lord Hokage!" Shikamaru interrupted with more force in his voice than Sasuke had ever heard him use. There was a ruddy tinge on his cheeks.

"Oh!" Naruto stopped. "Uh..."

"I'm sorry, but you should focus on the peace negotiations. These are all stories you can tell Sasuke later." Shikamaru glanced at Sasuke.

Sasuke had been trying to play it cool and keep his mind on the diplomatic mission in front of him but he was itching to make Naruto shut up, by force if necessary.

Now Naruto looked at Sasuke and his eyes went wide. "Oh..."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed but he said nothing.

"I take it you've been married before?" Shikamaru inquired.

Sasuke wanted to say something infantile like it wasn't any of his business. Instead he stared hard down the hallway.

"I don't mean to be rude," Shikamaru continued. "But I saw you look at my ring. When you did that you ran your thumb over your ring finger on your left hand. That tells me that you were unconsciously remembering what it was like to wear a ring. I think you were wondering if Ino and I were married but then decided that wasn't the case."

"Hn." Sasuke crossed his arms.

"Hey, what?!" Naruto gasped.

"Don't worry about it. All I care about is if you can help us finish up these negotiations without everything ending in a war." Shikamaru turned and continued down the hallway, calling over his shoulder, "But you better be careful with Sakura."

Sasuke's mouth twitched and he moved to follow. He stopped when he felt Naruto's hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, wait a minute, bastard."

Sasuke shrugged off the hand. "We don't have time for this. Sakura is in a cage!" He set a quick pace after Shikamaru and Naruto followed suit.

"Hey, I know that! But I didn't know about this marriage stuff!"

"It doesn't matter." Sasuke tried to make his voice as hard and final as possible, but of course no such thing existed for Naruto.

"No way! I just want to know about who you were married to! And what happened to her, did she ditch your ass? Is that why you were living alone? What did-"

"She's dead, you idiot. Now shut the fuck up." Sasuke stepped even faster until he was beside Shikamaru. He would have gone ahead but only the shadow user knew the way.

Naruto walked quietly behind them. Sasuke could feel his eyes on the back of his head but he ignored the presence.

"Oh good, you guys are already coming in." Ino had appeared ahead of them in the hallway.

"Yeah, we figured out a plan for the bastard to follow."

Ino flinched and then recovered. "Naruto... remember what I told you about manners in front of the daimyo. Calling people names just because they don't care isn't going to work, okay?"

Naruto heaved a sigh. "Okay, okay." Under his breath he muttered, "when Sakura-chan is here no one lectures me on manners."

"Now, the daimyo is already there and Earth delegates are talking to him. I bet you anything Hidesaburo is going to come in soon because he heard Sasuke is here."

"Yeah, I figured that, Ino." Shikamaru assured her. "We think he's going to try to pick a fight either with him or Naruto. Actually, we're counting on it."

They walked quickly through the remaining distance as Shikamaru briefed Ino. Frown lines appeared around her mouth as she listened. When they finally stopped in front of a pair of ornate doors the look of worry was complete.

"I don't know, Shikamaru. That's a really iffy plan." She kept her eyes trained on Shikamaru's face, but Sasuke got the distinct impression she was trying not to look at him and openly wonder if he could do all they had agreed on.

"Everyone knows what they gotta do, Ino. You ready to help Sakura-chan, bastard?"

Ino winced at Naruto's rough language. Sasuke looked at Naruto's face, at his wide blue eyes. He smirked. "Aa."

Still, he could feel some faint nerves. It was the same flutter he had felt repeatedly over the course of the day, from the first moment he had pulled Sakura to him in front of both Iwa and Konoha shinobi. Nothing had felt quite certain and obvious since then.

"Right. I'll go in first." Naruto rolled his eyes. "The Fire daimyo likes things to work in a particular way and I'm supposed to walk into these things by myself. Totally lame."

Then he turned to the doors and pushed his way in, leaving Shikamaru, Ino and Sasuke in the hallway.

-傷-

Women have historically made very good spies and assassins. It's why kunoichi were a thing. So it's one small criticism I have with Kishimoto...he waaaayy under-utilizes the females in his stories. As a courtesan Ino would be effing deadly.

Oh well. I love your reviews! They keep me warm at night when the plot drifts out into the cold and I can't get it to come inside and get written...