Chapter 94 - Dropped Stitch
The dinner, at least, began well.
Naruto went to Kiine, who went to her family, which also included Boss Shin by proxy, who then came back, agreeing to have dinner in the Hokage Manor's finest, largest meeting room that evening, which had been temporarily outfitted with a large, round table draped in white cloth. Seats for an extra nine people were accommodated for, and the cooking nin—led by Akimichi Chun, Chouji's wife, and accompanied by her daughter Chouko, and her brother Haruhi—scrambled to have the nine extra sets of courses prepared accordingly.
Naruto returned home only once, after the jinchuuriki luncheon, to put on nicer clothes. Which basically consisted of swapping his usual black t-shirt for an orange one, and his orange track jacket for a finer black blazer, and grabbing his red Hokage Hat, which was mandatory for at least a few minutes before the meal began.
Even though Yomena was absent, the spiced scent of her room was ever-present, and it made him nervous and quick to leave.
The Taki and Hakaza clans, Naruto was pleased to find, as he picked them up, had also dressed respectably for the occasion in fine kimonos, and even Boss Tensho seemed to grumble less about it on the journey over to the mansion. Kiine, Naruto figured, must have emphasized the importance of the meeting to him, and the benefit it would give both his and Boss Shin's families.
Kiine also shared her opinion on Naruto's choice in headgear ("Oh man, it looks even weirder on you than I thought it would!") and her visit with Benio from after the lunch, both of which filled Naruto with light-hearted confidence and ease.
(She also walked with Yuki's arm tightly held in the crook of her own, Naruto noticed, keeping him close to her. Yuki did not seem displeased by this. Neither did Kou, who blithely followed along behind them.)
Gaara had already arrived, they found, accompanied by Kankuro and Morizuru.
"Oh, it's the cat-fighter," Morizuru commented, quietly, once he saw who Naruto was with. Kankuro rolled his eyes and lifted two fingers, which seemed to quiet Morizuru down.
"Hey Gaara, I got our extra guests," Naruto said, waving as he entered the lobby outside of the improvised banquet hall. "Boss Shin, Boss Tensho, ev'ryone else, this is Gaara of the Desert, Kazekage of the Land of Wind."
"A pleasure to meet you all," Gaara said, bowing slightly. "Boss Shin, your name precedes you."
"I do hope it's a good name," Shin replied, with a bend of his head.
"I get the feeling it is," Gaara replied, and Shin waved a hand in fluttering dismissiveness. "And you must be Boss Tensho, from the Land of Silk."
"I am," Tensho replied.
"There isn't much for plant life where I live, but I imagine the mulberry trees your land is famous for are quite nice."
"They're all right," Tensho said, his eyebrows lowering with either aggression or confusion.
"Hey, uh, is anyone else here yet?" Naruto interrupted. "M'not sure if we should sit down yet or not."
"Zatou and her guys already went in, but Terumi and Rotsuki aren't here yet," Kankuro replied. "They should be here soon, though. We're not exactly early."
"Cool, okay, we can just… stand around for a while, then, y'know," Naruto said. "Man, I am hungry!" He added, after a few more, dry, seconds. "Who's up for some chow?"
"Well after last night I can say I'm definitely looking forward to some more of your fine Konoha cuisine," Mikan said, with a courteous wave of her hand.
"Oh, well, we got our best cooking nin on the job tonight, it'll be really great, y'know!" Naruto replied.
"Cooking nin? What, do they roast the meat alive before serving it?" Nobuhiro said, with a scoff.
Gaara's expression, eyebrowless, raised.
"Nah, they're just, uh, a bit more skilled than civilian cooks. Better with, uh, knives and stuff, y'know," Naruto said, as cheerfully as he could manage, to offset Nobuhiro's uneasy annoyance. "None of that other stuff."
"I saw a fish cooked alive once," Morizuru said, with monotonous relish. "It writhed all around as they sliced it in half and took out all the guts to fry in a pan. Sorta like how a human does when you-"
"Morizuru. Just because we went to see Shikake today does not give you free license to say things like that," Kankuro said, firmly, with a tug of his fist. "I'm sorry, Morizuru here's not the best when it comes to tact," he added, to the others.
"I'm a beast, I can't help it, it's my nature," Morizuru replied, flatly.
"Yes, you can help it."
"Hey, you can tell me that gross stuff once we start dinner. I don't mind," Kiine said, with a fox-like smirk. "I love that sorta stuff, yeah."
"Can you handle it? I've seen things," Morizuru said.
"Bring it."
"Please don't encourage him…" Kankuro said, shaking his head, though his purple-painted lips were smiling slightly.
"Please keep me out of this if you do, Kiine," Kou said, tugging on the magenta sleeve of her kimono. "I don't like that sorta stuff..."
"We can sit apart from these hooligans, Kou-san," Yuki replied, primly. "I'll keep your ears shielded with better talk."
"Thanks, Yuki-san…" Kou replied, blushing slightly.
"So what sort of manner of boy is this delightful creature?" Shin said, pushing forward slightly to get a better look at Morizuru's perfectly-crafted face. "Such rude words for such a pretty child."
"Back off, grandma," Morizuru replied, pouting.
"Allow me to explain," Gaara said, coming between them effortlessly.
Gaara occupied himself with Boss Shin for a while longer, while Kiine and Morizuru reconnected (with Kankuro watching on), Morizuru expressing a "fully sincere admiration" for Kiine's "attack-bitch," Yuki.
"He's pretty great… when he behaves, yeah," was Kiine's reply, to Yuki's embarrassment. Still, he did not let go of her arm.
"Gosh, that sounds like me," Morizuru replied, actually smiling. "Only, I guess I'm pretty great all the time."
Eventually, the Mizukage arrived, accompanied by her secretary and her latest model of young male bodyguard, perfectly-uniformed, his Mist headband tied without a single excess wrinkle. She seemed to get a new one every few years, well-trained, perfectly-stoic, and always with some sort of bloodline gift.
"Good to see you, Mei-san!" Naruto said, rushing to greet her immediately. "How are things?"
"Quite fine," Mei replied, holding a hand by the corner of her mouth. "And you? Still unmarried, I heard?"
"Hehe, yeah, what can y'do…" Naruto said, scratching the back of his neck. "Um, did you wanna go in an' wait for the dinner to start? Kohriza-san's already here, but we're just sorta hangin' out, out here…"
Mei's lips pursed. "I believe we will be waiting outside, thank you," she replied, shortly. "If you'll excuse us."
"Right, sure, y'know…" Naruto said, adjusting his smile, and watching her leave to keep her distance.
Right, Mei didn't like Kohriza. Naruto suspected it was because Kohriza was very public about the fact that she turned down most guys that paid her any attention.
"Ungrateful hussy. She probably thinks she's too good for them," Naruto heard her say, under her breath, as she exited a meeting one year.
Naruto remained an observer, watching as clusters of conversation formed. Morizuru and Kiine and Yuki stayed together, while Kou and Kankuro chatted nearby, clearly trying to ignore the things being said. Gaara and Boss Shin hadn't come apart yet, leaving Tensho to mumble to Mikan, and the three other bodyguards to stand awkwardly apart, watching things on their own. The Mist trio kept to themselves, whispering in their clean blue clothes.
Though Naruto noticed something curious, as time passed slightly.
Mei's interest, typically focused on conversation with her secretary, Mizuno, or in fussing over her bodyguard, began to wander. Then, her feet began to wander with her interest; her movements were careful, her expression almost disbelieving, as she began to center in on her target.
"Pardon me," she purred, tapping the boy on the shoulder, "but what is your name?"
"…Inaba Yuki, ma'am," was the puzzled reply.
"Yuki, hm? And is that your given name?"
"…yes?"
"What a beautiful name," Mei said, and reached forward to brush the backs of her fingers against Yuki's cheek. "Such cold skin… Are you mistaken for a girl much, Yuki-kun?"
"Only all the time, yeah," Kiine answered, smiling, though her voice was lessened.
"Yeah, no shit," Morizuru chimed in.
Yuki's lovely mouth was tightly-shut, in defense.
"My, my, that must be so difficult… Are you harassed much for the things you can do with ice, also, Yuki-kun?" Mei said, tilting her head in syrupy concern.
"Do what things?" Yuki said. He pulled slightly closer to Kiine.
"Oh, well, producing ice out of thin air, manipulating water with your thoughts… I get the feeling you're able to do these things quite easily, Yuki-kun," Mei said.
"…how did you know?" Yuki's voice was hushed. The air was growing slightly cold.
"You remind me of a boy I used to know, by the name of Yuki Haku," Mei said, lifting a hand to run a section of Yuki's hair through her fingers. "He had gifts much like yours. Do you suppose you're related at all?"
However, before Naruto could intercede, Nobuhiro did.
His full height and width got between Yuki and the woman, and he held her knobby wrist in the full grip of his hand. "Don't. Touch. My brother," Nobuhiro growled.
Mei yanked her wrist out of Nobuhiro's grip, but she waved off the incoming intervention from the bodyguard and Mizuno. "I take it you're one of our guests this evening," she said, her lip curling.
"Not by choice," Nobuhiro replied. "M'just here on account of my boss."
Mei scoffed. "Of course you are. And you intend to meet with Rotsuki of Lightning, then? Psh. You know, where I come from, we got rid of thugs like you during the Restoration. Pity the rest of the world hasn't followed suit."
"You wanna keep your teeth, hag?!" Nobuhiro replied, raising a fist.
"Hey, hey, Nobuhiro-san! Let's take it easy." Naruto finally stepped in, putting his hands on Nobuhiro's raised forearm, radiating out as much goodwill and positive chakra as he could. "This is Terumi Mei, she's the Mizukage. Mei-san, Nobuhiro-san has s'much right to be here as you do, so let's be polite, y'know?"
"Hmph." Mei brushed off her dark blue, tailored sleeve. "I suppose."
Yuki leaned sideways, peering cautiously at Mei, but saying nothing. Kiine was holding his arm again.
"So, uh, Mei-san! Things been good in Mist?" Naruto said, now standing between her and Nobuhiro with his hands cheerfully poised on his waist. "Still, uh, misty?"
"Quite," Mei said, tersely.
Naruto jerked an elbow back. "Well, you know how things are here! Trees always… growin', y'know…"
He jerked his elbow again. Kiine seemed to take the hint, and moved to another part of the room with Yuki. Nobuhiro, however, stayed nearby, glaring at Mei fiercely.
"So, Naruto-san, I'm most curious," Mei continued, composing her face again with a sweet, tight smile. "Are these… guests of ours tonight at all connected to the incident in Sekiraun?"
"Uh… yeah, how did you hear about that?" Naruto said.
"Rotsuki-san contacted me after the fact," she replied. "Apparently a former citizen of Mist was involved, so he wanted to let me know."
"Oh, well… I hope it worked out okay?" Naruto said.
"It was settled well enough," Mei replied. "What's more interesting to me is the fact that the Taki clan seemed to have a member of the Yuki clan with them. That boy, I now assume."
"Oh…" Naruto's stomach twisted. "Uh, which boy?"
"The one I was trying to talk to, before that brute stepped in," Mei replied.
"Oh," Naruto said. "That boy. You think he's… Yuki clan?"
"Fairly positive," Mei replied. "He shows all the hallmarks: feminine features, cold skin, and he admitted to having ice manipulation abilities-"
"Oh, must be a… coincidence!" Naruto interrupted, loudly. "I mean, hey, anything's possible…"
"…a coincidence," Mei said. She had her arms crossed.
"Well, yeah, I mean…"
"I think I'd like to speak to that boy again, truthfully. Find out exactly where he came from," Mei said.
"Oh, c'mon, Mei-san, is that really that important?" Naruto said.
She narrowed her eyes dangerously. "The Yuki bloodline is government property, Uzumaki. The boy's existence proves that there are others like him out there—a Yuki female has to have existed to produce him. And if she exists, there might be others out there. I must know, Naruto-san. For the sake of my country."
Naruto grimaced, stretching for a reply. But it was then that Rotsuki entered and provided him a fine distraction.
"Ah! You're finally here, y'know!" Naruto sprang forward with his hands stretched, palm-outward. "How's it goin', Rotsuki-san?"
"Fine, fine," Rotsuki replied. He was flanked by his own bodyguards, two women with caramel-colored skin and creamy hair done up with pins. "Things all right with your own country?"
"Doin' the best I can, Rotsuki-san," Naruto said. He stepped a little closer, lowering his voice. "Um, Gaara did tell you about our guests for dinner tonight, right?"
"Well, of course. I was entirely for it, to be honest," Rotsuki replied. "Perfect opportunity to lay out the playing field. I was entirely unaware that the Hakaza clan was even going to be present for the exams."
"Funny how these things happen, huh?" Naruto replied. "Well, hopefully it'll go well, y'know? I mean, I don't know much 'bout what happened in Seki-ramon, but I don't like seeing people all outta sorts over conflict."
"Don't we all," Rotsuki replied. "Is Kohriza-san here?"
"Yeah, she's already inside. Hey, I guess this means we can all sit down! Hey, guys!" Naruto called, louder. "Everyone's here, so let's all get seated, y'know!"
"Great, I'm starvin', yeah!" Kiine said. "C'mon, Papa, let's go."
Mei, face puckered from the loss of attention, gave little more than a disdainful sniff towards Rotsuki and his shapely escorts.
Naruto held the door open as everyone filed into the room, taking care to gauge the emotional levels going in in reflex-worry. Shin and Gaara seemed pleased with each other enough, as did their related persons, but Yuki seemed somewhat on-edge, his worry soft and undefined. Though Naruto had an idea as to its source.
(Just looking at Mei filled him with a tight sense of urgency, of duty. This was a woman that Karin feared and detested, and for good reason.)
(He would be keeping as tight an eye on her as he did the Taki clan. Especially since her eye was on Yuki, and it hadn't strayed.)
Once everyone was seated, Naruto took his own place at the head of the table, facing the exit. Kages were seated with their bodyguards to either side of them, and the other guests were seated similarly, with spouses and children taking up the extra missing space. Naruto didn't have bodyguards—he was his own bodyguard—so he sat alone, with Kankuro on one side of him, and a mannish-but-large-breasted woman, one of the Tsuchikage's bodyguards, on the other. Boss Shin and his family were seated beside Gaara's group, and beside them were Rotsuki and his bodyguards. Mei and the Mist representatives sourly took up the space between the Taki clan, also seated beside the Raikage, and the Tsuchikage's group. Mei was mumbling things to herself about this, though Naruto could not hear her clearly.
Naruto stood. "So, friends! Super great for you all to come out to Konoha this week! Gonna be super exciting the next few days, y'know." The plates in front of them were a plain, white glass, and, so far, empty. "All of us have kids we're gonna be cheering for! Some more than others, some less. And, uh, I guess, some none! Since we have some extra friends with us tonight."
Mei cleared her throat, disguising it as a cough.
"For now, though, let's not think about the tournament and just have a good time eatin', y'know?" He clapped his hands together. "Uh, let dinner be served!"
He sat down, not expecting any applause. Staff began to enter the room through side doors, carrying trays bearing the first courses of soup and salad.
"So, Boss Shin," Gaara said, "as I was saying before…"
"Ah, yes, yes, do continue, do continue," Shin replied, waving his hand over the table at him.
Conversation resumed, though sparingly, and far easier to hear, given that fewer people were speaking, and more people were eating. But Naruto kept his ears open as he cut through the leaves of his lettuce, his brain almost humming as he tried to keep the balance of the room in his mind.
Gaara and Boss Shin were conversing amicably, seeming to have found a bit of a common ground in regards to Gaara's bandit problem, in the lobby. Kiine was politely asking the Cloud bodyguard to her left what sorts of fighting styles she preferred, and receiving a pleasantly-surprised answer. Mei, as usual, had tucked into lowered conversation with Mizuno, keeping herself away from everything else.
What Naruto didn't hear, however, was Kohriza's voice. He looked up from his food to glance at her.
Her shiny, curly hair was tucked behind her ears with pink barrettes that evening, paired with pink, plastic earrings that dangled from her ears like jelly beans. But her cheeks were unexpectedly pink as well, and her mouth was closed tight. She was intensely focused on her food.
What in the world has her so quiet? Naruto thought to himself. She's usually way chipper.
(And by that, of course, it meant that she talked almost as much and as enthusiastically as Naruto did.)
Everyone else seemed to be doing well—well, minus Boss Tensho and Nobuhiro, who seemed as dour as ever—so her silence stuck even more prominently in his mind. He wanted to ask her if everything was okay, but thought to wait, and instead struck up conversation with one of her bodyguards, who was more than eager to chat.
(Mei, he also noticed, when he glanced around the table again, had her gaze fixed upon Yuki, which was unsettlingly apparent when she reached for her drink.)
The balance was not disturbed as the soup and salad was taken away for the main course. Naruto's eyes swept across the table once more, his ears hearing laughter and anecdotes, and he prepared his knife with a relieved smile, blade poised on the edge of his steak.
And then Rotsuki spoke. "So, Boss Shin, if I might interrupt," he said.
Shin looked over his shoulder at him, his mouth lowered. "You may," he said.
"Glad as I am to see you making plans with the Kazekage about the bandit problem in the south," Rotsuki said, "I was wondering when you'd be interested in talking to me about the issues we've been having with each other? I imagine that we can't be at a stand-still forever."
"Ah, so you're the Raikage, aren't you?" Shin said. "I'm sorry, but I'd much prefer finishing my conversation with Gaara-san before I even think of speaking to you here."
"And why's that, Boss Shin?" Rotsuki said.
"Frankly," Shin said, his voice growing sharp, "I'd rather speak to someone that thought to invite me to dinner to attract my attention, instead of kidnapping my son."
"Oh. Really." Rotsuki leaned back in his chair, putting down his fork. "I see."
"Gaara-san has far more of a right to my attention than you do, Raikage, because he used a little thing called diplomacy and manners instead of… oh, how shall I put it… brute force." Shin speared a sprig of broccoli with his fork with a fast, snake-strike movement. "I'm rather inclined not to give you any of my time until I'm convinced you're even half as civilized as he or our host the Hokage is."
"Civilized, is it." Rotsuki's voice was dangerously close to becoming a laugh. "Funny, Boss Shin, since your men were hardly civilized whenever we tried to approach them and get them to stop their, need I remind you, illegal activities."
"I run a business, Raikage," Shin said, closing his mouth neatly over his fork, and chewing. He swallowed before speaking. "And as far as I can see, the only laws my men are breaking are unreasonable and restrictive to begin with."
"Like?"
"The censorship of your artists, Raikage. Why they turn to us to get their films distributed and their paintings sold because nobody under your government will even touch them for fear of persecution."
Kohriza coughed like she was choking on a piece of food, and dabbed at her mouth with her napkin, waving off the threat as most of the table turned to look at her. But Naruto knew she wanted to speak.
(Nobuhiro did, also. But the business of his Boss's associate preoccupied him and his anger far more.)
"That isn't censorship," Rotsuki said, evenly. "Those are just businesses acting out of their own interest."
"Of course," Shin said, flippantly. "Do explain my profits off of these works of art, then. Since there is indeed quite a demand."
"I'd like you to explain your forgery market, then, thanks very much," Rotsuki replied.
Shin shook his head, clicking his tongue. "You are quite aware, my dear Raikage, that those that purchase copies of artwork from my businesses are always aware that they are copies? I never try to pass off a copy as the genuine article, why, that would be dishonest of me."
"Dishonest." Rotsuki chuckled. "I see."
"Do you find this conversation amusing, Raikage?" Shin said, stabbing another sprig of broccoli.
"I'm just astounded at all this justification you're doing, Boss Shin," Rotsuki replied. "Really, it's something."
"I suppose that defending my own business could be considered justification, yes," Shin replied. "Would you like it if I turned the tables and started asking you about your utterly barbaric methods of governance? I've been holding off out of politeness, you see."
"Hey, guys, let's not go flingin' mud here, y'know…" Naruto said, raising his hands.
"Oh, I'm not slinging any sort of mud, Hokage-san. I'm merely stating the truth." Shin's hands flipped gracefully in expression. "I mean, my clan has certainly never resorted to kidnapping and hostages to get our way, goodness no. We settle our issues like gentlemen. With words."
"Wonder how effective that really is," Rotsuki said. He'd laced his fingers and was resting his chin on his hands. "Besides, I bet you'd be lying if you said you never got your hands dirty."
"I prefer having problems brought to me willingly before I deal out anything resembling punishment, thank you very much," Shin said. "While you would rather take by force, regardless of the situation, wouldn't you, Raikage?"
"You take everything by force." Tensho was speaking. "No negotiation b'forehand, not even a damn fist fight."
"Papa, please don't generalize like that," Kiine said, her voice clear but strangely quiet.
"I'm speakin' the truth here," Tensho replied. "You're all a buncha bullies, is what you are. Bullies and liars."
"I'm no liar, Boss Tensho," Rotsuki said, flatly.
"Bullshit."
"No, really. I make good on all of my words," said Rotsuki.
"Really. So when you sent me a message saying that if I did not negotiate with you, I would never see my son again? Did you mean it?"
"Absolutely," Rotsuki replied.
"And what would you have done to my son, had I not complied to your… satisfaction?"
"I'd have had him killed, of course."
Kou, beside his father, breathed in sharply, with a shudder. His bodyguard, Shankusu, put a large hand on his back, but it provided very little comfort.
Shin's stare was paper-cut narrow. "Do you know what I would have done, had you actually done that?"
"Tell me. I'd love to know."
"Guys, c'mon, this is getting a little ridiculous, y'know…" Naruto said, weakly.
"I'd have entered into your country with my strongest men, and found where you lived, and remained there until you explained yourself. And following that, I would have made you pay back the debt you would now have owed me."
"A debt?"
"A life for a life is the simplest way to put it."
"And you expect I'd have agreed with this?" Rotsuki said.
"I'd have made you comply," Shin replied, smoothly, joylessly.
Kiine got up, and out of her seat. Yuki immediately followed, and took his place behind Kou's chair as she knelt down to hold Kou's hand.
"Boss Shin, please," Gaara said, his face blank and his voice masking his anxiousness. "We don't have to resort to these things."
"Oh, I would never go so far with you, Kazekage-san, since you're ever so agreeable," Shin replied. "No, no, I'd only be so harsh with those that don't seem to understand subtlety. In fact, I'm beginning to doubt that the Raikage is even capable of being reasoned with."
"T'be honest, so am I," Boss Tensho added.
"Boss Shin, please don't be unfair," Kiine said, looking up at him from her place beside Kou. "Papa, you too."
"Oh, I'm not being unfair, Kiine, dear, I'm just calling it like it is," Shin replied. "Yes, right now, I don't even think that a ceasefire is even worth keeping against such a person."
"I take it you intend on returning to business as usual, then," Rotsuki said.
"And I assume you're just going to keep on antagonizing me if I do," Shin replied.
"It's my responsibility as Raikage to ensure that the laws of my country are followed."
"By kidnapping innocent people, hm?"
"Guys, please, stop…" Naruto said.
"If that's what it comes to, yes," Rotsuki said. "Though the innocence of the people is subjective."
"My son wouldn't hurt a fly," said Shin. "Even if I forced him to, he'd cry about it right afterward."
"And yet I understand he's your heir. Slated to become the next head of the family?"
"At this rate, I might as well make his fiancée my heir," Shin replied. "She's shown much more initiative and leadership ability than my little pansy ever has."
(Kiine's heart jumped, at the possibly-sincere statement, at the compliment, at the insult. She squeezed Kou's hand tighter, and put her other arm around Kou's hunched shoulders.)
"My point still stands," Rotsuki replied. "It'd be no different if we kidnapped one of your underlings. They're all equally guilty."
"Yeah? Really? Would a serving maid be just as guilty? Even if she never got her hands dirty, an' was just doing her job to take care of her family? Huh?" Tensho's voice was suddenly raised, and it hit the chests of everyone present.
Nobuhiro put down his glass with a loud, heavy thump.
"An employee of the family as well. And they are being paid with dirty money," Rotsuki said.
"You shut your mouth. You shut your fucking mouth," Tensho spat, "you son of a bitch. See, this is the problem with you ninjas. No sense of honor. No sense of dignity. I bet you'd kill a kid if you were ordered to, huh?"
"If the child posed enough of a threat, then of course," Rotsuki said, leaning forward.
"Even we wouldn't do that. We don't kill kids, we don't go after unrelated people. We only hit where we gotta."
"My, don't you sound noble," said Rotsuki.
"Nobler than you, asshole," Tensho replied.
Nobuhiro had his enormous fist closed around his steak knife. He was running his thumb up and down the blade.
"Why don't you both just wipe each other out, already?" Mei said. She had her glass of red wine half-raised to her lips. "It'd do us all a favor."
"I'd appreciate it if you stayed out of what is clearly not your business, Mei-san," Rotsuki said, with an oily glance.
"Oh, it's my business if the Taki clan is involved," she replied. "I'd like to know where that little Yuki boy of theirs came from."
Yuki, behind Kou's chair, lowered his head.
"I told you to keep away from my brother, hag," Nobuhiro said lowly.
"I'm nowhere near him, barbarian," Mei replied, smoothly. "I just want answers. Otherwise, I'll have to find them myself. And you said yourself that you didn't like how us ninjas use force, hm?"
"Well I said it before back in Sekiraun, an' I'll say it again here," Nobuhiro said. "This Yuki clan you were talkin' about, those ninjas? Well, my brother's no ninja, he didn't come from no ninjas, an' neither did I. An' before you go asking, there is no way in hell that I'd ever even associate with ninjas. Ever."
There was a screech as a chair was pulled outward. Kohriza stood. "Pardon me, I have to go powder my nose," she said. She had her mouth covered with her hand, and she sped out of the room like a mouse, with one of her bodyguards following behind with a concerned expression.
"Somehow I doubt that all of your facts line up," Mei said. "Why don't we do some tests?"
"Mei-san-" Naruto began.
However, Rotsuki spoke. "I'd sure appreciate it if you kept your little bloodline obsession out of this, Mei-san."
Mei put down her wine glass, slowly. "It's no more an obsession than this little contest of honor you seem to have going on with our guests," she replied. "If you had any sense of perspective, you'd realize that you have much bigger fish to fry."
"Like what."
Gaara stood, and walked over to put a hand on Boss Shin's shoulder. "Boss Shin, would you like to meet with me later about our plans for dealing with the bandits…?"
"Oh, Gaara-san, any time," Shin replied, resting a hand on top of Gaara's. "You take immediate precedent."
"I'm flattered," Gaara replied, "though…" he added, quietly, "do you really intend on giving up on your negotiations with the Raikage?"
"Well, if he were interested in dealing with this issue like a civilized man then I'd be more than interested."
"Why don't I show you just how civilized I can be," Rotsuki cut in.
"Really. Why don't you show me tomorrow? Or is that not enough time for you to groom yourself to my satisfaction?"
"Only if it's enough time for you to remove yourself from the pedestal you seem to have put yourself on."
"Guys, I don't want you to keep fighting like this, y'know," Naruto said, in the icy silence that settled down after their words. "We invited you here together so you could negotiate, not talk trash about each other."
"I agree." Kiine stood, though she kept a hand on Kou's arm. "You're all acting like kids, yeah."
"And I suppose you're a worthy judge of this?" Tensho said, gruffly. Mikan was rubbing his back for him.
"Papa, it was my idea for us to come together in the first place, yeah?" she said. "Naruto-san and Gaara-san made it work because they want to see you guys settle this, too. Okay? Raikage-san, Boss Shin, please?"
"And I thought I was bad about staying out of other peoples' affairs," Mei said, with a sarcastic creak, and she took another sip of wine.
"If you're so concerned about us acting like children, young miss," Rotsuki said to Kiine, "then why don't you mediate?"
"No, let me do that," Naruto said, quickly, almost desperately. "Kiine has her own stake in these dealings an' she's gotta help her family where she can. I'm a neutral party here, y'know? I'll do it."
Naruto glanced at Kiine, who just nodded with an expression of concerned agreement. She was not angry, nor annoyed—she knew it was true.
"Ah, so she's Taki Kiine, the one I heard so much about," Rotsuki said, quietly, to himself.
"I suppose that is fair," Boss Shin said. "You've treated me with enough respect for me to trust you not to pull in the Raikage's favor."
"I just don't want either of you fighting any more, okay?" Naruto said. "B'sides, I want this settled in time for Gaara to have his time with you, Boss Shin. Okay?"
A curling, paper smile appeared on Shin's face. "Why, of course."
"So, we got a deal? Meeting tomorrow, this room, say… two PM? One? After lunch, y'know," Naruto said. "An' we'll go for as long as we need to."
"Sounds fine with me," Rotsuki said.
"Me as well," Shin said.
"Good, that's… great. Now, uh, let's try and not argue and enjoy the rest of the meal, y'know…"
"Hey, I can't enjoy it," Morizuru said, from behind his empty plate. Kankuro didn't do anything to silence him.
(Shockingly, this was the only thing he had to say on the matter the entire meal. The banter had been too interesting for him to interject, he felt.)
(That, and they were doing all the work for him.)
Gaara and Kiine both returned to their seats, and Naruto's knife returned to his steak, though the meat was now stiff, and rubbery-cold.
But, more importantly, Naruto's appetite was completely gone, and would remain missing even as dessert was delivered. He picked at his filled pastry, but did not eat it.
Kohriza returned well after the argument had settled, and the room had lapsed into cold, sterile silence. Her lack of speaking only felt slightly less worrisome to Naruto, his mind focused on other things.
The emotional state of the room, once like a slightly-wobbly table, was now like a spinning plate on a stick, with so many tensions running high that another argument could have begun with a single glance, if the guests were so inclined. And many of them were.
But, eventually, the meal ended. And Naruto said goodbye to his guests, and escorted the Taki and Hakaza clans home.
Kiine sent him a lingering glance over her shoulder as she entered the inn, almost as if in apology. But Naruto shrugged it off, so as not to worry her.
All he wanted to do was go home, to go home and try to forget for at least a little while.
(Because it was too late in the night for him to sneak off to the Hyuuga compound, to talk to her about it.)
(Even though she'd assured him that he was welcome at any time of the night.)
(Even though she had shown up at his house at one in the morning, on a melting-snow night, with a baby in her arms, terrified for the safety of two lives.)
There was far more in her home for him to disturb than the other way around, however. He had her honor to think about.
His mind fretted with ways to cope, and when he reached his home, he kicked off his shoes and almost ripped his stiff, formal blazer off, throwing it against the foyer wall. His Hokage Hat, which he'd kept on the back of his chair during the dinner like the rest of the guests, he dropped on the floor by his shoes, not even bothering to put it back in its proper place.
"Hokage-sama?"
He looked up.
Yomena was standing in the hallway, hands at her sides. Her ruby-colored hair was done up in its usual twin buns, the woven ribbons that kept them in place dangling behind her like insect antennae.
"Oh, uh, Yomena, hi." He lowered his head, heading for the kitchen.
"I understand you were just at your Kage banquet. I assume it went well, of course."
He opened the fridge and looked at the pathetic contents, out of twitchy almost-habit. "No, it went horribly."
"…oh, I see," Yomena said. "If you don't mind my asking…"
He slammed the fridge door shut. "Yes, I do mind your asking, y'know," he said, quickly, and went for the table, pacing around the chairs, pushing them in if they were a few centimeters out.
"…ah, I see. Of course. I apologize for my indiscretion."
Naruto grunted a little in reply.
"My day was… adequate," Yomena continued, in her almost chant-like monotone. "I traveled the city, explored the parks, the forests. My usual activities, of course. Though I found myself alone most of the time."
"The way you like it," Naruto mumbled.
And she paused.
"…indeed," Yomena replied. "I was… able to meditate quite effectively because of that, of course."
"Great. Good. Awesome," Naruto said. He left the kitchen and began for the hallway.
Yomena did not move, only turning to follow him with her eyes. "Aside from your banquet, was the rest of your day… productive at least?"
Naruto turned around, in front of his bedroom door. "It was… fine. I'm going to bed, y'know. Good night."
Yomena blinked, and then bowed slightly. "Of course. Good night, Hokage-sama. I hope you have a pleasant sleep."
Naruto shut the door without replying, and flopped down on his bed, craving release.
He did not find it.