Yakumo liked to cuddle.
It wasn't just something that happened after sex, either. She was just a very physical person in general. Towards me, at least. Part of that, I knew, was her 'imprinting' on me after I'd started teaching her. Being the sole person outside of Naruko to unabashedly believe that she could become a ninja had a profound effect on our relationship right from the beginning. It was one thing, after all, to have a long-time friend believe in your capabilities. It was entirely another thing when someone who trounced a clan heir took your side.
"I'm all done, Kota! Thanks for waiting," Yakumo sighed as she leaned in to me. Around us, various people were walking down the streets and giving us knowing looks or amused glances. While it might have been better to meet privately, there wasn't anywhere nearby available. As such, we'd simply decided on a street corner near her clan's compound.
"It wasn't any problem," I assured her as I wrapped an arm around her. "I just got out of a meeting, myself. You'll let me know if they need any more frames, right?"
She hummed in agreement. "I think they're slowing down, actually. That's still over forty pairs they've asked me to charge, though."
"They aren't taking you on the activation runs?" I asked, a faint edge of curiosity to my tone as I danced around things she wouldn't be able to answer.
"Not for a while now," Yakumo replied. "Enough of the branch clan are able to initiate the process that I haven't been called in for several months now. I shouldn't say anything past that, though."
"Of course." I nodded. Even as involved in the development and production as I was, such was the impact those portals we were making could have, that they wanted me to know as little as possible in regards to how they were deployed.
Everything was compartmentalized, as much as possible.
Then again, that was something I'd expected. Unless they had a technical issue they needed to call their expert in on, there was no reason for someone who had little formal training or experience to dictate deployment of logistical and strategic assets.
"In the spirit of reciprocation, I'll admit I'm somewhat glad they haven't had to call me in to look at breaks in the sealing matrix recently, either. Getting disguised for that is always a pain," I muttered irritably. An unfortunate side effect of the mass of seals on my body and their effect on my chakra network made wearing personal illusions...difficult, to say the least.
It was possible, but time-consuming to set up and frustrating to remove.
"It's necessary, though," Yakumo reminded me in a low and serious tone as we walked together. "You're helping secure Konoha's place as the strongest village. The others would do a lot to find out who you are and kill you."
"I know." I huffed a quiet laugh. It had been one of the reasons I'd wanted to leave in the first place, in years prior. The hidden villages were a rat race of basic-bitch nationalism in a lot of ways, and it was hard to reconcile that with trying to legitimately help the people who needed it. It was rare in history that arming one group to the teeth resulted in anything good, but...
The only other feasible option than supporting the least-worst faction was to become so powerful there would be no alternative but to obey me.
Or, well, I guess I could recede into the background and start an intricate shadow war with Zetsu, but that was just so goddamn counterproductive that I didn't even know where to begin salvaging such a situation. Actively encouraging the current state of backstabbing and power plays wouldn't have anything close to the desired effect I was looking for.
No, as much as I was loath to admit it, I needed to face the fact that the people in charge of this world knew what they were doing. To some extent. They understood how their world worked, had the connections to make it function, and possessed a support base that allowed them to get things done.
It was a depressing outlook for my future, but a realistic one.
Something that Naruto had always failed to grasp. People don't respect a person because they became the Kage. They become the Kage because they are respected.
If I wanted to make the world a better place... it would be a long, arduous slog.
Yakumo gently bumped me with her shoulder. "You're doing that thing again."
"That thing?" I asked blandly.
"That thing," she repeated, "where your thoughts are an ocean away and I can't even begin to guess them."
"Hmm," I agreed, my lips twitching. "I suppose that is a thing I do."
Yakumo sighed and tugged at my arm with her own interlaced one. "You can talk to me, you know. We're having a child together, mother and father have told me I shouldn't be afraid to speak to you about anything."
I looked at her more directly, considering the proposal.
"I want you to be the same way, to me." She stated firmly, her hazel eyes glinting. "If not me, then at least Tenten or Satsuki."
"They're complicated thoughts," I warned her as we passed by a few stores and I aimed us towards one of the various novelty stalls that shifted with the comings and goings of trade caravans.
"I want to know them," Yakumo replied seriously. "You live in your head too much, Kotaro. It makes me worry, sometimes."
I frowned, taking the matter more seriously even as I grew somewhat uncomfortable. I'd never been very good at intimate subjects even before spending ten years as a child dreading being drafted into the military forces. "I'll try, then. For you, and the other girls. No promises, though. I'm just the kind of guy who likes sitting quietly thinking about stuff."
"I've noticed," Yakumo smiled, looping a strand of brown hair over her ear in a practiced motion. "What were you thinking about just now?"
I chuckled. "I was considering whether or not a representative system of government would work in the Elemental Nations."
My girlfriend blinked, cocking her head oddly. "That's..."
"A bit strange, I know." The smile on my lips took the sting away from my own condemnation. "Given... certain eventualities, I'm worried about how the governments of the continent are structured. I was wondering if allowing more people to have a say in how they functioned and what they did would lower the possibility for war."
Yakumo frowned thoughtfully as I took the moment to look over the wares on display. Most of them were simple baubles, only unique because of their foreign origin. Hair ties, combs, buckles... honestly, it was remarkable just how similar the contents were to the various open-air markets I'd once attended in my previous life.
Some things, it seemed, never changed.
"I can't imagine it would," Yakumo stated after a bit of thought. "Civilians of means and money dislike war, but the fact that they travel so much means their motives and allegiances are suspect. Even if they were somehow represented in the daimyo's court, anything they pushed for would almost certainly generate a desire to simply do the opposite."
It said a great deal about our respective thought processes that while she'd taken me to mean including the wealthy non-nobility in discussions of police, I'd had a much more inclusive idea.
Regardless, she raised a good point. Albeit, one that smacked of old prejudices of traders, gypsies, Jews, and other 'peoples without countries.' Those who couldn't be trusted.
"You're probably right," I acknowledged, then pointed discreetly to a hair ornament that Yakumo had momentarily glanced longingly at. The merchant behind the stall looked over at my gesture and nodded, raising three fingers in response. I frowned and raised two, then bent the third in half. The other man chewed his lip for a moment, considering, but nodded.
"What are you-oh!" Yakumo cried as I handed over coins and picked up the brown and gold comb with tiny flecks of jade. She blushed as I swept her hair up and carefully positioned it. "You didn't have to, Kota."
"You didn't have to be concerned about my wellbeing," I replied as I slipped her arm back in mine. "You're right about communication. I'll try to be more open."
Yakumo giggled as she hugged me. "You're always so reasonable. It's one of the things I like about you. Tenten and Satsuki, too, I know. Though Satsuki..."
"She's more interested in how strong I am. At least, that's all she'll admit to," I nodded, very aware of the girl I often likened to a particularly prickly cat.
"Just so," Yakumo nodded. "Now, should we go to dinner, or did you want to wander the stalls a bit more?"
My gaze flicked back to see Torune following distantly in our wake among the medley of chakra signatures I was keeping track of even as I considered my answer. "I think-"
Then another signature rounded a corner and vacant white eyes locked onto me.
"Ah, Kotaro-san. How fortunate we are to meet again," Hyuuga Hinata stated, smiling that doll-like smile of hers.
"Hyuuga," Yakumo replied, her good mood instantly fading to a level of animosity akin to a sheathed blade.
"Kurama," Hinata said in turn, her head cocking as she turned to regard the girl at my side. The girl's eyes lingered for a split-second on our intertwined arms, but she made no remark on it. "I saw you from a distance and had hoped to see if you were free to spar this time."
Yakumo made a noise of angry disbelief while I frowned.
This. This was what put me off about the Hyuuga girl. Her body language was entirely off, but more than that, there was a fundamental strangeness in her mind. I'd go so far as to guess that her queer gestures were merely a symptom of whatever was going on behind her eyes.
"I'm actually in the middle of a date," I replied, explaining something a normal person would have already understood from the context of the situation.
Hinata blinked, looking back at our arms. "That is fine. There's no need for the Kurama to participate. There is a training field closeby we can use, if you like."
...and that's strike three. Neji, what the fuck did you do to this girl?
I pressed a hand to Yakumo's arm even as she began to visibly work up a temper. The press of my fingers in a familiar code to indicate calm. As much as the Hyuuga girl set my teeth on edge, I didn't think this was actually her fault. Or, at least, she wasn't being actively malicious about it.
"It is considered rude to approach a person who is spending time with a prospective romantic partner and propose an activity that inserts yourself into their relationship, especially if you also move to displace the other individual." I explained patiently, Yakumo blinking at my side in confusion.
Because, in the world of polite society and clan politics, you didn't explain how rude someone was being unless you wanted to insult them, because that was rude in and of itself.
Hinata blinked again. "I did not know that, thank you for telling me. Shall we spar now?"
Yakumo's mouth worked silently.
"Why do you want to spar with me?" I asked.
"Because you can use fuuinjutsu," Hinata stated bluntly and I instantly felt myself grow more alert even as Yakumo tensed beside me. The Hyuuga girl nodded. "I cannot see through your body nor your internal chakra flows. Combined with the fact that you are wearing numerous items with chakra distortions common to sealing scrolls, explosive tags, and the like, it is a reasonable conclusion to make."
"I see," I nodded evenly, filing the information away for future reference. I hadn't known the byakugan could see such things, but I suppose it made enough sense by the madness of this world's rules. I'd have to take steps in response. "Why do you want to fight someone fluent in fuuinjutsu, then?"
Hinata paused, a flicker of some actual emotion passing over her face for the first time instead of the conscious pulling of muscles by focused intent. Someone who knew the ways of theBene Gesser it could tell the difference, after all. "I have been instructed not to answer questions related to that topic."
That... raises all kinds of flags, none of them good.
"Thank you for answering my questions," I stated. "I need to spend time with Yakumo right now. If you tell me what time and what training field your team uses, I will appear there at my earliest convenience. Is that acceptable?"
Hinata stared at me for a long moment, then nodded with a single jerk of her head and rattled off the information. After which, she simply turned and walked away without another word.
I casually held up a hand to signal to Torune, who's chakra had been tense ever since he'd seen Yakumo's body language ratchet up before the girl in question turned to me, looking spooked and alarmed. "What the hell was that!?"
I sighed. "I'm not going to get away without explaining that, am I?"
Yakumo shook her head firmly. "No."
I looked skyward for a moment, composing my thoughts. "Okay, so the Hyuuga girl is probably damaged in a way that's hard to fix. You've interacted with Sai and Torune, right?"
She nodded slowly, a small bit of comprehension entering her eyes. "Like them? But... I just thought they were weird?"
I massaged my forehead, the gesture mostly psychosomatic at this point. "No. I'm not going to explain it for the sake of their privacy," which earned me a queer look because ninja, "but they underwent a kind of extreme training which had side effects."
"Side effects?" My girlfriend asked.
"It happens more in other villages like Suna, Kiri, and Kumo." I explained slowly. From what I've read, actually, Iwa was possibly the closest to Konoha in terms of how well it treated its troops, oddly enough. I had to think it was probably a level of uncommon geographical security that allowed them to be a bit more culturally lax about it.
More understanding entered her eyes. "Ah."
I nodded. "In short, Hinata doesn't understand how to interact with people. The things she says are absolutely meant to be taken at face value. She doesn'tgetsocial cues. The things she says aren't said to be malicious. She literally does not understand that she's being rude. She doesn't understand theconceptof being rude. She's communicating her position on something as clearly as she possibly can. The fact that you're getting angry, to her, isyourproblem."
Yakumo's mouth worked silently again as I saw a myriad of emotions flash over her face in a complicated pattern. "By the gods,so much makes sense now."
"Yep."
Her eyes wide with the light of epiphany, she rambled on as she waved her arm about expressively. "I've seen people get into fights with her over literally nothing. I always thought it was because she liked starting shit!"
"Uh-huh."
Her shoulders dropped tiredly and she palmed her face. "How did you know? I went to the academy with her for over a year and I never noticed!"
"Her body language is off, she doesn't understand social cues, the implications of what a 'date' or 'romantic activity' are were lost on her, and as soon as she got what she wanted, she left without saying goodbye," I explained, rattling off points with my free hand as I ticked off fingers in tandem with them.
Also, I'm still a social outsider and can understand the psychological injuries trauma like that could inflict on them. The question, though, is why Hinata would want to fight someone with sealing experience?
The words 'Hyuuga' and 'seals,' though, immediately made my mind jump to a specific conclusion. If Neji really had 'Gone Full Itachi' on his clan's elders, that begged the question of why they hadn't used the Caged Bird Seal on him. The obvious answer would be that they had tried, but it hadn't worked. Which meant someone had removed or disabled it on his behalf or taught him how to do so himself.
Which would require someone with fairly advanced sealing knowledge.
That was an easy conclusion to make, one which even a green genin could come to.
Ergo, Hinata knew that Neji knew someone with sealing expertise. If, in theory, she wanted to hunt him down for...some unknown reason, then she would have to train against someone who could use seals.
It says something that Kakashi hasn't been in the village for years and he's still causing problems even now.
Assuming it was indeed Kakashi, of course. But come on. I had no idea why he'd...
The suicide of his own father, something I'd been able to independently confirm, flashed through my mind. The death of Hyuuga Hizashi as a sacrifice to Kumo that shouldn't have happened. There was a link there, definitely. A tenuous one, but... Obito had been pretty unhinged after years under Madara's tutelage. It wasn'ttoo muchof a stretch to think that Kakashi saw himself in the boy and the people who'd driven his father to suicide in the elders who abused their position.
"You're doing it again," Yakumo stated with a sigh.
"I'm planning for the match tomorrow," I replied, making her startle in surprise. "Do you want to take a quick survey of the training ground before dinner?"
"You were serious?" Yakumo asked, taken aback.
I shrugged. "Since we aren't training together anymore and my spars with Satsuki and Tenten are becoming less common due to their missions, I suppose I should see about a few different opponents to keep my skills sharp." I paused. "Plus, the only way to get rid of someone like that is to give them what they want… and I kind of want to work out some frustrations, too. So this isn't my usual conflict-avoidant stuff. I just want to let loose a bit."
"Huh," Yakumo frowned thoughtfully, then fixed me with a suspicious look. "You're not going to start dating her."
It wasn't a question, but I chuckled as I shook my head anyway. "No, I'm not. I already have my hands full and I'm very happy with the current situation."
She opened her mouth to reply, then squeaked abruptly, her face going red.
I smirked unapologetically. "I said I had my hands full."
"Y-you do at that," Yakumo nodded, smiling as she blushed and looked away.
To fill the silence, I explained how I was going to humble a deranged Hyuuga.