Temari woke with a start. Her breathing was heavy as she wiped the sweat from her face. The white knuckled grip on her knife being of great comfort as she scanned the room. It was empty, of course, just as it had been every other time she had woken up like this. She shook her head in frustration. It had been days. Any halfway competent shinobi wouldn't have let something so simple as an attempt on their life affect them at all, let alone for this long. Temari knew it shouldn't be an issue for her, and yet here she was. It was embarrassing.

She rolled off the bed and slipped on a robe. It wasn't quite the perfect replacement for the one she had lost, but this one was thicker, warmer, less revealing if the need ever arose, and, most importantly, it had hidden pockets. A custom job, courtesy of Tenten, along with several other items of clothing. The weapons mistress was a woman of many talents it seemed. Temari's knives tucked seamlessly into the pockets made especially for them, barely noticeable even to the trained eye, and readily available at all times. While before Temari had made a habit of always being armed, now it had become an obsession. Be it her knives, or her fan, she was never seen without one or the other.

As silent as the night, Temari snuck out of her room. Well, she called it her room, but it was the only room in the apartment. The unfortunate reality of being suddenly homeless was that beggars couldn't be choosers. The temporary residence assigned to them was an apartment owned by the shinobi side of the village and kept in circulation for ninja in need. A handy system, but one lacking the funds to truly amount to anything substantial. As it was, Temari and Naruto found themselves living in a small, one-bedroom apartment, not too dissimilar to the one Naruto had lived in before. Temari wasn't going to complain. It was a roof over her head and a bed to sleep in. The only problem was a matter of space.

Her bare footed steps made no noise as she crept down the hall. Temari knew it was pointless. No matter how hard she tried, he always knew. And, just as expected, Naruto was awake before she reached the loungeroom. Every single time she woke up like this, he was up as well. It would have been creepy had it not had a sweet undertone. Ever since that night, Naruto had barely let her out of his sights. At first, Temari had assumed he had been chewed out over not being around for the assassination attempt, but she knew better now. Had that been the only motivator, then Naruto wouldn't have been doing this in the privacy of their home.

"Another one?"

Temari would have punched anyone else for asking such a question so blatantly. The way Naruto asked it stopped her though. There wasn't a hint of judgement in his voice, or annoyance, or frustration at having been woken up every night. His tone wasn't outright soft and concerned, though it held enough understanding behind it to make Temari realise that Naruto knew how she was feeling. That fact raised its own questions, which Temari would thoroughly investigate once she could get a full night's sleep. Until then, she was happy to just have… whatever it was the two of them had for the time being.

She nodded. It was a routine by now. Naruto was up on his feet and busy making some tea while Temari sat down on the lounge. It was still warm, what with Naruto having been using it as a bed. Offering to take turns at the actual bed had gone nowhere. The one time she had managed to claim the lounge first she had woken up in the bed. After that she had stopped fighting it. She accepted the cup of tea gratefully and Naruto settled in silently next to her. Temari didn't quite know how they fell into this pattern, but it was nice, and Naruto could make a nice cup of tea.

Eventually, she calmed enough that sleep beckoned her once more. Temari amused herself with the idea that it was the tea that helped her on these nights. She knew it wasn't. The real source of her comfort came from who made her the tea. Giving Naruto a side-eyed glance, she smiled. Naruto wasn't paying attention to her, but there was no doubt that he was fully aware of everything around him. They hadn't talked about either of their experiences on that night. Temari had pieced together enough to figure out why Naruto didn't want to talk about it, and Naruto wasn't the type to pry into anyone else's business.

Some day they may be comfortable enough to discuss those sorts of things. For now, Temari was content with comfortable silence.

{I}

Naruto waited patiently as Temari drank her tea. Gods help him if anyone found out that he made tea at all, for anyone. Thankfully, Temari knew how to keep a secret. Yet another positive attribute to add to the list. For her sake, it was fine. Taking the lounge was honestly not even a nicety on his part; it was simply safer that way. Once he found out who thought it would be funny to stick him and Temari in a place with only one bed, they would learn to regret making jokes. Probably Jiraiya, now that he thought about it. Or Tsunade even.

Ever since that night, he had made sure to behave and distract himself from his situation however he could. The first day had been easy. Training until his bones ached almost made him forget that Sasuke was still alive somewhere. Then night came, and with it, Temari's nightmares. Since then, Naruto hadn't needed any other distraction. Sasuke being alive, the village trying to figure out how to manipulate him, none of that seemed to matter as much anymore. Not because seeing Temari afraid made him forget. He would never forget. It was just that the issues clouding his mind weren't going anywhere anytime soon. There was nothing he could do about them currently. Temari though… there was something he could do about that.

The look in her eyes told him everything he needed to know, even without the Kyuubi's emotion sensing, or the fox's own unneeded contributions to the subject. It was a look that, for a long time, Naruto had seen everywhere he went to the point he had learnt to despise it. Every reflective surface reminding him time and time again of his weakness, his fragility, his mortality. It was… strange, to finally see it on a face not his own. No, that wasn't right. He had seen it many times, on many people, just not anyone he actually knew. So many years had passed now since he had ever allowed himself to possess such an expression, it had actually shocked him to be reminded of it that first night.

"Pathetic, isn't it?"

Naruto turned to her curiously. She looked tired, frowning down into what remained in her cup. Pathetic was one word that could describe the scene, and yet… "No," he said. "It's normal." At least, he hoped it was. Never having confided in anyone else about his own struggles in the past wasn't helping him here. He didn't know the first thing about helping someone through something like this, and neither did the fox. Back then, it had been easy enough for him to power through it alone. Something told him it wouldn't be the same for Temari.

"We are shinobi," Temari muttered. "Death is meant to be part of the job. It shouldn't affect me like this."

Naruto frowned. That was stupid. Death was a natural fear for anything that lived, even shinobi, even the bijuu. He could understand Temari's confusion though. She had grown up surrounded by death. Between her brother's actions, and her own career, there was no shortage of bloodshed. For it to have an affect now, after everything else, it must have been frustrating for her.

"It's different… out there," he said. "You expect you could die on a mission, out of the safety of home. But here, in the village, you aren't as prepared." Naruto himself had adjusted to that particular realisation in the opposite order than most. He wondered if it was harder doing it the right way. "You'll get over it."

Temari snorted in amusement. "You've never done this before, have you?"

"No," Naruto admitted. "Sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine," she cut in, smiling at him. "You're doing better than I would have expected."

Naruto mentally sighed in relief. He didn't need to go making any more problems for himself by being an idiot. His conversation with Tsunade was still clear in his mind, and though the two of them had yet to have a follow up on that discussion, it would be poorly to sabotage any possibilities before they could bear fruit. Naruto had no intentions of damaging his situation with Temari anyway. Extra motivation simply made it more important, especially now, with everything that was going on.

Temari laughed softly. "You're thinking about it again."

Naruto closed his eyes. He didn't want to see the smug look Temari got whenever she was able to read him like that. It was a cute expression on her, but he didn't need that right now, nor did he wish to give her the satisfaction.

"You shouldn't worry. It's out of our hands," she said. "I won't hold it against you, no matter what comes of it."

His distaste for the subject made itself known on his face. Of the ever-growing list of slights against him, courtesy of the village and those within it, the greatest of them all had only come about in the past few days. With the arrival of the Suna delegation, along with their understandable uproar at the mere thought of allying with Iwa, came the true misfortune associated with being an object of political importance. Naruto, as the now known son of the late fourth Hokage, and the last Uzumaki of Konoha, had become quite the interesting game piece in the shitshow that was politics.

Suna was, of course, over the moon once they learned of it. Between all the underhanded comments and sly remarks about Iwa, they did manage to display a disturbing amount of gratitude and reverence at Konoha's clear show of faith in them. Iwa, in turn, wanted a piece of the pie, so to speak. From there, chaos ensued, with Naruto, Temari, and Kurotsuchi caught in the middle. Naruto had ignored the majority of it, but the end result was unavoidable. There was no middle ground to be reached between the parties involved. Everyone wanted it their way, to their benefit only. That would have been fine, had the Hokage not wanted to appease all sides. His peace peddling would only lead to one disastrous outcome from what Naruto could tell, and Temari knew it as well.

As ridiculous of an idea as it was, Kurotsuchi had assured the two of them that it was still one that was going to be pushed if Iwa didn't get its way. No one was a fan, even Kurotsuchi surprisingly. The village leaders were also likely to find the idea rather unreasonable. Tensions were high, and anything could light the fuse. It would be far too easy for someone to take offense at the thought of a joint political marriage. Temari was convinced Suna would be insulted. Kurotsuchi seemed to believe Iwa wouldn't be happy, but they wouldn't outright reject a proposal made by their Kage. As for Konoha, Naruto wasn't sure. The Hokage was likely to agree to anything to obtain even a temporary peace. Only time would tell how it would turn out.

It would be interesting to see how willing everyone would be to ignore the fact that he was already married. They would probably argue that anything was malleable when it came to the best interests of the village. Still, the decision was not so simple, even if it was nothing more than a formality. Alliances were fragile things to begin with. Making a choice ultimately meant deciding against the interests of one of the other villages, insulting them even. Naruto didn't care about insulting anyone, but he did care about being dragged into a war. The expectations of him as a jinchuuriki would only get worse if that came to pass. Although his opinion could be disregarded entirely, it still had the potential to cause problems if he let it out amongst the wrong crowd.

"I won't blame you if you wanted to go along with it," Temari added. "I know we aren't close or anything. This probably isn't helping much either." She gestured lazily to everything, likely to mean herself and the state she was in.

Naruto frowned. Her condition had nothing to do with it. If it were up to him, he wouldn't allow either of them to be dragged into the village's problems. Sadly, the world wasn't fair. The next meeting was tomorrow, and they were all expected to attend. He looked at Temari. She was in no state to keep up appearances. If she couldn't get a decent night's sleep tonight, then tomorrow was going to be hell for her.

"When I was little, people used to avoid me. I didn't understand back then. No one would tell me why. They ignored me, moved around me like I wasn't there. Everyone… except the Uchiha." When in doubt, change the subject. "They hated me. Always glaring, whispering. Again, no one would tell me anything. I tried to ignore them back, pretend it didn't bother me. That seemed to make them angrier… until one day…" He swallowed the lump in his throat. There was no real reason to be telling anyone this. He hadn't told anyone before. Another glance at Temari showed she was fully focused on him, and he reminded himself that it wasn't about him.

"… one night, I stayed out late. It was dark when I went to go home and… someone followed me," he continued. "I don't remember everything. It hurt, there was a lot of blood. Not sure if it was mine or theirs. It felt like I was on fire. I remember the Sharingan, and then… I was fine. I woke up the next day, like nothing had happened. But I couldn't sleep. Every night, I'd wake up screaming. Nowhere felt safe. No one felt safe." Naruto had to consciously unclench his hand from the leg of his shorts.

Temari was looking at him strangely. "Why are you telling me this?" she asked.

"It goes away," he said. "It takes a while, but it goes away, and… I'll be here until it does."

Get comfortable. That was the advice Tsunade had given him. Incredibly vague, all things considered. This certainly wasn't comfortable for him, even if it felt like the right thing to do in the moment. Regardless of what happened tomorrow, they still had their roles to perform. Everyone, no matter how strong, had to lean on someone or something in trying times. Naruto, in his own loneliness, had found that support in the Kyuubi. Temari had no one, not in Konoha. If she was going to get through this, she needed support, and if Naruto was going to entertain Tsunade's offer, then he was the one that had to provide said support.

The way Temari was smiling at him had no effect on his decision to try and help her.

Naruto nearly jumped when Temari reached over and patted him on the shoulder. "Not bad," she said, "For your first time, I mean. I'll make a proper husband of you yet." She gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze before getting to her feet. "I'm going to try get some sleep. Sorry, again. And Naruto… thank you."

"Temari…" Naruto said softly, "I'm sorry I wasn't there."

She kept smiling as she bid him goodnight and left him to his thoughts. As soon as he was alone, the questions and conflict flooded his mind. Was he actually sorry, or was he just saying that to make Temari feel better? He didn't regret doing what he did. Chasing down Sasuke had been the right choice with what he knew at the time. He couldn't have known the danger Temari was in, so he shouldn't have felt any guilt over it. So then why did thinking about it make him so angry?

"You are growing attached to her," the fox said.

Naruto scowled. 'No.'

The fox chuckled. "She could have died. The thought of her death agitates you. It is only natural."

'I said no.'

"Would you prefer the alternative? That you are only using her, just as the village uses you. Would you follow their example?" the beast asked.

Naruto's face twisted up. 'I am not like them!'

How could the fox even suggest that? They had been working together for years. There was nothing about him that the bijuu didn't know; not even his deepest, darkest thoughts were safe anymore. It was that level of transparency that Naruto thought had earned him some level of trust from the fox, just as the fox had earned his trust through its guidance and constant assistance. Had he been wrong? Was he still just another human to the fox?

"Not yet. You have proved yourself in many ways. But you are still human. All their weaknesses, their shortcomings, their selfishness; you could still become exactly like the rest of them."

'I won't!' Naruto could feel the fox grinning behind the bars of its cage. After everything they had been through, it still enjoyed getting under his skin from time to time.

"We will see," the fox said. "Your connection to the girl will prove all I need to know."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. 'You expected this?'

"I did. You humans are awfully predictable." He sounded very pleased with himself. "I could never have imagined the situation the village would force you into, but it serves my interests well. Who was I to interfere?"

Another test then. Great. He thought he was done with those. 'What do I have to do?'

"Show me that you are still worth my time. Prove you will not allow yourself to become like those who seek to control us."

'And how am I supposed to do that?'

"Start with the girl."

Naruto peered towards the hallway down which Temari had vanished. What was that supposed to mean? Not using someone was easy, wasn't it?

The Kyuubi laughed quietly to itself. "You will figure it out, I'm sure. In the meantime, do try to not get us caught up in any further issues. I cannot help you in the matters of your kinds foolish ideas of order and country relations."

Naruto let himself fall down onto the lounge. Tomorrow was going to be annoying; he could feel it.

{I}

(Next day, Hokage's office.)

It was a smaller affair than Naruto expected. In a way, he supposed that made sense. The more voices one added to a discussion, the less likely an agreed outcome could be reached. This worked doubly so for politics, especially between villages that had waged war on one another in the past. Bad blood didn't even begin to describe it. As such, the meeting consisted of small parties from the three attending villages.

The Hokage sat at his desk, Koharu and Homura flanking each side. The three elder shinobi didn't look like much in this setting, but there was no denying that they had arguably more wisdom between the three of them than anyone else in the whole village. Perhaps not flawless, and certainly not unbiased, but if anyone could be trusted to argue the best interests of Konoha, it was them. With that in mind, Naruto did find it peculiar that Koharu was radiating a concerning amount of contempt, aimed at the Tsuchikage of all people.

The Tsuchikage himself had opted to bring only Kurotsuchi along with him, the two of them standing to one side before the Hokage. For what it was worth, Onoki looked calm, almost as if he hadn't been caught up in brain numbing peace talks that led nowhere for the past few days. Kurotsuchi was as casual as ever, though something felt off about her. Her attention was almost solely on Naruto, and every time his gaze caught hers, she would smile apologetically at him. Intensions aside, Naruto and Temari had found the girl to be rather easy to get along with once she was alone and out of the public eye. It seemed Keeping up appearances was a curse they all had to live with.

Suna still hadn't elected a new Kazekage. From what Temari had told Naruto, the process hadn't even started rolling yet. For now, Suna was operating under the joint command of the council, which seemed to be working well enough for them. They had sent Baki to represent them and the man had chosen to come to this meeting alone. Whether it was because he felt he alone could speak to the best interests of his village, or because he was one of the few trustworthy who wasn't outright hostile to Iwa, no one could quite say. Temari stood at Baki's side, her eyes noticeably less tired and a determined look on her face. She had sacrificed a great deal for the sake of peace between Suna and Konoha, and Naruto knew she would fight to ensure that sacrifice wasn't wasted here.

Naruto himself was sat off to the side, only having been forced to attend due to his connection to the situation. Something told him that now that his true identity was out there, he would be dragged into more of the village's messes than he would like. Next to him sat Tsunade, who seemed to also not want to be here. As the new Hokage to be, Naruto assumed she was being forced to partake in everything village related, either for training purposes, or simply to make sure she was up to date on everything when she took over. She had his pity for that.

So far, the meeting had been nothing more than the usual bickering. One side would suggest an agreement that swayed heavily in their favour, the other side would reject it, back and forth, forth and back, like a never-ending pendulum. The problem with peace is that it didn't exist, not truly. So long as war existed, so long as there was something to be gained by having superior might, then peace would only be the bandage label slapped over the top of the times between wars. Peace talks, treaties, alliances, were nothing more than ways for old men to wage a different kind of war, one in the form of words, economies, and infrastructure. Once that failed to get them what they wanted, then they could resort to humanity's favourite. Bloodshed.

It was infuriating to think about. Was the world so petty that the idea of peace needed to be lined with the threat of war? Naruto was beginning to understand the Kyuubi's disdain for humanity in a new light.

"War is in your blood," the fox said. "Humans cannot help but rely on it. Even your kind's idea of peace is nothing more than the promise to not wage war, as opposed to the actual absence of it. So long as blood can be spilled, war is inevitable."

Sometimes Naruto wished the fox actually was a mindless monster of death and destruction, instead of being an age-old bundle of hatred and wisdom.

"Are you two certain no compromise can be reached here?" the Hokage asked, his tone exasperated. The old man had tried at every turn to offer reasonable solutions to push for an amicable conclusion to this meeting, only to be met with polite rejection each time. It was clearly starting to wane on him.

Baki bowed. "Forgive me, lord Hokage. While many of their terms are reasonable, there is one matter that I simply cannot agree with."

"The Uzumaki brat." Onoki snorted. "You didn't even know what you were getting your hands on until I stepped in. All of a sudden, your last-ditch effort to avoid destruction is oh so valuable to you. I can't believe you would allow it in the first place, Sarutobi. Wasting such a useful bargaining chip on the likes of those who didn't understand its importance."

"We were informed of the boy's lineage from the start," Baki said. "The Hokage entrusted myself, and those I deemed appropriate, to know the truth of what Konoha were offering towards the alliance. Unlike some, we actually know how to maintain a secret and respect the wishes of the dead."

Naruto wasn't sure he enjoyed being talked about like some object to be traded around. Being a jinchuuriki came with more than its fair share of annoying disadvantages, and this was fast becoming the worst in Naruto's opinion.

"Feh. I'm sure Namikaze would be very pleased that his only child was raised in obscurity as an orphan, shunned as a jinchuuriki, and pushed into a political marriage from which he gains nothing," Onoki said. "Yes, the fourth Hokage must be dancing in his grave right as we speak."

Hiruzen cleared his throat. "I would ask you leave the dead out of this, please." His voice was calm and steady, but something hidden behind his disarming smile made everyone in the room tense up a little.

Onoki grunted. "The fact remains, Iwa is willing and able to offer far more to ensure an alliance than Suna. Inter-village assistance, both financial and material. Specialised training for your jinchuuriki. Open and safe borders for shinobi and civilian alike."

"Yes, that all sounds very nice. But at what cost?" Koharu asked. "You expect us to unravel a newly formed alliance, barely out of its infancy and solidified by matrimony, all on the worth of your word. Do not play us for fools, lord Tsuchikage. You came here with only one goal in mind. Unrestricted access to our jinchuuriki, and a way to strengthen your own bloodline. At least Suna had the decency to be transparent with their intentions."

"Suna had nothing to hide because they have nothing. Do not compare strategy to desperation. Was the girl even a willing participant in their scheme? At least my granddaughter is fully aware of what would be expected of her. She volunteered for it of her own accord."

Naruto scowled. Only a Kage could speak so carelessly about the future of their own flesh and blood. After so many years spent dealing in human lives, it made sense that they would become numb to such things. Anything for the village. He wondered where the line in the sand was for people in those positions. The Tsuchikage, the Hokage, the elders, even the clan heads. How far were they all willing to go for the so-called benefit of the village and themselves?

His gaze drifted between Temari and Kurotsuchi. Kurotsuchi's head was held high, a prideful and confident aura about her. She smiled and winked at him, making him roll his eyes. It didn't matter if she had been given the choice, or that she had volunteered for the role. That only meant that she was just as devoted to her village's interests as her grandfather. Kurotsuchi was nice enough, but she was extremely loyal. Anyone with half a brain could see that.

Temari, on the other hand, was doing her best to keep herself in control. The clenched fists trembling at her sides showed it was a slowly losing battle. Naruto imagined being forced to listen to someone insult her home village was difficult. Temari was committed to the alliance, and she had already come to consider Konoha her new home, but her loyalties to Suna would never truly fade. She noticed his stare and Naruto offered her a half smile. It wasn't much, but it was all he could do to help her through this.

"Temari volunteered to act as Suna's representative in this alliance," Baki stated firmly. "We would never force anyone into such a position."

"Yet you would turn a child into a bloodthirsty weapon. Tell me, how can Konoha trust their jinchuuriki with the sister of that little monster?" Onoki asked.

Naruto closed his eyes. This was all part of the Tsuchikage's schemes. Pushing all the right buttons, tugging at just the right straws. He wanted to get a rise out of his opponent. Baki or Temari, who it was didn't matter, only that they lost their cool in a delicate situation such as this. Naruto could already sense who the likely candidate was. Temari was glaring daggers at the Tsuchikage. Gaara was a sensitive topic for her. Her love for her brother was admirable, if a tad unfortunate right now. One more word about Gaara and Naruto wasn't sure Temari would hold back.

Onoki saw it too and smirked. "Oh? Strike a nerve, did I? By all means, please try and defend the actions of your father, and the results of his work. I would like to hear what you have to say about it."

Temari tried to step towards the Tsuchikage but was held back by Baki's hand on her shoulder. "The actions taken by our lord Kage were his own. Do not presume that you can pass blame onto his daughter," Baki said.

"Do you not think we took everything into consideration before agreeing to the marriage?" Koharu scoffed loudly. "You come demanding an alliance under the guise of peace, and yet waste no time in insulting both us and our allied village. If you wish to walk out of here with anything of gain, I recommend you reconsider your approach."

Hiruzen frowned, nodding in agreement. "My council is right. This is getting us nowhere. If neither of you are willing to come to a reasonable resolution, then let it be known and we shall adjourn. Better we all walk away with nothing lost and nothing gained than allow petty squabbles to grow into something… more."

Naruto sighed. Back to the threat of war.

Onoki huffed and crossed his arms, like a child that had just been forced to give back a toy. Despite that, he didn't look half as displeased as anyone would have guessed. "Well, if Suna won't surrender their claim on the boy, then I guess there is only one option left to us," he said, glancing to Kurotsuchi. His granddaughter smiled and shrugged, which seemed to be enough of an answer for him to continue. "He will simply have to marry both of them."

And there it was. Thanks to Kurotsuchi, the statement didn't come as much of a shock to Naruto or Temari, but the rest of the room, full of those who already had a well-formed image of the Tsuchikage, were less prepared. Were a pin to fall in the room at that moment, it would have been the loudest sound made.

The Hokage was the first to break the silence, coughing into his hand. "This is no time for jokes, lord Tsuchikage. I trust you will take this meeting seriously," he said.

"I am serious," Onoki said. "It is a simple solution to our predicament. If Suna and Konoha are as committed to the alliance as you have shown, then Iwa has no choice but to join said alliance on equal footing. You have already proven that marriage is a viable method for ensuring strong bonds, so you can't rightly refuse it."

"Nor will we, should you suggest a candidate who is not already married," Homura said.

"A marriage that is still fresh and malleable, might I add," Onoki said. "I don't see any reason why you can't just-"

"Absolutely not," Koharu cut him off harshly. "Fresh or not, a marriage, especially one coinciding with an alliance, is not something we can just tamper with. Excluding the individuals involved, if we were to try and alter the terms of the alliance, we threaten to undo any form of trust forged with it entirely. It is completely out of the question."

"I agree," Hiruzen said. "If you truly wish for an alliance solidified through marriage, then I am afraid you will need to settle for another candidate. Surely there is another suitable option within Konoha for you to consider."

Onoki frowned. "No way. My own granddaughter has bravely offered herself as our candidate, so only a match of equal value can be considered. The son of the fourth Hokage is the only suitable choice in my eyes. Anything less is no better than an insult. If you truly insist on not undoing the existing marriage, then let us merely add to it. Have the boy marry both and the problem is solved."

Naruto snorted. The Tsuchikage's attention snapped to him, and he grimaced. Remaining silent might have been the wiser choice.

"Got something to say?" Onoki asked.

He did, but opening his mouth in this meeting would only spell trouble for him. Unless, perhaps, he was given permission. The Hokage understood almost immediately when Naruto looked to him, the old man giving the slightest of nods with the inkling of a smile. Now he couldn't be blamed for whatever he said. "I already have a wife. Two sounds like a headache," he said boredly. It took some serious effort to channel that impeccable Nara charm, but Naruto thought he did a half decent job of it.

Everyone gawked at him, except for the Hokage, who stifled a laugh.

Koharu clicked her tongue. "Well, it seems the boy has a better head on his shoulders than we gave him credit for. Even he is not so naïve as to entertain your perverted schemes."

Onoki grumbled under his breath. "Be that as it may, the decision does not fall to him."

"On the contrary," Hiruzen began, "For me to consider your proposal at all, I would require full consent from all three. As Naruto has already voiced his displeasure at the idea, the case is closed. If you've nothing else, please take your leave."

There was a flash of rage that passed over the Tsuchikage's face. It faded quickly as Kurotsuchi placed her hand on his shoulder, bending down to whisper something in his ear. He frowned deeply; sights focused on Naruto. "Every bit as infuriating as your father I see. Very well. Allow me some time to confer with my own council and I shall bring forth a different proposal," he said.

"One that doesn't involve me this time?" Naruto asked.

The Tsuchikage waved him off. "Yes, yes. I know a dead end when I see one," he said, pouting slightly. "A true shame for you though. Give it a few years and you will understand the mistake you've made here today. Passing up such an opportunity when it's so freely presented to you is-" his voice died in his throat at the sound of bones cracking.

Tsunade calmly changed hands, cracking another set of knuckles as she smiled sweetly at the Tsuchikage.

Onoki cleared his throat. "Right. I'll inform you once I'm ready with the new proposal."

Kurotsuchi was the only one of the two to bow respectfully to those present, giving Temari and Naruto a quick wave before following her grandfather out the door. Naruto wondered what the Tsuchikage's new angle might be, though not enough to waste his time thinking too hard about it. This meeting had already been a massive waste of everyone's time. If this is what all politics was like, then Naruto wanted no part in it. If they ever tried to push him to be a clan head, he would leave then and there.

"Do I need to be here?" he asked, looking to the Hokage.

The old man shook his head. "You are dismissed. I shall let you know if you are required for anything else."

Naruto was on his feet and striding to the door before the Hokage had finished talking. He stopped short of the door, turning back to see that Temari wasn't following him. She appeared unsure, glancing between Naruto and Baki, torn between whether to stay or go. "Temari?"

Baki placed his hand on Temari's shoulder. "I still need to speak with her."

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "She isn't yours to order around anymore," he said. She wasn't his to boss around either. Naruto wasn't about to pull something like that. Still, Temari had just sat through the same crap that he had, and she deserved a break. "Do you want to stay?" he asked her.

Temari smiled and nodded. "I'll catch up," she said.

It wasn't what she wanted to say, Naruto could tell as much, but he wasn't about to question her in front of everyone. Whatever Baki wanted with her, Temari could handle herself. As he left, his thoughts drifted back to Iwa. Would his actions here today create problems in the future, and furthermore, would he be allowed to train with Roshi anymore now that he had put a roadblock in the way of the Tsuchikage's plan. Naruto shrugged. There was plenty of daylight left, and Roshi had to be around somewhere. It was time to see if he had stabbed himself in the foot.

{I}

"That could have gone better," Tsunade muttered.

Homura hummed in agreement. "Indeed. Though it could have gone a lot worse, all things considered."

"Let us be grateful that he was so quick to give up on that ridiculous proposal of his," Koharu said. "The nerve of that fool. To suggest something so preposterous as a joint political marriage."

Hiruzen listened to them all with a faint smile on his face. It was true, that meeting hadn't gone how he had hoped, but neither had it gone as he had feared. The Tsuchikage could not be blamed for trying to attain something of value for his village. As a Kage, his people came first and foremost, and his commitment to that could be respected. For Naruto to be the prize Iwa sought was interesting though. It might have stemmed simply from the boy's status as the Kyuubi's jinchuuriki, or possibly something more associated with his direct lineage. Hiruzen doubted Onoki knew much of Kushina, but Iwa had the most amount of information on Minato than anyone else outside of Konoha. If Naruto possessed even a sliver of talent that his father did, he would be a formidable shinobi in the future, and as such, a valuable addition to anyone's forces. Since Naruto himself would be too difficult to take as he was, securing access to any of his descendants would be the next best thing in the long term.

Thankfully, nothing had come to pass, and with any luck the Tsuchikage would come back with a much more reasonable request when he was ready. Hiruzen was curious, however. Onoki was famous for not being able to make up his mind, and when he did manage to come to a decision, he was painfully stubborn. Giving up on getting what he wanted was quite uncharacteristic of him. Something else was going on, and Hiruzen was going to enjoy figuring it out. For what it was worth, he was quite confident that the Tsuchikage wasn't up to anything too devious. Scheming and selfish, sure, but not actively hostile towards Konoha. Hiruzen would accommodate plenty more headache inducing interactions so long as it didn't have the potential to hurt the village or stoke the fires of war. Onoki was simply grasping at straws and seeing what he could get, a harmless enough endeavour.

"Something on your mind, sensei?" Tsunade asked.

"Oh, nothing of importance," he said. "Tell me, Tsunade, what do you think of all this?"

Tsunade groaned. "Makes my head hurt. How do any of you sit through this without being plastered?"

Hiruzen chuckled. "You get used to it… eventually."

"It is an easier task when properly delegated," Koharu said. "Many hands make light work. Do not be afraid to rely on those you can trust."

"And I imagine you are one of those trustworthy people?"

Koharu smiled. "Perhaps in time. No doubt you will form alliances of your own, as each Kage has done before. I'm merely making sure you know that our services are at your disposal should you need them."

"Good to know," Tsunade said. She leaned back in her chair. "Onoki won't quit on Naruto so easily. For now, maybe, if only to keep up appearances. He either idolizes Minato and wants to assure his family get a piece of that glory, or he wants to spit on Minato's grave by having his granddaughter sink her claws into Naruto. A messy situation, no matter what his play is. We will have to keep an eye on the granddaughter for a while, preferably without making it too obvious. That aside, if we can find some middle ground between Iwa and Suna, then there is a good chance we can make this work. All we need is a foot in the door. From there it's just putting in the leg work. I think it's worth giving it a chance."

Hiruzen smiled. "My thoughts as well."

If only there weren't so many problems to deal with all at once. He fought back a cough, the pain in his chest flaring up once more. Hiruzen only wished he had more time, more time to help guide what was coming, more time to make up for his failures and wrongdoings, and more time to perhaps see but a shred of the future that could be. Gods he hoped he was making some good choices here.

{I}

"Are you sure everything is fine?"

Temari smiled and rolled her eyes. It was so strange to see Baki of all people fret over her so much. From the moment they had left the Hokage's office, the two had spent the whole time catching each other up on everything that had been happening. Suna seemed to be doing well. Kankuro was doing his usual reclusive puppet master schtick, so Temari figured she had nothing to worry about with him. Gaara was a different story. His bloodthirsty tendencies had died down significantly, but his willingness to follow orders had completely disappeared. Now he spent his days outside of the village doing who knows what. To say Temari was worried would be an understatement. Sadly, there wasn't much she could do other than wait for the next chance to see her little brother and hopefully make some headway in getting through to him.

Of course, their conversation had ended up extending to her more recent activities, namely her run in with assassins. Baki had grilled her relentlessly for all the details, fussing over every little piece of information he could pry from her tired mind. Even now, he refused to believe her that everything was fine, having gone so far as to ask if she had been treated properly. It had made her laugh. Baki must have been truly worried to think that Tsunade might not have treated her properly.

"I'm fine. I promise," she assured him. "You just keep everything running smooth at home, and I'll do just fine over here."

Baki frowned. "Naruto… is he… still behaving?"

Behaving? Really? Temari shook her head. "Naruto has been good. Trust me, he is one of the few people here I don't have to worry about." Well, at least not in the same sense as everyone else. Temari still wasn't sure who to trust in Konoha, so her defences were always at the ready. Naruto, however, she knew she could trust, especially with how he had been acting lately. Their little chat last night had really opened her eyes to how much progress was being made between them, and that wasn't even mentioning today.

"Well, I see no reason to keep you any longer. Just know, if you ever need me, I won't be far," Baki said.

Temari laughed. Seeing this side of Baki was too much. Only here, away from Suna, where no one who knew him could see, would Baki allow himself to come across as so soft.

Baki cleared his throat and stood up straight. "I trust you will keep that to yourself?"

"Don't worry, sensei. My lips are sealed." Temari made a zipping gesture across her lips and smiled wide.

They parted ways, Baki heading back to whatever hotel he was staying at this time, and Temari choosing to take a leisurely stroll through the village. She didn't have much of a plan, wandering aimlessly through the streets and simply enjoying the fresh air. This was the first time in the past few days that Temari had been by herself, and by that she meant the first time that Naruto hadn't actively been by her side. Not to say she didn't appreciate his efforts, or that she didn't enjoy the company, as quiet as he could be most of the time. If she was going to regain her confidence in this village, then she had to do it by herself. Relying on Naruto was nice, but it couldn't go on forever.

She was greeted with plenty of smiles and pleasant gestures as she walked, a notable difference to what she saw when walking with Naruto. It didn't get to her. Naruto had made it be known that he didn't care about it, so Temari figured it was best she treated it the same. With that in mind, Temari soldiered on, heading to the one place she thought she might find the only other trustworthy person she knew. The smaller size of the weapon shop still left her curious as to how they were able to compete with others in the village. Most likely a matter of product quality compared to quantity, and the friendly customer service that could always be counted on. Speaking of…

"Temari!"

Temari smirked and turned to face Tenten, the girl in question all but sprinting to her side and coming to a stop with the biggest grin on her face.

"How do they do?" Tenten asked.

"Huh?"

Tenten poked a single finger at Temari's blouse, touching one of the barely noticeable blades tucked away beneath the fabric. "The pockets. How are they holding up? Do I need to adjust anything?" she asked, eyes scanning intently.

Temari shrugged. "They're perfect. Haven't had to use them yet, but I'll be sure to let you know if anything needs changing." There wouldn't be any need. Tenten had been thorough the first time around. There might be need for similar work to be done on other clothing, perhaps if Temari ended up growing a little more, or even simply desired a change of style. As it was, they were just as she had described, perfect. "Been busy?" The store was mostly empty, but it was still early so that could change quickly. Peak hours tended to be a little odd for businesses that catered specifically to shinobi.

"Not at the moment," Tenten said cheerfully. Nothing ever seemed to dampen her spirits, something that Temari found she quite liked about the girl. "Need help with something? After a new weapon? Armour? Clothes? Anything? Please tell me I can do something for you. I'm so bored."

Temari chuckled. "That desperate to get a hold of all my money?"

Tenten blushed and held her hands up. "No, of course not. I'd never do that. Pinky swears." As if to prove her point, she held out a pinkie finger, laughing nervously.

"Uh-huh." Temari wasn't buying it. "I'm just looking to kill some time. Was going to see when you'd be up for that rematch you wanted, that is, if you still think you have a chance."

From the way Tenten pouted, Temari worried she might have gone too far. She truly did want to fight the girl again on much more pleasant terms. The chunin exams had been… a lot, for everyone. Temari still felt bad for how she had acted in her fight, so being able to make it up to Tenten somehow was the least she could do. Wind style fighters were rare outside of wind country, and with the new alliance, there was no foreseeable reason for shinobi from Konoha to prepare themselves to fight against Suna shinobi. If only it was that simple. Temari knew the importance of being prepared for anything, and Tenten was not prepared at all. While Temari was confident that Tenten wouldn't be able to touch her in a fight right now, that didn't mean that the girl couldn't learn from the experience, especially if Temari taught her how to overcome her greatest weakness.

Tenten held the pout for a few more seconds before gesturing to a clock on the wall. "I finish in an hour. Rest of the day is for training," she said. "Grab something to eat and meet me back here. I'll show you just how much of a chance I have."

They shook on it and Temari left to find something to eat. At least that sorted what she was going to get up to for the rest of the day.

{I}

Danzo slowly made his way through the underground passageways beneath Konoha. This was his domain, where the true work of a shinobi could be completed without the hassle of public appearances and political nonsense. Back when he had first established Root, with the blessing of the Hokage, Danzo had nothing but the purest intentions. Aid the village from the shadows, doing what could not be done in the light of day. Making sure that such burdens were dealt with by those who understood the importance of them had been his calling, to which he quickly found himself devoting his life to.

There had been times, regrettably so, where he had strayed from his initial intentions. Roots, much like the tree that they nourished, were subject to change. Internal and external factors required adaptations, new directions, drastic measures. For a time, anything had been deemed permissible so long as it benefited the village. Working from the shadows fast became living in the darkness, and with that came a difficulty to see the light in anything. Paranoia had taken hold of him for far too long. Had it not been for Sarutobi, Danzo dreaded to think of what kind of methods he might have considered appropriate.

He shook his head of the thought and continued on his way. There was no point dwelling on what could have been. The worst had been avoided, and he owed it to his oldest friend and rival. With his sights set right once more, and the goal clear in his mind yet again, Danzo swore to never let himself fall to such lows. The rhythmic tapping of his cane as he walked was more than enough warning to his underlings. He rounded a corner, pleased to find the two guards stationed at the door kneeling at his presence. Wordlessly, he gestured for them to rise. They unlocked the door and together they entered.

Hiruzen, the Hokage, his friend, had extended a great deal of trust and faith in him when giving him a second chance. It was for that reason Danzo was willing to try things differently. Hiruzen believed in peace, first and foremost. Danzo strived for much the same, although with a differing approach. For the time being, he would stay his heavy-handed tactics wherever he could. Sadly, he felt that this particular issue, one entrusted to him by the Hokage, was not going to be solved with any form of gentle nurturing.

"Have you calmed down now, boy?" he asked.

Sasuke's teeth clamped tightly on the gag in his mouth. No doubt there was a heated glare hiding under the blindfold as well, a hateful gaze only further empowered by the boy's Sharingan. Danzo knew better than most the potential of the Dojutsu, through means that he understood made him a target for the boy before him. Still, it was that knowledge that made him so useful in this unfortunate situation, so regrets were unnecessary. He could serve his village, and that was all that mattered to him. Desecrating a few corpses along the way was easily overlooked for the greater good.

To put it lightly, the boy had not taken the truth well. Hiruzen and Danzo had been forced to leave him alone once they were done speaking their piece, what with Sasuke refusing to stop screaming and threatening their deaths at his own hands. It was to be expected. Danzo couldn't blame Sasuke for wanting justice for what became of the Uchiha, but he couldn't permit a naïve child the freedom to cause untold harm to the village with his wild rage. The boy wanted revenge, and he would get it in time. Until then, Sasuke was Danzo's to handle.

"I know how you must be feeling," Danzo began. A chair was placed behind him, and he took a seat. "The truth is a heavy burden to bear. Not many are strong enough to know what truly goes on in this world, in this village. But you, Sasuke, have the potential to be more than strong enough. If that weren't the case, the Hokage would not have wasted so much time and thought on you. You believed we were holding you back, and you would be correct, in part. The Hokage hoped that with enough time you would recover enough mentally to be permitted further training. That was, of course, until Itachi got involved once more."

Watching the way Sasuke immediately began struggling against his bonds at the mere mention of his brother's name was pathetic. Itachi had made things truly difficult. Even now the rogue Uchiha's methods were confusing to those who knew the truth. Torturing his own little brother in such a way didn't make any sense. Then again, perhaps Itachi was suffering in his own ways, his actions having twisted his mind and perception in unknown ways. The why was of less importance as the how. The Tsukuyomi. The perfect genjutsu of the Mangekyo Sharingan. To a normal person, it was debilitating, but to the perfect recall abilities of another Sharingan wielder… it was a wonder Sasuke had walked away from it at all.

"You know now, the truth of why your brother committed such a heinous act. He, more than any other, loved this village above all else. His loyalty remains unquestionable, even now, though I understand your hesitation in believing such a thing." Danzo himself had possessed his own doubts at the start. There was simply too much relying on Itachi to be able to truly trust him. Thankfully, the older Uchiha was proving to be a man of his word. So long as Konoha held up its part of the bargain, no harm would come to the village. Now, if only Sasuke would cooperate. "I will admit, Itachi's actions towards you have confused us, but I have a working theory. Would you like to hear it?"

This approach was slow and inefficient, but it was the one agreed upon by the small collective of those who knew what was going on with Sasuke. Danzo would have preferred to simply make use of Shisui's Sharingan and leave it at that, or even utilise the Yamanaka clan member he had under his command. Frustratingly, the others had much more caring hearts, and were too willing to give the boy a chance. No matter. Danzo would play it their way, and then, should it fall apart, he would be there to catch the pieces and protect the village, no matter what it took.

"Your brother seems fixated on your progress, belittling you for your lack of strength. If I were to hazard a guess, he is attempting to motivate you, in his own misguided way. His methods, while questionable, seem to have worked. You are so focused on improving your strength that it borders on imbecilic, but to what end? Itachi made sure you knew the version of events that he wished for you to know, the one that painted him alone as the villain, the reason for your family's demise. Obviously, that coincided with the official story, but he took it a step further, didn't he."

It was a challenge, plain and simple. Danzo could see that. Itachi wanted Sasuke to grow, to become strong enough to challenge him, to kill him. Organising his own death at the hands of his own brother, tying up a loose end and ensuring his mission was complete. Yes, Itachi truly was a great shinobi. It was a shame circumstances had forced him away from Konoha. The village would have benefited from such a man working within its walls.

"Knowing the truth, why do you think Itachi is so intent on you getting strong enough to challenge him?" Sasuke tensed and Danzo smiled. Young though he may be, Sasuke was far from stupid. "I believe that Itachi wanted you to seek revenge, to hunt him down, to take his life. With his death, based on the official story, the matter of the Uchiha would be closed, and you would be free to continue the clan, presumably with enough strength to regain some of its former glory. An admirable plan, if a little lacking in foundation. You running off to Orochimaru would have complicated that plan significantly."

That was assuming Danzo was correct in his assumptions about Itachi's intentions. Sadly, people were unpredictable at the best of times. Whatever Itachi expected his chosen words to incite Sasuke to do had clearly failed. Orochimaru's interference had likely also presented its own issues, but it was something Itachi should have predicted and prepared for. Now it was up to Danzo to clean up the mess and try to set Sasuke back on a less self-destructive path, if that were possible to begin with.

"What will you do now, I wonder?" Danzo asked. "Itachi isn't quite the monster you thought he was, and the village is not quite as blind as you had hoped. You were prepared to leave everything you knew behind in the quest for the power to kill your brother. Orochimaru promised you something so simple, and you followed without question. Clearly, killing Itachi would no longer be the goal for you, not completely. You want answers, from the source, to hear him confirm all that we have told you. But for that… you will still require strength."

It wouldn't be difficult. Sasuke was exceptional for his age, even with his obvious flaws taken into consideration. Honing his skills and lifting him to the heights of Itachi wouldn't be a challenging task for anyone with the right knowledge at their disposal. Danzo just so happened to possess a substantial amount of knowledge.

"The Hokage's offer still stands," he said. "We will train you, give you everything you need and assist in orchestrating a meeting between you and your brother when the time is right. In return, we ask merely for your cooperation until that time comes to pass. So, are you prepared to give an answer yet?"

Sasuke was still for a moment, only to give a hesitant nod. One of the guards, at the direction of Danzo, moved forward and removed the gag from Sasuke's mouth. He opened and closed his mouth a few times before setting it into a scowl. "What happens after I get what I want?" Sasuke asked.

Ah, yes. Danzo had expected that. It was a good question. What would they do once they were finished training Sasuke to a level where he could challenge the likes of Itachi? Sasuke had the potential to become quite the dangerous loose end. He might listen and understand Itachi's side, falling back into place as a loyal piece on Konoha's side of the board, or he could lose his composure completely. Thankfully, more minds than just Danzo's were already working on a long-term solution to that inevitable outcome. For now, short term methods of containment would work just fine.

"We will cross that bridge when we get to it, I suppose," Danzo answered.

Sasuke gritted his teeth. "I don't have much of a choice here, do I?"

"No." There was no point in hiding that fact. "Should you refuse, you will simply remain as you are. Itachi will learn of your situation eventually, and when he no doubt comes to your aid, we will discuss how to handle you with him."

Do as he was told or sit here and rot until the murderer of his clan came looking for him. It was a cruel choice to lay before a child, but Danzo had done much worse without batting an eye. Regardless of what Sasuke believed or who he trusted, there was only one path that allowed him to move forward.

"Okay then."

Danzo smirked. The first steps were officially in motion. How fortunate.

{I}

The training grounds of Konoha were much different to those in Suna. The majority were large open fields of grass, ringed by the trees from the surrounding forests. Others, all of impressive size, contained all manner of environments and unique attributes for the sake of diversifying the training of shinobi. It made sense as to how those from Konoha was always able to adapt to battles in any location they found themselves in. In comparison, Suna had little outside of barren fields of sand and rock at their disposal, with a handful of oases like patches reserved for the privileged.

At the current time, Temari found herself in the centre of one of the standard training grounds. The gentle breeze through her hair and the cool grass under her bare feet making it a rather pleasant experience. She moved gracefully, flowing along with the wind with each step and twirl. When broken down to its rawest form, wind style fighting was a weaponised dance. The more delicate and fun side of it was often looked down upon within Suna, but here, in this beautiful weather, Temari couldn't help but fall into it effortlessly.

Now, if only her enjoyment wasn't having the unfortunate side effect of pissing off her sparring partner.

Temari stepped to the side and spun on the ball of her foot with her hands held wide. The wind whipped around her, and the hail of shuriken that flew at her were guided around her harmlessly. She had chosen to leave her fan out of this battle. Tenten was at a disadvantage to begin with, so to destroy her like she had in the chunin exams wouldn't benefit anyone. She arched herself backwards in time to avoid a sword aimed at her throat, falling into a backwards cartwheel before flawlessly weaving in and out of the following onslaught.

Tenten slashed and stabbed at Temari with a crazed look in her eyes. Each stroke and swipe of her sword was effortlessly dodged or redirected by a still unarmed Temari. The more aggressive Tenten got, the more graceful Temari became with her dance. It didn't help that Temari had a smile on her face the whole time.

Tenten paused in her attack, breathing heavy as Temari casually stepped away looking no worse for wear. "Could you at least act like I'm worth fighting?" Tenten asked.

Temari smirked. "I could, but that would be coddling," she said.

"What does that make this then?"

Temari shrugged. "Just a spot of fun. Getting a feel for how you fight, finding all your flaws, all that good stuff."

That did the trick, and with a yell Tenten charged once more. Temari continued as she had been, staying on the defensive as Tenten slowly exhausted her arsenal of weapons, and what an arsenal it was. Temari knew the girl worked at a weapon shop, but no one in their right mind owned this many weapons, especially of such variety. Some of them Temari had never seen before. Sadly, variety in weapons did not make for a viable tactic. Tenten was deadly accurate with projectiles, possibly more so than anyone Temari knew, but against a wind user it all fell laughably short. Tenten had learned that much from their first fight. Despite that, it was clear that her repertoire of skills to make up for that was lacking.

Her taijutsu was formidable, and most of her weapons doubled as close combat capable. Tenten naturally fell into a mix of close combat and mid to long-range projectile tactics, using one method to try and throw her opponent off balance to make openings for the other, swapping back and forth at random intervals just to make things interesting. Temari was impressed; too bad impressed wasn't enough. Whoever Tenten's sensei was, they obviously had a specific role in mind when training her and hadn't bothered to help fill in the gaps said role left. Knowing how Konoha worked, it was likely overlooked due to their focus on teamwork.

After a while, the novelty of it all wore off, and Temari decided to prove her point. She sidestepped the next swing of the sword, hands slipping into the hidden pockets of her blouse and pulling out her knives. Tenten smiled and Temari knew the poor girl thought she had finally pushed her enough to take the fight more seriously. No such luck. They swung at each other, only instead of the satisfying sound of steel clashing, there was a sharp chink sound. Tenten noticed the sudden lack of weight of her blade too late as a foot slammed into her stomach. She tumbled back and stopped a short distance away, gawking at the now cleanly severed blade of her sword.

"Do you have any idea how much this cost?" she yelled.

"Less than your life," Temari said, holding up her wind charged knives.

Tenten dropped the broken sword and summoned a new one from a scroll. How many scrolls did she have anyhow? Her free hand hooked a kunai with an exploding tag tied to it, letting it loose straight toward Temari. Temari sighed and threw one of her knives. Charged with wind chakra, it sliced straight through the kunai and the tag, letting both fall harmlessly to the ground. Tenten, following in the shadow of her kunai, dodged the knife and lunged at Temari with her sword. A sword against a lone knife was much better odds. Temari grinned and let her chakra nature fade from her blade. Destroying too many of the girl's weapons would be cruel.

She raised her knife, blocking Tenten's slash with one arm and admiring the physical strength the other girl possessed. Her other hand lifted up, and with a strange gesture and a whoosh her other knife whipped past Tenten's neck and back into her grasp. Temari smiled and tilted her head innocently. "And… you're dead."

Tenten looked like a ghost as she stepped away, gently touching the faint line of blood seeping from her neck. She looked around with empty eyes at the training ground, littered with a myriad of weapons that hadn't gotten within an inch of their target. Then, like a switch, her demeanour changed, and her eyes locked onto the knife in Temari's hand. "How did you do that?"

Temari quirked an eye. "Oh, you mean this?" She threw her knife once more only for it to stop in midair and spring back to her hand with a simple gesture of her fingers. Tenten nodded. "It's the puppet string technique. You form strings from your fingertips with chakra and connect them to your weapons. I'm not very good with them, but I can use them to move a knife or two if needed. My brother is much better at it."

"Teach me." Tenten was right up in Temari's face with wide eyes that almost gleamed with excitement. She realised her mistake quickly and took a step back, clearing her throat and bowing. "Sorry. Please, I would be very grateful if you could teach me."

"Oh, umm, I don't think I can, sorry," Temari said, putting her hands up defensively when Tenten pouted at her. "Not because I don't want to. Puppetry is an art founded and maintained by Suna. To learn it, you must study under a puppet master from Suna. I know what I do because my brother was willing to teach me, but since I am not a puppet user, I don't know if it would be acceptable for me to impart such knowledge. I hope you understand."

Tenten's expression fell, shoulders slumping and head hanging low as she sighed deeply. "Yeah, I understand."

Such a pitiful display. Temari actually felt a little bad. "But my brother should come and visit me from time to time. If you'd be open to it, I can introduce you two properly and you can ask if he would be willing to teach you the basics. Can't make any promises, but it's worth a shot." She could have mentioned that her dear little brother was an absolute pushover and all Tenten would have to do was bat her eyelashes at him and he would fold on himself like a wet noodle. Tenten could figure that part out on her own. The girl was certainly cute, so Temari wasn't worried about Kankuro not being interested. Men were so predictable like that.

Tenten paled. "Your… brother?" She took a step back. "He's not, you know, like your… other brother, right?"

Right. Temari had almost forgotten how much of an impression Gaara had made in Konoha. "No. Kankuro and Gaara are very different. He's…" Well, she couldn't say normal, because he was far from being that. "I'll let you make up your own mind about him when you meet him."

"Sounds good to me," Tenten said. Her mood dampened once more as she looked around again. "That was… kinda embarrassing. I thought I'd be able to do better against you this time."

"It's not your fault. If you don't have a wind user to train against, it's hard to come up with new strategies that will work without being able to put them to the test," Temari said. "I can give you some pointers, help you out with some things, but you have a lot of work to do. Fighting me is one thing, but wind isn't the only element. Do you have any strategies to combat any of the elemental natures that could be thrown at you?"

Tenten laughed sheepishly. "Not exactly."

Temari sighed. "Right. Well, wind is your biggest threat, so we might as well start with that."

"You're actually going to help me train?"

"Yes? Why? Do you not want me to?" Temari would understand. She was no sensei, and Tenten's own sensei might get the wrong idea if someone else stepped in where they didn't belong.

"No, no, no. I'd love the help. I just… thought you'd be busy with… other stuff," Tenten said, a faint blush on her cheeks.

Now Temari was curious. "Other stuff? Such as?"

Tenten blushed a little more. "You know… marriage stuff. Solidifying the alliance. Getting closer to you know who."

Temari matched Tenten's blush. With everything else going on, she had failed to realise that there were clear implications involved with her situation. Marriage, more often than not, tended to lead to one eventual outcome. A political marriage potentially more so. The marriage itself was no more than a symbol of the alliance, living proof that members from each village could live alongside each other peacefully. At some point, the true reason for the marriage would have to come into play. A bond through blood.

She laughed. "Good one," she said, patting Tenten on the shoulder. The idea was ridiculous. Not because it was unthinkable for such expectations to fall onto Temari, but because no one who knew Naruto would ever expect it of him. At least not as he was now. Maybe, given a few years to mature and grow more comfortable with Temari, Naruto might be open to the idea to sharing a bed. Temari doubted it though. His focus was not on women, let alone the prospect of children. It was good for a laugh.

"I'm being serious," Tenten said. "Don't you guys have to… you know?" She made an obscene gesture with her hands and looked away shyly.

'Aww, she's all bashful.' Did Konoha not beat that sort of stuff out of the kids before they became ninja? Temari shrugged. "Probably. One day. Who knows. No one's said anything about it, and it's not like Naruto seems too eager anyway. We haven't even slept in the same bed yet."

Tenten blinked at her owlishly. "Really? Wow. So, he's not even curious?"

"I wouldn't say that." Temari had certainly caught him staring at her a few times in a way that would imply some sort of interest. Figuring out what kind of interest that could be was the real challenge. She shook her head and smiled. "It doesn't matter. He's respectful, and that's good enough for me. Now, before we get too off topic, don't think you're distracting me from why we are out here. There are still a few hours of the day left, so let's not waste it. I want to see some improvement out of you, and quick."

Tenten gave a mock solute. "Yes ma'am," she said cheekily, only to pause and chuckle softly. "Just, uh, give me a minute to collect all my weapons."

Temari waved her off and the girl got busy racing around picking everything up. She laid down on the grass while she waited, mentally going through what she was going to teach Tenten and how. Why she was bothered to teach anyone at all, Temari wasn't entirely sure. Boredom probably, or maybe just the guilt of the chunin exams still looming over her. Either way, she had something to do, and hopefully a new friendship to forge at the same time. It might even be worth dragging Naruto out to one of these little sessions from time to time, if only to make use of his obnoxious shadow clones. The clean-up would be done by now had he been around.

She lifted her head quickly and checked on the progress. A deep sigh escaped her as she lowered her head and closed her eyes. This was going to take a while.

{I}

It was almost dark by the time Temari and Tenten parted ways. At the end of their training session, Tenten seemed a bit more hopeful in her ability to improve, and Temari was feeling satisfyingly worn out. Today had focused on Taijutsu, which Tenten was already very good at. After a couple of hours of getting her butt kicked, the weapon mistress had slowly started to figure out Temari's fighting style and begun working on adapting. It wasn't much, but it was a step in the right direction.

They both walked away with smiles on their faces, and Temari quickly found herself wandering once more, enjoying a more indirect route towards the apartment. A part of her was anxious at the vulnerability of being on her own, which was, in a sense, the whole point of forcing herself to do it in the first place. Naruto had been spot-on with his assessment, that it was less what had happened to her and more a matter of where and how. She had slept better after that, comforted by his assurance of being there for her. It was odd and a little out of character, but surprisingly thoughtful and endearing.

A few streets into her walk and Temari found herself feeling suddenly calm. The nervous edge of being on her own disappeared, and at the same time Temari became aware of another presence. Footsteps fell smoothly in sync with her own and she couldn't help but roll her eyes. Show off.

"And just how long have you been tailing me?" she asked.

Naruto continued walking alongside her without a care. "A while," he answered vaguely. "Did you… have a good day?"

Temari smirked. "You tell me. What did it look like?"

"You and Tenten seem to be getting along nicely," he said.

That didn't tell her much. She was trying to figure out how long he had been shadowing her. Watching her train with Tenten could have meant he was watching her for most of the afternoon or only the past hour or so.

"Your sensei looked happy to see you."

Temari narrowed her eyes. So, he had been following her since she left the Hokage tower. Great. Now for the important question. "Any particular reason you were following me?"

Naruto shrugged. "Not really."

She stopped walking and put her hands on her hips, turning to Naruto as he stopped beside her. Despite the sharpness of her actions, Temari was still smirking. "Oh really? You don't think I'm some damsel in distress now, do you? Do I need a full-time guard now?" She really hoped that wasn't his reason. Regardless of how insulting it would be to her, it would also be kinda sad on Naruto's part. Temari had assumed he was above that sort of thinking.

He scoffed. "A guard? You're a shinobi. You can handle yourself," he said. Okay, off to a good start. "It's… less stressful, knowing you don't have to always watch your back at home. Having others keep an eye out, even if you can't see them. I can stop if you want."

That made sense, though it did raise more questions about Naruto's past. It was a running joke in Temari's own mind by this point; every little thing she learnt about Naruto only opened up more questions. Thankfully, she could make educated guesses to get by. Naruto was attacked as a child, which, as the village jinchuuriki, would have resulted in some kind of response. He understood what it felt like to be watched and shadowed after a difficult situation, and yet Temari highly doubted Naruto himself would have permitted it were he able to have a say. That meant Anbu, and also explained where he had learned how to shadow someone so well.

"I don't mind," Temari said. At least not when it came from pure enough intentions. "You don't have to watch me from the shadows though. The more we are seen together the better, remember?"

Naruto frowned. "You were with someone."

"So?" He gave her a look that screamed 'are you serious?' and Temari realised her mistake. "Really? I didn't take you for the type to care what people thought of you."

"I don't. If Tenten knew I was there, it would have messed with your training."

Damn, that was a good point. The last thing Tenten needed today was a distraction. Still, if Naruto thought their relationship and Temari's social life were going to exist as separate entities forever, then he had another thing coming. Being seen in social groups was just as important to public appearance as being seen together, and if anyone needed to make friends it was Naruto. Temari didn't care how much work it was going to take; Naruto's reputation was not going to get in the way of progress.

Temari tsk'd. "Look, I appreciate the thought, but this isn't how I want things to work," she said. "I don't mind having you around, and if anyone else has an issue with it then that's their problem. Don't hide just because you think it'll make things easier for me."

"But it will."

"That's great. Still don't care. If I wanted an easy life I wouldn't have become a shinobi, and I certainly wouldn't have signed up for this crap." She took a deep breath and held a hand out towards Naruto. "No more hiding. Shake on it."

There was quite a bit of hesitation on his part, but eventually Naruto took her hand in his own and they traded a nod of agreement. It wasn't until he moved to pull his hand back that confusion spread over his face. Temari's grip held firm and she smiled innocently.

"Now, while I've got you to myself, what do you say to a date?"

The nearly non-existent flash of panic across Naruto's face was almost as entertaining as Temari had hoped. "A date?" he asked monotonously, quirking an eye at her questioningly in an amusing attempt to seem completely indifferent to the idea. He probably thought he was convincing too.

Temari nodded. "Yes. A date. Consider it payback for you stalking me all day," she said. "I'm a little peckish after training, so let's get dinner together. You wouldn't turn down a few bowls of ramen, and I'm sure Ayame is just dying to see you again. Any objections?"

Naruto's eye twitched. "…no."

"Perfect," Temari chirped, letting go of his hand but not pulling her own back just yet. "One more thing. We have to hold hands." She wriggled her fingers tauntingly as she waited for him to comply with her demands. There was a slight chance that she was overstepping with this one, but her curiosity was too overpowering. Naruto had been acting weird ever since he got back from trying to catch Sasuke. It wasn't bad, just strange. He was more observant, vigilant, silently fretting over Temari in a way she couldn't quite understand. Temari wasn't silly enough to think he had suddenly developed feelings for her, nor did she think that the supposed defeat at his former teammate's hands would have altered him in such a way.

Something else was going on, and Temari wanted to know what. If Naruto had to suffer a little bit in the meantime, then so be it. Besides, she was very interested in seeing just how far he was willing to go to play nice.

"Really?"

Her fingers wriggled once more. "Yep."

If it came down to a battle of stubbornness, Temari was beyond confident. To Naruto's credit, he managed to tough it out for a good few seconds before he finally took her hand, grumbling several choice words under his breath that Temari was willing to overlook this time. In a twisted way, she actually enjoyed the looks the two of them got as they made their way to Ichiraku's ramen, hand in hand. There was a notable amount of shock and curiosity worn on faces that would have otherwise contained only disdain and contempt. Temari couldn't wait until she found a way to make people look at Gaara like that. She would settle with freaking out the people of Konoha in the meantime.

Temari squeezed his hand gently, not at all bothered when he didn't return the gesture. He would get the hang of this stuff with enough time, and even if he didn't, Temari would have a lot of fun tormenting him with it. She wondered how long it would take him to break.

'I bet I can make him pay for dinner if I keep this up.'

A/N:

This chapter is a bit on the slower and drawn out side, sorry about that. I had a bit of fun writing this one tho. The Danzo scene especially for some reason was quite enjoyable, trying to get into the mind of my version of Danzo. The slightly fluffy interactions between Naruto and Temari were also a big highlight. For obvious reasons, Temari is going to be the instigator in any romantic developments between them, but I enjoy making Naruto begrudgingly compliant in it all. It's an entirely new kind of suffering for him to experience.

I know I said in my previous chapter notes that this would not become any kind of harem/multi-pairing fic, and I'm standing by it, but Onoki is a stubborn fool and it was nice to be able to flip that particular trope on its head.

I hope you all enjoyed. Sorry to anyone still waiting on my other stories, this one has its claws hooked deep.

Be sure to let me know what you all think so far. Thanks for all the support.

Till next time guys.

Soul out.