Three

"Do we really have to go in there?"

Shino ignored Kiba's question and continued through the gates of the Uchiha Compound. He thought about trying to give some reassurance but decided against doing so out of spite. The idea of waking up early to speak with Konoha's greatest traitor was not how he wanted to spend his Saturday. His latest beetle, the gift from Naruto, needed an enclosure built for it immediately, and talking with Sasuke would be wasting valuable time.

"Don't give me the silent treatment, man! This is the only good chance we have to speak with Sasuke before he runs off again."

Finally tired of the Inuzuka's whining, Shino paused. "Why was Hinata given the morning off?"

"What?"

"She should have come with us. Instead, she is having breakfast with your mother while we speak with the Uchiha."

Kiba rubbed the back of his head. "Are you going to tell my mom 'No'?"

The Aburame did not feel fear often, yet that woman scared him. He tried to find the best in everyone, Sasuke included, but Tsume Inuzuka was everything he and his clan were not. Her loud voice always startled him, and her violent personality made him worry that a fight was about to break out whenever she arrived. According to his father, it was Tsume that forced Kurenai to step down as the leader of Team Eight after the crazed dog-woman found out that the Genjutsu Mistress ditched her students to suck face with the leader of Team Ten.

"That is a fair point. Forgive my hostility, Kiba. I am just getting tired of this mission."

"Aren't we all?" Kiba sighed. "I don't want to do this mission anymore, ya know?"

"Why the change of heart?"

"Don't know. I guess that this feels…wrong?" Kiba followed him through the ruins of the once-mighty compound. Time had not been kind to the Uchiha's former home, with many of the buildings falling into various states of decay. "Naruto is our friend. We shouldn't be trying to dig stuff up on him. Naruto wouldn't do this to us. Makes me feel like a scumbag."

"Lord Sixth thinks this is a valid investigation."

"Kakashi can suck an egg. We can always say that we just couldn't figure it out."

"What about our reputation?"

"To hell with it! Hinata is destined to become a housewife, and you've talked about teaching in the Academy. Me? I'm probably just going to do stuff with my clan. Hana needs an assistant to run her vet. Probably go do that for the rest of my life."

Shino slowly nodded. "That is probably the smartest thing you've said all week."

"I can get something right once in a while." Kiba looked towards the faded mark of the Uchiha Clan. "There are fates worse than living a simple life. It might not be glorious, but we could find some recognition. Think about Naruto's life. Nothing is ever simple with him."

"No, it isn't. He is someone who is always thrown into action, whether or not he likes it. I cannot imagine the weight he feels."

"My mom was right about something." Kiba took a deep breath. "I was jealous of Naruto. Always have been since the Academy. It got worse after he farted in my face during the Chūnin Exams back when we were young. But you know what? I don't think I want to be like him. He can't even date a girl without people trying to be nosy about it. This woman, whoever she is, makes him happy. That should be the end of it, right?"

They continued down the street in silence. Both were lost in their thoughts about the mission, their friend, and their lives going forward. Kiba imagined his life after the end of their assignment. In many ways, this felt like the final hurray for Team Eight. He knew that Shino was preparing to move on, and Hinata was never a fan of the dirty life of a ninja. She wanted to be something more fulfilling than a mercenary. He pictured her becoming Naruto's sweet stay-at-home wife, raising blonde brats, but now, he knew that someone else would be blessed with her devotion. For himself, maybe he could find a woman who loved dogs just as much as he did. Any animal lover would be the perfect partner for him, save those who liked cats.

He would never date a woman who liked cats.

The pair turned the corner to reach the small house where the last Uchiha dwelled. Sasuke never fully integrated back into society after his stent as a traitor and terrorist. Those who worshipped him moved on either out of disgust for his actions or to avoid harming their own reputations. Only a handful of people maintained regular communication with him, and the brooding man seemed more than content with that. Both men sighed in relief, spotting the familiar form of a slender woman with hazelnut hair tied up in two distinct buns. They welcomed speaking with her rather than Sasuke.

Tenten looked up from the flower bed where she worked and smiled at their approach. She wiped her hands on her apron before standing to greet them warmly. "Kiba! Shino! Been a while since you've come to visit. Come inside!"

"We are actually here to speak with your husband," Shino replied calmly. "Is he in?"

"We're about to have breakfast. Care to join us?"

"Fuck yeah! I'm starving!" Kiba rubbed his stomach. "Mom kicked me out before I could grab something to eat."

Tenten rolled her eyes. "You're a grown man. You don't need her to feed you anymore."

"Who else is going to make me food?" Kiba ignored the groaning from both Tenten and Shino. He walked to the front door like an eager child. "What's cooking?"

"Sasuke is cooking eggs and bacon. He'll be happy to have another guest."

Shino tilted his head. "Another guest?"

"Yup. Both Naruto and Kuromaru came over to play chess. It's a tradition whenever they come back to town."

Both Kiba and Shino exchanged confused looks. It was the Inuzuka who decided to answer. "So, that's where Kuromaru has been. Mom ignored my questions when I asked where the old wolf had been. Why the hell is he with Naruto?"

Tenten's eyes narrowed for a brief moment before relaxing. "They are really good friends. When Naruto underwent more sage training a few years back, he often worked alongside Miss Tsume and Kuromaru."

"I think I remember that. Mom was away on a lot of missions during that period. Never really thought much of what she was doing." Kiba rubbed the back of his head. "Hanging with Naruto, huh?"

"She, Naruto, Sasuke, and I spent much time together." Tenten held up her hand to show a golden band. "It's when I met and fell in love with my little hawk."

Shino remained quiet during the exchange. He turned to stare in the direction of the Inuzuka Compound. His mind raced with a certain, far-fetched possibility. No, it was far too outlandish to accept. It was best to keep it to himself lest he upset his emotional teammate.

Inside the kitchen, Naruto and Sasuke stood shoulder to shoulder at the counter preparing breakfast. The shaggy wolf-dog Kuromaru sat at the table patiently awaiting the meal while looking over a chess board locked in the middle of a complicated position. He raised a paw to slide a pawn forward to threaten a knight and defend another pawn. Sasuke quickly turned from the stove to save his knight but cursed at the lack of good moves.

"He kicking your ass again?" asked Tenten upon arriving with the new guests close behind her.

Kuromaru gave a nod. "I think he's cooked."

"Don't feel bad, Sasuke. He always beats me," Naruto tried to comfort his friend. The gesture was wasted.

Sasuke ignored the remarks and quickly pushed his queen into an attack position. His prideful smile turned into an abysmal frown as the dog took advantage of the situation to deliver a killing blow. A single bishop, freed from the white queen's sight, managed to pin the enemy king against the board's edge.

"Checkmate."

The Uchiha looked over the position for any possible counter. With a frustrated grunt, he returned to fixing breakfast. "I lost to a dog…again."

Tenten wrapped her arms around him and placed a single kiss on the back of his head. "I still love you."

"Hn."

"Whatever." Tenten slapped his butt and narrowly dodged the return strike. "Kiba and Shino are joining us for breakfast."

"Hn."

"Sweet!" Naruto spun around with a frying pan full of sizzling bacon. A massive smile split open his bearded face. "How's it going, guys?"

"I am among the living," nodded Shino. He sat at the table and helped the dog rearrange the pieces for another game. "Thank you again for the beetle."

Kiba leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. "You're looking good. The beard makes you look like a man."

"Thanks! Turns out that facial hair runs in the family. Dad apparently had a goatee when he was younger, but Pervy-Sage made him shave it off."

"Back then, regulations prohibited facial hair save for clan tradition," explained Kuromaru. "The Inuzuka nearly refused to join the village unless their facial markings were granted an exception. Thankfully, the Third Hokage relaxed those rules throughout the Third War. Minato fully abolished them during his short reign."

"Maybe I should grow a beard," mused Kiba, rubbing his chin. "Whatcha' think?"

"You would look stupider," Sasuke jabbed. A sharp jab from his wife changed his answer. "You would look handsome."

"We all should grow beards!" Naruto looked over to Sasuke. "We three could become the feared Bearded Senin of Konohagakure! Our facial hair will strike the enemy dead with fright! Men across the world will die from shame and jealousy!"

"Are you going to use Hair-Jutsu, too?" Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"That's a great idea! Both Pervy-Sage and Moon-Bitch used their hair in battle."

"I was being sarcastic."

Tenten rolled her eyes at the 'brothers.' "Sasuke. These two guys had some questions for you."

"Hn. Not interested." A chilled glare from his wife once again improved the Uchiha's demeanor. "Ask away."

Kiba rubbed the back of his head. "It's kinda of private."

"I don't return your feelings. Sorry." Sasuke flashed a cruel grin, a mockery of the one his 'brother' always used. "I am a happily married man."

"I'm not gay, asshole!"

"Could have fooled me." Sasuke sighed. "Whatever you have to ask me, you can ask in front of all of them. We tend not to keep secrets from each other."

"This is official Konoha business," Shino explained. All eyes in the kitchen landed on him. Unlike his teammates, such attention never bothered him. "From the Hokage. We are on a classified mission and hope you have information to help us."

Sasuke dropped the butcher knife into the sink. "Naruto's security clearance is considered absolute. Tenten is a member of the ANBU and will not repeat anything. And the mutt has served in active duty longer than any of us. Ask your questions."

A tense silence fell on the kitchen. Only the sound of the cracking bacon filled the void. Kiba decided on a more casual approach than the rigid formal style of his friend. "Naruto…does your girlfriend have big boobs?"

"Hell yeah! She has big old mommy knockers." Naruto grinned widely as the other occupants released a held breath. "They are amazing! I touched them a bunch last night, actually."

"Nice," Kiba flashed his own grin. "Are they firm or a bit more saggy?"

"She has a couple of kids, so they aren't perfectly perky. Good thing I like them to hang a bit!" Naruto chuckled with a large blush spreading across his cheeks. "She's the hottest woman I know!"

"Whoever she is definitely struck the lottery with you," Kiba replied honestly. "When the hell do I get to meet her? Does she have any sisters?"

"Soon enough," Naruto shrugged, uninterested in answering the question. "Boobs are the most amazing thing, huh? I fully understand Pervy-Sage now!"

"Agreed! I once saw this redhead with a giant rack at the beach. You should have been there!"

"Redheads are hot!"

Sasuke watched the exchange with narrowed, harsh eyes that sent a shiver down Shino's spine. The Uchiha clearly was not amused by the situation and looked seconds away from unleashing the rage his ancestors were known for. His wife looked equally angered but maintained her composure far better. Kuromaru remained stoic, yet Shino caught a hint of amusement in the old wolf's eye.

"Naruto," Tenten cut short the conversation about breasts. "Can you run to the store and grab some orange juice?"

"Eh? I can send a shadow clone."

Seeing his wife's idea, Sasuke joined in. "Kuromaru needs to take a dump."

"He does?"

"I do?"

"Yes. I do not want another accident on the carpet, " Tenten said, pointing to the door. "We'll finish up in the kitchen. Don't take too long."

"But…"

"Go!" Tenten watched the hero and his dog scramble out of the kitchen. Once alone with Team Eight, her frigid glare fell on them like a blizzard. "How much do you know?"

"Clearly not enough," mused Sasuke. "If so, Kiba would not be talking about breasts with the dope."

"True," Tenten nodded. "Tell us about your mission. Now."

Shino remained unafraid of the dire situation. "Lord Sixth has asked us to investigate the woman Naruto is dating. Her identity is a matter of concern to him. We are tasked with investigating her to ensure she isn't a foreign agent or spy trying to harm the village."

"Yeah. It's a stupid idea," Kiba admitted. "I might have been a bit too curious about the whole thing and went to him with some…uh…concerns."

"While I was not thrilled with the assignment, there is some wisdom in the concern given that Naruto will be the next Hokage," added Shino.

Instead of the suspected anger, both Sasuke and Tenten looked confused. They stayed quiet as Team Eight explained everything. Then, once the explanation was finished, Sasuke replied with five words that shocked Kiba and Shino.

"Kakashi was at the wedding."

###

Stuffed from a hearty breakfast of cinnamon rolls, scrambled eggs, and sausage, Hinata and Tsume relaxed in the living room of the Inuzuka Household. Each woman nursed a cup of tea while they caught up in the various events in their lives.

"Sister is planning on taking over Father's responsibilities. She's young, but I know she will be an amazing leader," Hinata said between sips of tea. "Father is looking forward to retirement, I think. Neji's death hit him hard."

Tsume nodded. She pulled a small metal flask from her pocket to add an edge to her tea. "Hiashi likes to act tough, but he's got a good heart underneath it all. I remember a time when the asshole wanted to quit being a shinobi to become a poet."

"I did not know that," Hinata's eyes widened at the revelation. "He always shunned art and writing."

"He used to paint," reminisced Tsume with a smile. "Pretty good at it, too. Minato and Kushina even commissioned him to create a portrait. Don't know if he ever finished it, given what happened."

"I should ask him about it. Naruto would enjoy it, I think."

"Yeah, he would." Tsume offered the flask to Hinata. The Hyūga hesitated for a moment before accepting it. "How's the mission?"

Hinata poured a bit of the amber liquid into her tea. She normally did not drink, especially so early in the day, but knew they would be talking for at least a few hours. The alcohol would be long out of her system by the time she needed to meet Kiba and Shino.

"Bad. We talked with Sakura and the others yesterday. No one knew anything."

"Or no one knew anything they were willing to share." Tsume took another long sip, sighing happily at the bitter taste. "Maybe Naruto has his reasons for keeping his relationship secret. Could be political or personal ramifications if it came public."

"Maybe," Hinata agreed. "However, Naruto isn't known to keep secrets. I worry for him a lot."

"Ain't nothing wrong with that. You care for him deeply…always have if I remember correctly." Tsume reached over and squeezed her thigh. "Just have a little faith in him. He has a good head on his shoulders most of the time."

She welcomed the kind gesture with a sad smile. "I'm jealous."

"Over?"

"The girl that won his heart. He bought flowers yesterday for her. Ino said they were meant to symbolize passionate love. I always dreamed that he would one day get those for me." She bit her lip. Familiar tears threatened to pour out of her eyes. "I feel like a loser."

"That." Conflict danced in Tsume's eyes. She grew unusually silent before speaking slowly. "Just because he chose another woman doesn't mean you are lesser. You are a strong, beautiful woman. You are not defined by anyone else but yourself. Understand?"

"I'll try to understand."

"True love," Tsume began with a small smile on her violet lips, "isn't about proving yourself to someone. It's about someone accepting you in your entirety, faults and all."

"Have you ever found someone like that?" Hinata looked up, tears openly rolling down her face, yet her eyes remained hopeful. She needed to know if her hero had found true love.

After a long pause, Tsume nodded. "I have. Took me nearly fifty years, but I got someone that actually likes me for the crazed bitch I am."

"I'm glad. You deserve it." Hinata wiped her tears. "Sorry. This whole mission has made me an emotional wreck. Tell me about him."

"Don't apologize." Tsume took a deep breath. "He is a good man who tries his best for the people he loves. A bit of a goofball but serious when required. I've seen him at his best and loved him. Seen him at his worst and loved him even more."

"I hope to find someone like that," Hinata giggled. "Handsome?"

"Beyond handsome. He is not conventionally attractive but has a wildness that makes me go crazy. Helps that he's a bit younger than me. Still don't know how he's attracted to an old hag like me. I think it's my boobs."

"Your breasts are impressive," agreed Hinata. "Best in the village."

"Glad someone else thinks so. These girls are real, unlike Tsunade's." Tsume grinned and grabbed her chest to emphasize the realness. "Now, Anko has a nice pair."

"She does." Hinata blushed. "Her extra weight really helps out."

"I think so. Nothing wrong with a bit of meat on your bones." Tsume looked Hinata up and down. "You've got a nice rack. I bet you get all the eyes on you at the beach."

Hinata's blush turned a full crimson. "I…avoid wearing stuff like that."

"Oh, come now! Don't waste what nature gave ya. We'll need to get you a nice two-piece. Really show off your assets." Tsume barked a laugh at the new shade of red Hinata turned. "Careful. I might just claim you myself!"

"Miss Tsume!"

"Calm down, pup. I am only kidding." She shook her head, glad the young woman was returning to normal. "Your father would have a heart attack if my mate and I made a move on you. Don't think poor Hiashi could survive that. Then again, it could be good for you. We'll cut your hair short and give you a dog."

Hinata snorted at the mental image. "The Hyūga would all die from embarrassment if one of their members became an Inuzuka."

"Might actually do them some good! Oak knows that they need to get that stick removed from their ass." Tsume rolled her eyes at the pompous clan. "Do they still inbreed?"

"Thankfully not! Father has forbidden near-relatives from marrying."

"You can't be arrogant if you have six toes."

"That explains my humbleness." Hinata wickedly grinned as Tsume's face contorted in shock. "Just joking!"

Tsume chuckled and punched her shoulder. "Good one. Glad to see I'm rubbing off on you. How do you feel about biting people?"

"I'm always open to learning new tricks."

"There is hope for you yet!"

###End of Chapter###