A.N. I do not own Inuyasha or Naruto. Thank you all for continuing to read! Trying to keep it on a once a month update schedule.

Kakashi watched Kagome as she slept, eyes soft. He toyed with a lock of her hair, sitting back against the headboard and saw Kirara peeking at him from her place near the window. "And here I thought you trusted me."

The cat demon tilted her head and jumped from the window to the bed, walking up his legs to settle on his lap. "Mew."

"Ah, you trust me enough." Kakashi scratched her behind her ears and stopped playing with Kagome's hair, looking out the window now. "I wonder how you two met. You have been by her side for a long time, I take it. In hindsight, I'm shocked you didn't scare me off from peeping years ago."

Kirara looked at him sharply, but purred when he returned to her ears, looking content.

"Mm. I imagine you will be with her long after me too." He hummed to himself and scratched under her chin. His lips twitched into a smile at her meow of agreement. "Good. I don't want to think of that time yet, but I am pleased you will stay at her side."

xXx

Gaara joined Naruto in his apartment for breakfast, a touch surprise to find both Hyuuga girls there. He was polite to them, but was unsurprised to be left with the blonde to eat, just the two of them. "I think I unsettled your.. roommates?"

Naruto laughed and ate his breakfast. "Maybe a little. You are Kazekage and all. Hinata also probably figures we have something important to talk about, being that she's my future wife." He winked and continued to poke at his food.

Considering his words, Gaara glanced at him over the cup of tea HInata had poured for him before her exit. "You're different. Not what you were before. Not two, anymore."

Blinking at his words, Naruto tapped his fingers on the table and then pulled his ring off so he could see his demonic features. "You caught me." Grinning a little, he sat back. "You still have yours inside, don't you? I can smell it."

"I was told it was gone. I thought it was." Gaara set his tea down and watched him carefully. "She made an offer to assist in merging me. That is what you have done?"

"Yeah. I've got a longer lifespan now, and I'm a lot stronger. Also, only will is mine. It was a good move. But I had to get used to the heightened senses, strength change, and that I'm just not gonna age like everyone else." Naruto put the ring back on. "You should do it though. I could show you the ropes."

"You adjusted then? There's not still a struggle?" Gaara pressed, eyes sweeping over him, assessing. "I cannot risk not being the Kazekage they know."

"I'm not gonna lie to you and say I didn't change. Course I did. You will too. But change isn't bad. You should think about it, at least." Naruto shrugged and got up to take care of his now empty dishes.

"Thank you for telling me of your experiences," Gaara told him, rising as well. "I hope to speak to you again, soon."

"Yeah-" Huffing, Naruto looked at where Gaara had been and shook his head. "So dramatic."

xXx

Sasuke looked up as Kagome stepped into his line of sight, unsurprised by her presence. "So, what would the conditions of my release look like anyway?"

Kagome leaned against the wall and gave him a once over. "Some binding on your chakra at first. Not a total restriction, but something to limit anything too grandiose while you're on probation. You'd be placed back at the Uchiha compound with a constant chaperone. You'll use your skills to assist the village at a reduced rate to atone for some of your crimes."

"And just who would this constant chaperone be?" he asked, meeting her gaze as he considered the options.

"I wouldn't give you prior knowledge. I'm not a fool. If this is a ploy, I don't need you to have more time to plot." Letting herself slide down to sit against the wall, she evaluated him. "Your brother is living in your family home already. Will that be a problem for you?"

Scowling a bit, Sasuke looked away. "So you're telling me that he is head of the family now?"

"Clan politics only concern me in how they affect the village. I need to know that you can coexist." Kagome gave him a measuring look. "You can have a good life here, you can. But I need to know that you want it."

"I'll deal with it," Sasuke finally responded, looking irritable.

Smiling, she stood. "Alright then. I will arrange some interviews and then we'll see about how we get you settled."

xXx

Itachi looked up from his gardening as he sensed a presence. "Kakashi-san, I was not expecting you." He wiped his hands and stood, turning to face him. "Has something happened?"

Kakashi looked at him with ever present caution, but moved his eye past him to Shikamaru. "Nara, Hokage-sama needs to speak with you. I am to relieve you of your post for the moment."

Sitting up, Shikamaru stretched and then stood. "What a drag. I suppose it's better than sitting out here all day." With that, he leisurely began to walk away.

Watching his escort go, Itachi knelt and resumed his gardening. "How is he?"

"He might be coming home," Kakashi told him, watching how he moved in his little garden, clearly growing a variety of plants.

"I will move my things to another house then," Itachi determined, brushing the dirt from his hands and standing. "I just need to do some quick repairs to make sure I have a functional door." He walked away from him,at a pace that would be easy to follow.

xXx

Shikamaru was mildly surprised to see Shizune in with the Hokage as he came in, bowing. "I was told you needed to talk to me?"

Kagome nodded and poured a cup of tea for each of them. "Thank you both for coming." She gestured for them to sit before taking her spot. "I don't often like to give couples missions, but I thought this one might be well suited to you both."

Flushing slightly, Shizune sipped her tea. "Well, I am sure we can separate personal and professional."

"Sounds troublesome already," Shikamaru groused, drinking his own tea.

Amused, Kagome nodded. "The mission is local, at least. Uchiha Sasuke is going to be released within the week. I need guards that can outthink him, and evaluate him constantly." She sat back, appraising them. "I am going to shift you to the primary for this, Nara. Your reports on Itachi have indicated a strong desire to rebuild and serve. He still needs monitoring, and frankly the theater of it will likely help Sasuke to not be as bitter, so Shizune will take over duties to him, while also taking point on psychological evaluation of both Uchiha."

Blinking at that, Shikamaru glanced at Shizune and then back to his Hokage. "I'm not opposed to it, but I have more of a personal relationship with Uchiha Sasuke. I have more than a slight conflict."

"So does pretty much every nin of your generation, and many others too. I trust that you can separate those feelings out, to some degree. And pairing you two ensures that you have relief. You will also have a short roster of others you two can trade off with as needed." Kagome gave them each scrolls with the schedules and names of the ones they would be able to call for a swap.

Studying the list, Shizune hummed. "Yamanaka Ino? I was under the impression that she might also have a strong conflict?"

"She'll only be used as your alternate." Kagome looked at them each. "You are not to communicate with Sasuke when there will be an alternative chaperone for either of them."

"It sounds like you don't actually trust his intentions, Hokage-sama," Shikamaru pointed out, resealing his scroll and tucking it away.

"Trust is dangerous," Kagome replied without pausing. "But I do trust the both of you."

Though he was a genius, Shizune was uncertain Shikamaru knew what a compliment that was.

xXx

Kabuto hummed to himself as he worked, preparing very simple medicinal ointments to go in kits of nin in the field. It wasn't particularly stimulating work, but he enjoyed the simplicity of the task. "May I help you, Shizune-sama?"

Hesitating, Shizune came around to sit in front of him. This one had given her trouble not so long ago, and she found it hard to fully embrace him as a member of the village. Still, she knew he was valuable. "I want to know about Sasuke."

"I believe everything I can offer about him is in the reports," Kabuto replied simply, sealing a jar of ointment and moving back to the bowl to mix more. "Is he to be released then?"

"The reports are one thing, but you lived with him. Does he hold particular grudges against anyone but Itachi? Was he hateful of the village?" Shizune trusted Kagome, but she also knew if Shikamaru spoke up about conflict, he was worried about it.

Chuckling, Kabuto shook his head. "No. He had a singular goal. He mostly considered everyone here insignificant, maybe an obstacle. He is not the same though, since he is no longer marked."

"When… Did he ever feel anything about the others? The ones that were sent after him?" Shizune asked suddenly, remembering the reports of the team that nearly died when he first left, and all the incidents following.

"If he felt them, he never shared with me, Shizune-sama." He pushed up his glasses and sealed another jar of ointment. "If he commits to change as he would have to, in order to be released, he has a goal. It's likely not the one of helping the village. But maybe I am wrong. Who is to say? Hokage-sama seems rather talented at divining the intentions of others in her way."

Looking away, she frowned. "Thank you, Kabuto-san."

"Of course. Anything to help." He smiled pleasantly and rose to grab more materials for his work.

xXx

Sasuke looked up as Kakashi came to stand across from his cell. "So, is she convinced?" He'd spent most of the day being questioned by Inoichi and Ibiki, then the Hokage herself.

"You should be out by the end of the week, with heavy supervision of course. I have faith that you can learn to be a productive member of Konoha, and play a role." Kakashi leaned against the wall casually. "Naruto and Sakura will be pleased, of course."

Snorting, Sasuke shook his head. "They're probably the only ones."

"Itachi is moving out of the main house for you. He seems to believe it should belong to you." Peering at him, he tried to assess his reaction.

"Do you think otherwise?" Sasuke shot back, kicking up an eyebrow.

"I think that being a clan head is a more public position than you might want," he answered simply. "Your choice, ultimately."

Expression sour, Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "I would think it an advantageous position to be in."

"Certainly, though it's a role with scrutiny. Scrutiny that could perhaps be applied to someone else. Still, your decision. I need to be going. I will see you soon, Sasuke." With that, Kakashi departed.

Looking at where his former teacher had stood, Sasuke frowned. Was he being played? He shook off the thought and opted to crawl into bed, feeling the toll of the day.

xXx

Stamping paperwork, Kagome stifled a yawn as she grabbed the next pile of papers. "He thinks he's fooling me quite well, doesn't he?"

Slipping through her window, Kakashi came to sit across from her and set a to-go order from Ichiraku in front of her. "He does. He is a little suspicious of me though, given I hinted he might not want to be clan head."

Smiling and putting the pile aside to eat, she opened the bag and set their separate containers out. "Thank you."

"For dinner, or potentially showing my hand so you didn't have to interfere?" he asked, taking his container and chopsticks.

"Yes." She got up and grabbed her tea kettle, pouring them each a cup before sitting back down. "You don't agree with Itachi being the head?"

Accepting his cup, Kakashi warmed his hands and sighed. "I am uncertain he is suited to leading. He also plans to step aside already."

"True, but I think he actually wants to make the Uchiha a part of the village. Sasuke doesn't truly care about that at this point. Perhaps that will change, but I do not foresee it coming soon." Kagome picked up her chopsticks to eat. "They'll sort it out how they will regardless of any machinations I might have."

Nodding, Kakashi lowered his mask to eat. "If you want Naruto as your successor, Sasuke might make a good ally eventually."

"Maybe." Taking her first bite, she groaned. "I might leave you for Teuchi."

Cracking a smile, he looked amused. "I am called the Copy-Nin. I could just watch him cook, if I need to compete." He polished off his own food quickly and then cleared his place setting. "I will wait for you tonight."

Watching him disappear, Kagome felt a little warmth in her chest, but schooled her features into a more neutral expression. "You can join me, Kazekage-sama."

Gaara stepped into her office and then took the chair Kakashi had occupied. "I think that I am interested in your offer, but I would prefer it happen in my village."

Considering it, Kagome hummed thoughtfully. "I am sure we can arrange something in a few months. A less official visit than this, perhaps."

xXx

Ino turned up promptly with the usual order for Itachi midweek, surprised to find him with a different supervisor. "Morning, Shizune-sama! Did Shikamaru con you into doing his work for him?"

"Changing of the guard," Shizune told her simply, sitting under a tree, sunhat on.

"You're here early, Yamanaka-san," Itachi greeted, smiling slightly as he took the first basket of supplies from her.

"You are my most frequent customer these days, Itachi-san." Ino unloaded the rest and swept her eyes over the garden, past that to the areas around it. "Looks like you're not just gardening. Are those buildings restored?"

"Almost. I am trying to revitalize the lands. No one can live here if nothing is built up again," Itachi told her, loading some of his supplies into a wheelbarrow to bring down the road. "Hoping to have a little patch of garden in all the yards."

"That would be lovely. You should see if Hokage-sama will cut you a deal. I know you're not mission rostered yet, so you might not want the splurge, but I have been doing lessons with the Academy and have some budding gardeners that could help out." She walked along with him, studying his progress.

"Perhaps. I don't suppose you might have time to assist?" Itachi asked, glancing in her direction.

"Oh, you can't afford an expert like me," Ino retorted with a wink. "But I suppose I could throw in some help for a friend. Cost you dinner though."

"A bargain, Ino-san." Itachi watched her falter and paused to unload his supplies. "Perhaps tomorrow? You could come after the shop closes and give me suggestions for the layout, then eat dinner here."

Considering the offer, Ino nodded. "Yeah, I can do that."

"It's a date." Smiling at her now awestruck face, he got to work on his project.

Shizune coughed and handed Ino the money on his behalf before settling to watch. Perhaps she would need to speak to Hokage-sama about this.

Accepting the money, Ino looked at it, then Itachi. "You can say that if you want, but I expect a real gentleman on my dates, Itachi-san. This is a trial run at best." With that, she disappeared.

Humming, Itachi looked amused as he began to till the soil. There was so much to grow...