Starting a day with nothing that needed doing was odd. It was even more unusual that he had nothing to do tomorrow, or at any time in the foreseeable future. Theoretically, he should be thinking up ways to earn coin but sharper minds than his were already on that.

All this to say the following morning was spent sleeping in, giving his raven a thorough post-workout massage, and slipping into the bath with her for a lengthy wash. It was 11 am and he'd only finished rubbing out her orgasm, still sucking on her neck and palming her tummy with his free hand, when Sasuki stopped him.

"No! You can hump my ass or put it between my thighs, don't put it in," she insisted sharply.

"Awe, but you feel so good," he complained as he trailed his hand back down to her clit, rubbing circles about as he held her tighter. "A cup of women's tea is only a silver, right?"

"Yeah. That'll add up fast if I have to buy it every time we have sex!"

"Oh it will?" he teased, not softening the hard look in her eyes but earning a delightful darkening of her blush. A short kiss on the back of her neck was his silent apology, that and squeezing his rod between her heavenly soft thighs. Though before he could really get started she lept off of him like his body burned her, pressing herself to the other side of the little square box that was their bathtub.

"Hey kids!" Tsunade piped up, towering over them at ground level with a bemused smile. One that remained with her next words. "Naruto, there's a pretty little thing with bushy blonde hair asking for you at the door,"

He dared not turn around to look at Sasuki.

Drying and dressing with two sets of eyes on him was a wee bit awkward, not less so with a huge throbbing erection, but at least his host was still smiling. She almost looked impressed. Though this did little to calm his nerves, nor did the sight of their visitor as he tucked his cock and hurried around the side of the house. He'd assumed it was Temari, he was braced for that. The sleeveless forest green dress she wore was the surprise that stunned him long enough for her to get the first word.

"Good morning killer,"

"Hey Temari, Mrs. Temari, can I help you?"

"Hmm, actually I can help you," she promised, stepping closer and escalating his panic. Her breasts were about brushing against his torso when she held up her palm, displaying the simple dirt brown coin purse. He stared blankly until she laughed and continued. "Five-hundred and forty ears you brought in, I short-changed you believe it or not!"

"So this is just-"

"-the difference yeah, 20 gold,"

"Shit! Wow uh, thanks for bringing it over,"

"Oh it's my pleasure," she assured, bringing her face in a little closer, smiling a little wider as she bore those olive eyes into his. "There's even more good news too,"

"So what does she want?" Sasuki interrupted sharply, causing him to jump, and turn, and notice her perched against the side of the house not a yard behind him. Her hair was still damp and her clothes mussed, none of this made him any less afraid. Certainly not with the way she was staring daggers at their visitor, even as she addressed the question to him.

Thankfully Temari didn't mind answering anyway.

"There's a northbound caravan that needs guarding, it leaves three weeks from yesterday, and the owner thinks you're capable enough to protect it," Temari explained simply, not losing her smile even as her own eyes became guarded.

"Wonderful, anything else?" she asked pointedly.

"Excuse me?"

"Is there anything else you need, or are you going to leave now?"

A silence lingered maybe ten seconds while they had their little staring contest.

Naruto couldn't think of a fucking thing to say.

"There is!" Temari piped up cheerily. "Since you went and did me that thoughtful favor with the ears, I wanted to do one for your group. See mail comes in with the gold deliveries I get twice a week, if Naruto wanted to come help me with all that heavy lifting getting the coins down to the safe, I'd be happy to give you all first eyes on whatever new jobs come in,"

"That's awesome!" the man declared without thinking. A quick glance at his companion confirmed that she was far less enthused, but hey, no protest. "Thank you, really," he offered her, figuring that she was owed at least that much. The guarded smile became warm once more as she looked back at him. Well, maybe coy more than warm.

"Hey I get something from it too," she teased, even running a finger on his chest as she turned to go. "Come by tomorrow then, it's our next delivery,"

The sway in her hips as she left had to be intentional. A deliberate attempt to get him honed in on that soft, wide, womanly ass as it floated back to the city. Unfortunately for the young man, it succeeded flawlessly.

"Give me that!" Sasuki demanded, suddenly beside him and yanking the coin purse in his hand away none too gently. "So, that's the clerk from the claims office huh?"

"Yeah, she's the sheriff's wife," he offered, hoping that little detail would cool her off the slightest bit.

It didn't.

"She's pretty, isn't she?" Sasuki hissed.

"I guess," he replied cautiously.

"Oh you guess? Not quite sure about that one are you? I know you're dense as a mule but your not a fucking simpleton! Do you think I am?"

"Sasuki what the hell do you want from me? It's not like I was leading her on or anything, am I not allowed to talk to other girls? Excluding the one you whore me out to for a free roof? And the other ones I'm whored out to for the fangfolk's help?" he asked pointedly.

"Oh like you don't love making a whore of yourself," she replied, even laughing humorously as she broke eyes with him. "Do I mean anything to you?"

"What?! I am literately following you to the ends of the fucking world, risking my life regularly, entirely for your goals and your mission! What am I getting out of all this? We don't split the money apparently!" he said with a laugh of his own and a gesture to the bag now in her hand. "I'm not a 'fucking simpleton', as you put it, I know this doesn't end until you either succeed or you're dead; and I know I'm getting swept under a rug if it's the former, right? Tell me I'm wrong!" he demanded.

Sasuki actually took a few seconds to answer.

"I… what the hell do you want from me it's not like I can't marry a commoner! Certainly not a…" she trailed off. Naruto was unsure if it was the widening of his eyes that caused that, or if she just finally felt a little guilty. Either way, he didn't feel like continuing the conversation she ended.

He went inside and sucked in another breath when she didn't follow.

Was he relieved or upset by that?

All he felt was awful, angry, stupid. Stupid especially; it's not like he didn't already know that Sasuki and he had no real future together. Even if she won, especially if she won. So why did those words hurt so much to hear?

He made his way to the large cushioned bench by the fire without thought. Still rubbing his eyes when the clink of a glass on the coffee table caught his attention. It was a small glass with something brown he didn't recognize. The dainty feminine hand lifting off it was far more interesting, especially when it brought his eyes up to his landlord, whose smile was now sympathetic and warm.

When he smiled tiredly back she took a seat beside him, lifting another glass with her off hand and taking a short sip herself.

"You alright kid?" she asked.

"It's fine it's…nothing I didn't already know," not sure what else to say he occupied his maw with the beverage. Coughing heavily after pouring half the burning liquid into his mouth. Tsunade chuckled. It was such a soothing, peaceful sound. He found his own cough morphing into a startled laugh as his breathing returned to normal. Maybe the booze helped that along. "I do love her," he admitted abruptly. "Everything is just so complicated now. With you, Temari….. I'm going to have kids with the fangfolk for fucks sake what do I even do about that!"

Tsunade put a hand on his shoulder.

"Naruto, you might be dead next year. You're probably going to die before you succeed in making that little friend of yours a queen, and even besides that, the fact is you have no idea how things will play out in the long term. That's not the world we live in. Nobody knows what's going to make you happy or do the most good over the next half a century. Chances are however things play out you'll have regrets. That's why it's better to focus on what's going to make you happy right now,"

The young man stared at his drink as she began gently rubbing his neck.

"What would make me happy right now?" he mumbled. With a sharp motion, he lifted the cup to his mouth, downing the liquor with a quick swallow. A long shuddering breath preceded him looking over at the woman comforting him, looking into her soft honey-colored eyes specifically. Then her shiny, hypnotizing pink lips.

She eeped as he pulled her mouth to his, a flustered laugh slipping out as he fell on top of her.

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