"Hey, Sakura-chan! Wanna go out with me?"
"Not on your life, Naruto!" The pink-haired girl returned her attention to the classroom entrance, where a dark-haired boy was just coming through the doorway. "Ah, Sasuke-kun! Let's go on a date!"
The new arrival ignored her, sliding into a seat at the back of the classroom where the female occupants ogled him unabashedly. Naruto glared daggers at the other boy and was pointedly ignored. He turned his attention to the gaggle of girls swooning over his stoic classmate and offered them a scowl that was more thoughtful than angry.
He didn't understand what Uchiha Sasuke had that he didn't, or more precisely, what everyone saw in the stuck-up bastard that they didn't see in him, but he didn't like it.
-l-l-l-
"Alright kids, who wants to show me what you've been working on this week?"
Fū glanced first to Utakata on her right and then Gaara on her left; the former almost looked exasperated, but masked beneath his normal veneer of politeness, and the latter's expression was as stoic as ever. She returned her gaze forward to where Jiraiya stood before them, one white eyebrow cocked expectantly, careless grin painting his mouth. With Naruto out on a mission and Rōshi and Han on some unknown adventure, it was just the three of them left in Konoha, and she wasn't sure how to respond. Thankfully, Utakata took the initiative. "You're, uh…interested in our training?"
"I'm interested in a great many things!" the Sannin boasted. "Especially if those things involve the size of a woman's—" he stopped suddenly, eyeing first Fū and then Gaara, whose expression remained unchanged. He coughed into his fist, then continued, "Anyway, a shinobi doesn't grow without picking up new tricks, so color me curious to see what you're working on."
"…If you wanted to know how we fight so you can disable us if things go…poorly, you could just say that."
"Ah, to be young and naïve. Trust me, between studying your seals, watching you train, training you myself"—he eyed Gaara again, who remained silent and still despite the attention—"I already have contingencies for if anything was to go awry, especially after our little training session with trying to control the fox. If you'd like a demonstration, I recommend telling your friends this may be momentarily unsettling."
Utakata barely had a second to question what the older man meant when Jiraiya's fingers lit up with chakra. He slammed his palm onto the ground, and Fū shuddered as chakra washed across the Senju compound. She gazed around in awe as a visible barrier burst to life around them, a dome-like structure thrumming with energy to her sensory abilities. Beside her, the male Jinchūriki released noises of surprise. "Saiken," Utakata murmured. He sounded a little lost amidst the shock.
She could feel something different in the boys' chakras. Gaara's was more familiar, a return to how it had felt a week ago, before his supposed arrangement with the Ichibi sealed inside, but Utakata's was more muted. The tide of…stickiness…that had always underlain the Kiri-nin's own soothing chakra – what he'd said was the Rokubi – was gone, leaving the brunet's genial nature fully exposed.
While their natures had always been easy to detect, with the Bijū repressed, they seemed purer – more real – to her perception. She wondered what Naruto would feel like, his sunshine optimism unburdened by the Kyūbi's toxicity.
"Aaaaand back on," Jiraiya said, releasing his chakra and allowing the barrier to collapse. To her senses, the One- and Six-Tails' chakra flickered back to life, and only her nearness allowed her to catch Utakata's low breath of relief.
"Shukaku says he is impressed with your abilities. He did not think there still existed humans with such sealing expertise. That was a large-scale Gogyō Fūin, yes?"
"A mixture of that and some other tricks I've learned. Gotta plan accordingly when you agree to house six Jinchūriki." Fū winced, drawing a glimpse from Utakata and an apologetic look from Jiraiya. The Sannin cupped his chin, appearing thoughtful. "Never been complimented by a Bijū before…not really sure what to say about that. But!" he added with a clap of his hands, "I think I've made my point. No, I'm just genuinely curious to see what tricks you're picking up. My sensei believed you never stop learning, and I agree."
Fū and Utakata exchanged glances once more, the Taki-nin looking for guidance, but before he could offer a response, Gaara kneeled and announced, "I have been practicing my fūinjutsu."
The kunoichi leaned over to get a better look at what the redhead was drawing, and Utakata stepped around her for his own vantage point. One finger was pressed into the earth and tracing what Fū could only interpret as scribbles. It felt like watching a foreign language being created. When he was done, he stood up and took a step back, then held his fingers in the sign of the Bird.
A piercing shriek rent the air, Fū, Utakata, and Jiraiya all clapping their hands to their ears to dampen the sound. It continued to blare like a klaxon, and Jiraiya shouted over it, "Security seal, huh? Nice! What's the range?" Gaara stared at him, unresponsive, and when the Sannin repeated his question to continued silence, he made a slashing gesture across his throat that had the Suna-nin deactivate the seal. Fū dropped her hands, ears ringing, and watched as tiny granules of sand floated out of her friend's ears. "What's the range?" Jiraiya repeated, boisterous voice a little too loud.
"Unknown."
"You didn't put a range into the seal?" Gaara shook his head, slow and intentioned, and Jiraiya dug a pinky into his ear in an attempt to clear out the ringing. "Consider that in your next iteration. Otherwise…very effective." He looked at the other two Jinchūriki, expression thoughtful, and then announced, "Well, I was thinking of doing this one at a time, but I just got a better idea. C'mon, let's go on a field trip."
Utakata looked as flabbergasted as Fū had ever seen him; she giggled, hiding her amusement behind her hand. "Sorry?"
The Sannin turned and beckoned for them to follow him. Gaara was the first to move, and Utakata almost threw his hands into the air in exasperation for the lack of answers, aborting the gesture halfway through and giving him the appearance of an uncoordinated dancer. Fū snorted at his distress – drawing another exasperated look from the brunet – and offered a comforting pat on the back before flouncing after the Suna-nin. She sensed the bubble-user hurry to catch up, and when he fell in step beside her, he commented, "You're taking this all very well."
"Sure," she chirped. "What else are we gonna do? Jiraiya's been supportive the whole time we've been here, and Gaara trusts him, so…" she shrugged, as if that was enough.
Given who they were, Utakata supposed, maybe it was. He offered her a wan smile, trying to find the whimsy in the moment that she clearly did. "He doesn't give you…whiplash?"
"Yeah, but that kinda keeps things interesting, y'know?"
"…You'll all be the death of me," he muttered.
Fū let out a laugh and nudged him with her shoulder. "Hopefully not for a long time, Utakata-nii."
The teenager gave a fond shake of his head, allowing the green-haired girl her amusement; it was a relief that her optimistic mood seemed to be a permanent fixture of her personality now, especially considering her first weeks in the Hidden Leaf. He pushed that thought out of his head as they continued their trek to wherever Jiraiya was leading them, knowing that falling too far down the rabbit hole of past mistakes was liable to put him in a dark place.
Instead, he admired the scenery as they walked, taking a deep inhale that lingered with more of the Land of Fire's foliage than he usually got from inside the Senju compound. He was grateful for the Hokage's sanctuary, but he would admit that it was nice to get out and explore without the threat of repercussions (including her irritation) looming over everything.
It didn't take much longer for them to arrive at an open area with lush grass and a few sturdy-looking ash trees. At the opposite end from where they entered lay a pond nearly 100 feet across, boxed in on three sides by a nearly 20-foot barricade of smooth stone. "That doesn't look natural," Utakata observed.
"Good eye," Jiraiya replied. "Welcome to Training Field 0, original secret spot used by Senju Hashirama and Tobirama, or as you might know them, the Shodai and Nidaime Hokages."
"Quaint," Gaara noted, and if anyone else had said it, Utakata might have thought it sarcasm.
"If this is a secret spot, how come you know about it?" he asked.
"Ah, well, my sensei was trained by Tobirama, so they used it all the time back in the day, and in turn, Sensei used it to train us. Thought it might be a fun little callback. So," he continued, clapping his hands together once, "now that we're away from prying eyes, let's have a little fun, hm?"
"And…what exactly is your definition of 'fun' in this case?"
"Let's say a three-on-one spar," came the flippant reply. "Feel free to use whatever skills you've got, minus your Bijū modes. Since there's no medics around, let's keep it non-lethal so we don't have any accidents, but we'll pretend everything is fatal. Acid, sand, wind, right?" he asked, pointing to Utakata, Gaara, and Fū in turn. They nodded, and the white-haired man grinned. "Excellent."
He launched himself at the trio, taking Utakata – who was expecting the older man to announce that they were ready to begin – by surprise; a barrier of sand sprang to life before him, soaking the Sannin's kick. Fū leaped around the defense with wind swirling around her fists, unleashing a burst of air at their attacker and hitting nothing. Her head swiveled to focus on Jiraiya's chakra signature, finding him 50 feet away and dancing lightly on his feet. "Fūton: Daitoppa!"
Earth crawled up Jiraiya's feet and locked his footing in place, only his clothes bearing the impact of her Great Breakthrough. His fingers blazed through hand signs before he slapped both palms to the ground and said, "Doton: Yomi Numa." A bog opened up between him and the trio of Jinchūriki, Fū boosting herself into the air with an expulsion of wind while Utakata darted for the pond. Gaara looked down as he slowly sank into the Swamp of the Underworld, letting out an 'ah' of mild concern.
Jiraiya looked up at Fū and sent his long white hair shooting towards her, the end opening into a maw that threatened to swallow her whole. The Taki-nin stretched her body out and pinwheeled through the incoming Wild Lion's Mane Technique with her Windmill Strike. She cleaved through his hair and just barely sensed a second presence appear in front of the Sannin before slamming into a metal shield with a heavy clang. A long moan escaped her lips as she staggered backwards, vision spinning. The Sannin's voice echoed in her ears for a moment ("Thanks Gamatate.") before she was grabbed around the middle and thrown through the air.
Utakata – riding the crest of a wave he'd summoned from the pond – caught the airborne Jinchūriki and briefly lost focus, vaguely registering Jiraiya asking for oil and then shouting, "Katon: Gamayu Endan!" He cradled the green-haired girl in his arms and jumped from the swell of water as the Toad Oil Flame Bullet struck and evaporated it. "Full hands, no seals, right kid?" Jiraiya asked.
Crap, he realized, just as the Sannin's red geta slammed into his head.
An ear-piercing shriek compounded the Kiri-nin's sudden headache, and even Jiraiya recoiled with his hands covering his ears. A stream of sand plowed into the Sannin and carried him away from the two teenagers. The silica began to squeeze, a threat of what it could do if left in place for too long, and the Konoha-nin's cheeks bulged before a yellow-brown fluid poured from his lips and spewed over his constraints. In a matter of moments, the sand began to slough off his form in rivulets of toad oil, and once his hands were free, Jiraiya reached into his vest, pulled out an inked slip of paper, and channeled chakra into it. "Torikeshi Fūin!"
Chakra rippled out at the activation, and a moment later, the klaxon of Gaara's Security Seal was silenced. Jiraiya shook his head, trying to clear out the ringing in his ears, and when he looked up, he was surrounded by bubbles. "Ah, that's a problem."
The bubbles exploded, sending the Sannin careening backwards through the ensuing smoke. He found purchase on the ground and immediately felt wind bite into his left clavicle. Jiraiya whirled clockwise to backhand Fū with his right hand, sending her spinning away him. "Whoops…hope that doesn't leave too much of a mark." He glanced at his shoulder, where there was a noticeable rip in his vest and a spreading patch of blood, and let out an amused huff. "Good hit, though. Guess that'll make the rest of this a bit more interesting." He held his left arm behind his back in parody of having lost it and then gestured to the two males with his right. "Shall we continue?"
Utakata glanced backwards at Gaara, as if to confirm the other boy's status, and when he returned his gaze forward, Jiraiya was bringing a knee into his stomach. He gasped with the blow, managing to grab the older man's shoulders and dropping his protective chakra layer so that the Tokeru was active. A dilute acid began to erode through the Sannin's clothes.
Until an orange-sized sphere of swirling blue chakra slammed up into his stomach.
The force was enough to send him skyward, where he plummeted back down into the pond with a loud splash. "We'll call that one down."
"Ryūsa Bakuryū."
Sand rose in a towering wave over him, and the Sannin summoned another Rasengan to his right hand, leaping to punch a hole directly through the incoming Quicksand Waterfall Flow. On the opposite side, Gaara moved his arms, and the particulates swirled from the threatening tsunami into two thick strands that formed into long arms with hands at the ends. The sandy limbs moved towards Jiraiya and slapped the ground in an attempt to crush the man, but he hopped around them with a grace that belied his age.
He closed the gap to the redhead and attempted a flying roundhouse, but Gaara erected a sandy shield that soaked the attack. The Suna-nin folded the sand over the older man's leg, but Jiraiya spat oil at the compacting granules, and they immediately lost cohesion, allowing him to slip free. When he landed in a crouch, he slapped his palm to the ground and said, "Kuchiyose: Gamaguchi Shibari."
A pulsating, fleshy mass grew around them and expanded into a narrow corridor. Gaara looked around, expression speculative. "This looks organic."
"Got it in one, kid. You're lookin' at the esophagus of one of Mount Myōboku's giant toads. It'll keep you contained until this fight's over."
Teal eyes narrowed. "I prefer freedom." The sand swirling around him condensed into a spear that shot towards the Sannin, who dodged with a surprised 'Whoa!' More spears formed and flew at him, forcing the Konoha-nin into a series of complex contortions to avoid them, and after the fourth one went past, he let out a yelp as a stabbing sensation dug into his kidney.
Jiraiya glanced down at the sandy javelin sticking out his back and made to grab at it, only for it to dissolve in his hand, silica slipping through his fingers. "Cute." His hair tripled in volume with the activation of the Hari Jizō, and with his back protected, he returned his gaze to his young pupil—
Gaara's fist – covered in sand to mimic spiked brass knuckles – slammed into his cheek. He staggered back a step and sent his hair roaring towards the redhead with the Wild Lion's Mane Technique. Jiraiya ran his tongue over his teeth and spat out a bloody loogie. "Heh, alright, that was a pretty good hit. I definitely underestimated how much Han has taught you. Guess I'll have to force you to stay. Put. Doton: Yomi Numa!"
For the second time, the redhead began to sink into the Swamp of the Underworld; sandy hands quickly coalesced and pulled him free from the muck with a loud slurp, and while the Sand Genin was prostrate in the air, Jiraiya leaped into another roundhouse that the teenager couldn't block. The attack sent him careening into the fleshy wall, and the esophagus immediately grew over the redhead's body until only his head was free. Jiraiya walked up to the constrained boy and gave him a once-over, ignoring the dour glare shot his way. "Now be a good boy and stay there."
The Sannin walked through the Toad Mouth Bind wall as if it wasn't there and emerged back in the sunlight of Training Field 0. In an instant, Fū was upon him with wind swirling around her fists, and Jiraiya felt the air slice into his ribcage. He lashed out instinctively, but the girl dodged and unleashed a Whirlwind Fist that caught the older man and sent him spiraling into the air. She jumped after him with a burst of chakra, but he righted himself and breathed flames that the Taki-nin tried to block with her fists.
Instead, the wind she was manipulating erupted into a conflagration that blinded her and tore a shriek from her throat. Fū released the winds, the fire dying without a fuel source, but Jiraiya was in her space with a slip of paper in his hand that he stuck to her forehead. "Fūin!"
The seal activated, and Fū immediately fell asleep, her body boneless in midair. Jiraiya managed to scoop her into his right arm and fall gracefully back to the earth. Utakata, water-logged, was seated on the ground and watching with his head in his hand; when the Sannin landed, he got up and moved towards where the white-haired man was laying the kunoichi on the grass. "So, did you learn anything interesting?" Utakata asked, an edge of sarcasm bleeding into his tone.
"One moment," came the reply. "Gyaku Kuchiyose no Jutsu," and then Gaara was beside them, visage annoyed and posture rigid. That done, Jiraiya bent over and removed the seal from Fū's forehead; she jackknifed upright with a gasp. "So, let's talk about what we learned.
"Gaara, not bad. Really. Looks like your control over your sand is back in force, and you're not afraid of engaging in taijutsu, which I think I can safely say no one would expect, especially given your reputation. You have a pretty significant weakness to liquids—"
"Yes, I am aware." He frowned. "If my sand is wet, it is much slower and difficult to reshape. I am not sure there is a solution…" he paused for a moment, cocking his head to the side like a bird. "It is not a problem Shukaku seems to have ever resolved either."
Jiraiya cupped his chin in thought. "It's an interesting conundrum, that's for sure. I once knew someone who had a similar issue."
"And what did he do?"
"She…" he sighed. "I'm not sure. We never got that far. I think you may have to diversify your skills a bit further so you have something that isn't reliant upon your sand." He let that sit for a moment, then turned to Fū. "You're also very impressive. That was a couple of debilitating hits you got me with. Mixing wind and taijutsu is definitely a strong combination, but you could use another skill that gives you more range. Either mastery of long-range Fūton jutsu or something else." Fū nodded once, a small, self-satisfied grin twisting the corner of her lips. Then Jiraiya turned to Utakata, and his normally jovial expression slipped into something pensive, disappointed. "I'm not sure what to say about your performance… I'll be honest, my initial thought was that I expected more from a Jōnin of Kirigakure, especially a Jinchūriki. I've seen you fight, I know you're capable—"
"That's not fair!" Fū protested. "Utakata-nii's fought some really hard battles, including against Akatsuki! He's protected us from some big threats—"
"That's the problem," Jiraiya interrupted. "He's too distracted being a protector for everyone else that his head isn't focused on the actual threat. I took advantage of him when he turned to check on Gaara, when he should've been pushing his advantage instead."
"I'm sorry," Utakata apologized, sounding contrite. "You're right that I've gotten into the habit of…overseeing everyone. Ever since Yagura…"
The Sannin nodded. "I understand. While I may not look it, I, too, have failed on a great many occasions. More than I care to recall. In fact, I've got a book that you might be interested in reading… But! You should be learning from your mistakes rather than repeating them.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating for you to fight like a Kiri-nin, or at least not completely; fought enough of 'em in my life to know that we believe in very different things. And your desire to protect those you care about is in line with the Will of Fire, which I believe you should be commended for. But you should also temper your desire to protect your fellow shinobi with faith that they can handle themselves. Gaara and Fū are both very capable, and this was a fight with very little stakes."
Utakata inclined his head, a respectful, if curt, bow. "I understand."
Jiraiya clapped his hands together and started walking away. "Excellent! I think we can call that a day then, hm? I'd like to get Tsunade to look over these injuries, maybe get a nice nurse to give me a sponge bath—"
"Uhhh…"
"Ah, but first!" He placed his hand on a large rock, and an array lit up under his fingertips. "Maki Modoshi Fūin."
All around them, Training Field 0 seemed to regrow charred vegetation and fill in divots in the earth, restoring itself to its original pristine condition. The trio of Jinchūriki looked around with awestruck expressions – Gaara's more openly curious than his usual blank façade – and Fū managed to find her voice first, asking, "What was that?"
"Hm? Ah, right. Rewind Seal. The Shodai and Nidaime together were masters of Mokuton and Suiton, and the Nidaime was a prodigy when it came to space-time ninjutsu, so they created this area so that it could easily be reused by future generations. Least, that's how Sensei explained it to me, and I assume that's what the Nidaime told him. Never been able to dissect the seal myself, unfortunately; space-time stuff requires some hefty knowledge that I've never really had the patience to crack, not like the Nidaime or Yondaime. Nowadays, I just leave it alone as a matter of respect. Sometimes you just gotta trust those that came before you.
"Anyway, think about what I said."
The Jinchūriki watched him depart, trailing after him until he disappeared in a Body Flicker, then exchanged glances and continued the trek back to the Senju complex in contemplative silence.
-l-l-l-
Naruto saw Fū's head tilt upward and followed the movement, several ANBU leaping overhead and settling themselves on the path leading towards the Senju complex. The green-haired girl made a noise of mixed surprise and joy, but it was Jiraiya's drawl from behind them that really answered the blond's unspoken question. "Well well well, look what the cat dragged in. And how was the homecoming? Ōnoki as pleasant as I remember?"
"He don' change none, if that's what yer concerned 'bout."
"We didn't make it back," Han interrupted, baritone resonating with annoyance, "and I prefer to not dither around with these inane pleasantries. Remove your seal, and then we will have words."
Jiraiya released a sigh, though even through his exasperation, his lips tilted with mild amusement. "You guys never change."
Rōshi shrugged; Han's brown eyes remained fixed and unimpressed. "He should come with," the giant added. Naruto followed the older Jinchūriki's outstretched hand to Utakata, who looked as surprised as any of them to be called out.
The Sannin shrugged back. "If you say so. If you'll all step into my office…"
"Jiraiya—"
"Sorry, kid. Hate to be a buzzkill and all that, but it sounds like this conversation is for adults only."
Jiraiya at least sounded apologetic, which was little consolation to the blond. He watched the trio of older demon containers follow the Sannin indoors, pouting at the perplexed Fū and ambivalent Gaara. "What do you think that's all about?"
"Dunno, but Han's chakra is really turbulent," Fū said. "Whatever's going on, I think he's pretty mad about it."
"Eh, Rōshi-oji's like that all the time, too, I think it's just part of who they are, y'know?" Naruto sat down and wrapped his arms around bent knees. Discouragement draped across his shoulders like a cloak. "How come they don't tell us everything?" the blond complained. "Aren't we all in the same situation? We're all Jinchūriki."
Beside him, Fū winced, then settled down on his left and slung an arm across his shoulders. "You could always ask Utakata-nii afterwards? He doesn't like keeping secrets."
Naruto hummed in response, resting his cheek on his knees so he could see her. "Only sometimes," he replied with a note of sourness.
"We hurt the ones we love the most."
Naruto's eyes focused past Fū and onto Gaara, seated beside the green-haired girl with his gaze lost to the distance. The Taki-nin also turned to look at the redhead, then exchanged a glance with the blond, one eyebrow raised. He shrugged in response, just as confused as her. "Huh?"
"An ideology posed by a philosopher," the Suna-nin intoned. "Despite all intentions and logic, people are liable to cause harm to those they care most about. This is likely due to increased interactions, so quantifiably, there are more opportunities to hurt those they interact with on a more frequent basis."
"…And because they're trying harder to do what they think is right for the person they may unintentionally be hurting," Fū added.
Gaara hummed thoughtfully. "I suppose that makes sense as well."
"By that logic, Rōshi-oji must love me a whole lot," Naruto muttered.
"I believe it is a reference to emotional rather than physical pain," Gaara said. "Inoichi is teaching me about various forms of relationships."
"You have to be taught—" He cut himself off as Gaara's flat, teal eyes caught and held blue ones, and it brought him back to their first month on the road with Jiraiya, when the redhead had been physically and emotionally adrift. If the Suna-nin had known anything about relationships, familial or otherwise, it certainly wasn't in any capacity to understand the concept of hurting the ones you love. "Uh, right. Sorry."
A caramel-colored arm looped around his neck; on the other side, a second arm fell across Gaara's shoulders. "Well, we have each other, right?" Fū asked. "And we control our own actions. So we should just make a promise not to hurt each other! No secrets or lying."
Naruto found himself grinning. "Hey, yeah! Rōshi-oji and Han-san are such sticks in the mud, we don't wanna be like them. You, me, and Gaara, the inner circle." He held out both hands, the pointer and middle fingers of both extended towards the other two Jinchūriki.
Gaara continued to stare, watching the digits as if they threatened his peace of mind (or what little there was). Fū posed the question the redhead wouldn't. "What's that?"
"Oh, um, it's something we learned at the Academy. Iruka-sensei called it the Seal of Reconciliation. After you finish fighting with someone, you interlock fingers like this"—he moved his hands next to each other, hooking the pairs of the fingers around each in demonstration—"to show that you're still friends. It's more for sparring, but…" he shrugged, seemingly unperturbed by the deviation. "We're, uh…weird, right?"
"Unconventional," Gaara supplied tonelessly.
"Yeah, that! So why not make it work for us?" He proffered the fingers again, and Fū wrapped her own around his left ones. Gaara continued staring, teal eyes flickering up to find orange and blue watching him, the blond's infectious cheer mirrored on the kunoichi's lips. The redhead slowly reached out to finish the seal with both Jinchūriki, and with their vow made, the Leaf Genin allowed their connection to lapse, pillowing his head over his knees while he considered his two friends. Gaara seemed to be staring at his hands, as if inspecting them for some magical change now that they'd sworn allegiance to each other, so he focused on the Taki-nin. "Hey, Fū, you're a girl…"
She let out a gasp of mock-offense. "You're only now realizing this?"
He pouted in response. "No! I mean…you know how other girls think, right? So, like, if you kept fainting around someone, or like…had trouble lookin' at and talkin' to someone, what would that mean?"
"Naruto, I…" Fū looked distinctly uncomfortable. "I didn't have any friends in Taki; I'm not really sure what any sort of, uh, weird behavior like that would mean-ssu."
The blond's disappointment was nearly palpable. "Ah, that sucks. Every time I ask, Hinata gets really quiet and then turns red and faints."
"She is obviously attracted to you, likely in a sexual fashion."
Both Naruto and Fū choked on their spit, turning to stare at Gaara with wide eyes. The redhead's expression was as implacable as ever. "Gaara," Naruto began when he was sufficiently recovered, "not for nothin', but you're, uh…"
"Not great with people," Fū supplied. Beside her, the blond was fervently nodding. "Did you also learn that from Inoichi?"
"No." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small book with a bright orange cover depicting a cartoon man chasing a fleeing woman. "This girl's reaction bears remarkable similarity to the female lead in this book series."
Fū leaned forward to better read the title. "Icha Icha Paradise?"
"Gaara…" Naruto's voice was cautious, with a slight hitch. "Where did you get that?"
"Jiraiya-sensei gave it to me when I asked if he had any suggestions on books to help further my understanding of interpersonal relationships." His timbre remained flat, even as his brow furrowed in as close to a sign of distress as the Sand Genin ever showed. "I admit, I do not fully understand the concepts presented within—"
"Gaara!" Naruto interjected, his protest bordering on embarrassment. "That's a filthy book for perverts! You shouldn't be reading that!"
"…I see," he replied, voice indicating no such thing.
"Wait." Fū turned to look at Naruto. "How do you know what's in that book?"
"…I, uh…" Naruto scratched his cheek with a finger, blue eyes searching the sky for an answer. "It was in the same section of the bookstore where there was stuff I may have looked at to perfect Oiroke no Jutsu?"
"Oiroke no Jutsu?"
"Yeah, I, uh…I'm not allowed to use it anymore," Naruto muttered. "Rōshi-oji forbade it."
There was a moment of silence – Naruto mourning the loss of his first real jutsu while Fū considered the implications of the technique's name – until Gaara spoke up. "As I was saying, her mannerisms remind me of how Kaneko reacts to Hiro here." He turned the book so that his companions could view the spread.
Despite his earlier protest, Naruto leaned forward to get a better look, his head right beside Fū's. On the pages was a series of sketches depicting a dark-haired woman and a short-haired man, the woman clearly adopting a flush of color and turning away from him as the panels proceeded until she eventually fainted. "Wait, the version I saw didn't have pictures," he muttered. "Where'd Jiraiya get this one…?"
"But Gaara," Fū pointed out, ignoring the blond's confusion, "the guy is naked in this scene."
The redhead turned the book around to scrutinize it, eventually letting out a ponderous 'ah'. "And you are suggesting this is influencing her reaction."
"Yeah, that would probably surprise most people."
"But they later go out for dinner. It is portrayed as a romantic gesture."
Fū shrugged. "But correlation may not be causation. I don't think they're related."
"Ah." Gaara's brow was still furrowed. "Then I have no further explanation for your question, Naruto."
"Yeah, I didn't think you…" the blond sighed. "Thanks, Gaara." He received a curt nod in return before the redhead's attention was captured by the book. With the Suna-nin distracted, Naruto focused back on Fū, who met his gaze and shrugged as if to say 'what can you do?' He'd really been hoping the green-haired girl could provide some insight into this phenomenon, but she seemed to be only slightly less clueless than Naruto himself.
It occurred to him suddenly that he didn't know much about Fū's life prior to Konoha. They'd met after he'd returned from the mission to bring Sasuke back to the village and had struck up an easy friendship based on their similar ages and outgoing personalities, but he'd never really dug deeper than that. As he thought about it, he realized he only knew bits and pieces of Utakata's and Rōshi's lives, too, little drips of information they'd provided to spur him to action during their months of training; hell, he hadn't even known the Iwa-nin was the son of the Tsuchikage until their meeting with Tsunade. Han was basically a blank slate, and while he probably knew the most about Gaara from their early travels searching for Tsunade, it was probably only a fraction of what there was to know.
After all, the other boy was apparently reading the Icha Icha series without anyone the wiser.
With this revelation, his friendships with the other Jinchūriki now seemed a lot more lopsided than he was comfortable with. Most of them knew of his hopes and dreams – proclamations to be the strongest, to become Hokage – his past, his burgeoning future, his favorite foods and hobbies, but he wasn't confident he could name most, if any, of those same things for each of the other Jinchūriki.
It was an indictment of how good a friend he considered himself.
Well, that was rectifiable. "What was it like, back in Taki?"
Fū blinked, shifting away just slightly with a mixture of surprise and sadness. "Oh, um…well, I guess it was…boring-ssu? Taki doesn't have a Kage like Konoha or the other big villages, so it's run by a group of Elders who are…paranoid, I guess? Well, there's a village leader, but he generally reports to the Elders, so…" she shrugged. "Anyway, there's a lot of distrust of outsiders there, so they…they set me up to sense for anyone who might infiltrate and threaten the village.
"But Taki's built inside a bunch of mountains, with access only through a series of tunnels protected by waterfalls, so the odds of invasion are super low-ssu. In all the time I watched for them, no one ever made it in…until Utakata-nii."
Naruto grinned despite the melancholy of the kunoichi's tale. "How'd he do that?"
Fū shared in his amusement, summoning a smirk in spite of herself. "Flew in right over everything," she said, raising her hand and floating it over their heads to demonstrate the Kiri-nin's arrival. "It was so cool to see someone…break the rules, y'know? I never…" She trailed off, seemingly ashamed of her compliance.
The blond decided to skate right past her sad self-reflection, thinking it would be better to not focus on it. "Yeah, Utakata-nii's kinda awesome like that. He and Rōshi-oji kidnapped me from a playground in the middle of the day and then spent months training me in secret without gettin' caught. They're pretty smart."
Fū nodded. "Utakata-nii was pretty impressive. He was so different from everyone else in Taki; I guess that's 'cause he knows what it's like to be a Jin…Jin…"
"Jinchūriki," Gaara supplied without looking up.
Fū winced, lips pursed together, then quietly admitted, "People don't really like us all that much."
There was a long silence as the trio digested her statement, Gaara even looking up from his book to glance at his companions. They both looked sad, which wasn't altogether unfamiliar when the past came up. He was becoming used to the yawning emptiness that accompanied their memories, and with Inoichi's help, he was learning how to process the ways he (and the other Jinchūriki) had been screwed out of a childhood.
From their expressions, it seemed that Naruto and Fū weren't quite there yet.
Naruto rose to his feet. "To hell with that. I know we've had it rough, but we've got each other now. Plus, ever since I became a Genin, I've got a bunch of new friends: Shikamaru, Chōji, Kiba, Hinata, Bushy Brows, Tenten…even Neji, Shino, and Ino when they're not bein' mean or super quiet. Although I guess Shino's more like Gaara…" he mused, before shaking his head to rid himself of the thought. "Anyway, you've met some of them, and a bunch of them like you guys, so we're doin' better every day and changin' peoples' minds. By the time I'm Hokage, everyone'll know who we are!" He reached out in camaraderie, watching Fū with blue eyes full of resolve, and she seemed to have no choice but to clasp hands and get pulled to her feet.
The pair glanced over at Gaara, who seemed to feel their gazes and offered his teal-eyed deadpan in response. "I do not yet share your faith in others," he stated, "but I will continue to wait and observe."
"C'mon, Gaara," Fū protested. "We became friends right away!"
"We are similar," the redhead asserted. "We have experienced similar pain…loneliness…retribution. Others…" he raised the book in his hand enough to make it obvious he was referencing it, "I am still learning about." Despite that, he still rose to a standing position, a gesture Naruto took as an indication of his support.
"Aren't you three cute?"
Naruto and Fū turned in the same direction Gaara was facing to find Jiraiya leading the three older Jinchūriki back to them. The blond felt momentarily deflated – he knew the Suna-nin well enough to re-interpret his standing motion as preparation for the others' arrival instead of solidarity – but ignored the swoop of disappointment in favor of giving the Sannin what-for. "Hey, shut up! When you leave us behind, what else are we supposed to do?"
"Yeh coulda kept trainin'," Rōshi drawled.
"We do that all the time! Sometimes it's okay to take a break!"
"Sorry to say, kids, but it's only gonna get more intense from here," Jiraiya said. "It sounds like we may have a lead on Akatsuki's base."
"What's Akatsuki?"
Rōshi rolled his eyes while Utakata glared at the white-haired man. Jiraiya let out a low chuckle of embarrassment. "Ah, whoops. Well, now that the cat's outta the bag…"
Utakata stepped forward and heaved a sigh. "Naruto, do you remember what I told you while we were training? About my friend Yagura and the people hunting the Jin—people like us?"
"Yeah. You said that they were using Yagura to find us, and that he's in danger. We're gonna save him!"
Utakata smiled. It didn't quite reach his eyes. "Well, Akatsuki's that group, and they're…" he sighed, trying to think of what to say without breaking the blond's spirit. "They can't be underestimated. I know you want to help, but they're as strong as—"
"Me."
Naruto blinked, blue eyes roving from Rōshi to Jiraiya to Han, all of whom had spoken. The trio spared glances at each other, the redhead shrugging at the white-haired man in a careless gesture. Even Utakata seemed momentarily stymied by the joint response until he finally agreed, "Yes, that."
The Kiri-nin was much easier to read than the stoic Rōshi and masked Han, and months of interactions with both Utakata and (to a lesser extent) Gaara had taught Naruto how to interpret some of the older boy's expressions. Utakata looked like he expected his revelation to crush the Leaf native, and if he was honest with himself, it hurt; he was trying his damnedest, but he knew that he was still nowhere near being able to take on any of the three Akatsuki-equivalent shinobi on his own. That even the bubble-user didn't consider himself at the same level was a red flag for what they were up against.
Instead, he looked to the side, where Gaara and Fū were silently following the conversation. The Suna-nin's expression gave nothing away, but the Taki-nin looked more nervous than scared. He reminded himself that they'd just made a promise to stand by one another no matter what, and that, on top of trying to save Yagura, he also wanted to do right by them.
But he also didn't back down from a challenge; his first fight with Rōshi, ill-conceived as it had been, was proof of that, and despite the beating he'd received, he couldn't say he'd change anything about their encounter. The Jinchūriki individually were all strong (albeit to varying degrees), but together, the blond had faith that they could overcome anything: the burdens of their pasts, the disrespect of their villages, the strength of Akatsuki…
It was Utakata's vision, but Naruto believed in it wholeheartedly.
He returned his gaze to Jiraiya, who seemed to be leading the discussion. "So what do we do?"
"Well, I'm gonna go see what I can figure out on this lead," Jiraiya said, "and in the meantime, we're gonna have you guys try something different. Nothing against your regular training, but you practice against the same person – or people – repeatedly, and you get used to their movements. So I'm gonna see if we can bring some, ah, guest teachers to shake things up."
"The Hokage will be okay with that?" Utakata asked.
"More than the fact that I've gotta bust my way into Ame," the Sannin muttered. "Ah hell, and here I thought I'd put that dumpster fire behind me."
"You do not have to go," Gaara said, sounding disinterested.
"Alas, if only that was true!" Jiraiya bemoaned theatrically. "Sadly, this is a grand opportunity to turn the tables on Akatsuki. Wrangling a group of S-class nukenin is no mean feat, so if we can cut the head off the snake, perhaps the entire organization will collapse."
Han grunted. "You say that like cutting the head off this particular snake is simple."
"Yeah, I suppose you now have pretty good firsthand experience that that's not an easy task." Another grunt, this one tapering off into a growl. "And I certainly don't disagree. Luckily, that part of the plan is still a ways off. Any other questions, or can I assume you're just concerned for little ol' me and we can skip the teary goodbyes for now?" There was a moment of silence as the older Leaf shinobi waited for a response, and when none came, he clapped his hands together and proclaimed, "Well, then I'm off to speak to Tsunade and then go on a daring adventure. Wish me luck!"
"Good luck, Jiraiya-sensei!" Naruto offered, Gaara echoing the blond's sentiment in his usual monotone. When the wandering Konoha-nin had disappeared beyond the Senju compound's boundaries, he turned to the assembled Jinchūriki and asked, "So what now?"
"You." Han's deep voice cut through the group, and only when the giant's hand fell on Utakata's shoulder did any of them realize who he was talking to. "You know of the Terumī?"
The brunet seemed momentarily flabbergasted, finally managing, "I…yes, of course. The Terumī were famous in Kiri for decades. They had a kekkei genkai, Futton—"
"Yes, I'm aware," the Iwa-nin interrupted. "Come with me."
He began to drag the brunet away, even while the kimono-clad boy protested, "You understand what I know is mostly theoretical, right?"
"Your theories haven't stopped you providing feedback before, why start now?"
Rōshi snorted as the pair disappeared around a corner, lips quirking in a rare gesture of amusement. The expression fell off as Gaara stepped forward, the older redhead raising an eyebrow in silent question. "You have fought Shukaku before," the boy intoned.
"Aye, an' its jailor."
"I would request that you impart upon me what you know of Jiton."
"…I use Yōton," the hermit deadpanned, "what d'yeh think I know o' Jiton?"
"More than our associates. While Shukaku can provide guidance on the intricacies, he cannot physically provide support, and he has indicated that Jiton is…personal to its wielder. I wish to draw on your experience to cater it to my own use."
There was a long moment of quiet that saw the two redheads in a standoff until the Iwa-nin grumbled, "…Ain't any dumber than anythin' else I done so far. Aye, fine, let's see what yeh an' yer caged friend got. Ain't like we don' need th' backup."
Naruto watched the pair of them walk away, turning to Fū when they were alone. "Well, I guess it's just us now. What should we do?"
"Everyone's learning something new," the Taki-nin mused. "I guess we should do the same…"
Naruto's blue eyes gleamed, excited with the promise of a new branch of the shinobi arts. "Yeah?"
"Want me to teach you Fūton? Or sensing?"
"Hell yeah!" He paused, a thoughtful look crossing his face. "But what'll you learn?"
Fū shrugged, seemingly unconcerned. "Maybe I'll learn something from how you fight." She let him consider that for a moment before adding, "You know, Naruto, not that I think Gaara knows what he's talking about – at least, not when it comes to relationships – but…maybe he has a point about Hinata? You guys seem pretty friendly, and I got a sense of her chakra when we went to save Gaara; I'm trying not to judge her based on that alone"—her cheeks pinked, eyes averting momentarily in a gesture of shame—"but she seems nice. If she doesn't hate you, it could be the opposite?"
Naruto was quiet in the face of the green-haired girl's analysis, and so she added a final, "Give it a thought," before pulling a leaf off the ground and handing it to him. "So, let's talk about Fūton…"
-l-l-l-
He spent several days during the quiet intercessions after training considering Fū's words. It was an exercise in reflection and analysis, neither of which were his strong suits, but during the seemingly endless months dealing with Utakata and Rōshi, and then training sessions with Han, he'd developed a greater appreciation for thinking things through if the opportunity afforded it.
The problem was, he didn't really like most of the thoughts that were cropping up.
It was a painful thing to admit that the person he'd been in the Academy was…unlikable. He'd been a braggart, an irritant, and a disruption, and it wasn't like he didn't still have those tendencies, but now they were…tempered, he supposed, behind the almost-year of training with his fellow Jinchūriki. Getting reprimanded by Iruka and slapped around by Sasuke paled in comparison to being on the receiving end of Rōshi's temper.
So he could understand why his classmates – and especially Haruno Sakura, his (unrequited) crush – wouldn't give him the time of day.
Which begged the question: what did liking someone really look like, and what was the appropriate way to act?
He couldn't say that he hadn't had a crush on Sakura, but hindsight allowed him to see that he'd probably gone about displaying it in the wrong way. After all, he'd never gotten anything close to a date, and his memory suggested that Sakura's almost beat-for-beat attempts to wrangle affection from Sasuke hadn't gone any better. It suggested that whatever he'd been doing – whatever she'd been doing – wasn't effective.
Or maybe it was just that their targets – Sakura for him, Sasuke for her – weren't interested.
Once, it would've been hard to fathom that as a possibility, given his general awesomeness, but now, it was painfully clear that others did not always see the person he saw himself as. Being loud and over-the-top was useful for attracting attention, but it seemed to attract little else.
Unless what Fū (and Gaara) said was true, and that Hinata did like him.
It was weird to think that someone so different could develop a crush on him, but considering his (unlikely) friendship with Gaara, maybe there were stranger ideas. Then again, with what little he knew of Hinata, it didn't seem like too much of a stretch to assume that her infatuation might show itself in different ways than his and Sakura's had.
He scratched at the side of his head, fingernails digging through sunshine strands, and let out a frustrated noise. Why is this so confusing?
"You alright, Naruto?"
The blond craned his neck off his pillow to find Utakata standing in his doorway, fair features drawn in his patented expression of parental concern. He huffed out an exasperated breath and fell back to his futon, groaning, "Yeah, 'm fine…"
"You don't sound fine." Utakata's voice carried a touch of amusement, and Naruto found himself glad that it wasn't Han – or worse, Rōshi – who had overheard him.
"Utakata-nii, what would you do if someone liked you? Or, uh, how would you know they liked you if they never said anything to you?" Because really, that seemed to be the first half of his conundrum – if someone never said they liked someone else, like he had with Sakura, or most of the girls had with Sasuke – how could he know?
"Hmm…" The brunet stepped into his junior's bedroom and took a seat near the blond's feet. "I wish I could say I have some advice for you, but I'm afraid that you're talking about things outside my expertise. I've never…well, at this point, I don't think I need to explain to you what being a Jin—one of us has meant for interpersonal relationships."
It was easy to understand what the Kiri-nin was referring to; the Leaf Genin's friendless first 12 years were hard to put behind him despite the last year of camaraderie. Rōshi and his decades of isolation; Gaara and his social pathologies; Fū and her duties…none of them really knew how to work with people, and not necessarily through any fault of their own. That even Utakata, who seemed the most normal of them all, didn't have any wisdom for him was both frustrating and disheartening.
"But, for what it's worth, if anyone was going to break the mold, it would be you, Naruto. I can't say whether this…person…may or may not like you, but I don't think that that should sway your decision one way or the other. If you like them, then that should be enough for you to do something, if you want to. Honestly, I'm a little surprised you're putting so much thought into this. Do you want to go out with this person?"
The thought gave him pause. Utakata brought up a good point: why did Hinata having a crush on him (assuming that explained her behavior) play any part in what he should do? It hadn't changed how he had approached asking out Sakura, or how she or any of his other former female classmates had badgered Sasuke.
Maybe, instead of trying to analyze what Hinata's behavior meant, he needed to evaluate whether he liked her. He needed to sit on it, but the decision now seemed far less stressful than it had been. "Thanks, Utakata-nii."
"No problem." The Mist renegade stood up and made for the entrance, bidding the younger Jinchūriki a good night on his way out.
-l-l-l-
After giving it a few minutes of thought, the solution ended up being very simple.
"Hey, Hinata! When we get back, wanna go get something to eat?"
The three members of Team 8 all turned to look at him, visible surprise painted across their faces, which Naruto thought impressive considering Shino's Gaara-like demeanor and recent tendency to wear higher-collared clothing and larger sunglasses. Hinata's pale skin was rapidly turning a dangerous scarlet, mouth opening and closing in imitation of a landed fish, and Kiba, of the three of them, was the one who managed to ask, "Are you serious?"
Naruto nodded vigorously. "Yeah! I mean, we finished the mission, totally kicked ass"—he offered a fist each towards both Shino and Kiba, the latter of whom gave him a wicked grin and bumped the proffered appendage, with an accompanying bark from Akamaru—"we'll be back soon, and we've done like a dozen of these, so why not celebrate, right?"
"You are proposing a celebration of teamwork, yet you have only extended an invitation to Hinata," Shino noted, stoic voice carrying an edge at being ignored.
"Er, well, I didn't mean to—"
"Yet you did." Naruto's eyes were now as wide as his companions', unnerved at the offense he unintentionally gave to the stoic boy. Then Shino spoke again, voice flattening out into its usual monotone, "However, I suppose these are extenuating circumstances. Your exuberance may be forgiven in this instance."
"Uh, thanks. And sorry."
"No apology needed." It was hard to tell thanks to the Aburame's high collar, but the blond got the impression Shino was smirking at him. "Why? I was making a joke at your expense. It was an opportunity I could not resist."
"Dude…"
Naruto mentally echoed Kiba's sentiment; he wasn't aware Shino even had a sense of humor. He turned to look at Hinata, who had remained silent throughout the entire exchange, only to find her standing stock-still. "Hinata?"
He heard Kiba sniffing beside him, and then Akamaru bark from his place on the boy's head. "Yeah, I think she fainted standing up. That's a new one. I guess we can carry her back?"
"I'll do it," Naruto volunteered. "It's, uh, my fault, right?"
"Astute," Shino deadpanned.
"And you thought the day would never come, eh Shino?" Kiba grinned. The Aburame hummed in reply, and as soon as Hinata was draped over Naruto's back, the group continued the trek back to Konoha. By the time they made it through the Hidden Leaf's great gates, Hinata was still prone on his back, and Kiba offered to take her back to her home while Shino reported the mission's success to the Hokage. Naruto took that as his cue to head back to the Senju complex, where he was greeted by an enthusiastic Fū, who was willing to listen to his recap of his time away.
It wasn't until he was about to tell her about his (failed?) attempt to ask Hinata out that she interrupted, tapping him on the shoulder and pointing to the entrance of the Senju compound. The Hyūga was standing beneath the wooden archway, fingertips poking each other in an unsure gesture. "Oh, hey Hinata!" Naruto rose to his feet and jogged towards the dark-haired girl, who proceeded to blush to her roots and seemed to fight to maintain eye contact.
Fū watched the pair interact from afar, head tilted in curiosity. Her previous observations – and reads of the girl's chakra – suggested that the Hyūga was nice, and she wondered if the kunoichi (and her teammates) would be interested in being friends…assuming Tsunade would ever allow them to interact at more than just a distance.
"What is happening?"
She turned to find Gaara approaching from behind. "I think Naruto finally figured out the answer to his problem from last week," she replied, gesturing to where the pair of Konoha-nin were heading toward the main village. Her orange eyes gleamed with excitement. "Wanna go see what they're up to?"
Gaara peered back at where he'd approached from, and the former Taki-nin followed his gaze. A thick mist covered a large portion of the courtyard, and within it, Fū could detect the muted chakra signatures of Utakata, Han, and Rōshi, as if the haze was trying to disguise the older Jinchūriki from her senses. "Rōshi acquiesced to Utakata's request for training, so I am…bereft a tutor, at least temporarily," he intoned. "What do you propose?"
Fū didn't bother responding, instead turning back around to follow Naruto and Hinata's path at a safe distance; with her sensing abilities, keeping an eye on them wasn't needed, and Gaara seemed content to maintain their sedate pace. She could feel a pair of ANBU tracking them, but to her surprise, they didn't intervene. The pair of Leaf shinobi eventually settled in one spot, and Fū found a copse of bushes where they had a good view of a food stand. The name across the top read 'Ichiraku Ramen', and she could make out Naruto's familiar back – seated at a stool – even from afar.
"Now what?"
"Dunno," Fū replied. "What's your book say is supposed to happen?"
"They engage in pleasant conversation, with the goal of the man to try to…'get lucky'. I do not understand the role one's luck plays in engaging in sexual intercourse—"
"Maybe we leave that discussion for another day," the Taki-nin suggested.
"Mm." He opted to sit down and open said book, quickly becoming absorbed in the pages. After a few minutes, Fū realized he probably had the right idea; they couldn't hear any part of Naruto and Hinata's conversation, and while she could read general contentment – and flickers of shyness and embarrassment from Hinata – it gave little indication of what was actually happening. So they sat, and waited, and sensed (in Fū's case) in the quiet of the mild December afternoon—
"I know you're there, you might as well come out."
"Your abilities are impressive," Shino stated, emerging from the nearby shadows with Kiba a footstep behind. Gaara closed his book and looked up with a questioning noise. Kiba grinned at Fū from over the Aburame's shoulder, and Akamaru trotted up to her, sitting on his haunches and tapping her knee with a paw.
Fū scratched the puppy under his chin, commenting, "Yours, too." She proffered her free hand, over which crawled a tiny grey-black beetle-like insect. "This is yours, right?"
Shino looked…stunned, like Gaara when she'd asked to be friends. From her periphery, Kiba appeared to be choking back a guffaw. "I…it was not my intention to offend. A lone female kikaichū on her own is harmless; she merely provides a scent marker for the rest of the swarm. It allows me to…keep tabs on those of interest."
"Jeez Shino, your smooth-talkin' could use some work."
"Does that mean he is trying to woo Fū?" Gaara asked.
Kiba snorted again, amused despite shooting a wary side-eye at the Suna-nin. Akamaru seemed to follow his partner's lead, swiveling in the redhead's direction and releasing a high-pitched whine. Gaara extended a slow hand towards the puppy, palm up, and Akamaru stretched his nose towards it; he gave a tentative sniff, then gave the proffered fingers the barest lick. Taking that as a sign of trust, Gaara followed Fū's earlier lead and scratched the dog under his chin. "Huh," Kiba mused, "how 'bout that…"
"I'm not offended," Fū said. "You placed her on me back when we rescued Gaara, right?"
Shino nodded. "Yes. Why? I was curious as to your person, ever since Kiba told me about how you rescued him. Our meeting on that mission proved…fortuitous. But…you have known since then? And you have not rid yourself of her?"
"Nah, she's cute," the Taki-nin replied, watching the beetle crawl around her hand. "And since she wasn't causing harm, I figured I'd wait and see what came of it."
"You are…quite unique."
"Thanks!" She glanced over at Gaara, who was singularly focused on gently lavishing attention upon Akamaru. Kiba was watching the redhead with an indecipherable expression, chakra rolling in preparation to react if needed, but remaining contained. He seemed to be trying to reconcile what he knew of Gaara – the version that Fū hadn't really known, the one who was cold and desolate, a desert at midnight – with this person who seemed at peace with petting a dog. With a shyness she hadn't felt in a while, she glanced at Shino and asked, "Do you…want to be friends?"
The Aburame arched an eyebrow over his sunglasses. "You're not offended by my breach of…impropriety?"
"Nah," she chirped, "I get it."
"…Then I accept."
Fū leaned back on her hands and cocked her head at the two Leaf Genin. "So, what're you two doin' here?"
"You kidding?" Kiba asked. Stabbing a finger in the direction of the ramen stand, he added, "You know how long we've been waitin' for this to happen?"
"It has been…a sojourn," Shino agreed.
"We definitely weren't gonna miss this disaster."
"You don't know that," Fū frowned. "Naruto's a good guy!"
"True," Shino acquiesced, "and I'm sure Kiba did not mean to offend. It is just that…Hinata has been awaiting this moment for some time, and Naruto, despite his intentions, has not been known for his…awareness. Combined, these traits do not suggest a…rewarding social experience."
"Not that I think that Shino's the expert on 'rewarding social experiences'," Kiba smirked, "but he's right about this. We wanted to make sure that things don't go too badly at the end of the day."
"Things will turn out okay," Gaara intoned, interrupting Fū's pending protest. His fingers had stilled in Akamaru's fur, and the dog whined at him. The redhead continued petting him. "Naruto has a way about him."
Shino let out a 'hm' in response. "True enough. We shall wait and see then."
-l-l-l-
It was a strange asymmetry that, after so much time badgering Sakura for a date, he was finally on one and had no real clue what to do. Hinata at least was making the whole thing pretty easy, but it reminded him that he hadn't really paid a whole lot of attention to most of his classmates back at the Academy.
He supposed it wasn't all too dissimilar from the recent realization that he hadn't been all that great about getting to know his fellow Jinchūriki on a personal level.
Well, at least he could apply the same lesson here.
"So, what do you like to do for fun?"
"O-oh, um, I like to…press flowers." Her fingers twiddled together with nervous energy on Ichiraku Ramen's countertop. White eyes seemed fixated on pale hands, except for tiny glances she kept throwing his way while he watched her.
"That's cool!" he enthused. "You guys have a garden?"
Hinata nodded. "Several. My m-mother…she would bring me outside a-and we would tend to many of the Hyūga gardens together. She grew…beautiful flowers. When one fell off, we would gather it, and p-press it into a book. Mother would say that…life was transient, b-but beauty could be f-forever."
"Huh, that's kinda…poetic." Steaming bowls of ramen were placed before them, and Naruto offered his thanks before digging in. "So you and your mom still press flowers together?"
Hinata, about to take a mouthful of noodles, slowly lowered her portion. "Um, my mother…passed away shortly after my sister was born." Her demure voice sounded just a little quieter.
"Oh. I'm sorry." He felt stupid now; lacking a parent felt like one of those super obvious things he should've known going in. "You have other family, right? None of them want to do that kind of stuff?"
"My f-father…does not spend time on things he considers…beneath him. He is more interested in training my sister Hanabi. And my cousin Neji—"
"He's your cousin? You guys are so different!"
Hinata looked away. "I-I know…he is much stronger—"
"Eh? Whaddya mean? You're super strong, Hinata!"
Red colored the Hyūga's cheeks, dark hair fluttering around her as she swiveled to face him, white eyes wide with surprise. She looked pretty like this, Naruto observed, even though it wasn't the first time she'd grown embarrassed in his presence. "Besides," he added, slurping up the last dregs of his bowl, "you're way nicer than Neji. I've worked with him on a few missions, he's kind of got a stick up his butt."
"Neji-nii-san has…not had an easy life. But he's been better recently, a-a little anyway."
Naruto appeared thoughtful. "Y'know, I've known a bunch of people like him, and it seems like it just takes time. I don't know what his issue is, or was, but it sounds like maybe he's coming to terms with it?"
"Is that wh-what happened with Gaara-san?"
"Oh, uh…" He crossed his arms and looked up at the ceiling. "I think so. I hope so, anyway. Gaara's…complicated," he lamented.
Hinata let out a quiet giggle, and Naruto grinned in response. "So just like Neji-nii-san then."
The blond ordered a second bowl of ramen and leaned back on his stool, casting a side-eye at the Hyūga. Hinata was easy to like, and didn't seem as…judgy, perhaps, as some of the people he was used to dealing with: Rōshi, Han, Neji, even Kiba, Shikamaru, and Shino to a lesser extent. It was a lot nicer to deal with the Hinatas and Fūs and Lees of the world, even as he'd learned to adapt to…crankier folks. "You could always knock some sense into him the hard way?" he suggested.
"A-ah, n-no, that would…not end well."
She seemed down, and Naruto was beginning to realize that Neji – perhaps her whole family – was a sensitive subject. "You could come over and train with us anytime, if you wanted. You know Gaara and Fū, er, kinda anyway, and I'm sure Rō—uh, no. But Utakata-nii is smart and kind, and if you ever wanted to get stronger than you are now, maybe we could help with that!"
"You think so?"
He nodded enthusiastically, ramen broth from a few hanging noodles dripping everywhere. "Yeah!"
Hinata watched him for a long moment, thoughtful while he continued to eat. "That would be…nice. Could…could Kiba-kun and Shino-kun comes as well? Kurenai-sensei has us train as a team, and it might help prepare us for…different opponents."
"Sure, I don't see why not."
"Th-then…it's a date."
Naruto blinked, surprised, and then grinned. "I guess it is." Hinata's own smile was smaller, but no less genuine, and the blond realized that all the indecision had been worth it if the end result was bringing everyone together. Yeah, this'll be fun!
-l-l-l-
Author's Note: Well, this chapter exploded… I'll just add that they're only 13 and romance will not feature heavily in the story, but I did want to build a base for what may come in the future, as well as establish a stronger friendship for the Konoha 12.
Funny story: I've had the scene where Gaara just obliviously reads Icha Icha (and gives terrible advice) in mind for a very long time now, so that it's actually canon (to the novels) that he does the same thing, with the same result, and I didn't know until I randomly looked up Icha Icha is kind of hysterical.