Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

One morning, an enemy entered Konoha. Well, enemies entered Konoha on a daily basis, naturally, but that time it wasn't a common enemy - it was Uchiha Sasuke. The great village was blissfully unaware of the presence of their former darling, until the man reached the Hokage tower. ANBU wasn't going to be fooled by some henge, especially ANBU captains.

"What are you doing here?"

Hyuuga Neji, huh.

"I need to see your Hokage. And I am not going to tell why."

Somebody shrieked, feeling dread from two killing intents clashing.

"Then I am not going to let you in." The ANBU replied, shifting his stance ever-so-slightly.

As if he was going to.

The air shifted again. "What a visitor," the newcomer drawled, looking through Sasuke's henge with a single Sharingan.

Whatever calmness the Uchiha possessed snapped at that moment, causing him to lose the grip on his jutsu.

"That's much better," said his former sensei (if Hatake Kakashi ever deserved the title). "Such scowl fits only on your real face."

There was again a shriek as the Uchiha was recognised. Kakashi's grip on the kunai loosened a fraction.

Uchiha pride aside, Sasuke had little chance here. He had felt no need to use his chakra sparingly and now suffered the consequences. Whatever he might think of Hatake Kakashi as a teacher didn't mean the man was a weak ninja. The Hyuuga couldn't be tossed aside as well.

"I came to see your Hokage," he repeated.

Kakashi smiled acidly, not missing the pronoun. "Do you have an appointment?" He asked with poisonous politeness and smiled again at Sasuke's withering look.

And then with a slight woosh of wind the Hokage himself arrived.

"What's going on?" Naruto was already in a Sage mode, probably to see what got two of his top ninja so riled up. He looked at his unappointed visitor, frowned and nodded, releasing his stance.. "Let him go inside, you're attracting too much attention already."

Once they made it from curious eyes and ears, Naruto turned to the unexpected guest. "What brings you here?"

Sasuke tensed and shot a glance at the ANBU, who stood right behind his leader now. After a few heartbeats of silence, the Rokudaime finished studying his wayward (former, now, wasn't he?) teammate and sighed.

"Okay, leave us alone."

"That's not very wise," Kakashi warned.

"Have some faith in your Hokage, will ya?" Naruto mumbled. "Have some free time and don't feel guilty. Now," he stressed the word, showing it as a clear dismissal. He looked after the displeased shinobi and activated masked seal on the floor. "Now all the privacy you can get here."

"First," Sasuke began, "I'm not doing it for you, I'm doing this for Itachi's dream, so don't get any ideas."

"I have plenty of ideas, but very few of them are about you," Naruto shot back.

They stared at each other for the next couple of minutes.

"You would find it interesting to look at the statue again," Sasuke said finally and registered Naruto's paling face without any kind of pleasure. "Have you already?"

The Hokage shook his head. "No time. But- have you been there yourself?"

"Yes."

"Nothing strange?"

"Not for me," Sasuke blinked and repeated to himself that Itachi would tell his beloved Konoha's Hokage everything, "Karin and Juugo had told me they were poisoned before they died."

Naruto's face became grey even under his tan. He took a deep breath and fell silent, looking somewhere behind Sasuke. "Did you have a professional medic look at you?"

The Uchiha only raised his brow at the question. Any medic good enough would strike him down at the first opportunity, and he had absolutely no desire to deal with missing-nins.

"How do you even live with all the trouble following you?" Naruto asked and Sasuke raised his brow even higher to indicate that he considered the question to be highly hypocritical.

The Hokage released the seal. "I need a medic to look at you before I go- What the heck?" he cried as the room flooded with people. Well, not exactly flooded, but three aggressive ninja would be enough to make a stadium feel tiny.

"I'd ask you that," Shikamaru drawled, not bothering to be respectful. "Half of the village is panicking, and you decide to shut yourself up with him."

Naruto frowned and sagged slightly, but his tone was firm. "I need to leave Konoha for a while, so make a rumour that it was… erm… my stupid prank and now I'm lying ill due to Sakura's… well, due to Sakura. And call for her."

Nobody moved, all stares at the leader. "You cannot leave," Neji informed finally, seeming to be the only one with enough will to not strangle the Hokage right there and then.

"I have to."

Shikamaru stepped in. "Tomorrow is your birthday, if you disappear right before the festival no amount of false rumours will be able to calm the civilians. And am I right and you intend to "leave Konoha for a while" with a nukenin?"

Naruto winced. "It doesn't-"

"It surely does! Get yourself together, Hokage, you have no right to abandon your village."

"Calm down and let me finish!" Naruto replied, straightening and squaring his shoulders.

His advisor deflated under the Hokage's stare. "My apologies."

"Did anyone send for Sakura? Oh, Kami," the Rokudaime said, momentarily creating a clone. "First, it doesn't matter if Sasuke is nukenin or not. Considering the information, I'll go either way. Second, I'm not abandoning my village, you may safely refrain from reminding me of my rank. And third. I'm going now, and by dawn I'll be back."

"You are not going alone." Neji said after the Konoha shinobi understood the Hokage's I-Made-A-Decision tone of voice.

"I'm going to travel fast," Naruto shrugged. "And all of you have business in the village."

"Sparrow is able," Neji replied, and Shikamaru smiled thinly.

"Sparrow is able," The Nara nodded, followed by Kakashi. "And that's the only condition I'll accept."

The mighty Rokudaime Hokage looked as if he was deadly sick.

"Sakura is coming." Neji informed. So he had his Byakugan active that whole time.

"What's the matter, Naruto?" they heard her worried voice before the girl herself stepped in, stopping dead in her tracks at the sight of her long lost classmate. She pursed her lips and turned away from the Uchiha. "You called, Hokage-sama?" she asked.

"I need you to inspect him, Sakura." Naruto said calmly and rather quietly. "Look for any traces of hostile chakra, and hurry up."

She looked dubious, but complied, frowning when Sasuke took one step back.

Naruto grit his teeth. "Oh, for Rikudo's sake, stay still, there were no orders to kill you."

But Sasuke still hesitated, catching Sakura's look of veiled displeasure at the words. He wasn't comfortable with anybody getting too close to him for a long time, and now to let a high-level medic near his vitals seemed pure insanity. Sakura had a reputation to be mindlessly cruel when provoked since Academy days, when she hadn't known yet how to cut a person's nervous system with one gentle touch of chakra.

"I'm going only to inspect," she stated calmly. The heavy 'that's only for now' hung in the air.

Sakura's chakra was light and calming, contrasting the medic's cold eyes.

"I've found nothing, Hokage-sama," kunoichi reported and walked away at the first sign of dismissal. Her back was rigid and tense.

The heavy silence hung in the air.

Naruto clapped."All right! Get the Sparrow and to the dawn I'm back! Hokage's word!" He smiled brightly, although that obviously was fooling nobody. "Hurry, hurry, the sooner I leave the sooner I return. Thanks for the visit, good luck!" The Hokage waved at Sasuke, and the Uchiha couldn't refrain from blinking in astonishment. Sure, he wasn't going to play some guide, but that cheerful dismissal was unexpected.

"Wait," he said, folding his arms, "I gave you the information. I need your answer."

"You mean now? I haven't seen anything yet, so what information? Or are you going to travel with us? Can you keep up?"

Although the question wasn't meant as offensive, Sasuke bristled. Still the moron could shake him out of his calm. "Try me."

"Okay." Naruto shrugged and leaped out of the door. Outside, "Sparrow" was already waiting. With some difficulty, Sasuke recognized the boy who filled Sasuke's own place in Team 7. Naruto nodded at the ANBU and grabbed their arms.

Next moment they were outside the village, near the Ice Springs.

"Let's go!" Naruto cried sharply and darted forward, giving Sasuke no time to look closely on the Hiraishin seal under the rock.

The question about keeping up certainly wasn't offensive. Sasuke might be faster in combat, but Naruto was an insanely fast runner, not to mention endless Uzumaki stamina. After the first three hours of constant speeding up, Sasuke gave up and followed Sparrow's example, who was flying on an ink bird. Seeming as both of his companions had no trouble now, Naruto decided to accelerate more.

It was getting ridiculous.

"What an insane creature," Sasuke's hawk noted, and was absolutely right.

When the grey crater of the Juubi's blast got in sight, Naruto stopped and signed for his guard to land.

"Get down too!" Uzumaki hollered at Sasuke, but he pretended not to notice. "Your summon won't go further anyway, don't be a child."

"He's right," Kataka said before Uchiha could retort, "I got you here only because humans never before made such a good competition." The hawk landed graciously and went to his realm.

"Stay here, would you?" Naruto offered softly and went to the grotesque statue. Sasuke frowned, noting tiny changings in its position, and proceeded to follow.

"Stay there!" Uzumaki shouted angrily, turning back. Sparrow wasn't moving, seemingly having received his orders.

"It didn't poison me then, it won't now." Sasuke said, releasing his seal.

Naruto didn't seem too surprised, he just looked at the Uchiha for some time and ran again, that time not bothering to check.

It's even worse than we thought. Kurama growled, his tails twitching.

'No shit' Naruto thought in reply.

He could practically feel the Juubi inside the statue whispering, whistling and howling. It had been mad when he applied the first seal, now it was beyond human understanding.

'Do we have any chance?'

We didn't have it then, why should we now? And no, Gyuuki is not able to help either, Naruto. The poison is already spreading.

'I cannot think up any seal to block it,' Naruto thought.

Because there isn't one. Face the truth, Naruto, it's too late. Kurama said sadly

'I know' the Jinchuuriki replied and the mere admission hurt more than Shinju's chakra, which tried to eat Naruto's constantly regenerating lungs and eyes.

Go back, Naruto, no need to torture yourself.

'You're right.'

Naruto was stopped short when a clawed hand grabbed his shoulder.

"What did you see?" Sasuke demanded, and even that inhuman form of his terrified Naruto less than the dissolving Shinji behind.

"I saw less than you, I have quite common eyes." Naruto shot back and sped away.

"I can help you." he heard and halted, turning to the frowning Sasuke.

"Sorry?"

"I can help you, I said. I have Itachi's dream to keep, and- and he believed in you." Uchiha seemed to almost choke on the words.

Naruto's eyes were hooded. "I need to think. Alone and in quiet."

Where are you going to find quiet if these two are short of killing each other?

'I wish I knew'

Naruto was slumped under a tree, half a mile away from the crater, but the ground here already felt poisonous.

'I wish I defeated the bastard then. There was a possibility not to let him make the seals. I damn hate regretting and wishing, but I wish.'

Sasuke was a master of impassive stares, but ANBU mask gave Sparrow a big advantage. He was half tempted to walk away, but whatever made Uzumaki I-Laugh-At-Your-Stupid-Hairstyle-Madara-And-Taste- Some-More-Rasengan Naruto look so defeated and doomed deserved some waiting. Even if the Konoha's Kage was acting like a drama queen.

Sparrow twitched and flashed away. Sasuke frowned and cocked his head, detecting a pair of well masked shinobi. They flared for five seconds, jutsu clashing, then everything went silent again.

"Jeez, what jerks, couldn't wait for a half an hour?" Naruto moaned, watching as Sparrow calmly tied nins to the nearest tree. "Should have returned to Konoha, dammit."

"I doubt there will be others attempting to kill you, now that it's clear you're the Hokage."

Both Naruto and Sparrow turned to Sasuke, incredulous. Considering Sparrow's mask, it was quite a feat.

"Of course there will be more, now that it's clear that I am the Hokage," Uzumaki replied and shook his head at Sasuke's furrowed brow. "I smashed half of their country into nothing, how do you think they should feel?"

Sasuke stood perfectly quiet, trying to adjust the situation. "Usually people feel gratitude."

"Well, when they face off something and then somebody defends them, probably, but thankfully they weren't there when we fought, and they don't know what we fought, so naturally they'd blame us. Whom else?" Naruto shrugged casually. "Besides, it's not like they do not have a point. We did blast half of their fields and plantations away, not to mention chakra poisoning from Bijuu bombs."

The perfect, iron grip Sasuke always had on his emotions blasted away. Probably just like those fields and plantations.

It was idealistic, it was accepting, it was stupidly, ridiculously honorable, but it was honest, and it was damn. Naruto.

Those blasted fools were dense to not care what could hit them, to not pay any interest to possible dangers, only because half a thousand shinobi met their death here.

Maybe that's why Itachi held him in such high regard.

"Is it a common occurrence?" Sasuke asked finally, finding himself eager to slap the Hokage.

"Well, three countries are after my head." Naruto scratched his neck sheepishly.

Or beat him to the ground.

Come to think about it, Sasuke wanted to do it for a damn long time.

No wonder Itachi asked him to…

"Then I'm going with you."

Naruto just stared at him with a still face. "You're going where with me?"

"To Konoha. You are going to get yourself killed." And Itachi's dream would be lost to some retard like Hatake.

The Rokudaime looked at him very, very long, a far cry from the boy who had promised to get Sasuke back even if it'd take broken limbs.

"You do realize that it's not my place to make decisions like that, don't you?" Naruto finally asked. "I have a village to listen to."

"You have council." Sasuke said accusingly, feeling strangely betrayed.

"Of course I do," There was again the same incredulous look on Naruto's face. "How am I supposed not to be some control-freak? A Hokage cannot just order what they want. And I won't ask every villager for the opinion," Naruto scoffed, "don't be ridiculous."

'It's you who is ridiculous' was Sasuke's childish thought.

"My council and my advisers I trust without any doubt, Sasuke, and I need them to trust me. So if it's not for for your liking, I'm sorry - but I cannot bid the village to your tastes."

The feeling of betrayal and disorientation grew. "So what do you choose - your title or your promise, which you boasted you would keep no matter what?"

"Did the seal finally screw your brain? Kami, Sasuke, don't dare to place me in front of such a choice. Have you ever cared to think why there are no hunter nins from Konoha or Suna or Kiri after you? I am perfectly loyal to my promises. Make up your mind already, you go or you don't."

Naruto scoffed.

"Although you always were like that, I take my words back. You have whatever long you need."

Sasuke literally saw red, because the words weren't even said and meant as offence. No, they were simply stated facts, without vile and much emotion.

Sasuke wasn't about acceptance at all, so he didn't believe it ever existed. He was blatantly showed the opposite today, and Naruto had been disgustingly honest and open and easy-to-read. No, not easy to read, but easy to detect lie - as he had always been. Terrifyingly, horribly accepting Naruto, who didn't accuse people because he didn't expect of them more than a person was wont to do. That was what made him such a beloved Hokage, what inspired Itachi so.

And terrified Sasuke to no end.

"I'll go." He said, still in shock.

Naruto blinked. "I'll use Hiraishin. If you go the same way, please don't kill each other."

Sparrow turned to the Hokage. "It's too dangerous to travel at that distance in one jump."

"I beg you," Naruto scoffed. "Of course I left a few kunai on the way here, haven't you noticed?"

Sparrow seemed slightly baffled, because apparently he hadn't. Sasuke was ashamed to admit the same.

With the swirl of light and chakra Naruto jumped away.

Naruto had two advisers and a small council of five. However, such case clearly demanded for the whole of clan heads and civilian representatives.

And gossips would be worse than anything he had seen.

Pausing to pick his kunai, Naruto sniffed the air.

The rain is coming.

'Maybe tomorrow's celebration will be cancelled.'

Don't even hope

Kurama laughed and Naruto smiled in return.

Shikamaru still waited for him in his office, which meant that the laid-back Nara was really pissed or on edge. Or both.

"How did it go?"

"Well, they cheated. Used birds," Naruto sniffed. "Bastards. And Sasuke suddenly wants to bodyguard me."

Shikamaru seemed just as appalled as Naruto felt, though undoubtedly over different facts.

"What did you reply?"

"That I cannot answer him by myself. So if he's really serious, they should be here sometime soon. I asked them not to kill each other really nicely, would they listen to it?"

"What? You are not serious, Naruto, you cannot yield to him because of the childhood rivalry or long ago given promise."

"I didn't yield, okay? I didn't say 'Yes' and drag him here, the bastard is free to go wherever he feels like. And if I go back on my promise, how am to trust myself?

Naruto turned away. "Besides I really have no intention to decide it by myself."

Shikamaru's shoulders sagged. "But you cannot parade him in front of the Main Council. The civilians will panic."

"Your ideas?" Naruto still looked somewhere else.

"I have plenty of them. We'll call for our small council, decide what to do together, and afterwards I'll talk with him."

"You are really mad, aren't you? I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise for something you didn't do or cause," Shikamaru clasped Rokudaime's shoulder. "I'll go fetch everybody."

"Geesh, who are you and what did you do to my adviser?" Naruto cried. "I'll do it myself."

Naruto's small and quick-thinking council of five consisted of people who knew how to make decisions. But even they would have a hard time with the current case.

"Sasuke decided he wants to bodyguard me." Naruto started without preamble.

The Hyuugas stared, Sakura stared, Tsunade stared. Kakashi opened his book. "Either I am delusional or you met some other Sasuke."

The Hokage shot his former teacher a withering look.

"What did you reply?" Tsunade asked with barely concealed disgust.

"That I need your opinion. And although I pretty much know it, I would like to hear it."

"What are his reasons?" Hinata asked. "Do they have anything to do with your trip?"

This time Naruto directed a Look at Neji. "Partly. I stumbled on a pair of hunter-nins, as usual. And he decided I am too easy to kill." he finished with loathing.

"Oh, no, what are his real reasons?" Kakashi interjected mildly. "Sasuke decided that long ago, if I am not mistaken."

Naruto looked uncomfortable.

"And where did you went today?" Sakura frowned.

Knowing that Sai would tell them, Naruto replied. The tension increased twice.

"Why would he ask to travel there? What did you find?" Sakura stood up. "And he better has good reasons for his request, I am too tempted to cut off his spinal nerves."

"How the hell would I know? I have no Sharingan, and everything looks the same."

Kakashi looked at him but kept silent.

"I think it's safer to kill him." Neji said and received a nod of confirmation from Tsunade. "And we did start without Sai."

"We also started without Sasuke-san," Hinata added, unfazed by cringing at her politeness, "wouldn't it be better to listen to him? He's a man of purpose, I wonder what prompted him to request that."

"He's a man of rotten mind and honour." Neji spoke through his teeth.

"But Hinata-san has a point. We need to talk to Sasuke-kun to be fair." Kakashi said. "We cannot be unfair, can we?"

Thus Sasuke was greeted by the Hokage's advisors, while Sai was politely invited to join the rest and probably not beat their Hokage.

"Hello again, Sasuke." Kakashi said. The Uchiha noted the absence of any book.

"I need to hear your request and the reasons behind him." Shikamaru's eyes were sharp and loathing.

"I made no request. I simply stated that Naruto is too reckless and," Sasuke spat the alien word, "honorable to even kill the hunters after his head."

"That is none of your business."

"Aah, calm down, Shikamaru, that is clearly Sasuke's business. I wonder, maybe Naruto misinterpreted his words and Sasuke just meant that he must be the one to kill Naruto. That, I can believe."

Kakashi calmly met Sasuke's burning glare.

"We seem to be in a confusion, Sasuke," The shinobi went on. "I personally think that you're after Naruto just like those hunter nins. Am I right?"

The nukenin only kept on glaring a hole through his skull.

"That will not do, Sasuke. If you really have any interest in Naruto you must let us know, because I'm not going to expose my Hokage to someone like you without a solid reason."

Sasuke turned to Shikamaru. "But you are perfectly alright with exposing your Hokage to someone like him?" he nodded at Kakashi.

Nara's brows shot up. "As you see. If you're wondering what's the difference, I am not even going to waste my time."

"Me neither. I am here not to pledge my loyalty to you." Sasuke sneered.

"I don't need it, but if you intend to live in Konoha, you are to pledge your loyalty to the Hokage, and I doubt it exists at all."

Shikamaru looked at him hard, again. "I'll let you near Naruto if you swear on your eyes."

Kakashi scoffed. "That's not the most important. I accept if Sasuke swears on his brother's will and honour."

Sasuke pinked with fury, and Shikamaru secretly marveled at the jounin's ability to perceive.

"That is the reason you even bother, isn't it? If you publicly swear, I'll accept. Oh, don't pale so much, Sasuke, I won't make you shout your oaths from the top of the Hokage's tower, but there are people who would dearly love to hear it."

Kakashi stood up, looked at his former pupil and went out.

One evening before the Rokudaime Hokage's twenty third birthday, Uchiha Sasuke swore on his brother's memory, honour and dream to follow him and accept as his Hokage.

Kakashi and Shikamaru looked far too pleased with themselves, Neji and Sai looked disbelieving but accepting, Hinata looked so polite nobody could guess at her thoughts, Tsunade and Sakura looked murderous.

And Naruto looked like he wished the earth could swallow him up. Or hiraishin out of the room as soon as possible.

"Do we even need all that drama?" he asked meekly.

Sai ignored the remark. "That's all very good, but how can Uchiha-san fit in Konoha?"

"As an ANBU." Shikamaru yawned.

Both Neji and Sai looked at him and chorused "No."

"My men are not going to like it, Hokage order or not," The Hyuuga shook his head.

"And Uchiha-san has been in our bingo books for too long for mine to be trusting." Sai added.

Hinata frowned. "But we cannot expose Sasuke-san to the villagers. And even ANBU gossip."

Her cousin looked aghast, but didn't argue.

"I wasn't talking about him joining ANBU and taking missions." Shikamaru was looking at the ceiling. "I answered the question how can he fit into Konoha."

It took the council the entire of two seconds to get his idea.

"Some special mask, then? I am not too eager to consider Uchiha-san to be part of my squad, and I bet Neji-san feels the same."

"Need to install a voice alterer."

"Puberty did it for you."

"Sasuke-san has never been prone to talk a lot anyway."

"I still don't like that, and I'm not going to heal both of you, you hear me?"

"Gosh, obaa-chan, when was the last time I needed it?"

"More importantly, where's he going to live?"

Kakashi looked at the Hokage with alarming affection. "If Sasuke is Hokage's charge now and vice versa, it's only logical for him to live in the immediate vicinity. Hokage mansion is big."

Naruto went ashen, and even Sasuke, all the time picturing Itachi to refrain from snapping, leveled the adviser with his best Die-Long-And-Prosper glare.

"That's for all the bother we got today." Shikamaru nodded. "If you won't be able to keep somebody on leash, Konoha doesn't stand a chance."

"I am going to cut your nerves one by one at the first sight of disloyalty." Sakura declared finally and everybody fell silent. "Naruto, I hope you won't regret it tomorrow. I need to go, my shift is about to start."

The woman rose gracefully, gave her Hokage a small bow, another one to the rest of the counsil, and for newly accepted fellow shinobi she had a great look, full of venom and promise.

Naruto heaved a sigh and pressed a hand to his right temple. "If that's all, I suggest a break for a few days. By the way, any ideas as to who send to Kumo?"

Hinata coughed politely and smiled at the Hokage, indicating her intent to leave. The Hyuugas rose and bowed together, followed by still frowning Tsunade.

"And I still have some business to deal with. Have a good night," Sai smiled at Naruto's I-hate-you.

"I have one idea," Kakashi drawled, and with an overly interested "You don't say" Shikamaru followed.

It surely didn't seem as though they were abandoning their Hokage

Naruto looked at Sasuke.

"You sure know how to make one's life a hell, don't you?"

The mask they gave Sasuke was grey without any pattern, the inside covered in complicated seals, eyeholes shadowed. The rest of outfit was just as dull and undistinguishing, seals here and there, a pair of sheaths and a few hidden weapon pouches.

"The seals will hide your chakra signature," Naruto sniffed. "And don't forget about the hood, you stupid duck-butt."

The new Hokage's guard at first terrified half of the village out of their wits, especially considering the fact that he didn't even bother to hide, following Naruto's bright figure like a shadow of doom.

Then people got used to him, as they always do, with everything and in every situation, and Konoha opened itself in front of its wayward son fully.

Naruto, as always, gave puzzle after puzzle, never ceasing to stun people with the unique way his mind worked. Among people he was just the same as he was at home - thoughtful and attentive one moment, cheerful and goofy next. He dove into his duties with that same resolve that had always led him everywhere and got victorious, at the same time never ceasing muttering complaints about ungrateful brats and slacking advisers. Uzumaki Naruto was considered one of the most dangerous Kage ever lived, not mentioning the rest of the shinobi world, but every time the fact was mentioned, Naruto got flustered and changed the subject clumsily.

And weeks passed, bringing silly sense of safety and hope. Weeks grew into months, month morphed to become a year. Somewhere during that year Sasuke received a punch and a permission to visit the closed-off Uchiha compound. "Happy birthday, shovel face!" Naruto declared and frowned at the pile of D-ranks.

Chuunin Exams were the bright buoys, mainly because Naruto felt obliged to accompany the Konoha genins to the villages, and that caused Sasuke to curse his love for Itachi to heaven, because protecting someone with a bunch of dense brats ready to get underfoot was trying.

"I'm still a genin." Naruto snickered once, sitting next to Kazekage. "I remember on my first Chuunin Exam I promised to become Hokage no matter what. "

Mizukage, who was situated on Gaara's right, smiled at him. "I am quite sure we would've seen an interesting exam if the participants weren't so scared at the prospect of fighting you. Almost all my jounins refused to apply their teams."

Naruto slumped slightly, resting his chin on an open palm. "Not fair! I also want to have fun."

Gaara let out a sigh which in his cause indicated a snort.

With time the first signs of an oncoming disaster became visible. Maybe because of Sasuke being so close for so long time, or maybe because of his natural power of observation.

Naruto was becoming restless. He composed himself more and shut himself in his fuuinjutsu room every evening. He drawed elements of seals every free minute, but hid them from anybody. Too bad Naruto wasn't sneaky enough to hide from Sasuke.

The last drop was one quite unassuming morning, when Sasuke was woken by a deep wired instinct under the name Something Wrong/Someone Near. He got up groggily, not bothering to put on his cloak and fully expecting to find Naruto doing something stupid with the help of a couple of clones. Or a woman.

Ow, that mental image is disgusting.

Instead he found four people staring dumbfounded at the Hokage's empty bed, a couple of kunai in the pillow and an impaled sheet. They didn't even manage to cry in surprise when the killing intent hit them.

After wiping his bloodied hand on a shredded sheet, Sasuke frowned and looked around. Naruto could be idle and lazy, but not to the extent of hiding somewhere when his home was invaded.

By the time the Hokage condescended to show up in his torn room, blinking owlishly at the mess, the ANBU forces were in uproar.

"What's going on?" The Rokudaime asked and shrank back under Kakashi's smile.

"We need to talk," the adviser crooned, and Naruto almost whimpered.

"I wanted to spend some time alone! It's not my fault these stupid jerks decided to show up at that same moment. By the way, shovel face, was there really any need to wash my room in blood?"

Sasuke sent his best despising glare from behind his mask.

Sakura on the other hand wasn't wont to keep silent when crossed. "You can be alone in your mansion!"

"I can't! The shovel face lives there!"

"That's the whole idea of keeping you safe! Where were you?"

Naruto blinked.

"On the monument. There is something inspiring in promising to show everybody what you're worth and then like "Hey, that's my head I'm sitting on! Cool!" he snickered.

"Don't keep me for a fool!" Sakura hollered. "We looked there first thing!"

Naruto snapped his teeth helplessly under her furious glare. "All right, all right, I was in the Fuuma Hot Springs, just don't kill me, I can't possibly have any kind of private life with the shovel face around, can I?"

Sakura stared and stared.

"You were… having your… private life… in the Fuuma Hot Springs?" she straightened from her intimidating position and looked at the Rokudaime. "Well, that's sensible, I guess. Oh, Kami, you are twenty four, aren't you?"

Naruto sniffed. "That's really mean."

Sasuke moved to the only member of the small council who knew how to be unbiased to the limit. Hinata was looking at their ruler with the mild interest, Neji was glaring at the advancing Sasuke.

"How can I help you, Sasuke-san?" she asked complaisantly. To some extent, her politeness was expected, if Sasuke's memory was sound (and it definitely was), Hinata was something timid and afraid to insult, but the young woman with the always calm face wasn't timid or afraid. She was just polite and attentive, another Konoha enigma.

He indicated to the door. Hinata's right brow did a slight move and the clan head shook her head slightly. "Later."

"I promise not to scare you like that, satisfied?" Naruto shouted, jumping from his seat.

"So?" Hinata asked politely, standing near the silent shadow, while Naruto proceeded to eat yet another plate of takoyaki, resisting the attempts of Chouji's youngest to free the Hokage of his bright hair.

"I think he was lying." Sasuke said in a barely heard whisper.

"I am quite sure he was." Hinata nodded. The Hyuugas wasn't adept in body language for nothing. "But it'd be useless to pry, I'm afraid. It seems Naruto-san does not trust us with some secrets."

"He makes some seal."

"That's not an uncommon occurrence. Naruto-san is extremely good at fuuinjutsu, he creates something all the time."

Sasuke tried to swallow the information. In his opinion, fuuinjutsu was a brain-wracking knowledge, where your insides could be scattered a mile around because of one stupid brush stroke. While his natural genius provided the Uchiha with basic understanding and ability to combine most simple elements, he preferred to stay away from seals and seal users, explosion tags included. He hadn't thought Naruto took fuuinjutsu to that extent. Sure, the Hokage had the room which he tenderly called 'My Boom and Stuff Room", where every wall was stuffed with the fuuinjutsu scrolls. It was twice as big as his weapon room and ten times bigger than that cupboard with the bed that Naruto called a bedroom.

"But he hides his sketches, especially from Hatake."

"Have you seen any?" Hinata asked, and her brow lowered again, a tiny, barely perceptible movement.

Sasuke nodded.

"I am not as good as Naruto-san, but I have to understand the seal-making," she said. "I would appreciate it greatly if you recreate and show me a few of them."

A piece of fried potato flew past them and the pair turned to observe the Akimichi siblings wrestling one another among the piles of plates and Naruto, drenched in ketchup.

The Hyuuga clan head appeared in the Hokage mansion that same evening, slipping past the Hokage unnoticed. She looked at the crude drafts for a long time, turning her head that way and another, until admitting defeat.

"Naruto-san is a genius. I need to look at the full seal, although some parts I don't like either way. It needs to be quite big."

The place where Naruto could keep the seal was right there, in the mansion. The problem was, when a fuuinjutsu master wanted something hidden, he usually hid it well, and some time ago Naruto'd decided to keep his study shut. The issues began at the door.

"It's sealed, isn't it?" Sasuke asked.

Hinata hummed something and activated Byakugan, only to take a step back immediately, squeezing her eyes shut. An attempt to use Sharingan left the Uchiha just as stunned and disoriented from the assault of chakra design.

"No other way, then." The woman decided and placed her hand at the door knob. The wood squeaked pitifully and gave way under the assault.

The room was literally full with the scrolls, banned from Konoha's libraries and clan possessions, rough sketches everywhere.

And in the middle of the floor, proud and elaborate, the full seal was painted, every little element in blood.

Hinata gasped and stumbled back, her chakra flaring chaotically. For Sasuke, the seal was while quite intimidating (honestly, when had Naruto managed to become a fuuinjutsu jenius?), but nothing that scary. Apparently, the Hyuuga clan head thought the opposite. "Wh-what's that?" She stammered, taking deep breaths and scanning the seal again and again.

If Sasuke weren't so annoyed, he probably wouldn't have noticed a tiny flare of chakra before the blade went for the Hinata's throat.

"What?!" Naruto squeaked, still holding the kunai against Sasuke's protected forearm.

"I'll ask you that," The Uchiha hissed. "What's with the seal?"

The Hokage looked doomed and pleading at the same time. "Hinata, Sasuke, let it be."

The offer was met with silence and incredulous stares.

"Oow, that's something quite elaborate, isn't that?"

Naruto seemed to shrink in himself, looking at the newcomers. Kakashi was studying the seal with so much interest, it was quite clear the adviser was feeling sadistic, Sai contrived to snatch some scroll and was showing a great interest.

Neji and Shikamaru, wearing same I Am About To Throttle My Hokage faces, turned to Hinata.

"Please explain what's going on here."

"Hey, what're you guys doing here?!"

"Maybe you shouldn't have paled and cried about your study while rushing away? Anyway, spill, or I'll unleash Sakura on you."

Naruto made a sour face at his second adviser and yelped, looking at the business end of Sasuke's kunai. "What. Does. That. Do." The Uchiha seethed, backing the Hokage to the wall. "Spill, or I'll burn all the scrolls."

"No need for that, Sasuke-kun," Kakashi interjected, straightening. "It's a very powerful time-dimension seal. I'll admit I'm a little jealous, I'd never think something like that up."

Hinata shot up. "But Kakashi-san! Look here!" she pointed at the five triangles biting into the middle of the seal.

Kakashi smiled and looked at his former pupil.

"It basically states 'reject the body', and that northern part-"

"Enough, Hinata-chan," Naruto smiled hollowly, looking at the seal with strange mix of longing and disgust. "I'll activate it anyway, so let's not cause a scene."

The kunai dug into his throat and met an unresisting air. the Hiraishin seal was on the ceiling, right above the seal, so the mad Hokage managed to slam his open palm on the floor. The magnificent drawing lit up and became alive under everybody's shocked gazes.

The first strike was made by Neji, a simple, classic Juuken move, which got the Hyuuga prodigy stumbling into the growing seal. After that, the hell broke loose.

"It's chakra that makes it see a person." Hinata mumbled and followed her cousin's example. The middle of the drawing was a humming column of light, slowly eating its originator away.

Kakashi looked at the lateral parts with the mild interest. "Oh, I get it now," he shrugged and touched the thin line tenderly.

For Naruto, the creation of the seal became worth it the moment his chakra touched it - it really was something else, above human or even bijuu level of understanding. It was alive, roaring and coming to existence with the force of tsunami. The Kurama's chakra was wild around him and inside him, and when the roaring grew into a low whine, Naruto pushed.

For what seemed to become an eternity of disorientating immateriality, he pushed and was suddenly afraid to dissolve into live he felt around. When the struggle was too strong, and the temptation too inviting, Naruto got help.

Stop it. You're going to eliminate not only yourself.

So he stopped pushing.

And saw himself.

Oh, Kami, how tiny he was - what age had he gotten himself into?

"Hey," the Hokage said softly, coming closer to a little hunched up boy. Everything around was white and light, but the boy's shadow stood up blackly and promising, red grass under bare legs.

The boy's eyes was red and tortured, a gaze of a lonely child.

"Who are you?" he asked, paying no attention to the shining surroundings.

"I'm quite sure I am you," Naruto smiled and stepped closer, watching as the boy looked his tall figure up and down appraisingly.

"Then who am I?"

Naruto frowned and stepped even closer. "Let me tell you my story. How old are you?"

"Eleven."

"I am twenty four. Well, I need your help. You see, I became the Hokage-"

"You!? You mean- me?!"

Naruto laughed and clipped the boy on the back of the head softly. "Yes, I did it, I've been the Hokage for four years now, but before that, I was participating in a war. A very bad one. You with me?"

The boy's eyes were shining. Whether he believed that he suddenly met an older version of himself or he was ready to believe in any lie it was impossible to tell. Probably both. "Yes! I kicked lots asses, right? Did I? Did?"

"Jeesh, was I really that bad with the grammar?" Naruto scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Yes, pipsqueak, I did."

"Don't call me that! You are me!"

"That's why I have a right to call you anything I want. Now, where was I? Right. So, the war was over, but we didn't win. We only subdued our enemy."

Naruto looked at the confused face of the boy and rolled his eyes. Seriously, Kami, why all the brains he inherited had started to work after twenty?

"We tied him. And buried. But the thing is, that creature, he began to poison the earth. And now I don't know how to stop it. And nobody does."

The Hokage passed a tired right hand over his face and looked at the tiny dirty toes of his eleven-years-old self.

"So I decided - not without the help of my friends, of course - why not travel back in time and redo the fight? I pretty much know how to do that. But you see, I got too far, and I honestly didn't expect to see myself as an Academy brat… you attend the Academy, don't you?"

The boy scoffed and puffed his narrow chest. "Of course! How else am I supposed to become a Hokage?"

"I dunno, technically, I am still a genin."

"That's how awesome I am!" the boy laughed and Naruto joined, wholeheartedly agreeing.

"But I need your help. The seal which send me here destroyed my body, and the only one I can fit in is yours - my own."

The boy paled and looked at him with wide, terrified eyes.

"So- so I'll disappear?"

"No! No!" Naruto shouted hurriedly, knowing his biggest childhood fear. "Look, I know that it's hard, and it's really unfair, but I am you! So you won't ever disappear, I won't die until I pass a few new rules... oh, crap, the Hyuugas again- anyway, I've already lived through my childhood, so it won't disappear-"

"But I haven't!" the boy shouted, jumping up and crying. "All I know that everybody hates me!"

Naruto cringed. "I need to do that. That is my duty as a Hokage. People may still hate me and they may never acknowledge me again, but I'll keep them safe. I love them more that myself."

The small, round wet face looked up at him, eyes wide at the sight of that silent strength and resolve. "But they will?" the boy asked quietly.

"I'll do everything possible." Naruto said and clasped the small palm between his, feeling so proud and sad at the same time.

For a moment, he felt disoriented under the attack of flowing memories - long forgotten childhood wounds and tears came alive again, fears grew anew, until Naruto noticed the end of the ties of his hitai-ate and ordered himself to get up.

"I am the Rokudaime Hokage," he said in a soft voice, and his unyielding will straightened with him. The light around dimmed and the outlines of dark walls became visible.

"Oh, blast," Naruto mumbled, looking at the almost forgotten mindscape. "I forgot about that gloomy thing."

He tapped his lips for a few moments, then shrugged and decided to go to the left, big assured steps and proud posture, and it didn't take him long to reach his destination.

"Kurama," the Rokudaime greeted, nearing the great cage and reaching for the seal. He barely managed to dodge a monstrous claw, aimed for his chest.

"Sorry, Naruto," the demon growled, bending his head and lying lower to be on one level with his host's shocked face. "But you can't take off the seal right now. We reached too far ago, and your current body is just not accustomed to the my chakra in any amount. Furthermore, any feel of my power will send Konoha in frenzy, and don't you need the key to do that?"

Naruto scoffed. "As if I can't recreate it. Anyway, you are right, but was it really necessary to scare me like that? I thought for a moment that it was old version of you."

"You understand everything better through actions."

The young man smiled sheepishly. "But I'm sorry you'll have to sit in this thing."

Kurama chuckled.

"I understand that such seal is able to hold almost any amount of power within, but why the gloomy catacombs?" the Hokage frowned.

"It's just the reaction of your mind to the seal and the foreign source of power. But mostly the seal. Your subconscious perceives it as a threat and the inability to get rid of it causes some distress, which in turn manifests into these surroundings. And close your mouth, Naruto, I've lived enough to know how human mind works."

"So cool!" Naruto shouted. "But still I wish I could do something."

"Don't fret, child. Look, the walls are lighter and- there's grass near my cage?"

"Great! I'll grow a forest here!" The Hokage shouted again and jumped in joy. "And then free you!"

He fearlessly walked to the cage and past huge bars. "Thanks for help, Kurama. I'll do my best."

"I know, child," the demon grumbled low, nudging his host with a tail. "Good luck. And look - we have a guest."

"Wha-" Naruto cried out, pushed out of the cage by another giant tail, stumbled, ran into something and raised his head.

Only to look straight into the redredredred wheel of the Mangekyo Sharingan.

Chapter Text

For Sasuke awakening was not a pleasant surprise. Definitely. Mainly because he wasn't used to feel like a hangover amoeba which was recently experimented upon by Kabuto. No, he liked to keep his head clear and body clean of any kinds of poisons. Had Naruto managed to knock him off and then filled his unconscious body with some horrible alcohol? Or maybe it was ramen? Sasuke was dead sure the result would be the same.

With a rasped, forced groan he opened his eyes and frowned at the unknown ceiling. His loyal, honed body refused to move with habitual speed and grace and Sasuke stumbled from his futon, landing on all fours. He dearly hoped to the point of praying that Naruto wouldn't choose that exact moment to boom into his room.

Which wasn't his room at all. Sasuke straightened and looked at the too high ceiling and too wide doors. His brain was slowly awakening and memories came in ruthless, slamming waves, blinding him to the world.

The seal.

Naruto - in a column of light, now wasn't that metaphorical?

The Hyuuga following him.

And then Sasuke himself jumped, because that situation clearly was under the mark of "life-threatening", he'd made an oath and who'd let Neji beat him on being loyal?

The Uchiha heaved a sigh and looked around. He remembered this place now - it was his old room, before his treason, but after the massacre.

Kakashi had said it'd been a time-dimension seal. The dimension travel had taken place, alright. But it wouldn't be terribly surprising if Naruto had managed to pull off an actual time travel.

Sasuke took a look at his legs.

And cursed for the first time in five years.

Last time (this morning or who-knows-how-many-years-in-the-future) his feet had been bigger. And better developed. And how- seriously? Flat feet? How the hell had he become a shinobi with flat feet? Granted, it wasn't a terrible, civilian case, but it was a bleeding wound to his pride.

Sasuke turned his head left and right, taking in the surroundings. The same small futon he remembered, a minimum amount of belongings, a small pile of scrolls in the corner, two sheets of paper near his bed. He padded to the scrolls and looked them over with distaste. The contents were so simple Sasuke couldn't even comprehend them. The papers were Academy tests with proud As and questions of doubtful usability. Curling his upper lip in a disapproving sneer, Sasuke checked his bedside for the hitai-ate and the team photo, just in case, and found nothing.

Sighing like an old man, he left the room. The air in the silent and empty compound was weirdly fresh and light, causing strange desire to take one lungful of air after another. And smile. And maybe even relax a little. But no, Sasuke suddenly realized, it wasn't the air, it was the seal, or the lack of it. The fusion had been so gradual he hadn't been able to pinpoint the difference until the thing was removed. Or he was removed from it - in that case Sasuke wasn't very picky.

He was stuck with the sudden thought that he didn't know what to do. That was also very déjà vu, and the Uchiha lazily recalled that same state of indecisiveness around that age - what to in Academy, how to fly higher, how to secure himself as a Konoha nin, how to get stronger, and more stronger, and again, stronger.

Sasuke got disaccustomed to the feeling so long ago. He always knew what to do in Orochimaru's lair, he made his decisions in split seconds, leaving the crazy nin, joining Akatsuki, leaving them, joining Konoha.

And keeping the Rokudaime alive - that had been one gigantic mess of being ready, quick decisions, being ready, knowing what to do and being ready. Being indecisive was fatal.

Sasuke frowned. There was no had beens, because he jumped in an unknown seal (and he was mature enough by the age of twenty four to acknowledge his fear of the fuuinjutsu) and followed the mad imbecile not to ponder on had beens and used tos.

Whirling on his bare heels, Sasuke strolled out of the compound and in the changed, old Konoha. He was itching to just jump on the nearest roof and-

And go where? The Hokage Tower was out of the question, and Sasuke had no idea where Naruto lived during Academy years. They hadn't been friends then and Team 7 hadn't been functioning well enough to allow visiting each other. He had no Sharingan, his chakra sensing abilities sucked balls and he saw a nin leaping from the nearest lamppost. That only encouraged Sasuke's brooding, because he suddenly realized that at the tender age of… whatever he wasn't even considered adult by the shinobi laws, damn it, and wasn't supposed to wander at the streets of Konoha in ungodly hours.

But screw them, he was a fucking weakling and in a mess, all thanks to Naruto, and damn it all to the Juubi's tails if he wasn't going to shake the former-future-Hokage till he was even stupider to make his point clear.

No. More. Fucking. Seals.

Naruto lived somewhere in the cheapest district of Konoha, which narrowed Sasuke's quest. What narrowed it even more were the graffitis and writings like "Beware of monsters!", "The monster lives two blocks from here! Change the course!" and "It was here yesterday, be careful." The It was underlined three times.

Had Konoha been like that? Sasuke didn't remember the writings, which riled him up even further to the point of being livid at the Sandaime for being so senile as to actually enlighten the civilians of the Jinchuuriki's identity, at the Yondaime for being a brainless fool and thinking that suddenly a mass of terrified, uneducated and dim-witted people would be able to tell the prisoner from the vessel, at the Sandaime again for allowing these imbeciles to do as they saw fit; he was the leader of the fucking military village, what had he been thinking? Then there was the anger at the so-called educated and experienced Konoha shinobi, who were just as prejudiced and mistrusting as any damned civilian, at the Sandaime for not even finding the village's greatest strength a caretaker, at his former classmates who were so much grown ups that they followed their parents' opinions, at himself, for being unable to notice these obvious signs even once and add two and two together, all these 'Bakemono' and 'Stay away from him', and at the Naruto for being always. Damn. Cheerful.

By the time Sasuke got to a shaggy building with half the windows broken, he had reached the long forgotten point of unbelievable, heart-choking rage which sometime long ago had caused him to jump at Danzou without any strategy. Kami what a fool he had been.

He looked up at the building again and frowned at another wave at doubts.

What if Naruto landed in another point in time - earlier or later? What if he was lost in whatever time mess he created?

Sasuke bared his upper teeth when his rage was amplified by the wave of fear.

It didn't matter. He made a promise already, he'd been making a silent one every day, by putting on his gear and coming up behind his Hokage, ready for anything.

That situation could be unique and unexpected, but it was included in the anything, and if Uzumaki Naruto was a helpless, brainless idiot who knew nothing about being the Hokage (only wanting it and declaring his desire from every fucking height) and going through the war - that was alright, Sasuke possessed the knowledge enough for three.

He reached up the top floor, yanked the doorknob - unlocked, of course, you fucking dimwit, it would be unlocked - and entered the dark apartment.

Whatever person Naruto was at the moment was difficult to tell, because he was lying on the floor, his head near the pile of empty instant ramen cups, limbs sprawled and breathing silent.

Fear finally consumed rage.

Sasuke bolted to the tiny body - Kami, had Naruto really been this small? - turned it face uppermost and tried to find the pulse.

His cool, perfectly working brain sped up, throwing possibilities away - Naruto wasn't an Academy idiot, he wasn't a civilian idiot or the-Hokage-travelled-back-in-time imbecile, because Naruto was dead.

That was outside the anything - that wasn't what Sasuke was prepared for. It was outside the anything and, really, the everything. Four hundred and forty days of oath left him with the world constructed around new axis, not around taking revenge upon Itachi, or avenging Itachi, or nursing Itachi's memory and Itachi's ideals and not even around Konoha - the damned, stupid village for which Itachi sacrificed everything. The one who held Konoha, defined it and everybody living in the village, which included Sasuke, was Konoha's Hokage. It was just Sasuke's luck that he happened to be as influenced by the Sixth as everybody else.

Naruto became Konoha, Konoha leaned into him, laid itself down at his feet and refused to let go.

Crouched in the tiny space which was Naruto's kitchen, knuckles white and shaking, Sasuke leaned into the stupid orange spiral, and refused to let the thought in.

So, his worldview had changed - big deal, he was ready to admit he did that a lot. And, yes, maybe Naruto had become a bigger part in his life than before… some point in time. Maybe he had become accustomed to seeing him, ahead and a little bit to the left. Maybe, maybe, maybe.

Naruto had no pulse - and no maybes. No heartbeat - no maybes.

It was outside the anything.

And that was unacceptable.

Unacceptable and unfair, just as his whole fucking life had been, one twisted joke, and whoever had the nerve to laugh at him was going to pay, to pay dearly. Sasuke thought of Naruto, always laughing him in the face, and shook the body, causing the head to roll slightly from side to side, mouth slightly open. He wasn't even laughing, damned imbecile, irresponsible rotter.

Then he thought of Madara - and choked on his breath, because Madara would, oh, he certainly would laugh at him, at them, with pleasure. Oh, he was so going to pay. It was his fault, the brain clicked helpfully, glad to switch from still no pulse, point of no return when the heartbeat is out for- to something helpful. Naruto was itchy because of the statue. Statue was containing the Juubi - and whose fault it had been? Sasuke shut out the memory of him standing beside Naruto in the crater.

Every fucking freak in the Akatsuki was going to pay, especially the immortal one, if he's so tough. He was going to laugh at Madara, he wouldn't be so inconsiderate as to leave his ancestor without returning the favour.

The sleeve was tearing under Sasuke's convulsing palm, and he looked at the fabric with cool, detached interest.

Unfair. Unfair and unacceptable - the dead shouldn't rest with their eyes open. He reached to close the eyelids and.

There were walls closing off around him. Dimly lit, reddish catacombs went forward, corridors to his left and right.

Sasuke looked down at the water splashing at his bare feet and smiled at the well formed sinews from each finger to the strong ankle - he got his good legs back, the better.

The water was thick with chakra.

Kyuubi's chakra.

Sasuke blinked once, twice, then his brain kicked in. The Kyuubi was in the anything - he was bound to Naruto, at least to the Academy version, and the Bijuu couldn't be confined with the Jinchuuriki's death.

That was acceptable, that was something he was prepared for - interrogation. Sasuke raced down the corridor, upper lip in a sneer. It didn't matter to him who was his opponent. The situation needed to get from the outside of the anything back to normal, and he wasn't picky of the ways.

The great fox growled behind the giant bars, the twitching tails casting off dancing shadows on the walls. The seal stood proudly, like the first time Sasuke saw it.

And the stupid imbecile was actually inside the cage. Figures. Trust Uzumaki Naruto to turn everything upside down the very moment you think the world is going to be okay.

The thing was - Naruto looked as he should have. All six feet of Rokudaime Hokage as people had got used to see him.

Why bother with Madara? Naruto was a perfect target to practice some torturing.

The fox looked at the uninvited guest and shoved it's host out of the cage. Sasuke snatched the collar of Naruto's shirt and met his stare straight on.

The fool was going to get it for every moment Sasuke had spent since waking up.

However, his revenge plans was blown away when one of the bravest and strongest shinobi alive shrieked and scrambled away, stumbling in the splashing water. As usual with Naruto - as soon as you got a nice revenge plan trust him to act-

"Madara!" Naruto shrieked, turning to the fox and pointing at the dumbfounded Sasuke.

"No. That's your guarddog," the Bijuu drawled, "look closer, although I admit, the resemblance is astounding."

"Huh?" the Hokage managed, when he was yanked again.

"I hate such jokes, you damned brainless joke of a Kage." Sasuke growled, shaking his charge. "I am going to make you pay for every second I-" he choked on words and his own emotions. "You- you damned imbecile! Have you any idea- I'm just going to- I hate you." He finally stated, choosing safety. Sasuke definitely was hating him at the moment, if only for all the words busting out every second. "Don't call me that name." There. That should make them to the safe water.

"Sasuke, " Naruto frowned, cocking his head, "what else did you expect, when I travel thirteen years ago and see Mangekyo?"

Sasuke blinked and recoiled. The fox cackled from behind the bars. "I bet he didn't even know he switched these eyes on."

The intensity of the famous Uchiha glare was lost on the creature whose age beat Sasuke's clan history.

"But anyway, you two should go away for now, I hear a commotion."

The water rose, swirling around them, and Sasuke found himself staring into Kakashi's lone Sharingan.

Naruto coughed and wheezed at the background. "St- stop it, stop it now!" He managed, Hokage's intonations creepy in the boy's voice. "Everybody with special eyes - turn them off."

Finally, Sasuke's head was freed from the ruthless headlock Kakashi had managed to pull.

Figures - there were them, both Hyuugas and Shikamaru, ridiculously young and underdeveloped. Sasuke felt slightly better about his flat feet, observing Nara's weak posture and Hinata's club-foot as she passed the coughing Naruto to his tiny kitchen. There was clinking and then water running and when the clan head - or was she at the moment only the heiress? returned, she brought a glass of water.

Naruto scrunched his nose at the dirty glass and muddy water, but drank nonetheless. "Thank you," he croaked and sighed, "I guess that answers who decided to jump besides the shovel face."

Sasuke kicked him, just on principle, but nobody commented on the offending act. Now, as the adrenalin started to wear off the small body he occupied felt extremely off. The kick that was intended to throw Naruto through the flimsy wall was weak and barely reached it's target. What was worse, Naruto barely registered it, not even having time to block or duck. Sasuke glared at the too short limb and frowned.

"You have a lot of explaining to do, Hokage-sama." Shikamaru snorted and lied down on the floor. "You can start right now."

Naruto huffed incredulously. "I did what I have to - and I had no intentions to drag you into it. Why the hell did you jump? What were you thinking?"

Kakashi sounded as irritated as his former pupil did. "It's called loyalty, Naruto, and worry. You were plotting something for months - and don't think we haven't noticed, it's a little bit offending."

Sasuke noticed with a small pang of jealousy that the jounin's posture was pretty much the same - he clearly had no trouble adjusting to a new body.

"Shit- what? You knew?"

Neji scoffed. "We know you for more than a decade - you can't pull something like that without us noticing. By the way, Sai also jumped."

This time Naruto shrieked his What and for all it seemed was ready to go into hysteria, but Hinata intervened. "We really have no time to talk about it. Sai-san has always been able to look after himself - in every age. We can't reach him right now, so better focus on the vital matters. Yes, we jumped after you, Naruto-san, and you shouldn't really ask us for reasons - they are obvious enough. I suppose I can safely say we dearly wish to hear your intentions and plan of actions."

"Hinata is a diplomat. I think I'll just burn all your ramen stocks if you don't spill right now." Shikamaru grumbled.

Naruto growled and jumped to his feet. "Oh, shut it. What do you expect to hear? It's that frigging thing with Shinju - it destroys everything. Both air and land are polluted beyond purifying and there's no seal to hold it or cancel it- well, I know a couple, but they aren't able to hold for long. The statue wasn't completed, and- aah! I had no choice! Really, it's been hurting everything - including Shinju, and it's been driven mad, so it's kinda… told me… about this seal. And I really didn't think I end up this far - I thought maybe about a couple of months before the final clash with the bastard, so I had some time to train. And pretend that I suddenly can learn fuuinjutsu while sleeping. But it really was like pushing in a blindfold, so I pushed and pushed, and thanks Kurama he stopped me in time so I ended up here, while I'm eleven. I've got no plan for this, I'm not even a ninja yet! Jiji keeps an eye on me like twenty-four-seven, ANBU everywhere and council lurking from behind every bush! That's a drag!" He finished in a mumble.

"I'm not sure I wanted a mental image of Konoha's current elders crouching behind a bush." Kakashi commented with a pensive expression. Naruto responded with a strangled gurgle of a laugh.

Shikamaru shot up, frowning. "ANBU? You were watched by ANBU?"

"Now that's offending," Kakashi drawled, "while Sasuke was too busy staring at that lovely house, I was abusing my status as an ex-Captain and managed to convince the one following Naruto to trust me with their charge. Of course, Sasuke's supervisor has to suffer me being exceptionally good at genjutsu."

Sasuke choked on breath and received a funny look from Naruto. "Keep your eyes from bulging out, please, it's a disgusting image. Naturally, a lone Uchiha survivor would be followed. You are now a kid, defenceless and quite stupid." Naruto smirked and dodged another kick, stumbling in the process. "Although that makes us face one huge problem - we can't meet together aside from that one time. And certainly you can't visit me here. At least until we're all genins. Oh, Kami, why this far? What have I done in my previous lives? I forgot I was this tiny, I had no money at eleven, no Rasengan, no fuuinjutsu!"

Sasuke leaned on the dirty wall and closed his eyes. Naruto was whining which meant that he was going to make his decision soon.

Hinata's voice sounded hesitant. "How do you know your age? You just came to…"

"I met myself earlier. In my mental… scape… or something."

Silence met the statement.

"Well, it's probably because of the Kurama, and me leading the seal… forget it, forget it, it was strange." His voice sounded slightly pained but final. Everybody preferred to leave it at that.

"This… is going to be a problem." Shikamaru sighed. "As I see, you are not going to enlighten anybody else on our origins?"

"What am I, mad?" Naruto asked incredulously. "I'll be in I&T faster than with Hiraishin. No, I'm not gonna meet Ibiki that way so soon, thanks. Oh," he paused suddenly, "what are you guys going to do? Please, just don't go telling everybody-"

"I think there's a little misunderstanding somewhere." Kakashi interrupted. Sasuke opened one eye. "We followed you… well, to be honest, since the start of the war, and until that point. What makes you think we would suddenly stop? Oh, maybe someone disagrees?" he asked with fake sweetness.

Shikamaru snorted.

"But- but- well, guys, we're in a different time, and I'm eleven now, and the Third is alive."

This time Neji scoffed. "With all respect, Sandaime-sama wasn't the best of rulers, and his decisions backfired badly for Konoha. I… I don't trust him now. And as your adviser said, we follow you."

"You need to stop being so insecure among us, Naruto-san," Hinata chimed in, "for us you're our Hokage, and unless you order otherwise, we'll act as your shinobi." She smiled serenely. "Besides, you don't look like an eleven-years-old, more like our Hokage who decided to henge himself into his Academy days."

Naruto beamed and smiled with gratitude, ducking his head shily. He really was stupid sometimes.

"But it leads us to another big problem," Kakashi interrupted, his frown visible even with the mask, "no one here looks like eleven- or twelve, in Neji's case - years old. The gestures, the language, it's all wrong. Any decent ninja will detect you, not taking in consideration your families."

Shikamaru paled. "That's one big drag… I don't even remember how I behaved back then."

"Ow, you don't need to worry, Shikamaru-kun," Kakashi sang, clearly enjoying himself, "we're all here to help each other. I remember perfectly how you behaved, and won't it be fun to look at all of you as sweet little kids again?"

"Oh, shut up," Naruto glowered along with the boys, "isn't it sweet that you're young again?" He ignored his mentor's dramatic gasp and turned to the second adviser. "But he's right, I remember that you were even more of a lazy ass than now. Neji was a brooding bastard, and, well…"

"Please, don't strain yourself," Hinata interrupted with a hint of a smile, "I remember how I was pretty well. It's not easy to forget things like that in the Hyuuga clan."

Naruto frowned but said nothing on the matter, instead he clutched his chin tightly and began mumbling. "What really worries me is… that we can't really use any of our jutsu, we can't even know them yet. No tree- or water-walking, no elemental jutsu, basically, no jutsu at all!" He moved to clutch at his head. "We need to train, but how? Where? Academy sucks at this, training grounds are forbidden, and on top of that, we're constantly watched!"

"You can train secretly, it's not really that hard. A couple of well-placed scrolls there, a technique seen here, and you have an example to blame. And you can train water-walking in your own bathroom. You just can't start gruelling training all at the same time. It'll arise suspicions, and your motivation will be questionable at least." Kakashi observed. "Moreover, you still have underdeveloped body and brain, they won't be able to keep up with the pace your mind sees as normal. I saw Sasuke's kick - it was miscalculated and pretty weak, and before that, none of you had noticed ANBU, although they did not mask themselves that well, that was the message…" He trailed off for a moment. "What I want to say is - you can't just rush ahead, drawing seals during classes, or go all out during training - your brain needs to catch up to your new memories, you need to adjust to a smaller and weaker version of your own body and keep the training not only successful, but harmless. And have a lot of sleep, we don't want to have five of you delivered in Konoha's hospital with the mental breakdown only for Inoichi to blow our cover, do we? Ow, how lucky I am, I can train and do whatever I want without any need to explain my reasons." He giggled. Being in the role of himself only less responsible came easy to him.

Naruto choked. "I don't think motivation will be any problem - both Neji and Sasuke was training-obsessed freaks since forever, Shikamaru can just calmly do nothing, well, Hinata, I think-"

She interrupted again. "There are plenty of reasons to snap in the Hyuuga household."

"Oh, isn't it great… maybe? As for me… haven't I sneaked on ANBU training grounds enough? Maybe this time I will actually repeat their moves, not what taught…" he trailed off, frowning. "Academy sucks. Don't wanna go there. But hey! This time we can actually help our teams get stronger! And be, like, real teams faster." He cast a sideways look at Sasuke.

"I'm not going to do nothing, thank you very much." Shikamaru grumbled. "I'm going to think and observe, I don't believe for a second you won't slip at any other moment."

"Watch for yourself, lazy ass!" Naruto laughed. "Anyway, great that we cleared that, now go to your own beds, we'll meet in the Academy soon, and until graduation… let's try to keep communication to minimum."

Sasuke glared at Kakashi, when the jounin began to yank him up. "What are you doing?"

"Aw, come on, you barely sit after using Mangekyo, how are you going to reach the compound?"

"I'm not going anywhere." he hissed, yanking his arm back and staggering. Everybody stopped and turned to him, including Naruto, who was waist deep in his dresser. "What do you mean?" He asked, snatching an old sheet from his bed.

"I'm not going anywhere." Sasuke repeated. "Or you're going with me."

Someone - most likely Shikamaru - sighed.

"Why the hell would you stay here, you moron? Why the hell would I go anywhere?"

Sasuke bristled and stalked to Naruto, eyes narrowed. "Are you even for real? You are still the Hokage, I don't care about this fool Sarutobi, you-" he stopped and bit his own tongue. "You are an idiot."

"Sasuke is trying to tell, in his own unique way, that he still intends to follow you, because you're still the Hokage, and he's still your guard." Kakashi smirked. Awful. His smirks were actually palpable in the air.

"WHAT?! Are you mad? Do you think yourself above everything we discussed here? We're on a mission, Sasuke, and we can't blow it up, under no circumstances! We're undercover, starting an hour ago! And there's absolutely no way in the current situation an Uchiha heir can associate with the village's Jinchuuriki! No! Nope! We'll be drugged to Morino in the first day! What were you gonna do, flank me?"

"I didn't care what people thought then, don't see any reason why should I start now." Sasuke hissed, the memory of Naruto's small and cold body still alive. He clutched the collar of a stupid t-shirt again, but was unable to lift the tiny body even a little.

"Ugh! You're unbearable! If I'm your Hokage, then that's an order - take your mission and protect me by staying the hell away from me, because you can't do anything in that state. And I absolutely forbid you to use Sharingan until we have a legitimate reason for it to exist at all. Mangekyo is out of the question. Kakashi, you can knock him out, but get him to the compound."

Sasuke jumped away and sneered, bursting out of the dirty apartment. His chest burnt, and burning half the village along felt like a good idea, only he couldn't. Because his Katon was too weak at the moment, and Mangekyo was out of the question. Out of the question! What else was he supposed to use? He really wanted to activate his eyes right there and parade them in front of Konoha, just in spite, but he couldn't! He couldn't and he didn't even understand why - how was he supposed to know about the ANBU, ordered to look after him? Or detect enemies? Damned fool, he just didn't know what it was - to have such eyes and then suddenly be forbidden to use them.

Sasuke snarled at his own legs, unable to get him to his compound faster, and then spun around. "What do you want? I'm well able to look after myself."

Kakashi seemed unperturbed as usual. Freak. "Just checking. It looks like you're about to have a heart attack." The jounin easily kept up with his former pupil, looking left and right with fake interest. Or maybe he was feeling nostalgic - Sasuke didn't care.

"You know," he called, just before the Uchiha entered his ground and activated the guarding seal. "Right now I think we started to trust you. Good luck."

"Who cares." Sasuke snarled at the empty place and almost raced to his room. He had a lot of things in mind - to burn the house, to kill the Konoha council, to run away and join Akatsuki, to go and spill everything to the senile Sandaime - only he couldn't. He had a mission and his orders, and he almost physically couldn't disobey, he paled in horror as the realization surfaced through his denial. He couldn't disobey and he felt like someone used and betrayed - twice today. He was stuck in this body and his reason for living and getting stronger was just… snatched away. Staying the hell away - how was he supposed to…

The guarding seal boomed slightly, but before Sasuke could find an appropriate weapon, the door opened, and a familiar face peeked in. "Found ya!"

"What do you want?" Sasuke snarled, backing away from Naruto's serious eyes.

"To apologise." The Hokage shrugged thus effectively rendering the Uchiha speechless. "It came out harsh."

"Why are you here? Aren't you followed?"

"Puh-lease!" Naruto rolled his eyes. "I've been sneaking off since I was six. Can I sit?"

"You can do whatever you want." Sasuke snapped and turned away to dig deeper into the shelves.

"Really, Sasuke, I'm sorry I screamed and it was really harsh, but it's a little bit too dramatic, dontcha think?"

His patience gave off with a melodic thump of blood in his ears. Sasuke took Naruto's collar third time that crazy night and growled at his own inability to even think about choking the bastard. "You don't understand, you dimwit-"

"But I think I do." Naruto interrupted, looking terrifyingly serious."I was overwhelmed and didn't think about your Sharingan until later, but then I was just stupefied - why did you came here with the Mangekyo no less, I'm not even able to free Kurama without burning my body, and you are already with it. And I know how an Uchiha can obtain it."

"Shut up." Sasuke choked out. He really didn't need any more of his denial torn away from here that night. He was mature like that to admit it.

"And unless you had the time to befriend someone or find Itachi and kill him, the reason was m-"

"I said shut up! I didn't- I didn't kill you, understand?"

"But you thought you did." Naruto stated calmly and cocked his head when his collar was released with a choked snort.

"I don't know what train of thought led you to that conclusion, and really, I don't want to, but you tend to… overdo yourself when you're in charge of something. And you think you are in charge of me."

Sasuke tensed and yanked the cabinet so hard it fell out, throwing the silverware all over his bare feet.

"I think we're more, like, in charge of each other. And… you really gonna make me say this, aren'tcha?"

He heard the footsteps and attempted to shake off the small palm on his shoulder, but Naruto held tight.

"I rely on you, Sasuke, and I trust you. I… I'm grateful that you came into Konoha back then and I'm really relieved you're here now. I'm just worried. About Madara, and Danzou, and even the Third." Naruto let go and Sasuke turned to see him rubbing his face tiredly. "We have no time to plan, we can rely only on sheer luck and we have little to no freedom to act." He came back to the shaky stool and hunched on it, a small body of a big person.

"You have always had enough dumb luck for three villages."

"I guess that's true." Naruto chuckled without much energy. "But I just keep thinking - there's Madara, but there's also Danzou, and the Elders, and I really- I also don't like some of the things Jiji did, but I keep on thinking that when Obaa-chan returns - I need to do that, she'll be a better 'Kage, but that means letting Jiji die-"

"You're just tired." Sasuke interrupted, looking at the hunched shoulders, and the burn was in the chest again. "You can't really avert his death, Orochimaru was strong, and you know this. The Fifth was a better Hokage, and you know that, too. Only I'm not going to listen to her, either."

Naruto lifted his head and smiled faintly, then paled. "Oh, Orochimaru-!"

"Shut it already." Sasuke winced. The time when he could knock out a grown-up man seemed already so long ago, and now he was afraid to harm spinal nerves, so he did the most sensible thing - he dragged mumbling Naruto to the small futon and dropped him there with the last remains of adrenalin in his system. Or maybe it was the damned loyalty Kakashi had bragged about - but really, Sasuke liked his denial just fine. So adrenalin be it.

Naruto conked out next to Academy sheets with As, mumbling about keeping everybody safe - big surprise, and the owner of the bed with the heavy sigh and a denied bit of excitement in the chest sat down at his bedside and began formulating a plan for the current mission.

Obviously, he wasn't assigned any missions beside the main one, and the disastrous ones before his treason didn't count. Sasuke observed hundreds of missions given to shinobi of all ranks and level of power, starting from newly announced so-called ninja and kunoichi, and ending with Naruto's trusted ANBU Captains, but he rarely participated in any discussion of how to carry out one. His current body was ridiculously tiny and weak, his field of vision so small, hearing bad. Well, at least Naruto was right with the part where he could train all he wanted without arising suspicions. He still needed to kill one man. Well, a plentiful of men, actually. Sasuke frowned - he might have been assigned a mission, but nobody relieved him of the previous one. Naruto might think whatever he wanted, but ANBU did a lousy job, if one eleven-years-old could sneak off their care. Besides, even before his name became famous, Uzumaki Naruto had been a target for too many eyes.

He'd had already checked the calendar - they had eight months until graduation, enough for him to master a few Katon jutsus and maybe raid the compound in search of chakra paper. Although he didn't have a lot of hope on that one - most of equipment was hidden and without fully realized Sharingan the hiding places wouldn't even be seen.

Not using Sharingan was really a stupid order. Sasuke shot a glare at a softly snoring Naruto. That was utterly ridiculous - flat-footed, club-footed, stooping, snoring shinobi. And the elite of Konoha nonetheless.

It was eerily silent as the first rays of sun began showing through the paper wall, Sasuke strained his hearing, but his body was really tired and not used to obey the mind's commands without complain. He knew his limits and had been able to bear 24 hours without sleep just fine, now, it seemed, he was exhausted without seven hours a night.

Naruto's breath hitched and became a quiet rustling. Apparently, his habit of waking up with the sun wasn't lost to the nosy body.

"You snore." Sasuke commented without turning his head. "Your breath is too loud and even with that hearing I can hear your heartbeat."

"I know." Naruto groggily said and slowly sat up, bending his head to reach the kinks in the back of his neck. "I feel like I'm stuck in a civilian's body."

Sasuke did an unidentified sound of agreement. He still wasn't able to get over his flat feet.

"It's really funny." Naruto went on in the same lazy voice. Evidently, his body and brain, although did obey the mind, had no intentions of doing anything more. "'Cuz we were stronger than most civilians at ten, then a Hokage is a real monster-"

"Commoners rarely use common sense." Sasuke retorted and scrunched his nose slightly at the accidental pun. "Your power is monstrous compared to most other 'Kages, but don't let it get to your head." He added hastily, knowing that it was too late already.

"I won't." Naruto nodded solemnly and yawned. "Whatcha doin'?"

Sasuke preferred to leave that without answer and silently shoved Hokage from his bed. His mind was shutting off, and quickly. "It's more that enough that I had to wait until you decide to wake up, and now it's ridiculous for an Uchiha heir to associate with the village's what's-your-name."

Naruto blinked but kept his smile well confined, the only sign a slight crease in the corners of the eyes. "Until graduation then, Sasuke-hime."

Sasuke laid down and turned away, sending a wordless message of 'piss off'. He didn't smile, but the surprise at his own unexpected joy didn't let him sleep for another ten seconds.

Naruto left with only three footsteps audible.

In spite of being deadly tired, Sasuke's own habits didn't let him more than three hours of sleep. He rubbed at his aching eyes and blamed Naruto. Obviously, without him and his rise-and-shine-before-any-bird attitude, Sasuke himself wouldn't have been used to waking up that early.

It's amazing how much you see of yourself when surrounded by the things from your childhood, your past, and, even more, your childhood body.

Sasuke was groggy, irritable, and his limbs didn't want to listen to his brain for good four minutes. He tried meditation, but the body immediately began itching in seven places, mouth gone dry and he got an eye-tick.

Tired, exhausted and angry at his own body he stood before the calendar and tried to comprehend what he was missing. Briefly he enjoyed the idea of making some kind of schedule of his training, but it was tossed out the next moment. First, he had never been that kind of person, second, anything solid could be used as an evidence and compromise them, and Sasuke was a perfectionist, and mainly, he was too proud to entertain the thought that his brain needed help of some sheet of paper.

Oh, he suddenly realized, Thursday, that meant the Academy was waiting for him.

Sasuke couldn't help it - he was in a child's body, he had actually made a joke, he really admitted to himself that he was loyal and… that was quite enough - Sasuke dropped his head and groaned.

Naruto had big plans for educational system. While teaching some 'real ninja' stuff in the Academy was risky at best, he decided to expand the program by adding some civilian subjects for future reconnaissance and undercover missions and changed the age of graduation to thirteen, hoping that his successor would further move it to fifteen. He didn't have illusions about shinobi veterans kicking and screaming about the kids being soft.

If he'd ever live to the moment, Sasuke would enjoy looking at the kids who graduated at the age he killed his so-called mentor and was considered chuunin-level.

But that was the old Academy - boring, boring, and-

"SASUKE-KUN!"

-full of them.

Sasuke shuddered and attempted to get to the classroom as fast as possible. How could he forget about that terrible horde of monsters? He missed Karin, at least she was a good tracker and a decent fighter.

Someone attached herself to his right arm. "Sasuke-kuun, you look tired. Do you want to rest? You can use my lap as a pillow."

He shuddered. Whoever thought it was a good idea to teach young girls the elementary seduction hadn't been under their so-attempted charms. Or he had, Sasuke thought with dread, and was determined not to wallow in that misery alone. It was truly terrible - in the underdeveloped bodies with clumsy gestures and baby fat even the best seduction techniques would lose their charm. And the idea of getting closer to an actual eleven-years-old girl filled him with disgust and terror.

Sasuke snatched his hand back and entered the classroom, almost frantically looking for a girls-free seat.

"Sasuke-kun!" they sang and he felt dread.

Both Ino and Sakura sat near his usual seat and watched him like their prey. At twenty-four they were a shrewd, battle-tried Clan Head and a formidable medic, nothing like these two weak and shallow children.

"Move." He intoned, glowering at them. Fortunately, the power of Uchiha stare hadn't been lost in the time travel, so the girls hurried away, looking at him with wide, dumbfounded eyes.

A funny thought occurred to him - it was an actual second chance, and he really had a few people to keep him in line.

Shikamaru's head rested on his folded hands, but for all intents and purposes, sleeping people did not peek from behind their fingers. Hinata's face was an image of tranquility, head bent low enough to allow her the view of the classroom through the bangs.

At last, Naruto did his dramatic entrance. He had been loud and obnoxious in his true Academy days, as Sasuke recalled, so this time he could actually pick up the difference. It was Rokudaime Hokage, who burst into the classroom, whooping and cackling madly, everything was there - the calculating eyes, carefully adjusted body position and an actual readiness for a danger. Shikamaru sighed and shook his head slightly, Naruto stuck out his tongue and shrugged, then swaggered to the back row, an image of carelessness and ignorance, except for a general air alertness around him.

But nobody noticed. The girls shrieked and began crying obstinacies, somebody tried to throw at Naruto a spitball or two - Sasuke repressed mounting killer intent and felt the other two tensing - Kiba hooted and tried to catch Naruto in a headlock - nobody caught the boy's cool, calculating eyes or the way he sized advancing Kiba up and down, finding countless weak points in an instantaneous glance. They were children, weak and blind, and next to them, always kind-hearted, sympathetic Naruto looked ruthless and menacing.

It was symbolic, in a wicked, shinobi style - how he sat behind everybody, head lolled back in a feigned sleep, their greatest champion and protector.

What was even more stupid and confusing was how little teachers noticed. Sure, the guy Naruto was all fawning in his teens, Iruka, frowned a couple of times, but in general, nobody commented on the strangeness of four students at once.

The unwillingness to treat Naruto like a normal, human being helped greatly. Having plenty of experience watching people and determining their mind works cleared enough - teachers were too aggravated at Naruto for just existing to pay much attention to anybody else. In some kind it was amazing, how rotten Konoha had been - was. What had Itachi sacrificed for? What had kept Naruto from running away, swearing to never again set his foot in this condemned place? In the end, Sasuke had long ago decided, that was just the way they were, they functioned - they were different from him, different from everybody, drowning in the sea of vileness that was human nature and still kicking and fighting and believing.

They were showing Naruto how to throw a kunai - by twisting his elbow so far it was a wonder there wasn't a sound of a joint popping out yet. Sasuke seriously dreaded taijutsu lessons - he was cranky and had real doubts about teachers' ability to defend themselves in case he attempted to snap their necks.

Hinata and Shikamaru weren't faring better, apparently - the heiress forgot completely about her shyness and had Kiba throwing funny looks at her, and Nara simply stood looking at the teacher, brows high. The Akimichi kid was yanking his friend's sleeve from time to time, but the spectacle of Madiyiri-sensei reasoning with Naruto that he couldn't possibly twist his wrist like that, even if it cracked from time to time, was surreal.

Wasn't Naruto supposed to be Konoha's greatest weapon? More like it's greatest humiliation, if one'd recall Chuunin Exams. Wasn't Sandaime supposed to keep track on him?

That would've been maddening if it wasn't so pathetic.

Naruto stuck his tongue out at the leaving teacher, caught their eye, snickered, and hit bullseye five times in a row.

"Yo! Hinata! You're, like, brave today!" Sasuke heard Kiba's hooting and turned to him, scrunching face up in displeasure. "Decided to quit stalkin'?"

Hinata's horrified eyes, Sasuke suspected, were more about the Kiba's general inappropriateness than actual embarrassment. But Kiba had died during the war, and her reactions were most likely tampered.

The only other kid to detect something out of ordinary was Choji, who kept throwing worried glances at Shikamaru, but the rest of the class was blissfully unaware of the real world. Only Sasuke did not feel jealous at all.

Naruto hightailed out of the Academy doing somersaults and singing something about the First's wig. He laughed obnoxiously and sincerely at Sasuke's mob of stalkers, ducked frow two dull kunai and bolted away.

That one Sasuke was jealous of.

Chapter Text

Naruto looked at the worn and cracked tiles and frowned. He was facing a massive problem. Nor the one where he could barely hold himself on one-inch deep water in his own shower cabin, neither the one where he couldn’t land the blow properly without falling on his face.
Facts: his body was weak, his chakra control laughable, his brain too underdeveloped.
Solution: more training, more training, more sleep and mind training.
And here he faced more problems: where to train? As far as he remembered, he’d began serious training after graduation, on a mission with that crazy builder; and before that he had had no idea what did “training” mean. It had taken him another four years and the whole war to realize that a good training regime must include time for rest. Given his energetic spirit, Naruto had basically drilled that in himself before actually starting to live to the motto.
Now, he was constantly on alert, which drained him, and he was sleepy pretty much all the time. Fortunately, it helped to avoid another one of his quite regular meetings with Sandaime, but he’d been here (there?) for a week already, and his time was running out. He didn’t have access to the training grounds until graduation, he no more had his private Hokage ones and asking any of his companions was suicidal. Which put him into sneakily training into his bathroom, masking his organized schedule to be a teen’s idiocy and the silver lining - escaping his guards to improve both his stealth and vigilance.
But to tell the truth, he was aggravated. He was used to having private training grounds, or, in case he felt like it, being able to walk into one of his friend’s houses and request training with them. He got used to people not asking his decisions and more - listening to him when he as much as lifted his palm. He was a Hokage, he felt like a Hokage, and his own command ‘to go undercover’ didn’t have much force over him.
Maybe because he was still in Konoha - in his village. He had shed enough blood for it to sate three Orochimaru and had been fighting for it for so long he couldn’t remember not doing it - not having the village beyond everything.
He felt like a Hokage and the ruler in him didn’t want to see Sandaime, the ruler felt aggravated and displeased at the knowledge that two ANBU outside his shady flat weren't to follow his orders and he had to hide in his own village to get stronger and defend it.
He was seething at the notion.
He hadn’t just donned that ridiculous hat on the day of inauguration, he put on the whole Konoha, and now he felt not only ridiculous in the too-small body, but he itched in the too-dissolute Konoha.
Maybe in his core he was a dictator, Naruto thought glumly, cold, rusty water hitting him in erratical spurts. Being a Hokage had spoilt him, and he hadn’t even noticed.
But who cares? He wasn't obliged to become one anymore. There always had been candidates, and they always would be. His main mission was to stop Madara.
Problem: he missed his title and all the freedom it had given him
Solution: bear with it and enjoy the freedom of being an Academy brat.
Naruto stepped out of the cabin and shook his head like a dog. His bathroom was a tiny, dirty space, no matter how much he tried to clean it. Alright, he actually tried it once, but the state of walls indicated that nothing would be able to take the ancient layers of dirt off.
He craved to clean his flat and to actually sleep on something nice. He was not supposed to be a cleanly kid, but the smell was killing him. He wasn’t supposed to eat healthy food either, but he remembered his mother’s words so vividly…
Naruto had always been able to bear through most impossible conditions during missions, but he had always knew that he had had an actual home to return to, his lair of sorts, where he could lick his wounds and act whatever he felt like. He was denied that now, and he was climbing walls, both figuratively and literally.
Maybe it wasn’t a very shinobi thing to feel, but it was the way he was, no more, no less. And the home he could rely on was a decade in the future, at best.
Naruto shrugged an old, dirty shirt on and suddenly smiled - a decade or a hundred years - it didn’t matter.
Solution: work on the mission to get home,
Whatever meaning one would put in that word.

He put on a worn out hooded sweater and dove out of the window, on the branch next to one of his guards, then allowed himself to fall down, catching another branch at the last moment and propelling himself away with loud hooting.
Naruto didn’t like attracting attention. He had got it in spades as a Hokage, as a war leader, even as an ANBU, but it was deserved attention.
And they overpriced him again. He thought about using henge, but his chakra control was still atrocious, and so far he managed to keep himself on water for two seconds. Ugh.
Also, he had no way to get into the library. Nobody wanted Uzumaki Naruto in the library. No matter how he behaved, the library was off his limits.
How was he supposed to learn fuuinjutsu if he didn’t have access to any scroll?
He ducked and dived between the stalls, smells assaulting his sensitive nose. His body opposed every new move he forced on it, but in the end, he managed to drill it how to duck and throw weapon properly. Naruto honestly didn’t understand what was the matter. He had always took anything physical like a duck to water, be it taijutsu practice, or creating handseal variations.
Tonight Jiji wanted to meet him; Mouse had already dropped a non-too-subtle hint to appear at the Hokage Tower after Academy, but Naruto didn’t want to.
He was scared. Well, mostly he was furious, and that’s why he was scared - he didn’t want to slip and endanger his friends, he really wasn’t keen on the idea of one-on-one with Ibiki and that could simply jeopardize all his plans.
He didn’t think he could face Sarutobi as an insolent but respectful Academy brat. All what was left in him for the old man was bittersweet love, like for a long gone grandpa, because in a way, Naruto had considered Sandaime to be more like a family than any kind of authority, and after the Hokage’s demise his deeds obtained that blurry, romanticized halo. Even after Naruto had become Hokage himself, he had looked at Sandaime’s orders but had not seen his Jiji behind them. Now he saw both - he lived among the after-effects of those same orders, and he wasn’t pleased. Not at all.
ANBU were left somewhere in the market. Naruto sighed with relief, took off his sweater and smashed a little balloon with a black paint against his head. Kiba would have given a finger for that show.
Kiba was alive… and a horrible brat. In fact, Naruto was terrified by the state of everybody in his class, and he was pretty sure that Hinata and Shikamaru were feeling along the same lines. It was awful to watch strong and dignified Ino squeal and throw herself at Sasuke. And always so confident, professional Sakura - he had absolutely forgot what she had been once! And he was supposed to have a crush on her. Really? Besides the fact that he felt like a dirty pedophile at the mere thought, the girl herself was just… ugh!
And absolutely no one in their class noted the peculiarities in them. Ridiculous. Sasuke leaked killer intent on a daily basis, especially when Naruto got in fights (every other period). It was a little flattering but mostly hilarious.
Naruto landed on a roof just a leap from his destination and whistled at the edge of hearing. He snickered at somebody’s checkered underwear and hid behind billowing sheets.
In four hundred seconds, which he dedicated to strengthening his ankles, Shikamaru appeared, irritated and worried at the same time. Only Hinata managed to merge with the class better than Naruto’s adviser. But she just made her acquired reserve and posture look like shyness, while Shikamaru put on an impressive act.
Before pissed Nara even began reprimanding him, Naruto fired out, trying to keep the conversation hushed, “Jiji wants to see me tonight.”
Shikamaru’s eyes closed under the furrowing brows, and he took a long, deep breath. “Why?”
“Just a regular check-in. I dragged out as long as I could.”
“What for- forget that, why do you need to see me?”
“I’m angry!” Naruto hissed, “I don’t feel like an Academy brat, and I-”
“Like a fawning Academy brat, you mean.” Shikamaru interrupted, relaxing and taking a good look at Naruto again.
“Something like that, yeah.” Naruto’s shoulders slumped and he slid to the roof. It felt good to relax and trust someone with his problems if only for a minute. But he still was ashamed of his own irritation and self-assurance. When had he become such a brat?
“We leave you for a week and you already are moping.” Shikamaru sighed, earning a small honest chuckle.
“I’m angry at Jiji and I’m angry that I can’t change anything right now. It’s a military village, Shikamaru, and we’re shinobi. I got so used to having everything at my beck and call… I feel like a tyrant.” He hid his face behind multicolored bangs and heaved another sigh. They were doing it a lot during that short conversation.
As if reading his thoughts, Shikamaru exhaled.
“I don’t know how many times we need to tell you that, really, but you’re a damn good Hokage. The best - and the Fifth was great.”
“Despite Obaa-chan being her?” Naruto grinned.
Shikamaru grimaced. “Scary woman. But you are greater. And you are better than Shodaime, I think. You are right, Konoha is a military village, and its Hokage is a General. Generals don’t rule softly, Naruto.”
His statement was met with silence.
“Really, Naruto, no need to feel guilty just because you’re used to something. I’m pissed, ‘cause I’m used to being a Clan Head. Neji is pissed at being weak and Hinata is angry at her own clan, I suppose.
“My point is, you’re trying too hard. As usual. We need to graduate, so concentrate on that. Have you been to any ANBU grounds?”
Naruto shrugged. “A few times, I think. They caught me twice, but no wonder. My nose is nosy.”
Shikamaru smiled at him, and Uzumaki sniffed with indignation.
“Jiji’ll wanna know how I’m doing, but he has Academy sending reports to him daily. I don’t wanna go.”
“Don’t whine.” The adviser frowned and after short thinking added. “You’re the leader of the mission, hold yourself together.”
Naruto visibly perked up at that. “Huh, I haven’t thought ‘bout it that way. Nah, what’d I do without ya?” He grinned rather weakly but sincerely and winked at Shikamaru’s mumbling about the Hokage being a whining girl.
“My friend says thanks!” Ever a creature of easily-changing moods, Naruto waved and leaped away, leaving his adviser to fight his own demons.
---
“Yo! Jijji!” Naruto shouted, bursting through the doors to land on the Hokage’s deck. There was little paperwork on it. Sandaime had a good secretary. Ah, no paperwork, small mercies.
“Naruto”, the Third smiled at him, “I see you had a good day.”
“Great! The best! An’ ya?”
Naruto figured it would be easier to talk in short shouts to refrain from slipping. He was supposed to have a poor vocabulary.
“Me too.” the man chuckled and patted the boy on the head. “What happened to your hair?”
Naruto tensed at the touch and at the question. He hadn’t been very physical in his childhood, and the war had only made it worse. And he didn’t want to blow up his cover, although on the other hand, he wasn’t as retarded as to have only one cover, was he?
“Seen creeps outside, right at my window! Ran away!” he grinned and jumped off the table, dropping a neat pile of papers in the process.
But Sandaime didn’t seem to notice it. “Of course, you’re far less noticeable with your hair like that.”
Naruto stared at him quizzically just for the hell of it -- partly because he didn’t know what he looked like and now he was interested, and partly because he suddenly asked himself if the paint was washable. It was his prank paint, so unlikely. Meanwhile, Jijji seemed to interpret his pause another way.
“I wanted to say that you’re not very hard to notice with your hair both black and blond.”
“Worked fine.” Naruto shrugged again and raked his fingers through his mane. Or tried to - paint caused his hair to stick together, creating some strange flat (and probably black) blot at the top of his head. Some bangs at the temples and above his forehead also seemed uncombable.
“And how are you going to wash it off?” Sandaime sighed.
Naruto decided to shrug again. He really didn’t care about his hair - he was more concerned about this meeting. At the same time, he was trying to make himself think up a way to avoid these meetings at whatever cost - he didn’t remember his typical behavior. Sure he had been acting up all the time, but had he been more calm with the Third? It was better not to arouse suspicions.
“I don’t care! I’ll paint them yellow! Or orange! Orange!” He smiled widely and folded his hands behind his head.
Sandaime only sighed. “Don’t you have enough orange on you already?”
“Orange is never enough!” Naruto huffed and didn’t even have to put a lot of effort in showing indignation.
He heard puffing and smelt tobacco. “Naruto, shinobi are supposed to be stealthy”
“Who said?” Uzumaki shouted in return and felt like a complete retard. “Anybody will think ‘Hey, that one is a ninja, he’s all sneaky!’ and nobody will think that of me, they’ll think I’m not a ninja at all, and I ran away from those creeps!”
Naruto frowned at the Third, who looked at him like he suddenly sprouted… a lizard head or something. Then the old man laughed and set his pipe aside to take the Hokage hat off and continue on with his mirth.
“That is a very good point, Naruto, you are very surprising. But you are not a ninja yet.”
“I will be.” Naruto replied, glowering and choking on am. I am a ninja, old man, I already can perform better than some of so-called shinobi, who just got their hitai-ate.
Luckily. Sandaime seemed to write his seriousness off as a child’s stubbornness and just nodded his head sagely and smiled indulgently.
That was bittersweet - Naruto himself had had to act this way with some of the Academy brats and his own pupils. Well, he had made them go through hell the very next day, but they had eaten his ramen.
Before the old man could decide to bring up another topic, Naruto waved to the Hokage and strolled out of the Tower.
The evening was good - the sun painted clouds in soft colours of pink and orange, and in the gaps was the velvet indigo sky. Konoha was preparing to fall asleep under the watchful gaze of its army, and the noise from the main market was slowly ceasing.
Naruto was walking towards his house and couldn’t help smiling -- well, he was happy. He had had a few revelations earlier and the fact that he lived through a meeting with the old man put the weight off his shoulders.
He mostly kept to shadows -- as a training and due to the deep wired habit to remain unseen. Melancholy thoughts left him, along with feelings of dread and secret despair, and all that remained was a clear head.
A human mind is a strange thing - Naruto knew this without Ino’s or Kurama’s constant remarks; Rokudaime himself often was left speechless after an especially confusing encounter. Naruto was more a creature of spirit than mind. He was rarely driven by what people usually called a voice of reason -- he himself considered ‘reason’ to be a pretty vague concept -- Kabuto had been one big voice of reason, and so usually was Sasuke and Neji, and look where it had got them. Furthermore, Naruto’s reason was pretty much an alien thing to most people.
Ino had told him once that since her graduation she had been trained to erase any inner dialogue from her head to keep it clear and devoid of any rubbish, and later that training had helped her to become the clan head she had once been. She had admitted regretting her father had not had enough willpower to tutor her as any proper Yamanaka warrior - since birth. She had been denied almost nothing and although she had proven herself to be resistant to that kind of trial, she would have preferred having a childhood with constant challenges to the one forcing her into inventing and imagining some hardships.
When you delve into a person’s mind, she had told him, you are immediately surrounded by the never-ending noise of mundane things and self-lies -- everything the brain invents to prevent itself from seeing disliked thoughts and ideas; more often than not petty and insignificant things are hidden much better than any serious problem. It’s extremely hard the first time, but then you see the pattern in a person’s erratic thoughts and they even help you to manipulate the mind faster.
“And one day I realized,” Ino concluded with a thin and calm smile, “that everybody is able to see the mess into human’s mind, they just do it unconsciously. And I better clear that chaos as much as possible -- for my own sake.”
That idea had been making Naruto itch for a few months then: he strived to know what had been going on in his own head, what unpleasant thoughts he had refused to accept; until Kurama had ordered him to stop and just go to the Falls of Truth again and stop bothering the Fox with all that fuss.
“Huh? Worse than usual?” Naruto had asked then.
“Shut it, Naruto, usually you’re pretty quiet.”
Well, that had surprised the young shinobi greatly, but then he relaxed and accepted that for whatever reason he was usually silent enough to not fret over some mundane things.
It had never come to his mind that he was too brave not to face them.
He wasn’t as emotional as Sakura either. He had his times of melancholy and inner pain when he looked at miserable and injured, but these feelings didn’t cause him to shed tears.
Just- sometimes, it felt as if something deep and strong lives inside him and demands doing everything properly and honestly - regardless of Kurama or shinobi laws. That fire was stronger and more constant than anything Naruto could think of -- except for when he had visited the Land of Waves the second time and wandered towards the broken home of his ancestors. He had looked at the ocean and its endless, ancient waves and felt the fire move in unison.
Or whatever it was. He wasn’t very poetic, and it had been one strange mission, but that gut… knowledge had been Naruto’s helper for his whole life; and now it felt as if life was getting better.
Somebody had left a small bag of vegetables on his kitchen table; Naruto had a good idea of who that might be and snatched the bad with him into shower.
Kami, he hated cucumbers. There was something entirely wrong with that knobbed skin and a whole lot of slimy seeds. At least lettuce sounded funny when he ate it.
Damn, it was hard to eat and stand on water at the same time - at least he managed to hold himself up for a whole damn cucumber - almost a minute!
It was when the torture with cucumbers came to end (after a number of years Naruto had realized that it was always better to deal with unpleasant first and then have whatever fun he felt like having) and the lettuce began, did he felt it - somebody was at his door.
His tiny bathroom was separated from the outer landing by a rather thin wall -- Naruto could hear a heavy breathing and unconsciously sniffed the air, pumping chakra to his nose. It had been a neat trick when he had actually been able to allocate his chakra properly, but now he almost howled in pain, when his olfaction became so strong he actually went blind for a few heartbeats.
Years of him adapting to Kurama’s chakra gifted Naruto with sharpened senses even as a child, and powering his nose meant he could rival Kakashi’s ninken.
A cacophony of smells entered his poor brain: his vegetables, foul water, old walls, damn paint (hey, washable! He needed to find a better one), his clothes on the floor, and a strong, heavy wave of cheap perfume, alcohol and food from the outside.
For a moment Naruto lost consciousness, because suddenly Kurama was in front of him, looking sternly from behind the bars, and with his help, Naruto managed to cut off the chakra stream from his nose and looked at the outer wall pensively -- it was a woman, and, judging by the smells, a prostitute from a nearby brothel.
But nobody had ever visited his as a child -- ever. And Naruto wasn’t so self-confident as to hope that a grown woman used to defend herself against drunk retards couldn’t do him any harm. Of course, she also smelled of fear, but what scared her -- the ‘demon’s lair’ or something else it was difficult to tell.
She sobbed and Naruto heard an unmistakable sound of uneven step in uncomfortable high heels.
To hell with it -- he was too damn curious anyway. Jumping into his pyjama trousers and snatching the vegetables under the bathtub, he shook his head like a dog and left the bathroom.
Naruto pulled the door with so much force it nearly got off the hinges, and the woman whimpered and backed away.
He could hear the heavy footsteps down the street, along with angry shouts and cheerful encouragements. Why couldn’t he remember that? What had he been doing that evening long ago, when he had his first hell of a childhood? Probably pranking as usual, or standing guiltily in front of Sandaime after another prank.
Naruto stepped aside and watched as fear of him and fear of men downstairs fought on the woman’s face. She was pretty -- even under all make-up that made Naruto’s sensitive nose itch she was pretty and quite young, probably in her early twenties. Bony knees and wrists indicated she didn’t eat enough and Naruto felt that melancholy again; he wasn’t sure if the Rokudaime’s Konoha had been happier than Sandaime’s -- the poor village had been levelled enough times for one to marvel at the mere existence of any population.
The woman finally made up her mind and stepped inside, bumping into the wall and not daring to delve further into the dark flat.
Naruto closed the door and smelt the increasing fear.
“I won’t turn the lights on, or they’ll come here.” He whispered, keeping his voice soft to calm her a little and went to his bed. Although her constant fidgeting was a distraction, he might as well do his damn homework.
The footsteps were getting heavier and the prostitute was barely conscious from being between a rock and a hard place. Naruto felt ANBU moving and someone shrieked in pain. The woman fainted.
Uzumaki stared dumbly at the body. He had never been good with emotional women, especially civilians - kunoichi were at least more experienced and used to obeying orders, even ones like “Keep yourself together”.
All right, he needed to wake her up. But Naruto was no medic -- he could put a person to sleep, but he didn’t knew any pressure points to awaken anybody. What was other ideas? Sprinkle with cold water? He doubted a woman would enjoy having her make-up smudged with a rusty liquid. For starters, he needed to get her into a right position.
Damn but for such a bony woman she was heavy - or he was ridiculously weak. The road from his tiny corridor to the bed was exhausting, and getting the prostitute on the bed even more so.
Panting and wheezing, Naruto looked at the sharp nose, the haggard face and sighed. Someone was shouting under his window, but he paid no attention, grabbing his blunt kunai and pressing them under the woman’s jaw, from ears to the chin. To tell the truth, he didn’t know himself what he was doing, but it seemed to work -- she stirred and whimpered.
In the time it took Naruto to get her a glass of water and one of the remaining tomatoes she awoke completely and was staring at Uzumaki with wide, wet eyes. Assuming that silence was the best policy, Naruto gave her the glass and dropped the tomato on her lap, afterwards going into the kitchen with his homework.
The woman gulped a few times and then it sounded like she was sniffing the tomato; Naruto rolled his eyes -- did a demon need a poison to kill some random woman, who also was stupid enough to faint in his ‘lair’?
But she didn’t hesitate for long: Naruto heard munching and an unmistakable sound of growling stomach. Smiling and shaking his head, he put the kettle up to boil, prepared one pack of ramen and went to the bedroom.
“I got some ramen. You wanna eat here or in the kitchen?”
Silence met his question and Naruto had to squash first sprouts of irritation. “What? I hear your tummy even from the kitchen!”
The woman grabbed her stomach and moved her knees closer to her chest, making Naruto huff. “That growling will get louder, and how ya suppose to get back with that tummy? And if you’re staying how am I gonna sleep through that?”
The perspective of staying seemed to scare her out of her trance and she sniffed. “I’ve got the tomato -- no need for ramen.”
Naruto huffed again at her disdainful tone. “What’re ya worryin’ ‘bout? You’re too bony anyway.”
The prostitute glanced over his naked torso in a completely professional and uninterested way, making Naruto uncomfortable again. “You’re bony yourself, eat it on your own.”
“But you need to be beautiful, and nobody cares how I look. I’ll bring it here, you don’t have to eat with me.” Naruto shrugged dismissively and left, already aggravated: he felt tired: all the tension and anticipation before meeting with Sandaime, then training, then dragging that woman and now he had to force her into eating.
Ramen smelt holy. If not for his mother, Naruto would certainly have made himself a bowl.
The prostitute came herself, blinking at the light and looking around with female curiosity. She smelled less of fear and more of excitement now, and naruto heard her stomach growling again.
“Do you eat something besides ramen?” She asked. When she was calm, the woman’s voice was very pleasant, slightly hoarse but melodic and lulling; no doubt she had to change it into what her potential clients thought to be suggestive.
“Ramen is great.” Naruto huffed and grabbed his elusive homework, getting up.
“Am I that bony?” The woman asked, cocking her head to the side to bare the neck and changing her voice into a deep, aspirated sigh. Naruto blinked a few times at her and then dumbly realized that she was probably too tired and scared and didn’t know how to behave here, in the dreaded place, and automatically chose safe tactics.
“Are you all right? You are scary, Akira-san.”
The prostitute shot up in her seat, as if after a good raiton strike, and hastily covered her neck again. “What’s with the name?” She laughed nervously, and the smell of fear was in the air afresh.
“I don’t know yours. If you don’t like it, fine.” Naruto mumbled, fighting exhaustion again. Kami, he was so tired, will she stop fidgeting? It was hard to keep calm when he wanted to sleep so much.
“That’s a very pretty name, thank you.” The woman said, her voice full of uncertainty. Naruto felt her gaze on him, and her attention shifting to his cheap furniture and him again. She began to smell anxious and when the odour reached the point of being unbearable, he snapped, “If you don’t want to talk, don’t talk.”
“What’s your name?” the prostitute asked at the same time and they stared at each other in mute shock.
“Naruto.” Naruto mumbled and rubbed his right eye.
“My name is not as pretty as the one you gave me,” the woman smiled, but Naruto still could smell her doubt and fear and blinked tiredly, “usually people call me Kin-chan.”
Uzumaki forced a smile. “That’s a very pretty one!” Just leave him to rest from her being so scared…
“Thank… you.” Kin replied. “You go to the Academy, right? Ow, what am I saying, you go, I see it, so you need rest, and I need to go.” She laughed nervously and stood up.
Naruto felt as uncertain as she looked. “You sure you’ll get there? You shakin’!” he pointed at her wavering form and frowned. “I know alleyways to your place, but you need to be fast and not fall over.”
At those words, Kin’s knees nearly buckled and Naruto felt himself snapping. “So that’s it -- you go and sleep, because I wanna sleep too and I can’t when you’re shaking so much!”. He declared and stomped to his old wardrobe to fish out an old blanket and a relatively clean sheet; Kin, having got rid of her ugly heels in the kitchen, padded after him.
“Where’re you going?” She called, watching as Naruto stripped the bed off the sheets and moved to the kitchen.
“Ain’t gonna sleep with you on the same bed, lady.”
It seemed the exhaustion was finally taking her over and Kin just frowned at the fresh sheet, damped for her on Naruto’s narrow bed. “You gonna sleep on the floor? It’s too cold.”
Naruto frowned even deeper. “I’m a ninja.” He looked seriously out of the window at one of the guards. “Or I’ll be. I will.”
“Of course.” Kin replied automatically, puzzled at his reaction, and spread the sheet. Naruto felt her eyes following him to the door and heard her uneven breathing for a few minutes before sleep grabbed him unceremoniously and pulled away from Kages, women and shinobi.

His night was filled with strange, chaotic visions where familiar faces smashed together, and he saw his mother’s vivid hair framing Itachi’s serious face; Uchiha seemed to be very displeased about it, and Naruto laughed so hard -- that would have been a great prank!
He was on a mission with bijuu and his main objective was to keep them hidden - so hard! An impossible one!
Gamatatsu was giving lectures in the Academy of Suna, meanwhile Kiba was nagging Temari to give Shino… another… chance?
Naruto woke with a feeling of an absolute astonishment and for a few moments just blinked into his forearm, trying to understand what was going on.
Morning sun lit his kitchen with shy, careful light, dust danced in the air and birds sang as if they were drunk with happiness. Naruto began to wake his drowsy body, starting with his toes, stretching his legs and slowly standing up. At first he didn’t recognize a new smell in his flat, but the brain helpfully reminded him of the unexpected guest. Judging by the smell, she had woken up earlier that night and even gone to the kitchen, although Naruto couldn’t see if there was anything amiss.
Yawning and stretching, he began preparing his morning ramen. There still were a few carrots under his bathtub, so Naruto decided to repeat his previous training and combine training with so-called healthy food.
There still was plenty of time before lessons started, but he needed to do something with Kin - if only not to let her roam around his place.
The prostitute had managed to wash off some of her make-up before going to sleep, and looked like a common girl from any neighbourhood: decent hair, pleasant features and thin lips, childly opened in her sleep.
At the moment Naruto felt like a Hokage again - like someone in charge; he placed his palm carefully on Kin’s shoulder and gave the woman a single, strong push; she woke immediately and almost jumped, turning her head left and right. Naruto gave her some time to adjust and remember the previous night and spoke, ignoring her newly-awoken fear. “I have Academy, let’s go.” And proceeded to his kitchen, where two wonderful, holy bowls of ramen were already waiting.
Kin, seemingly having recovered from her initial shock and fear, began to examine his flat anew with fresh interest -- with purely female squeamishness she looked at the pile of dishes in a rusty sink and then there was suspicion when she glanced at two lone carrots on Naruto’s dirty table. But thankfully, she said nothing; Naruto had no strength to lie more than necessary.
They ate in silence and Kin even attempted to put her bowl away, but Naruto was faster, he snatched the empty utensil away and put his smile back on. “Well, let’s go, I’ll show you how to get to your place faster.”
Kin smiled nervously. “I know this district very well, no need-”
“Relax, they won’t see me.” Naruto interjected, rolling his eyes. “I live here since forever.”
He didn’t give her any time to raise an objection, snatching his small pouch of blunted weapons and dumping his pristine homework sheets into a bin.
Luckily, Kin decided to keep quiet for the rest of their short-lived acquaintance so Naruto managed to show her the way in the record time and ran off before she could somehow react. He still had about an hour to slink in some training grounds and watch someone -- a really dumb excuse for his sudden taijutsu achievements. Well, at least he took fun into finding numerous weak points in their stances, because usually he managed to stumble across chuunin training.
That morning there was nothing interesting for him to see - two fields were unoccupied, and the third was hosting a trio of genins practicing standard taijutsu kata. Naruto was afraid he might fall asleep under the warm sun before they got on something really interesting even for an eleven-years-old.
He did fall asleep later in the Academy, lulled by Yaki-sensei’s deep voice. It was Mizuki who woke him, a warm smile on his face; Naruto secretly marvelled at that.
“Come, Atsushi-sensei wants to talk to you about something.”
Naruto had a really bad feeling about it. He followed Mizuki through a silent hall to the main office and stared at his treacherous sensei quizzically before entering.
Atsushi Kota, as far as Naruto could recall, had survived both Orochimaru’s and Pain’s invasions, losing his right eye along with the ear and both legs in each war accordingly. The shinobi had met his demise during the riot before Naruto’s inauguration, when the remnants of Mizu’s marauders had decided that war-depleted, in-between-two-leaders Konoha would be an easy prey. Naturally, one of the first targets had been the Academy, where children had shown themselves to be as resolute as any adult. Then, the Academy had lost its head and later Naruto had encountered the problem with finding any adequate replacement for the old shinobi. Kota rarely meet with the students, but every teacher in the Academy was sometimes afraid of him even more than of a Hokage.
Atsushi-san stood facing the window -- a classical posture of the tired men of power (or the ones who are eager to show off) and paid no attention to a few teachers, shifting uneasily near the bookshelves.
“Uzumaki Naruto,” the head of the Academy began, “can you show me a henge right now and here?”
Naruto cocked his head and looked at the man through narrowed eyes, but obeyed, shouting “Henge” as loudly as he could without harming his own ears. Atsushi twitched but didn’t commented on that, glancing briefly on the loud boy.
“And Kawarimi.” Kota intoned, and Naruto’s bad feeling intensified. He didn’t bother with shouting this time, only watched the head seriously and felt the counter gaze on himself.
Atsushi nodded towards his table. “Good. Give him the hitai-ate.”
The room became eerily silent. Everybody including Naruto was staring at the head of the Academy, Uzumaki too dumbfounded to utter any sound and the teachers knew Kota too well to actually oppose him, although the air was almost palpable with the silent question.
“Do I need to explain myself?” Atsushi asked not turning his head. And Naruto’s steady voice scared the teachers even more.
“Hell yes.” He said and met Kota’s heavy gaze.
“Aren’t you elated by finally getting your ninja status?”
“It looks too much like a joke.” Naruto replied and kept looking into the clear green eyes of the head.
“I don’t joke - not with these matters.”
Uzumaki only shrugged, wordlessly explaining that he wouldn’t be too surprised.
“Well,” Kota stated and swallowed the space between the window and the desk in three big steps, “as you may know we sent regular reports about our students to Hokage, and Sandaime-sama pays special attention to your progress. We,” he looked at the teachers and specified, “Hokage and myself, were pleased to notice that during the last two months your grades have been steadily becoming better, although some recurrences did happen. Also, taking into consideration your disposition towards wild and antisocial behaviour, I often receive reports from ANBU. Latest ones state, that you were caught or observed sneaking on ANBU training grounds on numerous occasions, and Sandaime-sama also received an order from Morino Ibiki, stating that Uzumaki Naruto was caught in I&T inner quarters last month and ran away when put into custody. That, and the most recent report about Uzumaki Naruto seen near the Tiger Gates practicing tree-walking forced us to reconsider said student’s reports, which, in turn, puts into question our teacher’s conscientiousness and honesty.” Atsushi said and gave his staff an icy glare.
“It was decided to re-examine the student’s marks and written works and watch him perform without unnecessary interferences and under psychological pressure. From what I observed during the last three days including this meeting, I am forced to conclude that Uzumaki Naruto has the highest mental stability and strength in the Academy, among both the rest of the students and my stuff. Further tests I consider to be unnecessary. Now, seeing as no one else here is able to do anything besides sweating, take your hitai-ate yourself and come tomorrow to meet your team.”
Naruto squashed the urge to ask more questions, reminding himself that he didn’t have any right for that yet, and walked towards the desk on the unsteady legs. There lay a brand-new, shiny hitai-ate, so unlike the one he was used to wear. He threw one glance at Iruka-sensei, but the time where they could become friends was yet to come this time, if ever, and his former beloved teacher looked at Naruto with the mix of awe, disgust and sadness.
So be it, decided Naruto, and grabbed the hitai-ate. The metal was cool in his palm, the plate clean, without a scratch, but Uzumaki placed it quickly on his forehead, tied the strings and felt even more like himself, like the Hokage. Out of spite towards the staff and bittersweet memories of finding an Academy head he bowed to Atsushi and walked out of the office.
Three steps from it, the smell of fear caught up with him.
Although half of the staff was experiencing Atsushi’s displeasure, some of the classes were still held and Naruto decided to visit his class, if only to maintain his reputation as a show-off and warn his companions that he had screwed up.
How was it possible? Everything was changing so fast: that woman, and the unexpected graduation, and even his own visit to I&T.
Oh, well, he couldn’t back off now, could he?
What bothered Naruto the most was the fact that Atsushi watched him for three days and he barely even noticed it. Naruto had to come to terms with the knowledge that for quite a long time his chakra control would be atrocious, regardless of his training -- at the moment his mind was too strong in comparison with his body.
His already former class was training basic kenjutsu kata in the training grounds, and of course Sasuke was the current star, slashing and cutting the post with so much vigor, Naruto suspected his whatever-teammate was imagining Madara as a target. Despite being so engrossed in his moves, Sasuke actually was the first to detect the newcomer and Naruto backed away when Uchiha turned around. It wouldn’t take him long to notice a new, shiny forehead protector gleaming proudly on Naruto's head, and it didn’t; Sasuke dropped his bokuto and, well, his convulsively clenching fists along with narrowed eyes told Naruto a lot.
“What does that mean?” Sasuke hissed, coming in front of the freshly-graduated Naruto.
“I’ll explain everything in the evening, just warn everybody.” Naruto hissed back and ducked a well-aimed kick. The teacher was coming to them, and Sasuke’s killer intent was building up in short, erratic bursts of power, so Naruto decided on his smart move -- he ran like crazy to his place and even then he had to jump up and down a few times to burn some energy.
Tomorrow! Tomorrow he’ll meet his new team - who that would be? He couldn’t recall anyone particular among those graduates, but then again, he couldn’t recall anyone among Neji’s graduating class.
The old mirror in his bathroom reflected an eager, young face and the so-pretty hitai-ate. Naruto didn’t really care about it being so shiny and new; he couldn’t just take Iruka’s protector from the teacher, and the whole novelty of ninja gear had always been very short-lived.
Owww, he couldn’t wait until the evening, he needed to do something, right now!
Naruto jumped a few more times and ran towards Ichiraku. Oh, the bliss of a fresh, hot, flavoured ramen from Ichiraku -- Naruto was ready to live through three lifetimes just to bask into-
“One miso, please.” He heard and turned to a serious, collected Neji.
“I take it you know already.” Naruto mumbled, nodding at Teuchi’s congratulations.
“It’s hard not to, Gai-sensei talked about it as an example of the hard work geniusness. I think.” Hyuuga added after a moment of thinking.
Naruto sweatdropped. “I don’t want to know the details.”
“You surely don’t.” Neji agreed and looked at his chopsticks in a silent, ponderous way. “Do the others know?”
“Well, I came to their taijutsu lesson and told Sasuke to gather Shikamaru and Hinata- although I don’t know about our dog-lover.”
“He surely knows, you forget about his rival.”
Naruto snickered and dived into his bowl of ramen. Of course, being the polite and neat person, Neji ate carefully, only blinking in mild irritation when Naruto’s slurping was becoming most unbearable.
“And how did your guard take it?” Neji asked and waved at Naruto’s nervous smile. “Don’t tell me, I can see the birds falling dead from his killer intent already.”
“He’s such a drama queen.” Uzumaki moaned, beginning the second bowl.
“But so are you.” His friend objected and smiled thinly at the irritated ‘one miso, thanks’ from Naruto’s right.
“You found us.” Naruto said, trying to pacify seething Sasuke, who obviously was having none of it and just ignored Rokudaime in disguise.
“Oh, well, I tried.” Uzumaki shrugged and turned back to Neji. “So, how’s your training?”
“As one may expect from Gai-sensei. Better visit us yourself, he will be elated, along with Lee.”
“I… I don’t understand, how does he know about me anyway?”
And as usually, Kakashi appeared from thin air. “Aah, that is my fault. He was always so proud of Lee, I decided to enlighten him of the existence of other hard-working people.”
“Many thanks to you.” Naruto mumbled and yelped when Sasuke dumped the rest of his clear soup on Jinchuuriki’s lap. And sat as if nothing had happened.
Before the fight could have erupted, the rest of their small conspiracy group arrived, effectively putting Teuchi to work and standing in a small circle.
“It’s not my fault,” Naruto began as if it was one of their numerous meeting back when they had been the Hokage and his counsel, “or maybe it is, but I was just training.”
Kakashi nodded sagely. “Yes, Ibiki was complaining about your visit for three days, and Anko personally vowed to torture you next time you decide to pull off something like that.”
Naruto smiled and scratched the back of his neck.
“Also, jeopardising my social status and reputation among my fellow ANBU colleagues, I managed to learn a lot about someone sneaking into their training grounds with unnerving regularity-”
“Ow, admit it, sensei, you like to gossip.” Naruto interrupted. “Anyway, today old man Atsushi declared that I’m a ninja and tomorrow I meet my team-” he yelped again under the well-aimed stab of a chopstick, “will you stop it, bastard, I couldn’t possibly refuse.”
Sasuke huffed almost inaudibly and turned away.
“Well, I don’t see a big problem here, really, except for the Chuunin Exams and Mizuki.”
“Mizuki -- he was a traitor, wasn’t he?” Shikamaru frowned. “What about him?”
“He is a traitor and he… he kinda was my first mission.”
“B-rank mission: baiting the traitor in the Academy and the following neutralization -- Mizuki-sensei wanted to get one of the Forbidden Scrolls and manipulated Naruto into retrieving it. As far as I know, he used the fact that Iruka-sensei didn’t let Naruto pass the exam and created a fraud story about a secret trial.” Kakashi stated, looking into his book. “He was convicted and executed the same night for treason and violation of the Fourth Law of non-disclosure.”
Naruto sunk into his seat glumly. “Yeah, baiting, sure, sneaky bastard, he was the one to tell me about Kurama. Told me I’m the demon. Retard.”
“That’s awful.” Hinata declared with disgust. “I’m sure I saw uneasiness in his movements during last two months, but that is beyond rotten.”
Naruto laughed weakly. “Relax, it’s all happened long ago.”
“Leave him to me.” Shikamaru broke in. “I can provoke him just as well, and I don’t believe Hokage doesn’t know or at least have any suspicions about him.”
Kakashi nodded. “He does, but in peacetime even a military village needs to obey a law, and we can’t charge him with anything. Yet.”
“So you thought it’d be better just to wait and see what he’d do with one of the students?” Sasuke interrupted, moving protesting Naruto aside.
Kakashi calmly met his burning glare. “I thought nothing back then. Well, at least of Mizuki, I had just retired from ANBU and had no interest in the Academy. And don’t tell me you’re very worried about your classmates.”
Uchiha huffed but calmed a little, giving Naruto an opportunity to return to his third bowl. “Who’s gonna be my teacher? Does anybody know?”
“Inuzuka Hiro, twenty four years, promoted to jounin two years ago, and that’s pretty much all, because I had to eavesdrop.” Kakashi explained.
Shikamaru frowned. “So you don’t know who else is on his team, do you?”
Kakashi shook his head, but Naruto laughed. “Relax, Shika, I’ll learn tomorrow, at least now I have to spend my time with my team, not the Hokage. I think it’s better to go with the flow aand not to draw unnecessary attention, so I’m going home.”
Kakashi vanished immediately, followed by envious looks from the owners of underdeveloped bodies, and Naruto looked at his former bodyguard. “Are you going to pout or maybe we can, I don’t know, talk for a change? I am a shinobi now.”
Sasuke stood up and shoved his hands in his pockets. “You better change your occupation, then. To maintain the reputation of a future Hokage.
Naruto actually laughed and turned towards his home, deeply inhaling the warm evening air. “This time everything is different. Who knows who’ll become Godaime? I’m not talking about Rokudaime.”
“That’s good,” Sasuke replied, falling into step with Naruto. “Talking about oneself is a bad habit.”

Chapter Text

Inuzuka Hiro was a fascinating product of a fleeting affair between Inuzuka Yoshi and Nara Tamotsu. After giving birth, frivolous Yoshi had suddenly realized how much blood she had shed and decided to join the monks at Fire Temple, which decision she had carried out almost immediately, leaving a newborn girl to survive in a truly shinobi way.

The ever belligerent Inuzukas claimed the child, declaring that the mother’s side had always been considered domineering in their customs. For obvious reasons, they met little to no opposition - Tamotsu had never expected to delve into that affair deeper than simple pleasure, and Shikaku couldn’t force him.

So Hiro grew up in and outside the pack at the same time -- one of their own, but without parents to guide and provide care. As a result of that strange half-abandonment and deeply rooted issues she had grown up an average Academy student, a moderate genin, a middling chuunin and an astonishingly competent jounin. Her mixed heritage gifted Hiro with deep insightfulness and highest levels of observation and strategical thinking, which she realized in madly energetic bursts of energy and feral force. Of course, such mix was making her next to be unbearable to any Inuzuka or Nara, so she had only her Yuujin and a small house at the edge of Inuzuka grounds.

She lived quietly, with only her traumas and occasional missions to entertain her when boredom attacked, so an order from Hokage took her completely off guard.

Students? Kids? Is he kidding?

Was she really supposed to teach?

Hiro tried talking with the Third, persuading him and even begging, but he was unyielding and in the end she had to accept the fact that being a soldier, even a high-ranking one, put her at the mercy of her general.

She was in a gloomy mood these sunny days and only looked at ever lively Yuujin and took pleasure from it. Hiro had always wanted to be left in peace and be accepted by anybody - then she had been given her precious, precious Yuujin and her place, and life had been so wonderful! In her opinion, kids were supposed to be taught by someone able to cope with their inner demons, which she avoided. Hiro was consciously avoiding a lot: any chance meeting with her father, any news about her mother, her relatives from both clans and even fellow jounins. She just liked to be herself, and the only one she trusted to be honest was her Yuujin.

Students graduated twice a year, to the rhythm of the Chuunin Exams, so that the best teams or craziest teachers had some time to get prepared. Hiro dearly wished it would have been happening rarer, maybe that way she’d have escaped that questionable honour.

Hiro puffed a breath and opened the first dossier. Rokuro Ishikawa, 12 years old, son of Naoki and Tomoko Ishikawa, the sixth of nine sons (well, didn’t his parents have a fertile imagination!) in a family of merchants traders. Obviously, his relatives thought it would be better for him to become a ninja and provide for himself than to further divide an inheritance. Academy reports were not very promising; intelligence: average, taijutsu: average, basic ninjutsu: average, had seals: slightly above average, cooperation: prefers passive roles or to fade into background, quirks: keeping distance, avoiding contacts, ignoring which is possible, consciousness of the self: hard to distinguish, most probably is present (what kind of ninja teachers were there, Hiro bemoaned), self-sufficiency: present.

That last note drove Hiro out of her wits. What kind of dimwit had written that?! She needed a decent file, not that blubbering.

Next case shown her a slightly more pleasant character: a Shimura Sango. All marks above average or higher, very decent grades at genjutsu and cooperation, slightly dampened by a ‘weak’ consciousness of the self. Oh, well, that remained to be seen.

The third dossier Hiro didn’t like, because she wasn’t keen on the idea of having her hair painted pink or something else. Great. Uzumaki Naruto in her team -- just great! Hiro let out a little howl and skimmed the contents: below acceptable, below, below, below, uncooperative, oh, whoa, wait.

The lines with ‘consciousness of the self’ and ‘self-sufficiency’ were crossed out and there was added with someone’s very firm writing ‘high, stable, adult-level’. That puzzled Hiro a little - who had enough nerve to spoil an official report? She skimmed to the bottom, where the same handwriting noted about ‘taij.- good, shuriken - ch. level’ and applied files.

Which turned out to be parts of ANBU reports. Seen on ANBU training grounds once, twice, eight times, caught twice; caught in I&T main facilities, evaded and ran away before interrogation, seen practicing… tree walking?

Well, that was interesting, the chance of the reports being someone’s (Naruto’s) prank were next to impossible; all in all, Uzumaki was one puzzling character, able enough to sneak into ANBU grounds on a daily basis and even escape chasing. Add to that years of neglect, teacher abuse (which screamed from every letter in report), chuunin-level shuriken skills and treewalking training and Hiro got one puzzle. And she hated puzzles for the sole fact that she had always been unable to resist them.

Alright, Uzumaki Naruto, we’ll see-

Yuujin stopped and cocked his head a little, then jumped to his master in three funny, cautious steps; Hiro shot up straight, flinging out her kunai.

“Whoa, that’s a greeting.” a most unexpected guest mumbled, easily evading her attack.

Hiro looked at Hatake Kakashi and decided she needed to spend less time under the sun. Just to make sure she sniffed the air and came to the conclusion that her visitor was quite real.

“Hatake-san” she mumbled, moving away. Sure, his body language indicated ‘lazy, incapable pervert’ from any angle, but Hiro herself had spent many hours teaching her body and face how to reveal only lies.

“Inuzuka-san.” the jounin replied politely. “What a lovely house you’ve got here.”

“Please cut it, Hatake-san,” the woman interrupted, “I’ll gladly listen to whatever you have to say without unnecessary pleasantries.”

That sounded a bit rude and dismissive, but Hatake didn’t seem offended, in fact, he didn’t seem to hear her at all. But then he shrugged.

“I’ve heard a rumour that you were assigned a team.”

“I do not accept congratulations.”

“Why, aren’t you glad to have a trio of cute little genin calling you ‘sensei’?” Hatake deadpanned without changing his posture or intonations.

Judziro growled.

“Ah, you’re absolutely right, I digress.” Kakashi shrugged.

That time Hiro growled slightly and met a cold, calculating gaze. Hatake’s single eye bore into her, and although she had always been a brave warrior of her village, Hiro felt threatened and defenceless and what was worse, defeated under the scrutiny, .

Hatake turned away and everything ended; Hiro allowed herself to relax a little, her guest’s stance did not change an inch.

“I just wanted to see the person who’ll be in charge of such an interesting team.”

Yuujin sat at her feet and nudged her knee a little. Hiro sank her fingers into the soft coat on the dog’s neck and frowned. “What exactly do you find interesting? Boring boy, Shimura girl of the Kyuubi brat?”

Ah, oh, the gaze was at her again, only briefly, and despite its horrible threat, Hiro let her brain speed up.

What had caused it? Hatake was hardly one to be offended at possible coldness or rudeness, moreover, his body language still betrayed nothing. They met a few times and only briefly, but the jounin held a reputation of a rotten human being and an exemplary shinobi.

Could it be her remark about her potential students? If so, why the first stare?

And why was he at her place at all? Her team was a plausible explanation - after all, it was the only event in her life somewhat interesting to an outsider.

Hatake couldn’t be interested in the merchant boy -- too different lifestyles. Shimura girl? Probably; Hatake had been in ANBU, if rumours didn’t lie, and Danzou was a well-known and a powerful figure in Konoha military society, he could afford sending a jounin just to check on a teacher. But in that case Hatake seemed to be an inappropriate candidate: the Hatakes had never been too close to the Shimuras, besides Hatake Kakashi was the Fourth’s student, and Danzou’s opinion about Yondaime was quite well-known.

And don’t forget the Kyuubi brat. He seemed to be the most likely reason to the visit.

“So, is this about Uzumaki?” Hiro asked frankly.

The jerk didn’t even twitch, only stared boredly at her. “Eh? Did Naruto-chan prank you or something?”

“Naruto-chan?” Inuzuka shot back and her nostrils flared at his (again) disinterested stare. “I’m sure he will soon, why, tomorrow he’ll have a perfect opportunity.”

Hatake nodded sagely, scratching his chin and looking somewhere above Hiro’s head. “You’re right, Inuzuka-san, although I think he may not be waiting until tomorrow.”

“Do you know something?” Hiro perked despite herself.

Her guest shrugged and shook his head. “You never know with him.”

“Right.” Hiro frowned. “And you came only to enlighten me on that?”

Hatake still wouldn’t look at her. “Honestly, Inuzuka-san, I just came to look at someone who got that unique team. Thank you for your hospitality.”

“No need, I don’t think I’ll be able to forgive myself if I let my guest go without even drinking some tea.” Hiro bared her sharp teeth. ‘Oh, no,’ she thought, ‘whatever you came for, I’ll find out.’

Another riddle. Her blood boiled.

Hatake bowed and gushed and refused and they spend another ten or so minutes only on formalities until Hiro won.

She just forced all that mess of fake smiles and sweet refusals indoors and locked the door.

Hatake made a properly shocked, scared face. “Inuzuka-san, I swear I give up, I won’t ever refuse your without any doubt delic-”

“Cut it, Hatake-san.” Hiro seethed through her feral smile. “I rarely have guests, especially as considerate as you, I just can’t imagine -- you decided to drop your without doubt important duties only to look at your fellow jounin.” she smiled and Hatake beamed in return.

He was unbearable!

“Let’s be frank, Hatake-san, I do not enjoy your company, and one of possible explanations I see is that you decided to check on me for someone else; then please tell Shimura-san that if he doubts me he can very well choose another, more suitable sensei.”

Wasn’t she a risky girl, Hiro thought with sudden dread, Her adrenaline disappeared, leaving her in a very unpleasant situation.

Hatake looked bored. “I think Shimura-san can also choose more suitable person to check on you.”

“Then you are here because of Uzumaki.”

Bored, bored, bored. Hiro would bet Hatake defeated his opponents by causing heart attacks with his uninterested stare.

“Spill whatever you want.”

Hatake’s mask stretched at the bottom -- he smiled. “I don’t like you.”

Hiro raised her brows and stared. Yuujin, her brilliant beloved, cocked his head, catching the word’s meaning but failing at interpreting the speaker’s intention.

“Is that all?”

Kakashi shrugged and stared at her dog.

Hiro tried to be unaffected, but that coming from Hatake Kakashi was just -- he was near perfection as a shinobi, and almost opposite as a person, she didn’t know whether be wounded or offended.

She was an Inuzuka.

“You don’t know me as a ninja, and I refuse to hear any criticism from someone with social behavior like yours.” Hiro shot at him, nostrils flaring.

“Ah, but I was meaning you as a teacher.” Hatake smiled. “Don’t start, Inuzuka-san, I know I’m not a very good teacher material myself, but I’m just not interested, you know, in hopeless cases, not opposed to looking at potentially good comrades unbiasedly.”

Hiro inhaled through her teeth and forced the air out through her nose, bewildered. “So this is about Uzumaki. Well, pardon me for not wanting to become an object for pranking.”

“Of course of course” Hatake sang with the same bored stare. “That’s clear, can I go?”

Yuujin barked questioningly at him.

Hiro did not like being threatened, and she felt threatened. Hatake wasn’t someone to brush off without any concern, he most likely rivaled her in intellect and undoubtedly surpassed in power and experience.

“Tell me what got you so interested, Hatake-san, and I won’t ever force you to spend a moment with me.”

The jounin looked up at her again, the same cold, endless stare -- why need a Sharingan, when that stare alone, without any killer intent was quite devastating. even for a veteran like Hiro.

“I wish I could trust you.” Hatake said and Hiro choked at the insult; her calculating Nara part was battling the raging Inuzuka one. “But let’s just accept the fact that even the ANBU gossip, and you can easily learn that I’ve been in ANBU. And watching Konoha’s… best weapon is a job for Konoha’s best. In fact, you can easily see them, that is not a mission for stealth, just a warning.”

Suddenly, he seemed a little agitated, his breath slightly uneven and posture stiffer. So that was what got Konoha’s Copy Nin so riled up -- he knew Uzumaki, maybe spend more than a few tasks watching the brat and now felt protective. And obviously disappointed.

While Hiro didn’t care about Hatake’s acceptance, but the fact that someone as indifferent and as scarred as Hatake Kakashi had taken great pains to check on his former charge’s teacher was telling. Hatake was interested, interested greatly, to the point of stating his displeasure.

It was time to switch her Nara side on -- full force.

“Aah, I am sorry for my rudeness, then, Hatake-san.” Hiro replied, not too sweetly, not rudely. “Maybe then you tell me about my possible student? So that I won’t be biased.”

Hatake gave her only one look, but it clearly indicated that her tactic was on the verge of failure. “I’m not extremely unbiased myself, Inuzuka-san.”

“I heard bad news, you’ve got good, I think, let’s make it even!”

Hiro’s guest tapped his chin and gave her a cold stare. “Do ANBU records and Atsushi-sensei’s recommendations count as bad news?”

Inuzuka frowned. “That was Atsushi’s remarks?” Oh, well, he definitely had the guts and the right to write in any Academy records whatever he wanted. And now she really was interested.

“Ah, then please tell me, what’s the boy’s potential? Was he really as hindered in the Academy as I think? Does he have guts to not only act up but go against an enemy, face any hardship, obey a teacher or a team leader? He most likely strives for attention and acts up, that’s understandable, his actions are easily explained that way. But if so, even ANBU can be indulging, especially facing their charge. That doesn’t explain Ibiki, though…” Hiro frowned. Ibiki would be indulging no one until they proved worthy of him not smashing them with killer intent.

“Oh, you’re right. Sometimes he was allowed to sneak away, or, to be precise, to think that he sneaked away, but as of lately, as far as I know, he managed to escape for real. And as for guts of potential -- his family name has proved enough in creativity and bravery.”

“Uzumakis? Is that his real surname? Ah, yes, it would be stupid otherwise, but the only Uzumaki Konoha had was Kushina-senpai, if I remember,” was it even possible to forget someone like Uzumaki Kushina? “but I’d never have thought she’d have a child, she had always been alone, all boys were scared away by-”

Hiro paled and fell silent. She remembered bright, fervent, loud Uzumaki Kushina, and how many young men had been discussing her hot temper and trained, strong body. But no one would have gotten near her, because no one had been brave enough. Brave enough to face the man whose gentle nature had been disappearing as far as Kushina-koi’s safety had been involved. He had been so smitten it seemed ridiculous -- and Kushina had used it at every possible opportunity, and laughed at him, and teased him-

And apparently had given birth to the child with her temper but with her loyal admirer’s coloring.

Oh, Kami, how many blue-eyed nordic blonds did Konoha ever have? The fear and prejudice ran deep and blinded well, no one ever made any connection.

When Hiro looked up she saw Hatake’s narrowed eye and his stance had nothing lazy about it. He was watching her coming to an unavoidable conclusion, and his stare promised nothing good. Hatake was to blame himself, frankly, if he didn’t mention Uzumakis, Hiro most likely wouldn’t even connect the dots, but that was beyond the point -- she did, and now she had a hostile, most likely desperate Hatake Kakashi in her house.

“I have always respected Kushina-senpai,” Hiro said quickly, but not too rapidly, “I still do, and I also feel only respect towards… Naruto’s father. As a Leaf ninja and their kouhai I have no intention to reveal his origins to anyone.”

How could they do this to their child? It did seem unavoidable now; naming anyone Uzumaki was a risky step, not as risky as Namikaze, but still. And his temper, love for pranking and that unmistakingly bright wild mane… Naruto was Kushina’s son, Kushina’s and her hopeless admirer of a Hokage. And they had made him a Jinchuuriki?

“Does he know about them?” Hiro asked and smiled wryly at Hatake’s raised eyebrow. Of course not: who would risk revealing it to Konoha’s loudest citizen?

He couldn’t be as bad as the Academy painted him. Hiro bit her lower lip and her nostrils flared. Even a tenth of Naruto’s heritage would make him extraordinary, but she had seen only ‘belows’.

Her Inuzuka side howled and blasted any logic aside. “They didn’t teach him a thing! They most likely sabotaged his practical lessons and- ugh! And lowered his marks on written tests! Was he allowed additional classes? Or nobody bothered to tell him that they exist at all! Whose bright idea was that to reveal his status to the village?! Why was he chosen if his parents were at risk or… already… dead.” Hiro stumbled and saw red. Why, it had been a perfect opportunity, because nobody would object.

“It was sensei’s wish.” Hatake said. “Both his and Kushina-san’s. Because nobody else would agree, they had no time and, well, I still think sensei was too hopeful, but he really wanted for everybody to see Jinchuurikis in a different light.”

Hiro shook her head in disbelief. “He was a fool to think that. His own son.”

“His own wife, his own son.” Hatake cut in and frowned. “After all, I seem to trust you, Inuzuka-san. Take care of him.”

She nodded, then scowled. “Wait, can’t you take the team? I won’t object, I’ll personally beg Hokage to do it.”

After all, it would only be right -- for Hatake to teach his sensei’s son.

“I’m afraid that’s impossible. I’m still on rehab after ANBU. And, in half a year, I think, graduates Uchiha Sasuke.”

Hiro nodded and frowned at Hatake’s somber expression. “Will you tell me about him? I promise not to poison you with my tea.”

He flinched a little and then slowly assumed the same air of indifference and laziness. “Why, of course, I have very high poison resistance.”

Only much, much later did Hiro frown and look at her loyal Yuujin. ‘His own wife?’

Where did Kyuubi come from that night so long ago?

The first one to fight the Nine-Tails had been Hashirama Senju, he had fought all nine beasts and contained them with the help of his prodigious wife, Uzumaki Mito.

The Uzumakis were called ‘the Seal Gods’.

Hiro raised her eyes at her small collection of books.

Tomorrow, she’ll meet Konoha’s wildest inhabitant ever.

Tonight, she’ll dive into Konoha’s history.

---

In the end, she dropped dead on the opened book and even overslept a little. In her haste, Hiro forgot to drink her usual oolong and felt her mood spiralling downwards. She was late for a few minutes and blamed Hatake for that. Kids, who were neither cute nor genin yet, was staring at her. She didn’t like them, though Yuujin did: he sniffed the girl and gave a little noise of approval, and Uzumaki was met with a sneeze of acceptance.

Ishikawa, Shimura and Uzumaki were all staring at her, but with so different expressions -- there were fear and stubbornness, awe and desperation and calculation and expectation. Hiro sneered at Uzumaki, who stood calmly next to the girl and studied his sensei. The boy didn’t react, if only for the slight twitch of his right eye, and then Hiro smelt irritation, it appeared -- and was gone.

“Alright, brats.” she barked, moving to the teacher’s desk. “The introduction. My name is Inuzuka Hiro, I like tofu and dislike carrots, my hobby is to sleep, your turn.”

They blinked at her, but just when obedient Shimura opened her mouth, Uzumaki began, smiling charmingly. “I’m Uzumaki Naruto, I like lots of things, dislike very few and consider my hobby to be any new activity I like.”

They stared at him. Damn brat, thought Hiro with irritation, that speech reeks of Hatake.

Shimura looked at him with a bit of fear and began. “My name is Shimura Sango, I like my cat and dislike fishing. My hobby is knitting.”

Damn, what a homely kunoichi they had there.

“Name is Ishikawa Rokuro. I don’t have any preferences and I dislike insects. My hobby is reading outdoors.”

Kami give her patience, she was given one failure of a team. One knitting lover, one passive talentless jerk and one- well, although Uzumaki revealed even less than Ishikawa, he actually did that rather… right, acting as if he couldn’t decide what to tell, not hiding anything.

Ah, well, as was said in one old ballad, a little less conversation a little more action.

“Okay, kids. Before everything, I want to know what you are capable of. So… you have four hours -- and the whole of Academy grounds. Find me.”

Hiro jumped out of the window and up, up, on the roof, pumped chakra to her ears and listened. Yuujin decided to bask under the sun in the middle of the training field.

Shimura was breathing fast and heavy, Ishikawa finally showed some emotions besides obstinacy and smelt of uncertainty. Uzumaki was sniffing. His bright chakra almost shadowed the other two.

“She masked her smell.” He said finally, exited. “No doubt she won’t move or will move silently, so I don’t think hearing will help.”

He was able to sniff her, wasn’t he? Little exiting brat, Hiro grinned and ordered her heart to beat slower, slower.

“That leaves only sight.” Shimura said, hesitating.

“For that, people have genjutsu.” Uzumaki interrupted and suddenly started pacing. “she’s an Inuzuka, a tracker, she knows firsthand how to find a person, so she knows how to hide best. Academy grounds are big, there are windows everywhere, searching for her is pointless.”

Don’t think you are such a smartass, kiddo.

“We can use the dog.” Ishikawa said. Uzumaki stopped pacing.

“Inuzuka dogs don’t betray their owners, or, no, friends, companions, whatever they think of Inuzukas. They are too smart and cunning -- they are not pets.”

Damn you smart, informed boy, that’s even better than flattery. Hiro watched as Yuujin turned his nose towards the classroom and sighed, his tail twitching ever so slightly.

Uzumaki stilled, his heartbeat made two fast beats and the boy exhaled. “You are not serious, asshole!”

“That is as good tactic as any.” Ishikawa said lowly, his irritation finally audible.

“Idiot, that dog will kill you before you even get near it. Him. He’ll smell your intentions and attack first. Or just jump away, if he’s not in the mood for chewing you. That’s a jounin’s dog, an Inuzuka dog.”

Bullseye again, Uzumaki.

“If you are so clever, offer something better.” Ishikawa hissed, obviously livid; his heartbeat drummed ferally, breathing was heavy albeit controlled and he stank of adrenaline.

Uzumaki’s pulse kept its calm pace. “I say we better wander around and pray for luck. Or sleep here. Maybe sensei gets bored and finds us first.”

Ishikawa’s heart sped up further; there was one single step, Shimura gasped and stumbled into something, then everything became calm again. Strong, heavy smell of fear followed the silence. Yuujin sneezed and blinked.

Uzumaki jumped out of the window, neared the dog, fell on his ass and started talking. His words were mostly gibberish, with a few coherent thoughts, but Hiro watched him nonetheless. She didn’t understand what had happened earlier; everything indicated that Ishikawa was ready to let himself loose; because of Uzumaki’s reputation as a deadlast, or maybe the fact that someone denied and criticised him so boldly. But he didn’t, he couldn’t, he was ready and he scared Shimura, but then he became scared himself, so scared that he still couldn’t move and calm down his body. What was it? There was silence from Uzumaki, absolute silence, no smell of hostile chakra, no feeling of killer intent, nothing, nothing, even kunai make a sound when taken out, but Hiro had heard nothing.

Shimura decided to join Uzumaki. She was still scared, but she feared Ishikawa more than her second teammate. Yuujin basked in their joined praises, although Hiro couldn’t hear any trace of begging from them. Smart infuriating kids, did they really want to bore her to death?

“Aah, gomen-gomen, Sango-chan, I need to go.” Uzumaki said sheepishly.

“Home?” Shimura asked with surprise.

“Nah, I just… for a minute.” The boy scratched behind his neck and Shimura let out a giggle.

Ishikawa was moving through the Academy building.

They managed to miss each other while Uzumaki had his time in the bathroom, but when he went out they both halted.

Some of the teachers cut himself with a paper knife and swore, leaving Hiro’s sensitive ears ringing. A boy entered the gates and the jounin briefly wondered if any additional classes were really held this late.

Ishikawa’s adrenaline level was rising again, sporadically, although he continued on without saying a word. Uzumaki was sniffing the air again.

Then, mere seconds before the Kyuubi container reached the door to the training grounds -- he was strangely calm and quiet and smelt funny -- Ishikawa’s heartbeat skyrocketed along with his smell of fear and something which Hiro sensed from frustrated people, unsatisfied with their lives but who saw no way out. He was nearing Uzumaki rapidly, for a newbie genin even silently, and Hiro heard his palm collide with the wall with a crack and felt chakra flare in something suspiciously like doton jutsu.

The killer intent boomed right that instant and Hiro jumped at its strength, ready to deflect an attack. Yuujin sprang on its feet, Shimura whimpered and scrambled behind the dog, stumbling for her kunai.

The heavy, suffocating wave hit Ishikawa a moment before Hiro landed before her dog and a body collided into the poor boy. Inuzuka saw the attacker and took a step back before hiding on a tree. Uzumaki was whipping his head back and forth, sniffing the air. Yuujin kept his head low, standing before Shimura.

Ishikawa choked on air, and Uzumaki hurried to him, grabbing the attacker’s hand.

“Are you mad? Stop it, you’ll kill him.”

But Uchiha Sasuke kept on choking his victim, his lips pressed so tight together his face became a grimace.

“I said stop it.” Uzumaki shot. Hiro nearly fell from her tree, Uchiha dropped Ishikawa as if hit and turned to the other boy.

They stared at each other for a few moments, then Uchiha turned away and his killer intent vanished completely.

“What are you doing here?” Uzumaki asked. Now he smelt irritated.

“Just passing by” That one smelt of anger, irritation and anxiety.

“Don’t give me that! You’re- what was it for?!”

Uchiha hissed. “Do you enjoy having holes in you?”

“I could very well defend myself!”

“Against that cowardly backstabbing trash? You?”

“Me!! What are you doing here, I ask you!”

“Don’t ask me idiotic questions, you retard, you know very well what, and I was right.”

“You! You mule-headed-” Uzumaki gasped and fell silent, gaping.

Ishikawa was coming to life and gulping on air. Uchiha turned to him, crouched low. “If I ever sence you thinking about something like that again, I’ll choke you with your own guts, you trash.”

“Ow, cut it, you.” Uzumaki cried, grabbing Uchiha’s collar and dragged the boy back in the Academy. Where were the teachers? Was it normal for Uchiha to flare a jounin killer intent?

“I think I gave in enough, don’t try to persuade me.” Uchiha intoned. His heartbeat was uneven now, he smelt anxious.

“Gave in? Sasuke, you moron. It’s a wonder nobody jumped on you with that burst.”

There was a rustling of a cloth -- Uchiha shrugged and asked “What’s your task?”

Uzumaki grumbled something under his nose and yelped again. “No! Agh! That is a teamwork task anyway, now you almost killed one of my teammates-

Uchiha’s pulse sped up

-and made Inuzuka-sensei suspicious. I saw her, she was ready to attack you! Agh, Sasuke, he couldn’t kill me, that was beyond unnecessary!” He exhaled. “And don’t even think about it. And don’t help us. Me. Don’t you have training?”

Uchiha made a strange, strangled noise, his pulse heavy and frantic suddenly.

“Oh, just- wait for me here, then, or wherever you like. In any case, I don’t have patience to wait anymore.”

Uzumaki went out again and looked at still ashen Ishikawa. Shimura was watching him with concerned eyes and moved away when Uchiha followed Uzumaki outside, leaning on the wall.

Hiro felt her eyelid twitching.

“Sango-chan, Sango-chan!” Uzumaki called and grinned. That smile promised nothing good. The boy whispered something to her, so close that even Hiro couldn’t catch anything. Yuujin came closer, but Uzumaki only moved away, sticking out his tongue.

Shimura looked so bewildered and suddenly she slapped the boy so hard he stumbled around and back. Uchiha tensed, but the girl only rushed to Ishikawa and began gushing over him. Uzumaki blinked and inhaled a few times, his face so confused it looked like a child’s.

And then he let the air out in one massive shout.

“SENSEEEEEEEEEEEEI!”

Yuujin jumped away with a short bark, Hiro stumbled and lost her balance and immediately had to dodge Shimura’s kunai. Uzumaki was close when she jumped away, his hand nearly tracing Hiro’s shoulder. Her ears were ringing.

Sneaky brat, she knew that smile promised nothing good.

Hiro jumped again and shunshined into the Academy.

“Atsushi-sensei.” She yelped, taking a step back. “Where is your staff?”

“Busy not interfering with a jounin trial. Or hiding from the recent burst.”

Hiro sputtered, “That wasn’t me.” and heard something resembling fast footsteps at the end of the hall. Uzumaki!

Atsushi shrugged “I know.”

But she was leaping away. Pulse -- calm, smell -- at the lowest, speed -- at the highest. How was the brat following?

Hiro was faster, but Uzumaki was just as stubborn and had a monstrous stamina.

“Sensei!” He cried at the fifth round. “That’s just silly, if you stop now I’ll tell you how I did it.”

So she stopped. Not because of his reasoning, or because she agreed that it was silly, but mostly because his words of ‘stop it’ earlier still rang in her ears.

Uzumaki came closer, gave her a shining smile and opened his palm.

Little, impossible brat! He put a tracking seal on her!

Hiro grabbed his palm, already slightly rough and losing baby fat, and fixed her eyes on the seal -- all right, a standard one, Hiro had seen hundreds of them.

“You,” she managed, bewildered. “where?”

Uzumaki smiled wider and scratched the back of his neck. He felt like a satisfied and happy Kushina-senpai.

“Nevermind.” Hiro growled and began tousling the boy’s mane roughly. “you little sneaky punk, you knew the task, made them work for you, little gangster, you.”

They stumbled to the training grounds, fighting and pushing each other.

“I decided to keep you for a while, whiners.” Hiro announced and let Uzumaki’s hair go, but immediately grabbed his shoulders and bent on one level with his eyes.

“I’ll let you deal with your crazy pal, but-” his eyes were too serious, Hiro’s brain whirled. “-not always. Now go and take him with you. Tomorrow, in front of my house, at nine.”

Uzumaki nodded and jogged to his teammates. He smiled to Shimura, nodded to Ishikawa carefully and waved to Yuujin, little flatterer.

Uchiha was watching him carefully, and when Uzumaki neared him, took off, letting the shorter boy go first. Hiro raised her brows -- Uchiha fell in step momentarily, slightly to the right and behind until Uzumaki glanced back and forcefully made his companion walk next to him.

One step behind, half a step to the right.

Uchiha was performing a classic and flawless flanking.

“That’s good you’re here.” Hiro told Hatake when she spotted him hear her house. She almost began asking him about his former charge, but took a good look at her guest and decided against it.

Hatake’s vest spotted a magnificent slash at the front, and jonin was sagging slightly and smelling of blood.

Was Uzumaki really that wonderful to drop everything and run check on him at the first possibility?

“Hatake-san.” Hiro began, but her guest waved tiredly.

“I’m really too used to people calling me Kakashi. What’s happened?”

Hiro shook her head and let him to her living room. “Uzumaki is talented, that’s true. And extremely unpredictable. I’m not worried about him, really. I just have a scumbag in my team. But that scumbag was nearly killed today.”

Hatake narrowed his eye.

“And by Uchiha Sasuke, no less! Kakashi-san, your possible student has very troubling killer intent.”

He shot forward, eye intent.

“Do you know anything about it? He practically choked Ishikawa.”

“What’s happened?” Hatake asked.

“I don’t really know. They had to track me, I listened to them. Ishikawa is no ninja, no potential at all; I mean, mentally. They argued with Uzumaki a little, though I can’t say they really argued, just had a strong disagreement, and Uzumaki called his plans stupid. Which they were. And he -- Ishikawa -- didn’t like it. And then he decided to attack Uzumaki. Really! And did it like a last coward, ugh, what shinobi sneaks on their own comrades?”

Kakashi shrugged, as if indicating that he had never been above sneaking on people.

“Anyway, before he could even hit Uzumaki, that lunatic appeared and started choking Ishikawa, but not before spotting a killer intent of an experienced veteran. And for Kami’s sake he was flanking Uzumaki. Atsushi also - what did he mean with that ‘I know’? What? Does Uchiha bursts into killing spree at any given moment?”

“There’s a rather sad story behind it, Inuzuka-san.” Hatake began without sadness.

“Out with it, I have a name too, you know. And I like sad stories. They are realistic.”

Hatake looked ponderous. “You know Sasuke’s childhood, I suppose. And can imagine Naruto’s. They are not exactly alike, but very similar. I don’t know what’s happened to trigger Sasuke’s behavior, but he considers Naruto to be reckless and easy to get himself killed.”

Hiro frowned. “He’s acting like an obsessed.”

“That he does.” Hatake confirmed, looking somewhere out of the window. “Naruto is very different to him, to a lot of people actually, and I think that Sasuke is just too afraid to lose such person. Although it’s very interesting about flanking, who might have thought? Ah, yes, his behavior is not normal, but he is from an… abnormal family and the Uchihas always let their brains too much freedom.”

“I don’t like it. His killer intent I can explain, even if it’s abnormal, but I can’t have some Academy lunatic running around and acting as if Uzumaki is his commander.”

Hiro stopped herself and furrowed her brows. Why would an Uchiha allow some punk order him around? Obsessive behavior did not include obeying and flanking. That flanking still did not seem right to Hiro.

“The problem is, Hiro-san.” Kakashi leaned forward and was completely serious. “that ANBU have missions regarding Sasuke too, and any can tell that he is not suitable even for Academy lessons. But he will graduate and be allowed to progress further.”

“Because he’s an Uchiha.” Hiro finished.

“An? He is the Uchiha, our last precious scion.” Kakashi sang without bile. “He’s not allowed to be a bad ninja. And as far as everyone is concerned his childish obsessions will end soon.”

“But he’s allowed anything else. Thank you. What will you do if he’s in your team?”

Kakashi smiled and Hiro understood perfectly that his future team would function, regardless of obsessions.

Hatake left, satisfied with Naruto’s behaviour, but Hiro was feeling uneasy. She did not like a lot of things: Ishikawa’s behaviour and reactions, Shimura’s general spinelessness, although, to the girl’s credit, she managed to function under that sick bomb of a killer intent and even did a sound thing, then went Uchiha Sasuke as the whole concept and Uzumaki’s calmness. He was too damn calm all the time; his heartbeat rarely sped up, breathing was controlled and very quiet.

But he was an orphan, not just any orphan, but one who actually had to survive and strived to become a ninja, making every possible feat for that.

She had two useless people and one unknown factor with a sick appendix in her team.

Hiro dropped her head. It would be the end of her.

Her team proved to be as Hiro expected: the no-ninja, the spineless and the wild.

Uzumaki complained about missions, Shimura came more depressed every passing day and Ishikawa oozed his dislike.

Sometimes Hiro caught a glimpse of Uchiha, when they were ready to make it to their homes after training or a mission, but he never got near and left with Uzumaki without a word.

A week came by, then another, and they made a month. That was a long time to learn even a little about anybody, but their team was cursed, it seemed, with disfunction. But any team had a leader for that reason -- to make it work. And Hiro did not think it fair to create additional problems for the kids just because she wasn’t able to deal with her own. Hatake said at that that she was too mature for him and should stop asking him how to deal with Uzumaki.

He was a ridiculous man.

Uzumaki lived in a vilest neighbourhood of Konoha; Yuujin was constantly sneezing at the trash people left in the streets. It was her best option: Uzumaki was the most determined and, strangely, open in her team. Even Ishikawa stopped stinking like crazy adrenaline generator every time the boys bumped elbows.

Hiro spotted no ANBU, Uzumaki was an adult now and was considered to be able to stand for himself. The smell led her to a thin door and Hiro frowned -- there were a whole bunch of smells, most of them artificial, and somebody was breathing inside. She knocked, and the breathing silenced for a moment, then quickened. I wasn’t Uzumaki’s breathing, and he was always calm. Hiro jerked the door and came face to face with a horrified young woman in a pale blue worn out kimono.

“Who are you?” She growled. That door was more for show than for anything else. The woman was backing away with fear, someone was coming up in a hurry. Yuujin sneezed again and bumped Hiro’s thigh slightly. She threw a glance at him -- her dog whined and sniffed the air again, sneezed, sniffed and finally sat before the woman, turning his head round.

“Who are you?!” Hiro heard from behind and saw another woman, even younger, not even in her twenties, with a fiercest expression. She took a look at Hiro’s vest and paled slightly, although did not back away. Yuujin sneezed again, her poor friend, and the girl looked at him sharply.

“Are you Naruto’s sensei?” She asked, standing before Hiro as if ready to fight. The jounin smiled: if only her own student had even half of that boldness.

“I actually am.”

“Oh? He’s not here, he’s training with- ah- one of his friends, I think.”

Hiro smiled politely, not missing a stumble and a cover up. Those two were obviously prostitutes, and their smells were all over Naruto’s flat, but there were even more, of another three women.

“Can I wait for him here?” Hiro asked politely. The woman behind squeaked, the girl smiled just as politely. “Of course, Inuzuka-san, if you don’t mind our society.”

Hiro gave an even sweeter smile. “Not at all.”

They stared at each other for a while. The girl bowed. “My name is Ume, and that is Aimi. Nice to meet you.” She entered the flat and closed the door.

“I didn’t know that Naruto had roommates.”

Ume laughed politely. “We didn’t know he would have guests, we are sorry, and we do not live here, just help him.”

“I decided to come unexpected.”

“I hope nothing happened to your team, I heard only the best from Naruto.”

“He tends to exaggerate sometimes, but nothing happened.” Hiro replied and her smile froze in place. That girl dared to interrogate her! The nerve of her. But she liked that, if only for the fact that her own student didn’t have that much fire in her eyes.

“Maybe I can help?” The jounin asked, watching as the girl took an old shirt and began darning countless little holes.

“Thank you, but you’re doing enough.”

Hiro was stuck between being offended and nonplussed. She didn’t understand what the girl meant: that she was a good teacher or a very bad one?

Yuujin perked up and raised his ears. Uzumaki’s voice rang through thin walls.

“That jerk doesn’t know what he’s doing! He just likes laughing at Brows-sensei and watch me running away from the shovel-face! Oh Aimi-san, I- Inuzuka-sensei?” He carefully called from his tiny hall.

“That’s me.” Hiro smirked and watched the boy enter with another woman, tall and almost regal in her bearing. She glanced at Ume and frowned slightly at Hiro.

“Something wrong?” Uzumaki asked again, just as warily.

“I became bored.” His sensei deadpanned. “You are not behaving like cute little genins that you are, so I decided to get closer to you myself. Although I don’t know if I’ll manage with so much competition.”

Uzumaki looked dumbstruck, then smiled joyfully and shyly at her. His smile was too infectious.

“Ah, well, welcome, sensei, you met Aimi-san and Ume-neechan, and that’s Manami-neesan.”

“They are your sisters?” Hiro half-asked.

“They are my friends,” Uzumaki replied and became serious. “My very precious friends.”

The women beamed at him at the same time, as if switched on. Manami put her hands on the boy’s shoulders and squeezed them with affection. “You sit and spend some time with your sensei, I’ll make some tea.”

“Allow me, please.” Hiro shot up, sensing that every diplomatic move she had was needed right that second. “So that we could create a perfectly idyllic atmosphere.”

Manami looked at her and smiled in return, giving space in a small kitchenette. Naruto looked bewildered.

“They left us to fend to ourselves.” He whined and Judziro whined in return, pushing the boy carefully with his nose.

“You are one amazing dog!” Uzumaki declared. “You are just unbelieveable.”

His gushing and praising got him a happy low whine and a strong push of one powerful head.

“Ne, sensei, was he as small as Akamaru is?”

“Maybe even smaller.” Hiro smirked and looked at the small, bright kettle.

She wasn’t terribly surprised when a couple of women arrived; twins Kin and Gin, which wasn’t very creative, but women in brothels rarely used they real names.

Uzumaki’s tiny flat filled with giggling and smells of food. One of the twins was chopping down cucumbers in tiny transparent cubes. “I bet they didn’t give you any food.”

“Why, ‘Maidofu-chan gave me an apple.”

The twins frowned at him. “One apple is not enough.”

“But sis!”

The second twin swatted the boy and took the plates from her sister’s hands. “No buts, eat it now, or we’ll confiscate your cups!”

Uzumaki gasped dramatically, but it was obvious that they performed in a routine show. The table was too small for all of them and Hiro explained that she ate with her clan early, which was a big fat lie, but it was the best she was able to come up with. Ume sat on a narrow window sill where was a small and thin cushion, and the girl seemed to occupy it often.

Uzumaki’s flat faced south-east, and old buildings and maddeningly green trees outside were painted violet and cardinal. The air in the evenings was always fresher and lighter, wind had stilled and noises had died down. The girls went to work, hugging Uzumaki and throwing not-so-subtle glances at Hiro. The boy smiled and tried to evade them clumsily and wished them good luck and offered to accompany them to the brothel, which prompted more hugging, hair ruffling and even cooing. In the end, Uzumaki stood on a flimsy balcony which was his outer landing and watched them leave, chattering animatedly. When Manami, who was walking in the rear, turned to wave to him, Hiro caught his low whisper.

“Please, come at any opportunity.”

He got no answer for Hiro to eavesdrop from her being so polite and sitting in the kitchen, but only sighed heavily and came back slightly downcast.

Honestly, Hiro had no idea why she hadn’t become closer to the boy. She acknowledged her dislike for the other two, although it was more about contempt than dislike. She was a proud Konoha shinobi and she didn’t want to waste her energy and time on someone who obviously was thinking lowly of their life. But Uzumaki was motivated, he was talented, attentive and had imagination to share. He was an almost ideal ninja material.

But he always was so calm, too attentive and unnaturally talented. His was not a talent of someone who masters stuff easily, it was more about knowing what he needed to do beforehand. Hiro couldn’t make herself believe he actually had learnt everything due to his ANBU-sneaking tendencies. She saw too much trial and too little error.

And still she wasn’t able to shake off her wariness of his calmness. He was a wild and random variable, and Hiro’s Nara side was going wild not being able to define him.

Uzumaki was looking at her seriously and slightly guardedly from across his small kitchen. He looked tired and sleepy, it seemed cruel to bother him, but turning away now would probably only make the matters worse.

Hiro decided not to beat around the bush -- she doubted he was bad at identifying a lie. “I saw you hanging around with Sango a few times, could you tell me a little about her? Because I seem to be not a very good sensei when it goes to people skills.”

Uzumaki smiled. “At least you admit it, sensei.”

He hopped on the windowsill -- a black outline against farewell colours of the day. “Sango has a family full of jerks. Their leader is the mummy dude and wants everybody to be perfect shinobi.” The boy huffed angrily. “He probably just hates everybody ‘cause he is so ugly. And a mean bastard.”

Hiro sighed at description because it fit perfectly. She didn’t bother to scold the boy for his language -- she doubted he was so very innocent given the usual behavior towards him and the fact that he had a bunch of prostitutes as his housewives.

“Wait. How do you know this mummy leader?” Hiro frowned. It was highly unlikely that Shimura Danzo would allow somebody like Naruto into his household; on the other hand, Uzumaki was the Jinchuuriki.

Her student shrugged. “I met him a few times at the Jiji’s. He always looks like a giant mummy ass. And scoffs at me. Tried to scare me with his killer want once.”

“Intent.”  Hiro corrected automatically and frowned. “When was it? Was it strong?”

Uzumaki moved to the table and shrugged again. “I dunno. I am often at Jiji’s. And- I don’t remember. Jiji came before I understood anything.”

He yawned widely, sounding like an old hound. “And Sango-chan doesn’t want to be a shinobi. She doesn’t want to kill or do any harm, but she’s afraid to tell her family. I told her -- pass the Chuunin exams and they’ll leave you be, but she doesn’t even want to believe me! She can become a tokujou then, choose some- I dunno,- language studying or other and live as she wants. But no! She doesn’t want to try, and she’s very clever! And she envies me! Me!”

He huffed and punched the table. Hiro had never seen him so agitated; he smelt and felt aggravated and irritated, even angry.

“I don’t wanna cheer her up any more, sensei. I think she is even more sad because of it.”

Hiro frowned and felt her right eyelid twitching; her nostrils flared and the Nara side seemed to gallop into the oblivion under the coming of her wild half. Damn it, she was going to make their lives a living hell, except Hiro was sure Uzumaki would go mad with joy.

“You don’t need to cheer her up anymore. In fact, you didn’t. I’ll talk to her myself.”

“Eeh, Inuzuka-sensei, em, please, would you be, eh, like, I don’t know, ttebayo, gentle? She cries often, and it’s- meeh!”

Hiro burst out laughing and stood up. “Don’t fret, dandelion head, I’ll be attentive and gentle and extremely nice. And call me by my name, will you?”

Uzumaki raised his eyes and looked even younger than he was. “O-okay, sensei. Are you leaving already?”

“Don’t pretend for me, I can see your bloodshot eyes. And no need to accompany me. Sleep tight and don’t be late tomorrow. I have a surprise for you little genin.” Damn phrase, Hiro sounded creepy even to herself.

“Now I won’t sleep, sensei has a surprise.” Uzumaki mumbled but obeyed and parted with his teacher at the door.

Hiro laughed loudly, like a true Inuzuka, and listened to him yawning and going to his bathroom. Pipes began to buzz lowly, and even the landing’s floor was vibrating a little.

The skies were absolutely gorgeous that night -- occasional fat clouds were gliding through them like giant silent black fish, they listened to the river chatting animatedly below and emphasised the deep rich colour of the sky. The stars were plump and winking at the stream, as if telling a shameful secret about the silent clouds from behind their backs.

Yuujin sighed and sniffed the air, as though feeling the air with his nimble nostrils; his fur seemed pitch black and silver under the stars.

Hiro felt strange apathy take over her, chasing away the tension of the last month. With a mood like that it would be great to lie down to sleep right in her yard, among gooseberry bushes and tiny flowers. But first, she needed to make sure she would be able to -- she needed to feel less curiosity.

Hiro touched Yuujin’s withers lightly and as usual, he understood her perfectly, lowered the muzzle and immediately picked up the scent.

Except for Uzumaki himself, nobody lived in the house, so it was no wonder the quiet disappeared when they moved away towards their destination.

Hiro was slightly surprised to find Manami-san walking towards her; it was early by the means of both shinobi and prostitutes.

The woman halted and squinted, so Hiro stepped as loudly as possible to not startle her more. “Good evening.” She said.

“Good evening.” Manami bowed slightly. “Is anything wrong?”. It was so obvious she was referring to Uzumaki, Hiro felt a bit ashamed for her curiosity.

“I am afraid it is, with me. I am, unfortunately, very inquisitive by nature, and seeing today what I saw I couldn’t help but feel that inquisitiveness rise.” Inuzuka inhaled as if with regret, but she needed to get herself straight before making a very big step towards her student. “Naruto,” there, she said it, great, her heart was flipping with unpleasant excitement, “looked too tired and I couldn’t bring myself to question him.”

“Oh.” The other woman said. “It is about why we were there, isn’t it?”

“If I’m not too impudent.”

Manami smiled slightly -- the brothel’s dull lights made her look even more regal and poised. “Isn’t it a teacher’s right to know about their students?”

It sounded a bit like a reproof, though Hiro couldn’t be sure, Manami was just so unbelievably polite and composed it was hard to get a hang on her true feelings even with shinobi experience and enhanced senses.

“About a month ago one of visitors of Konoha had a birthday. For him and his friends it looked like a good idea to celebrate somewhere besides their temporary residence. They didn’t have much money and decided to stop at our place -- there were seven of them. Kin was the first to approach them.”

Manami suddenly fell silent and her thin eyebrows drew together in a frown. “I cannot tell what it was they wanted from her, but they weren’t very friendly or gentle, and when-” she took a deep breath. “Let’s just say that Kin was forced outside with seven inebriated men after her.

“We were very worried when she didn’t return that night, only showed up the following morning and told us that she was hidden by- by him.”

The woman heaved such a sigh Yuujin actually touched her thigh with his nose in reassurance. “I’d like to lie and tell you that we were grateful, but we weren’t. We were scared, extremely so, and only Ume was brave enough to seek shelter from him the following week. She’s very bold and reckless when she sees an opportunity to delve into the unknown, and what’s more exciting than a place where the dreaded lives?

“Ume wasn’t as scared as Kin was and I think she let her curiosity too much freedom, if I interpreted what she had been telling right. She actually came around two more times before making Kin come with her to thank Naruto.”

Manami huffed lightly with amusement. “Of course, Gin went with them and later she told us the poor boy was mortified to have Ume demanding Kin to thank him. Probably it was when Gin saw Naruto as a little more than usual image. She told us when she thanked him and apologised for Ume he was so embarrassed she couldn’t help laughing.

As for me- I have a client, they are adept at seals, I inquired a bit about the containing ones.” the woman lowered her proud head, “I wish I have done it sooner. I have only told Aimi about what my client revealed to me -- she’s easy to get scared and was shaking every time Ume decided to visit Naruto -- but she relayed the information to the twins, and Ume needed little more conviction.

“He’s a very bright boy, isn’t he, sensei? Like a small fire. At first we felt we needed to thank him somehow and his flat was so...” Manami’s beautiful face scrunched up slightly, but she looked even more stunning; she made a smooth wide gesture with her hand.

“Like a boy’s flat?” Hiro smiled.

“Exactly. Although Naruto is not very messy, but he says it’s because he’s a grown up now. We make sure he eats healthy food and does it regularly. Ume seems to have her maternal instinct awaken” the woman added wryly.  

She lifted her face to the sky. “I hope he’s making progress. I’d like to see him as a Hokage, I think - I’ve never had a person who made me feel so safe and relaxed. Accepted? Sometimes I forget Naruto is a boy yet.”

Hokage? Oh, my, it seemed not only little Ume had her maternal instinct going full force.

“Please, take care of him, sensei, and forgive him if he’s impatient. He wants to devour more than he’s able to.”

Hiro started and looked at Manami. She was a rare type of a woman -- very beautiful, as if lit up from inside with a soft, warm light. Unfortunately, that kind of beauty created a cocoon with its perfection, and people dared only look. So lonely in her fine capsule, Manami stumbled upon somebody unafraid to come closer.

Yuujin sighed and looked at the prostitute when she looked at him wearing an open, inviting expression. Dogs are good for such people.

“Manami-san, if I may… have you seen a dark-haired boy with Naruto?”

“I’ve seen several.”

“The Uchiha one.”

“Ow.” Manami said. “Yes, he’s been at Naruto’s a few times, but Naruto stays over at his place more often, at least once a week. He says they train together, but-” another sigh, “sensei-”

“I swear, I asked it not because of idle curiosity.”

“He appears to be a very composed and lonely boy. He’s more introverted than polite and seems to be focused entirely on Naruto.”

“Is that so? I thought I was mistaken. He also appeared to me to have quite a quick temper.”

The tall woman looked sincerely surprised. “I have never noticed that. Every time we met that child was very collected.”

“Thank you for your help.” Hiro said quietly. She didn’t want to think about anything anymore. “Let Yuujin accompany you to your place.”

Manami looked up in surprise.

“It’s no bother, and I’ll be able to look at Naruto tomorrow without any guilt.”

The prostitute opened her mouth, but then only smiled and bowed.

Left alone, Hiro also looked up at the stars. It felt good to let go of her investigative side and just relax.

Her decision to make a surprise the day before was very spontaneous, and Hiro was rightfully afraid it might backfire badly. But she promised…

Sandaime looked at her, his face partially hidden behind light clouds of smoke.

“Your team is a very fresh one.” He commented.

The woman shrugged. “Newly promoted shinobi take on dangerous missions all the time.”

The Hokage narrowed his eyes slightly but gave his consent just as her genin arrived: she had come slightly early.

Naruto didn’t even greet anyone. “Please no Tora-chan.”

Hiro gave him a light punch. “You are so lucky, totty-boy, that the mission is already assigned.”

The boy craned his neck and lit up catching a glimpse of light green field with a red stamp. “C-rank! C-rank!” Naruto hollered and tackled his sensei. Hiro gasped at the strength with which her ribs were squeezed. “What is it, sensei?”

She swatted him in the head with the mission scroll. “Wild boar hunting near one town. It’s time you show me what all that bragging is worth.”

As expected, the other two looked more mortified and disgusted than happy.

-----

It was just one boar, one jounin would be more than enough for it so Hiro promptly informed her team of that and asked for their ideas.

Ishikawa came up with a decent plan: Naruto would find it, he had the best sense of smell after Yuujin, and then they would set a trap made of wire and explosive tags. After a short quarrel between disgusted Naruto and furious Rokuro they decided to go for Sango delivering the final strike with her wakizashi instead for messy explosions.

Everything went really well -- Naruto picked up the smell and rushed to their target, Ichikawa set up the trap and as soon as crash and sound of heavy footsteps were heard Sango crouched on her tree branch.

And sit there, looking at the blade in her arms.

Naruto dived under the wire, rolling on roots and groaning slightly, the boar stumbled into it full force, his limbs were immediately tied together and the gargantuan beast fell down, inertia drawing it to the tree.

It was extremely fast and just as strong; the wire gave off after a few pulls and the boar charged at its bright target again, Naruto barely managed to jump on a tree in one chakra-powered leap. Before the aspen fell he ran higher and jumped on an oak, diving into his pouch. Losing its victim, the animal turned towards the second boy, who was unfortunate enough to not get far enough in time; Hiro jumped, blade ready; but before it charged properly, Naruto jumped back down on its back and with a few hand seals punched straight the massive withers.

Hiro leaped back on instinct and managed to escape the gore: the boar’s eyeballs burst outwards along with the skin on the head under the assault of chakra. Rokuro threw up.

“Well,” Hiro noted, looking at the giant body, “improvising is vital for ninja.”

She felt fury taking over as she chopped the mangled head off to give it to the local authorities. Anger was rising while they were biding their goodbyes, going to a small river and watching Ishikawa wash off blood and vomit. But Hiro managed to keep her voice even. “If you are unable to carry out an order, you are to tell about it right away, not waiting until it’s too late.”

She didn’t want to look at Shimura at all, only craved to shake the girl and shout about wars and fights and risks, about them being quite lucky Naruto escaped.

Speaking of.

“Naruto.” The jounin called. “What did you do?”

“Eh? I saw ANBU and some chuunin guys doing it and then kinda sneaked into Academy library, and there was a scroll, about tree-walking, and I-”

“I know about treewalking,” Hiro interrupted, barely holding herself together, “how did you kill it?”

Naruto scowled and raised his fist. A small seal was there, painted with a blue marker.

“I- eh, I also saw it in one of the scrolls. They are kinda cool -- no need to chakra control and all that- ouch!”

Hiro patted the head she just swatted and shook her head. “Chakra control is vital, punkhead.”

Dried blood partly concealed the seal and Hiro tried to wipe it off, baring smooth clean skin. The boy flinched and pulled his hand back, hiding it with other.

“Are you in pain?” Hiro asked.

He smiled, folding his hands behind his head. “No, sensei, all’s fine.”

“It’s your blood, isn’t it? Are you hurt?”

Naruto evaded her eyes. “I heal quickly.”

Hiro scowled, sensing his unease, but noticing a peculiar look in Ishikawa’s eyes changed the topic. “What does it do? Explode your chakra?”

The boy still looked uncomfortable. “Like that, yeah, it sorta for pumping chakra somewhere, I just added one triangle for exploding.”

She had a true Uzumaki in her team, it seemed.

After that Hiro made their training downright torturous, or she was afraid she would kill them on a mission. The thought of that team being stuck with her forever made her want to weep. But at least they got to know each other better and spend more time together.

She got rid of one of her flaws as a teacher and dived straight into another, it seemed. It was inevitable; Uzumaki had become her favourite. He was cunning like herself and wild like herself and ponderous - like herself. And he was extremely caring -- Hiro could relate to Manami when talking about being accepted. Naruto didn’t judge. He didn’t have expectations. It was a hard life that taught him that, but the result was astounding.

But most of all, especially compared to measured and placid life Hiro led, his was one of neverending motion: Naruto trained with his team, Naruto hung out with other genin teams, Naruto visited Hokage, had regular sleepovers all over Konoha and took care of the doting women from the brothel, he pranked, studied and went on missions, created new seals and mixed some paint which was impossible to wash off.

The Kages of the mountain now had properly coloured hair, although huge “not grey-haired” on the Second’s forehead plate was unnecessary in everybody’s 

Naruto was lying in front of Hiro’s house. She nudged him lightly and gave the boy a mug with some chicken soup.

“You’re the best, sensei.” He mumbled, sitting up lazily.

Hiro smiled. “I know. How are the girls doing?”

“Yesterday they were alright. Ume-neechan ran from some retard again, her new neighbour. She’ll be staying at my place for a while, I dunno when I’m gonna sleep at home anyway.”

“Why won’t she move to your building?” Hiro wondered aloud. “And Manami too - it’s unoccupied anyway and it’ll be more convenient for everybody.”

Naruto looked at her with interest. “I hafta talk to Jiji. He owns the place after the landlord, eh-” and he fell silent, staring into his impossibly orange mug -- Hiro bought it for him -- and sighed.

Hiro felt slightly cold: they had had those pauses before, usually when talking about Naruto’s fast healing or him having to put on his not-henge-at-all to go shopping or in a library. It was getting harder and harder to brush it off and maintain an oblivious façade. She wasn’t sure he’d be grateful when he’d learn the truth, and the thought hurt too much.

“Naruto, look, I know it’s not fair, but, you know, people are generally very stupid.”

He raised his head and frowned heavily at her. His blue eyes were serious and too intense.

“I just want to say, you did nothing wrong, just the previous Hokage- he had too much belief in people, and when the Nine-Tails-”

Naruto clamped a hand on her mouth and Hiro watched him watch her with wide, shocked and disbelieving eyes.

“I know, sensei.”

And Hiro felt the ground sink under her feet, her pulse a mad beat, her brain a storm of whats and hows and no ways.

Naruto stood up, his hands in his pockets, tense and rigid. “Eavesdropped accidentally a few times.”

“Who?!” Hiro asked, looking up at him, at her lonely student. “When?!”

Uzumaki shrugged.

“Don’t shrug at me, Naruto, it’s extremely important, it’s against the law to talk about it.”

“Sensei, you almost told me just now.”

Hiro gaped at him. “That’s another matter!”

“I know, sensei, I do understand.” Naruto smiled and bent down to pick up his mug. “Thanks for soup and for the advice. I’ll go talk to Jiji right now.”

“Wait a second.”

They looked at one another, Hiro reached out to take the mug. “Don’t feel so down. With the progress you make you’ll be the Hokage in no time, stupid people or not”

It was Naruto’s turn to gape. Then his lips began to tremble. Then he sniffed. Then Hiro pulled him into her jacket and held close.

“When you and Manami-san are saying this-”

“Don’t talk, you’ll choke.”

Naruto gurgled with laughter and hugged Hiro tighter.

Chapter Text

The Hyuuga household was tense that evening.

Hinata and Hiashi-sama were looking at each other silently, standing in the middle of a small garden. The evening was beautiful, as was the garden, but the crackling tension made it impossible to enjoy such nice weather.

For Neji it was slightly ironic, the fact  that now he was feeling less remorse towards the Main Branch than Hinata; Hinata herself was livid: it could be seen in her slightly closed eyes,ramrod straight spine and dreamlike smile. She stood before her tall father unflinchingly and continued to seize him down.

She wasn’t as anxious as Kakashi-san or Naruto-san; Hinata had spent too much time observing people to share any illusions about their group successfully blending in and pretending to be children (or young jounin). Most importantly, she had her clan to deal with, and maybe the Rokudaime’s ideas were infectious, but just because she was a heiress she couldn’t ignore dire situations. Her sister’s blatantly abusive and spiteful nature was one.

“Explain yourself.” Hiashi ordered, and although it was a sound demand, it wasn’t treated as such.

“What about, father?”

For a moment it looked like Hiashi was going to grab for her, but the Clan Head just shifted his stance and became more intimidating. His voice was very dangerous now, promising, low.

“Do you have a lot of things to explain? Or are you hoping for the possibility of dropping the matter off?”

Hinata’s gaze was unwavering. “I can tell father about a lot of things, if he is interested, which one should I start with?”

“The one where you almost broke your sister’s arm.”

“I haven’t, nor did I intend to.” She paused and cast a long look at her sister, who glared in return through tearful eyes. “Hanabi demonstrated the worst behaviour.”

Hiashi took a step towards his firstborn, but was met with her stubborn eyes. “Is it your place to decide that?”

“As much as it was hers to activate the seal!” Hinata bit out, short of shouting.

Neji frowned and stepped forward carefully. “Hinata-s-”

But she interrupted him with an angry and dismissive wave of her hand. “I won’t allow you to take the blame, Neji, because it wasn’t yours. As she is the member of the Main Branch it’s Hanabi’s duty to be the one responsible for the Hyuuga clan, isn’t it, father?”

Hiashi straightened a little, his face paling; he looked at his youngest, who was visibly torn between being peeved and scared, and then at his nephew, who just looked grim. “Is this true?” He asked Neji, because the boy wouldn’t lie, not to the Clan Head.

Hisashi’s son shot a quick look at Hinata and nodded.

The only visible reaction from Hiashi was his thinning lips.

“Neji, take Hanabi to a medic,she won’t do anything like that.” He finally stated with conviction, staring at his second daughter intently. “Hinata, follow.”

The heiress exchanged quick looks with her cousin and did as she was told.

***

Her father looked ponderous as he stared at her. “While your point is logical, I would like you to be more reasonable and use less violence. Because as you’ve said with your responsibility being bigger than one of your sister, you need to be the one to correct her.”

Hinata, honestly surprised at her father’s openness and even a small amount of respect,  raised her eyes from her knees and bowed. “I am sorry, father, for speaking so rudely to you. I am sorry I was so rash, but there was little time for talking.” She looked up at his face and bowed again; she wasn’t very dutiful and respectful daughter that evening. “But thank you, father, I’ll follow your advice.”

“Hinata.” She heard and saw Hiashi looking at her with some kind of restricted surprise. “I’ve noticed a lot of changes in you these last months.” Aah, that was why she didn’t really bother with keeping up disguises -- she lived among the Hyuugas, after all.

“Is this because of Neji?”

“Father?”

Hiashi was looking even more serious now. “You are spending a lot of time in his company, Hinata. You’re exchanging looks all the time.”

The turn from one topic to another was so mad Hinata actually lost control over her face for a few moments. She felt it contort into something amused or shocked.

“Why wouldn’t I spend time with Neji-nii-san?” She asked, emphasizing the honorific. “He’s very considerate, thanks to him I feel… well…” Hinata trailed off and smiled slightly at her father’s shocked face. “I feel like a have a family.” She added softly and bravely looked into Hiashi’s eyes.

For a while they sat in silence, each in their own thoughts.

“Hinata.”

Hiashi was looking straight in front of him, past his daughter, and it seemed he was breathing heavily.

“It seems you have thought a lot about the duties of the Clan Head.”

“I have.”

“It seems you do not wish to shrink from them.”

“I don’t.”

Hinata caught his sideways look and straightened.

“I am looking forward to seeing your growth.”

Everything stilled as the daughter looked at her father in a stunned silence. It had taken Hinata years to reach any level of warmth with her father, and it only happened after long, long war against their traditions was won and the air in their compound cleared homehow.

She smiled, thinking of children who were unafraid to walk with their faces uncovered and untainted, “Me too, father.”

“I can’t believe!” Naruto shouted, walking beside them. “You graduate in a month! Jeesh, time flies.”

Sasuke-san, as usual when he was reminded of them being in different teams (it seemed everything was a trigger), became irate and sulking. Hinata wondered if he fancied himself to be very composed.

Neji made a noncommittal sound; they were nearing the training grounds and no doubt her cousin was bracing himself against another greeting from his sensei.

“YOOSH! NEJI!! YOU BRING THE SPIRIT OF YOUTH TO YOUR FRIENDS!!” Gai-sensei was crying from happiness.

Neji shuddered “Why couldn’t it have changed?” He mumbled quietly and added louder “I brought Sasuke; he thinks Naruto is his rival, so naturally, Lee, he’s your rival to being Naruto’s rival.”

“NEJI MY RIVAL!! SO KIND AND CLEVER!!”

Naruto began laughing so hard he almost went hysterical, while Sasuke gave Hinata’s cousin one of his fiercest glares.

“That’s what you get for skipping for so long!” Uzumaki wheezed, clutching his stomach. “Fire of youth will reach everybody!” he cackled, while Gai-sensei gave his shouts of confirmation and approval.

Hinata laughed with them and wished she could spend more time training; with them it was more challenging and interesting, and Neji didn’t look particularly pleased about the fact that she would be walking to the Academy in the company of Sasuke of all people.

Chapter Text

Sakura was having a very trying day. First, she learned that she hadn’t made it as the kunoichi of the year, because Hyuuga Hinata did.

(It was a little unfair: Sakura didn’t have servants to make her home duties, so while she studied vigorously, she couldn’t spend all the time studying).

Then there were the graduation, she performed well, she thought; certainly better than Ino-pig, although Hinata was the best kunoichi in taijutsu and weapons.

(Again, very unfair, because she was from a shinobi clan and knew all that since her birth).

But Sakura still was the best in genjutsu and theory material, second only to Sasuke-kun, and she got to sit next to him, yaa! Sasuke-kun was cool, smart and very, very pretty, handsome, breathtaking; Sasuke was Sakura’s one and only, her ultimate prince. And Sasuke liked Hinata.

Sakura didn’t know what could had occurred to make it happen, but facts were facts -- the only girl Sasuke ever talked to was Hyuuga Hinata, the only girl Sasuke ever walked next to intentionally was Hyuuga Hinata; they sometimes showed up and left the Academy together!

(It was horribly, dreadfully unfair -- Hinata was the heiress, she was pretty (regardless of what Sakura thought, she had to be honest), she had a nice forehead and hid it under a fringe)

Thankfully, Hinata never attempted to sit near Sasuke-kun, so Sakura had her chance to bask in the presence of the Uchiha boy.

And finally, finally Iruka-sensei delivered good news. She was in one team with Sasuke-kun! Sakura cheered so loudly that it was her, her, not Ino and certainly not Hyuuga Hinata, it was Haruno Sakura, and let those two enjoy other boring clan kids.

“Sasuke-kun!” The girl breathed, ecstatic, “Sasuke-kun, do you know who that Sai is?”

Sasuke-kun turned to her - it was a rare and quite precious moment - and wordlessly pointed behind the girl. She turned away and looked straight into the cold eyes of the new boy, who was sat next to Hinata and was talking to the Hyuuga girl (harlot! Inner Sakura screeched angrily).

Sai was pale and dark-eyed, with inky black hair. He gave Sakura some eerie semblance of a smile and she darted her eyes away in hurry, turning back to Sasuke-kun. But alas, maybe she was doomed, after all, because Sasuke-kun was shifting his gaze past her, watching someone move behind Sakura’s back and she could feel the scary new boy getting closer.

“Sakura-san.” Sai said in even tone, smiling thinly. “Very nice to meet you.”

Sakura nodded silently, not trusting herself to speak; Sai was scary.

Sai was scary and mean, because the moment he walked round the table and sat next to Sasuke the boys began talking, like, Sasuke-kun was actually conversing with someone besides Hyuuga Hinata!

IT WAS ALL HER FAULT! DAMNED HYUUGA HINATA!

Sakura whirled away from the offending scene and bore her eyes into the Hyuuga’s back, scowling furiously.

Damn men-thief! Rang through her mind, You’ll pay for this!

The following day brought little relief -- when Sakura entered the classroom neither of her teammates were present. They didn’t come even when a tall gray-haired man entered and stated that he was one Hatake Kakashi, their sensei. Sakura, red from mortification, explained that of the Team seven only her was present.

But Kakashi-sensei only smiled at her (or Sakura thought that he smiled, one could hardly tell) and sat down between her and Shikamaru, immediately starting a rather lively conversation.

They were animatedly talking about the best shuriken blacksmith in the village when a pair of shinobi entered the classroom and froze, staring at Sakura’s sensei.

“Kakashi!?” The male asked, narrowing his eyes to study the man in question.

“Maa, Asuma, what got you so surprised? I too have a team, here is one cute genin.” And sensei shook Sakura slightly, almost cooing.

Asuma-sensei shook his head and mournfully looked at the cigarette he dropped in shock. “No matter, I’m Sarutobi Asuma, Team Ten, follow me.” And the man promptly walked out. Shikamaru grunted in response to Kakashi-sensei’s wishes of good luck and followed along with Ino and Chouji.

The beautiful woman, Kurenai-sensei, took Hinata, Kiba and Shino, all the while watching Kakashi-sensei suspiciously. What was happening?

Sakura was left alone with her sensei, who was, well, a jounin, so he was amazing, but secretly Sakura thought him to be a little strange. Kakashi-sensei sometimes interrupted her or himself with random giggling or gave strange comments Sakura couldn’t understand. Was he really her teacher?

In two hours Sasuke-kun and Sai appeared and stood frozen in the doorway just like Asuma and Kurenai-sensei, although it was really funny, because the boys didn’t really fit into the doorframe and so were stuck in really strange positions.

“Aah, these must be my other cute little pupils!” Sensei sang. “And I’ve already made friends with Sakura and decided that she will surely be in my team. As for tardy kids like you…” he trailed off, shaking his head.

Sasuke-kun, at whom Sakura was looking tearfully, strangely jerked his head, while Sai smiled an uneven, unsure smile. “Sensei likes pranks.”

Kakashi shrugged. “I’ve learned from the best.”

He stood up and gracefully leaned his hip on one of the tables, while the boys arranged themselves to sit in front of him; neither sat next to Sakura, which was in equal parts offending, painful and relieving.

“Since we’re already in such a nice place let’s introduce themselves and get properly acquainted! I want to hear it - your likes and dislikes, hobbies, dreams, plans for the future, preferences.” Sensei began and looked at them expectantly. Sakura prayed it would be that weird boy first, she couldn’t possibly began talking about herself-

“Ladies first, I think.”

THAT HORRIBLE ASS! Boomed in Sakura’s head, but she ducked her head, ashamed for the inner outburst, and mumbled, “Why don’t you start, sensei? Since you’re our sensei and all.”

Kakashi-sensei shrugged, “Mу name is Hatake Kakashi, and I’m an awesome jounin with awesome training schedule and a lot of awesome techniques,” well, that was strange, Sakura thought she didn’t think their sensei was a boastful type. Sasuke-kun’s hand broke his training kunai, though, so the girl wished in the future their sensei wouldn't be so rude. “I like reading and watching people suffer from me being so awesome,” really, sensei? “I dislike wasting my time on things I think are unworthy to be wasting time on, my hobbies are… hm…” did Sakura imagine that or sensei just giggled like some perv? “I really like reading. And in the future I want my favourite writers to get unending inspiration.”

There was a pause.

Well.

It was… informative, except Sakura felt confused and pranked for some reason.

And then she realized that sensei was looking at her. The girl gulped and began, “I like…” she glanced at Sasuke and shook her head, it wouldn’t help to announce her feelings just like that, “I hate Hyuuga Hinata!” She exclaimed resolutely and blushed again when all three males turned to her with various states of bewilderment on their faces. “I really want to… I’d like to… eh…” she trailed off in her land of dreams, gaze directed somewhere in Sasuke-kun’s direction, until sensei’s silent laughter jolted her awake.

“I see, then, what about you two?”

“I really think it would be better to reveal it all as we work together,” Sai said mildly, looking at frowning Sasuke-kun. “If we even make it as a team.”

“Why wouldn’t we?” Sensei asked, gazing at them intently. “Of course, right now you can’t really be called a proper team, but I don’t have any choice, do I? I have to take you as my pupils, so you’ll become a team, or die trying.”

Sakura didn’t know why, but his parting words left her really scared, like Kakashi-sensei seriously thought about them being killed. She carefully looked at her teammates and found that Sai - better call him Sai-san, really - was smiling what appeared to be a real smile, and Sasuke-kun was just staring at their sensei. Their staring contest proceeded for about half a minute, then something shifted and sensei clapped his hands. “But it would be unfair of you to to learn about Sakura-chan and me, and give nothing about you!”

Sakura blinked at the change of topic and blinked again when Sai-san laughed. It was a quiet, collected sound, but it seemed real. “I’m Sai,” he said, voice still uneven, “I like painting and watching people, and reading, too, one might say,” sensei giggled again, “I dislike liars and my dream is something I’ll reveal later. Maybe.”

Kakashi-sensei appeared to be smiling for some reason, and Sasuke-kun kept quiet. He was staring at his desk, a frown so deep on his face that Sakura decided to actually give the boy some space, but apparently, neither Sai-san nor their sensei were scared of the Uchiha boy.

“Why, why are you so rude, Sasuke-san?” Sai asked with a smile, leaning on his desk. “Do you mistrust us so?”

Kakashi-sensei giggled, although it didn’t sound as perverted as before, and shook his head. “Don’t abuse your teammate, Sai, though you do have a point. It’s a little unfair to leave us in the dark, Sasuke. But I’ll surely be willing to let that one pass if you treat us for our first team meeting! And of course you’ll keep us company, won’t you?”

Sakura had to fight down her blush and expectations, so she looked down at her palms, folded shyly on her lap, and didn’t hear any reply from her idol; apparently he nodded, because Sai-san laughed again and sensei straightened up and clapped his hands once. “Great! Let’s go get something and make a small pointless talk!”

Of course, it would have been better to be alone with Sasuke-kun, but for Sakura it was the most she could get - before, Uchiha had been unwilling to even spare her a glance, always walking away and leaving everyone behind.

(Everyone except Hyuuga Hinata, that is. She was definitely going to pay!)

***

They wound up in a small place, which was serving tea and light snacks, nothing sophisticated. Kakashi teased that Sasuke-kun was soo greedy, but Sakura secretly marveled at his choice and thought that for such a collected boy as Sasuke it was only natural to choose a place where people don’t just stuff themselves until they’re full (or maybe - her inner voice squealed in elation - maybe Sasuke-kun had known about her diet and decided to indulge her).

All went very good - Kakashi-sensei somehow getting Sakura to talk animatedly about her days at the Academy -until something horrendous appeared at the doorway and the previously silent place went alive with booming voice.

“SASUKE! MY RIVAL! I SPOTTED YOU RIGHT!”

Sasuke-kun looked vaguely horrified and a bit - if Sakura was not mistaken - murderous, Sai-san laughed merrily again and sensei’s glee was palpable.

The boy clad in eye-wrenchingly green went to their table and then ran back out, Sakura frowned as Kakashi-sensei stood and began something resembling an apology for leaving, but Sasuke-kun spoke up for the first time. “Where are you going, sensei? Isn’t a team supposed to support each other?”

Sensei scoffed but obliged, and then something horrifying happened.

Two green-clothed men stormed into the room, causing Sakura to shriek in terror and try to hide somewhere under the table. The air was filled with shouts of ‘RIVAL’ ‘FIFTY LAPS’ and other nonsense, and Sakura could feel the upcoming of the first headache in her short life.

Then Kakashi-sensei sighed and said. “Gai, I want to know which one of us is able to sit still and quiet the longest.”

Those words were apparently magical, because Maito Gai fell silent and absolutely still, and sensei only smiled at Sasuke-kun.

Lee, who was throwing Sakura strange glances, decided to copy his teacher (Sai whispered to her they were not related - was that even possible?) and also fell silent, his face frozen in an amusing expression of something painful.

Sasuke and the other boy in Gai-sensei’s team, Hyuuga Neji (a Hyuuga!) were participating in some staring contest of doom, because the air between them was crackling with tension.

That left the girl, who only managed to introduce herself before being totally drowned out by her own sensei. Tenten bowed slightly “I am sorry we interrupted your meeting.”

Sakura couldn’t feel spiteful even if she wanted to, because the other girl looked just so apologetic, so sincere, that she smiled and waved her hand, uneasy under the looming tension. “It’s alright, ah, we just…”

“We were just getting acquainted.” Sai-san added, “We were assigned as a team only today, so we decided to get a little time all together.”

“I am so sorry.” Tenten whispered and shook her head. “I’m afraid there’s nothing to move Gai-san from his place now.”

“It’s alright.” Repeated Sakura, because it really kinda was, she had never before sat with so many people - shinobi, she had to remind herself - and they were actually willing to talk to her.

It was easier to talk to Tenten, she was a girl and a quite open one, she freely talked about their missions, daily routine, she talked of weapons animatedly and was able to give a full description of any weapon-selling shop in Konoha. Sakura was impressed, intimidated and a bit bored, because Tenten never once talked about boys, only when Sakura began did the girl shook her head mournfully and cast a sad glance at her teammates. Then Tenten began talking of fuinjutsu, which Sakura excelled at, and a new name popped out in the conversation.

“But I’m glad Naruto is helping me, because he really is an Uzumaki; his seals are brilliant.” Tenten said, stirring her tea.

Sakura frowned. “Naruto? Uzumaki Naruto - that moron? I mean, did he really became a shinobi, wasn’t he dropped out?” She scoffed and waved her hand dismissively, laughing at the absurd idea of Uzumaki Naruto being good at anything. “He’s such an idiot, I doubt he can even pronounce the word fuuinjutsu correctly”

Sakura fell silent when she saw Tenten’s confused and displeased frown, then the identical one on Lee’s face, Neji’s heavy scowl, teacher’s disapproving gaze and, most scary, Sasuke-kun was glaring at her. Sai-san was smiling, but there was nothing reassuring about it. “Aah, let’s not get carried away, maybe Sakura-san is just prone to hating people without any reason, first Hyuuga Hinata, then Naruto.”

“You hate Hinata-san?” Lee squeaked with such passion that Neji’s face shattered into something indecipherable. “Oh, no, I lost our contest of silence, Neji!”

“Was there one?” Neji asked, and smiled at Lee’s wails of despair.

And Sasuke-kun’s burning gaze never once wavered from Sakura.

“Are you asleep, sensei?” Sai asked tentatively and winced when Gai jumped up with growls of protest.

“I blinked.” Kakashi-sensei said, not even twitching. “And now you lost, too.”

There was a surprisingly unanimous sigh when two green-wearing monsters stomped away (on their hands).

“Some joint training would be nice.” Sai mused, not looking anywhere at particular, but somehow this remark managed to switch Sasuke-kun’s Glare of Doom from Sakura.

There was an uncomfortable silence now, Tenten was sipping her tea demurely, sensei vanished somewhere without anybody noticing, and a perfectly normal and civil conversation between Sai-san and Neji only punctuated Sasuke-kun’s awful mood.

Neji made some noise and Sai smiled; it didn’t seem like he was under pressure, although now he was under the Glare.

Sakura wished she didn’t want to cry, she wished she could tell what was wrong, she wished she could act as unaffected as Tenten did, she wished Kakashi-sensei hadn’t ran away to do his awesome training-

“Ya know, because of ya this place is already abandoned.” Someone said and Sakura’s gaze snapped up from her lap.

It was hard to recognize the ban of her existence that had been Uzumaki Naruto during his Academy days; he had vanished so abruptly everybody just assumed he had been expelled - it just seemed so logical and no teacher was ever willing to talk about the blond.

He seemed… relaxed. Collected somehow, hands shoved in his pockets and posture slack; in some bizarre way he reminded Sakura of their new sensei. Naruto didn’t seem to care about the owners glaring at his back, or Sasuke-kun’s headily worsening mood, or Sai’s intent stare, he was just standing before them and looking at no one in particular, though Sakura was still feeling as if she was being scrutinized.

“Ten-chan, ‘Dofu-chan was looking for ya.” He said suddenly, gaze snapping to the kunoichi. Tenten looked at him and stood up, smiling.

“Well, hello to you, too, Naruto, I’m fine.”

“Geesh, I’m sorry, but today she is you know how she can be and I’m pretty sure she’ll kidnap you, so we’ll meet tonight and I promise I’ll ask you how your day has been.”

Tenten laughed and waved at him, then bowed slightly to everybody and, after winking at Sakura and wishing her good luck, left.

Left Sakura alone with the four boys the newly-appointed kunoichi was quickly learning to fear.

Naruto rocked at his feet slightly and smiled at them, wide and bright and so happy, and the tension seemed to lessen from just the force of his smile.

“So, congratulations on making it! Sakura-chan, Sasuke, and, Sai, nice to meetcha!” Naruto smiled at Sai-san, at which Sai somehow smiled like a human being again and Neji snorted. “I’ve just met your sensei, so I really wish you good luck.”

“Yes, let’s just hope that our sensei wouldn’t be spreading news of our tardiness.” Sai-san said and looked at Sasuke-kun askanse.

“Tardiness?” Naruto cocked his head and jumped to rudely squeeze between the two boys - and miraculously it didn’t cause Sasuke-kun to plummer into hateful stares again.

“Oh, yes, it seems we - Sasuke-san and me - were delayed so it turned out Kakashi-sensei and Sakura had to wait for us for about two hours.” Sai said without any hint of remorse.

Naruto twitched, then lowered his head and then erupted into fits of laughter, shoulders shaking helplessly. “That’s- that’s so brilliant, that’s just unbelievable.” He wheezed, clutching at his stomach.

(Sakura really wished she knew what was all of it about, other sensei’s reactions and the boys’ sly smiles - because even Sasuke-kun’s mouth seemed to twitch a little)

These precious moments of cheerfulness were shattered when the owner came to their table and glared at Naruto furiously.

“Loud and rude customers are not welcomed here.” He choked out with so much force and distaste, even hate. Sakura frowned unsurely and for the upteenth time wished she wasn’t situated so unfortunately - between Sai-san and Neji, her back to the wall, so she couldn’t sneak out without losing the precious remnants of her dignity.

And she wondered briefly what kind of prank Naruto had played to make himself so unwelcome even after the show which was Gai-sensei and his fanatical pupil.

The atmosphere became stifling - again - and although Naruto just shrugged and rose to leave, all the other boys were glaring at the owner, and the air was suffocating and it really was not the best day-

When Sakura came round the first thing she saw was actually Uzumaki Naruto’s worried face, the second was the darkening evening skies.

“Sorry, you seem to have fainted.” Naruto said a tad sheepishly while the girl tried to rise up with as much self-esteem intact as she could. The other three boys were standing near and looking at her strangely.

Were they really on some roof? Sakura wondered and immediately voiced her question.

“Well, yeah, I thought you wouldn’t want to wake up in the hospital, and your parents probably wouldn't appreciate that.”

Judging by the fact that Naruto was only in darkish red shirt and Sakura was lying on some cloth, the boy actually had the audacity to lay down his jacket. Lay it so Sakura was lying on his jacket!

She bolted upright and looked down.

“Yeah, sorry I didn’t manage to undress Sasuke for his shirt.” Naruto smirked - smirked! - drily and Sakura couldn’t repress the urge to hit him on the head. The damn menace didn’t even flinch, only blinked at her and straightened.

“Oh, well, you certainly wouldn’t want to be accompanied to your place, then.”

“But Sakura is a kunoichi now, she can’t be afraid to walk through the central Konoha in the evenings.” Sai-san said while Naruto was shrugging on his hideous jacket.

“Hey, you wanna crash at Dofu-chan’s tonight?” Naruto laughed, turning to the boys and downright pouting when both Neji and Sai shook their heads simultaneously.

Sasuke-kun’s stare was burning holes through Sakura’s skull and she really was becoming scared of him, because could it be that every day he would be like that, suffocating her for no reason with his stares, full of something she couldn’t manage to name?

And she really didn’t appreciate Naruto crashing at their meeting and whisking away her team - how the hell did he-

Sasuke-kun’s face was really near all of a sudden, so near that Sakura could suddenly see with perfect clarity three miniscule wrinkles between his perfect eyebrows.

“You are not a kunoichi,” he said in such a soft voice, in such a timbre Sakura was pinking with love before the meaning started to register. “You are not fit to hate shinobi, because you are so weak I am offended-”

“Fuck, Sasuke!”

Uchiha was yanked back from her, but Sakura didn’t really see it, the damage was already done and her vision became really blurry and the noise was drowned out by the blood rushing to her face.

“Sakura-chan! Sakura! Fuck, Sasuke- I- I just. Fuck, what’s- stand up, Sakura” Naruto said and she actually straightened, shocked and trembling. “I’m going to take her home and I’ll see you guys maybe tomorrow.” Strangely, Naruto for some reason made a henge of some unnotable boy and was looking at her with worry.

Sakura moved her eyes to Sasuke-kun, who was frowning and didn’t seem in the least apologetic, and it was like another hammer strike to her heart, because really, why was it Naruto?!

“Let’s go.” Naruto murmured softly and turned back for a second. “Please, tell Amaidofu-chan I’ll come later.”

Next thing Sakura knew she was on the ground again and Naruto was holding her shoulder gently - like she had always dreamed Sasuke-kun should.

“Lead the way.” Naruto asked and she complied, legs moving automatically.

After a few minutes of silence Naruto spoke again “What upset you more - that it was Sasuke or that it was so close to the truth?”

Damn boy caught her fist without any effort and held it in an iron grip, looking into her hateful gaze unflinchingly.

“Now you are angry.” He sighed and Sakura couldn’t take it any more.

“Of course! Sasuke-kun is a genius and you! Don’t talk to me like that! What did you do to get your hitai-ate?! Blackmailed someone?”

Naruto cocked his head and smiled, not in the least scared. “How do you imagine that? No, I was just being awesome.”

“You certainly wasn’t!” Sakura shouted, swallowing tears and spit snot and she was too angry to be disgusted. “Your records were just pathetic!”

“Maybe. Now they have improved, though. I mean, my mission records. And you - you are the kunoichi of the year, though maybe your taijutsu-”

“I’m NOT!” Sakura cried out and hiccoughed, swallowing fresh tears. “It’s that Hinata!”

“Ow, wow, she’s really awesome.” Naruto whistled softly and laughed. “Yeah, her taijutsu would be definitely the best-”

“Of course! You love her too! Rich and pretty Hinata with servants! Of course she’s the kunoichi of the year!”

She really hated Naruto at that moment, especially since his eyes weren’t showing even the tiniest bit of fear or shame.

“You should ask Kakashi-sensei about clan politics and their inner workings, because what you’ve just said is definitely not true. Hinata works hard, every day.”

“And Sasuke-kun loves her!” Sakura wailed, despair crushing her; she didn’t want anybody defending Hyuuga Hinata, she didn’t want any more humiliation.

“He certainly doesn’t!” Naruto said vehemently.

“What do you know?”

“What do you know?!”

Sakura sniffed and trembled. “I know that Sasuke-kun talks to her, he even spars with her - only with her - willingly, and sometimes they come and leave the Academy together!”

“Look, almost every morning or evening I train with Neji - and Hinata’s his cousin - so I know that Sasuke comes to train with her, he spars with her because Hyuuga’s Gentle Fist is the pain in the ass and Hinata’s strikes hurt like bitch and Sasuke talks to her because… well, because she isn’t stupidly in love with him so they actually can talk about topics unrelated to Sasuke. He hates talking about himself”

Sakura didn’t know whether be offended at Naruto’s language or at Hinata’s being ideal - again - or maybe be heartbroken at Sasuke-kun being illusive; or insulted, because since when Naruto knows Sasuke-kun best?

“Ghlegh. You aren’t gonna believe me whatever I say.” Naruto sighed, throwing his head back.

Sakura kept silent, because she really had nothing to say, there was only silence in her thoughts now: she was tired, upset and broken hearted, she didn’t want to talk to anybody, she wanted more than anything to crawl into her bed and lie under the safety of her blanket until everything was okay again.

But Naruto was persistent - that Sakura had always known - and he spoke again:

“You really want Sasuke, don’t you?”

Of course she did! That’s all she had ever wanted for a very, very long time. Naruto noded at her suddenly fierce expression and went on. “So why don’t you go for him as a shinobi?”

He beamed at her - they were standing in front of her house, Naruto rocking on his feet again.

“If Sasuke is your target, you do some reckon, sniff around, dig some info and then bang! Go for it! Attack him on all sides!”

Sakura huffed and folded her arms at her chest. “I know everything about Sasuke-kun!”

At that Naruto only laughed infuriatingly - for all his henge he didn’t change his voice or eyes, they were the same unnatural brightest blue, standing out on that plain face.

“Yeah, and who are your informants? Some fan girls? They know nothing, and if your info was worth anything, Sasuke would already be kneeling in front of you!”

That was true: everything Sakura knew came mostly from Ino, who, Sakura was sure, wasn’t above dirty tricks. “So…” she began unsurely, noticing his strange, sly smile, “what do you know?”

Naruto shrugged again. “A lot: sleeping schedule, training regime, favourites, favourite weapons, foods, you name it, I know it.”

“So, will you tell me?”

“Why would I do that?”

Sakura blinked and took a step back. “Why- you said yourself that I should use you!”

At that the boy gasped over dramatically and clutched at his heart. “But I never told anything like that!”

There was something strange about him, something fishy, which Sakura couldn’t really put her finger on.

“And why did you tell me that you know all that stuff - which I’m not sure you do, by the way?”

“Well, why would I tell you anything like that?” Naruto smiled wider and ducked her hit. “Which I certainly know, because then why would Uchiha Sasuke even acknowledge me?”

That again was true, and Sakura, feeling utterly helpless, glared at the boy. “You want something from me!”

“Of course! That’s how informants work!”

“What! What! What is it? Because I-”

“Pull a prank on Sasuke.” Naruto interrupted and smirked widely at the girl’s dumbstruck face. “I want you to prank him and enjoy it.”

“YOU ARE OUT OF YOUR MIND!” Sakura shrieked and shrieked more when damn Naruto ducked all her hits and kicks.

“Maybe, but I know a lot - like, the girls Sasuke spars with - there are more than just Hinata, you know,” Naruto laughed and jumped up, smiling indulgently while Sakura was sweating and huffing. “I know his goals, I know his motivation. And I know for a fact that his favourite colour is not blue.”

Soundlessly he turned up just too close to Sakura for her comfort and there was an awful, smug smile in his voice. “I even know non-shinobi women he talks to voluntarily.”

He jumped away again and turned away, releasing the henge and looking unforgivably cool with bright yellow hair and horrible orange jacket. Naruto waved and turned his head, still smiling. “Think about my price while I am having a sleepover with Sasuke and two girls.”

When Sakura finally entered her home she couldn’t even appreciate her parents’ ecstatic congratulations, only nodded mutely and went to her room.

She really hoped the following day would be easier.

Chapter Text

Being a shinobi was a drag, being a high-ranking one was a huge drag, being one of Naruto’s most trusted simply couldn’t be fit into any scale of troublesomeness.

Sometimes Shikamaru wondered if he was a closet masochist, and sometimes he just wished that he didn’t enjoy his life so much.

It really surprised the young Nara how much he had been looking for the day of graduation, because for him it was the start of his official career, start of restoring his life to its norm.

It also was the start of battling between him and his father.

Shikaku was probably the most problematic of all people in Konoha, because he wasn’t one to indulge; whether it was his own illusions or other people. Shikamaru knew very well that it wasn’t possible for him to cover up and act like an Academy student, and he also knew that Shikaku would pick the difference straight away.

They had been edging around each other for months, and the graduation turned their previously silent edging into tense ongoing confrontations; purebred Naras were adepts of making theiк opponent move first. But Shikamaru was sure that his father’s patience was slowly nearing its end; soon his father would start attacking seriously. He sure as hell sent his son through a series of tries and probes, which were masterfully disguised, but really, Shikamaru was an avid user of those himself.

They both knew more than they let on, but Shikaku was concerned for his son - Shikamaru could even guess so far as to say that the Uchiha massacre really spurned Shikaku into far more thorough inspection than he had thought required at first.

Suffice to say that Shikamaru had already had his plan; he was certain that while his story could be accepted as the true one, there was one factor which could spoil everything, and like always, this screw-everything out of control factor was Naruto.

The loyalties of the father and the son laid in one direction - they were utterly loyal to Konoha, but for them, Konoha was concentrated in different people. There was no doubt that as soon as any info left Shikamaru’s lips it would be delivered directly to the Sandaime, and that simply went against Shikamaru’s orders and beliefs.

And Shikaku could never take it seriously that the Uzumaki Naruto could become a Hokage, a Hokage able to inspire fierce loyalty and unflinching belief; revealing this could only lead to one thing - he would start questioning his son’s judgement even more.

And also Shikamaru was really irritated about a couple of things.

After all, mind games with his delightfully alive father were definitely preferable to trying to decipher the source of Naruto’s edginess and formulating thousands of plans of investigating and eliminating it.

Ah, but the clouds were magnificent that day, Shikamaru mused, enjoying the way the breeze rustled the grass.

“Asuma told me you are motivated; it seems like he has some other Shikamaru on his team.”

Shikamaru cracked an eye open and sneaked a peek at his father. Shikaku’s face was impassive, turned up to the skies, mouth the only line betraying lingering tension.

Grunt was the only answer the Nara patriarch received, so the silence loomed again.

“Your motivation is a source of joy and frustration for your mother.”

This time Shikamaru moaned and shrugged.

“And you know how she gets.”

Naturally Shikamaru knew, lately mother was unable to decide whether she was proud of him or irritated at his continuing evasion of his homeduties.

“However, such abrupt change of behaviour is strange for our clan.”

No doubt Inoichi had already consulted Shikaku more than a few times, especially considering that Ino had switched tactics and had started to watch her teammate like a hawk. If only the Yamanaka Clan Head had taught his girl how to be stealthy.

“Lots of things are strange.” Shikamaru grunted his first real reply.

“Motivation, for example.”

“Motivation.” The son agreed, letting his newly ignited anger show. He irrationally wanted his father to pick on his frustration, to deduce the reason and confront it like an open and honest person, but it was impossible, judging by the state of affairs nobody had thought anything was amiss and Shikamaru was getting angrier.

He hated being irrational.

And he wanted that stupid and long awaited confrontation to stop - it was pointless, he could see it now.

“Shinobi can’t have lapses in motivation, any doubt better be addressed.”

It was a request as much as it was a threat, Shikamaru could recognize it as such.

“It’s not my motivation, I just don’t want to understand motives of others.”

Shikaku moved to stand in front of his son; the war was on and raging.

“Was the Fourth better Hokage?” Shikamaru asked and watched his father think fast and almost frantically.

“He was… more inspiring, but ruling is an area where experience beats prowess or youth.”

That was arguable, seeing as Nidaime was better at handling business than his brother, no doubt experienced enough.

“We were never really told about him, only that he was an amazing ninja and sadly died too soon, but was he really an amazing ninja?”

Shikaku cocked his head slightly. “He certainly was, Yondaime was very skilled at ninjutsu and fuuinjutsu and his fame was earned.”

“If he was, why is that nobody cares to treat his son a bit better?” Shikamaru asked slowly and in a soft voice, looking his father in the eye and letting all his devastation, remorse and disappointment and anger out. There was no way to tell how much he was peeved by it, how much of his anger was genuine and pointless and acidic, burning in his lungs every time a teacher had scoffed at Naruto or a shopkeeper denied entrance to the boy who one day would be their defender.

(And he certainly wouldn’t ever show his face into the teashop that the Team 7 had stumbled into)

Shikaku’s gaze was heavy and unreadable, his mouth set into a thin line.

“It’s not safe for a shinobi to make assumptions”

“That’s why I don’t do this.” Shikamaru cut off sharply with a sudden burst of irritation. “There are facts and there are only so much connections one can make before settling for the obvious.”

Shikaku didn’t bother correcting his son, or deflecting his hidden accusations or in any way feigning an air of surprise. There really was only so much one could take before snapping.

And full-blown quarrels had never been their style; Shikamaru stood up and looked at his father. It could have been said that politics were much more complicated than any visible picture, but a shinobi worth their salt knew that motivation knew no excuses and invented any means to reach the goal.

Shikaku’s voice halted when his son turned to go indoors, a tiny hitch that somehow made Shikamaru sadder and angrier, he still loved his father but he wasn’t ready to forgive that easily and pity and love were gnawing at his heart.

“You are a shinobi now, I can’t prohibit you from making friends and hanging out with… trusted shinobi. But as a father I’m worried about possible dangers.” Hу frowned at Shikamaru’s startled and subtly furious expression. “The Uchiha boy, his reports are not very reassuring.”

The most laughable thing was, Shikamaru understood Sasuke very well - he was feeling as much out of his depth as Uchiha did, as Hinata and Neji and Naruto did. They had lost all of their privileges and had to work around them, being constantly reminded of what they had lost. At least they had their homes - Shikamaru was doubtful that the Uchiha grounds were very friendly.

“I think he’s getting better.” The son replied, because Sasuke slowly was: the list of people he could converse with was steadily growing and living in tune with Naruto’s hectic schedule possibly livened up Uchiha’s brooding.

Shikaku’s worried frown morphed into one of contemplation, it was clear his thoughts moved on to some new aspect and Shikamaru moved away, Chouji was about to come around and the talk was over.

The sides declared themselves, and the game was on.

Shikamaru was going into politics.

Chapter Text

The reborn Team Seven was even more of a mess than the original one. Kakashi sighed and looked at Sai effortlessly holding the dreaded Tora-chan, Hatake had a strong suspicion that the Root was the culprit of the cat constantly escaping and thus keeping genin’s training at decent levels. Not that Kakashi minded. Granted, when Hairoki had decided to retire and secure Konoha’s place by becoming the daimyo’s wife, few people had believed she could actually pull it off. But, well, looking at her and hearing that shrill voice Kakashi couldn’t help admiration surfacing. What an amazing woman the former Kitsune-taicho was!

Ah, but he needed to turn away from distractions and do something about dangerous dynamics of his team.

His students were the worst kind of shinobi - the loud and showy ones. Kakashi had invented dozens of killing moves, but ironically was famous for the most obnoxious and flashy one. Only Sai could blend with surroundings and mask himself at the same level (but then again, ANBU was much more than simply masks and swirly tattoos).

Kakashi watched day after day as Sasuke was becoming more resentful and Sakura more subdued, waiting for an explosion; this was a sin he liked to indulge himself in, no matter the time, shinobi don’t help people until asked (and paid, but there had been only one teacher that actually got being paid by his students).

For all his talents and lineage, Sasuke wasn’t of the kind who could operate fully without being grounded by a strong-willed leader, Naruto took Itachi’s mantle and carried it with the same strength and unwillingness to indulge Sasuke in his possessive love; Naruto being tactful and not showing up at Team Seven’s training grounds was one of the things that Sakura would be paying for.

Kakashi watched as cogs and wheels in Sakura’s brain were turning, each minute dedicated to solving the problem which was Uzumaki Naruto’s involvement in Uchiha Sasuke’s life. She was transparent - Sasuke-kun is cool and dangerous but Naruto-baka is an idiot! But what he had offered was dangling so deliciously in front of her, but how could she trust a boy, but Sasuke was a boy, but he was Sasuke, not just a boy, but she wanted his so very, very badly, but, but, but!

Sakura, being a teacher’s pet and never having a lot of friends, preferred to trust authority and adults, and it was hilarious to watch as she sometimes sneaked a peek at Kakashi and thought that her sensei was too lazy to notice.

And Sakura was the only one visibly slighted by Sasuke - there was nothing criminal, Naruto surely had said something about this; but she was being ignored completely, while both Sai and Kakashi received Sasuke’s respect and attention, even if the latter was grudging and the former was paranoically disguised.

Kakashi watched as the girl formed her opinions - himself was obviously out of the question, being placed into the dreaded ‘boys’ box, Sai wasn’t just a boy but also a demon - poor girl was nearly catatonic after every spar or even dialogue - and Naruto had got her too confused.

And Sakura had no girl friends to talk to; Ino was a rival, Tenten would lose any interest as soon as the conversation turned from fighting Sasuke to dating Sasuke. Tenten had too much common sense for her team of overachievers.

On the bright side, Sai and Sasuke were getting along, at least when it came to ignoring Sakura and getting a mission done; Kakashi supposed that two perfectionists, one raised by Fugaku and the other by Danzou were doomed to get along on a professional basis.

And they both disliked this child version of Sakura.

***

The irony of life was not lost on Kakashi when he spotted Sakura looking at Sasuke conversing politely and listening attentively to Manami-san, who were obviously quite high on Sasuke’s list of tolerable people.

Sakura’s admiration was clear - Manami was probably the very image of Sakura’s imaginary Uchiha wife, so very beautiful that the girl actually approached the woman after Sasuke hurriedly left.

Kakashi was not an idealist, the caution was burned deep into his brain stem, and the fact that his pupils and juniors still were surprised at his observance and ability to connect the dots was the constant source of amusement.

That same cynicism was why he considered the hate Sakura and Sasuke had shared a beautiful thing, even if a bit sad. First, Sasuke had betrayed her, then, left to wander around with some girl Sakura knew next to nothing about, then he returned and was placed too close to Naruto (although Sakura herself had repeatedly said that the appropriate distance from Naruto was as deep under and with as many blades between ribs as possible) and then he had stolen her job, Sasuke began looking after Naruto.

It was growing so steadily, this resentment, that Kakashi doubted the two had ever known the exact moment it bloomed into full enmity; Kakashi had.

He remembered his mirth at daimyo’s suggestion, the new ruler of Hi no Kuni had yet to get his own clandestine Konoha’s advisor and had managed to use the lull to the fullest, suggesting that the the famed Team Seven should visit one of the annual things important to making impressions. Of course, Naruto had had to come, him being a very young Hokage and needing to establish his reputation among high-bred civilians and by that time Sasuke had pretty much become his shadow.

He remembered Naruto getting lost in a crowd in a market for a few heartbeats, only a few moments of neither Kakashi nor Sasuke flanking him and it had been enough.

Four hours until the big dinner-ball-thing Naruto had scratched at his side absentmindedly and said, distractedly. “Y’know, it’s been itching for a half an hour and I feel kinda warm. Maybe I’m poisoned.”

Kakashi remembered pale Hokage prohibiting seeking help; they had had to maintain appearances, they had had to look strong.

With such restrictions Sakura had only been able to withdraw the poison and then she had lain down next to Naruto, acting as a body warmer, sobbing and stroking the Hokage’s pale face with a dimly lit palm to lessen brain heating.

Sasuke had been standing still, every muscle twitching in tune with Naruto’s laboured breathing.

They had looked at each other - and hated ever since.

It was your job.

For them, that task had not been sharable.

It - the hate - had been born while they had breathed in unison - in unison with Naruto - and looked as Team Seven had reached new level of obsessive bond; Sasuke looking down his nose, Sakura’s face wretched and soaked with tears.

Kakashi remembered that Naruto had woken in two hours and before he had managed to open his mouth and gasp for water, Sakura’s hand had appeared in front of his face; her gaze had been dark as she had been looking at Sasuke; his lips pressed thin and eyes burning.

It was your job

Kakashi remembered Sakura’s hands sliding off as Naruto had sat up and then moved to stand, Sasuke stepping in his position, desperate, relieved gloating in his eyes.

He had used them both to help steady himself and it hadn’t been enough - it would never be enough, maybe, even as Naruto had praised Sakura she had been looking only at Sasuke.

Their hate had been beautiful - they had began to work together from that same moment.

They had willingly, eagerly lain together later in the night, Naruto pale and shivering between them.

It was good Naruto was oblivious to some things.

Kakashi remembered wondering at the exact scale of Kurama’s healing and wondering if Naruto had ever realized how much depends of him - how fast the capital might burn in blackness if he hadn’t made it.

Sasuke wasn’t the first Uchiha to dearly love his brother.

(Kakashi had long since ceased to be their teacher, so he had said nothing about their tears and Sakura’s clinging hands and Sasuke’s Mangekyo burning the image deep deeper the deepest into his mind. He wondered still if Sasuke was getting free with his fury and rage inside that beautifully cruel contrast world of the Uchiha’s bloodline.

He was also relieved that Sasuke never suspected Kakashi’s pity at finding him that time after the whole stupid time seal thing - wrecked, face twisted and body frozen, crouched above Naruto’s malnourished young body. )

What a great actor he was, that Hatake Kakashi.

Lip reading was easy even without Sharingan.

“And you decided that I can be your informant?”

Manami’s face was calm and friendly, contrasting with Sakura’s anxious body language.

“Do you even know who I am?” The woman asked, lips still curled slightly. Prostitutes were equals to shinobi when it came to reading people’s origins and guessing their thoughts, and, in Kakashi’s, opinion, their job was much more decent.

“Maa, Sakura, Manami-sama is a koshi in the Flowing Plum River, although I personally think she is a tayu.”

He enjoyed the startled gasps - one nearly inaudible, the other obvious and loud - and waved his hands at Manami’s polite bow.

“I’m glad you decided to make an acquaintance of such a person! When it comes down to seduction missions Manami-sama is the best in Konoha to learn from, you should come immediately to her.”

“Thank you, but I’m afraid I don’t have a lot of time.” The courtesan answered.

“No, no, I’m sorry my cute little genin delayed you, she didn’t want to put you in such an awkward position, I apologise.”

For the first time Manami smiled wider and her eyes crackled in mirth, while Sakura sputtered something in horror.

“Why, Sakura, Manami-sama is as close a friend to Sasuke as one could get without being the target of his suffocating doting, so she can’t possibly betray his trust by giving you private information.” He made a dramatic pause to bow to the woman and turned back Sakura. “But luckily, you have me! As your sensei I have equal responsibility to you both and can side with whomever I want! And even for reduced price. Now let’s say thank you to Manami-sama and let her be free from unnecessary questions.”

Sakura’s brain obviously overloaded, so she looked after the retreating woman and only managed to gasp, her voice hitching. “Seduction missions?”

“Well, seduction missions.” Kakashi repeated, more slowly, and looked the girl straight in the eyes, letting his gaze grow heavier. “I need to talk to your kunoichi classes teachers, who are they?”

“Akaoki-sensei, Hirano-sensei and Ayagawa-sensei.” Sakura replied obediently.

“Great! They need to work on their teaching methods if graduated students are so shocked at the thought of shinobi doing seduction. I hope you are at least ready for assassination and torture missions.”

Sakura blanched and took a step back.

“Well, of course you are nowhere ready for something like that, but what were you thinking when you were deciding whether or not to become a shinobi?” Kakashi shrugged and easily eliminated the distance, bent down and looked at the girl even closer. “Or were you thinking that me - or any jounin - would let you stalk another student and abandon your main duties? I think you don’t want to become a good shinobi. And as your jounin I order you not to cry.”

Sakura nodded jerkily and her gaze was heartbreaking; for a lesser man at least, but one girl’s tears could not win against the gloom that her antics had brought upon his poor team.

“Now, I’ll share a secret with you, give you information, so to say. But first I’ll ask a few questions. You are to answer all of them, as a punishment for your latest laziness. Can you list the people Sasuke listens to or respects?”

The girl immediately pulled herself back together - one of the things Kakashi liked about her was her ability to think even while distressed or caught in a corner.

“You, sensei, Sai-san, Naruto-b… Naruto,” she stumbled, gazing uncertainly at Kakashi and scrunched her nose at the next name, “Hinata, Shikamaru, Manami-san-Manami sama,” she stumbled again and frowned, thinking. “Probably Tenten and Neji and Amaidofu-san I heard of.”

“Good, but word of advice - don’t call her Amaidofu, she’s too good at kenjutsu for you to use that moniker.” He chuckled and raised his hand. “Aside from Manami-sama, what all these people have in common?”

Sakura immediately began with “They’re shinobi.” Then she frowned and pressed her fingers to her lips. “But there are a lot of shinobi in Konoha,” the girl pouted and looked up at him uncertainly. “They talk about weapons and training. Do they train a lot?”

“They actually do, but do you think that is the reason for someone like Sasuke to listen to them?”

Sakura was silent for quite a long time and Kakashi watched her come to an inevitable conclusion, pieces slowly and unwittingly being put together.

“Tenten wants to be a strong kunoichi, Sasuke-kun wants to be a strong shinobi.” She fell silent again and then said in a little, heartbroken whisper. “Sasuke-kun knows they want to be shinobi.”

Kakashi smiled, wide and joyful; it was always great to watch them come where he led them. “Yes, but does he know this because they say it or because they act it?”

Sakura sniffed and swallowed, looked down on her toes.

“I don’t act like a good shinobi,sensei?” The girl asked, still not raising her eyes.

“You don’t act like a shinobi at all now, Sakura. When you graduated you have officially become an adult, so I will be honest. You are the weakest in our team, yet I don’t see you striving to become stronger, you just exhaust yourself with worrying and unnecessary and unbalanced diets. You demonstrated amazing focus and determination when it comes to getting Sasuke, but if I don’t see the same qualities applied to your career, you can fully expect it to end, you can pursue a boy even outside the military system. Now look at me and remember, I ordered you not to cry.”

Considering all his previous experience with Team Seven breaking Kakashi’s heart, this little bashing didn’t soften his heart or diminished his resolve; though Sakura’s contorted, red face was the most pitiful the jounin had ever seen on the girl.

“Aah, I have a couple of errands to run, so see you tomorrow. You can’t leave the team unless you have my permission.”

***

Once Sakura had become an amazing shinobi, an outstanding iryo-nin and a strong leader, all in one.

Kakashi was reminded of the reasons for her to become like this when she appeared early in the morning, looked her sensei in the eye and asked if it was possible to organize a joint training.

The boys, however much they tried to conceal that, looked elated, and Kakashi couldn’t bring himself to torture them and dangle that opportunity any longer.

“I don’t see why not.” He shrugged and smiled at the girl.

He himself had never seen much in the whole concept of dedicated training. Of course, keeping oneself in shape was vital in their lifestyle, but constant solo drilling was a little dull and pointless in his opinion.

Training with someone, on the other hand, bore so many perks it was ridiculous how many shinobi avoided spars. You get to know your possible partners, teammates or even enemies, you get someone who can correct your mistakes or give you ideas, all in all, in shinobi world fighting was a form of socialization, and one of the most important ones.

It was fun watching them work - just out of spite and to show Sai that Kakashi was in no way indulging he intervened when two former ANBU commanders decided to start their custom spar. No, with genuine glee he pitted Sai against Tentenand let Lee run after irritated Sasuke.

It seemed Sakura came to regret her initiative pretty quickly when she looked into Neji’s calculating eyes.

Screw Madara, Kakashi had more important things on his mind.

Ooh he was so getting this team to work.

Chapter Text

The morning began with the smell of fried tomatoes - Hounouka Aminta was a good hostess and a scary little woman; Sasuke couldn’t quite bring himself to call her a girl.

She was frowning at her loyal and creepy bodyguard when Uchiha entered her strange dining hall - because calling it a room would be an understatement.

“Morning.” Kunoichi said, turning away from the grinning giant that was her guard. “Naruto’s left two hours ago.”

“So I understood.” Sasuke replied evenly and made himself stop being awkward. He hated it when Naruto put him into a position when Uchiha had to converse with other people. Wasn’t it enough that Sasuke had already grown to more than tolerate a bunch of women which had taken it upon themselves to look after Naruto?

(Although where had they been back then, in his actual childhood?)

Being a good hostess Aminta made Sasuke comfortable by leaving - she just wordlessly nodded and walked out, taking her large and awkward-looking sword with her. Grinning creep slinked away somewhere around Sasuke trying to say something above three words.

He had a brief thought of offering a spar - Aminta was the best kenjutsu master Sasuke had ever met, even if her skills were yet to reach their full potential; she was so ridiculously talented Uchiha secretly felt sorry for not having had seen that talent before, when he was a little boy unable to notice real genius in someone.

Anyway, Kakashi had been acting tense the day before, and that in itself was worrying; Kakashi held the most power at the moment and anything which could compromise him could compromise everyone of their strange party.

Thus Sasuke spent as little time as possible on his breakfast and made it to their training grounds, where he was met with Kakashi’s stormy face. Sai looked puzzled, and Sakura - well, she was scared of everything, so it was easier to simply ignore her (Sasuke thought that he didn’t really need Naruto’s orders disguised as warnings.)

“The Hokage awaits us.” was all Sasuke heard and then the jounin took off, leaving his team to hurry after his retreating form.

It took only one glance to converse with Sai and get that the other boy was just as confused.

(Despite the runaway option being the silliest and the most dangerous simple reality of Kakashi being able to drag them by their collars was irritating enough for Sasuke to seriously consider dashing away)

Sasuke was jerked away from his thoughts mentally and physically - first he detected Naruto’s chakra and then he felt Kakashi gripping his shoulder.

The jounin released him almost immediately after ensuring he had his team’s attention.

“You will play nice.” He said with calm, level warning, looking first at Sasuke, then at Sai and then returning his gaze to Uchiha. “You may be a special team, but please don’t underestimate my influence and position. Am I clear?”

Sai nodded and Sasuke found himself following the notion; he frowned heavier and felt his anxiety rising. What were the reasons for Kakashi to be so wound up and Naruto being in the Hokage Tower. The latter - Sasuke tried to reassure himself - was natural, a lot of shinobi came and went there, it was completely natural for Naruto to be there just as agitated Hatake was leading his team-

Uchiha was so focused on his uneasiness he became aware of the other team at the last moment; or, really, he entered the Hokage office and immediately darted his eyes to Naruto.

Uzumaki was goddamn shaking, trembling with anxiety and stepping from one foot to another; Sasuke could have had a heart attack right there if the idiot didn’t jump at Kakashi’s greeting and darted to shout his hellos at Team Seven.

“We have a joint mission!” Naruto almost screamed with manic glint in his eyes and gripped Sai and Sasuke by their shoulders. “Here’s our client!”

Sasuke briefly glanced at some old man who reeked of sweat and cheap sake like some bum and sagged with realization that Naruto’s shaking was out of joy. He looked the Rokudaime over once more and hit his shoulder none too gently as a payback. “Calm down, you’re compromising us.”

“This kid cannot compromise himself any more, brat.” The client said gloomily and Sasuke straightened, face frozen. Naruto squeezed his shoulder again in warning and let go.

“Are you done?” A female voice asked and Sasuke was made aware of the other people - Naruto’s brand new lame team.

(From the Academy point of view it was so fair - two talentless deadlasts evened out by one Hokage, the sarcasm of life)

Inuzuka Hiro was looking at him with warning and heavy mistrust; not like Sasuke cared, he was busy staring down the backstabbing scum whose name he certainly wouldn’t be remembering. The girls were polite, Sai and Naruto snickered at something or other and Sasuke was conducting an experiment of killing someone without using killing intent, doujutsu and chakra.

He was grabbed again - by Kakashi - and forcefully turned to Hokage while Hiro-sensei did the same with the idiot.

“Today’s mission may seem unusual for you,” the Third began and Sasuke zoned out a bit - he was always comparing the Sandaime with Naruto and very few people in his life could outperform Naruto (that place was reserved for Itachi, but Naruto had ultimately won by surviving).

“In the end, that’s a diplomatic mission - the Land of Waves gets protection, Konoha gets trade. And you are to ensure that Tazuna-san can finish his work in peace. Is it clear?”

Sasuke jerked awake and nodded sharply, then moved his gaze again to their client; he could remember now, a bit - not the old man, of course, but that whole mission, his Sharingan awakening, tree walking, if he wasn’t mistaken, and Naruto beating him for the first time - defeating an opponent who left Sasuke alive out of pity.

He remembered getting there on that bridge for the second time - seeing huge, bold signs and squashing some strange urging that now, it seemed, ruled his whole life.

It was a damned miracle that they embarked on that mission now, with Naruto’s team as a reinforcement (it was a really silly notion), although Sasuke knew firsthand that most of shinobi miracles were made by shinobi, and there actually was only one man able to organize something like that.

Sasuke was so impressed he readily admitted he was grateful and he fucking admired Kakashi. He was really going to play nice just to ensure this mission rolled smoothly. It was time for them to come back to their proper lives.

A Hokage, two ANBU-level guards and an adviser. Just like your typical Chuunin Exams, Sasuke thought briefly and caught Sai’s agreeing glance.

***

“I don’t think we should tell the girls about our mission.” Naruto mused when they were walking home through the Kikyou market; six of seven months of forced living on his clan grounds still got Sasuke angry, somewhat sad and deeply scared of the strength he missed that room with.

“I’ll write them a note.” Uzumaki continued, scrutinizing fish.

“Just let Manami-san tell them.” Sasuke replied, furiously staring at the stall owner; Naruto sure got a lot more discounts after their pre-time travel routine began anew and Sasuke was more often seen next to Uzumaki than on his own.

“That is unfair to her!” Naruto huffed and sniffed out the most fresh and probably healthy fish. The merchant didn’t even try to say anything, well acquainted with Sasuke’s (and Hiro’s, if Uchiha interpreted rumors correctly) short temper. “The girls would be jealous.” Manami was always separate from ‘the girls’ in both Naruto’s and Sasuke’s opinion.

“They are no idiots.” Sasuke countered. “And anyway, you can give food to Kakashi”

Uzumaki shook his head with disapproval “He’s not a stray dog. And I’m sure Gin will make enough for three Kakashis if she knows he’s going.”

Sasuke didn’t quite manage to keep his lips from twitching.

“Give it to that builder.”

“He doesn’t deserve it!” Naruto sputtered furiously. “He wouldn’t be able to properly appreciate it!”

Sasuke huffed and felt grateful when Naruto for the upteenth time pretended he didn’t notice a thing.

***

“You look restless.” Manami said instead of greeting when they came home.

She was the last to settle here - a week after Sasuke’s graduation and subsequent (meaning the same evening) moving in; Naruto was so freaking glad he couldn’t sleep and went for a sprint, idiotic moron.

(Personally, Sasuke didn’t see the point of the women occupying a different floor if they had a joint kitchen and they tended to graduate to the ‘male’ floor anyway)

Naruto looked at the ceiling and smiled a bashful smile. “We have a joint mission!” he whispered dramatically and hopped down next to the woman. “Tomorrow! I’m gonna write a note.”

Manami laughed, threw a cheerful glance at Sasuke, who gave her a miniscule shrug in return and went to recheck his mission pack. He could hear the twins singing downstairs and that meant they only had about half an hour to finish all preparations and act natural until returning home and havung to explain themselves. Naruto’s pack was always ready: he had two of them, because Inuzuka Hiro decided to make her team work by throwing them into an endless string of emergencies and out-of-nowhere C-missions.

“So what do we do now?” Naruto asked upon entering. “I didn’t have any plans for tonight.”

They stared at each other; such moments were so rare Sasuke could safely say he remembered only one, when Team Hiro finished their mission in record time and Team Kakashi fell victims to a seasonal bug.

“Plan for the mission?” Uchiha offered, clasping his backpack closed. He could never, would never admit that he enjoyed doing missions this time - above everything else he valued efficiency and if one blocked out Sakura, Team Seven was scarily (expectedly) efficient, Sai on a trail was a terrifying being and Kakashi was a perfectly competent tactician and commander.

Naruto crushed down on a bed and shrugged. “I thought maybe we should use henge, appear weaker.”

Uchiha exhaled angrily. “We could just take off our hitai-ate and nobody would be the wiser.”

“Yeah, that’s it! Maybe we’ll have some time and I’ll be able to go to Uzu…” He trailed off, looking up at the ceiling in melancholy.

Sasuke doubted it was a wise choice but said nothing - one could do very little against such anguish, though he could honestly say seeing what he could only describe as ruins of his childhood home did nothing good for his mental health, if there was any to begin with.

“Maybe I should return to my reverse summoning studies.” Naruto murmured and yawned; Sasuke could already say where things were going.

He woke from the slightest push - Naruto’s face was a blur in the false dawn. Of course they had fallen asleep - one free evening and they switched off like two little boys they appeared to be.

Sasuke pushed a quilt off - the girls had very little respect to their boundaries and it was worrying how trusted they’d become if Sasuke hadn’t even registered them entering and fumbling around.

They still could do nothing with the floors creaking so as usual during early morning wakings him and Naruto moved using walls and the ceiling.

Shower was out of the question - old pipes still was howling when in use, which made for a whole cacophony when the women began their preparations - including showering, hair drying and tea making.

Forgot the note Naruto signed and went to the kitchen which in its quite recent past was the whole Naruto’s flat and a half of the flat below.

There was a note on the table. Sasuke shook his head at Uzumaki’s enquiring glance, moved behind the Rokudaime and they read together, identifying different writings:

You are not very subtle with your backpacks right next to you! Kin wrote and judging by a sloppy blot was pushed aside by Ume Thanks for the perch!

Then there was Gin’s I made only a little - that fish is good. Check the fridge.

And, under Aimi’s wishes of good luck, again Gin, almost illegible And don’t leave fish and meat on the table!

Naruto was grinning and blushing - he still couldn’t get used to the attention he was getting, sometimes ridiculous and very family-like. Sasuke was resisting it with his last vestiges of willpower; he snatched the food packed in a low square bowl - Ume was somewhat of a neat freak - and shoved it into Naruto’s chest, successfully pushing Uzumaki out of the window. He cast one last glance on the note, screwed his eyes shut, exhaled and followed the Rokudaime, who was already on the ground, shoving the sealing scroll with the bowl inside back in his pouch.

(Aimi would wake up much later and see the reply first - Naruto’s bold, sure handwriting:

YOU ARE AWESOME, THANKS, WE LOVE YOU!!! )

***

***

“Why are we here?” Sasuke asked furiously when the teashop owner served them their order.

“Why not?” Naruto asked. “Or were you going to never set foot here again?”

Uchiha scowled and looked away; he was sure everyone of their strange time traveling party had already decided that, even Aminta had mentioned something like that.

“Well, that’s stupid.” Naruto said, his changed eyes crinkling merrily. He was sloping, cheek sqashed against his fist, elbow propped up on a table. “Look at me, I’m sloppy and showing abominable manners, that’s some prank I couldn’t perform the first time around.”

“Hiding under henge - a prank?”

“Why not? Imagine his shock when he learns that awesome Uzumaki Naruto was a regular all along.” Uzumaki grinned, the expression queer on a stranger’s face. “Besides,” he went on, almost lying on the table, “I prefer henge to avoiding places.”

There was something wrong with that logic but Sasuke didn’t argue, he knew it was pointless.

After a while Naruto perked up and smiled. “Do you think the mummy will throw a fit if we show up at his place to get Sango?”

Sasuke let one corner of his mouth lift - the one invisible to strangers - and rolled his eyes.

“Are you up to be in the way of his fits?” He hissed and felt long buried agitation rising; he was lulled into a false sense of peace and almost forgot about that enemy.

Naruto’s eyes - he made them his again, stark and eerie on another face - were watching him. “You told me: all in due time.” Was all Uzumaki said before completely focusing on his homemade perch.

Damned owner didn’t even blink an eye on that, smiling to an honorable Uchiha and his companion.

Sasuke’s teeth ached from his smile.

They got two hours more.

***

Ten minutes till the meeting Sasuke’s face froze; he ignored Naruto’s sardonic glance.

Nine minutes till the meeting he decided the best tactic to exterminate Ishikawa Rokuro was to haughtily ignore the boy - Sasuke was a pro at that; besides, anyone named like that was already a pitiful being.

(There was still no excuse, despite anything Naruto said, Ishikawa wasn’t to be trusted and wasn’t Sasuke a bit hypocritical? He didn’t care).

Six minutes till the meeting Sakura greeted them, inhaled and asked Naruto if he could help her with fuuinjutsu. Sasuke almost choked on air.

Four minutes till the meeting he connected the dots and decided that Hatake was a wizard.

Four minutes into the mission he wanted to throttle the client.

***

“And after that mission we should totally celebrate! We’ve just finished our kitchen, ya know, there’s a proper stairway there now!” Naruto talked excitedly, walking backwards to look at both teams properly. “We’ve got this huge table and lots of plates and whatsit and Aimi-chan taught me how to properly cook pork.”

Sasuke barely stopped himself from snorting, because he saw the process by himself. He was saved by Sai. “And how many people have tasted it before you decided to experiment on us?”

Naruto pouted and Inuzuka huffed, tousling Uzumaki’s mane and cuffing him slightly when he tried to duck. “What’s with that planning? We’ve yet to finish the mission; all invitations afterwards.”

“But senseeei!” Naruto whined in his most obnoxious tone. “We even got that pole to slide down - like in the movies-”

“Ah, a third of the Flowing Plum River moves in with you and you install a pole.” Kakashi noted mildly at which Inuzuka snorted and tried to cover her laugh.

“Flowing Plum River?” Tazuna asked, slurping, he was seemingly just as afraid of Konoha shinobi as he was of Gato’s mercenaries. “Isn’t it a brothel?”

Naruto looked actually irate. “It is, so what?”

“You guys…” The builder mumbled, looking at the ground.

Sakura, who, it seemed, was already being pulled into Naruto’s gravity field, moved to him and asked. “Two-stories kitchen?”

Naruto stopped scowling and turned to the kunoichi. “Yah, it’s awesome! I wish I had it sooner, it’s just huge, and we must have lots of people there!”

(Sasuke could bet Naruto wished he had installed something like that in his Hokage residence).

“And we totally got another flat redone, just our room and this room with weapons and this room with my scrolls, you hafta see it!”

Sakura breathed in, blinked and then asked. “‘Our room’? You sleep in one room?”

Naruto’s expression turned sly. “Yeah. We sleep in different beds, though.”

“I mean,” the girl hastened to cover up, “why? Don’t you have a whole floor at your disposal?”

Naruto shrugged, his face nonchalant. “Eh, it’s just like that; we’ll move once we are chuunin.”

Next to Sasuke, Sai perked up; it was clear his focus shifted to a lone paddle down the road. In front of them Kakashi raised his hand as if to stretch and gave a sign to delay the attack.

As a result in the following moments they had a dubious pleasure of seeing Hatake’s clone being gruesomely killed; simultaneously Sakura cried out and jumped back, the Shimura girl gave a too loud gasp but moved to stand in front of the client. Inuzuka hissed a furious ‘what!’ and Naruto intoned. “Oh, no, Kakashi-sensei is killed by a puddle.”

When the puddle guys moved to stand behind him, Uzumaki turned to look them in the eyes and smiled. “Two down!” He declared, delivering symmetrical gut-punches.

“Well, that’s a little unexpected.” Kakashi declared, hopping down a tree and visibly enjoying startled and relieved shrieks of two genin kunoichi.

“What.” Repeated Inuzuka, staring Hatake down.

He smiled, shrugged and ruffled Sakura’s hair. “Field training, sensei. I say our kids performed splendidly, didn’t they?”

“Sensei!” Sakura shrieked, trying to smooth her hair.

Inuzuka stared at her fellow jounin for almost a minute longer then abruptly turned away.

“That’s two chuunin-level missing-nin. Congratulations, Naruto!” Hiro praised, taking out two sealing scrolls.

“Eeh?!” Uzumaki shouted, likely more out of shock at his own slip up than acting shocked. “They were, like, really weak!”

“You’re just strong.” Sango said and immediately shrank back at the attention.

Thankfully Inuzuka decided to take the reins and made it clear the mission was to be carried out properly; Tazuna immediately began gravitating towards her.

***

Unfortunately, arriving to Nami no Kuni made Naruto tenser each passing minute and he began to subtly shaking again, periodically tightening his fists and trying to relax through some basic breathing exercises. .

“Stop being such a scaredy-cat.” Rokuro said and looked at his teammate smugly.

Naruto choked and gurgled on air, Sasuke, his mind wiped blank by indignation, was thankfully stopped mid-lunge by Sai.

“Stop talking! Everyone in position!” Inuzuka barked. “Naruto, get a hold on yourself.”

Just as she was watching the group return to their positions her dog barked and Team Two, trained to the point of instincts, dropped down, Tazuna being tackled by Sango.

“Protect!” Was all Hiro said, yanking Sakura down and out of the way of Kubikiribocho.

The sight of this sword was almost nostalgic, although Sasuke hadn’t felt any such feelings towards Suigetsu, the only member of Team Hebi to get enough mind to get out and make his life as he liked it.

“Sharingan Kakashi.” Zabuza said, looking at them down his nose. “Kids and an overgrown chuunin. What a party.”

Hiro cocked her head to the right and smiled. “And you’re supposed to be a silent assassin, aren’t you? Way to demonstrate.”

“You want me to show you why they call the Demon of Kiri?” He crouched, his hands were a blur of familiar seals; the Land of Waves was ideal for any suiton jutsu.

“Oh, come on,” Inuzuka groaned, taking out her kunai, “one swing of that sword and your mist is blown away.”

Just to contradict that statement one of the girls screamed and the mist became even denser.

“Naruto, damn, act!” Inuzuka’s voice rang and a fast and intense battle began.

Sasuke had the presence of mind to follow Naruto's order to get down - in a moment an overcharged fuuton jutsu tore the mist asunder and Zabuza was revealed crouching next to the panicked girls.

Kakashi and Hito, demonstrating an amazing show of synchronization, chopped his hand and head off, only to reveal that they slaughtered a clone.

Sasuke instinctively ducked and danced out of the way of Kubikiribocho, evened his footing and lunged himself, feeling every inch of physical difference. Sai dived under his elbow, made a mad slash with his wakizashi and gritted his teeth in the same frustration when the blow managed to make only a shallow cut.

Zabuza was looking ecstatic at this, pupils dilated and breath laboured. In this moment of self-indulgence he barely managed to escape Yujin’s bared teeth and barely blocked Hiro’s awaiting kunai. Kakashi ruthlessly pierced his jugular and met a mass of chakra-charged water again.

“Psst, Sasuke.” Naruto whispered and smiled when Uchiha made a mad turnaround. “Can a fight with an S-class nin awaken Sharingan?”

Sasuke’s lips twitched in return as he felt a bit of his real self being returned to him; he let chakra finally flow to his eyes and revelled in seeing the world in clarity.

“He’s there.” Sasuke said, pointing at Zabuza. Yuujin gave a short bark at which Naruto huffed.

“So we see.” Hiro said thoughtfully. “Can you continue?”

Sasuke answered with a glare.

“Alright.” Naruto said and unsheathed his blade. “Let’s chop his arm off!”

Predictably, Zabuza attacked at these words, his sword humming in the air. Taking an advantage of its massive amplitude, Naruto charged, he was followed by Sai, and they managed to land a serious cut on the enemy’s right calf before furious-looking Hiro shunshined right behind Zabuza.

She barely managed to dodge three senbon, which finally successfully took down real Zabuza,

Sasuke watched Zabuza’s follower-boy, whose name he honestly didn’t even care about, made a show of pretending to be a hunter nin.

Hiro was chewing out her team, of which only Sango somehow managed to act properly, following jounin’s orders and not making herself a potential danger.

Kakashi patted Sakura on her head and smiled. “Good job, Sakura! Good to see I can rely on someone to carry out our mission.”

The girl ducked her head and pinked, then threw a not very subtle glance at both of her teammates .

Hatake turned to him, “Congratulations on your Sharingan.”

Sasuke shrugged uneasily, not knowing what to answer, and turned away.

***

Five minutes into Tazuna’s house Sasuke wanted to strangle the client’s relative.

Naruto, who in his previous life was friends with Inari, looked after the retreating kid with a heaviest scowl.

“I don’t like it.” Inuzuka said when she was sure they couldn’t be heard by any civilian. “Why didn’t that boy chop Zabuza’s head? Why use senbon?”

Why wasn’t she their teacher the first time around?

Kakashi sighed. “Zabuza may be alive, but right now we can’t tell it for sure. So the best course of action is to be ready.”

“Right.” Inuzuka scoffed. “Be ready. Garou is a wealthy man, we don’t even know how many shinobi he hired.”

“Does it matter? We still have a mission and we have everybody uninjured,”

Hiro scowled furiously; in hierarchy Kakashi was well above her and he was the appointed mission leader.

“Let’s get to the most pleasant task - training, my cute kids!” He went on, ignoring the woman’s displeasure.

Sakura perked up, Sango tried to hide behind her sensei.

“What are you going to teach them?”

“Well, I know that everybody has already mastered treewalking, so let’s get to the next step - water walking.”

“Water walking?” Rokuro asked sarcastically and fell silent under the teachers’ stares.

“But of course, we’re in the Land of Waves, don’t you think you should be prepared to enter a fight in these circumstances?”

Inuzuka wholly supported the idea and after the meal they were almost forcefully led to a small pond, which was graciously shown to them by Tsunami.

“But sensei.” Naruto whined. “I know how to water walk!”

Sasuke looked at Rokuro’s expression and suppressed a smirk.

“So what? A team trains together; if you know how to water walk you spar with me and we see how good you are.”

“Inuzuka-sensei.” Sai stepped forward. “I know how to do it too, maybe we should spar with Naruto.”

“Do you? And you?” She turned to Sasuke and sighed at his miniscule jerky nod. “What the- Alright, you take turns sparring, one enters, one leaves, until either me or Kakashi-sensei tell you to stop.”

Naruto’s face twitched: it was just a moment, a fleeting expression of helplessness and fury.

“Meeh, allow me to look after them, I’m afraid you are a better teacher than me, I prefer to stick to some practical fighting.”

Inuzuka’s face clearly showed her thoughts on the matter, but she turned her back to them and Hatake’s mask stretched. He did an Academy-taught sign for one second and instantly toppled three boys with his ruthless doton-based attack.

It was enough for them to make clones and get away, Kakashi’s voice following them. “I decided you need something more serious than a boring sparring match.”

Naruto huffed as they were sneaking off. “Sensei is amazing!”

“You are transparent.” Sai shook his head. “I take it you know where Momochi Zabuza is?”

“Nah, I know that I’ve met Haku somewhere around here last time. I just wanna talk, you guys don’t have to go with me.”

“We are not discussing it again. Lead the way.” the ROOT replied and took his customary place at Naruto’s left. The Rokudaime looked at them, and smiled mischievously.

They didn’t have to search for long; rather Haku found them himself; the boy was looking so feminine that if Sasuke didn’t know his gender beforehand he would be mistaken.

“Are you shinobi?”

“As much as you are.” Naruto replied and stepped forward. “Don’t try to bullshit me, if you were a real hunter nin, you’d know how to mask your smell - I recognise it and I am pretty sure Zabuza's alive.”

Uzumaki shielded his eyes, carelessly letting a couple of senbon bite into his palm. “If I was able to deduce it, a couple of jounin surely have figured it out. Just let me talk to Zabuza, this whole mess is pointless.”

“You are a fool if you think I’d ever let you set your foot near Zabuza-sama.” Haku spat out, jumped back; his hand was folding a seal, but Sasuke was already on the move, grabbing fingers and ruthlessly squashing them together. Sai took care of the other hand.

“Err, thanks.” Naruto said to them. “It’s just, you two aren’t very smart, are you? I mean, if your goal is to be Zabuza’s, I don’t know, servant, tool, whatever, why aren’t you ensuring his comfort? Not one for long-time planning, arentcha?” Then he suddenly smiled. “Tell you what, you are so sure, let’s bet! If I set my foot near Zabuza on your watch you’ll hear me out! I promise I’ll try not to set it on Zabuza. So, what do you say?”

He rocked back and forth on his feet, still grinning. “It’s just you ain’t very convincing right now, ya know?” Naruto looked at his friends and Haku was released.

“You-” The boy said, clenching his fists experimentally. “You have no idea what you’re talking about-”

“Puh-lease,” Naruto cut in, waving his hand dismissively; he noticed the senbon still in his palm, hemmed and took them out, “why do I always hear this from whiny people who can only punish and pity themselves?”

(It was something Sasuke wasn’t prepared to hear at all, he didn’t need any more reminders of his cowardice)

Haku didn’t reply, he instead was trying to stealthily slink away.

“And the bet is on!” Naruto shouted even as Haku dashed from them. The Rokudaime took a step after,but halted and scowled.

Sai smiled. “Are you pitying yourself now?” His smile widened at Naruto’s cross glance. “What do we do?”

The Hokage snorted. “We can only wait. Now Zabuza’ll definitely show up and then we’ll talk.”

“Pounding people in the ground until they agree with you is not really talking.”

Naruto whirled around. “I’ve never done that!” At his companions’ glances he began waving his hands. “I do this only if people don’t listen, I always talk first.”

Now Sai was laughing openly. “But it’s always such short talks.”

“Oh, just get lost, I’ll figure it out.”

***

The clones did an amazing job at pretending to fight to their full capacity, now it was only a short task of pretending to be tired themselves. Dinner was a quiet and busy affair, everybody stuffing themselves as if heading to a deadline. Only Sakura and Sango were seemingly the least affected by their training; it seemed the two had hit it off and were conversing quietly and seriously.

“Isn’t it amazing,” Sai mused, following Sasuke’s short glance, “that men almost never discuss women seriously and women, even very young, take discussing men to a level of philosophical debate.”

Sasuke looked back at the girls and raised his brows in a silent question. “Unrequited love brings people together, doesn’t it?” The Root smiled a barely perceptible and wry smile.

“It’s not love.”

“Right now, for them, it is.”

They were interrupted by Inari’s appearance; instead of greeting the guests the boy stalked to the table and began picking at the food disinterestedly. After his mother’s pressing look he mumbled something which decidedly wasn’t a greeting and followed that by his routine foretelling of the shinobi’s deaths.

Even Naruto was keeping silent, except when he accidentally broke his chopsticks. Uzumaki looked at his hand in surprise and began apologising to Tsunami, who smiled and went to retrieve another pair.

“Eat, brat.” Naruto ordered, glaring at Inari, all cheer left behind.

The table went even more silent.

Last time Sasuke had seen Naruto like this it had been Konohamaru throwing a fit right into the Hokage’s office. Uzumaki was looking disappointed and angry, his palm was pressed into the table.

“Naruto.” Inuzuka began warningly.

“No, sensei, we aren’t paid to listen to kids being losers. I can say whatever I want just as he does. And I say you’re embarrassing and shaming both your parents.”

Inari shot up at the same moment Tsunami returned with new chopsticks,

“Who are you to tell me that?!” Her son shouted, anger painting his face red.

“Who are you to tell me when I die?!” Naruto replied. “Everybody dies! I’ll die! You’ll die, your family will die, everybody will! A person can twist their ankle or break their neck on any rock, so what?! Should we all just lie down and give up, just because the death is inevitable?”

“YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT!” Inari screamed at the top of his lungs. Naruto scoffed. “YOUR DEATH WILL BE POINTLESS!”

“ONLY FOR YOU, DUMBASS!” Uzumaki shouted. “But didn’t give up! When I die I want to know I used every opportunity I got! I want to die with as few regrets as possible! And right now I’m gonna do everything I can, regardless of your whining! And I never go back on my word, that’s my ninja way!”

They stared at one another for another moment or so, then Inari bolted out. Naruto slumped in his seat and hid his face in his palms.

After, there were a lot of explanations, apologising and lengthy life stories many could easily bear without. Naruto had seemingly gone numb after executing a dogeza to a confused Tsunami and now was sitting on the roof under the pretense of taking the first watch.

Sasuke didn’t like such moments - he wasn’t supposed to offer moral support, it was Naruto’s forte, or anyone else’s except for Sasuke.

“If you talk I can say that you don’t know what you’re talking about and we make it three times - my personal happy number.” Sai emerged from the shadows and plopped down next to them.

Naruto, lips twitched. “Since when do you have a happy number.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Sai intoned robotically and went on in his normal voice. “It’s an official practice in my division - you choose your lucky number and strike your enemy the exact number.”

At that Naruto gave a hearty and honest laugh, head thrown backwards. “That’s amazing and dumb! Why three? Why not ten or twenty?”

“I knew you’re a loser. I strive for one.”

“Oh, get lost!” Naruto choked, still laughing.

“Ah, okay.” Sai shrugged and jumped off the roof. Naruto scrambled after him and bent down.

“What the heck? You’re a loser” He whisper-shouted, pushed himself back and laid down, looking into the starless sky. Sasuke knew his antics well enough to see a shift from one kind of anxiety to another. Now Naruto wanted to talk. His talks may be short ones but Sasuke would happily manage without any.

Still, it was pointless to let it simmer. Sasuke bit a side of his mouth.“Just say it.”

“What?” Unnaturally asked Naruto and cringed at Uchiha’s glare. “I just… I just wanted to ask.”

“So ask.” Sasuke turned his head and saw Naruto do the same; in the dark his eyes seemed glassy.

“Do you- Would- Would it be better if we get here before- before Itachi- Itachi’s mission?”

“No” Sasuke answered immediately, honestly. He thought about Naruto telling how he pushed blindly into the seal until even Kyuubi’s chakra began to fade and repeated. “No.” And then for the first time in ages he let himself tell the truth as it was, unmasked. “No place.”

Naruto’s face twitched in understanding, gratitude, he nodded with a whisper. “I hope it is now.”

Sasuke turned to the sky and shut his eyes very tight, forbade himself thinking and told it. “We make it.”

(Naruto didn’t reply and it seemed as if he didn’t even hear it, and that was one of the main reasons why Sasuke stayed - still)

***

“I don’t want to fight here, the bridge will suffer.” Naruto pouted. Sasuke was pretty sure he was sitting next to a shadow clone, Naruto would surely look after Tazuna’s home himself, thinking clones too flimsy at his current level.

On the second week of them staying here more workers became willing to continue with the bridge. Some people still considered Gatou to be more dangerous than some kids from faraway, but a few were still convinced by their hitai-ate. Sasuke inwardly scoffed at both.

Yuujin, who seemed to favour Sango but still enjoyed listening to Naruto babbling, perked up and sniffed the air; Naruto did the same, the resemblance eerie.

“Guests!” He said and winked at Sasuke. “Hold them off, I’m coming.” He vanished and Uchiha steeled himself against cursing. He knew! He knew it!

On the other side of the bridge Sango jumped up and jogged to Sasuke, looking at her sensei’s dog with alarm. “Where’s Naruto?” She asked with worry.

“Already on the move.” Sasuke replied moodily and checked his weapons.

“Sensei prohibited him from doing this! Ohh, we are so going to spend the month doing babysitting!” She moaned and went back to her position.

“On the move here or on the move there?” Kakashi quietly inquired once the girl was away. Sasuke looked at the jounin with furious helplessness. “Most likely both.” Hatake guessed and sighed. “I want to retire.”

Of course, that was bullshit, but Sasuke didn’t call his teacher on it - he himself had the same urge often enough.

Zabuza was flashy, the mist was annoying, Uzumaki was going to die.

Sasuke tried to extend his senses, but he needed to spare his chakra for Sharingan; Naruto’s continued absence gave him an urge to slaughter someone.

And then he heard it.

“UZUMAKI NARUTO IS HERE, TTEBAYO!”

Out of instinct and a bit of sad experience Sasuke managed to duck before the mist was blown away and Naruto was revealed to stand right next to Zabuza, almost stepping on the man’s foot.

“Heya, Haku, I win!” He gracefully dodged Zabuza’s lunge and stuck his tongue for a good measure.

“Can I quit?” Inuzuka moaned.

Sasuke unceremoniously pushed Haku to the ground and squeezed at his neck, ensuring the boy would be unconscious for at least a few minutes.

“You? An Uzumaki?” Zabuza asked, watching Sasuke stalk to them; Uchiha could feel Sai moving under the bridge, his seal akin to a flickering light in Sasuke’s peripheral vision.

“Yah, me. An Uzumaki.”

“You are blond.”

“Oh, I am also a Senju.” Naruto replied with utmost seriousness and even Kakashi coughed in shock. “Don’t you know? The Uzumakis are distant relatives to the Senjus, but in that case, my dad was just annoying and didn’t let me have my mom’s hair. Have you heard? Some people called her the Bloody Habanero.”

Zabuza chuckled but took a small step back. “If you’re her kid-”

Kubikiribocho did a clean cut, taking Naruto’s head clear off his shoulders; Sasuke certainly didn’t believe that, that was plain stupid.

(But Naruto was stupid).

Zabuza grunted, trying to yank his sword up; it seemed the weapon was glued to a puddle of water.

“Amazing, isn’t it? You get the credits for the idea - you used your water clones so much I decided to do it too!” Naruto appeared from under the bridge. “C’mon, you’re stuck for a while, so let’s talk!”

Zabuza was abruptly yanked away: apparently Kubikiriboco was glued both to the water and to the nin’s hand. “That’s not a water clone.”

“Are we still on that? That’s a water clone and a couple of seals. So, I just wanted to ask, aren’t you tired of your own nonsense?” Naruto smiled. “I mean, Haku is babbling about him being your tool, yadda, yadda, but you know what?” He bent forward and Sasuke twitched worriedly. Momochi Zabuza slaughtering dozens of men with just a kunai held in his teeth was hard to forget.

“I am a jinchuuriki, I know pretty well what it means when people see you as a tool, a weapon. And you don’t look at Haku like that.”

He straightened and rocked back on his heels. “I mean, I can see Haku’s point, but I think you kinda suck at taking care.”

“I don’t care.” Zabuza whispered, smiling, but his stance was already different. He was making progress, bit by bit, Kubikiribocho slowly freeing from water’s grasp.

And of course that was the perfect moment for Gatou to show up and spoil everything.

“What are you doing?” The man hollered, looking at Zabuza still in mid crouch. “I knew you’re useless! Kill them all! Take care of ninja first!”

“He’s so stupid.” Naruto said in awe. “Like in a movie.”

The rest was a blur of fighting - sometime very early Zabuza chopped Gatou’s head clear off and after that it was pretty much everyone against everyone. Sasuke was dimly aware of new people joining in the fight and someone ordering shinobi not to kill - it was probably Kakashi, otherwise the command wouldn’t even had registered, but he was busy following Naruto’s mad dashes.

It all ended so fast, like in cheap novels: one moment he was busy throwing someone off the bridge next he barely stopped from doing the same to Inari.

“Is that all?” Sakura asked, coming close. She was limping slightly and a shallow cut above her brow bled all over the girl’s face. Despite this, her eyes were alight with sick agitation and joy; Sasuke turned and nodded to her, the first sight of acknowledgement in so long.

The kunoichi lingered for a moment longer but, seeing no further response, stalked away to Sango.

“Zabuza ran away.” Naruto said, watching the girls check each other. “Said ‘see ya kid’. We are so going to hear from them.”

“You are so going to hear from me!” Inuzuka shouted, appearing behind her student and taking him by the ear. “I don’t even know how to express what I feel right now!”

“Owowowow! Sensei! That’s unprofessional! I’m not even sorry!”

The jounin let the ear go and began shaking the boy by his shoulders. “What kind of brain is in that head? Who the hell do you think you are? Who told you about your mother?!”

Naruto’s voice was waving from the vigorous shaking. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, sensei. I can’t watch it - this kid thought he was a tool, I’m sorry, but who deserves that?”

It was such a low blow; Inuzuka released Naruto and cuffed him twice, her face contorted in anger and sadness.

“You compromised your mission and by that you put your team, your fellow shinobi in danger! Such mistakes in the long run can harm the whole village, you have no right to act like that!”

The Rokudaime’s face briefly contorted in displeasure. “That’s pompous, sensei. Well, yeah, maybe I did make my team improvise, but hey, aren’t we shinobi? And what harm to the village? I can bring good and I can bring bad, it’s both possible and we probably will never know the outcome. Who can foretell such things?”

“People with experience and ability to make decisions based on thought-through calculations!”

“Well, yeah? Fine, I was thinking that at the moment I could help someone and in the long run it would benefit Konoha! And is it even necessary to be any more cruel than we have to? And anyway, what does experience have to do with making decisions?”

“Responsibility, Naruto. People experienced enough are acknowledged and responsible.”

Naruto pulled at his hair. “I don’t understand what’s your problem! That’s totally inconsequent! What experience? Experience in what? Making decisions? Making good decisions? Making all decisions that benefit all? It all is luck and you can make mistakes as much as I can, but the only difference is rank! Come on, sensei, you don’t think I compromised the mission, anything that benefits the mission is acceptable in the end. But I compromised you and Kakashi-sensei. Well, I’m sorry it came to that; I’m not sorry I did what I did. If you decide to exclude me, do that.”

Inuzuka paled and rocked back. “Are you going to put your career, your life in a trashbin over some renegades?”

“Ow, my career is pretty much decided for me, I don’t think I’m allowed to stop being Konoha’s weapon.”

Hiro darted a glance at Sasuke and frowned. “You are not irreplaceable, Naruto. There’re always other weapons to be found, other…” she swallowed, “vessels to use. Don’t forget that.”

Naruto visibly deflated and looked down. “I’m sorry, sensei. Next time I decide something important for the team I’ll discuss it with everybody.”

“Thanks for that.” The jounin sighed and then suddenly gave her student a fierce hug. “But you still have to apologise to the teams.”

She abruptly let go and turned to walk away; after a few steps though, the woman stopped and swirled around in a graceful shinobi move. “Still, who told you about your mother?”

“A library, sensei. Every good fuuin scroll has an Uzumaki-made seal in it, so I looked them up. And I do have a mirror.”

The jounin cocked her head, narrowed her eyes. “You do, don’t you? Don’t get cocky, then.”

“ Are you kidding?” Naruto shouted, pulling at his hair again. “Now it’s even harder!”

“Oh, good.” And she walked back to their disgruntled client.

“Congratulations.” Sai smiled, emerging from behind some villager. “You made someone see your point without actually pounding them into the ground.”

“Awesome, right?” Naruto smiled enthusiastically, oblivious to sarcasm

***

Somehow, Naruto had managed to get into Inari’s good graces yet again and at the celebration they were laughing so hard the boy couldn’t stop hiccoughing for a half an hour.

Sasuke tried to get away, uncomfortable with the attention and praises; he didn’t think of the stupid mission even for a moment and he certainly didn’t want any credit for all that idiocy and mess.

Naruto was an idiot.

“Are you really an Uzumaki?” Tazuna asked, already tipsy.

“Yeah, yeah, I know I’m blond, but I’m an Uzumaki, ttebayo!”

“Definitely” Kakashi butted in, walking past them.

Tazuna hiccoughed. “My granddad was born in Uzushio. Settled down here, though. No talent for shinobi life, so he became a carpenter, went away. Well, the rest you know.”

“I do. My mom was from there. I hoped we could come see it after the mission.”

Tazuna snorted into his bottle. “Why do that? There are only sad ruins there and no good memories.”

Naruto shot him a quick glance from his plate of mochi. “I don’t plan on reliving memories. I just want to see where my mom was born.”

“You’ll be disappointed.”

“I’ll learn.” Naruto replied briskly.

The moment was interrupted by someone scrambling closer to Uzumaki and asking in an obnoxious voice if the fact that he was a grown-up by shinobi laws allowed him to drink sake. Naruto blinked and smiled slyly, agreeing. After that, Sasuke had to hide from both gratitude and offers to drink. Other genin didn’t seem to mind so much.

***

They had neither time nor luck to go to the former Uzushio; the wind had changed during the night and nobody would be willing to take a boat in the required direction.

Naruto had gone to the shore at dawn and spent there almost all day until their departure. Sasuke didn’t follow; some kinds of anguish were better left alone.

(But he did wonder unconsciously what Naruto had seen in the sea, hidden for anyone else, what had felt, being denied a chance to cherish a fraction of heritage taken away from him.

During the farewells Naruto was cheerful.)

Chapter Text

Hello,

Please, forgive me for abandoning this story and, by extension, you. I’ve been battling some nasty problems irl, and some events sent me into depression, which partly manifested into extreme loathing of everything connected to myself, especially my creativity. What I’ve written during this period is, honestly, sick (not in the nice sense of the word) and I’ve almost deleted and destroyed everything I had written or created beforehand, every handmade piece of work of my life. I can talk about it now because I feel like the worst has passed and when I reread my works I feel more joy than disgust.

Your feedback, comments and kudos has helped me more than you can imagine, sometimes I just read them and felt better. I’m sorry for disappearing without notice, but I had to deal with my problems and I’m glad I feel better.

I have a tumblr now, where I rant about MCU and will probably rant about Naruto because this fic grabbed me by my throat again , there I also post fics before proofreading them and posting on ao3. It’s also the place where I can warn everybody in case my life is crazy again.

I’ve been writing non stop since the New Year and I’ll be posting more, all these jerks are just running away and doing whatever they want, I can’t even sleep properly.

There is also a connected fic ‘Compared to What’, dealing with the team meeting their kid-selves (yes, they forgot about it afterwards). I decided against posting it into the main fic, because I feel it would disrupt the build-up. (I hope I'm not imagining the build-up)

Thank you for your time, feedback, kudos, comments and love!

Eminda

Chapter Text

Sooner or later one understood that in life there were things, private things that nobody else or, if one is very lucky, a few more people could comprehend to the fullest extent. For all his understanding there were facts even Naruto couldn’t grasp the complete extent of, wasn’t able to reach. One of them: Sai was a killer, a ROOT operative. He had been sculpted and molded into shinobi, both by his handlers and by his own will and nothing would be able to change that. He would go to terrible lengths for his village, he had had and he would again and he would carry it within himself for the rest of his life, each year adding more. Sai had learned to live with that, though, and fairly early as to not go insane; he had learned to use this to his advantage, to turn anything that wounded him into a weapon. He also recognized Danzou in this and hoped that his measures against himself wouldn’t fail in the future.

Now, he was alone. He couldn’t sit among his fellow operatives in silence and take calmness in the knowledge that they were all there, created but unbroken as much as possible. Wasn’t able to look ROOT members in the eyes for long, because he knew that some of them would strike against him and he would retaliate without hesitation. He couldn’t go to the I&T deputy director and meet her unflinching, cool eyes and listen to her talk about mundane things while sorting through current week’s worth of reports. He wasn’t even able to talk to Kakashi, who had been an ANBU before he had been made to step into an ill-fitting teacher skin, and before that he had been shinobi and before that he had been a survivor, left alone to think and breathe in his father’s blood.

They understood each other, maybe far too well, and because of that Sai was thankful for Kakashi’s cool indifference and projected mistrust; they needed to survive and sneak past Danzou’s gaze. That didn’t make the loneliness any less heavy.

Sai wasn’t dragging his feet only because he well knew that delay of any kind was pointless. He forcefully blanked his mind of all thoughts and slipped in the underground tunnel, habitually counting his steps and listening to the faint echo betraying his handler’s presence. The deeper into the quarters he got the more operatives he met and the more detached he felt; not a painful feeling. Sai knew how to school his face better than ever now but was still ready for someone to take notice of his change and take measures.

Danzou was silent and Sai waited - such was their routine; the effort to keep his mind empty was almost physically painful. His report had been handed beforehand and that left anything beyond customary check, the thing that the ROOT Commander trusted only himself to do.

“The vessel is lonely.” Danzou finally spoke. “He offers you to spend time with him again and again.”

He didn’t say ‘according to your reports’, Sai knew well enough that there were enough reports beyond his own to relay necessary information. “Will your commander object to you initiating closer contact?”

“While it’s possible,” Sai began evenly, “it’s also unlikely. Whatever his objections or personal reasonings Hatake Kakashi has yet to voice any of them or act.”

Danzou showed his thoughts via a quite tasteless vile-looking smile; Sai had quite forgotten the man’s penchants for unnecessary dramatics and self-justification.

“The girl is useless.” Sai only needed a fraction of a second to realize that Danzou didn’t mean Sakura but Naruto’s teammate. Sango, he remembered. “Make yourself invaluable to the vessel and do this before the Exams. You can do it, can’t you?” The question wasn’t voiced as one, but Sai knew better than to take the bait.

“It’s possible.” He finally replied, after appearing to mull the thought over. “The jinchuuriki is trusting and striving for attention, he’s already offered me to move in when he learned I am an orphan.”

Danzou’s lips twitched, as if the news were something fresh. Sai was sure the man’s smile widened as he was dismissed and left the commander alone.

Sai went to Naruto’s house the very next day, knowing that the fastest execution would be the most beneficial for all involved, including Danzou, Kakashi and Sasuke, who thought he was so good at masking his expressions, but couldn’t conceal much without ANBU uniform.

Naruto met him down the stairs, half dazed with the remnants of sleep and half worried, Uchiha Sasuke trailing behind and failing at looking formidable with his horrendous bedhead.

Sai looked Naruto - the Hokage - straight in the eyes and plastered his most fake smile. “My caretakers seem to get enough of me. I wonder if it’s possible to take you on your offer?”

Naruto’s whole body shot up in alarm, he craned his head forward, eyes wide and searching, fearful.

(He had forgotten that Naruto was practicing mind blanking just as much - forcing himself not to think about his comrades, his people being somewhere out of his reach, not being able to help)

“Of course.” Naruto finally said, nodded and repeated. “Of course”

Finally, Naruto shuddered and lunged forward, grabbed Sai by his shoulders and gave him a mighty, jerky hug.

Sasuke was watching them, not saying anything but he stopped with his frown. That in itself was a whole answer.

Sai gave another smile he knew was a sure thing to get on anybody’s nerves and turned to walk to the training grounds.

“Wait, hey!” Naruto shouted and grabbed for his shoulders, ignoring Sai’s battle-ingrained flinch and hauling the other genin with him. “You just came, we leave together! The girls are asleep yet, or maybe not home, but you know them, so whatever. We need to make you a room!”

Sasuke had managed to leave earlier and was already sitting at the table, looking as though nothing has changed and Naruto wasn’t manhandling their new flatmate around, not caring for all the racket he was making in the process. Sai smirked genuinely and went along to make himself a place in what was, for all intents and purposes, a Hokage tower.

“Man, I’ll blow something up today!” Naruto mumbled, throwing every possible useless thing possible out of his backpack - he had a two day mission in the evening and apparently was forbidden to use seals to pack.

“Don’t you always?” Sai inquired, inspecting his second sword, he had always been falling into routine easily and both Naruto and Sasuke accommodated easily, one because Naruto needed very little own space and the other because Kakashi-san ensured they learned to live in each other’s pockets.

“Well, it’s going to be a big explosion.” Naruto emphasised, frowning at an eyeliner. “I don’t remember whose it is.” He murmured, throwing it in the basket of things he always vowed to sort and always ended up just diving through in search of whatever he needed.

“Yuufu gave it to you.” Sasuke snorted and shut up. Sai gracefully pretended, as he had learned to do, as if nothing had happened and Uchiha was an impassive creature he wasn’t able to act like.

“Oh, really?” Naruto beamed. “So that’s why it’s waterproof and scentless.” He snatched the eyeliner and threw it back into the backpack. “I need to get her something, too.”

“You got her seals.” Sasuke bit out, apparently unused to acting human in Sai’s presence. In his turn, Sai supposed that the longer he acted as if it wasn’t anything strange the faster Uchiha would stop acting skittish.

“I did?” Naruto straightened in confusion. Below, three people began ascending the stairs. By now Sai knew that in the morning Naruto’s neighbours weren’t very energetic or forgivable towards unnecessary noise so he threw a warmer jacket at Naruto’s head both to remind the Rokudaime that nights were colder now and to muffle his voice.

“We need to have this thing soundproofed.” The Hokage whispered; his packing apparently concluded in a shapeless pile of things he just threw into his backpack, he shrugged and jumped to the ceiling to fetch his weapons.

“We need to leave soon.” Sai noted mildly, not looking at Uchiha Sasuke and sheathing his weapon. He wasn’t visibly acknowledged, except when Naruto finally emerged with another backpack, one that looked decent and wasn’t going to give its wielder scoliosis, they exited through the window and Sasuke to make space for a second flank.

“I like your sense of humour.” Sai noted. Naruto turned around and huffed.

“Hmm, well, no, I’m not dealing with that, sorry. Tell Sakura and sensei hi.” He vanished, using far more chakra than shunshin had ever warranted. Sasuke glared at Sai.

“You do what you do, I’m not turning heads with these antics.” The ROOT replied coolly, moving past Uchiha. “I like my reputation.”

Sasuke seemed to catch his meaning or just switched his bad mood to whatever bird flew past them. As an ANBU officer Sai understood his frustration, he himself disliked the Hokage running away without security or with abysmal newbies who didn’t know how to say ‘no’, but as a shinobi he got the desire to get away or being insulted when everybody constantly implied you weren’t able to look after yourself. Naruto put up with being supervised quite well for his disposition and he was a downright saint when dealing with Uchiha’s obsessive focus.

Sai doubted Uchiha Sasuke had ever grasped or would realize how thoroughly he was supervised and how comprehensive Ino’s report was. Sai was also pretty sure Sasuke doubted Ino’s brain existed, whether she was a genin or an I&T officer. Although, the ROOT mused, it must be a pretty colourful life, being constantly surprised with people around you having knowledge you don’t. Sasuke’s face when Tenten had beaten him, both as an ANBU operative and now, as Gai’s student, was priceless - a stunned, greedy curiosity. To her honour, the kunoichi suffered the scrutiny well, brushing it off with a friendly smile.

Sakura was already waiting, scowling heavily as she tried to make sense of the Nidaime’s work on genjutsu. Sai could relate, even at sixteen the Second had been apparently too brilliant to write down his thought process fully and the work was teemed with side notes of various scholars.

“Sai-san, Sasuke-san!” She greeted cautiously, closing the book and securing it into her side pocket. “Good morning.”

“Good morning, Sakura-san.” Sai replied, smiling his bastard smile. Maybe one day Sakura wouldn’t be unnerved at the sight.

Sasuke was silent, walking away to start his meditation.

By now they had established the routine where Uchiha was trying to be alone for as long as possible until Kakashi-san turned up and made them cooperate and work together. At first it had been abysmal, because Sai was versatile and quite flexible in working together but even he in his current weakened condition wasn’t able to keep up with Sasuke’s demanding pace and cover for Sakura’s weak points, which were too many.

By now Sakura seemed to realize the gap between her and her teammates and endured Kakashi-san’s punishing training schedule without complaint, Sasuke too apparently discovered the perks of working with someone who knew what they were doing, namely Sai, who preferred to keep silent and execute the task with maximum focus and minimum effort. Had the original Kakashi’s Team been so incompetent? Well, it had been, Sai remembered the reports, and Orochimaru probably wasn’t the best at providing teamwork. Luckily, Sasuke had adapted to teamwork this time around. From an outside point of view, Sai was sure, the only not deranged person on their team was Sakura, who was sadly crushed under her own disappointment.

Kakashi-san, meanwhile, completely abandoning any pretence that he had ever been able to be a teacher and mentor he was expected to become, was relentless.

“I don’t know what to do with genin students.” He had said on their second meeting and hadn’t been lying. “But I know how to direct a team.”

Sai felt a little sympathy for Sakura, who didn’t have even Sasuke’s limited experience of following orders.

“There is an event coming.” Kakashi-san appeared out of nowhere as was his habit. He ignored Sakura’s bloody nose and Sasuke trying to reach a nasty cut on his shoulder. “Do you know what this is?”

Sai smiled.

Chapter Text

Neji knew irony well enough, which was why his meetings with teams Seven and Two always brought a smile to his lips. He knew the Rokudaime and recognized that he had no experience with teen girls crushing on him, at first out of teen obliviousness and later in life Naruto became too popular as a target for seduction&assassination combo and moved to high class tayu or koshi, checked inside and out. Unfortunately for her, Shimura Sango didn’t fir for Naruto’s standards; luckily for everyone else, she kept her adoration in check, not overwhelming her teammate or being a pest; it was a pity her behaviour wasn’t catchy.

Their current joint session was initiated by Gai-sensei, though Neji strongly suspected that Kakashi-san was at least partially responsible for that.

“My team,” Naruto’s adviser began as soon as he appeared, ignoring Lee’s protesting shouts, “is being absorbed by a Hokage-wannabe. Am I going to hear from Sakura’s parents that she’s moving out too?”

Neji glanced at Naruto quickly; the Rokudaime was blushing with pleasure and embarrassment. “Eh, it’s not like I compromise them or anything.” He mumbled, sniffing slightly. Kakashi let out a pointedly dirty little chuckle that had his students and fellow teacher give him glares of various levels of disappointment.

Then Uchiha Sasuke, because no matter the amount of years he had lived, he was still a ten years old recalcitrant boy, turned to Neji and asked. “And where is your cousin?”

Sakura’s reaction was mortifyingly obvious, her lips trembled, gaze lowered and she curled in on herself at the slight. Naruto, keen eyes sweeping around, quickly lost his cheer and exhaled through his teeth, a sure sign of irritation and an upcoming explosion. “If you wanna get your ass handled by a Hyuuga, Neji’ll probably be too much, yea?” Uzumaki said, his head cocked to the left. “But if it’s a girl you want to be beat by I don’t get wha’s wrong with ‘Ten.”

In reply Sasuke him a burning and completely unapologetic look.

“Enough.” Kakashi-san noted mildly and everybody fell silent. “You’ll be fighting in rotation, changing your opponent every three minutes. Then you’ll brawl for a scroll.” He fished out a delicate-looking thing out of his vest pocket. “And keep it whole at the same time. Then you’ll be facing us - nine against three, all out.”

Neji ignored Lee’s cries of excitement and threw a glance at Tenten, then Sai. He missed her horribly, his right hand and ANBU’s unofficial third Commander, a quick, unyielding presence on the field, a fellow survivor. It was a testament to Tenten’s talent that when he fell into old habits she adapted seamlessly and without question, catching on the rules on the go.

Neji wasn’t enjoying the prospect of sparring with Uchiha Sasuke, because for some reason he thought of Neji as a somewhat of a rival, which had been at least tempered down by the animosity between him and Sakura, but now, with the girl being a girl - civilian, wide-eyed and constantly wrong footed, Uchiha concentrated on Neji whenever he could. Hyuuga could give credit where it was due and admit that this apparent and rather baffling rivalry didn’t influence Uchiha’s respect towards Hinata-sama in the slightest; although it could be that Uchiha wanted to grate on Neji’s nerves by paying attention to his cousin, but Sasuke was a poor actor and there was nothing but respect and acceptance in that matter.

He didn’t address Uchiha’s pointed attention - although Sai liked to speculate and make ridiculous philosophical speeches about it - but neither did he shy away from any interaction with Sasuke.

The first opponent was the boy from Naruto’s team, who was attacking with surprising viciousness, but his movements were too sloppy and open and it took Neji one hard slap - open palm on the forehead - to send the boy sprawling on the ground.

Sai was a familiar dancing presence in front of him and Neji was thankful that he didn’t have to hold back, to tone down his movements as they parred and hit; Naruto descended like a hurricane and then came Tenten, weaker still, but rapidly catching up, eyes burning with concentration, teeth gleaming in a smile that was pure shinobi - a promise and damnation. It was a habitual move to elude Lee and strike against him and a furious struggle to not topple the whole training grounds as Uchiha jumped forward, Katon at the ready. The Shimura girl was demure until she fell down and almost blinded him with dirt and for a brief moment she looked feral and ready to tear him to shreds. Sakura came last, sluggish but with attentive, almost desperate eyes.

At the sharp whistle Neji jumped back and looked at his teammates first - Lee almost superhumanly bright and cheery, Tenten slightly beaten but proud and straight-backed. Naruto was panting and exchanging ridiculous thumbs-ups with Lee and pale Shimura, Sasuke was glaring at the Team Two boy and Sai was cheering (annoyingly) on Sakura, who looked ready to faint.

“Well, now the brawl.” Inuzuka-sensei drawled, her eyes snapping from Uchiha to Neji to Sai to Naruto then back to Uchiha. She turned to Gai-sensei and the man smiled wildly, then crouched for a better leverage and threw the scroll up. Neji began moving before he registered the fact, Tenten a half of a second later.

He almost collided with Naruto heads on - literally, but managed to spin and immediately started to strike, not surprised when he felt a damned seal being applied to his forearm. After that, everything went into chaos.

Gai-sensei was yelling on the background while Kakashi-san was looking down on their sprawled forms with a thoughtful expression. “Maybe we need to give you a half an hour break.”

“Ya think?” Inuzuka huffed and bent over her team, sniffing at them. “Well, doesn’t look like anything’s been broken. Thirty minutes and we’re beating you up.”

Lee laughed, Naruto not far behind.

Neji returned to the compound beaten up, bruised and more exhausted than he felt in a long while. Hinata-sama was waiting for him, her brows furrowing immediately upon seeing his slight slouch and scorched clothes.

“It doesn’t look like Sasuke-san.”

“No, it isn't” Neji replied, wincing at the name. “It’s unconventional Inuzuka members who like divercity.”

The kunoichi smiled as he began to inspect his hands. “I overheard Kurenai-sensei talking to Kakashi-san today. Apparently, the Chuunin Exams are to be held soon in Konoha.”

“Are they?” Neji grouched. He was listening to sensei dropping hints (Gai-sensei’s hints were more like doton boulders) for the past two months and it was really hard to pretend like he didn’t have any idea. Tenten was in the know, she had always liked to use her network of Konohan orphans informants.

“Yes. Sensei is unsure whether we are ready.”

Neji frowned, but Hinata kept smiling into her teacup, calloused palms looking deceptively demure. “Father won’t allow two Hyuuga of strong bloodline to go outside Konoha to graduate.” Her smile turned wry for a second - she was of the same opinion most of the time.

“Not to mention the other heirs.” Neji nodded.

“Exactly. I think you won’t be the only one to go home so bruised soon.”

Hinata raised her eyes and gave Neji the second cup, her finger tapping on the engraving of a small snake.

“There can be any kind of visitor in the village.”

He looked at the reptile and smiled grimly. “We can only prepare as best as we can.”

The kunoichi lowered her head for a moment then looked out in the garden. “Every day I feel like I’m on the verge of something big happening, like the big change is imminent, but every next day I realize that it’s already passed.”

Neji traced her glance and watched as two of their cousins, no more than three, tried to sneak around but were constantly distracted by flowers and decorations. They were lucky it was Hinata-sama’s garden they decided to explore, although most likely they were drawn exactly by that, even before, she had been known for indulging children and trying to protect them, as best as she felt she had been able to. They were yet unmarked, carefree, and Neji smiled sadly then caught Hinata’s answering eyes; she knew it too, that those children and many more in their compound had very little time for freedom and long years before any change could even be considered possible.

He smiled as the girl fell, having mistakenly tried to climb a decorative papier-mache rock. She yelped and started as Hinata-sama laughed and rose to help.

“Are you alright?” She deftly jumped outside and crossed the small garden in one leap. The second child was expertly fished out of the chaenomeles bush. Undaunted by weak protests and token flailing, Hinata-sama carried both to her tea room where the children stayed only for a couple of seconds. Then the pair bolted, followed by the cousins’ laughter and Hinata’s protests.

“You’re yet to be imposing enough to make anyone stay.” Neji teased, carefully checking the dexterity of his fingers.

“Imposing enough to make them look so afraid.” Hinata shook her head.

“Most likely they were afraid of their parents.”

Hinata pressed her lips together slightly and exhaled a bit more forcibly than usual that for her equaled an irritated huff.

“I hope to get to the Third Task this year.” She mused, brows furrowed. Neji’s eyes fell on the teacup’s snake again. “And yet the Elders implore me to be careful in my connections and more far-seeing in the handling of my team.”

Her eyes rose, clear and full with leashed indignation. Neji shrugged. “You are handling your team, just as Shikamaru does or Sai does.” He smiled slightly. “In our team handling has always been Tenten’s forte.”

Hinata‘s face immediately lit up. “Ah, Tenten-san. She is even more impressive when you have a clearer head to observe.”

She was exactly that, Neji agreed. He was going to make sure she passed this time, Kazekage’s children or not. He doubted Lee was ready to take on Chuunin’s responsibilities but Tenten was already a leader, subtly maneuring her team and still liking them despite, well, themselves. Neji was aware of his failings.

In fact, he hoped he could paired against Temari and take her down a notch or ten. As a shinobi, Neji remembered well what their second alliance was based on and Temari was a traitor’s daughter, kept alive by her political status first and her current skills probably fifth.

It would be long Exams, long weeks, Neji hummed while Hinata-sama was busy with collecting the teacups and clearing the table.

It would be long years.

Chapter Text

“And when would I have learnt about it?” Ino stalks next to him soundlessly; she has always been the most subtle on their team.

Shikamaru ignores her and fishes into his pocket, but the kunoichi slaps at his wrist and then gives a sharp tug at the sleeve of his shirt. Her eyes are set, unflinching, two shades different from Naruto’s and still unnervingly bright, clean in their color.

“The Hokage has a new bodyguard.” Shikamaru tries, already knowing that it’s futile. Ino’s face changes a little and she actually looks angry, which is an alarming sign. People around them are whispering, pointing at the dark figure next to Naruto.

“I guess it’s unrelated to the fact that I’ve just forbidden Sakura to work more than seven hours a day and banned her from doing missions.”  She drills Shikamaru a bit more, all the more forbidding because her voice is calm and face - again - relaxed. “It’s not your job to go to me, but it is your duty to advise the Hokage when he is under duress.”

With that she turns away abruptly and stalks to Naruto, people absentmindedly parting in front of Ibiki’s protege.

“Hokage-sama.” Ino intones when the man turns to her with a smile.

“Ino-san.” Naruto giggles and bends a little to accommodate for height difference.

“Just this morning I had conversation with the fair part of your team.” The kunoichi smiles, part coy, part genuinely friendly and part irritated.

“Kakashi?” The Hokage’s brow rises, a sly smile in his eyes. “I was sure he was sleeping.”

“No, not Kakashi, in fact, I just wanted to enquire about the rest of our glorious Team Seven. Although I suppose Hatake-san is in the least danger of being compromised.”

Naruto loses his cheer and looks at her. Ino is undaunted by his looming or the more menacing presence behind the man; she very rarely is. At last she gives the Hokage a small envelope which he opens, reads and then groans with aggravation. Then he looks at Ino and hunches again. “I’m sorry.”

“I know. But I rescheduled your evaluation for tonight. Don’t be late.”

“Tonight?” Naruto squeaks.

“You yourself appointed us to the task of making sure every Konoha shinobi is properly looked after.” Ino inclines her head just slightly and Naruto groans again, catching her meaning. “I’m doing my job.”

“Yeah, yeah, you always do.”

Ino nods at him and then turns and cocks her head at the silent figure behind the Hokage. “See you later. Welcome.”

She turns promptly, her braid making a heavy arc, gives Shikamaru one last glance and walks away; Ino prefers to tone down her shinobi roots among the village’s civilians, keeping up the appearance of a slightly above average airhead who secured her position only through her clan connections.

Naruto jumps to his adviser and shows the envelope, which is basically a copy of order for Haruno Sakura to be called off-duty and restricted in her working hours.

“Yeah.” Shikamaru says at the Hokage’s aggrieved moan. “It’s such a mess.”

“She’ll quarter me!”

“Well, Tsunade-sama can always get to you first.”  

Ino was more grating than usual; in all honesty, Shikamaru understood the way Naruto or Neji were behaving around Sakura and Tenten, but he himself didn’t have a clue how Ino got from an irritating friend slash team liability to an efficient and competent second in command in I&T at twenty three. She had done it all on her own, without any input from her team, only telling of her achievements and not demanding any advice - not that either Chouji or Shikamaru had ever been that much of advice-giving teammates, which was probably the reason.

Right now the girl was huffing and jutting her chin upwards creating an image of a haughty child; all in all, Kiba’s derisive snort was understandable. Asuma-sensei was looking at her with condescending indulgence, which in retrospect only seemed to rile Ino up. Shikamaru had never given much thought to the kind of attitude people had always been giving his teammate, mostly because he had assumed she reveled in it; he was not very sure anymore.

At last their teacher decided to break up the quarrelling pair. Despite the fact that Shikamaru understood the need to be prepared perfectly, he simply didn’t have enough leverage and believable guise to ask for missions. That was more of Ino’s style but lately she seemed suspicious of him, even if it was masked poorly. Considering the impending Exams, keeping them so out of shape could be perceived as harmful. Trying to keep the beginnings of a headache at bay, Shikamaru sat down, slouched and looked up at his teacher.

“Is it this joint training Naruto’s been raving about?”

Asuma gave him a sharp glance, the Nara held little doubt his father had talked to his sensei. Ino, momentarily distracted from her quarrelling, gave them an assessing glance, lasered on sensei and immediately bit into Shikamaru. “Well, and why are you spending time with Naruto instead of training? We need to improve our teamwork! Bi-annual ex-”

“Enough.” Asuma said with a warning glare, then he deflated. “Does everybody know about the Exams?”

“Such preparations are hard to miss, Asuma-sensei.” Shino intoned. “Because even in our clan elders are worried.”

“Right.”

Kurenai-sensei smiled at her colleague, then turned to the genin, deceptively fragile next to Sarutobi. “Yes, the bi-annual Chuunin Exams are soon to be held in Konoha, and it’s likely your teams would be nominated.”

“Hey! Why ‘likely’, sensei? We are totally gonna smash their asses and become chuunin!” Kiba hollered, Akamaru yelping along. Chouji snorted softly.

“Are you dumb?!” Ino rounded on the boy. “Did you sleep through every lesson? The death ratio on the Exams is-”

“Oh, shut it.” Kiba scoffed. “Our teachers think we can enter, that means we are totally ready! We are doing C-rank missions now!”

Asuma snorted and next to him Kurenai’s face was sobering.

“Don’t be an idiot! The next two Exams are being held in Kumo and Iwa and nobody will send a Clan Heir, especially her,” Ino rudely pointed at Hinata with her thumb, “in any of those!”

“Hey! I can take care of my team!”

“Oh, by doing C-rank missions! ” Ino ground out with derision worthy of her future rank.

“Enough.” This time Asuma let a bit of his sakki through and the children obediently fell silent. Shikamaru slouched more, both to play along and because he actually wanted to. Hinata remained undaunted and unconcerned by both teachers’ glances.

“Thank you, Ino-san.” She said politely. “Yes, I agree, I won’t be allowed to participate anywhere except Konoha and I don’t want to let my team down like that.”

Kiba huffed to let everybody know what he thought of clan politics but let the matter go.

“Now that we are finished,” Asuma spoke, seemingly fed up with children’s quarrelling. “Yes, you need to enter this year, but first we need to know whether you are ready.”

“A lot of genin are made wait for years and you will be at a major disadvantage.” Kurenai added. “We can’t allow Konoha’s reputation to be harmed by that.”

Shikamaru frowned a bit; he certainly couldn’t remember their teachers ever being this serious or explaining to them the inner workings of shinobi affairs. If he recalled correctly, Asuma had nominated his team because Kakashi had. Shikaku had been unhappy about such an early promotion.

“The teachers of the genin entering this year have agreed to make a number of mixed training, for you to be prepared and get to know the fellow participants better.”

“And beat their asses!” Kiba interjected with confidence, his earlier cockiness returning full force.

Hinata’s face became slightly pinched.

Next to Shikamaru, Chouji leaned in conspiratiously and whispered. “What do you think, Shika?”

“Oh, he won’t mind.” Ino said coolly, looking at her teammates.

“Don’t be like that.” Akimichi shook his head and Nara groaned. “See? He’s as always, everything is troublesome.”

Ino’s nostrils flared but she kept her mouth shut, which had Shikamaru feeling simultaneously grateful and apprehensive.

“But we wanted to see you go at each other in slightly fewer numbers first.” Kurenai went on, unperturbed by the whispering. “In two days you’ll face the other Konohan participants.”

Ino’s face immediately became agitated. “I bet Sasuke-kun will be there!” She crowed and grimaced at Hinata. “You won’t hog him!”

Hyuuga’s face didn’t change a fraction. “I won’t, nii-san has told me about their sparring, everybody will get their share of Sasuke-san.”

Kiba choked slightly and Shikamaru smirked at the kunoichi, getting a barely there smile in return. He supposed he knew whom exactly he needed to talk to.

As expected, Hinata wiped the floor with them all and was taken down by a joint effort of Shikamaru and Shino, who agreed to shamelessly use an unsuspecting Kiba against the Hyuuga kunoichi.

“Well done.” Asuma-sensei praised mildly, crouching over an unconscious Chouji and dazed out Ino; the girl has managed to stay awake with sheer anger.

“Indeed.” Hinata agreed with a smile, not caring for her bruised cheekbone and bleeding cuts along her arms.

“Yeah, well.” Shikamaru scratched at the back of his neck. “Thanks for not going full out.”

“A lot of my kikaichu were spared, I thank you.” Shino agreed and Hinata nodded at the boy, her face brightening momentarily.

“At least you know your team won’t embarrass you.” Asuma said to his colleague brashly and Ino stiffened, her gaze snapping to her sensei. Obviously noting that, Kurenai crossed her arms and frowned. “I don’t think I will be embarrassed if my tracker team won’t hold up against heavy hitters.”

“Yeah, well, other villages don’t really think like that.”

“It’s not other villages who promote Konoha shinobi.” The woman cut off and bent down to inspect Kiba’s ankle.

By the time they were dismissed Shikamaru was fed up with waiting and he told Chouji that he would linger a bit, his friend choosing to stay and wait for him. Ino, sharp-eyed and livid, noted the path of Shikamaru’s gaze and stayed also.

Hinata bid goodbye to her teammates who decided against waiting for her, both having to deal with Akamaru and kikaichu, so the kunoichi waited for Nara alone.

“Oh, damn.” Shikamaru muttered as he neared Hyuuga, feeling the teachers and his teammates looking. He hated starting conversations.

“Shikamaru-san.” Hinata began. “I’m afraid I must hurry, but if you need to talk I’ll come to take our order tomorrow after five.”

“Oh, thanks, that would be great.” He sagged in relief and shrugged uncomfortably at Hinata’s polite bow.

Asuma has left and he joined his teammates.

“What’s wrong?” Chouji asked lightly.

“Well, need to know more about this training thing.” Shikamaru grouched. Ino harrumphed.

“Why don’t you ask Naruto?”

“I’ll ask both.” Shikamaru snapped, realizing that he couldn’t very well control his words anymore. “It’s the basic of information gathering.” He left you should know out, but judging by her face Ino caught on regardless.

“Well, don’t forget to share with the team.” She retorted and they continued to walk in silence.

Shikamaru was honestly too wound up and concentrated on keeping the mission in his head to be properly affected by the cooler atmosphere in their house. Yoshino, worried and irritated in turns was trying to get to the bottom of the matter that had her husband and son almost ceasing talking, but both were too stubborn and felt too righteous in their position.

The younger Nara sat gingerly and tried to smile at his mother’s worried frown. “Asuma-sensei and Kurenai-sensei decided to prepare us for the Exams.” At his mother’s slightly startled expression, he shrugged. “As good a year as any.”

Yoshino, who had decided to be an active clan member and abandoned her tokujou career, frowned and threw a shrewd look at the frowning Shikaku.

“Hinata was the best today.” Shikamaru went on. “Also, she asked permission to come for the Hyuuga order tomorrow. We need to decide on our possible tactics.” He raised his eyes on his father, who lifted an eyebrow in return and said nothing. Darting her eyes from one male to another, Yoshino pursed her lips and smiled at her son. “Well, if your father and Hyuuga-sama don’t mind she’s welcome. Do be polite and invite her for tea. Even Chouji-kun rarely stops by anymore!”

Shikamaru shrugged, then hummed softly. “Kurenai-sensei told us the teachers of nominated genin are preparing some joint training. The first one will be in two days.” He raised his eyes at his mother, who was listening attentively. “If we need to discuss tactics…” He trailed off in a mumble, not knowing how to get to the heart of the matter. His mother caught on anyway and beamed, while Shikaku’s face became wary.

“Well, you can invite them! Cooperation is very important, Shikamaru, and we have space for you to properly prepare. Or at least as properly as it’s possible on such short notice!”

“Yeah, though there are some troublemakers in there, will the clan be okay?”

Yoshino frowned and Shikaku’s glare became stormy.

“If you are talking about Kiba-kun, don’t worry-”

“But Shikamaru isn’t talking about Kiba, is he?” The Clan Head interrupted, his voice heavy.

“Nah, I’m not.” Shikamaru replied and met his father’s eyes unflinchingly. He went on calmly. “Inuzuka-sensei thinks that only Naruto will be able to get her team through the Exams,” he moved his gaze to his somber mother, “and he is a decent strategist and a very good asset.”

At Yoshino’s worried face he deflated a bit. “Just sayin’. I know the clan won’t be pleased if I invited him here so I’ll go to his place or stay at someone else’s.”

“A great asset.” Shikaku provided wryly and Shikamaru jolted as if struck.

Yoshino gave her husband a heavy, meaningful glare and turned to her son. “Shikamaru-kun, maybe-” She fell silent when he raised his head, feeling the neverlessening, coiling indignation inside him rising.

Having spent a major part of her life navigating a clan of people who were stubborn by being extremely compliant to the point of passiveness the woman let go and turned to her plate.

The rest of the dinner was spent in silence and Shikamaru felt only relief when his mother shooed him off. Knowing that if Shikaku wanted to talk there would be no escaping, the young Nara went to his room to take care of the most painful bruises, they won’t be healed by the sparring session but at least he’ll be able to move somewhat freely.

Some time later he heard knocking and groaned inwardly. “Yeh, come in.”

To his surprise it wasn’t his father who entered, but Yoshino. She closed the door behind her and sat on the opposite of her son.

“I talked to your father.”

Shikamaru didn’t reply because he suspected it as soon as he saw his mother’s face.

“He is worried about you.”

“I know.” He knew, but it changed very little.

Yoshino huffed and crossed her arms on her chest; it was a Bad Sign, but Shikamaru only pressed his lips together, which was also a sign on its own.

“You’re being difficult. We are not stopping you from making friends or being friends with… whomever you want. We never have.”

Shikamaru felt his control slipping. “Well, you are the exception. And you never stopped anybody - you know...”

“Is it what you think?” The woman asked.

“Isn’t that the truth? The whole village, including supposedly educated shinobi, was being hostile to our jinchuuriki, it’s only pure luck that he doesn’t resent Konoha, and the Jounin Commander did nothing to stop that strategically idiotic decision! You are the leaders of Nara. And with teachers and the Sandaime always giving speeches about taking care of our own it seems…” Shikamaru stumbled on his anger and fell silent.

“You’re talking with your emotions too.” Yoshino noted.

“Yeah, well, I’m not exactly running around sabotaging people who are hurting my friend, at least there is that!”

The woman was silent, then stood up and left, letting Shikamaru stew in his thoughts further.

She came back a couple of hours later, knocking again and asking for a good measure whether she could come in. By that point Shikamaru was exhausted from his bruises and emotional swings so he watched passively as Yoshino entered and sat down again, this time more collected and thoughtful.

“I’m sorry I left so abruptly, Shikamaru-kun.” She began softly. “I was feeling… I was feeling angry and was afraid I would say something wrong.” The woman looked down, at her folded hands. “The truth is, what I did was horrible, when I think about Kushina-chan I know I failed as a friend and as a comrade in arms. I kept the thought away, because, Shikamaru-kun, I will always pick you, over any other child. That’s why I retired, because I’ve always been biased and person-oriented. I loved Kushina-chan, but I love you more. And I still dream of that day… you can’t understand what it’s like.”

Shikamaru couldn’t, because his memories of the Kyuubi were always mingled with Naruto, with the knowledge of being protected , not attacked .

“Still.”

“Still.” Yoshino smiled, agreeing, though she looked sad. “Still, it’s horrible and we’ve failed as soldiers, fellow shinobi and friends. It’s not a pleasant thought.”

“Are you going to take it out on Naruto?” Shikamaru asked, because he didn’t want to see his mother sad and he would have liked to make her indignant or angry. He failed, though.

“No, no, I’m not. I doubt I’ll forget your speech.”

She tentatively reached out and put her hand on her son’s.

“You’ve grown so fast, almost overnight, we sometimes don’t recognize you. Just a moment ago I thought ‘here is my boy’ , and now you are more mature and brave than most people I know.”

It was disheartening to hear, although Yoshino kept smiling.

“Invite your friends sometimes when your father is having his boring meetings. We have our own entrance, I doubt there will be any problem.”

Yoshino raised and smiled again. “Don’t forget to invite Hinata-chan tomorrow.”

Then she bid him goodbye, leaving her son dumbfounded and shaken.

The next day turned out to be even more bizarre and trying. Yoshino was perfectly chipper in the morning, greeting her family with a smile, Shikaku threw his son a couple of glances but kept to himself. Ino did a one eighty and was friendly and good natured, joking along with Chouji and giving Shikamaru only a couple of looks, fondly exasperated at that.

Hinata arrived on time, as was expected, and was greeted by Yoshino, who rightfully didn’t trust her son to satisfy even her simplest request.

“Hello, Hinata-san.” The woman greeted, breezing past Shikamaru. “I have your order inside, come in, have some tea.”

“Yoshino-sama.” Hinata bowed in return and smiled at her fellow genin. “Shikamaru-san.”

Oh, damn, he had to be polite, too.

His mother gave him her fiercest glare and so he obediently sat through a lengthy tea ceremony, which Yoshino executed maybe not as gracefully as she would have liked, but nobody commented. She gushed over the kunoichi’s bruises, but praised her battle prowess without being overbearing; Hinata was a skilled conversationalist at her worst and a fearsome politician when she had to, so Yoshino left them in a good mood and with joyful wishes of easy Exams.

As soon as the woman left, Shikamaru sagged and Hinata allowed herself to sit more comfortably.

“I don’t know what to do with Ino.” He said because he didn’t know how to get to it politely and Hinata didn’t mind anyway.

“Ah.” Was all the kunoichi said and lapsed into silence, her brows furrowed slightly. After a while she smiled and her eyes grew mischievous.

“Well, I hope I know something that might work, if you’re having the same problem as nii-san does.”

“You’re not going to elaborate, aren’t you?”

Hinata smiled again. “You’ll see tomorrow.”

Shikamaru felt entirely justified when he mumbled ‘women’, though it only prompted the kunoichi to laugh.

“Well, you seem relaxed at last.”

“Right now there is little cause for alarm.” She shrugged elegantly.

“Knowing so much makes it possible to change too much, and every day I go more blind.”

Hinata nodded but her face was still serene. “Shikamaru-san, that’s how we lived so far.”

***

Anxiety wasn’t a well-known concept for Shikamaru but he still woke up too early the next day.

“Damn it.” He murmured into his pillow, trying to catch the drowsy feeling again but he only became more awake as the result.

His mother was a bit more attentive, giving him a scroll and telling sternly to share with everybody, not only Chouji-kun.

Shikamaru slipped out just as his father joined them, still a bit sleepy, but alert. Shikaku waved and wished to come back with all bones intact, which was an improvement from his previous stony attention.

Seeing as he was too early by his team’s standards Shikamaru went directly into the appointed training grounds, where he was expectedly ambushed by Naruto.

“Heya, Shika!” The Rokudaime greeted, squeezing his friend so tightly Nara almost feared for his lungs.

“Good morning, Naruto.” He wheezed and Naruto laughed, released him and stepped back a bit.

“Are you excited? I’m so damn excited I couldn’t sleep!” He laughed mischievously, eyes crinkling in pleasure. “I sneaked out just as the girls were coming in and then decided to sleep here! But guess what! Kakashi-sensei got here to prepare something!” Naruto waggled his eyebrows. “And ambushed me! Me! Ha! I laughed so hard! Then I ran because he is scary!”

He had always been speaking in exclamations when excited. Shikamaru yawned and stared at the sky helplessly. Sleep, all he wanted was some decent sleep, was it too much to ask for?

“C’mon, Shika, let’s sniff around!”

“I’d rather not.” Nara snorted and slouched to accommodate for the height difference when Naruto threw an arm over his shoulders. “I doubt Kakashi-sensei didn’t prepare for that.”

Naruto chortled and perked up. “Hey, Sango-chan is here! Sango-chan! Come here!”

The Shimura girl got closer, looking slightly exhausted but alert.

“Have you met Shika? This is Shika, he’s scary smart, ya know. A Nara.” Naruto raised his brows meaningfully. “We should take him down first!”

“Hey!”

“Well, that’s only fair, you gonna take me down first, arentcha?”

That was very close to the truth, Shikamaru allowed, and nodded to the girl, who was accessing him with sharp eyes. Naruto’s arm was warm and heavy, leeching out the tension, apprehension and ever present outrage.

Uzumaki tensed minutely. “Aw, no, Sai hit me.” He sniffed. “And now Sai knows that he hit my clone.”

“I wondered at the lack of murderous Uchiha around here.”

Shimura smiled, Naruto huffed and shrugged, nudging Shikamaru along as he began telling about the latest escort mission where the client had been constantly hitting on Inuzuka-sensei.

“I swear, even Yuujin was laughing! It was hilarious!”

About that time a few people entered the grounds and the atmosphere charged. It was Team One, thankfully without their sensei, though Lee successfully compensated for that; then arrived Uchiha Sasuke followed by his black mood and a smiling Sai, from somewhere else Ino appeared, focused on Shikamaru and Naruto’s arm with her usual as of late focus.

“Err.” Naruto said eloquently, looking at the newcomers and obviously not knowing whom to deal with first.

“Sasuke-san! Sai-san!” Hinata emerged from behind her cousin and Sasuke was momentarily blindsided. He turned to the kunoichi, losing focus, rapidly glanced at everyone present, frowned at Naruto, scowled at Neji and finally deigned the Hyuuga girl with a nod.

“I’m glad to see you are prepared.” She went on, expertly sidetracking Uchiha and smiling at Sai, who was laughing silently. “And Ino-san! So good that you came early; yesterday I was talking to your mother and she mentioned you need something fresh for your shop. Sai-san has a great eye for color and style, you should see his sketches.”

Ino halted and blinked at the other kunoichi, rapidly switching her gaze from her to Sai and back. Sai cocked his head and smiled at Yamanaka, then his eyes travelled to Hinata. His smile turned into more of a smirk. Hinata’s polite face was impeccable.

“Hyuuga-san flatters me.” He said blandly, addressing Ino and successfully halting the beginnings of her flirty face.

“Does she? It’s not polite to flatter and Hinata-chan is very well educated.” Yamanaka fired back.

“Ah. I do apologise.”

Hinata waved it off and turned to Naruto, who managed to latch the second hand on Shikamaru and locked his fingers.

“Mornin’, Hinata!” He greeted, beaming. “Morning, Beauty.”

Sasuke gave them both an impressive glare in reply and stalked off to Tenten, who took his bad mood in stride and obligingly began a lengthy discussion on kunai.

Shikamaru was thankful Hinata wasn’t looking at him as though he was a complete moron, because the thought would have honestly never come in his head. He watched out of the corner of his eye as Ino was in turn tense, amused, indignant then interested and her formidable focus was concentrated solely on her new acquaintance.

She caught his stare and put her fists on her hips. “Your mother told me you went here, Shika! Weren’t we supposed to come together?”

“Who cares?” Shikamaru grumbled, relaxed having everybody in the know in his line of sight. Judging by Naruto’s giddy mood he was of the same opinion.

“Well, someone is in hugging mood.” A new voice noted and Naruto jumped a bit.

“Yuufu-chan!” He let go of Shikamaru and jumped at the girl, immediately latching on her, then squeezing a blushing Sango. “Yes, I’m in a hugging mood! Everybody here, I hug!”

“Did you mean ‘Everybody out here’?” Sai asked slyly but patted Naruto back when Uzumaki almost tackled him.

“And where is ‘Dofu-chan? She isn’t getting out of her hug!” He let go of the boy who arrived next and almost collided with an eager Lee, dived for Tenten, who laughed and hugged him back, then gave her friend a bro fist. Sasuke gave everybody a nasty glare but struggled only a second or less.

“She’s not ‘Dofu-chan.” The new boy said with soft exasperation like a well repeated argument and accepted his hug. Neji bowed willingly then easily flipped his Hokage over his shoulder and laughed along as Naruto chortled in Hinata’s hair.

“Am I getting a hug?” Ino asked innocently and Naruto turned to her, eyes sparkling.

“He-he.” He only said and Shikamaru could relate when Yamanaka startled under assault.

“You are very strong.” She noted finally, voice strained and face pink with awkwardness.

“Yeah, I’m gonna be Hokage, gotta be strong.”

Ino seemed to take it in stride. “Sure.” She said, voice light and devoid of any teasing.

“Dofu-chan!” Naruto expertly ducked the descending sword and carried the huffing girl closer. “I’m hugging everyone!”

“Oh, I see.” The girl said. “My name is Aminta.” She said sternly, her icy eyes ensuring she drove her point home. “And are you going to hug that Rokuro too?”

“Sure, why not?” Naruto shrugged and shrugged again as Sasuke glared at him.

“He’ll stab you, that’s why.”

Shimura huffed with irritation. “He’s scared of you more.”

“He can think it’s worth it.” Sasuke seethed further and Sai laughed. “I agree.”

Uchiha relaxed at the support and Ino inched closer, her eyes brightening at the possible gossip.

Shikamaru got momentarily distracted when the rest of Team Eight arrived and Kiba went into an impressive brawl with Lee while Naruto tried to shake off kikaichu.

“Got you very fast to me, Naruto-san.” Shino admonished, calling his familiars back. “I thought it an attack.”

That was the moment the final trio arrived, Sakura looking apprehensive and Rokuro immediately zeroing on his teammates and looking away at Sasuke’s glare. Chouji beamed at Shikamaru and went straight to him, greeting people politely and returning Naruto’s fist-bump with a smile.

“Oi, Sakura.” Ino perked up and smiled sweetly. “Naruto gives out hugs!”

To her credit, Haruno took the words in stride. “Does he? Why are your ribs intact then?” She smirked and Ino’s eyes became slits. With the same smirk Sakura stepped forward and slightly awkwardly hugged a tensing Naruto. He was watching the girl with wary eyes.

“What? You are the only person here I can safely hug!” She huffed and Naruto softened.

“Good morning to you too, Sakura-chan.”

Haruno beamed and threw her rival a triumphant glance.

“If you’re done using Naruto for your pissing games, we can prepare.” Aminta bit out. “Or Rokuro can be hugged. Hey, do you want to?”

The boy gave her a majestic stink eye and went to stand beside Shimura. Both girls looked at him, nonplussed.

Sakura, on the other hand, huffed and whipped her head to glare at Aminta. “I’m not !”

“Sure looks like it.”

“As if Ino isn’t!”

“Oh, I am.” Ino admitted freely. “Only I’m using your laughable embarrassment of Naruto, not him.” She turned to Uzumaki and nodded properly, like a member of an important clan that she was. “I’m sorry you got caught in out quarrell.”

“Yea, well.” Uzumaki mumbled. Sai’s face was pure delight as he watched the situation unfold.

“Oh, shut up!” Sakura snapped, advancing. “As if you’re any better.”

Ino rolled her eyes. “Hey, Sasuke-san! You’re an attractive-looking guy, when your brain is slightly less crazy it would be great if we went somewhere.”

Everyone fell silent. Sakura was staring at Ino, who wasn’t taking her calm, friendly eyes off Sasuke. Sasuke was scrutinizing Yamanaka as if he learned of her existence just that moment, while Sai and Naruto gave up and were laughing together.

“So glad you came here to bond and be nice kids.” A voice barked, followed by an actual bark.

“Sensei!” Naruto beamed and laughed in his fist. “Sensei, I’m hugging everyone today!”

“Are you?” The woman looked down at him, her face fond. “Well, I wanna see you hug Kakashi.”

Somehow Naruto managed to entangle himself completely in Yuujin’s paws in the short seconds it took his teacher to finish her sentence.

“Hey, guys!” He called, trying to spit out long fur. “I got sensei’s ninken, we are already winning!”

It was almost nostalgic to work among a large group of shinobi, most of whom were already trained enough to follow orders. Naruto was shining with happiness, infectious and bright.

“Do you hate Sasuke?” Shikamaru heard and startled violently. Ino looked at him, smiling and open. “Because if you have reasons, we need to adjust.”

It was such a careful sentence, such carefully voiced offer, containing more than one subtle meaning; Shikamaru was honestly taken aback and intimidated. He was again faced with the realization that his teammate was a creature of her own making and her own thoughts, her transparency an almost perfect veil.

“I don’t.” Nara carefully replied, his lips winced at Ino’s look. The girl only blinked, her eyes still unwavering friendly blue, but for the attention. The focus - it was all the Ino they’d left behind (smiling, patient, no remorse as she shakes the brain matter off her palms).

“Alright.”

She knew he was lying before himself; it had always been thoughts Shikamaru had preferred to avoid - Sasuke and all Uchiha had been bringing along (Sakura’s will of steel rebuilt on the rubble of her childhood, Naruto’s self-deprecating smiles), Neji with a hole in his chest, Chouji gasping for breath.

“But you don’t hate Naruto.”

But , she said, neutral and nonchalant.

“No.” Shikamaru replied because what more could be said?

Ino hummed in thought, eyes watching the shinobi around, coy tilt of the head, coy half-mast eyelids, coy smile and coy fingers as she brushed her hair.

Shikamaru had long ago accepted that the minutiae of human interaction were evading him - he could grasp the logic behind customs, the necessity of social rituals, he just preferred to avoid engaging in them. He had never felt particularly lonely or incomplete, had never craved connection in ways people around seemed to (even ever-calm Hinata, even Ino with her eyes shrouded in mirrors).

It was this flaw that made him miss something important, one minute they were huddling together, making small, quite redundant conversations, then he heard:

“And what is going to be done about Sasuke-kun’s behaviour?”

It was Ino, of course, Shikamaru knew from the direction of the sound, from the well-known timbre of voice, but the tone, the wording (warning, joke, innocence all mashed together, disconcerting), it was all alien.

Sasuke glared at the girl, but Naruto’s eyes were almost tender.

“What do you mean?!” Sakura exploded, jumping to her feet.

“I meant that I am curious as to what is going to be done about Sasuke-kun’s behaviour?” Ino replied sweetly, never mind her swollen, bruised cheek.

“You want to say something?” Sasuke growled, beginning to unleash his sakki.

“Do you want to hear it? Or, are you able to hear it?” Ino asked with her familiar condescending smile. At Uchiha’s mute step forward, the girl leaned back on her elbows, mocking in her open vulnerability. “You’ve been showing signs of a psychopath for a year now, Sasuke, you’re ill and need to be treated. The recklessness, your emphasized disdain and dismissal of others is going to cost us - not prestige or reputation, because bloodthirsty crazy Uchiha have always only helped Konoha’s fame,” she shivered at the mounting sakki, but plowed on, “- but the lives of other Konoha shinobi will be at risk.”

“Are you implying you are a better shinobi?” Uchiha grinned madly, he was genuinely laughing at the preposterousness of the implication.

“Yes.” Ino answered simply. “I’m not a coward who whines in the comfort of the status and grasps for attention like a six-year old.”

“Ino!” Sakura shouted, but not in indignation - in honest fear.

Of course Ino wasn’t able to dodge, not at their difference in training and genetics, but she wasn’t really intending to; the girl just turned her head a bit to lessen the impact.

“Hey!” Chouji called, hurrying to them. “What are you doing?”

“A coward.” Ino repeated, even though the blow to her already bruised cheek made her words slurred. “And a childish one, Naruto has never resorted to fists when people were baiting him.” The girl rose, expressing no pleasure at her landed blow, at Sasuke’s vicious wince.

Shikamaru moved to her but made no move to help, knowing that any assistance would be rejected. He felt angry nonetheless; reckless, risk-loving Ino, she had always taken too much joy in gambles where she was the stake.

At last Sasuke twisted on his feet and stormed away, his black mood almost pulsating. Naruto, who had been silent and watching with wide, focused eyes until now, stepped forward and halted. “I am sorry.” He said earnestly.

“For what?” Ino asked with the same friendly politeness she had used to interrogate Shikamaru before.

Looking at Sasuke’s impressively expressive back, Naruto scowled. “A lot of the times it feels like I am… like- ‘ttebayo.” He grumbled.

“That you’re too indulgent, because clearly you are the only one able to truly handle him, but at the same time you suspect that too much pressure will drive him completely off the rails.” Ino finished.

Naruto looked back at her, eyes bright. “Yea, that.”

“I think you’re right.”

“Sasuke won’t be able to take anything like that from you, he’s too codependent.” Aminta cut in for the first time. Her usually expressive face was thoughtful and blank.

“That’s what we are for!” Sai chimed in with a grin just a tad malicious.

“Yea, I know- I know that it’s my business, that they were my promises and my decisions and I made it everybody’s business, shit.” Naruto pressed the heels of his palms to his eyes, throat constricting.

“Come on.” Shikamaru grumbled, knowing with certainty that he just was unable to let it pass, how was he to stay idle when his friend was shaking with self-flagellation? “Don’t think we can’t make our own choices.”

“True.” Neji nodded. “You should only dig a little to realize that we have never been afraid to voice our concerns.” He gave out a silent huff and moved to Ino, who only started a little when the boy held up a glowing palm to her abused face.

“Thank you.” The girl said, blushing and sincere. “But I’ll live.”

“Come on.” Chouji smiled at them. “It must be painful.” He frowned. “Don’t do that again, Ino.”

She just smiled again. “I will if it’s necessary.” Ino shrugged to Shikamaru’s silent groan; it was honestly too predictable, he had no doubts in a month Sasuke will desert Konoha again just to get away from one kunoichi’s prodding (what he could give to be able to express his gratitude).