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There is nothing easy about those missions. It's the third one Shikamaru has been involved in, and only the second in which he is the honeytrap. He knows it's usually ANBU territory, because those guys are trained to endure and overcome the kind of emotional toll it takes on you. Once in a while, though, when none of the black ops are available, or if they need a complimentary skillset to their human bait, they'll call a standard jonin. That's where he comes in.
Ino-Shika-Chō is a interrogation squad, it has always been. That's what they're good at; gathering intel, making people talk, fooling them into giving up the information. Shikamaru knows how easily it would have fallen onto Ino's shoulders if he hadn't stepped up to volunteer. He knows himself, he won't be able to do it for long, but it's better than watching his best friend wither so soon. It doesn't change the fact that he wants to scratch every inch of his skin and soak in a bath so long he might drown.
The mission is far from over, though. He was asked to get intel on the Haruno Clan, a samurai family from Iron which still served the major Houses. Their specific skillset made them more appealing that shinobi for some jobs, enough that they remained the wealthiest clan in the country. Shikamaru familiarized himself with the samurai customs and knows how common it is for the youngest members to seek other men's company when they leave their teacher. Posing as a refined escort was the easiest way in.
So far he only had one client, a twenty-something arrogant boy with ruby hair -a recognisable trait of the clan- and a constant smirk on his pretty face. Getting him to talk is the hardest part. The samurai brags and talks about his achievements, but never slips a word about his clan or what their aim is. Shikamaru suspects they're aiming for the Daimyo seat but has yet to find any evidence to back up his claim.
The hotel he's staying in is the most expensive of the capital, a city twice as big as Konoha and from the look of it, twice as poor. It's nowhere close to Kiri or Suna, but it is obvious Sanrōgakure has a clear divide between the richest and the poorest of its citizens. He packed as well as he could, but a good chunk of his mission money went into the finest winter clothing he could find. The cold is burning his cheeks every time he leaves his room, so bad he had to buy some kind of cream made of fat to prevent frostbite.
Shikamaru had to build quite the reputation when he got here in order to get the attention of the samurai. He's stopped counting the number of baths he took since arriving to the Land of Iron. Sanrō has a pool of customers looking for a good time, and even by picking the wealthiest clients, he still had a number of highly unpleasant time before Ōkei of the Haruno Clan noticed him.
Ōkei is expecting him again the next day, and though he hasn't asked for sex yet, Shikamaru knows it's going to happen. It's cultural for them and it's a mission for him, so there's no way he'll do anything to stop it. Nevermind that the sheer thought of it makes him sick. That's the main reason while he's curled up on the chair next to the window, a blanket around his shoulders as he watches the snow fall quietly on the city. The night is darker here that he's ever seen it in Konoha, a southern land where the days are sunny and long. Here, night falls quicker than you expect it and brings with it a storm every three or four days.
He's contemplating getting up to make another pot of tea when there is a knock on his door. Shikamaru frowns. He's not supposed to see Ōkei until the morning and he has stopped informing the patrons of the hotel of his availability. Usually, when they hear about his work with Ōkei, and the Haruno Clan by proxy, the back down easily. Shikamaru sighs. In any case, the visitor isn't leaving if the repeated knocking is to be trusted, and he is tired enough to want to deal with this as quickly as possible.
Shikamaru leaves the blanket on the chair and crosses the large room to answer the door. He has to bite his lip not to make a sound of surprise when he sees the pink hair and broad frame of the woman in front of him. She's clearly a Haruno, and one of the few samurai on top of that. He hasn't heard much about the women of the clan, most of them secluded to their estate or having small jobs in the city. Iron isn't as advanced as Konoha, and he can count on one hand the number of female samurai he's seen, let alone talked to.
As soon as the door is opened, the woman barges into the room and closes it behind her. She's still in battle armour, which would already be highly unusual, but her face is bruised and it doesn't look like the kind of injury you get from a fight. Shikamaru grits his teeth and crosses his arms, knowing that she won't bulge until he's heard what she wants.
"I'm giving you one million ryo if you fuck me before morning."
Shikamaru almost chokes in surprise, his eyes widening at the dead serious expression on the woman's face. She looks a few years older than him, maybe twenty-five, but he's never seen such dead eyes on someone who isn't a shinobi. He doesn't know the samurai that well, but he doesn't get the impression they do job as bloody as shinobi do. And to offer him that much money means she's hiding something, something big. One million ryo is twice what he's paid for the entire mission.
"What's the catch?" He asks to buy himself some time. He needs to figure out if she's important in the clan. If so, he might be able to ditch Ōkei entirely and focus on her.
"There's no catch. Men don't like samurai women and I'm very frustrated."
Shikamaru almost buys it. She looks confident, standing straight in the room with her armour catching the light of the lanterns. But he sees the tremors in her hands, curled into loose fists at her side. That woman is either furious or terrified, and the bruises make him believe in the latter. One million ryo, though, and she might have the information he's looking for.
"How do you want me?" He says quietly, taking a step in her direction. He doesn't miss the discreet flinch in her arrogant smile.
"Fuck me into the mattress, pretty boy, let me remember it."
And so Shikamaru complies. It takes him all of eight minutes to notice something is very, very wrong. She naked from the waist up, only a pair of cotton under-armour covering her legs. Her armour is on the floor, where his clothes joined it a minute ago. He took her to the bed where she sat down, watching him undress with a stony face. She doesn't comment on his scars, unusual for an escort, and he says nothing about the bruises on her arms and belly as he goes down in from of her. As soon as he lays an hand on her thigh, she tenses up like he's hurt her and her breathing quickens.
Shikamaru slowly moves up and kisses her neck, kneeling between her opened legs. Had he been anywhere else than pressed against her throat, he would have missed the whimper that escapes her at the gesture. He stops immediately and backs off. Eight minutes.
"Are you a virgin?" He frowns, her eyes meeting his in a defiant look.
"So what if I am?"
"I don't do virgins."
He goes back on his feet and gathers his clothes, slipping his pants back on. A hand on his arm stops him from covering more.
"I wont beg, but I can offer you more money. Name a price."
Again, she looks fearless and angry, when a second before she was petrified under his mouth. Something feels so wrong.
"Okay what is it. There someone you want to impress? Scared to look stupid in front of your friends?"
She scowls, brave and fierce like he's never seen a shinobi be. That's the samurai's honour, right here. As easily as she grabbed him, though, she releases his arm and sits down on the bed. Suddenly, she looks tired, almost defeated.
"How much do you want?"
"Tell me."
She sighs and closes her eyes. With a shaking hand, she rubs a bruise on her cheek.
"I need you to fuck me so the clan can't sell me to the noble they've been trying to make a deal with. He won't take me if I'm not a virgin. The Elders say I've been a fighter too long and it's time to make up for the time and money it cost to train me. Now I must pull my weight for the clan and serve my real purpose."
"What happens to you if you don't marry the noble? If he doesn't want you?"
She looks away, towards the window. "The clan will banish me and burn my name from the family scroll. I'll be a rōnin."
"And that doesn't bother you?"
In a instant, she's gone. He turns around, his hand going for a weapon pouch he doesn't find, but it's too late already. There is a blade on his throat and two naked breasts pressed against his back.
"Do I seem like a placid, civilian wife to you? I'd rather die than become that man's thing."
"Then why don't you run?" He swallows, the blade tracing a line of blood on his skin.
"Because they'll come after me. I won't be a rōnin, I'll be a traitor. And they'll chain me if they need to, before giving me over to him. I'm good, pretty boy, but I don't stand a chance against the entire Haruno samurai force."
He frowns. "They'd send everyone after you?"
"I'm Haruno Sakura," she snorts like it explains everything.
And it does. He's only heard of the heiress once, from Ōkei, and it was in terms he couldn't help to remember. He's never seen so much hatred and respect battling in a single man's eyes. Now he understands why. She holds the Clan's future in her hands and apparently, she's been their secret weapon for a long time, good enough to never be linked to Haruno-hime, the pretty heiress of the samurai clan.
"I'd rather be dishonored and exiled than a traitor in chains or a noble's plaything. Now let me repeat the question, pretty boy. What you're price?"
Shikamaru swallows again and gently pushes the blade out of his throat. He turns around and look at the fierce woman with a steady sword and a shaking hand.
"I'll do you pro bono."
There is a certain satisfaction in knowing he took part in the fanciest shit show the Land of Iron has ever witnessed. Haruno Sakura is absolutely terrifying when she storms into her future former clan's estate, in full ceremonial armour. He's following a couple of steps behind and enjoys every second of the chaos she creates by entering the Council room with a stranger.
The Elders are there, with the General and a middle-aged man wrapped in an expensive red kimono. They all gasp when she slams the doors open and barges into the room. She looks down right triumphant.
"Honoured Clan Head, Respectable Elders, let me introduce you to my lover! I don't actually know his name, so you'll have to excuse the breach in protocol. He's amazing in bed, though, so I felt it evened out."
(he's really not, but he'll let her have her fun. She deserves as much)
"Sakura-hime! What is the meaning of this!"
"The meaning of this, dearest father, is that I'm kindly asking you to all go fuck yourselves and your outdated traditions. If you want so badly to make an alliance with this pig, why don't you take his cock? You seemed so eager to let me have it, I thought you'd like having a taste yourself!"
"How-"
"Shut your fucking mouth! I am a samurai, a Battlemaster blessed by the Sanrōyama shrine. You will not sell me like I'm a fancy piece of furniture!"
She draws her sword and they all recoil in fear. But she only grins and slips the wooden pin out of her long hair. It cascades along her back before reaching her thighs. He's heard of the gesture but he realises how important it is when the collective gasp of outraged fuckers echoes in the room. She gathers all her hair in one hand, and with a swipe of her katana, cuts it as close to the skull as she can. Then she drops it on the negotiation table and spits on the floor.
"Here's my Haruno legacy. I exile myself from this fucking clan and I'll be an amazing rōnin a couple of continents away from you motherfucking cunts."
On those words, she storms out of the room again and Shikamaru dutifully follows her until they've left the estate. Only then does she look at him, her seething eyes softening at the peace on his face.
"Now, nameless stranger. I've been through your stuff tonight and I'm not that sure you're an escort. I'd bet on a Leaf nin, but who knows these days."
Shikamaru sighs but doesn't deny. His mission is ruined and it's entirely his fault for sympathizing with this strange, brave woman.
"I have another deal for you," she grins, the pride behind it erasing the anger.
"I'm not sleeping with you again."
She raises an eyebrow. "I've said nothing about sleeping. I'm assuming you weren't there because you fancied Ōkei that much. So here's the deal. I'm telling you everything about the Haruno Clan and all I know on Iron's government."
"What the catch?" He says, an echo of the previous night hidden in his cunning smile.
"There no catch. But you'll take me to Konoha, and you will make me a shinobi."
Shikamaru grins.
"Deal."