Honey Trap

by ridingthemagic2arpet

Summary:

Uzumaki Naruto is the prized daughter of the Yondaime Hokage, and when the threats on her life become serious, Namikaze Minato decides that she needs a guard.

Who better for the job than one of his own personal guard?

Enter Uchiha Shisui, who loves summertime sunshine and has a penchant for sweets and all things bright.

To Naruto, he’s completely boring, and a terribly pretty pretty boy. But if being around him is going to annoy Sasuke-teme, then she can put up with it.

Chapter 1: Blue Raspberry Popsicles

→← 

Raven prided himself on being a dedicated and rather diligent shinobi, and as such, there were very few things that could throw his normally hard working nature out of the window. But, as he checked the position of the sun for the umpteenth time that hour, he decided that ANBU status was overrated, because he couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so bored. 

As one of the only units in Hokage-sama’s guard, he had the cardinal task of ensuring that there were no nearby threats to said Hokage’s body or person. His clan’s dojutsu made seeing other chakra signatures easy, and his well-honed senses allowed him quick reaction time and even sounder judgment. 

Which was why – it felt like his talents were being wasted. Hokage-sama was so capable – so fast. He didn’t need Raven. 

Raven was sitting on a tree branch overlooking the Hokage Tower. Dusk had settled over the Hidden Leaf like a summer night’s blanket, the muddy purple, pink, and browns of the sky casting the buildings and streets in a soft, serene glow.  A warm summer breeze swept through the air, and Raven tucked his nose down, reminding himself to wear longer sleeves since the weather was changing rapidly. 

Raven’s favorite season was summer. Something about Konoha’s summer was different from anywhere else – it was brutally beautiful in its gushing waterfalls hidden in everglades if you knew just where to look. The stars were always brighter in the wake of a late setting sun, and if he had enough time, he’d lay out on his back in the grass, mapping the constellations across the cosmos. The smell of summer rain was so wonderfully earthy and distinct, and Raven loved that once midday passed, an orange light would set everything on fire. 

He kicked his legs back and forth, more comfortable to be mobile now that he had the cover of the luxurious green leaves that stuck to the tree branches like a glove. 

At thirteen, he was probably one of the youngest ANBU agents to have ever been offered a position, bar perhaps, Hound and his own younger cousin, Crow. 

Crow was off duty tonight, but he could sense Hound in a nearby tree. They weren’t all that close although they tended to give each other nods of acknowledgement once they were in ANBU headquarters. With their age gaps, distinction in ranks, and lack of overlapping friend circles, there was just no reason to interact more than was strictly necessary. 

Hound kept to himself mostly. Raven did too, and he thinks that the only reason why he didn’t approach Hound more was out of respect for his Senpai’s wishes. Though, he suspected that those ‘wishes’ were born out of self hatred for being a supposed Friend Killer. 

It wasn’t any of Raven’s business, but he personally felt that Hound was an exceptionally kind person, and he wished more people knew that. 

Raven peered down into the Hokage’s window, a pleased sort of feeling washing over him when he sees Namikaze Minato sitting dutifully in his chair, his pen scribbling away on official documents. He’d been at it all day, and the pile with the Hokage’s seal of approval had slowly but surely grown larger. 

Without glancing their way, Minato flicked his fingers. Immediately, all the surrounding ANBU flickered into the Hokage’s office, and bent the knee, their six-man squad in perfect formation. Raven, Hound, Monkey, Leopard, Bear, and Deer bowed before their Hokage, heads lowered and eyes averted.

“Rise,” Minato said, his voice strong and authoritative. “Take off your masks, shinobi.” 

They all did so without question, and Uchiha Shisui felt mildly awkward, like anyone could see who he really was behind the porcelain mask. If the others felt the same, they gave no indication. 

Minato smiled at them. “You have all serviced me wonderfully. My guard is made of the best of the best, and I’m truly grateful for all the hard work you’ve done for me. However, after careful consideration, I have decided that one of you is to be reassigned to a far more important charge. I am fully capable of watching out for myself. And I’ll still have five of you with me.” As he said it, his Hokage-persona slipped away, until his crystalline blue eyes were soft around the edges, and the faint edges of affection curled around his features. 

Hatake Kakashi’s expression didn’t change in the slightest at his Sensei’s words, but Shisui could’ve sworn that in just the right light, the older man looked so terribly long-suffering.

Shisui’s mouth went dry. Who could possibly be more important than their Hokage? Such a position didn’t exist in the village; it was that simple. 

As though his thoughts had summoned the mysterious charge on their own, the door to the Hokage’s office bursted open, and everyone except Minato and Kakashi collectively tensed. Shisui’s hand had already unsheathed his katana, ready to defend his Hokage against anyone. What kind of ninja would bust into the Hokage’s office without knocking? 

Were they crazy?

“Tou-chan!” Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto cheered, and Shisui hoped that his jaw didn’t drop. A small slip of a girl no older than eleven with blonde hair to match Minato’s and blue eyes more fierce than the oceans surrounding Uzushio stomped her way into the office, narrowly ducking through the gathered ANBU before launching herself at her father, arms immediately springing around his waist. “Tou-chan, I missed you, dattebayo!” 

“Naru-chan,” Minato cooed back, hugging his daughter tight with a look that Shisui could only describe as adoring. 

Shisui had never met the only daughter of his village’s leader, but he knew Kakashi was close to the family, and even Genma was to a certain extent. It showed in the way he watched the pair with a certain air of fondness around him; Shisui seldom saw him with anything but nonchalance and a smirk on his senbon-sucking face. 

And though Shisui hadn’t met her, it didn’t mean that the blonde girl didn’t have something of a reputation. 

“She took after her mother”, Minato had mentioned to him very briefly, as they stared up at the defaced Hokage mountain one morning. Streaks of orange and splashes of purple covered the Shodai’s face. She loved pranking with every part of her, and was very good at it too. 

“She was just like Kushina-nee,” Genma said contemplatively, chewing on his senbon. She could inhale her body weight’s worth of ramen, and you could find her at Ichiraku’s at least twice a week. 

Kakashi had been the only one who had said something different. It was one of those rare moments that they were alone in the barracks together, and Shisui had asked his senpai about their Hokage and his family — wanting to know more about the people he’d be protecting. He had just been assigned to the Hokage’s personal guard. 

“She’s just like Minato-sensei,” the Copy Ninja had disclosed, something akin to tenderness in his usually monotonic tenor. Kind, intelligent, and caring to the boot. She was incredibly witty and had a way with words that was magnetic – it made you look at her with reverence and hope. 

Naruto was bright and blonde and the fox-like whiskers that marked each side of her face were a sure-fire representation of who she was. She was nothing short of bubbly, and Shisui watched on as she stepped away from her father before launching herself at Kakashi. 

Shisui’s jaw dropped. 

There were not many people who could get away with physically touching the famed Copy Ninja of the Leaf so intimately. Kakashi didn’t even try to push her away as the younger girl wrapped him up in a vice-like grip, her chubby cheeks squished against his gray ANBU vest. 

“Kakashi-nii!” Naruto exclaimed with absolute delight. 

“Maa, Naruto-chan,” Kakashi said, sounding nothing like the stern, stoic shinobi Shisui knew him to be. “What have I told you about addressing me while I’m in uniform?” 

Even as he said this, his hands came up to pat her head of sunshiney hair, smoothing down the frizz in the back. 

“Hmmm, I don’t remember!” 

Kakashi sighed, looking at Minato for help. Shisui didn’t know why he bothered. Hokage-sama, it seemed, could never deny his daughter anything, and he clearly wasn’t about to scold her for her lack of formality. 

“I said not to,” Kakashi finally said, and Naruto pouted up at him. 

“But why?” 

“Because, if people know my identity, then I could be in serious danger,” Kakashi said. “And then I might die and the pack won’t want to play with you; they’ll have no one to summon them.”

Naruto’s pout intensified, her blue orbs narrowing as though she could smell bullshit from a mile away. “Don’t lie,” She demanded. “Besides, Pakkun and the others love me more than they love you! They would come find me even if you couldn’t summon them!” 

Genma coughed at that, and Shisui couldn’t help but fidget from foot to foot. 

Naruto immediately honed in on his display of weakness, and she stepped back from her Kakashi-nii, her blue eyes bearing striking shrewdness that she’d likely inherited from her father. The other ANBU parted like the Red Sea for her, and Shisui wondered if they did so unconsciously – as if they saw her as some authority figure.

“You,” the blonde drawled slowly, peering closely at him. “You’re an Uchiha,” She said. Some people in the village said the same words with accusation in their voices, disdain and dislike apparent in the contortions of their facial muscles. But when Naruto said it, she said it as though she were stating a fact. 

Shisui thought that his pale complexion and dark hair were a dead giveaway. “I am,” He said. 

Naruto hummed. “Do you know Sasuke-teme?” 

Minato winced at her tactlessness. 

“Sasuke is my little cousin,” He said, wondering why she was calling the young boy a bastard. Sure, Sasuke was a bit of a brat, but Shisui loved said brat. 

“Interesting.” Naruto turned back to her father. “What’s all this about, Tou-chan?”

Kakashi’s face visibly tightens. Minato’s does too. 

“Naruto-hime, do you remember when three weeks ago, a ninja from a foreign village tried kidnapping you from our house?”

Naruto seemed to have to think about it, but she lights up eventually, and if Shisui pictures it just hard enough, he can see a lightbulb pop over her head. “Yeah! You and mommy said you’d ‘deal with him outside! I never saw him again, dattebayo!”

Minato laughs loudly, like his eleven-year old kid isn’t insinuating what they all know she is.

“That’s right, Naru-chan! We had to deal with it. But,” He sobers up very quickly, and squats on his haunches beside her so that they’re eye to eye. It’s the little things like this that makes Minato a good Hokage, because he’s not willing to let some stuffy title undermine his relationship with his daughter; his infamous Hokage cloak drags on the floor, but he doesn’t seem to mind as he ruffles Naruto’s blonde hair. The girl giggles, and a part of Shisui melts. “But, your mommy and I aren’t always going to be around to protect you. I’m really busy, and so is she, and when we’re out of the village, who’s going to watch out after you?”

Naruto rolls her eyes skyward, her tiny fists poised at her hips like a mini superhero might. “Daaaad,” She pouts. “I’m not five anymore! I don’t need anyone to watch out for me! I know how to throw a kunai properly now!”

“I know,” Minato says placatingly. “You’re growing up, and soon you won’t need anyone to protect you! But your tou-chan has six guards, you see? And I'm Hokage. No matter how big and strong you get, you still need people in your corner.”

It’s almost comical, Shisui thinks. Having to watch Hokage-sama tiptoe around his words in order to ease Naruto’s mind about having a personal guard. 

“I guess,” Naruto mumbles. Her cherub cheeks puff out. And then she glares up accusingly at the currently stationed Hokage guard, her intelligent gaze boring into each ANBU agent, finally realizing while they’re all present instead of in their respective hiding spots. “So…” She starts. “Who is it?”

Minato claps his hands together, looking like he’s navigated the worst of the storm. “That’s what's great, Naruto-chan! You can pick whoever you’d like.”

Kakashi is expressing so many emotions today that Shisui is flabbergasted. Right now, he’s wearing a look of tired fondness, like he’s seen Minato bow down to Naruto’s every whim so many times that it’s not even surprising, and he’s more indulgent about it than he’d like to admit to himself. It’s kind of cute, honestly. 

It’s a common known fact around Konoha that Kakashi and the Hokage are rather tight-knit, considering the Hokage had been Kakashi’s sensei and the other two team members on Team Seven had died premature and tragic deaths. That, and the fact that Kakashi had served as an apprentice for Minato for many of his childhood years had probably brought them extremely close together. And regardless of the harsh whispers and mean stares that seemed to follow the Copy Ninja in the wake of his teammate’s fall, Minato didn’t let that deter him. Kakashi was like a pseudo son to Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina, and they never failed to show it.

The fact that Kakashi and Naruto had been raised under the same household said a lot more about the type of bond they had than anything else ever might. Where Kakashi might’ve been irritated any other child for their behavior and lack of clear respect, it’s quite obvious to see that he is just as adoring to Naruto as her father is.

“I can?” Naruto squeals in glee, and she spins around once more, not even giving anyone else a chance before she’s staring up at Kakashi with expectant eyes. “You’ll be my guard, won’t you, Kashi-nii?” 

Kakashi pats her head like she’s one of his ninken. “Maa, Naruto-chan,” He says. “I would love to, but I don’t think I’m a good candidate. I have to take missions outside of the village a lot, remember? I won’t be your guard often. I’ll probably have to ask one of the others to detail you instead. But,” He hesitates when her nose crinkles in sadness, “if it would make you more comfortable, I’ll see what I can do.”

Naruto’s face softens around the edges, and she squeezes Kakashi’s hand – the one that’s still covered in the claw-tipped ANBU gloves. “Thanks, Kakashi-nii,” She says. “But it’s okay. I’ll be fine. And if I’m not, I can kick some ass.” She smiles sardonically at each ANBU member. “Just because I’m eleven doesn’t mean I can’t make your life hell if I want to.” 

Shisui will claim until the day he dies that she doesn’t scare him – not even just a little.

“How about this?” Kakashi offers. “As long as I’m in the village and able, I’ll rotate with your guard sometimes. It may not be all the time, but you’ll have me with you a solid chunk of the time.” 

Shisui doesn’t think Naruto is a spoiled brat per say – Minato and Kushina don’t seem like the type of parents who would raise their kid that way, even if they dote on her. When she speaks next, it only solidifies that theory. 

Naruto laughs, the sound like the chime of bells. “Don’t worry, Kakashi-nii. And don’t overwork yourself, you know? Pakkun and the others would be so sad if you were never around.” 

“Maa,” Kakashi says, and Shisui would swear on his life that the older man was smiling under his mask. “You got me there, Naru-chan.”

“Your next option?” Minato prompts. 

For the record, Shisui thought that her next option would be Genma, if only because the other man, while not as close with the Namikaze-Uzumakis as Kakashi, had been a steady staple in their household for as long as Shisui could remember. Genma and Uzumaki Kushina had been something akin to mentor and student, and where Kakashi was Naruto’s brother, then Genma would’ve been a long-distance cousin or something. 

But to everyone’s shock, Naruto-chan wheels back around without hesitation, blue eyes flashing like a fiery star as she ignores everyone else and considers Shisui. She’s like a shark whose scented blood. 

The Uchiha knows he shouldn’t be intimidated by an eleven-year old kid, but he sort of is.

“You,” Naruto calls again. “What’s your name, pretty boy?”

Pretty boy???

“Uh. Shisui. Uchiha Shisui. Um. Did you just call me a pretty boy?”

“Sure,” Naruto says easily, her gaze traveling very obviously from the top of his head to the tip of his toes. “All Uchihas are. Pretty, that is.” She tilts her head contemplatively. “I think you have really nice eyelashes, Shisui-san.”

Shisui-san??

Shisui did not know what to say. How does one react? Will her father smite him because his daughter thinks he’s pretty? 

“Don’t be mean, Naru-chan,” Kakashi scolds, his eyes low lidded with nonchalance and boredom. “You’re scaring poor Shisui-kun.” 

“Right,” Naruto agrees, as though she knows this. “Well. Shisui-san. I have a very important question for you. Would you say that Sasuke-teme likes you?”

The entire room held its breath as Shisui thought about his response, unsure of why Uzumaki Naruto was so fixated on his little cousin. According to Itachi, Sasuke seemed to have a hoard of fangirls in the Academy, each more forward than the last. Sasuke was endlessly annoyed by it, not wanting to do anything that didn’t concern training and spending time with Itachi. Shisui had never heard Sasuke talk with kindness about any one of his fangirls. Perhaps Naruto was one of them?

And for the first time that day, Shisui grinned brightly. He couldn’t help but want to tease the younger girl. “Why? Does Uzumaki-chan have a crush on my baby cousin?”

Naruto screeched, the pitch and frequency similar to that of a boiling kettle, and Kakashi and Minato exchanged knowing looks behind Naruto’s back. “AS IF!” She yelled, her face turning strawberry red with anger or embarrassment – probably both. “I COULD NEVER LIKE THAT BASTARD WITH HIS UGLY DUCK BUTT HAIR!”

“Uh huh,” Shisui said, not at all convinced. “If you say so. I guess Sasuke and I are pretty close. His older brother is basically my best friend, so I hang out with them frequently.”

Naruto’s whiskers tremble in excitement, and Shisui can see what Hokage-sama means when he says that Naruto is a spitting image of her mother. A mischievous shine begins to overtake her features and she steps forward. “That’s perfect, ‘ttebayo. Absolutely perfect.”

The others make room for him as he saunters his way out from behind Monkey and Leopard, not taking his eyes off of Naruto even once. “Oh? How so?”

“Cause. If you have to guard me, then that means Sasuke-teme will be pissed off that you and I are hanging out more than you and him are. And there is nothing that I love more than pissing Sasuke- kun off.” The honorific attached is filled with saccharine sweet malice, and briefly, Shisui wonders what Sasuke did to earn this wrath. 

It’s perhaps the most round-about, unnecessary, convoluted thing Shisui has ever heard from a kid, but all Minato does is smile brightly. “Well that’s settled, isn’t it? Effective starting in… two days, you’ll be my daughter’s guard. Is that understood?”

“Of course, Hokage-sama.” 

Shisui doesn’t suppose he has that much of a choice in the matter so all he does is re-don his mask and bow deeply to his Hokage. 

Naruto looks supremely self satisfied, and Shisui sighs to himself. She’s not his charge until another two days. He should probably relax while he can. 

As if hearing his thoughts, Kakashi claps his shoulder in an uncharacteristic show of physicality. “Rest up, Shisui-kun,” The Copy Ninja says, mirth in his dual colored eyes. “You’re going to need it.” 

→←

“So,” Itachi begins that very same night, his dark eyes far too knowing for his young age. He and Sasuke are sitting on one side of the kotatsu, a leaf of onigiri placed between them. Shisui notes with some fondness that Itachi has slowly been tearing off chunks of his own meal, passing it back to Sasuke when he isn’t focused.

“So?” The curly headed Uchiha repeats. 

“So, word on the street is that you’ve got a new assignment.”

Shisui’s not even surprised that Itachi already knows. Despite being ninja, the jonin and the ANBU are some of the worst gossips in the entire village; the jonin station is like a parasitical hub for it. No doubt, Genma and the others have spread word of his shift in mission parameters.

“I did.” Shisui tells him. He laughs a little breathlessly, not sure where to start when it comes to the unpredictability of one Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto. “Ne, Sasuke-chan,” He calls, grabbing his younger cousin’s attention. “Tell me about Naruto-chan-san. She’s in your class, right?”

For a moment, Sasuke wears an expression of horror, as though Shisui has told him that the entire crop of tomato plants in the Uchiha compound garden has been smashed to pieces. It’s oddly reminiscent of Naruto’s face when Shisui had teased her about her potential crush on Sasuke. 

“Why are you calling that dobe that?” Sasuke asked. “ Chan? You’re on a first name basis with the dead last? And why do you want to know?” He eyes Shisui with newly suspicious eyes. 

Itachi huffs out a quiet laugh.

“Is she one of those fangirls you’re always complaining about?” 

Sasuke actually softens a bit at that. “Hardly. She’s probably the only one who isn’t brain dead. At least, about that sort of stuff. She’s… more tolerable than the others,” He admits begrudgingly, and he holds his stomach as though it’s physically paining him to say it. “But she’s still stupid and annoying. She wears too much orange. And you still haven’t explained why you want to know.” 

Shisui laughs internally. “I'm going to be Naruto’s personal guard. I thought it would be good to know more about her.”

“I’m not surprised that idiot needs a personal guard,” Sasuke grumbles, absentmindedly picking up a stray onigiri and taking a grumpy chomp out of it. “That kill-me jumpsuit she wears is like a neon target on her back. Though I don’t see why it has to be you, Shisui-san. You’re far too good to be guarding her. ”

“So mean, ototo-chan,” Itachi reprimands. “Naruto is a lovely girl. She’s our Hokage’s daughter, you know. I’ve met her numerous times.”

Shisui thinks that it’s possible Itachi met a different person, then, and Sasuke seems to agree. 

“If you say so, nii-san,” He says dubiously. 

“I am surprised,” Itachi murmurs quietly, so that only shinobi-like senses could pick up on his words. “I was made aware of the fact that Naruto was allowed to choose her guard from the Hokage’s personal rotation. I would’ve thought she would’ve chosen Kakashi-senpai.”

Shisui sighs again. Itachi doesn’t know the half of it. And maybe, Sasuke is on to something this time.

“You should listen to Sasuke-chan more,” Is all he says. 

→←

Summer is Shisui’s favorite season. 

Perhaps one of the most mundane reasons why he liked summer was that ice cream became much more abundant when the weather got warmer, and it was also more socially acceptable to eat ice cream in the summer than in any other season. 

As he stepped up to the cart to ask for his usual (chocolate!), a chakra presence flickered on the edge of his senses. Shisui doesn’t react to it, doesn’t let her know that he knows she’s there, but he’s aware all the same. 

What would his little charge be doing stalking him? Shouldn’t it be the other way around? 

Her chakra presence is hard to hide, honestly. With her chakra resembling that of her ancestors in Uzushio, the blazing fire that emanates from her little body is… very noticeable. So, instead of buying the chocolate cone, he points to the double sided blue raspberry popsicle. The seller raises an eyebrow at him.

“Not your usual today, Uchiha-san?” He asks.

Shisui shrugs cheerfully, handing over the money and nodding gratefully for the package. “Just wanted a change of pace, is all. Thank you!” 

And so, Shisui lets the package dangle from his fingers, continuing down the dirt road as his shadow follows after him. 

Naruto keeps up steadily, never faltering too long, and she never lets herself be seen. If Shisui weren’t an ANBU grade ninja, he probably wouldn’t have noticed, and it really speaks volumes on how much the Hokage, her mother, and her Kakashi-nii must be teaching her at home. He knows that the Academy doesn’t teach tree-walking, but she seems to be doing just fine on her own. 

Shisui thinks that maybe she should get someone to teach her how to hide her chakra, though. With reserves as big as hers, she’s easy to spot. Combined with that orange getup, Sasuke’s right. She is a target. 

After they make it well past the training grounds, Shisui huffs. She’s clearly not going to come out on her own, so he body flickers away, grinning to himself when he hears a cry of outrage.

Just as Naruto finally catches up with him again, he swivels on his feet, grinning down at her. “Something the matter?” He asks, amusement lighting his tone. “Or is there a particular reason that you’re following me around?” 

Naruto splutters, though she doesn’t look the slightest apologetic. “Me? Follow you? That’s ridiculous. Why would I ever want to follow you, pretty boy?”

“You said it yourself. I’m pretty, aren’t I?”

“Objectively,” She insists, poking him in the chest with her pointer finger. “You’re not my type. I think you’re too…. Boring.” 

Shisui is somewhat offended by this claim. No one has ever called him boring before. He’s certainly not going to let some kid talk to him like that. 

“Okay,” He shrugs. “If you think I’m so boring then I guess you’ll stop stalking me, right? I have to go home. Ita-kun and Sasuke-chan are waiting for me. I’ll share this ice cream with someone else,” He shows her the blue ice pops. 

He smiles knowingly to himself when Naruto’s cobalt eyes narrow suspiciously. “Someone else?” She echoes, as though he’s spoken in a foreign language. “As in, you were going to share it with….?” She trails off, not wanting to say it and be wrong. 

“I thought I’d make a good impression and share something cold on a hot day with my new charge, but since I’m so boring, I guess I’d better just leave.” He flashes her a smile though. “I’ll see you tomorrow, though? Later, Uzumaki-chan-san.” 

Shisui can’t help but smile as he saunters away, the packaged popsicles dangling from his loose fingers. If what Genma says is true, then Naruto can eat. There’ll be no way she can resist it, and she’ll come crawling back to him, begging for the other half of the –

The popsicle is ripped from his hands with such force and speed that Shisui can barely try to grasp it back. The dark haired boy wheels around, staring after the blonde and orange blur that’s making a mad dash for it, her pre-graduation learning having at least taught her to use chakra to coat her feet. 

“Hey!” Shisui shouts after her. “You stole my popsicle!” 

Naruto flashes a grin at him over her shoulders, and Shisui decides that daughter of the Hokage or no, this cannot go unpunished. 

“It’s rude to take a gift back, pretty boy-san,” She calls back. “Weren’t you ever taught manners?” 

“It’s rude to touch what isn’t yours,” He retaliates. “Weren’t you ever taught manners?” And he’s not called Shisui of the Body Flicker for no reason, is he? Shisui barely gives her time to react before he’s chasing after her. 

Naruto’s eyes widen when he disappears in a flash, and she immediately starts sprinting, her sandal-covered feet crunching against the dirt and dust on the road. To her credit, her eyes flitter about, and Shisui notes that she’s able to pinpoint exactly where he is, even as he’s flickering. But it’s not just that – he can tell. 

Naruto’s a sensor, and he wonders if her family has picked up on it.

And so, as he flickers over her left shoulder, she shrieks and bolts right. 

Then he does the opposite, flickering over her right and making her shoot left. It’s an amusing little game. 

But she’s always able to see him, even when he’s not really there. Her senses tell her what the shadows are, what his faint chakra trails look like, and where his actual, pulsing chakra presence is. It’s fascinating to Shisui. He’s never met a sensor who’s been able to sense to an absolute tee like Naruto is so obviously able to.

Shisui pushes a large amount of energy into his next flicker, bodily stopping her in her path as he lands in front of her.

The blonde curses loudly at his sudden appearance, her little feet too fast for her to slow down. She’s clearly not that well trained, because she isn’t able to stop herself. Naruto pushes too much chakra into her feet, and instantly ricochets off the ground with her next step, pushing off into the direction of a nearby tree as she does. The popsicle flies from her hands, arcing neatly above her.

Shisui’s dark eyes grew larger. Would it really be his fault if the person he was supposed to be protecting got a concussion if they got it before he was formally on duty? 

In a split second decision, Shisui shot up into the air, flickering across the empty space. Naruto’s arms are flung out, ready to protect her face from the incoming bark. 

Shisui snatches her arm from midair, pulling her against the momentum and back into his chest. Naruto clasps his hand tightly, and with the other, seizes the soaring popsicle, the protruding sticks bent in her vice-like palm.

The curly haired boy is able to smell the faint scent of oranges, miso, and sunshine that linger on her, like the residue of shampoo, or some sort of body oil.

They land neatly on the dirt path, Naruto’s back pressed into his front, and her blue eyes as big as tennis balls. She’s shaking, Shisui realizes – worries. 

“Are you okay? Uzumaki-chan-san?” He questions her when she doesn’t do anything but stand there in silence. There’s still no response, and he steps out from behind her to look her in the face. He hesitates, “Naruto-san?” He crouches in front of her – and is positively baffled when her irises seem to sparkle, and her lips stretch out into a wide smile until her teeth are showing. 

“That was. SO. COOL. DATTEBAYO! YOU HAVE TO TEACH ME, PRETTY BOY! HOW’D YOU BODY FLICKER IN THE AIR LIKE THAT?”

Shisui exhales. Kami-sama above. She nearly gave him a heart attack.

Instead of answering her, he blows out a breath, already feeling something like exhaustion setting into his bones. “Kakashi-senpai was right,” He tells her. “I doubt there’ll ever be a dull day if I’m watching you.”

Naruto looks positively wicked. “You’d better believe it, pretty boy. I’m not boring. Unlike you.” 

He squints at her. “Didn’t you just ask me to teach you how to body flicker like me? I hardly think that constitutes as boring.”

“You’re boring. Not useless,” She flips her blonde hair over her shoulder, catching Shisui in the face. “There’s a difference.” 

There really is. Naruto is perhaps one of the least boring people Shisui has ever met, and that’s saying something considering he’s known her for less than twenty-four hours. She’s… unpredictable. Maybe it’ll make his job a million times harder, but in the long run, he thinks he’ll appreciate it more than anything else. Having a boring charge is… boring. That’s true. And Shisui knows that no matter what may happen, at least he’ll always be entertained. She’s quick to take action with an even quicker tongue. Maybe… hm. He’ll have to ask Hokage-sama but….

“Will you teach me?” Naruto asks again. 

“I wouldn’t be opposed to it,” Shisui says, slightly shocked by this small, bright, force of nature. “But as your ANBU guard, I’m not supposed to be out in the open. I’ll only trail you from the shadows, and I’m not supposed to leave my post or talk to anyone. Including you. That’ll make training you rather hard, won’t it? I’m sure if you ask someone else, like Kakashi or your father, they’d help you out.”

Naruto huffs before plopping down straight on the grass, not seeming to care if her clothes get dirty. Shisui sits beside her. “Listen, okay? My dad is the Yellow Flash because he can use his Hiraishin kunai to manipulate time and space. Kakashi-nii is Copy Ninja Kakashi because he uses his Sharingan to copy his opponents jutsu. You’re Shisui of the Body Flicker because no one has mastered the body flicker technique quite like you. I could ask my father or Kakashi to teach me, but why not learn from the guy who has a title for it?”

“You don’t know me, Uzumaki-chan-san.”

“You can call me Naruto,” The blonde tells him. “I don’t care about formal titles and all that. When I become Hokage, I won’t have anyone in the village referring to me as Hokage-sama.”

Shisui chuckles quietly. Of course she wants to be Hokage. Shisui doesn’t think there would be any other job possible for her but the highest ranking official in the village. 

“Well, Naruto-chan-san, you still don’t know me. And you hardly will. We won’t be speaking, nor will I come out for anything except if you’re in danger. Do you understand?”

“I hardly believe that you’ll be my guard for all times of the day and you won’t eat or sleep. What’s your favorite food?” 

“Me?” Shisui asks in surprise. “Um. I don’t know. I like ice cream, but I suppose that’s not really a real food, right? I like… yakisoba. I’m also fond of dango. I think it’s a genetic trait or something, because Ita-kun also loves dango.”

Naruto looks amused. “Got a bit of a sweet tooth, huh? If I make… cookies, are you going to come down from your perch and try one or will you starve yourself?” 

Shisui pats her shoulder. “How about this? I’ll guard you, and on the days where your father allows me reprieve from my position, or Kakashi-senpai rotates with me, you’ll make me something sweet, and I’ll teach you how to body flicker? Does that sound good to you?”

“On one condition,” Naruto says. “We do it at your house in the Uchiha compound.” 

Shisui had this feeling in his gut – he knew where this was going. “Why?” He asks anyway. 

Naruto’s whiskers tremble, and she turns to him. The blonde rips open the popsicle package, and breaks apart the two halves of the blue raspberry ice. It’s dripping around the edges, no doubt having melted from spending so much time out in the heat. 

She doesn’t seem to care when the sugary liquid trickles down her hand as she hands him one half. The bigger half. He takes it. He smiles to himself again. 

The stickiness on his palms is almost distracting, but he ignores it.

“Summer is my favorite season,” Naruto finally says, taking her own half of the popsicle. “Summer, if you didn’t know, is also Sasuke’s favorite season.” 

Shisui did know that. 

“And so?” 

“And so,” She continues, “I can’t wait to have fun.” The blonde grins again, her canines especially sharp, the sun casting shadows across her tan face. “Cheers, pretty boy-san.” 

Shisui taps his melting popsicle against hers. “Cheers, Naruto-chan-san

Chapter 2: Ramen Bowl

→← 

What Naruto had failed to realize the last time she’d spoken to Shisui was that summer was almost over, and that her plans of making Sasuke’s life miserable during his favorite season were going to be pretty much fruitless since the season was passing extremely quickly. School had started again in the early weeks of September and the homework that came with it was never-ending. 

However, Naruto could confess that it was okay. Admittedly, she could still screw with Sasuke while at the Academy, and nothing gave her joy like beating him in target practice at school. The fact that she’d also be learning how to body-flicker as effectively as that pretty boy-Uchiha was an added bonus.

As Iruka-sensei lectured about shinobi history (so, so, boring!) she could feel dark eyes glaring at her, and she glanced over at Sasuke-teme, who seemed to be trying to laser her head open with his imaginary Sharingan. 

“Stop it,” Naruto hissed without looking all the way over. 

“No,” Sasuke hissed back, his cherub face twisted in an ugly pout. The dark haired Uchiha didn’t say anything else after that, but he was still staring at her, and Naruto decided that if he was going to be creepy, she could be annoying. It was only fair, after all. 

“You know that your cousin is going to teach me how to body flicker?” She bragged under her breath, watching as Iruka pointed to a picture of the Nidaime Hokage in their textbook. “Isn’t that so cool, Sasuke-teme?” 

Tou-chan had always said that even if she knew who the ANBU agents were, it wasn’t okay to discuss their identities with other people unless she knew for sure that the other person had known beforehand. Shisui had already told her he’d informed Itachi and Sasuke about his new assignment, and so she could smugly rub it in Sasuke’s face all she wanted. 

Naruto smiled. It was the little things in life. 

“I dunno why,” Sasuke whispered back, halting for a second when Iruka faced their direction briefly. Iruka-sensei seemed to have a sixth sense that was directly tuned in to her and Sasuke getting into squabbles, and while it was impressive, it was also cramping her style. “Shisui-san has much better things to do with his time than train a dead last like you.”

“Apparently one of those things doesn’t involve training you,” Naruto shot back. 

She can see Shisui’s chakra shifting around, the energy that his body holds vibrating as he listens to their conversation from the shadows. He’s on the roof, right next to the window, always a drop down from inside, but never quite in sight. 

Naruto has never paid attention to any particular chakra signature. She felt dozens of them everyday. There were some she could pick out by heart, because everyone had a different chakra signature, even if chakra was essentially the same thing for everyone. 

Her father had this blue chakra that intermingled with yellow lightning, and it was cheery and bright but also sharp and unforgiving. Around her and her mother, it was especially warm, but in the face of enemies, Naruto sometimes held her breath. 

Her mother – Uzumaki Kushina – had this red chakra that bubbled and boiled unceremoniously, and Naruto felt like there was no one else in the village who shared a similar chakra signature to it. Or at least – the core of it was red. It was angry and mean and hot, but there was an outer core that sparkled purple and free, like a darker version of her mother’s irises. That chakra was all encompassing, and it felt like it wrapped Naruto in a big hug full of love. Sometimes though, if Kushina got mad, the red in her chakra signature would flare up like a blazing fire until it stretched out and encroached onto the purple. 

Kakashi’s chakra was silvery and white, and though there wasn’t an overwhelming amount like her mother’s, the essence of it was stronger than a lot of people’s. White chakra was special, Kakashi had told her. His clan was one of the only in the entire world that carried that blood limit. Kakashi’s chakra was always level — even when her brother was upset, it never fluctuated. 

Even Sasuke-teme’s was familiar, albeit a little less than the other three. His chakra was purple, but darker than her mother’s. Where Kushina had lilacs and lavenders in the breeze, Sasuke had amethyst and violets. Naruto was reluctant to admit it, even to herself, but Sasuke’s chakra signature was very beautiful. 

Those four signatures were constant and always nearby, and now Naruto knew them so well that they fluttered on the edges of her senses. She felt perfectly at ease with them, and never needed to check on them.

Shisui’s chakra presence was like a forest of evergreen trees that had smoking cinders lingering on the leaves. It was green with hints of gold and wild and very comforting to Naruto for some reason. She didn’t know the older boy very well, but his chakra presence was slowly but surely becoming as much of a staple as the other four. While she regularly saw Iruka-sensei and other kids at the Academy, Shisui was with her all the time. He was always one tree branch behind, or outside her windowsill in the night when she tossed and turned in her sheets. The faint glimmer of green tingled in her peripheral more than Minato’s blue and Kushina’s mixed red and purple did at this point.

“Shisui-san probably can’t refuse the Hokage’s daughter,” Sasuke points out. “That’s treason, or something.” This particular comment makes Naruto feel especially sour, and she scowls at him for it. 

“Maybe Shisui doesn’t want to refuse me,” Naruto replied, her voice raising just a little towards the end. In front of them, Shikamaru opened a lazy eye, peering at her and Sasuke with thinly veiled annoyance, as though he couldn’t quite believe they were interrupting his nap. “Maybe we’ll end up being great friends!” 

Sasuke snorts, his whole face twisting in disbelief. “As if. Shisui-san is super smart. Why would he want to be friends with someone dumb?”

Naruto huffs. This is one of those things where she doesn’t know why she and Sasuke had to have last names that start with ‘U’. Having them being lifelong desk partners due to the terribly alphabetized set up of their classroom was an atrocity in its own right.

“He tolerates you , doesn’t he?” 

“I – we’re not friends, dobe! That’s my cousin!”

“Even worse,” Naruto tells him. “He has no choice but to accept you since you’re family. How awfully horrible for that poor pretty boy.” 

“ Pretty b–?!”

“NARUTO! SASUKE!” Iruka-sensei yells across the room, and both her and Sasuke immediately go silent, spines straight. “Do you have something interesting to share with the class, or is there another reason why you’re interrupting my lesson?” 

Snickers echo around the classroom, especially from Kiba and Ino, and Naruto turns to shoot them both a glare. 

On the roof, Shisui’s chakra presence flickers oddly, and Naruto almost asks aloud before she remembers that Iruka-sensei is looking at her and that teme expectantly.

“Sorry, Sensei,” Naruto mutters sheepishly. 

“Sorry,” Sasuke repeats after her. 

Iruka inhales, as though they’re truly testing his patience. He closes his eyes, pinching the scar on the bridge of his tanned nose. And then he opens his eyes, a smile on his face. It’s honestly a little unnerving. “It’s alright. Just try not to do so anymore, okay?” When they nod in unison, he sighs again and turns around, pointing a ruler at the board. 

Sasuke and Naruto glare at each other behind his back. 

But then Sasuke’s sharp gaze falls away as he points at something just past Naruto’s head. “What’s that?” He asks, his dark orbs tracking whatever he’s looking at. 

“Huh?” Sasuke points insistently behind her, and Naruto whirls around, only to see a neat little piece of paper float towards her. No – not just any piece of paper, she realizes. It’s an origami paper airplane, the piece of parchment looping in arcs on its journey to her. 

With precision that just has to come from practice, the plane lands directly in the middle of her notebook. 

Naruto eyes it wearily before unfolding the edges and skimming over the slanted handwriting that takes up about a quarter of the page. Sasuke is still looking at her impatiently, clearly wanting to know what the message is. 

Uzumaki-chan-san,

Please stop antagonizing my little cousin all the time. He has a bit of a temper, and I don’t know why you insist on riling each other up. Your poor Sensei must be so tired. Do you and Sasuke fight like that in class often?

Pretty boy-san

P.S. when you write back, just throw it out the window. I’ll catch it, even if your aim is bad!

Naruto huffed. Her aim was amazing, thank you very much. And honestly, biasness was a real problem, because if anything, Sasuke antagonized her way more than she antagonized him. 

She furiously began scribbling away on the parchment to tell him just that. 

Pretty boy-san, 

First of all, it is so disrespectful for you to assume that my aim is bad. I’ll have you know that I can hit eight out of the ten targets dead center with a kunai in class. Also, Sasuke is way more rude than I am, and you should know this since you’re his cousin. Anyways, Iruka-sensei loves me. He’s not “tired”. 

I thought you said that you wouldn’t be able to communicate with me while you were in position. Is pretty boy-san a rule breaker? 

Uzumaki Naruto, dattebayo 

Naruto refolded the paper into an airplane and waited until Iruka’s back was turned once more before she sent it out the window. 

“What was that?” Sasuke asked, and Naruto felt the weird urge to stick her tongue out at him for being so nosey. 

“None of your business,” She said, waving sheepishly at Shikamaru when their heated whisper-yelling, once again, interrupted his shut-eye. 

“That was from my cousin wasn’t it?” Sasuke demands, his duck butt hair trembling as he leans closer to her. 

And, yeah, Naruto could tell him, but where was the fun in that?

“I dunno,” Naruto lied. “The person didn’t sign their name on it, so how am I supposed to know?” Technically, this wasn’t a lie, but it also wasn’t the truth because Uchiha Shisui would’ve never coined himself as a pretty boy without some interference. 

“Well, your secret admirer just sent you another note,” The boy sneered. “How cute.”

Naruto was too busy opening the paper airplane to care about his jabs. This note had been scrawled hastily; the blonde could tell because the tops of his letters didn’t reach the same height all the way through. 

Uzumaki Naruto, dattebayo, 

The aerodynamics of a paper airplane is a bit different than that of a kunai. And for your information, eight out of ten is a solid number, but still not great. Those are still targets, aren’t they? You should try hitting a moving target and see if you’re still as amazing as you say you are. Even the most basic of genin needs to be able to hit a moving target, or how else will you catch Tora? Your Sensei has the darkest eyebags I’ve ever seen on someone, and that’s crazy considering I routinely watch over your father, the Hokage. Teachers aren’t paid enough when they deal with brats like you. 

I also prefer the term, “Rule-bender”. I believe my exact words on the matter were that I couldn’t come down and talk to you, which I haven’t done. However, there’s nothing in the rules stating that I can’t throw a paper airplane with words in it and have it possibly land next to you. Is there?

Rule-bender-san

Naruto snorted to herself, but couldn’t help but smile. She liked people who found little loopholes; they were always a little tricky, She could appreciate that in a person. Pretty boy was clearly full of shit, but in a good way. 

Also, Tora? She frowned, but decided that it wasn’t nearly the most important thing he’d said. 

Rule-bender-san, 

If you’re so eager for me to prove myself to you, why don’t you act as my moving target and we’ll see if I’m as good as I say. Surely you wouldn’t mind seeing as you seem to think I’m boasting. 

By the way, did you hear Sasuke-teme? He thinks you’re my secret admirer. If you were, I couldn’t blame you. I am an absolute catch, obviously. I didn’t correct him, but that’s because it’s just so fun to mess around with him.

Also if you want to talk about the problems in our economy, I suggest you take that up with the legal system, A.K.A. my father. Iruka-sensei really doesn’t get paid enough if he has to spend his precious time teaching history. How boring is that?

The Future Hokage

 

Honestly, Naruto could get used to this. Exchanging notes with her pretty boy ANBU guard is far more entertaining than learning about the First Ninja War, no matter which cool Hokage had been its savior.

The next note comes more quickly than the last two, and Naruto grins, eagerly anticipating her guard’s words. Sasuke is staring at her like he’s witnessing a crime in action, but Naruto just doesn’t care. 

Shisui’s greeney gold chakra glitters and sparkles up on the roof, and perhaps more so than any day, she wants to leave school. Shisui can’t talk to her, sure, but she can talk to him. 

 

The Future Hokage, 

If you are to be Hokage one day, as you’ve so boldly declared, I hope you know that you are required to know all of the shinobi manuscripts, including the ones about Konoha’s history. Why reread it later when you can just learn about it now? Also, look up the definition of modesty while you’re at it. 

Anyways, has anyone ever told you that you’re really mean, Uzumaki-chan-san? To think you want to strike down your personal guard – ouch. I’m feeling very unappreciated right now. To think I’ll be helping you learn how to body flicker. 

Shisui of the Body Flicker 

 

Shisui of the Body Flicker,

School is boring, pretty boy-san. Do you know how many other jutsu I could be learning right now if I didn’t have to stick around and pay attention to these lessons? Which, by the way, I hope you know you’re not helping me focus with your little paper airplanes. I’m also going to ignore that modesty remark. I’m pretty and I know it. You’re pretty but you have to wait for someone else to acknowledge it? Lame. 

Also, I can feel you laughing. Your chakra flickers like a candle every time you do, and it’s drawing away my attention terribly. My parent’s, Kakashi’s, and Sasuke’s don’t flicker like that. I wonder why yours does. Maybe you need to see a doctor. (?) Are you okay?

Naruto of the Ramen

 

Naruto of the Ramen,

One of the most important things you’ll ever learn about being a shinobi is that it’s not all about how many jutsu you know. Intel is the most necessary thing a ninja can have, more than any kunai or Sharingan. It sounds crazy, I know. But it’s true. 

And do I daresay it? Am I distracting you, Uzumaki-chan-san? Maybe Sasuke-chan’s got it completely wrong. Maybe you’re the one who's got a crush on me. Hm?

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but you’re actually a really powerful sensor. My chakra flickers like that because I’m cloaking it, but you’re so skilled that you can see it regardless. How do you know that it’s my chakra signature? There are thousands in Konoha.

If you haven’t already, I suggest you tell your parents because that type of ability is one long sought after. It’s probably a blood limit specialized to the Uzumaki clan, which is why it’s so strong. If you hone your senses to the point where you can not only detect who it is, but what their intentions are, that’d be pretty cool. No one in the village would get past you, right Hokage-sama?

Also, based on the title, I’m gonna guess that ramen is your favorite food? 

Raven 

 

Raven, 

Everyone has a different chakra signature. Yours in particular is a deep green like a tree full of leaves. There’s gold in it too, like sunshine hitting the leaves through the canopies. It’s also a little smoky, and I’m guessing it’s because your clan likes that Fireball jutsu. It’s taking me a while to get used to having it constantly on the edge of my senses, but it’s not overbearing like some of the other people in the village. Do you really think that it’s so special? I know Tou-chan, Kaa-san, and Kakashi-nii can sense chakras too. I don’t see how that’s particularly special. It would be cool if no one could get past me, but it seems like an ability all trained shinobi have, right? 

For the record, I would like to say right here and now that I will never – never ever have a crush on the likes of you, Pretty boy-san. 

But if you’re trying to win brownie points, then yes, ramen is my favorite food. And no one does it quite like Ichiraku’s. 

Fox

 

Naruto hastily throws the paper plane back out the window, watching it whizz straight past Hinata-chan’s quiet face, her milky eyes traveling back and forth between Naruto and the origami with curiosity. 

“What was that, Naruto?” 

Naruto freezes, slowly facing the front of the classroom. Even Shisui’s green spark stills atop the roof, as though he too, has been caught red handed. Sasuke not-so-discreetly inches away from her, as though if he’s anywhere in Iruka-sensei’s line of vision, he might burst into collective flames. 

Naruto laughs awkwardly, unable to stop herself from twirling a strand of her sunshiney hair around her index finger. “What was… what, Iruka-sensei?”

Iruka’s eyes zone in on the nervous habit, and she immediately drops her hair, feeling incredibly caught. “You just threw a paper plane out the window,” He said. 

Hinata-chan would never rat her out, but as Naruto says, “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Sensei,” the other girl blanches in her seat, and she begins to pick up her pencil, writing down practiced strokes on her paper.

Iruka looks unconvinced but he turns back to the board again, chalk scratching against it as he writes down something – Naruto isn’t really paying attention anymore because a new, slightly smaller airplane slides across her desk. 

She turns her head to the window where the breeze is rustling in, sending Hinata’s dark locks flying. The other girl is studiously avoiding looking away from her paper. 

Glancing up carefully at Iruka, she unfolds the creases quietly. 

 

Uzumaki-chan-san,

That was a close one, wasn’t it? I guess for now we’ll have to stop. But we can continue this conversation later if you’d like?

Pretty boy-san

Naruto can’t help the sharp grin that overtakes her tan face, her whiskers stretching until they hit the side of her ears. Shisui was actually…. Huh. 

Pretty boy-san, 

You’re not so bad, you know? How about we get ice cream again? I’ll pay this time. 

Uzumaki-chan-san

Just as Naruto is about to send the message out, Iruka flashes up the rows of desks so quickly, that Naruto doesn’t even have the time to slide the parchment under her book before Iruka is practically yanking it from her fingers. Sasuke looks a little too smug for her liking, and he begins to pull his water bottle out of his bag. 

It doesn’t take long for her Sensei to read through the message, his eyebrows furrowing with each passing word. “What is this?” He demands. “Who are you talking to?” 

Sasuke is sipping his water. 

Shisui is still on the roof, clearly listening to the conversation.

“No one important,” She hurried to say. As much as she pokes fun at Shisui, she doesn’t want the boy to get in trouble. Especially not with her father. Despite all of the things she says, he’s an okay guard to have, and she’d rather have someone like him over anyone else. And so, if Iruka-sensei hears that her ANBU guard is sending her notes instead of, well, being a silent shadow, he’ll probably tell her father who’ll remove Shisui from her guard. 

“Naruto,” Iruka says, warningly. 

“Seriously,” She kicks Sasuke under the table. 

Sasuke’s knee hits the underside of the desk, and he hisses at her. 

“Don’t lie,” Iruka says. 

“Okay, okay,” Naruto glances at Hinata, who looks worried – probably for her, bless Hinata’s adorable little heart. And then she glances at Sasuke, who looks like he wants to strangle her with the straps of his bag. “The truth is… that, he’s the love of my life,” She declares, proudly and firmly, blue eyes steely and clear. 

Sasuke spews his water everywhere, some even getting on Iruka’s green chunin vest. Iruka doesn’t even flinch, too stunned to respond. 

Several gasps echo throughout the classroom. 

Faintly, there’s something that sounds like a shout of laughter that echoes from outside the school. 

“No way!” Kiba yells from the front of the class. “I can’t believe someone’d ever date you, Naruto!”

“I never said we were dating,” Naruto corrected, standing up and leaning over the table, using the wood as her brace. “I just said he was the love of my life. Got a problem with my romantic feelings, Dog Breath?” 

“Who is it, Naruto?” Ino asks, her blue eyes eager at the notion of gossip. Ino and Sakura don’t hide the fact that they both have big and terrible crushes on Sasuke-teme (why, she would never know!) and for whatever reason, they’d been under the assumption that she also liked Sasuke. Which was preposterous. Sasuke was the most unlikable person she knew, and the fact that he dragged in fangirls from all across the village never failed to baffle her. “Do we know them?” 

“I can’t tell you,” She pouts, knowing her face burns a bright red when Shisui’s chakra signature flickers crazily; he’s laughing so much that his chakra can’t stay still. What an asshole. “But just know that one day I plan to marry them and he’ll bring me lunch when I’m Hokage!” 

“Dobe.” Sasuke grits. “Shut. Up.” 

Shikamaru’s eyes are open again, though he seems highly disinterested with their topic of conversation. “What a drag,” He drawls. 

And the thing is that under normal circumstances, this would be so outlandish. Uzumaki Naruto had never had a crush on anybody, and now she was suddenly announcing her hopeful engagement? To someone they didn’t know? 

Ino and Sakura exchanged knowing looks, catching onto the fact that the person in question was not in their class. 

“Wow, Naruto-chan,” Sakura exclaimed, her voice soft. “Is he an older boy?”

Much to her surprise, Shino is the one to answer Sakura. “Is he an older boy? Obviously. How do I know? Because he doesn’t attend class with us, which must mean he’s done with the Academy. How do I know he’s graduated from the Academy? He would have to wall-walk if he were to pass notes to Naruto because we’re on the second floor, which is a skill our jonin-senseis teach us.”

“Yeah, but!” Kiba seems unable to accept what he’s hearing. Akamaru is snuffling by his owner’s legs, whining with noises of distress. “It’s just not possible! Since when has Naruto cared about anything that’s not training, becoming Hokage, and ramen? I dunno, but it sounds fake to me!” 

And then Ino looks suspicious again, eyeing Naruto with renewed distrust. “Yeah…” She starts. “How do we know this isn’t a ploy from Naruto herself? What if she’s in love with Sasuke-kun, and she’s trying to throw us off her scent by saying she likes some other boy?!” 

Sasuke audibly gags. Naruto echoes the sentiment. Ino can be dumb a lot of the time, but Naruto didn’t know she was this dumb. 

The light in the classroom is striking – a hazy orangey-yellow that filters in through the glass panes and the open windows, and it casts shadows over the desk. The late summer breeze gives them all goosebumps, but more importantly, it carries in another paper airplane. This time, however, it lands in Ino’s hand. 

The Yamanaka heir gasps. 

“Ino…” Iruka begins, but Ino has already begun to rip into the letter. 

Uh oh. Naruto and Sasuke exchange glances. This probably won’t end well for any of them; her, Sasuke, or Shisui. 

“What does it say?” Chouji asks, his mouth stuffed with potato chips. 

Ino’s gripping the paper so tight that the blonde Uzumaki fears it may rip, but all Ino does is read it aloud, her tone colored in disbelief. 

The Love of My Life, Naruto, 

I must apologize for sending you the notes while you were in class – that was unfairly distracting of me, wasn’t it? You can also apologize to your Sensei for me; I don’t mean to be a bad role model. In any case, we’ll discuss our designated ramen hangout once you’re free from school, okay? 

By the way, I know it’s a bit early, but I was thinking of a blue and orange themed wedding to match your eyes and favorite color. What do you think? I’m open to any and all suggestions. 

Your Future Husband

The class fell silent once more, and Ino’s eyes widened. “No way,” She murmured. “He— he called himself your…” 

“Her future husband!” Sasuke said in shock, no doubt thinking about who is — of course — his older cousin making these unorthodox statements. Then he turns on Naruto. “You!” No one even bats an eye at the normally quiet and broody Uchiha being loud, too distracted by the strange turn the day has taken. 

Naruto’s too dumbfounded to respond to the accusation. If Shisui was as good at this stuff as he said he was, then there was no way he accidentally let the paper airplane fall directly into Ino’s hands. Which means he wanted Ino to be the one to read the paper. 

As if this was the permission they all needed to run crazy, Ino, Sakura, and Kiba begin shouting all at once, unable to contain themselves. Iruka was resigned, knowing he had lost control of the class. 

The chattering grew more pronounced as Ino and Sakura debated about who Naruto’s secret future husband might be, and Kiba yelled how he couldn’t believe it. Chouji, in turn, began crunching louder on his snacks, as though the built up energy made him eat louder. Even Shino, who was usually quiet, had his kikaichu buzzing around a bit more frantically. Sasuke looked like he was a second away from stabbing something – and the only ones who remained the same throughout it all were Shikamaru and Hinata. 

And finally – finally, Ino gasped. “Wait!” She screeched, and all eyes turned to her. But she was only focused on Hinata. 

“Hinata-chan!” 

Sasuke and Naruto exchanged looks again. This is how Naruto knew things were screwed – she and Sasuke were in on something together. 

“Y-yes, Ino-chan?” Hinata stuttered, her voice angelic and soft. 

“You’ve been sitting right by the window the entire time! Did you see who Naruto has been talking to?” 

Naruto was dismayed. Shisui had to be nothing short of a top tier shinobi if he was not only a part of the ANBU, but also her father’s guard. But how could he have thrown that paper airplane if he hadn’t been just a little in sight? She snapped back to hear Hinata respond. 

“Oh, um. I - I didn’t s-see anyone. But m-maybe we should let Naruto-san t-tell us when she’s r-ready!” 

Bless Hinata-chan. Seriously. Naruto didn’t know a kinder person than her.

And then Naruto remembered just exactly who she was. She wasn’t timid or shy or embarrassed about shit! She was Uzumaki Naruto, dattebayo, and she was going to be Hokage! She fist bumped the air. Sasuke side eyed her.

“Whatever loser thing you just said to yourself, I don’t want to hear it, dobe.” 

Naruto ignored him before deciding she needed all the attention in the room on her. The blonde stepped up onto her chair, and then the desk. Sasuke groaned under his breath. 

“LISTEN UP, LOSERS!” 

Shisui’s chakra became abruptly alert as she yelled. 

“I’M NOT TELLING YOU JACK ABOUT WHO MY HUSBAND TO BE IS, OKAY? AND FRANKLY, IT’S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS! IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT WHO HE IS, THEN YOU CAN WAIT APPROXIMATELY TEN YEARS WHEN WE GET MARRIED. GOT IT? AND THAT’S IF WE DECIDE YOU’RE INVITED TO THE WEDDING!” 

Ino shrieked in outrage. 

And with that, Naruto jumped back down, and slumped into her seat. “If you have a problem with that, you can take it up with me.” 

“She means that you can take it up with Hokage,” Shikamaru says, face planted in his palm. “Or her mother. Or her older brother. All of which are scary people.”

Kiba opens his mouth to argue, but Iruka turns around and shuts him up with a look. “Naruto is right,” The scarred man says, as calmly as he can muster in this instance. “It’s none of our business who she wants to… er… marry. And need I remind you that you’re all training to become ninja, yes? Not gossip. Please refrain from talking about Naruto’s… romantic life when in class.”

“YES, SENSEI!” They all chorused, but Ino still turned around and shot Naruto a look that said the conversation was far from over.

As they resettled back into their seats for the last hour of the day, Sasuke murmured, “She’s not going to let it go, you know.” 

“She doesn’t need to,” Naruto whispers back. “She just needs to believe it as long as Pretty boy-san is my guard.” 

→←

It’s only when she’s walking home that Shisui sends her another note, this time, a small square that rides the wave of the breeze, and Naruto catches it between her deft fingers. 

The Future Hokage, 

Your commandeering of the classroom was impressive, young one. Hopefully you’ll be just as bold when it comes to quieting the guests at our wedding, hm?

Your Betrothed

Naruto pretends she doesn’t hear the soft laughter that follows behind her from the treeline as she turns a bright red and crumples the paper, not deigning to respond to it. But a small smile does creep on her face.

He had addressed it to the future Hokage without sounding completely ironic. And it was nice. It really was. 

→← 

His new charge was amusing, to say the least. 

Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto had seemed like a brat when he’d initially met her, and while Shisui still believed that to a certain degree, she was also… fiery. Fiery like her mother, and cunning like her father, and so, so incredibly funny.

She also had a lot of spunk for someone so young – unafraid and unashamed where a lot of other people her age might’ve been meek and shy. 

Uchiha Shisui was crouched on a tree branch outside of Naruto’s home, the Hokage’s personal team of five stationed at other points around the house. Honestly, it felt like he had never switched missions because in the end, they’d all ended up in this circle of six anyways. 

Kakashi-senpai was dressed in his Hound attire, and he had nodded curtly to Shisui when they’d returned home from the Academy – clearly he was pleased to see that his little sister had remained safe under the eye of her new watchdog. 

Listening to her speak – especially with his baby cousin, had been something horribly entertaining; it was clear to see that there was no romantic spark between the two, but just good old fashioned nagging. Shisui rarely saw Sasuke get worked up like that. 

Sasuke had been annoyed when Naruto had claimed that Shisui was her husband to be, but Shisui wouldn’t have egged it on had he been uncomfortable with the notion. He’d concluded that as long as no one found out it was truly him, it should be okay. And it was fun to mess with brats like the Yamanaka and Inuzuka heirs, who were too big for their britches. 

Uzumaki Kushina was apparently the cook in the family, because Shisui could admit that his mouth watered when he caught sight of the gigantic pot of ramen that the red-head carried to the dinner table. 

It reminded him of how Naruto had signed her note with Naruto of the Ramen. Clearly, as such, ramen was a staple meal in their household. 

Shisui’s stomach growled loudly, and he clamped a hand over his chest when Bear looked pointedly at him, heat dusting up his covered face as a result.

As though she had heard him, Naruto’s head whipped towards him, her blue eyes squinting at the dark forestry, as if trying to find him amongst the shadows. It was so powerful, how maybe Naruto couldn’t quite see him but she could feel his presence amongst the shrubbery. 

Shisui let his chakra spike just for a second, and he watched with something akin to satisfaction as Naruto’s whole body angled towards him. And he wasn’t a ninja for nothing.

Naruto tilted her head to the side, up – to her left. Shisui jumped up a few tree branches until he was by her bedroom window, and waited for her arrival, leg jittering in anticipation.

The first thing she did was set down a steaming bowl on her dresser, the condensation reflecting the oil lamp that burned on her dresser.  The flame flickered, and Naruto turned to where he was. He watched in rapt fascination as she unlocked the latches leading into her bedroom window, raising the pane high. 

Shisui dug into his pocket, scrambling for a pen and paper. 

Uzumaki-chan-san,

You know I can’t interact with you unless you’re in danger or hurt. Please stop trying to get me fired.

Pretty boy-san

He balls up the letter, too frazzled to fold the creases into a neat paper airplane, and chucks it in the window. 

Naruto huffs when she sees it, and for some reason, it makes him feel a bit fond. She unrolls it, and then scribbles something back, before throwing it back at him. 

Pretty boy-san,

Unless I’m in danger or hurt, you say? Pay attention, Pretty Boy.

Uzumaki-chan-san

He looks up just in time to see Naruto dutifully stick her index finger in the steaming bowl of whatever – soup or ramen, maybe? – and jerk it back reflexively, cradling her hand to her chest. 

“OUCH!” She calls loudly, and boredly. Her blue eyes pierce in his direction. “I’VE BURNT MYSELF ON THIS RAMEN BROTH! I’M HURT! If only there were someone to take care of me while I'm in this injured state!” 

Shisui could only stare in shock. 

When he didn’t emerge from the shadows, Naruto called again, “I said, if only there were someone to take care of me while I’m in this injured state! Like, a pretty boy!”

Shisui scrambles into the window because if she’s hurt, then he’s required to come to her aid. What kind of guard would he be if he left his injured charge unattended? 

Shisui steps into her personal space. “Let me see!” He snatches her hand, inspecting her finger. There’s nothing – no burn on her finger. The skin is a little red and wet, but other than that, she’s in perfect condition. 

“Your injuries don’t seem detrimental,” Shisui finally concludes. 

“I don’t know,” Naruto says. “I think that… you should still check the offending item. Don’t you agree? Just to make sure it doesn’t, um. Try to injure me again?” They both turn to look at the inanimate bowl that’s sitting by her bedside. 

“You’re right,” Shisui concedes. 

The curly haired boy edges over the side of the bed, peering into the porcelain bowl. Unsurprisingly, there is nothing life threatening inside the bowl – just a beautifully set up bowl of ramen, the noodles curled up in the middle of the broth, an egg on the side, covered by small squares of nori. Sprinkled on top were chopped scallions and clusters of narutomaki. There was a small hole in the middle of the noodles, though, no doubt where Naruto had stuck her finger.

It looked delicious, if you asked Shisui. 

“If you truly want to test for any irregularities, perhaps you should taste it.” 

Shisui feels a smile crawl up his lips despite himself. It seemed that finding loopholes was a specialty of Naruto’s. 

“I can’t argue with you there.”

And, okay. Kami, Shisui knew he was breaking about a dozen Kage-implemented rules that went against a whole bunch of policies in the ANBU conduct, but – Naruto had been in danger, right? He couldn’t just leave her alone. And what ninja worth their salt wouldn’t make sure that nothing was amiss? 

Shisui slipped off his gloves first, placing them carefully on her bed. And then he slipped his fingers beneath the elastic band that hooked his mask over his face and tugged it up and over his head, making sure it didn’t get caught in his springing curls. 

Naruto was already staring at him, a pleased expression on her face. Like finally seeing his face had made her happy to confirm it was him. 

“There’s the pretty boy,” Naruto teased. “Won’t you try the ramen to make sure it’s safe for me?” 

Shisui picked up the spoon and dipped it in the broth, and was delighted to find it salty and a little sour at the end, the warmth of it filling the ache in his belly. And the ramen was as good as he imagined it’d be. 

“It’s amazing. And safe,” He adds. He offers her the spoon. “I think you’re good to eat it.” 

Naruto hums. “What if there’s some unknown substance at the bottom of the bowl?” The blonde tuts, inspecting her nails as though there’s something interesting on them. “I think you’ll have to eat the entire thing to let me know.” 

Shisui hesitated. Having one bite was one thing, but sitting down and eating the whole bowl? Was that really appropriate? 

As if sensing his apprehension, Naruto nudged him with her shoulder. “If you don’t, I could die, pretty boy-san. Who knows what mysterious concoctions my assailants might have left at the bottom?”

Her cerulean eyes were sparkling with humor, and Shisui, like the obedient ninja he was, sat down on the fuzzy carpet in her room, back to her bed, and finished every last drop of food. 

You know.

Just in case. 

(There were no harmful toxins at the bottom, though. He checked very thoroughly.)

→←

Notes:

HELLO!! Welcome back to Honey Trap!! So, if you couldn't tell, this fic is meant to be lighthearted and fun -- nothing serious like most of my other fics are.
For those of you who are waiting for an update on Point Break, I promise it's coming soon!! I've just been really busy with school, and this chapter was prewritten.

That being said, I know some people were wondering about the age gap for Naruto and Shisui, and so Naruto is eleven and Shisui is thirteen, so obviously their age gap is off from canon, but I felt like if I was going to put them together like this and have them have a friendship grow into a relationship, I didn't want the gap to be crazily big. Because if I left Naruto at eleven and made Shisui like seventeen or something, well, ---- YEAH. It would take forever for them to actually get the ball moving on their relationship.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and do not be afraid to leave comments (and KUDOS!!). I love hearing what you guys think about my story, where it's good or bad or in between!!

Stay safe, and happy reading! :)

Chapter 3: Dango

→←

Uzumaki-chan-san, 

Your brother has agreed to pick up my shift this Saturday if you wanted to meet me in the clearing behind the Uchiha compound for some body-flickering lessons. And yes, Sasuke will be making an appearance. Let me know if you’re free (and willing)!

Pretty boy-san

 

Pretty boy-san, 

As if you even have to ask! I would ask you what you want this time, but I decided to leave it a surprise. Anyways, I don’t think you should send me any more notes today because Ino-chan and Iruka-sensei keep looking over this way like they expect my future husband to hop through the window and propose with an Ichiraku’s coupon at any moment. And Sasuke might actually commit a murder here, and then where would you be? Jobless and completely bored, is where.

Uzumaki-chan-san

→←

Saturday couldn’t come fast enough if you asked Naruto. Don’t get her wrong, she would miss her Kakashi-nii this weekend, but even if she couldn’t talk to him, that didn’t mean she couldn’t sense his comforting, silver chakra signature only a few steps away. Via Shisui’s paper airplanes, they’d decided not to mention the fact that ANBU Raven and his charge had begun to engage in the art of note-passing, nor that Raven had snuck into his charge’s home one time to eat ramen. 

They’d have to be extra careful, though. Kakashi was one of the most perceptive ninja in the village, and few things ever got past him, if any. If Naruto were being honest, she firmly believed that just because Shisui and her talked while he was on duty didn’t mean it hindered his capabilities of protecting her. 

In fact, that incentivized it, in her opinion. If Shisui and her became close friends, then wouldn’t he want to protect her more? Tou-chan was always telling her about how the best ninja had precious people they wanted to make sure were okay. Sure, Shisui could act as her bodyguard, but if he was doing it impersonally, then his efforts might not be as drastic as they could be.

That sounded selfish, it was true. And maybe a bit bratty. But Naruto thought that if someone was going to  make a job out of protecting her, then they should be doing the best they could. But she felt as though that were applicable to any job, so was it really selfish? Naruto had never asked anyone aloud. But she had brought this point up to Kakashi-nii once – it’d been a day in the flower fields and her silver haired brother had been laying down in the grass, one leg propped above the other. He’d had that absolutely terrible book in his gloved hand, the brightness of the cover tarnished the color orange’s reputation. The pack had been sprawled about, and Pakkun was laying close to Naruto, his vest on, and his eyes vigilant despite the lack of orders. Naruto liked to play with his paws – they were pink and soft. 

Kakashi had been silent, reading, and the wind that blew overhead was like a soothing balm, one that brushed against her face and made her shirt sleeves ripple like an ocean wave, her hair flying behind her like a golden sail. 

She had asked him why it was that guards weren’t allowed to speak with their charges, and he’d said something about conflict of interests that Naruto hadn’t entirely understood. Regardless, Naruto thought it was stupid. She’d said as much, and Kakashi had hummed thoughtfully to let her know that he was doing that thing where he continued to assess what she said without telling her. But she hadn’t expected him to say anything more, and in true Kakashi-fashion, he had only flipped to the next page in his book and remained quiet.

Personally, Naruto didn’t think there was any sort of conflict of interest to be had. Why would Shisui not be able to protect her just because they were friends? The blonde would bring it up to her father had she not known he was a genius, and would most likely be able to put the pieces together. She was sure he wouldn’t mind them being friends outside of Shisui’s scheduled patrol, just like how he and Kakashi were as close as any Sensei and student could be, But since all the shinobi in the village were under the same impression concerning the nature of a relationship with a guard and their charge, she chose not to bring it up. There had not been enough time for her and Shisui to become friends – her father would grow suspicious of when it had all happened, and she could hardly provide an answer, could she? Not to mention, with all the kids in her class talking about her marriage to her mysterious suitor, her father would not find it hard to connect any dots. 

Naruto sighed. Those were the things that made Minato a great Hokage, but a hard to get around father. 

Her mother – well. Naruto wondered about that. What would her mother have to say about the whole thing? 

Naruto tucked her hands into the green olive jacket she wore over a mesh shirt and typical dark ninja pants, her feet dressed up in black sandals, and a red Uzumaki swirl patch resting over her armband. Summer hadn’t passed by so quickly that it was cold in the middle of September, but there was the light gust of wind that teased the soon-coming autumn days. Even Naruto, who often ran a little warmer than others, felt it on her skin, so the jacket was suitable. 

The Uchiha compound was as it always was from the outside; intimidating. The gates were towering, construed from half-dull half-shined steel that reached the mid branches of the trees. The tops of the bars had rounded arrow-tip heads, and though not fatal, it was uncomfortable if they jabbed a little too hard into your stomach. Naruto, unfortunately, knew that first hand. The Uchiha sigil was plated in the middle of the gates, the center of it a key when joined together. 

There were two Uchiha sentries standing at the foot of the gate, their gear the dark blacks, navies, and purples that seemed so stark against their commonly pale skin. They regarded her with disinterest – though not hostile, so Naruto gave them a cheery wave as she passed through, unphased by their stoic behavior. Apparently, emotions were something that ninja were not supposed to express while completing any sort of task, and these Uchiha had it down pat. 

The Uchiha compound was isolated from the rest of the village, though not terribly so. When Naruto stepped through the gates, it was what she imagined entering a pocket dimension might be like; it was a bubble that made you feel like an outsider when watching in from afar. Entering it was nothing short of entering an entirely different world. And the rules of said bubble were only known by the people and things inside the pocket dimension, and if you weren’t one of them, you were like a walking beacon. There was something to be said about the configuration of the compound itself, however.

Minato, by no means, had the village filthy or not pretty, but the Uchiha had designed their streets and buildings in such a way that the aesthetics were very compatible with one another. 

Buildings and shops lined each side of the streets, the walls colored in soft pastels; whites, and petal pinks, fairy green, periwinkle, and an almost tannish color that matched the shades of sand. Street stalls and vendors were on their own individual islands between the shops, cheery lights and signs promoting their wares. Cherry blossom trees were not in bloom this time of the year, but Naruto knew that once the Spring season began again, the bricks would be covered in sweet-smelling flowers as they were every year. 

And if it had been hard to tell who in the village was related, the Uchiha compound left no doubts about it. Almost every Uchiha that walked the streets had that same distinct look that she had often teased both Sasuke and Shisui about; their hair was dark like midnight and plumes of crow feathers, but their skin was white like milk. And their eyes – were startling in the depth and void-black of it.

No, Naruto knew where she was and who surrounded her. 

Some eyed her warily when she traversed down their cobblestone roads, her blue eyes, blonde hair, and distinguishable scars a red alarm to them that she was not supposed to be there. 

She ignored them. Most people stared at her like she was some sort of animal to be ogled, if only because she was the Hokage’s daughter. It did not garner as much respect as people assumed it did, but rather uncertain and untrusting eyes following her back as she walked. 

Spy, some of them whispered. They thought she was here to gather intel on them and report back to the Hokage of their wrongdoings, when really, she was not even properly trained to be a genin yet, much less try espionage tactics on a group notorious for exposing such spies with their powerful dojutsu.

The barely there words made heat sear into her cheeks, and she desperately looked for Sasuke’s amethyst-like chakra, like thunder and lighting and fire rolled up into stormy skies. And then she looked for Shisui’s unwavering greeny-gold presence, a hint of sunlight peeking through forests. 

Naruto turned blindly. She wasn’t familiar with the streets of the compound; she rarely visited, and when she did, it was to the Clan Head Main House that lay in the heart of the sprawling mini-village.

As though hearing her thoughts, a hand dropped on her shoulder, and Naruto turned around in surprise. “Sasuke,” She exclaimed, knowing who it was before she had even seen him. “What are you doing here?

Sasuke’s face was set in a scowl, as was par for the course, and though his features were mean, there was nothing in his chakra to detect anything but slight annoyance. 

“Dobe,” Sasuke greeted back tersely. “Shisui-san and Itachi-nii sent me to come get you while they head over to the training grounds. I wouldn’t do it otherwise. He said something about how you would be able to find us, but it would take longer without someone guiding you.” He eyed her shrewdly, as though waiting for an explanation on how she could possibly find them despite not knowing where they were. 

“Itachi is here today?” Naruto asked in delight, ignoring everything the other Uchiha had said. “That’s wonderful. I didn’t know he was free or I would’ve asked him to join us earlier, and Shisui didn’t mention it in his letter. But I’m glad to see Shisui has taken the initiative.” 

Itachi was Sasuke’s older brother, and one Naruto adored greatly. Though they were not as close as her and say, Kakashi, there was definitely a sort of fondness between them, and Itachi and her did not act like siblings or like friends, but something in between. He was older than them but younger than Shisui, and Naruto marveled at the fact that Sasuke and Itachi had grown up in the same household just to be so vastly different. 

Sometimes, Itachi came over to the Uzumaki-Namikaze household with Uchiha Mikoto, his mother, who was best friends with Kushina. It was on one of these occasions that he and Naruto had met for the first time and became acquainted. Though they did not spend much time together outside of these rare dinners, Naruto could safely admit that she very much admired the older boy. 

“Itachi doesn’t wish to see you,” Sasuke said, as he fell into step beside her. The Uchiha clansmen were watching them with renewed interest, as though they thought she might throw Sasuke over her shoulder and make an escape.

Naruto would rather die than try to force Sasuke to come anywhere with her, honestly. 

“That is not true,” Naruto said very surely, knowing that even if Itachi felt such a thing (which he didn’t!), he would not voice it aloud. “And even if it were, I still wish to see him. I would not let that stop me.” 

Sasuke squints at her. “I don’t understand how someone as amazing as Aniki can be friends with the likes of a dead last like you. He is too nice,” Sasuke says, decidedly. 

“Itachi is amazing because he is not like you,” Naruto shoots back, feeling the familiar need to insult and mock as she always did when she was around Sasuke. “Have you ever considered that maybe you’re just too mean?” 

Sasuke snorts, shoving his hands into his white shorts. “Well, someone has to be. And if it’s not going to be him, it has to be me. Itachi is super smart, but he’s too nice for his own good. Someone might take advantage of him.” 

And Naruto supposed that in his own way, Sasuke could be kind too. 

Still, she says, “Kindness doesn’t make you weak. It just makes you kind.” She shrugged to herself, unsure if Sasuke was looking at her. “I think Itachi is kind, but he’s also one of the strongest people I know.” Her lips quirk up. “He’d have to be to grow up in the same house as you.”

Sasuke scowls, and Naruto laughs. It’s almost too easy sometimes. 

“Why’d they both have to like you?” Sasuke grumbles, kicking a stray rock. “Seriously.” 

Naruto laughs again, and the rest of the walk to Shisui and Itachi is filled with half-hearted jabs and something that is not entirely unfriendly. 

Naruto would rather die than admit it, though.

→←

The second they finally get to the clearing, Naruto shrieks in excitement, sprinting straight through the grass away from Sasuke, past Shisui, before throwing herself at Itachi. “Itachi!” She exclaims, enveloping him in a great hug. “Hello!” 

“Naruto-chan,” Itachi greets, his voice smooth and calm like water in a pond. “Hello.” He wraps his arms back around her, reciprocating the hug, and Naruto grins at him. 

“I didn’t know you were free! You and your mom haven’t been over lately, so I thought maybe you were busy.” 

Itachi shook his head. “I have been busy, but Shisui asked me to assist him with a mini project he was working on, and how could I say no? Especially when I heard it involved you.” They both turn to look at the eldest Uchiha in the group, his dark curls springing up over his forehead protector, and a brown half-vest covering the wide-neck shirt he has on. 

Shisui is looking at them with a pout. “I feel like chopped liver. Itachi has never been this excited around me. And for the record, neither have you, Uzumaki-chan-san. I only defend you every single day.” 

Naruto smiles, stepping away from Itachi. “Oh no! Would pretty boy-san like a hug too?” She makes grabby fingers at him, amused when Shisui’s lower lip juts out. 

“I don’t want it anymore!” Shisui says, petulantly, arms crossed. Naruto tuts, reaching into her weapons pouch.

“And to think I brought you Uchiha boys a present,” She said. Shisui visibly perks up. “I guess I’ll just give the extras to Sasuke and Itachi, since you don’t want any.” Naruto produces the homemade dango that she’d spent nearly all night working on, unable to get the ratios of the ingredients correctly. They still weren’t perfect – the matcha ball was a little deformed, and a little extra red bean paste smeared over the stick. The dough was a little harder than it ought to be. But, she had tried her best. 

“Dango!” Shisui and Itachi said together, in perfect unison. Shisui reaches a pale arm out to take one and Naruto slaps it away.

“No, no,” She turns the box away from herself, presenting it to Itachi. “You said you didn’t want to hug me, right? Itachi can have some, though, if he wishes.” She smiles up at Itachi, and he smiles amusedly back at her, before he’s plucking the closest stick of dango out. 

As Itachi rips the red bean flavored one off the stick, he hums, chewing thoughtfully. “Well done, Naruto-chan,” He says. He raises an eyebrow at his older cousin. “You should hug her and take one. This is really good.” Naruto beams.

“It’s really good,” She echoes, feeling pleased with the praise. At this, Sasuke steps forward, apprehension on his face. He eyes the dango with distrust, as though he believes she might’ve poisoned one on the fly. “I haven’t poisoned it, you know. And if I had, I would make sure that it was in a batch made purely for you, Sasuke-teme.”

“Dead last,” Sasuke sneers, even as he takes his own dango. Naruto watches with smug satisfaction as Sasuke’s dark eyes widen in surprise, before he starts chewing faster. “It’s disgusting,” He lies, picking the next piece off the stick. 

Shisui is watching with rapt attention as the number of dango sticks rapidly dwindles from the box, and Naruto turns toward him, her scars stretching up like a fox. “Pretty boy-san?” She asks. “Is there something you want to–?”

She was startled as Shisui flickered across the field in a split second and wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug, his greeny-gold chakra glittering excitedly; she couldn’t help but roll her eyes. But she hugged him back anyway, somewhat entertained by his love for sweets. 

And then he ripped himself away, diving for the dango with no hesitation. Shisui tore into it like a man on a mission, and Itachi and her exchanged knowing looks over his curly head of hair.

“MM! So good!” He said. Or, that’s what Naruto thought he was saying – it was a bit hard to understand him when his mouth was stuffed full of the dessert. Naruto, Itachi, and Sasuke watched as Shisui devoured the entire stick-full, before straightening up and turning to see them, a happy smile on his pale face. “That was wonderful, Uzumaki-chan-san. I’ll have to continue these lessons if only so that I can continue eating these delicious treats!” 

“Shisui tells me you’re a gifted sensor,” Itachi says, his voice soft and even as he addresses her. “That you can distinguish any chakra signature, and can sense where everyone is at all times. That’s impressive, especially given your age.” 

Naruto scratched her head, suddenly hyper aware that Kakashi was in the tree behind her, his silvery energy like steady rainfall on a dark night. “I… didn’t think it was anything special. A lot of people can chakra sense, can’t they? I know my dad can, and Kakashi-nii too.” 

“That’s true,” Itachi agrees. “But it’s also not the same. Kakashi-senpai and Hokage-sama have been trained to do these things, and the fact of it is that they can sense a chakra signature, but not with the precision that you can. To everyone else, chakra is just chakra, no matter who it is. But to you, it’s different, is it not?”

Naruto got the sense that Kakashi was listening carefully from his perch. “The only difference is that I can pick out everyone from one another. Everyone’s chakra signature is… unique. Different colors, different intensity, different density. Like… hm, yours.” Itachi looked highly interested, and Naruto hurried to continue. “Your chakra signature is really… mute. Not, like, small, but it’s calm and quiet, and the color of the wine. It feels like embers after a fire and wind under the moonlight, if that makes sense.” 

From the look Sasuke was shooting her, it was clear that it didn’t make sense, but Naruto was unsure how to explain it any better than that.

“I’m not entirely sure what you mean,” Shisui admits, dusting his fingers off on his pants. “But I can tell you that experienced sensors have said similar things. So it’s not like it’s a wrong assessment of what you can do. But those particular comments are usually for people who have trained for years, not some newbie. You know? You have a really powerful talent, Uzumaki-chan-san. One that seems to come naturally to you. You should train it. You’d make a wonderful tracker.” 

“A tracker?” Naruto and, surprisingly, Sasuke say together, before glaring at each other. 

“I dunno,” She says. “I never thought I would be a tracker. I always thought that I’d be something of a heavy hitter. I prefer to fight on the frontlines, I think.”

Shisui hesitated, before he shrugged, an easy smile lighting his face like sunshine through the clouds. “It’s all up to you, really. But I think if you want to know more, you should talk to your mother. Uzumakis have been known to be amazing sensors, and she could probably advise you much better than any of us could.” 

Naruto nodded. Maybe she would bring it up to her mother. If she were to be Hokage one day, she’d have to be the very best ninja there ever was. And… she needed to be able to –

“So!” She clapped her hands together, facing the three Uchiha boys. “Are we going to start body-flickering lessons or not?”

“You have a one track mind,” Shisui said. “But since you have been feeding me as promised, I cannot argue that the lady deserves her prize.” He gestures to the spot right in front of him, and Naruto dutifully places herself there. “Okay, Uzumaki-chan, so. First things first. How is your chakra control?” 

Surprisingly, it was Sasuke who answered. “Are you kidding? ” Sasuke snorted, looking at Naruto with an expression of superiority. “This dobe can’t control her chakra to save her life. She outputs way too much all the time, and Iruka-sensei doesn’t know how to help her fix it!”

“Hey!” Naruto protested, feeling her cheeks warm slightly. “I was so much worse in the beginning, you have no idea. I’ve really improved. I can’t help it! Kaa-san and Tou-chan say that it’s because I have Uzumaki genes, so my chakra levels are naturally high. But when I try to put a tiny amount into anything, it totally backfires, dattebayo!” 

Shisui nods in understanding. “Like when you were running away from me that day, and you nearly hit your head on the tree because you put chakra in your feet to make yourself faster.”

Naruto, studiously ignoring Sasuke’s snickers, nodded. “Yeah. I had it down okay at the start, but after a while, I guess my control slipped, and suddenly, I was just springing forward. If you hadn’t caught me, I would’ve had a bruise on my forehead.”

Shisui’s dark eyes twinkled. “What can I say? I’m something of a knight in shining armor, myself,” He says teasingly, and Naruto’s cheeks light up once again. 

Itachi is looking back and forth between them, his calm face holding only slightly more feeling than before, but he doesn’t comment on what it is he finds so interesting. 

Naruto scoffs, suddenly unable to meet Shisui’s eyes. “Yeah, okay, pretty boy.”

Itachi chuckles one of his soft chuckles, and Naruto nearly asks what it is he finds so funny, but Shisui is already speaking.

“Well your first order of business would be to work on your chakra control,” Shisui tells her. “If you don’t have that, then body flickering will be very difficult.”

“Body flickering includes a lot of mental projecting,” Itachi intones, seeing Naruto’s look of dismay. “When you body flicker, especially as a novice, it’s often easier to imagine where it is you plan to end up before you actually do it, so that way your mind already knows the destination before you make the journey. If you don’t work on your chakra control, it’s going to be incredibly easy for you to overshoot your mental projection and end up soaking in a river versus the riverbank that you thought of. Winter is fast approaching. We wouldn’t want Naruto-san to get sick,” Itachi says kindly.

And Naruto totally gets it. She does. But in every step of the way she takes on the road to being a ninja, it feels like her chakra levels bring her back two. 

“No matter what I do,” Naruto begins, “my chakra cannot be tamed. I’ve practiced every single chakra control exercise there is to know, but it’s almost impossible. It’s like, I feel it beneath my skin, ready to come out. And when I control it, it works for a little while. But there always seems to be an excess amount that I don’t know how to –” She breaks off staring at her hands, feeling the energy tingle in her palms.

“Well,” Itachi says, looking at Shisui with something only the two of them need to understand. “If you… have you spoken to your parents about this?”

Naruto shook her head. “I didn’t think much of it. I figured it would get better overtime, and Tou-chan is so busy being Hokage. I didn’t want to be a bother.”

“And yet,” Sasuke sighed dramatically, and Naruto flipped him off. 

“Don’t be mean, Sasuke,” Itachi reprimanded lightly. 

Shisui looked like he was really pondering what she was saying, and he hummed under his breath. His green chakra coiled curiously around one another, as though they were thinking with him. “I suppose, maybe, that controlling your chakra isn’t…. What you’re meant to do. Excess chakra like yours isn’t very common but it does happen. Sometimes you need an outlet for it, and it can’t just be shut behind closed doors like any other ninja, you know?”

“An outlet?” The blonde echoed. 

“Yes,” Shisui nodded. “If you have too much all the time, then it’ll be hard for you to complete basic tasks like shunshinning or tree-walking. It may not seem important now, but those are necessary skills for a ninja to have. A shunshin could be the difference between life and death. You need a way to drain the extra energy you have. A way that wouldn’t hurt you if you accidentally put too much chakra into a step and sent you face-first into a tree.” He hummed again. “I would have to think about it. I can’t think of anything off the top of my head, but when I see you again like this, I’ll have something ready for you. I promise.” 

Like this. 

Because the next time Naruto saw him, she wouldn’t be seeing him. Not really, anyways. Sure, there’d be a green-gold glimmer on the edge of her senses, as there always was these days, but she wouldn’t see his curly head of hair, or his obsidian eyes, or even the lilt of his lips when he gave her that quirky smile of his. It was a bit devastating to realize, and Naruto had to reel back for a second.

It was for these same reasons that she could hardly see Kakashi and Itachi sometimes, but there was a sort of different loss that came with not being able to see Shisui. It was odd to fathom when they were hardly anything more than a passing line from acquaintances to friends. 

But, Naruto thought perhaps she wanted to get to know Shisui better. And not just in the form of paper airplanes taking flight and hastily scrawled characters on a piece of parchment, but real human interaction, where she could see his face when he found something sad or funny. 

Suddenly, there was half a thought of regret flitting through her mind. 

Should she have picked someone else as her guard? Or had picking Shisui been the only thing that kickstarted their friendship anyways? 

“Oi, dobe!” Sasuke’s sharp voice knocked her out of her reverie, and Naruto jolted in surprise when she saw that the youngest Uchiha was now glaring at her, his hands propped on his hips. 

“What?” She asked dumbly.

“Nii-san is speaking to you,” He says. It would be Sasuke’s, of course, elite opinion that even the tiniest (accidental!) scrap of disrespect towards Itachi probably deserved to be punished with a hanging or something, and while Naruto did agree to a certain degree, Itachi was far kinder than both her and Sasuke.

“Are you alright, Naruto?” Itachi asked, his voice a balm. “I was just offering to walk you home. Unless you’d like to stay for dinner.”

“No!” Sasuke denied. 

“Yes!” Shisui cheered. 

Naruto knew what her answer would be even if Itachi and Shisui had vouched for her. If only because it was the exact opposite of what Sasuke wanted.

‘I’d be more than happy to stay,” Naruto beamed. “Thank you for the invite!” She bowed her head at Itachi, before smirking at Sasuke. “But..” She halted both of the boys who had turned to leave. “Can I try to body flicker one time before we leave?” 

Itachi and Shisui exchanged glances before they were shrugging at one another.

“I’m okay with it if you are,” Itachi said.

“I don’t see why not,” Shisui said. “It’s a harmless experiment. Okay,” Shisui says, turning to her again. “Body flickering is pretty simple. You might not get it exactly right on your first try, but once you practice, it’s basically just a matter of doing it. First, you need to imagine where you want to go. The first rule is that it needs to be somewhere you can visibly see.” The older boy gestures around the field. “You can flicker anywhere, but, well, if your chakra is as out of control as you say, you should probably picture somewhere in Itachi and I’s general direction so that we can catch you if we need to.”

“Okay, okay,” She took a deep breath. “Imagine the place where I want to end up. Okay.” She could see the space between Shisui and Itachi, dotted with white wildflowers and patches of grass. Ultimately there were no trees, so it should be safe. 

“Got it?” Shisui asked. 

Naruto nodded, shaking her hands out. “I’m ready. Now what?” 

“Close your eyes,” Shisui murmured. “Imagine where you want to go. Channel some chakra into your feet” Naruto did as he instructed, eyebrows furrowing when the chakra, instead of dropping down like a dispenser, poured out like a waterfall, making her toes tingle. 

“You’re going to take a step,” Itachi said. “And when you take that step, imagine that you’re going through a door. On the opposite end of the door is the location you’ve picked.” 

Naruto actually wanted to laugh. “So you’re tricking your brain into thinking the distance is shorter than it really is?“

“Basically,” Shisui says. 

Naruto imagines a white wood door, like the one that enters her own house. The doorknob is brass. Through the frame, she can see Itachi, a warm smile on his face, and Shisui, eyes twinkling.

She steps forward, and immediately hears Shisui mutter, “oh shit.” 

Within seconds. she’s barrelled towards the two Uchiha cousins. 

Naruto feels the breeze run through her hair as she shoots across the clearing at breakneck speed, her chakra pushing her further than anticipated. 

With a shout, as she flickers in out of the air, Itachi and Shisui both lunge upwards, each boy catching one of her arms and tugging her down before she flies overhead. 

Naruto gasps as she crashes into them, sending the trio tumbling down to the floor. 

She plants her elbow somewhere haphazardly, only to wince when Shisui groans, clutching his chest.

She rolls sideways into Itachi in order to avert the pressure. “Sorry,” She says. 

Itachi gently lifts Naruto off of his chest before sitting up. Then he offers a hand to her. “Alright there, Naruto?”

The blonde gratefully lets her pull him up, leaving Shisui to shuffle to his feet by himself. 

“I’m gonna have a bruise,” The curly haired Uchiha says, rubbing his ribs gingerly. He points an accusing finger at her. “A walking, talking, breathing hazard. That’s what you are.” 

“ Excuse me?” 

“You heard me!”

“Uh, I had better have heard wrong, seeing as you were the one who said, it’s a harmless experiment,” Naruto replies, blue eyes blazing and whiskers trembling. “And, no one said you had to catch me, pretty boy-san.”

“Ungrateful!” Shisui said, but there was a way his face muscles were twitching that let her know he was holding back a laugh. “Would you have preferred if I let you drop to the ground?” 

“ You could do whatever you want! Itachi would’ve caught me regardless!” 

Itachi nods, a spectator in their verbal sparring. “It’s true. I would’ve.”

“Personally, I would’ve let her fall,” Sasuke says, rather unhelpfully. “Maybe hitting her head would’ve knocked some sense into her.”

As Shisui bursts into loud, traitorous peals of laughter, Itachi bodily holds Naruto back from punching Sasuke straight in the face.

Sasuke only smiles smugly back in response, like the asshole he is. 

→←

Uchiha Mikoto and Uchiha Fugaku had been together for as long as Shisui could remember – and that included the hazy, film-like memories that he often had trouble recalling from when was a toddler. He had often heard the term opposites attract and it seemed like an applicable statement when it came to Auntie and Uncle. 

Auntie was — soft. Not weak. There was a difference. But she was soft, in a way that only mothers could be, and of course, it only truly shined through when she was talking to Shisui, Itachi, Sasuke, and now – Naruto. Auntie had the same dark hair that her sons did, and even darker eyes to match. And though she said kind things and ruffled Shisui’s hair whenever he came over, her hands were covered in scars and calluses just like any other ninja in the village. It reminded Shisui that Auntie was a warrior just like any of them, and had come out of her own battles victorious. 

Uncle on the other hand was the exact opposite of Auntie. He could’ve been carved from marble with how still his expressions were; they never changed even if he was angry, or happy, or sad. Uncle was more of a soldier than a father, because sometimes he spoke to his sons like they were troops under his command, and everyday was a new battle they’d have to fight. Not to say that Uncle didn’t love them, but he didn’t know how to show it sometimes. He wasn’t good at being paternal.

And Sasuke, who could be something of a brat sometimes, often put his best foot forward when he wanted to speak to Uncle, because he felt the need to impress him. Itachi wasn't so much trying to impress Uncle, but he was trying to follow the path he was meant to, being the heir to the clan and all that. It was a lot of pressure for both of his younger cousins, and while Shisui wished he could do more to ease them out of it, the fact of it was that those were the cards they had been dealt. And they were learning slowly.

Shisui’s little charge is so very interesting to him, and just when he thinks that she can’t do anything out of the ordinary, her unpredictability hits him in the face at full force. \

He and Sasuke sit on one side of the kotatsu, and Itachi and Naruto on the other. Auntie brings out the food and then deposits herself on one end, and finally, Uncle comes out of his study and sits at the very head of the table, his stoic eyes flashing quickly around the table before settling on Naruto. 

“Hello, Uncle Fugaku!” Naruto shouted excitedly, grinning sharp canines at the eldest Uchiha.

“Naruto,” Uncle greets back, no hint of emotion on his face.

Shisui doesn’t know if he wants to laugh hysterically or have his mouth fall open in shock. Naruto interacting with Uncle Fugaku is something out of a fever dream, where it’s as though two worlds meant to stay apart are colliding at full force. Uncle Fugaku is one of the most serious people he knows, and Naruto is – not. She’s completely unserious and she laughs at everything, and something about it just makes him hold his breath in expectation of a disaster of epic proportions. 

“How is Minato?” Fugaku asks, bringing a small amount of rice to his mouth as Naruto chatters. 

“Tou-chan is great, dattebayo! But he says that you haven’t been seeing as much and wanted to know what you could possibly be so weighed down by!” Naruto exclaimed, and Shisui couldn’t help but want to heave a little. When was the last time someone had spoken to Uncle so out of turn?

Shisui wondered if things would begin to go south, but Uncle only nodded gruffly, like he had expected Hokage-sama to say something like that. “Minato knows I’ve been busy. I will attempt to clear my schedule to visit your house soon.”

Sasuke grumbled under his breath. 

“The food looks delicious, Auntie!” Naruto cheered, and Shisui could only watch as she began to dish copious amounts of udon into her bowl, the splatter of the broth suddenly terribly loud in the quiet space of the main house. 

Where did Naruto learn how to be so bright and carefree in front of even the most tough-demeanored people? Shisui felt that even if he found out, he’d never be able to do it to himself. Even Uncle Fugaku didn’t seem to mind, which was a feat in itself.

“How’s Kushina?” Mikoto asked, obviously wondering about her best friend. “Did she use that hair cream I told her about? Did she like it?”

“She likes it,” Naruto confirms, her mouth full with udon, table manners be damned. “It makes her hair all shiny and voluminous. She says Tou-chan can’t stop running his hands through it!” 

Itachi’s palm is covering his mouth, and he can’t tell if it’s because he’s shocked or laughing. 

Shisui can admit that, objectively, Naruto has managed to gather the good looks of both her parents, something of both Minato and Kushina infused in her features. 

The blonde hair that shone like bright sunshine and her sparkling blue eyes left no doubts about who Minato was to her, but the soft set of her face and the mischievous lilt of her lips also left no room for imagination in who her mother might be.

Objectively – always, objectively, Naruto was very pretty. Shisui stared at her as she spoke to both Fugaku and Mikoto, letting himself, Sasuke, and Itachi eat in silence.

It wasn’t until Uncle began asking about Shisui did he tune back in, and the look on Naruto’s face should’ve clued him into the disaster just waiting to happen. 

“So Naruto,” Fugaku began mildly, his face betraying absolutely nothing. “Has Shisui been doing an exceptional job at being your guard?” 

Shisui froze. As did Naruto, Itachi, and Sasuke. From near the main clan house, he could feel the faint sparkle of Kakashi’s chakra halt, as though he too, was curious to know his little sister’s answer. 

“What?” Naruto repeated, almost incredulously, as though she couldn’t possibly fathom why someone would be asking her such a question. 

“Shisui,” his Uncle said again. “He is your new personal guard, is he not? How has he been performing?” 

Oh Kami. Did Uncle know? Did he know about all the paper airplanes and the bowl of ramen and everything else in between? Shisui slapped a hand to his forehead, screaming on the inside.

Forget Uncle Fugaku knowing – the older man would give him a disappointed look, sure, but really, that was the extent of it since Uncle trusted Shisui’s own father to discipline him properly (not that Kagami ever did). No, in the curly haired Uchiha’s head, there was a network of what would really happen to him. Kakashi-senpai would find out and then kill him, which would lead to Hokage-sama finding out and also killing him, and then the most fearsome Uzumaki Kushina would rage and quite possibly, strangle him in his sleep with her hair that everyone claimed floated when she was angry. 

It was over, Shisui despaired. A flower of manhood cut off at the bud before it even had the chance to bloom.

“Shisui has been great!” Naruto said, very surely. “He saved my life before he was even set to be my guard. Stopped me from gaining a major injury to my skull that could’ve cracked it and sent all my brain fluid leaking through my ears. If anyone was disgusted by Naruto’s exaggeration, they didn’t show it.

“Did he?” Uncle sounded slightly pleased. “A good ninja accomplishes their task before it even begins. I’m glad to see Shisui taking his job seriously. It’s good that the Hokage knows he can rely on you.”

Was this guilt he was feeling?

But at least he was in the clear now, and he didn’t have to worry about –

“Kushina told me there’s been an odd rumor running around at that Academy that you’re engaged, Naruto-chan.”

Sasuke, Naruto, and himself all collectively choked and spewed water onto the kotatsu. He rapped Sasuke’s back with his fist as the younger boy coughed, and on the other side, Naruto was getting much of the same treatment from Itachi. 

“I take it you already knew about it,” Mikoto says, something akin to amusement in her dark eyes as she watches all of them.

Itachi is eyeing Naruto with interest. “I, for one, did not know that Naruto-chan was planning her upcoming nuptials. Congratulations.”

Naruto sputtered, her face red, and she was noticeably not meeting Shisui’s eyes. 

“Does Minato know that you’ve got your sights set on a husband?” Fugaku asks. 

Naruto winces, her cobalt eyes glancing in the direction he’d felt Kakashi’s chakra signature from earlier. And then he and Naruto glanced at each other at the same time, and he knew they were both thinking the same thing.

If Minato didn’t know before, he was certainly going to know very, very soon. 

Shisui made a mental reminder to inform Itachi that his favorite flowers were carnations, and that he wanted his grave decorated with them from head to base. 

“No!” Naruto shouted. “I just. Um. I just- some of the other kids are. I made it up because they thought that-“ She looked desperately at any of the other table occupants, but they were of no help. Itachi’s elegant eyebrow was arched in anticipation of her explanation. Shisui was shoveling food in his mouth faster than she could get her words out, and she’d barely made eye contact with Sasuke before her classmate was snorting. 

“Don’t look at me, dobe,” Sasuke said. “You’re on your own.” 

He could practically hear her in his head; asshole. 

“I got a note,” Naruto said, because Kakashi-senpai had definitely taught her that the best lies were at least partially true. “And–”

“And?” Sasuke asked, face smug.

“Shut. It.” She hisses, pointing her chopstick menacingly at him. Sweat beads at her temple, her knuckles turning stark white when she grips the edge of the kotatsu.  

“Dear god,” Shisui muttered – it’s all a trainwreck. 

“And, well, it’s really embarrassing. So embarrassing, that I can’t possibly divulge what it said,” Naruto says, all in a rush, hoping that they read the unwillingness on her face for what it is. “I’ll let you know more when we start working on wedding invitations,” She murmurs, ignoring the way Shisui takes a hearty gulp of water, the sound of him swallowing loud in the silence she leaves behind.

When Naruto lifts her head again, Shisui can’t help but studiously avoid her gaze. Itachi, however, is who catches his attention. His intelligent gaze swivels back and forth between him and Naruto, and Naruto ducks her head again once more – he’s too smart for his own good, sometimes.

Mikoto graciously lets it go, as Shisui knew he would. But he can’t help but feel like his days are limited. 

→←

Shisui offers to walk her home after dinner that night, knowing that even if Kakashi-senpai is her trusted guard, it would be ungentlemanly of him to let her leave alone at this hour. 

Itachi offered, too, but Shisui waved him down – he needed a moment to speak to Naruto, and he didn’t know when he’d be able to see her face to face again. By the time they’d wrapped up goodbyes, the stars were sparkling in the sky, the faint twinkling drawing his eyes upward every so often. Konoha had a great view of the stars, and the only place where Shisui could say he’d seen better was Sunagakure, where the weather was always sunny with no clouds. The clear skies and lack of manmade buildings that stretched for most of the desert village made Suna an excellent spot for stargazing. Shisui didn’t mind the heat most of the time, and so going on missions there wasn’t bad compared to other places. 

Sometimes, if he was on watch, he laid out his sleeping bag in the middle of their tents and stargazed, one leg crossed over the other, and his katana placed by his side. 

“Are you okay?” Shisui asks as they start their walk from the Uchiha compound to the Uzumaki-Namikaze household. “I didn’t know Auntie and Uncle knew about the entire – um. Thing. I didn’t think that they would bring it up either.” 

“It’s not your fault,” Naruto reassures him, eyes sparkling in amusement. “I wasn’t upset about it. I just didn’t know what to say. I was kind of awkward about it. Although, I will say that I’m not looking forward to the interrogation I’m going to get from my dad.”

Shisui laughs. “Maybe you can convince Kakashi not to tell him anything.”

Naruto glanced behind him, zeroing in on the tree not ten feet away. He’s not as powerful a sensor as Naruto is, but he can feel Kakashi’s sharp presence a few paces away. “If he would be so kind, I would be eternally grateful.”

There seems to be a silent conversation that occurred between the brother and sister, because when it’s over, Naruto rolls her eyes. But she smiles at him, too, and Shisui feels his own lips pull up automatically in response. 

“Talk to your mom,” Shisui tells her. “See what she can do about those chakra exercises or in finding an outlet – maybe you’ll find something that really works for you. And then the next time I’m free, we can work on your flickering.”

“I will,” Naruto promises. “Is there.. Anything in particular that you want for next time? Anything special?” 

He shakes his head, and Naruto’s eyes immediately get caught on the curl springing in front of his eyes. “Don’t worry about it. You don’t have to make me anything, and I’ll still teach you how to body flicker.” Naruto stops walking, her hands on her hips. “Naruto?” He stops too. 

“I promised I would make you desserts if you taught me how to body flicker, so I will,” Naruto tells him.

Confusion fogs his brain for a second. “But you… don’t have to,” He said slowly. 

“But I promised,” She repeats, stubbornness in the set of her jaw and the width of her stance.

“You don’t have to.” Doesn’t she understand? She doesn’t need to owe him or anything. He’s completely fine with doing the whole teaching act for free. 

Naruto huffed. “I don’t break my promises, pretty boy.” She jabs him in the chest with her finger, and Shisui rubs the spot gingerly. “Got it?” 

“Got it,” He inhales. Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto. He’d never met anyone like her, and he doubted he ever would again. And then he thinks – “Ice cream.” 

“What?” 

“Ice cream,” He repeats. “I’ve always wanted to try homemade ice cream. We can make it together, you know? So - so that we could both learn. I think it would be fun.” 

Naruto’s whiskers trembled beneath the speckled stars, and Shisui held his breath, suddenly a bit nervous. What if she didn’t want to make ice cream with him? What if she thought it was stupid? 

“Really?” Naruto whispers. 

“Really.” 

“Okay,” She said, so softly, that Shisui had to bend down to hear her properly. 

‘“Okay,” the Uchiha echoed. And then they smiled at each other, and Shisui could not explain the way his heart skipped a beat. The blonde stuck her finger through the curl in front of his face, letting it stretch, coil, and then spring up once more. 

“See something you like?” Shisui teased, as her blue eyes followed the stray piece of hair. 

Naruto turned bright red before cursing loudly, the words crass in her delicate voice. Shisui laughed loudly, and dodged out of the way as she made a move to grab him.

“GET BACK HERE, UCHIHA!” 

“YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, UZUMAKI-CHAN-SAN!” Shisui grinned over his shoulder before sprinting away, Naruto immediately rushing after him to give chase, their feet pounding on the gravel breaking the quietness of the night air.

→←

Notes:

HELLO!! I'm back. So. To start, I just wanted to apologize for the long chapter. I had originally intended for it to be 5k words, but it ended up being 8k, and I didn't want to make it shorter because well, I feel like stories shouldn't be condensed.

That being said, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter -- we have a bit of Naruto with all three Uchiha boys, and next chapter will be Shisui back on guard rotation, and a conversation with Kushina (and maybe Kakashi? I don't know yet.)

Happy reading and see you next time! :)

Chapter 4: Strawberries and Cream

→←

Uzumaki Kushina was as much of a contradiction as Naruto had always known her to be. There were a lot of people around the village who claimed that Kushina was scary, and mean, and a monster – Kushina always kept her head forward and her chin tilted at that, and Naruto glared at anyone who dared say those things to her mother. Sometimes, Naruto wished she could throw a shuriken at them, but Tou-chan said that violence was never the answer (with civilians, anyways). 

If they were talking about the big fox in Kushina’s tummy, then Naruto still didn’t know what they were talking about. Kurama was as nice as anyone Naruto had ever met, and he was a bit shy because he said he didn’t like hanging with surface dwellers who thought they knew more than they really did. Naruto had to admit that Kurama had a point, because some of those people could literally go suck on it if that’s how they treated her mother.

Anyways, though, Naruto could say that Kushina could be scary, but she never really was. Naruto thought she saw her from a daughter’s point of view, and Kushina had never been anything but kind and loving to her. Even her temper stemmed from love, and so, she was a contradiction.

Kushina had accused her from a young age of being a daddy’s girl but Naruto felt this wasn’t true. There were a lot of things she could talk to Kushina about that she wouldn’t ever dream of telling Minato, no matter how close they were. 

Even now, as Kushina meticulously cleaned the dishes and then handed them to Naruto for her to dry and put away, her mother was already sending her a knowing look. “What’s on your mind, Naru-chan?” Kushina asked, her lilac eyes filled with worry. “You’ve been silent all day.”

She can’t stop thinking about the mini training session she, Shisui, Itachi, and Sasuke had had, and her clearly abysmal control over her chakra. 

“You have Kurama,” Naruto says slowly. “And you’re an Uzumaki. So your chakra reserves must be more than mine. How do you… how do you..?”

“Control it?” Kushina finishes, and Naruto watches with fondness as her mother raises her elbow to her face, wiping away a stray water droplet. “Well… for one, I don’t use Kurama’s chakra unless I really need it. His chakra doesn’t – even if it’s in there with my own chakra, they’re not running around my coils together, you know? So I don’t have all that excess chakra that you’re really thinking I do, just the potential of it. But, Uzumaki chakra can be very hard to control regardless, so I understand your worries. Is that something you’re having problems with? Controlling your chakra?”

Naruto fights the stupid blush that comes to her face; she doesn’t like being seen as some little kid who doesn't know how to do things right, especially in front of her mother and father – the Yondaime Hokage and the Leaf’s Red Hot Habanero. “Yeah,” She murmurs. “Everytime I try to do something, I output way too much, and I end up exploding myself off of something. The other day, I was with Itachi, Sasuke, and Shisui, and when I tried to body flicker, I overshot it by a lot. Shisui says I need an outlet for all the extra chakra I have. I was wondering if you had any particular outlets.” 

I do…” Kushina says carefully. “But it may not work for you. I have chakra chains.”

“Chakra chains?” Naruto deadpanned. “I thought that was a special move you invented, not an outlet!”

“It can be both, dattebane!” Kushina defended. “But as far as I’ve seen, you don’t have chakra chains.”

“I don’t?” Naruto repeated. “Or have I just not manifested them yet?”

“I dunno,” Kushina shrugged. “Could be either. The first time my chakra chains presented themselves to me, I was in a life or death situation. And you know how it is – adrenaline and fear can make you conjure up some crazy stuff. After that, it was just a matter of being able to call on them whenever I needed and learning how to use them properly. I found out after that using them frequently was a good way for my excess chakra to be expelled. My body didn’t feel so wound up anymore, and it’s kind of like…. Taking the extra chakra out of me, pouring it in a bottle, and holding it to the side. It was…. Good.”

“So…” Naruto says, just to make sure, “you’re saying that I need to put myself in a highly dangerous situation and see if my chakra chains will make themselves known, and then begin to take the next step.”

In the corner of her senses, she could see Shisui’s greeny-gold chakra flicker disapprovingly, and Kushina’s frown seemed to match that.

“No,” The redhead said. “That’s not what I meant at –”

“Got it!” Naruto said, putting away the last of the plates and dropping the damp towel on the counter. “I know what I have to do.”

“Naruto,” Kushina says warningly, but Naruto is much too caught up in her plans to take heed of it. 

She races up the stairs to her bedroom, closing the door behind her and wondering how to go about this. 

Legally, she can’t do any real ninja work until she graduates from the Academy and her jounin instructor and the Hokage give her the all clear for anything more than D-ranks. But the fact of it is that Naruto has at least another year to go before she can graduate, which is an agonizing amount of time to wait. To think she would have to wait that long to take Shisui up on his body-flickering lessons is atrocious. No, she would have to find another way to get things done. And besides, if she couldn’t control her chakra, then she couldn’t pass the graduation test since Naruto knew you had to make a clone. The blonde would never admit it, but she couldn’t perform a clone transformation to save her life. So if she had to do something dangerous to kickstart the process, then it really was –

A paper airplane came whizzing in through the window that Naruto had decided to start to leave open these days. 

Naruto heaved over her bed and quickly unraveled it, recognizing Shisui’s familiar character strokes. 

Uzumaki-chan-san, 

Please do not throw yourself head first onto an enemy ninja’s kunai. If your body flickering is anything to go by, I’m going to have my hands full when we officially start your training. The added stress of you trying to manifest these chakra chains might cause you to end up severely injured, and by proxy, my untimely death. If you’ve ever cared about me at all, please reconsider whatever devious plans I know are running through your mind right now. 

Raven

Naruto huffed. Shisui really did think too little of her, honestly. Was he under the impression she was going to go ask some random ninja from Kumogakure to stab her or something? Jeez. Snatching a pencil off her bedside, she made haste when replying to her curly haired guard. 

Pretty boy-san,

Your lack of faith is so incredibly hurtful. You should, at least, give me a little more credit. I’m not going to go kill myself just because I want to learn chakra control in the fastest way possible. But let’s be real. 

If you can’t keep up with all my crazy notions, then you should quit while you’re ahead. It’s not going to get any easier, I promise.

Uzumaki-chan-san

His next note comes in marginally quicker now that it’s just her in her bedroom and him in the solitary confinements of whatever tree he’s hanging out in. Though he could technically drop down and speak to her if he so wished, Naruto knew he didn’t want to risk it. And she would never ask him if it wasn’t necessary. 

Uzumaki-chan-san, 

The fact that you believe I’m a quitter is almost as, if not more so, hurtful than me thinking you tend to charge straight into life threatening events. I can say that I’ve seen you nearly smack your head open on a tree. When have you ever seen me give up?

And if you really do take after your mother like Genma-san seems so inclined to believe, then I wonder who can wrangle you. Your father dotes on you far too much for me to think he even wants to. 

Pretty boy-san

Naruto couldn’t help but laugh at that – there weren’t many people who could, as Shisui had put it, wrangle her. But there were three instances she could think of. She bites her lip, grinning all the while like a mad woman. But she pens him back anyway. 

 

Pretty boy-san, 

This is sacred information that I have never told anyone else, and so if you were to divulge my secret with anyone else, I might literally have to kill you and then myself. This sounds excessive, but if too many people know the methods to wrangle me, I may become locked down, and life would be so boring.

The list may be surprising, so please make sure you have a steady hold on your tree so you don’t fall out. 

 

• Uzumaki Kushina – my mother. I feel like this is self-explanatory, but a lot of people are often surprised when they hear she can get me under control. We are similar, but my mother is a parent, not just an enabler. If she let me get away with everything I did, then, I would’ve come out a lot worse, I think. And Tou-chan would have a lot of angry villagers on his doorstep.

• Hatake Kakashi – despite Kakashi’s somewhat nonchalant attitude, he is actually very good at keeping me in check. I think it’s because Tou-chan was always busy being a Hokage when I was little, and Kaa-san was on missions, so Kakashi-nii would be my caretaker. He knows all of my tricks better than anyone else, and he’s also terribly logical, so I can’t outsmart him. He’s also not susceptible to charm, so my puppy dog eyes never work on him. The fact that he has a pack of ninken that have grown up with him does not help. 

• Iruka-sensei – That man has no authority over me whatsoever, and somehow, he is the scariest one. Something about him just makes that zap of fear go down my spine. 

 

 

If there is any point when you do need to wrangle me, I ask that you go to Kakashi.

Thank you for your kindness.

Uzumaki-chan-san

 

Uzumaki-chan-san, 

First of all, dramatic. What makes you think that I’m the type of person who tattles? Or who even wants you to be under control? Maybe I like you better, wild and crazy. I don’t think you understand how mind-numbing it can be to sit in a tree all day long with nothing to do.

It’s a good thing you’re my charge, or I might actually die of boredom. 

Also, I can assure you that Iruka-sensei is the most unsurprising person on your list. I listened to him snap at you and Sasuke, and I was scared. He’s not even my teacher!

I’m a member of Konoha’s most elite forces and yet I was worried I would be smited. 

Anyways, I understand that you’re looking for an outlet, but please do not harm yourself in the process. 

Pretty-boy-san

 

Naruto read his entire note, and couldn’t help but grin at the end. Shisui was so funny. In response to this, she hopped to her desk and pulled out a small white candy – lychee flavored, the packaging said. She tossed it out the window, and upwards, and though she didn’t physically see Shisui move, she felt his chakra flicker as he caught the candy. She’d only done it a few times, but Shisui seemed to be expecting it these days, and it made her feel satisfied. 

→←

If there were any two people that Naruto could stand in her class, it was the Nara clan heir, Nara Shikamaru, and the Hyuuga clan heiress, Hinata. Though Shikamaru was lazy and sometimes didn’t want to do anything more than sleep, he was pretty smart. Even though he almost always dozed off during Iruka-sensei’s lectures, he had perfect grades on all of their assignments and tests. 

Hinata was shy and timid, so Naruto didn’t know her very well, but she was very kindhearted. Ino and Sakura were like the cats that hissed at you and raked their claws down your shirt for no reason other than an attempted petting. Hinata was significantly nicer than them, and though she seemed like she was always busy, Naruto knew that she would not mind getting to know the other girl better. 

Besides, if she was going to be Hokage one day, Tou-chan said it was important to form bonds with other clans, and if there were any clan that was just as prominent as the Uchiha, it was the Hyuuga. Naruto felt like she had made great allies out of the Uchiha clan. Sometimes Tou-chan said that in the end, it didn’t matter if you liked a person or not. Being Hokage didn’t mean you always dealt with pleasant people. 

Naruto would fully agree with that, if only because if Ino was going to be the future leader of the Yamanaka clan, she was sure that one less seat swayed in her favor on the Council. But, on the flip side of that, Itachi was great, so Naruto didn’t even have to try hard to like him or know him. He was amazing all on his own, and it was no fault of his that his younger brother was Sasuke. 

She looked over at the boy in question. They hadn’t jabbed at each other much today for one reason or the other – she was staring off into space, and he was taking notes, his dark eyes locked on Iruka-sensei’s form. 

Once he deemed she had stared far too long, his face began to turn a light shade of pink. “What?” He hissed, without stopping his pencil. 

“Nothing,” Naruto said. She wasn’t even trying to bother him this time! Turning away from him, she peered at Shikamaru, whose head was resting on his hands. “D’you think there’s a reason Shikamaru-kun is always so tired?” She asked, almost absently.

She wasn’t expecting Sasuke to respond, but he did. “Father says that while the Nara are the smartest family in Konoha, it is balanced by their laziness. He has the top marks in our class, but he’s always nodding off.” Naruto could only stare for a second, surprised by his knowledge. As if sensing this, Sasuke shrugged. “I’m the son of the clan head of the most notable clan of Konoha. I have to know clan politics, and all about the other clans.” 

Interesting. If only Sasuke wasn’t an ass. He’d be a good ally to have. “What about her?” She nods towards Hyuuga Hinata, whose writing is just as Sasuke’s is, her strokes practiced and neat. Her purple-black hair is neatly framing her face, and her free hand plays with strings on her creme sweater. 

Sasuke looks hesitant; Naruto watches in fascination as his expression changes from uncertainty, then to distrust, and finally, some sort of finality, his jaw clenching, and a hardness springing up in his dark pupils. 

“Father says that even though the Uchiha clan and the Hyuuga clan are both from Konoha, there has always been some… bad blood between us.” He chewed his lip contemplatively, staring at Hinata like she might brandish a kunai and attack at any given moment. 

Naruto goggles at him. “Hinata?” She whisper-hisses. “She’s so nice, though! I can’t possibly understand…”

Sasuke shrugs again, turning back to face the front once more, as though he can’t possibly be bothered to think about it any longer. “That’s just her. Though I don’t know her personally. Have you met some of the other Hyuuga elders? They’re so uptight. And some of the stuff they do is really barbaric. Like,” Sasuke lowers his voice even further so she has to lean closer to hear him, “her older cousin, Hyuuga Neji. He’s not part of the main branch, but I’m pretty sure his dad is brothers with Hinata’s dad. Since she’s the heir, he’s mandated by their law to serve her, and has to be marked with the Caged Bird Seal. Father refuses to tell me much about it, but I hear it’s like torture. Can you imagine?”

Naruto can’t imagine why anyone could ever want to create something called the Caged Bird Seal, and why the clan would feel like they need to torture their members into submission when, for the most part, clans in Konoha seemed close knit. There was no need for forced loyalty. She doesn’t know who this Neji is, but that sounds completely horrible. She glances over at Hinata, whose milky white eyes have always been nothing but kind. Naruto doesn’t know Hinata all that well, but there’s no way she’s on board with whatever it is they have in store for her coursin. 

Sasuke continues. “Anyways. The Uchiha would never do something like that, and I agree with Father. We shouldn’t trust people who are capable of doing that to their own members.” 

Naruto can’t help but blurt, “The Uchiha aren’t any better when they basically shun their members for not having the Sharingan by a certain age.” Sasuke turns to her so sharply that she can hear the crack in his neck. Above them, Shisui’s green chakra sparkles and halts, and Naruto can’t get a good read on his emotions. However, the boy in front of her – she doesn’t need to be a proper sensor to know that he’s angry. 

“Sorry,” Naruto apologizes, before he can even get a word out, knowing that she’d been out of line saying that. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to –”

“Don’t bother, dead last,” Sasuke cuts in, tone curt. 

Ah, shit. She didn’t mean to say all of that. 

Then she winces, thinking about Shisui, up on the roof, no doubt having heard everything she’s just said. 

She opens her mouth again to say something, but Sasuke’s fingers are bloodless as he grips his pencil, and Naruto sighs. There’s no point – not now, at least. 

Sasuke doesn’t talk to her for the rest of the class, and she doesn’t dare look at Hyuuga Hinata, somehow afraid that if she does, the other girl will know they’ve been talking about her and her clan’s screwed up policies. But either way, she knows she’ll have to ask Tou-chan about this. Poor Neji.

→←

Kakashi is waiting outside of the Academy when class finishes that day, his tall, lanky form leaning off to the side of the tree with the swing attached to it. 

He’s off duty today, she realizes, his katana not strapped to his back, and his jonin jacket absent. It’s entirely odd, because she can’t remember the last time she’d seen him in something not-ninja oriented. Today, he’s wearing a black-longsleeved shirt, mask attached to it, and the blue shinobi pants he seems to have infinite pairs of. 

“Hey,” Naruto says, speaking before he can even get a word out, “do you stitch your masks onto all your shirts or do you get them custom-made by the shops?”

“Neither,” Kakashi says. And then he doesn’t expand on that, and Naruto sighs. He eyes her out of the corner of his eye, hands dug deep into his pockets in that awkward-standoffish behavior that she’s only seen from him. “Why so glum, Naru-chan?” He asks lightly, as though he’s afraid she’ll actually answer. 

Kakashi is afraid of nothing, her mother tells her. Nothing, except emotions. Naruto didn’t get sad often, but it was always funny to see Kakashi try and confront her feelings when he happened to be the person who encountered them first. But he does try, because she knows he cares about her, and she appreciates that about him. Kakashi won’t always make an effort, but when he does, it’s because he wants to.

“Nothing really,” She says. “I just think I offended Sasuke-kun today. I didn’t mean to.” 

Kakashi is silent next to her as they begin to leave the gates of the Academy. “Don’t you like offending Sasuke?” 

If there’s one thing everyone in her family knows about, it’s the strange sort of frenemy-ish-relationship that she and Sasuke have been actively participating in for nearly all of their lives, and while she would never say Sasuke was her friend, that didn’t mean, that, well – Naruto huffed to herself. She didn’t know how to explain it, really. 

“I do!” She insists. “It’s just, I like offending him when I know it’s about stuff that doesn’t really matter, like the way his hair sticks up at the end like a duck’s butt. Or, how he’s so rude and obnoxious compared to Itachi, who's an angel!”

“Oh dear,” Kakashi murmured. “Given that you basically claimed that his entire personality was equivalent to trash, I do wonder what can qualify as truly offensive.” 

Naruto waved him off. Kakashi doesn’t understand. “He doesn’t care about that stuff. Sasuke’s had girls yapping at his heels all his life, and if he doesn’t care that they find him so attractive and amazing, he doesn’t care that I find him annoying and abrasive. He calls me a dead-last all of the time, and I don’t care. It’s just how it is. But, today, we were talking about Shikamaru and Hinata, you know, the Nara and Hyuuga clan heirs. He said how Naras were lazy and intelligent, but when we talked about the Hyuugas, he was, like, so… repulsed, I guess. Which didn’t make sense to me because Hinata-chan is one of the nicest people ever.”

Kakashi hums. “You can’t blame him,” He tells her gently. “Sasuke is an Uchiha, and he was brought up in a way that doesn’t let him think of the Hyuuga clan in an objective light. What exactly did you say to him?”

“Well,” She twists her fingers. “He was telling me about Hyuuga Neji–” she doesn’t miss the way Kakashi’s eyes get a little stormier at that, “- and the Caged Bird seal. And he said it was barbaric – which it is. But then, I sort of, might’ve, said that the Uchihas were no better in the way they treated their clan members who didn’t get the Sharingan.”

Silence stretches between them once more and Naruto has to wonder if Kakashi is disappointed in her for saying those things. And then, he proves himself the best big brother ever (besides Itachi!) when he ruffled her blonde hair lightly. “Everyone makes mistakes, Naru-chan. Just make sure you fix them,” He tells her. “Sasuke will understand.”

Naruto nods, feeling determined with his support. And then – “Can Tou-chan get the Caged Bird seal removed from the Hyuuga clan?” 

Kakashi is shaking his head before she finishes. “Hokage oversee the clans, but don’t directly interfere with clan laws and politics – a lot of them have dated back to a time before Hokage. Even if he wanted to, which I’m sure he does, he doesn’t have the authority to do it. The only person who can abolish the Caged Bird seal is the Hyuuga clan head, and I don’t think Hiashi Hyuuga is going to do that anytime soon.” 

“But why?”  The blonde couldn’t help but stomp her feet, just frustrated by the entire situation. “Why would they continue something like that when they don’t need to?” 

Kakashi’s voice is even as he responds, “Traditions are hard to break, no matter what they are.” 

“Hmph! When I’m Hokage, I’ll find a way!” She declares loudly, making some passing by civilians jump.

“Maa, you do that,” Kakashi says nonchalantly, but Naruto knows him well enough to hear the undertones of a smile in his voice, even behind that mask. 

→← 

When the weekend comes, Sasuke has still refused to speak to Naruto, and Shisui has been oddly quiet, not having sent any paper airplanes down to her, and Naruto ruefully wonders if she’s offended him, too. 

She would’ve sent him a note too, but she’s been too afraid that it’ll end up falling back down to Earth when he inevitably rejects it. 

When Naruto wakes up on Saturday, it’s to Kakashi’s silvery chakra perched in the tree branches outside of her window instead of Shisui’s greeny gold. 

Oh gods. Has she managed to drive away Shisui with her comment? 

Neither of her parents are home today – she can’t feel either of their presences downstairs like they sometimes are. Without even thinking about it, Naruto flies to brush her teeth, gets dressed, and rakes a brush through her hair, quickly pulling it into a ponytail.

She doesn’t stop to grab breakfast, and instead makes her way to the other side of the village – to the Uchiha compound. 

Naruto treks all the way there before realizing she doesn’t know where Shisui lives. And then she remembers it doesn’t matter because she feels his presence if she looks for it. In the middle of the compound, she closes her eyes, stretching her mental senses for just a brush of forestry, light cinders, and a stray streak of sunlight through the tree canopies. 

Shisui’s chakra is subdued in a way she’s never quite seen before, and she starts to make her way to it, ignoring the strange looks she gets from the passing Uchiha. 

When she gets to his house, she needs to physically crane her neck to see the entirety of it. Shisui’s house is…. Tall. Very, very tall. The building is a baby blue that’s been chipped away with the years, leaving behind specks of white, but the roof shaped like a trapezoid, and brown.

Flying forward, Naruto rapped at the door anxiously, clenching her fists at her sides as she waited for the door to open. His chakra signature was at the very top of the building, and Naruto couldn’t stop herself from tracking him as he came closer. 

She knew the door was going to open before it did, which almost felt like cheating at a game they weren’t even playing. When the door finally did swing open though, she was prepared for confusion, and then anger and distaste.

Naruto was not expecting to see what she did – Shisui was… well. He was dressed in a navy blue t-shirt that was rumpled, and he looked so… soft. Sleep soft. His curls were tangled and frizzy above his head, and Naruto was just now realizing she had never seen him without his forehead protector on. Sleep lines marred his pale face, and his eyes drooped, eyelashes fluttering against his cheeks like black butterfly wings. He rubbed his eyes as he looked up at her. 

“Uzumaki-chan-san?” He asked, voice scratchy from sleep. The nickname made something settle in Naruto’s chest – she’d half-expected him to start calling her ‘Uzumaki-san’ or ‘Naruto’. “What’re you doing here?” 

“You’re not working today,” She replies, very smartly. 

Obviously, she scolds herself, seeing as he’s right in front of her in sweatpants and a shirt, no ANBU gear in sight, and no comfy tree to perch himself in. 

“Um.” Shisui replies back, just as smartly. “I-” He squints up at the skyline, like he’s searching for something above her head. “No. I’m not.”

Naruto takes a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. Shisui is utterly confused, she can tell, and Kakashi’s silvery-white presence is right above them, as though he too, is waiting for where she’s going with this. “I didn’t know,” She says. Trying to see if Shisui knew what she was talking about – why hadn’t he let her know? “I thought…” She mumbled. “I thought that –” She trailed off, her words getting quieter as she went. 

“You thought..? Thought what?” Shisui leaned against the doorframe, blocking her view of the insides of his house, but Naruto suspected it wasn’t a purposeful stance. 

“I thought you were mad at me!” She said, flailing her arms out a little. Kami. Kaa-san had told her that boys could be clueless sometimes, but she hadn’t known it would be this bad. She thought Shisui would understand considering he had been giving her the cold shoulder these past few days, and that he was even trying to make her voice it aloud knowing exactly who was her guard today made her want to grab his shoulders and shake him in place, and ask him what was wrong with him. Was he trying to compromise himself? Did he not want to be her guard anymore? If that were the case, he didn’t have to ruin his entire career because of it!

“Mad?” Shisui repeats, slowly. “Mad. Why would I be– when did I ever say that I was mad? What made you think I was – that I was mad?” 

He does sound mad now, Naruto wants to point out. “Well!” Naruto huffs, planting her hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes at him like it can help her communicate telepathically. “If I have to explain it then someone’s not as great a ninja as they’re giving themselves credit for! You know what you did!” 

“What I did!” Shisui says, voice raising, the sleepiness slowly fading from his eyes as she confronts him. “What I did. I don’t know what I did! What are you talking about?” 

“It’s what you didn’t do!” Naruto corrects, not understanding why he doesn’t understand. “Do I have to spell it out for you?”

Shisui’s cheeks turn pink. “Do you think I can read your mind, Naruto?”

Oh god, there it was. Her name. 

“Clearly not,” Naruto says. They stare each other down. “Do you – when we were at school the other day,” She says, more quietly this time. “I was talking to Sasuke-kun and we were talking about, well, some of our classmates. Shikamaru and Hinata.” Recognition flashes across Shisui’s face, and then his dark eyes are darting around in the space behind her. 

“Naruto–” He starts warningly. 

But she’s already speaking. “ – I was just curious, because I wanted to know more about them; I wanted to be their friend. And Sasuke and I were just talking about them, since Sasuke knows a lot about clan history and stuff, and you know. Shikamaru is part of the Nara clan, and Hinata is from the Hyuuga clan. I mean, I just said that –”

“Naruto,” Shisui interrupts sharply, but the blonde hardly looks up at him. 

“And when I said what I said about the Uchi- ha HEY” Naruto cries as she’s suddenly being yanked by the grip of her arm. Her body twirls, and she’s engulfed in darkness before she realizes Shisui has pulled her into his house and shut the door behind her, blocking all the early morning light out. Shisui is, for some reason, breathless, and he leans over her a little. Naruto braces up against the wall, shocked.

“Why did you… why did you do that?” She squeaks. Not because she’s scared. Shisui is, perhaps, the least scary ninja she knows, and she knows he would never harm her. 

“Because you were being stupid,” Shisui says so matter-of-factly that Naruto can’t help but be offended.

“Excuse me?” 

“You heard what I said,” Shisui doesn’t back down. “I know perfectly well what you said to Sasuke. I was there. But I don’t know what gave you the bright idea to march over to the Uchiha compound, just to reiterate that you basically trashed the Uchiha ideology to their clan head’s son. I mean, really Naruto. I know I’m your guard but I’m off duty today.” 

“Well I wouldn’t have had to scream it out if you weren’t avoiding me!” Naruto accused, jabbing her finger into his chest. 

“Avoiding you?” Shisui chokes. 

“Yeah! You know! I -“ and then she drops her voice, because even though they’re inside, she can practically guarantee that Kakashi can still somehow hear them, so she tugs him closer by the sleeve of his shirt. If it were any other time, she might’ve delighted in the strange yelp he made. “- I haven’t received one of your little paper airplane messages in forever!” She whisper-yelled. “And I know what I said wasn’t right but if you weren’t so dense about it, you’d know why I think you were mad at me!”

“I’m not mad at you!” Shisui protested, holding his hands up in front of him. 

“But you haven’t sent me any –” She trails off, making a little loop with her fingers.

Shisui is looking at her like she’s crazy. “You think I’m mad at you because I haven’t…” He trails off too. 

“Obviously,” She crosses her arms. “Are you not?” 

“But why would I be mad?” Shisui asks. 

“Because of what I said to Sasuke-teme!” 

Understanding finally fills his face, and then his eyes soften. “Oh Uzumaki-chan-san,” He says. “I’m not mad about that. Or anything, really. I did hear what you said to Sasuke,” He says carefully. “But I’m not mad. Sasuke is… he is very defensive of the clan. Uncle has brought him up that way, and as far as he’s understood, he has a duty and a loyalty to the clan that surpasses that of the village. He probably has the mindset because of who he is. Being the son to the clan head and brother to the clan heir is… well. There are certain expectations that come with that role, and to a certain degree, he’s… trying to fulfill that.” Shisui rolls his shoulders, clearly searching for the right words. 

“You’re an Uchiha,” Naruto points out. “And I don’t think you think that way.” 

“Yes,” Shisui agrees. “I am. I’m not a traditional Uchiha, though. As someone who is an in-depth member of the shinobi forces in Konoha, I understand better than most Uchiha what it’s really like. My duty is to the village, not the clan. Itachi is similar to me in that sense. Which is why I’m not mad. I. I saw what Itachi went through to get his Sharingan. And my own personal experiences with that were….” Shisui’s face darkens considerably, something akin to regret and shame, sadness and anger on his face. 

It’s fascinating to Naruto who has never seen such a combination of feelings on his features. It also doesn’t look right on him – she’s used to seeing him happy and wise and mischievous and challenging.

“Sasuke doesn’t have his Sharingan, but what you said is completely true,” Shisui tells her. “The Uchihas and Hyuugas all have their vices. Ours is that Uchiha that don’t activate their Sharingan are often looked down upon, even if, when you really think about it, it should be a good thing. The Sharingan is only ever awoken through negative emotions.” He snorts, the sound just a little bitter. “You’d think the Elders would care more about the mental stability of their clansmen versus a seed of power of what could be. Sasuke isn’t ready to hear that,” Shisui says, almost apologetically, like he’s saying sorry for his baby cousin. “All his life, he’s been told that having the Sharingan is something to be proud of. I know he was upset with you. But it's a hard truth he’ll learn.” Shisui shrugs. “If not today, then someday.”

“So… you’re not mad?” She repeats, just to clarify. 

“No, I’m not mad,” Shisui repeats, patting her head. “Though, I guess I won’t be getting any more sleep.”

Naruto blanches, before looking outside and noticing how the sun is shining warmly, though it’s low in the sky. 

“Oh,” She says sheepishly. “I didn’t even realize what time it was when I left my house. I just… I saw Kakashi’s chakra and thought that you didn’t contact me for body flickering lessons?!”

Shisui huffs, crossing his arms. “I would’ve probably came knocking on your door in a few hours, but –”

“You can go back to sleep,” Naruto says. “You’re probably tired, no?”

“I am tired,” Shisui agrees. “But you can stay. I don’t mind.”

“Stay while you sleep?” Naruto repeats dubiously. 

Shisui laughs. “No, silly. Stay, so we can make ice cream as you have so promised me.”

Naruto hadn’t forgotten about their deal to make ice cream, but for some reason, she hadn’t expected that it would happen so soon. “You have all the ingredients for ice cream?” She asks, dubious. “I was looking through my mother’s recipe book and it’s not easy to make without the proper appliances. Everything will have to be hand-churned by us.”

Shisui actually snorts, like she’s said something very amusing. “You do know that I’m a ninja right? And that you’re training to be a ninja? Why would we ever have strength problems when it came to making ice cream?”

“You’re being too cocky. This is going to be a disaster.” 

“Don’t you have faith in me, Uzumaki-chan-san?”

“No,” Naruto says, very seriously. “I promise. I do not.” 

But, she still follows him into the kitchen anyways, ready to get started on something that will no doubt have Shisui’s father fretting over the state of his kitchen.

The first thing Shisui does is hip-check a loose cabinet underneath his sink, and then pour coffee from a pot into a little white mug.

“Want some?”  He asks, offering her the pot. Naruto shakes her head. Coffee is too bitter for her - she’d need a load of sugar in there before she considered drinking it. 

As it is, Shisui extends an opening arm, gesturing to his cabinets like this isn’t Naruto’s first time at his house, and she knows where everything is. The blonde huffs, but dutifully does it anyways. And, she’s never seen Shisui’s father, but the man must’ve been tall because Naruto can’t reach any of the upper cabinets. 

She tries not to show she’s embarrassed when she jumps and still can’t reach the handles, but she knows the flush on her face betrays her. And Shisui lets out a loud laugh behind her, his whole hand covering his face as he does.

“Ass!” She hisses at him. 

Shisui laughs even harder. “I knew you wouldn’t be able to reach it,” He croaks out, “but watching you try was just so terribly funny. I mean –” He chuckles, “- even when you jump, it’s like. You’re so tiny.”
“I’ll still be tiny when I kick your ass,” She threatens.

Shisui sighs, and settles his coffee cup on the island, before walking to her. “Okay.” And without further ado, he locks his biceps under her arms before bodily lifting her up onto the counter. He shoots her a grin. “There. Now you can look around as you please. Get out all the ingredients we need for the ice cream.”

Naruto is surprised by the physical contact, but doesn’t say anything – rather, she toes off her sandals so she’s not stepping on the counter with shoes. Gingerly, she gets to her feet, before sending him a mock glare. “Y’know I’ve never been here before right? How am I supposed to know where you keep your sugar?”

“Part of being a ninja is adapting to the unknown, Uzumaki-chan-san,” Shisui tuts. “Consider this a test of your abilities. You should be able to gather all of the ingredients within a forty-second time frame.”

“ Forty?” Naruto’s blue eyes bulged. “Do you see how many different cupboards you have? How am I supposed to get through them all?”

“Ninjas need to be quick and efficient. Use your prior knowledge. You know milk wouldn’t be in the cupboards, it would be in the refrigerator.”

“Yes, Shisui-sensei,” She grumbles. She thinks to herself briefly – sugar, buttermilk, cream, vanilla, and condensed milk – plus, peanut butter and caramel. “Okay, ready.”

She shoots off the counter like a flash, whisking her way through each of the cabinets as fast as she can. For whatever reason, Shisui’s house has a lot of things – a lot of random things. She spots watermelon flavored cough drops when she grabs the sugar, and inside the fridge is filled with at least seven ice trays, as though Shisui were planning on hosting a giant party where everyone needed ice in their drinks. And Naruto knows all about fruits and vegetables, but it doesn’t explain the surplus of tomatoes and avocados.

Finding the caramel is a bit trickier, because she wasn’t sure if Shisui would have it, but it was too late to ask, and he’d probably give her some bullshit answer anyways. She couldn’t afford to waste time, and there was some innate need in her to prove to Shisui that she could be fast enough – that it was just one tiny puzzle piece in the grand picture of becoming Hokage.

Shisui whistles as her forty seconds are up, and he shoots her a pleased smile, like he’s proud of her progress. “Well done, Uzumaki-chan-san. You managed to find everything.” 

“Not everything,” Naruto grumbles. “You don’t have any caramel, which is the most criminal thing I’ve learned about you.”

“Believe it or not, it’s actually kind of normal not to own caramel,” Shisui says.

“Uh, Kakashi-nii owns a whole bottle of it because he knows I like it.” 

“Kakashi-senpai dotes on you because you’re basically his little sister,” Shisui volleys back, reaching into the cabinet and pulling out a giant bowl for mixing. “So, honestly, I feel like that’s not even a fair statistic, since he doesn’t probably use it himself.

“How would you know?” 

Shisui snorts. “Please. I may not speak to him as much as you do, but that doesn’t mean I don’t observe. I haven’t seen Senpai willingly eat anything sweet since…. Well. Ever.”

Naruto had to concede that Shisui was right. Kakashi did hate sweets - he preferred vegetables and fishes, and if he were eating fruits, it was the sour ones – like green apples, oranges, blueberries, and cherries.

“Still. The statistic would be who has caramel in their house, not who is eating it.”

“Point,” Shisui concedes. 

“And just so you know, this ice cream making process is going to be horrible. We’re better off finding a vendor and buying.”  

Shisui lays a hand on her shoulders, stilling her ramble. “Uzumaki-chan-san. You have to trust me.” 

→←

Fifteen minutes later sees them wrestling with this whole ice cream making thing, and this is exactly why Naruto was dubious in the first place. 

“No, no!” Shisui all but yells, trying to pry the peanut butter jar from her sticky fingers as about a third of the thick paste plops into the mixing bowl, sending buttermilk droplets flying. White splatters into Shisui’s face and hair, and the other boy splutters, eyes clenched shut. There’s sugar sprinkles dusting up her forearms, making her skin feel tacky and tight. 

“What?!” Naruto protests, trying to pull the jar out of his hands. “The recipe says that you need to add any other flavored items to the bowl before you freeze it!”

“That’s only if they’re individual items like cookie dough or nuts or fruit pieces!” Shisui bodily yanks the peanut butter just as Naruto lets go, and they both watch in horror as it flies out of Shisui’s unsuspecting hands and hits the ceiling with a smack, a thin ring of peanut butter imprinted on the white paint. The jar clatters onto the stove, before overturning and smearing across the counter surface. With one final dramatic act, it rolls off the smooth wood before spinning in circles, and resting lazily on the hardwood floors. 

Naruto sneezes, the sugar on her nose shaken off.

“Why would you add peanut butter now?” Shisui cries. 

“Because!” Naruto says. “If you try to add it later, it’s just going to be stuck in one peanut butter layer on the top. There’s gonna be none swirled around mixing with the actual ice cream, idiot!”

“Isn’t that how you wanted to do it?” Shisui asks. 

Naruto can only stare at him in horror, not sure if she’s actually heard him correctly. There’s no way he just said that. “I’m sorry,” She chokes, feeling somewhat caught off guard. “Did you want your ice cream with a side of peanut butter, Shisui? Did you want me to put that in a separate bowl so you could eat your ice cream and then spoon a chunk of peanut butter into your mouth?”

Shisui flushed red. “That’s not what would happen. When you shake ingredients up on a layer of ice and salt, the ingredients will mix.” 

“Uh, no? Peanut butter isn’t like a solid individual thing like fruit chunks or nuts! It wouldn’t break up because you shake it! If anything, it’ll only get worse!”

“Well I guess it doesn’t matter now, since you added the entire jar to the mix,” Shisui quips back, shaking his hair so that the buttermilk shakes off. 

“Not the entire jar,” Naruto snarks. “Half of it is up there,” She points to the ceiling, the ring of the thick paste only drying by the minute.

“Hang on,” Shisui says, pressing his fingers together. He mutters a few words, his hands coming together in a few signs before a small hose worth of water shoots from his fingers, aimed directly at the stain the peanut butter left behind.

The water hits the ring, and is unsuccessful, and Naruto feels mild annoyance as it ricochets off the ceiling, and falls directly onto her.

Shisui only gapes, as if he hadn’t expected it to happen. “I’m so sorry!” He squeaks, immediately rushing for the towel sitting atop the counter and practically throwing it over her wet hair. Naruto is too late to notice the peanut butter jar still laying on the floor ominously. 

“Shisui, wait!” She desperately reaches for the sleeve of his shirt, but misses by what feels like miles, and watches as he steps directly on the jar, skidding forward as it rolls under his heel, and he goes flying face first, hands shooting out to grip the counter top just seconds before he can bash his head open. 

Naruto can’t help but look upwards towards where she can feel Kakashi’s chakra signature, silvery and flickering, as though he was containing his own laugh. 

Do you see this? She asks psychically, as though Kakashi could possibly hear. 

There is no answer, but she can imagine his, Maa, Naruto-chan. Don’t hurt poor Shisui-kun’s feelings. It’s not his fault you dumped the entire jar of peanut butter into the ice cream mix.

Naruto sneezes again, the sugar still tickling her senses, and the slight chill of the water making her feel infinitely colder. 

“Are you sure you’re a member of the ANBU?” Naruto finally asks, barely blinking an eye open to see Shisui still leaning heavily on the counter, covered in ice cream ingredients with no ice cream to show for it. 

“Shut. It.” 

→←

When all is said and done, the ice cream turns out terribly, more of peanut butter coated in milk and sugar than actual ice cream. It can’t even resemble a soft serve, much to their disappointment, but not shock.

In the end, they end up grabbing whipped cream and a pint of red, red strawberries, the stems short and the fruit a little on the smaller side, as it always is when the season is surely coming to a close.

They sit together on opposite sides of the kotatsu in Shisui’s house, cream and strawberries set in the middle. Naruto dips the tip of her strawberry in the cream, the softly sweet taste of it cold and heavenly against the tartness of the berry. 

Naruto is surprised that someone like Shisui who clearly has a sweet tooth hasn’t ever thought to combine the two, but if his face is any indication, he is certainly finding it palatable. 

“Mmm!” Shisui practically garbles, mouth full of the stuff. “This is so delicious!” He’s hardly pausing between bites, redipping his already bitten strawberries into the dish of cream, his lips red with juice and his eyes crinkled in delight. 

“Have you really never tried it before?” Naruto asks, still a little shocked. Strawberries could be a rare delicacy in Konoha, especially from late fall to early spring, which meant that when they were in stock, people often rushed ahead to buy them. Admittedly, amongst other fruits that showed up in Konoha’s markets, strawberry pints were far and few in between. But the higher ranking you were, the more of a first picking you had towards these things – and Naruto knew, from the numerous times she’d sat in with her father during his biweekly finance meetings that the Uchiha and Hyuuga clans often had supplies delivered directly to their compounds, which included the seasonal harvest of strawberries. And if Shisui was as close with the main family branch as she thought he was, then he could be siphoning the goods out of their house on a daily basis. 

“I’ve had strawberries before, of course,” Shisui waves her off, obviously hearing the question she didn’t outright ask. “I’ve never thought to try it with cream though. I have to say that the combination of flavors is… well done. And it is a healthier alternative to ice cream.” 

Naruto snorts. “You can’t fool me, pretty boy. If you really cared about your health, you wouldn’t push for all these desserts in the first place. I mean, ice cream? Dango? You’re like the walking embodiment of diabetes.”

“I am not!” Shisui pouts, his lower lip jutting out. 

“You are. Personally, it’s no concern of mine. As long as you don’t fall into a sugar coma while you’re guarding me, I don’t really care.” 

Shisui shakes his head solemnly. “Ruthless Uzumaki-chan-san. Only in it for herself. So selfish,” He tuts. “A selfish Godaime is what we’ll have. All of our funds will be relocated to bolster the ramen shops around the village. Our economy will surely fall into despair.” 

Naruto laughs, somewhat amused by this image Shisui has managed to conjure up – Naruto sitting upon a throne of riches and gold as servants bring in bowl after bowl of ramen, Teuchi from Ichiraku Ramen wearing the finest silks and garbs merchants have to offer as he continuously upgrades his staff and shop to match the generous donations of the village treasury. 

“Ill talk about your Hokage is treasonous,” Naruto warns, fully aware of the law.

Shisui grins, teeth sharp. “Good thing you are not Kage yet, then, little one.”

“ Little?” Naruto thunders, feeling highly offended. Little? “Who do you think you’re calling little? Just because I am younger than you does not mean I am a teeny tiny thing. It just means you are more ancient than you let on.”

“I was not referring to your age,” Shisui says, as though it helps, which, to be clear, it does not. 

“I’m not small in size either!”

“What are you? Like, 152 centimeters?” 

Naruto turns a bright red. “I’m 155 centimeters!” She stamps her foot impatiently. “I’m not so little. And bigger doesn’t always mean you have an advantage, dattebayo. Kakashi and Tou-chan told me so.” 

“They’re right. Being smaller means you’re usually faster on your feet, which means when facing a slower and heavier opponent, you can land quick successive punches to wear down your enemy versus one fast blow. It also makes it easier for you to avoid attacks.”

“Obviously,” Naruto rolls her eyes. “Anyways, I can’t wait to bring this up in fifteen years when I’m Hokage.”

“Presumptuous, aren’t you?”

“Not really,” Naruto shrugs. “I will become Hokage. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. It’s that simple.”

Shisui hums around the bite of another strawberry, his dark eyes twinkling. “Uzumaki-chan-san will be a dictator,” He says decisively. “Forcing us noble ANBU to do her bidding whenever she pleases.” 

Kakashi’s chakra signature crackles with amusement, and Naruto can’t help but glare upwards; what a traitor.

“Not all the ANBU,” Naruto says. “Just you, pretty boy.” 

“Obviously, you’re only in it for my dashing good looks,” Shisui clutches his chest dramatically. “So shallow.”

Naruto grinned, teeth shark-sharp. “Obviously,” She echoes. “I wouldn’t have you as my personal servant for your winning personality, which, I assure you, you don’t have. I’d rather have something nice to look at while I go about my day.”

“Your advisors will have to be the prettiest people in the land.”

“Itachi will surely be my right hand man,” Naruto agrees sagely. 

Shisui scoffs, but there’s a smile playing on his lips. “Sure. It is only fair that Itachi get the position as your closest advisor, and I play the role of bumbling servant who trips over their own feet to carry out your every whim.” 

“Something you’re already adept at,” Naruto teases, nodding pointedly at the peanut butter jar that sits far too innocently next to the mess that the kitchen had become. “I suggest you clean your kitchen before your father gets home. Maybe get some practice in before I put you on the payroll for it.” 

“You have to help!” Shisui protests. “More than half of this is your fault!”

“Me?” Naruto repeats, scandalized. “It is not!”

“You’re the one who dropped peanut butter like some animal! And you got sugar everywhere! Don’t think I didn’t see you sneezing!”
“I’m a guest in this house,” Naruto says. “Do you always make your guests handle the housework, pretty boy? That’s not very polite of you.”

“Do you always make a mess of people’s houses?” Shisui shoots back, as though this entire mess is not his fault. 

But, well, if Naruto is going to be accused of something, it might as well be something she’s actually done. Grinning at him, feeling terribly like her mother all of a sudden, she picks up the bowl of fresh cream contemplatively, twirling the dish in her hands. 

“A mess, you say?” She questions. “Do you really think so?” 

“Yeah! Obviously I – wait.” Shisui’s eyes narrow on her. “You look way too smug. What are you thinking?” He points an accusing finger at her, taking note of how she’s holding the cream.” His hand covers his mouth, looking semi-horrified. “Naruto. Put the bowl down,” He instructs softly. 

“Hmm. I don’t think I will.”

She gets up out of her seat carefully with wicked intent, and Shisui must see something in her face, because he’s also scrambling off the couch, hands held out in front of him as though he could use them to ward off a predator. The comparison makes her want to laugh.

“Naruto–” Shisui’s pleading, she can hear it in the way his voice pitches upwards, and Naruto feigns innocence, practically prancing by him. 

“What?” She shoots him a confused look, making a beeline for the sink. As she skims past him without cramming the bowl of whipped cream in his face, Shisui actually relaxes, and Naruto almost wants to snort aloud.

Naive fool.

It’s honestly too easy. For a ninja of his caliber, he lets down his guard incredibly easily. Now that she hasn’t hit him in the face like he’s been anticipating, he doesn’t even turn around to survey her as she travels around him to supposedly reach the kitchen. 

As soon as she’s certain he can’t see her in his peripheral vision, Naruto yanks the collar of his loose shirt away, and Shisui barely reacts before she’s dumping the cream down his shirt. 

Shisui’s whirling around, squirming viciously in her hold, but it’s too late, and they both know it. WIth a final act that she knows her mother would be proud of, Naruto practically slams her palm into his shirt, and there’s a satisfying squish of sound that emanates from the fabric, and from the cold feeling that presses into her fingers and the way Shisui’s spine arches, his neck scrunched up – she’s hit her mark. 

They stand there in that position for a solid ten seconds before Shisui lets out a gasp. 

“Haaah. Hah,” His fingers grab fruitlessly at his back, and Naruto smiles, dancing away before he can come up with a plan of retaliation. “I hate you,” He half-whispers, prying away his sticky shirt from his skin.

“Consider it a lesson,” Naruto says. “Never let your guard down, my friend.” 

“I’ll get you back,” Shisui promises. “And you won’t know when or how, but it will happen.” 

“I’m looking forward to it,” Naruto says.

And it’s true. There are few people in the world who can match her step for step when it comes to pranking – her mother is probably the one who can make a considerable effort. If Shisui is willing to put his best foot forward, she is more than ready to receive and reciprocate.

Shisui is trying to look serious, but he fails horribly because Naruto can feel his emotions in the playful greeny gold of his chakra, and his lips twitch subtly, like he’s trying hard not to smile.

The door slams open, breaking them out of the staring contest they’re having, and Shisui immediately turns pale, dark eyes flitting over to the giant mess in the kitchen, and back to the door.

“Shit,” Shisui murmurs. 

As he says it, footsteps round the corner, and Naruto stares up at an older man – clearly an Uchiha, like his son. His dark, raven-feather hair is nowhere near as curly as Shisui’s but light waves flit over the edges of his shinobi headband. There’s a tight blue turtle neck beneath his green jonin jacket, and a pair of nunchucks strapped to his waist that makes Naruto do a double take. She’d never seen a ninja use nunchucks as their weapon of choice before. 

“Tou-chan!” Shisui greets, ignoring the cream on his back and moving to take his father’s travel pack from him. “You’re back!” 

Uchiha Kagami is just as handsome as the stories say he is, and Naruto can see where Shisui got his good looks from. Uchiha’s are generally attractive, but something about Kagami and Shisui is a little more delicate than the stockier photos of Uchiha Obito she’d seen, or the thin but muscled Uchiha Itachi. Cheeks hollow like bird wings and curved eyelashes make them look that much more delicate, a sort of a litheness to their body types that makes Naruto think they’d be good for advertising swimwear. 

“Shisui,” Kagami’s voice is fond as he ruffles his son’s hair. “My mission ended a few days earlier than anticipated, so we were told to report back immediately. I see you’ve been busy,” His eyes cut to Naruto, and she’s met with a kind, mischievous smile. “Uzumaki Naruto-san, right? Our infamous Yondaime’s daughter. And my son’s newest charge.”

“You know who I am?” Naruto asks in surprise. And then she blanches, realizing that it’s a stupid question. There aren’t many people in the village who don't know Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto, daughter of the Yellow Flash and the Red Hot Habanero.

Kagami sends a devious look to his son before winking at her. “How could I not? My son hasn’t shut up about you since he met you.” 

“Oh?” Naruto arches an eyebrow at a spluttering Shisui. “I didn’t know I was so popular.”

“You’re not!” Shisui defends hotly, glaring at his father as though the older man had betrayed him. “And I don’t talk about her! I just brought her up like, once.” 

“Son,” Kagami says drily. “You’ve brought her up at least once everyday that I’ve been home. Something about how Naruto is such an amazing sensor and that she’d made some of the best dango you’d ever had.” 

Shisui’s face resembles the strawberries they had just been eating and Naruto feels some gleeful satisfaction. 

Kagami shakes his head at Shisui and catches sight of the kitchen. “You two were certainly busy,” He squinted at the bowl of upturned ice cream ingredients that spilled out across the counter and the floor. 

Shisui freezes and Naruto figures that she can throw him a bone just this once. “Sorry about the mess, Uchiha-san!” She says most politely, as her father had taught her to do when foreign dignitaries were around. “Shisui was helping me with something I wanted to make, and things got out of hand. I’ll clean it up!”

Kagami glances at Shisui, who hasn’t said a thing, but nods anyway. “It’s no problem at all, Uzumaki-san. And you can call me Kagami. Shisui doesn’t bring around a lot of other people besides his two little cousins, so I figure you must be pretty important.”

“Of course I am!” Naruto puts her fists on her hips, posing like a superhero. “I’m Naruto, dattebayo!” 

Shisui groans. “We’ll… we’ll clean up the kitchen now. Okay? Talk to you later, Dad.” And without waiting for a response from either party, he grabs Naruto’s wrist and drags her into the kitchen.

“Don’t manhandle me with your manly hands,” Naruto grumbles lowly to him, so that Kagamai, still peering at them with ever amused eyes, doesn't hear. “I just saved your ass.”

Shisui mock gasps in her ears. “Uzumaki-chan-san curses so badly.” He tuts. “What would Hokage-sama say if he knew?”

Naruto snorts. “He wouldn’t be surprised since I learned it from his wife.”

Shisui laughs, a delighted and throaty sound. “I would pay to see Kushina-san hearing you curse. You probably got thrown out of the stratosphere.” 

“The first time she heard me, my life flashed before my eyes,” Naruto admits. “Though I don’t know why she’s so upset. It’s like, she’s the one I learned from! If anything, she should be upset at herself!”

Shisui laughs even louder, his cheeks tinging pink and his eyes crinkling. “Parents always want you to do as they say and not as they do, little one. It’s unfair, but it’s the way of life.” He tosses her a rag, pointing to the spillage on the counter. “Clean,” He instructs.

“What are you going to be doing?” She frowns.

Shisui grins before pointedly grabbing his own rag and planting his chakra covered foot on the wall. With startling smugness, he walks the entire way up and then up on the ceiling. “Peanut butter ring,” He says by explanation. 

“Ah,” Naruto nods sagely. 

And as Shisui scrubs viciously away at the stain and Naruto works on emptying the rest of the buttermilk into the sink, Kagami can’t help but find it all so terribly interesting. 

Especially when he sees the soft smile his son sends her way when she splashes him with water from the sink.

→←

Notes:

HI!! WELCOME BACK to HONEY TRAP!! I know it's been forever since I updated, but I was busy with finals and exams and just college things that make me sad to think about. But now that I'm done (freshman year is over whoo!), I can write more freely. I will certainly be updating more so thank you so much for sticking around when I've been such an unreliable updater.

Happy reading and stay safe!!
:)

Chapter 5: Lemon Candy (pt 1)

—><—

A week had passed since the ice cream debacle, as Uchiha Kagami had so eloquently named it, and Naruto found herself thinking about it often, and wondered if Shisui thought about it too. Sometimes, while she was in class listening to Iruka-sensei drone about one thing or the other, she found her eyes inadvertently flickering to the window by Hinata-chan, casually glancing over where Shisui’s greeny-gold chakra signature laid passively.

Furious scribbling snapped her attention back, and she side-eyed Sasuke, who still wasn’t speaking to her. It almost seemed like nothing had happened with the way he looked – his lips were flat, eyes tired, and not a hint of emotion other than the clear concentrated effort he gave the class was shown, but that was typical. It could be hard to read Sasuke, sometimes. For as mad as the dark haired boy had been when she’d made her comment about the Uchihas, he now looked like they’d never spoken at all. 

Naruto sighed. Sasuke wasn’t her best friend but class was boring when she had no one to bother with petty quips and jabs.

She was trying to take everything that Kakashi and Shisui had said into consideration, but it was kind of hard when Sasuke was adamant on not even looking at her. 

When the final bell of the day rang, Naruto was relieved. She quickly shuffled her notebook and pencil into her bag, stomping past Sasuke, ready to move up the aisles, only to notice a little white wallet on the ground. 

Naruto glanced around to see if anyone had noticed, and when no one made a move to claim it, she picked it up, eyeing the delicate purple stitching that decorated the border of the wallet and the zipline. 

“Huh.” She said aloud, stepping to the side as Shino and Kiba moved past her. She flipped the wallet, and stared at the tiny circular image that depicted a red flame trapped inside a yellow circle. 

It must’ve been Hinata’s since the Hyuuga clan symbol was clear as day on it. 

But the shy girl had been the first one outside of the classroom when the bell rang, so there was no way that she’d still be here. 

Maybe she could catch Hinata before she left the gates?

Naruto got to her feet gingerly before clenching the wallet tightly in her hand and brushing past Ino and Shikamaru who were engaging in what seemed to be a serious conversation.

Weird. 

Neither of them seemed like they did anything serious. 

But it wasn’t Naruto’s business, so she kept on moving. 

The blonde tried to rush out the building but as she finally reached the front gates, she huffed when she saw that Hinata wasn’t there. Already gone, and most of the students hadn’t even left the classroom yet.

“Damn,” She murmured. 

A shoulder brushed hers and Naruto turned in surprise. 

She was met with the sight of matching crystalline blue eyes set into a warm face and blonde hair that made her feel like she was looking into a mirror. 

“Naruto,” Minato greeted warmly, and Naruto immediately burst out into a big grin. 

“Tou-chan!” She beamed, throwing her arms around him. “You came to pick me up today!”

Minato laughed, looking a little sheepish. “I know that I’ve been leaving it to Kakashi, but I’ve been a bit busy. Allow me to do better,” He says earnestly, holding a hand out to take her bag.

Naruto smiles at him – her mother had always told her that her father could be a bit of a dork if he put his mind to it, and it was sometimes startling to see that she was right. The famous Yellow Flash of the Leaf, a dork? 

Impossible, some would say. 

Naruto would beg to differ.

Minato was every bit of the doting father Kakashi accused him of being.

“You’re alright, Tou-chan,” She assured him, noting the way he seems to exhale with relief, his winning shine glowing brighter at her words. “But usually you don’t come to pick me up unless you’re worried about something. And I —“ She lowers her voice, “I have Raven.”

Minato’s sharp blue eyes skim the treeline, and Shisui’s chakra sparkles. “Yes,” He agrees. “You do. Raven has done a wonderful job thus far. But I am still your father and I will always be concerned for you. But we will talk at the house.” 

Naruto blanched. Tou-chan only ever wanted to specifically talk at the house when there was official Hokage business going on that involved the other countries. It also usually meant that whatever was happening was serious. Naruto hadn’t noticed anything was going on, but now that she thought about it, she had seen Kakashi less than usual this week. He was probably doing his rounds as an ANBU agent, and she hadn’t seen Shisui in person for a while. It also made sense why Ino and Shikamaru had been so… engaged today. As heirs to their respective clans, their fathers had probably mentioned something to them in passing. 

“Is everything okay?“ She hedged, glancing up at him. 

“Yes,” Minato said. “I’d just like to keep it that way.” When he said this, he turned directly at Shisui, and some unspoken words passed between them.

As they got closer to home, Naruto could more easily spot her mother’s intermingling purple and red chakra and Kakashi’s silvery swirls. 

“Kakashi’s home?” She asked, surprised. “I thought he was busy.” 

Minato eyed her critically. “He was. But I figured we should all be together for this discussion. And we’re going to talk about that.”

Naruto frowned. “Talk about what, Tou-chan?” 

“That chakra sensing ability of yours.”

Naruto blanched once more. Had Kakashi reported back to her father about her and the Uchiha boys' attempts at body flickering and their subsequent discussion about her chakra sensing? Or maybe her mother had.

“You’re not in any trouble,” Minato said when he saw the look on her face. “I just think we need to talk about it. I’m glad your friends are helping you out with it.” 

Minato didn’t say anything further about it as he pushed open the DNA-sealed doorways to their home, courtesy of her parents, who were very paranoid.

“We’re home!” Naruto and Minato called in unison. 

“Welcome home!” Kushina’s cheerful voice and Kakashi’s low drawl called out, and Naruto beamed, slipping off her sandals at the entryway before stepping into a pair of house-shoes.

Immediately as she turns the corner into the kitchen, she’s met with the towering figure of Kakashi, whose hitai-ate has been discarded and jonin jacket is resting on the back of a chair. Kakashi’s silvery hair falls over his one-shut eye, and his mask descends into his navy blue shirt. “Naru-chan,” He says with an eye smile. 

Naruto throws her arms around him, squeezing tight. “Kakashi-nii! It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other.” 

Kakashi ruffles her blonde hair. “Maa, it hasn’t been that long. How was school today?” 

“Boring!” Naruto complains, stepping out of his embrace and ducking around him to see her mother, who flashes her a fond smile. “Kaa-san!”

“Don’t talk about school that way,” Her mother scolds her. “Education is important, dattebane.” 

“So is having fun, dattebayo,” Naruto shoots back.

Kushina and Naruto stare each other down, eyes narrowed. 

Minato clears his throat, breaking it up. “Why was it boring?” 

Naruto huffs, feeling her cheeks heat slightly. Her parents don’t know about the little tiff that she and Sasuke have gotten into, and she’d prefer to keep it that way. “No reason,” She says, ignoring the all-knowing look Kakashi is giving her. “Just… Why do we need to know about ancient clan laws anyways? They’re ancient. No one uses them anymore. Useless!”

Kakashi snorts. “Not useless, Naru-chan. When you become Hokage, you’ll need to know all those things.” 

“Kakashi-nii, you’ll be my right hand man,” Naruto pouts. “Why do I need to know any of those things if you’ll already know it? There’s no point in both of us filling our heads with this information.” 

“What if I’m not there with you?” Kakashi asks. 

Naruto frowns. “Why wouldn’t you be? Are you, my right hand man, planning on not being right beside me?” 

Kakashi shrugs. “By the time it’s time for you to become Hokage, I’ll be gray and old.” 

Naruto grins, reaching up to tug at one of his strands. “What are you now, then?” 

Kushina and Minato laugh. 

Kakashi rolls his one visible eye, swatting away her hand. “By then, your generation will have stepped up to the plate. You’ll have a brand new right hand man. Whether it be that Nara boy in your class, or Uchiha Itachi, or anyone else in between.” 

Naruto huffs. “I only have three potential candidates for my right hand, and you’re one of them, Kakashi-nii, dattebayo.” 

Kakashi sighs heavily, flipping the page in his orange book. “That’s what I was afraid of.”

Minato laughs again, clapping his prodigious student on the back. “Kakashi has been outrunning my plea for assistance all this time, Naruto. That’s surely not going to change, is it?” 

“Surely not,” Kakashi agrees, though he allows Minato to manhandle him.

“You never change, Kakashi,” Minato says fondly, and Naruto smiles. Kakashi would probably die before saying it, but Minato was something like an older brother or a pseudo father to him. They were family. And they all treated him as such. 

Kakashi had been Naruto’s built-in big brother who had taught her how to walk and talk and read.

“I’m surprised you’re here at all,” Naruto remarks, plopping down on a chair next to her mother. She carefully shifts the sealing paper that takes up the entirety of the table, knowing that both of her parents are absolutely anal about any sort of hiccups concerning their sealwork. 

“Ahhh, I’ve been busy,” The silver haired jonin tells her. “We have some foreign dignitaries on the way in, and I’ve just been… scouting.”

Naruto’s teeth clack together. “Iwagakure?” She asks, just because she  knows Kakashi always gets a little weird whenever she brings it up. 

“No,” Kushina says tightly. “Kumogakure.” 

“Speaking of Kumo,” Minato says lightly. He makes a few hand motions that are too quick for Naruto to decipher, but Kakashi seems to understand, because he steps to the side to allow for Raven to body-flicker his way into their house. 

Immediately, Raven gets on one knee, head bowed respectfully at Minato’s feet. 

“Hokage-sama,” Raven says. 

“Rise,” Minato says, sounding every bit the Hokage he is. “You can take off your mask, Raven. I suspect we’ll be here a while.” 

When Raven takes off his porcelain ANBU mask, Naruto feels something in her deflate, like a jumble of nerves unraveling and letting her breathe properly.

Shisui’s already unruly hair is unrulier as he tugs the mask over his head, tucking it carefully into his pocket, and skimming over the four before standing straight up. 

“Hokage-sama?” He says again, this time with questioning in his tone.

Naruto and Kakashi both glance at her father – years of deferring to him making it automatic at this point. But her mother only slaps Minato’s shoulder, practically radiating that motherly warmth.

“Mimi-chan,” She scolds. “The poor boy’s been on duty for hours now. He can rest.” Without waiting for Minato’s approval, she stands in front of Shisui, hands propped on her hips. “Well then? Shisui-kun? You can take off that horribly drab vest. Come sit for some lunch. It’s hot.”

“Are you sure that’s okay?” Shisui asks, dark eyes flitting from Minato to Kushina and back again.

Before Minato could give him the okay, Naruto snorted and jumped forward. “Too good to have a meal with us, pretty boy?”

Shisui’s mock glaring at her even as he begins to unclip the belts of his vest. “Is this the greeting I’m getting, Uzumaki-chan-san?” He sighed dramatically. “And here I thought we had become better friends.”

“Friends?” Naruto echoes. “I thought we established that you’d be my clumsy servant who does my bidding whenever I wish for it.”

Shisui’s lip curls up. “That’s for when you become Hokage. Right now, you have no Hat on your head to speak of.” 

Naruto’s lips crawl up into a smile, and it’s just so fun – talking to Shisui like this. It makes her insides swoop and her cheeks hurt. “This is why Itachi will be in my circle of advisors and you’ll be fetching my ramen for lunch.” 

“Fetch? What am I, your dog?”

“Woof,” Naruto replies, grinning.

Shisui pushes her shoulder playfully, and Naruto immediately pushes him back. 

There’s a distinct coughing sound that interrupts their horseplay, and Naruto looks up to see three different expressions staring at her.

Kakashi looks, for a lack of a better word, unamused, his steel gray eye narrowed and calculating, and his arms crossed. 

Kushina’s lilac eyes are alight with glee, and there’s a barely contained smirk on her face, looking at Naruto with something akin to knowingness and pride. 

And Minato. He’s staring at Shisui with something that looks so incredibly close to horror, that Naruto turns around to see if there’s any kunai-wielding maniac behind them, ready to chop her head off. 

“Tou-chan?” Naruto asks. “Are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost, dattebayo!”

“Mimi-chan is just fine,” Kushina answers readily, when Minato doesn’t respond. “He’s just a little stressed thinking about the team from Kumo. Which is what he wanted to talk about? Right?” Kushina elbows her father, prompting him to finally move.

“R-right,” Minato says, sounding incredibly choked. 

Kakashi actually pats her father on the back commiseratingly. Naruto thought that perhaps she had missed something, and when she glanced at Shisui, he seemed as lost as her.

Her father clears his throat. “As you all know, a party from Kumogakure will soon cross the border into Konoha territory under attempts for treaty negotiations. Their Raikage has promised that they are here under a peaceful banner, and while that is reassuring, we still must be cautious. Whether or not they are truthful does not change the fact that we don’t have a bloodless past. All ANBU and jonin are standby while they are here.” He turns to look directly at Kakashi, something like understanding passing between them. “Kakashi in particular will not be on the frontlines for the upcoming week. He’ll either be standing in as my personal guard or watching Kushina. You’ll be switching out with Genma.”

“What about Shikaku?” Kakashi asks. 

Minato shakes his head. “Shikaku will be present for every and all negotiations. I have a top team of intelligence operatives for this. I don’t want to miss any loopholes Kumo might try to throw at us.” 

“Understood,” Kakashi nods. 

“Now,” He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Kumogakure has a very, very exhaustive history of kidnappings. Specifically, they target children who have any sort of kekkei genkai, dojutsu or anything of the sort. I’ve alerted both the Uchiha clan and Hyuuga clan heads to be on the lookout. The Sharingan and Byakugan are some of the most sought after dojutsus ever, and I don’t want anyone, especially the children being carted off to Kumo for harvesting.”

Naruto bodily shudders at the thought of anyone she knows – Sasuke, Hinata, Itachi, or Shisui being killed and having their eyes taken from them. That sort of desecration is despicable, and to do it to children no less.

“Which leaves you, my darling Naruto-chan,” Minato cracks an eyelid at her. 

“Kumo tried to kidnap me when I first came to the village,” Kushina says. “Which means that they’ll likely be after you too, Naruto.” 

Shisui gapes. “But you don’t have a dojutsu, do you, Uzumaki-san?”

“Not a dojutsu, but a kekkei genkai,” Kakashi explains quietly. “Her chakra chains.”

And the Nine-Tails goes unsaid, but everyone seems to hear it anyways.

“I don’t have chakra chains though,” Naruto says meekly. “Or I haven’t activated them.” 

“Doesn’t matter,” Kakashi shakes his head. “Just the fact that you’re blood-related to Kushina-nee means that it’s always a possibility, and that your offspring could have them even if you don’t. That sort of firepower translates through the generations, Naruto.” 

“Offspring?” Naruto croaks, face as white as sheet. “I- I don’t have any of those.”

Minato grimaces. “Exactly.” 

There’s a pause as the weight of that sinks in.

“Shisui,” Minato addresses, and the older boy stands up a little straighter. 

“Hokage-sama.” 

“I’m trusting you with my daughter’s life.” 

If Shisui is nervous about this fact, he doesn’t show it.

Minato continues, cobalt eyes boring and heavy on Shisui’s form. “You’ve been an amazing guard so far, and I’d like it to stay that way. For the next week, you need to be at the top of your game. Which means, I don’t want you to be hiding in the trees.”

“Sir?” Shisui asks, eyebrows furrowed.

“You’re going to play the role of an Academy student for the next week. Everywhere she goes, I want you one step behind her. If she’s walking down the road, you’re accompanying her. If she orders a bowl of ramen, so do you. If she’s in the house, so are you. You’ll be living under this roof. Eyes on her at all times. Do you understand?” 

“I understand, sir,” Shisui nods.

“So me and this pretty boy are gonna be attached at the hip?” Naruto asks, not sure how to feel about it.

“Hell yeah, roomie,” Shisui bumps his hip into hers, and Minato sighs.

“I’m going to regret this so much,” He says. 

But Naruto hardly hears because Shisui is doing that terrible thing where he’s terribly pretty.

It’s basically like Shisui is part of the family when they all sit around the table together not even ten minutes later and share a meal. 

→←

Naruto had questioned it at first – wouldn’t someone definitely be able to tell that Shisui didn’t belong in the Uzumaki-Namikaze household when his eyes and hair were the color of raven feathers and his skin was pale and almost translucent? 

Kushina had giggled, before gesturing to herself and Kakashi. “Honestly, Naruto-chan, wouldn’t you say that the only two who look related are you and Mimi-chan? Kakashi and I look nothing like you two.” She smiled at Shisui. “Shisui-kun will be a great addition to the house.” 

And that was that.

Though, Naruto suspected her mother was somewhat biased, as she had a close relationship with Uchiha Mikoto and Uchiha Fugaku, which meant she probably knew Shisui from them or from Itachi and Sasuke.

Admittedly, it was odd to have Shisui here. Not here, as in by her side, because that was a normality. No, she meant – out in the open. Sure, Shisui had days off that they spent together sometimes, but those were far and few in between. Having Shisui around consistently, where she could see his face and do normal friend things together was strange. 

As it was, they were on the way to the Academy now, a light bag slung over Shisui’s shoulders that she knew carried a few notebooks, training weapons, and writing utensils. Almost as though he truly were an Academy student ready for a day of lessons. 

He certainly didn’t look like it, though he was trying. Sometimes he blabbered to her about random things, like homework she knew that she’d been assigned. Or maybe he talked about their classmates. But Naruto could see in the posture of his back and the definition of his shoulders that he wasn’t just some green student, ready to be a genin soon.

There were just some things that you couldn’t hide. 

But they chatted, and Naruto felt herself liking his company.

Shisui’s greeny gold presence was alight like a bonfire next to her. Iruka-sensei had definitely been informed of what was going on, and no doubt that the clan heirs like Sasuke, Hinata, Shikamaru, Ino, Choji, Kiba, and Shino had been filled in, if only mildly. That only left the civilian types like Sakura to truly wonder, but Naruto wasn’t too worried.

“Ready?” Naruto murmured. “Just like riding a bike for you, right?” 

Shisui grinned sheepishly, even as he pushed open the classroom door and ushered her inside, ever the gentleman. “It’ll probably be as boring to me as it will be to you. I already know all this stuff.” 

Naruto can’t help but laugh. “Trust Iruka-sensei to bring you to the front of the class and make you demonstrate. He’ll be glad to finally have someone pay attention other than Sasuke.” 

Delight makes Shisui’s black eyes shine. “Wow. Class with my little cousin. I never thought it would happen. He doesn’t know I’m going to be here, does he?” 

“I haven’t told him a thing,” Naruto says. 

Shisui barks out a laugh. “It’s hard to believe I’m on a job right now,” He sways a little closer to her so that his whisper can just make her ears. “I think it’s going to be a little too much fun.” 

He’s only proven right when he slides into their row of desks and takes Naruto’s usual seat beside Sasuke, leaving her to sit on the opposite side of Shisui.

The shock and horror painted on Sasuke’s pale face is enough to warrant a loud belt of laughter from Naruto. 

“Hello, baby cousin,” Shisui greets cheerfully, knocking his shoulder into Sasuke as though it’s totally normal for him to be there. 

Sasuke’s eyes flickered from Shisui to Naruto and back again. Finally, he pointed an accusing finger at Naruto. “You!” He hissed, not unlike the first time when Naruto’d declared her supposed love for a mysterious onlooker. 

“Me,” Naruto agreed. “Aren’t you happy we have a new seatmate, Sasuke-kun?”

“No!” Sasuke said, scooting his chair away from them. “I don’t want to be seen in public with EITHER of you ridiculous m–”

“OHMYGOD!” A loud shriek echoed into the classroom, and they all turned to see Ino standing at the foot of the door, hands against her cheeks, eyes fixated on their little group of three. “IS THAT THE NEW TRANSFER?”

New transfer. Was that how they had explained it? 

Sasuke groaned, however, and when Naruto realized why, she was quick to follow suit. Ino had this predatory expression on her face, her white teeth gleaming and her cheeks pink with excitement.

“Hello!” Shisui greeted back with a wave, a movie-star smile on his face. Naruto could practically see the heart-eyes on Ino – it was kind of disgusting. 

“HI!” Ino rushed out and Naruto rolled her eyes. She had completely forgotten about how stupid the fangirls and fanboys in her class could get when it came to Uchiha boys. 

“Nice to meet you! I’m Shisui,” Shisui said, with all the happiness of a puppy. “And you are?” 

“Yamanaka Ino!” Ino said, stepping down the aisles until she was practically hovering over Naruto. “And you’re an Uchiha, right?” 

Obviously. Naruto couldn’t help but roll her eyes again. That was clearly just a question Ino asked so Shisui would continue to speak to her. What kind of dumb inquiry was that? Obviously, he was an Uchiha. He had a freaking Uchiha crest stitched into the wide neck of his shirt, and his hair, eyes, and skin were a dead giveaway. 

“Yeah! 

Naruto glanced at her only source of shared misery – the boy on the other side of Shisui. Despite the fact that they hadn’t spoken for over a week now, there was something to be said about the suffering look they exchanged. 

“Oh!” Ino said, her pitch climbing abnormally high levels. “Is it –” She seemed to just realize that Shisui was sitting next to the only other Uchiha in the room. “Do you know Sasuke-kun, Shisui-kun?” 

Shisui laughed again, clapping the younger boy on the shoulder. “Know? He’s my cousin. We grew up together.” 

“I have never seen him before,” Sasuke deadpanned, shrugging Shisui’s hand off of him.

“Yeah, I can see the family resemblance,” Ino says, her tone admiring.

Naruto audibly groans, and Ino’s gaze, for the first time that morning, snaps to her. 

“Naruto!” Ino exclaims. “You didn’t tell me you knew Shisui!”

“Was I supposed to?” Naruto grumbles. 

Ino tuts, sweetness saccharine. “Keeping secrets from close friends is so unlike you! I thought we told each other everything. I can’t believe you kept him all to yourself.” 

“He’s not a dog,” Naruto says, wishing that the entire conversation would already be over.

A finger pokes her cheek, and Naruto turns to see Shisui staring at her almost smugly. “Woof.” 

Naruto’s cheeks heat; they’re no doubt thinking of the same thing, and the blonde can’t help but curse under her breath. “I hate you.” 

“No you don’t” He sing songs.

“I’m literally sick to my stomach,” Sasuke says.

As the others begin to file into the classroom, Naruto thanks every deity above for this divine-like intervention. Some of them eye Shisui curiously, no doubt wondering who the new kid was, especially one so late into the year. 

Shikamaru eyes him critically as he comes in, but he does the godly task of dragging Ino away. 

“Sorry about her,” He drawls, saluting the trio as he bodily drags Ino down the steps and lightly pushes her into her designated seat.

“SHIKAMARU!” Ino shrieks. 

Naruto winces. God. That was torturous. 

“She’s… the one who likes Sasuke?” Shisui murmurs, and it’s Sasuke who answers. 

“Tch. I can’t stand her. Her, or that other forehead girl.” He points at Sakura, who’s staring loyally at Sasuke, seemingly bypassing Shisui and Naruto all together. 

“That’s mean, teme,” Naruto says.

“No one asked you, dobe,” Sasuke fires back. 

Naruto glares over Shisui, and Sasuke glares right back.

“Whoa whoa,” Shisui holds his hands up. “Let’s just relax for a second. You two haven’t cleared up your little spat from before?” 

Naruto clucks her tongue at him. He knows they haven’t made up. He’s literally with her everyday.

“You told him?” Sasuke asks. 

“No!” Naruto says. “He’s here all the time. Was he supposed to just close his eyes and pretend he didn’t hear?”

“He could’ve!” 

“Well then, he would be a pretty shit guard, wouldn’t he?” 

“ He is right here,” Shisui interrupts. “Man,” His eyes twinkle. “I should’ve read the finer print in my job description, huh? I didn’t know dealing with petty squabbles was such a substantial part of my work.”

Sasuke scowls, and Naruto echoes the sentiment.

Iruka-sensei chooses that moment to make his entrance, and upon entry, Ino shoots up from her seat and blurts out, “Sensei! I didn’t know Shisui-kun would be transferring in!” 

Iruka-sensei looks up and briefly makes eye contact with Shisui from where he’s nestled between Naruto and Sasuke, and sighs. “Attention, class!” His voice demands silence, and they all readily give it to him. “If you haven’t already heard, we have a new transfer student, Uchiha Shisui.” 

All heads whip towards where Iruka-sensei is indicating, and Shisui rewards them with a cheery wave. 

“He’s a temporary transfer student.” 

“Temporary?” Kiba demands. “How come?” 

Iruka hesitates. “He’s currently in a transition period and while he is going to be moved to a genin team shortly, he missed a few classes from his own final year. His jonin instructor asked that he make it up before fully joining the team.”

It’s a spotty explanation at best, considering it makes no sense why Shisui’s jonin instructor wouldn’t be able to just teach him this themselves, but it seems to placate the students very well, except for, perhaps Shikamaru. He doesn’t seem like he believes it, but he’s too lazy to question it.

“Please welcome him with open arms,” Iruka continues. 

“Thank you for having me!” Shisui says with a bow of his head. 

Excited chatter breaks out beneath them, and Naruto sighs. Who thought this was a good idea, again?

→

Certainly not her, considering she spends the entirety of recess trying to drag Shisui away from Ino, who's been on the prowl since she set her sights on him this morning.

A wave of irritation settles over her when Ino says that Shisui shouldn’t stick around with Naruto, considering she’s already got somebody lined up for a future wedding. 

Shisui seems to take great pleasure in her annoyance, and for the first time, Naruto considers telling Ino that said future spouse is the boy she’s been flirting with all day. 

Not that she and Shisui will actually get married. But it’s a moot point when all she wants to do is rub it into the Yamanaka heir’s face.

→←

Living with Shisui, while sure to be a short affair, is something that Naruto settles into rather easily. His chakra presence sits outside her room, not dissimilar to when he was in his ANBU mask, though now she knows he’s doing it from the comfort of the spare bed and in his pajamas. 

In the morning, they usually get up at the same time, and it’s a sight – Shisui with his sleep soft hair and his rumpled night shirt, looking as adorably soft as he did the first time.

They pass rice, fish, and miso soup around the table, and while it’s usually quiet, because it’s way too early to be actually conversing, it’s nice to have company. Both of her parents are normally gone for their own ninja business by the time she’s woken up, so she spends breakfast alone.

Then they both get ready for the day ahead, and it takes longer than it should, just because Naruto can’t help but wiggle into Shisui’s room to bother the other boy about something or the other, and in turn, he does the same.

“Kami above,” Shisui says, edging his way into her room. “Look at your hair,” He says, absolutely affronted, and Naruto turns to look at the mirror. She looks completely fine.

“What’s wrong with it?” She pats at the blonde strands that sit atop her head, tied together with a band of black.

Shisui sighed. “Hop on,” He patted her bed, and she dutifully did so. When Shisui began to pull her hair loose from the ponytail, she smacked him away. 

“Hey!” She said, rounding on him. “D’you really think you can do better, pretty boy?”

“Uh, absolutely. Being a pretty boy makes me high maintenance,” He explains. “I know how to take care of hair. Trust me, Uzumaki-chan-san.”

“Like how I trusted you to make ice cream?” She raises her eyebrow dubiously.

“Low blow,” Shisui shakes his head in disappointment. “It’s too soon to even joke about. Now, turn around and don’t move unless I tell you to.” 

Shisui’s nails are blunt against her scalp, and even though she hadn’t had her hair up long enough for her head to ache, it was still a nice feeling when he scratched back and forth, detangling her locks from another while also giving her a massage. If he puts enough time and effort into it, Naruto is ashamed to say she could be lulled right back to sleep. 

“ANBU really does teach you a whole bunch of skills, huh?” Naruto asks, pleasant warmth invading her brain. “I didn’t know they were so… diverse.” 

“I wish this was what ANBU taught us. Are you falling asleep on me, Uzumaki-chan-san?” 

“Do I sound asleep?” Naruto retorted. 

“I dunno. Do you sleep talk?” 

“I dunno,” The blonde parroted. “Shouldn’t you know since you’re lurking outside my window every day?” 

“Don’t make it sound creepy!” Shisui hissed. “That’s my job!”

“Sorry,” Naruto apologizes, not feeling very sorry at all. But, she does make a peace offering, and digs into her pocket for a silvery wrapped candy. 

“Oooh!” Shisui immediately grabs it, the packaging ripping off before the sound of him popping it in his mouth crackles. “Lemon!” 

“It’s good, right?” Naruto asks. “Not too sweet for the morning.”

“No,” Shisui agrees. “It’s not. Like, it’s fresh and light. It doesn’t taste like it would give me cavities.” 

Naruto hums, happy with her good choice. Part of doling out candy to Shisui requires her to be aware of which one fits his moods and the time of day, so lemon would not be too heavy in the morning, when he’d just finished breakfast. 

The candy clacks around his teeth for the next ten minutes, and it’s a nice little routine – him chewing on a sweet while meticulously parting her hair and tying them to his design. By the end of it all, she had two long pigtails resting in a bed of flowing hair to show for it, and Naruto begrudgingly admitted that it was slightly (alot) better than her original style. 

→←

 

Body flickering lessons are put on hold as Shisui and Itachi dedicate their time to watching the incoming Kumo delegation, though Naruto has yet to catch sight of them. But her father has been notably busy, and Kakashi has been absent at all times unless he’s with her mother at the house. 

Honestly, the lack of people leaves Naruto stumped. Usually, there’s someone around. Even Shisui, as present as he is, isn’t there to have fun. He’s still on the clock, and he’s incredibly vigilant as the days pass. 

Though, Naruto wonders if her parents had been overly paranoid. After all, nearly five days had passed in Kumo’s week-long stay, and there had been no kidnappings reported.

He’s lounging in the bay window of her room, and his eyes spot something before he’s darting out to grab it. 

“What’s this?” He asks, and Naruto glances over. Hinata’s white wallet stitched with her clan’s sigil has been sitting on her desk for the past week, and Naruto sighs when she sees it. 

“Hinata-chan’s wallet.” 

“Hinata-chan?” Shisui asks. “Like, Hinata of the Hyuuga?” 

Naruto groans. “No. I’m talking about Hinata of the Uchiha, who stitched the Hyuuga symbol onto her wallet for fun.” 

“Snippy,” Shisui pokes her. “Why do you have Hinata’s wallet?” 

Naruto shrugs. “I found it the other day on the floor. Haven’t really had a chance to talk to her. I’ve been caught up with other stuff.” 

Shisui’s eyebrow raises teasingly. “Am I the other stuff?”

“No, you’re the stupid stuff.” 

“Mean, Uzumaki-chan-san,” Shisui pouts. Naruto scowls at him, but immediately tries to hide behind a curtain of blonde hair so he can’t see her smile. Shisui’s so overzealous but it’s adorable, and Naruto feels like she should give him obligatory head pats or something. 

Oh Kami. Had she really been treating him like a dog? Giving him treats, and now trying to pat his head? 

Feeling slightly mortified, she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

Thankfully, Shisui doesn’t seem to notice, and glosses right over it. “You should give it back to her. The poor girl’s being deprived of her daily ramen. And if she’s anything like you, then the village is going to have hell to pay.” 

“Now who is being the mean one, pretty boy?” 

“I’m not being mean. I’m just stating the bare facts as they are.” 

Iruka-sensei hadn’t assigned so much homework that she couldn’t come back and do it later. And it was still relatively bright outside, even if the sun had taken to setting earlier. 

“We can go now,” She said. “Maybe I’ll leave a note for Kaa-san or Tou-chan in case they come home and see me gone.” 

Shisui waited patiently while she scribbled out her whereabouts, and then they left for the Hyuuga compound.

By the time they managed to leave, the mid-autumn breeze had picked up, and the sun was already setting, tints of orange casting shadows upon the ground. 

Naruto shivered as an exceptionally cold wind ruffled her hair and sent the tail ends of her shirt flying. 

“Cold?” Shisui asked, noticing the goosebumps that had risen on her skin.

“I just wish it were summer,” Naruto says forlornly, and Shisui bobs his head in understanding. 

The trek to the Hyuuga compound is not very long, as Minato and Kushina had decided that with Minato’s upcoming candidacy for the position of Hokage at the time, that it’d be better to be somewhere at a central point. Minato and Kushina would be able to reach anywhere without too much worry. 

The Hyuuga compound is a little more delicate looking than the Uchiha compound. For one, it’s more like a gated community rather than a private sector. Where the Uchiha compound was filled with pastels, the Hyuuga compound seems something ethereal – whites tinted into different shades of pink, purple, cream, orange, and green. It’s lighter than any of the pastels in the Uchiha compound, and more elegant too.

There’s a big, shiny gate that towers over them, the pin-prick points at the top promising pain for any intruders. The Hyuuga symbol is etched into a circle in the front of the gate, and Hinata’s wallet feels oddly warm in her pocket, as though the inanimate object has suddenly realized that it’s home.

Which is ridiculous, but Naruto has always had an overactive imagination.

“Intimidating, isn’t it?” Shisui asks. 

“Have you ever been inside?”

She knows it’s not very likely — the Uchiha and the Hyuuga tend to keep away from each other’s territory. 

“Once,” Shisui says. “I was very young. My father and Uncle came here for some sort of meeting with the Hyuuga elders and they brought Itachi and I along with them. It was so long ago, though. I don’t remember much of the layout.” 

“Couldn’t you check with your Sharingan?” She asks. 

Shisui scowls. “No, I could not. That would be considered an act of disrespect. Anyways, I doubt that much fanfare is necessary. It’s not like we’re trying to start any sort of conflict or something. You’re here for something as innocuous as returning a classmate’s lost item. 

Naruto snorts a little bitterly. “It is innocent, but it’s not always perceived that way. I mean, when I came to the Uchiha compound the other day for something as innocent as learning the body flicker, your clansmen were suspicious of me. A lot of people in the village think that when I show up, it’s to spy for my father. Makes making friends kind of hard,” She says glumly. “Especially since most of them are children of clan heirs.” 

Shisui winces. “Don’t worry about that sort of stuff, yeah? It’s just — that’s how it always is. As long as you’re a person in a position of power — or, are related to someone in a position of power, people will always be wary of you. It’s nothing personal against you.” 

“It feels kind of personal,” Naruto grumbles. The blonde shivers again when the wind coasts past them, making her nose tip and cheeks tinge a reddish color. 

Shisui sighs heavily before throwing an arm around her shoulders, effectively sharing his body heat with her. He’s surprisingly warm. “That’s how Itachi felt when he was younger. Being the heir to the clan, you’d think that our clansmen would be nicer. They were… always trying to be close to him, to a certain degree. But it was never genuine. He realized that a lot of them wanted to be his friend because of his position, and that they were only friendly to an extent. But,” Shisui smiles at her crookedly, fondness lacing his tone as he pats her head with his free hand, “I may be Itachi’s cousin but I’m still his best friend. Just like I’m your friend.” His dark eyes are warm, and his dimples pop when he smiles.

The rush of warmth that fills Naruto is just indescribable, and it’s as though the weather isn’t cold. 

There’s a lot left to learn about Uchiha Shisui, but Naruto thinks that one indisputable fact about him is that he is incredibly kind.

A lot of shinobi were often jaded from a lifetime of battle and losing loved ones. Killing to survive would do that to a person. But Shisui didn’t seem like that, despite having clearly experienced something traumatic enough to activate his Sharingan. 

“You’re not so bad,” Naruto decides. “I definitely could’ve chosen worse for my personal guard.”

“Not so bad?” Shisui repeats incredulously. “I’m damn amazing.” 

“Someone thinks highly of thems—“ 

“Uzumaki-Namikaze-sama,” A deep voice interrupts their banter, and they both swivel face forward to see who it is that’s speaking to them. 

“Just Naruto is fine,” The blonde corrects automatically.

“My apologies, Naruto-sama.” 

Naruto sighs. “We’re to see Hinata-sama,” She says. Normally, she wouldn’t bother with honorifics and titles, but Tou-chan had drilled it into her head from a young age that being the Hokage’s daughter meant she couldn’t just go about being disrespectful about these things. When you were talking to someone or about someone, you had to address them properly. Hinata, as a clan princess, would need proper titles.

“Hinata-sama?” The gate guard repeats dubiously. “At this late hour?” 

It’s not that late. 

“It’s not that late,” Shisui says, as though he had suddenly become telepathic.

“And who might you be?” The guard asks, eyeing Shisui up as though he were the dirt on the bottom of his shoe. 

Naruto kind of blanches at that, but she hopes she hides it well. Admittedly, some of the children in the village probably wouldn’t be able to recognize Shisui. But older folks — civilians and shinobi alike knew who he was. At least in this village. Shisui of the Body Flicker was practically a walking celebrity. It is weird that this man doesn’t recognize him. 

“I’m.. Uchiha Shisui,” Shisui says slowly, and dawning slowly lights up the guard’s face. 

His face is half hidden by the shadows that the gate and wall provide, but Naruto sees enough to know that she’s unfamiliar with his guard. His eyes are a striking color — a hazel hue that bleeds into a glowing yellow. 

“Uchiha you say?” The guard says, and alarms blare in Naruto’s head. “What business do you two have here?” His eyes rove over from Shisui to Naruto, and the back of her neck prickles. 

“I’m Hinata-sama’s classmate,” Naruto explains. “She dropped her wallet. I wanted to return it to her.” 

The guard holds his hand out expectantly. “I can give it to her for you.” 

“I’d like to give it to her myself,” Naruto says, refusing to look at Shisui to see what expression he’s wearing. “Besides, I need her help with some homework. It’s important.” 

“Hinata-sama can’t be interrupted under strict orders from her father.” The guard says firmly. “You’ll have to return in the morning.” 

Naruto opens her mouth abruptly to call bullshit on it all, and to maybe punch him in the face, but Shisui’s arm that’s wrapped around her squeezes at her elbow in warning. 

Don’t, is what it seems to say.

Naruto closes her mouth.

“Look, we didn’t want to say anything,” The raven haired boy next to her says, his voice level and his body language betraying nothing. “But we’re here on Hokage-sama’s orders. We have official business here. If you don’t let us through, then that’d be considered an act of defiance. Against your Hokage.”

“Have any documents to prove it?” The guard asks. 

Shisui’s dark eyebrow raises before he’s gesturing with one hand at Naruto. “No. But, as you know, this is Hokage-sama’s daughter. Do you really think that Hokage-sama’s daughter is lying about having orders from her father?” 

And yeah, when he says it like that, the guard sounds pretty stupid. 

The man’s hawk-like irises flash with ire, but it’s so minute that she barely catches it.

But then he laughs loudly, teeth catching in the light. “You got me there! My mistake, Uchiha-san, Uzumaki-Namikaze-sama. Right this way, please.” 

The gates creak open, the sound terribly ominous and Naruto, once again, resists the urge to look over at her companion. She argues with herself that even if she were to do so, it’s likely that he wouldn’t look back, or have anything to give away scrawled on his face. 

Shisui’s greeny gold chakra is a comforting presence in this unknown situation, and the other man’s chakra behind them is gold — like his eyes. It crackles with electricity like Kakashi’s sometimes does, and though it’s hard to tell if there is malicious intent behind it, there is definitely annoyance.

As if sensing her turmoil, Shisui’s arm around her turns a bit more comforting. “Don’t worry,” He tells her, and then she does give in to look at him. Shisui is warm, an earnest smile on his face even when his back muscles are tense. “I’ll make sure you’re back in bed before midnight. Trust me.” 

Somehow, Naruto believes him, even when the gate clanks shut behind them. “I trust you,” She tells him. 

“Good. That’s all I ask for.” 

And then he doesn’t say anything else as they enter the Hyuuga compound together, Naruto not spotting Hyuuga Hinata’s chakra signature for miles and miles

Notes:

Hello everyone!! Welcome back to Honey Trap. So if my mental math adds up correctly, this chapter will be split into two sections because it’s kind of big. So this is the first section, obviously. I hope you guys enjoy it.

Stay safe and happy reading! :)

Chapter 6: Lemon Candy (pt 2)

→←

Tou-chan and Kakashi-nii had both told Naruto when she was younger that the ANBU had a special list of hand signals they used to communicate with each other when they were in the presence of other people. Kakashi-nii had only taught a few to her – the one that meant enemy and another that meant run. He’d said that at her present stage, those were the most vital, because she could know if she needed to escape should there be an enemy around. 

In this particular situation, Naruto felt like conveying either of these ideas to Shisui would be useless, considering he had probably sussed out as well as she had that the guard at the Hyuuga’s gates was no Konoha shinobi. And neither of them could actually run, so Naruto silently resolved that when she made it back home, she’d pester Kakashi-nii into teaching her more ANBU hand signs. Something like, plan? or we’re doomed. 

Shisui keeps stride with her, one arm thrown casually around her shoulders like it’s just another night that they’re hanging out, and the other is dug into his pocket. The dim oil lamps flicker as they make their way throughout the opulent Hyuuga compound, and the orangey glow is warm on her skin in the cold weather. 

The main building for the clan head house is shaped in a half square, a giant tree in the hold of the courtyard, the colorful leaves looking darker than they are in the evening light. 

Naruto can imagine that in the winter time, it’d look especially pretty when snow began to flutter from the sky, coating everything in a thin powdery layer of sugar. 

Right now, though, she’d like to be back in the comfort of her own home, maybe with her mother serving her a steaming bowl of ramen while Shisui braids her hair and Kakashi and her father drape themselves across the kitchen table and try to interpret legal scrolls. 

As it is, Hinata’s chakra is absent, and it appears everyone in the compound is asleep, save for herself, Shisui, and the numerous chakra signatures that have too much lightning laced in them to be just Leaf ninja. 

Naruto slips her hand into Shisui’s free pocket and draws a full circle with her finger, making sure he can feel it through his shirt. 

The chakra signatures had all been steadily surrounding them except for one or two that remained posted at the gates to ward off any wanderers. In response to her silent message, Shisui asks her, “are you cold?” 

Naruto hadn’t been thinking about it, but she supposes she is. 

Shisui sighs before rounding on her, noisily rustling his cloak off as he does. “So smart, Uzumaki-chan-san,” he compliments her under the mask of the cloak, and his eyes are gleaming at her. As he fastens the clasp around her shoulders and brings her hair up from beneath the fabric, he speaks so softly that she has to strain to hear him. “You’re such a darling, did you know? Honestly, you’d be a solid in the ANBU if you stop wearing so much orange. Keep me informed, okay? You’re doing wonderful.”

The quick reassurance made something like a breath of relief escape Naruto as she reached out and grabbed Shisui’s hand and pulled it under the cloak. If Shisui could be as lax about it as this, then the situation wasn’t as bad as she probably thought it was.

“Are you cold, pretty boy?” Naruto asks instead. 

Shisui smiled at her, just a little mockingly, in a way that made Naruto want to push him. “No,” he said. “I’m not.” 

As Shisui continues to chatter about nonsensical things to her, she continues to scribe onto the back of his hand under his cloak. 

His cloak is warm, traces of his greeny-gold chakra lingering like scented oils, and the faint leftovers of ash and wood make Naruto want to bury her nose in the neckline. 

N o  H i n a t a

Naruto traces it out slowly on his hand so that there’s no room for misinterpretation. Shisui squeezes her hand briefly.

They’re upon the clan house gates now, and the metallic brass glints, the towering structure making Naruto crane her head back just to see the top of it. Two large lamp posts bracket either side of the gate, and the Hyuuga sigil shimmers in plated silver and gold.  

“Bit much, isn’t it?” Naruto can’t help but ask. 

Shisui laughs. “I’d agree, but I’m hardly one to talk, seeing as I live in the Uchiha fort, you know? And you’re one to talk, given that your family owns three properties in Konoha, one of them being the Hokage freaking Mansion.” 

Naruto rolls her eyes. “I can hardly be blamed for my father’s career choices, can I?” 

Shisui’s dark irises sparkle with mirth, and as they push open the gates, and walk up the steps to the sliding doors, Naruto’s heart begins to beat faster. Once they acknowledge that Hinata actually isn’t there, then this entire thing becomes a lot more real. They’ve been delaying the inevitable now, but there’s going to be a chase now. 

As if sensing her nerves, Shisui squeezes her hand again. 

D o n ‘ t  w o r r y

Shisui spelled it on her hand this time, and Naruto forced herself to relax. “Next time, we won’t leave the note, huh?” Naruto jokes, knowing that at least Shisui will understand the context. 

The raven haired boy smiled crookedly, his chakra pulsing in amusement. Funny enough, they both take off their shoes at the door before sliding into the awaiting slippers. 

“Neither Hiaashi or Hanabi is home,” Naruto notes. “D’you think -”

“No,” Shisui shakes his head. “I know for a fact that Hiaashi-sama is supposed to be with your father right now. Hanabi-chan, though, I don’t know. I doubt she’s with her father, but I can’t see why they would take her, too. Hinata, as clan heir, has much more monetary value than Hanabi would. Even if Hanabi would also raise a good price.”

Naruto’s face screws up, because people costing money and being sold and bought is just so atrocious that she can hardly fathom why – just why? To think this fate had nearly befallen her mother makes her sick to even consider. To think that this fate could potentially be Hinata’s if she and Shisui aren’t fast enough makes her earlier meal turn in her stomach. 

“I mean,” Naruto says over the protests of her stomach, “it couldn’t hurt them, could it? To have two Byakugan users to… harvest from.”

“No, you’re right,” Shisui admits. “Hanabi is younger than Hinata, but not by that much. And since they’re both main branch children, it means they’re much more powerful than the other Hyuuga members.” This non sugar coated admission makes Naruto’s stomach roll once more, nausea building up in the back of her throat. “Are you okay?” he asks her, suddenly. “You’re looking green.” 

The chakra signatures dotting along the compound begin to draw in even closer, and Naruto grabs Shisui’s arm in what feels like desperation. “Are you sure?” she asks, ignoring his question.  “Why don’t you body flicker out of here and get some help?”

Shisui’s worried expression turns furious. “And leave you behind? Absolutely not!” He says it as though it’s perhaps the most offensive thing she’s ever let leave her lips. “There’s so many things wrong with that. For starters, it’s literally my job–”

Naruto rolled her eyes and gave him a light shove. “You won’t have a job if we both get kidnapped and shipped off to Lightning Country, will you, genius?” Plus, she would never admit it in a thousand years, but it sort of hurt – to think that maybe Shisui only thought of her as an assignment. A job, he’d said. Was that all it was?

“Second,” Shisui bowled over her completely, “what kind of friend would I be if I left you here all alone? Friends don’t let other friends fight battles alone.” 

Naruto inhaled. Exhaled. And then beamed widely at her friend. 

The look Shisui shot her was nothing short of suspicious as he leaned in and laid his cold palm against her forehead. “Why’re you smiling?” he demanded, palming her cheek before moving down to her neck. Naruto immediately jumped back – the weather hadn’t been kind to his body temperature. “Do you have a fever?” 

Naruto slapped his wiggling fingers away. “Stop that!” she sputtered. “Your hands are - are freezing! And be serious! We’re about to be carted off in body bags! Why can’t I body flicker out with you?”

Shisui groaned. “As we’ve seen, you overshoot when flickering. The last thing we need is for you to try getting out of this house only to fall straight into the arms of a Kumo nin. It’s too risky. And I can’t flicker with you. I have a plan, but I need you to trust me.”

“I do!”

Shisui tugged a strand of her blonde hair. “Okay, then act like it.”

And, well, Naruto supposed she didn’t have any clap-back for that. 

As Shisui told her the plan in a quick, hushed voice, and the Kumo nin signatures reached the front of Hiaashi Hyuuga’s house, Naruto steadily became more confident. 

The apprehension in her – to think if this would even work, because it really was based on a major what if – nearly had her backing out completely, but Shisui had told her to trust him, and she would. There was also the added fact that if this managed to blow up in their faces, that her parents and Kakashi-nii would magically summon Shisui from the dead and re-kill him all over again. 

It was the only thing that kept her going sometimes. 

But what if they knock me out? Naruto had asked. Shisui had only patted her head, which was not reassuring in the slightest. 

But, whatever. 

If things ended up going south, Naruto supposed that she’d eventually be too dead to care. 

→←

Shisui had body flickered away, and his presence was cloaked in the trees surrounding the main clan house. Even a more skilled shinobi might not be able to find him, but Naruto’s natural sensing abilities were able to pick out his forest fire greeny-gold amongst the shrubbery. If she looked up now, she was sure she’d see the eerie red glow of the Sharingan in the darkness. 

Naruto clutched Shisui’s cloak close to her chest, determined to have at least a little comfort. The chakra signatures of the Kumo nin were eerily still, like they were watching her as she wandered around the compound, in search of her classmate who was nowhere on the property.

The plan had been to split up because together, an Uzumaki and an Uchiha were quite the duo. Alone, however, they weren’t as much of a threat. 

There was, as far as Naruto could see, an even divide on the Kumo nin trailing her and the ones undoubtedly searching for Shisui. Shisui, of course, had a reputation that preceded him, which meant no one took him lightly. Naruto was a bit of an unknown variable herself, but she suspected that the Kumo nin were as wary of her as they were about Shisui. Being an Uzumaki and the daughter of the Yondaime meant she had potentially disastrous capabilities.

But honestly, the only thing Naruto had going for her at the moment was the fact that she was a skilled sensor. Being a green Academy student meant that she hadn’t been taught a lot just yet, and as Shisui had pointed out so wonderfully just a few weeks prior, she could hit targets well, but what good was it if said target was moving? Surely, the Kumo nin sent after the children of Konoha were more equipped than her?

Still – Naruto conceded. This was going to be good practice for when she did become a genin. 

“Hinata-chan?” Naruto called out, her voice loud in the silent night.

Unsurprisingly, there was no reply.

Naruto wandered out of the main compound house, drawing the guards away from Shisui and to her – hopefully, that’d help Shisui out a little. 

None of the chakra signatures seemed malicious, which, usually Naruto could tell. These guards, however, while clearly not about to help her out, didn't feel evil. Probably, they were just following orders, and that was how it went. 

The striking yellow signatures mostly crackled with a core of lightning, typical for Kumo, although there were stragglers. 

Shisui was following close behind, keeping pace with her supposedly curious calls. Part of being a ninja, Naruto was realizing, was being able to put on a good show. How did she go around searching for someone she knew wasn’t there without looking like a complete idiot? 

“Hinata-chan!” Naruto called again, trying not to feel self conscious. “Are you there?”

The chakra signatures around her flared and crackled, like they were moving a little faster, or perhaps doing a lot of body movements. Maybe they had some sort of code, like the ANBU did. 

She dug her fingers deeper into the pockets of Shisui’s cloak, where he’d left a kunai for her – just in case, he’d said. They were only allowed to use wooden kunais at the Academy, but drastic circumstances called for drastic measures and all that. She clenched her hand around the ribbed grip, feeling her heart stampeding in her chest. 

Shisui was literally right there.

She could feel his eyes on the back of her neck.

His chakra signature glittered wild and green out of the corner of her eye, and his cloak was draped over her shoulders. 

Shisui was there, his kunai was in her pocket. 

Shisui was right ther–

“Hello.” A sudden voice interrupted her out of her musings, and she looked up, almost shocked to see one of those crackly lightning infused cores right in front of her. 

Naruto nearly recoiled, but it was Shisui’s stiff and sharp greeny gold, unwavering behind her that propelled her forward and kept her voice even. “Hello,” Naruto said. “Sorry. Did I… bother you? I’m looking for Hinata-chan.” 

The man chuckles, his hawk-like eyes slitted and focused. “I heard. You seem lost, Uzumaki-Namikaze-san. I could show you where she is, if you’d like. It would save you time and trouble.” 

Naruto supposes it shouldn’t be that surprising that he knows who she is without introduction, but it still makes a shiver run up her spine. “Oh, uh…”

Crap, what is she supposed to do? What would Shisui have her do? 

“Hinata-chan is currently with her father and sister,” he continued, seeming to sense her hesitation. “It would be much quicker this way.”

“Funny,” Naruto can’t help but say. “One of the gate guards said that Hinata-chan was sleeping, but if she’s out with her family…”

She can almost hear Shisui reprimanding her for asking questions that are likely to get her killed faster, but she can’t help it – she’s not stupid, and surely her father and mother would train her better than this? It would be too suspicious if she were to act dumb. 

The man laughed. “He’s a gate guard. What do they know about what’s going on when they’re stuck at the gate all day?” 

“Good point,” Naruto said. Shisui hadn’t done anything that may signal her doing the opposite, so she gestured to him. “Lead the way.” 

The Kumo ninja around them begin to creep forward, and Naruto tries not to sweat in the cold weather. The truth was that Shisui was a revered shinobi amongst the corps – Kakashi-nii would never brag about a comrade no matter how much they deserved it, but it was true. She knew this because if Shisui had been in any sort of way unqualified for the position of her personal guard, then her father and Kakashi would have never allowed it, even if Naruto had begged on her hands and knees.

That is especially high praise coming from Konoha’s Yellow Flash and Copy Ninja. And even if Naruto had never known those things, Shisui’s unfaltering presence was a comfort. Logically, she knew that it was unlikely that any of these Kumo nin were a match for Shisui, but all of them together?

Naruto bit her lip, unsure. Shisui would die trying to keep her safe, but that was the thing — Naruto didn’t want any harm to befall him. Forget about her own selfish feelings on the matter – how would she ever look Itachi or that teme in the face again?

“So,” the Kumo nin broke her out of her reverie, “we don’t see you visit here a lot, Uzumaki-Namikaze-san,” he said. “You said you’re Hinata-sama’s classmate from the Academy?” 

Power gauging, Naruto heard Kakashi whisper in her head. How much of a threat are you?

Not a threat at all, Naruto told Kakashi in her head.

Ah, he tittered back at her. That’s what you want him to think. Let him underestimate you, Naru-chan. 

“Yeah,” Naruto told him. “We've been in the same class for our entire lives, did you know?”

“I didn’t know you two were so close,” he smiles at her, and Naruto is almost a little shocked at how casually he’s playing this off. As if he isn’t trying to incapacitate her, or something. The  Hyuuga compound is large, but they’ve already left the vicinity of the main branch house. She can hardly see it if she turns around. 

“We’re not all that close,” Naruto says honestly. “But I would like to be. Hinata-chan is so nice. But you already knew that, right? You must see her often.” 

If the Kumo nin is grappling for any excuse or lie, he doesn’t show it. “Hinata-sama is wonderful,” he tells her. “She’s so respectful and kind. And she’s going to be a powerful shinobi one day.”

Naruto tried not to grimace. Shisui’s chakra flickered almost consolingly at her. 

“We’re a bit far, Uzumaki-Namikaze-san,” the Kumo nin told her. “Are you sure you don’t want me to just pass along your message to Hinata-sama?”

“No!” Naruto blurted. Her mind scrambled for an explanation; “you see, Iruka-sensei has us practicing this kunai throw tomorrow. He’s grading us,” she says, as though it’s the worst thing she’s ever heard. “I just – my wrist movements are all wrong, and I already got a bad grade last week. I can’t afford another one, you know? Hinata-chan is really good at this sort of stuff, and she promised she’d help today after school!” 

“It must be tough,” the Kumo nin says, almost sympathetically. “Being the Hokage’s daughter, I mean. It’s probably a lot of expectations on you, right? You probably can’t do anything wrong without other people judging you for it. I mean, it’s fine to struggle with throwing a kunai. I know I did when I was younger. But I bet people probably say stupid shit all the time, about how your dad’s Hokage, and why don’t you know better?” 

Naruto couldn’t help but go silent. 

It was hard to put into words how well this random Kumo nin had hit the nail on the head. There was always a certain expectation that came with being the famed Yondaime’s daughter. And there would always be people silently judging her for, well, everything. Just entering the Uchiha compound the other day had made about half of the clan’s population stare at her in disbelief – was she a spy? 

It was one of the reasons why she had trouble going to her mother and father concerning her problems with controlling her chakra. Her parents just had everything figured out. And her father was basically the epitome of a perfect shinobi. He was fast and smart, a prodigy, and strong and cool. Her mom was even stronger than her father, had her own specific set of talents, and had a freaking blood limit. Naruto was kind of clumsy, and tended to overshoot her abilities wildly. She hadn’t activated any kekkei genkai of the sorts, and she was probably one of the worst students in their class. 

“It’s not as bad as you’re probably thinking,” she lies. Their feet are silent against the cobble road that leads out to the compound roads. “Plus, I’ll be Hokage one day, yeah? So it doesn’t really matter what my dad does as long as I can do it better.” 

The chakra signatures around them flicker like she’s said something funny, and even the Kumo nin leading her to her demise has a twitch in his lips. 

“I believe in you,” he lies, and Naruto wants to clock him in the face for it. 

Instead, Naruto huffs. They’re getting closer to the edge of the gates, to the part that opens up to the Nara Woods. “Are you sure we’re going the right way, ninja-san? Broaching Nara Woods is illegal as you know. And I don’t see Hinata-chan.” 

Ominously enough, all the Kumo signatures come to a halt behind them, and Shisui’s chakra is deadly still, like a predator waiting to pounce. 

The Kumo nin turns to her, an apologetic expression playing across his dark features. “Uzumaki-Namikaze-san,” he tells her. “I’m sorry,” he says, truly sounding it. “But I’m afraid that you won’t be seeing Hinata-sama just yet. Raikage’s orders. You understand, don’t you?” 

And that was the last thing she heard before a heavy blow was dealt to the back of her head, and everything went dark.

→←

The disorienting feeling of watching the sky move right past your eyes without actually taking a single step was the first thing Naruto registered when she blinked. 

Her head was throbbing, and her eyes were fuzzy. Naruto groaned, tried twisting. and found herself locked down, arms pinned to her sides, bound by rope.

She could feel ninja wire cutting into her wrists and ankles, as well as the thin cord wrapped around her arms and chest, the fabric close against her skin. 

Low murmurs echoed in front of her, and Naruto craned her neck, hoping to catch sight of who she knew were the multiple lightning yellow chakra signatures.

“Ah ah ah,” a familiar voice said, and Naruto twisted in near fury. She wrenched her body leftwards until she could meet the eyes of the ninja who’d so graciously offered his assistance to help her find Hinata came into view. He was pursing his lips, almost looking a bit shamed. “Uzumaki-Namikaze-san,” he greeted, sounding like he was talking to an old friend. “Sorry about that,” he said. “You have to understand, it’s nothing personal.” 

Naruto can’t help but roll her eyes, putting her head back down. “Feels kind of personal,” she muttered. “I don’t see anyone else.” 

He shakes his head. “Of course you can’t,” he said. “You’re tied up. But your friend, Hinata? Yeah, she’s up front with some of my friends.” 

Obviously, Naruto wanted to retort. Instead, she made another struggle. “What?” she cried. “You have Hinata-chan? Why? What are you doing to her?” She twisted, hoping to see her classmate.

“Relax,” he said. “She’s fine. She certainly took the sedative better than you did,” he said. “She’s still under.”

“Why are you doing this?” she demanded. 

He came a little closer, until they could look each other eye to eye. “For the Hokage’s daughter, you actually don’t know a lot,” he seemed surprised. “Even you must know that Konohagakure tips the power scales between the Elemental Nations at an alarming rate. If Konoha wished, they could decimate any of the other villages should they wish. It’s time for Kumogakure to level the playing field, so to speak. You and Hinata-chan are going to help us with that. The Yondaime can have another set of children to fight his battles.”

“Gee!” Naruto said, sarcasm heavy in her tones. “It’s like you don’t even listen to yourself, Kumo nin-san! As you’ve just pointed out, Hinata-chan and I are children–”

“But you won’t be forever–”

“--and second! My dad is the fucking –”

“Language!”

“-- Yondaime Hokage,” Naruto said, glaring at him. “Don’t you think he might kill you for taking his daughter?” 

“He can’t,” the nin assured her. “If he were to travel to Kumogakure himself and challenge our Raikage, it would be considered an act of war, and he would have the Fourth Shinobi War on his hands. Even the Hokage wouldn’t do that. Not to mention that he won’t even suspect us.”

“The entire Kumo delegation is meeting in Konoha,” Naruto snaps. “My father’s not dumb, y’know. You’d have better luck covering your tracks if you’d waited until the Suna or Iwa delegations came in. Then he could blame it on them, and Kumo couldn’t be suspected.” She snorts. “Idiots. I thought you were ninjas.” 

Just then, greeny-gold chakra flickered in the distance, and Naruto’s eyes immediately flittered to it.

The Kumo nin followed her sudden lapse in attention. “What?” he said in suspicion. “What are you looking at, Uzumaki?” 

“The freaking sky!” Naruto shouted back at him, wishing she could throw up her arms in exasperation. “Where else can I look? I’m literally tied up, you moron!” 

“Be careful,” he warned her, sounding on edge. “You’re lucky I’m the one guarding you. Some of my comrades aren’t so friendly.”

“You only knocked me out and kidnapped me,” Naruto quipped back. “You’re setting the bar so high.” 

He chuckled, but didn’t deign her with a response. Naruto’s fingers twitched where they were pressed to the side of her – Shisui’s cloak. She wondered if she could manage to reach into the pocket of it and pull out the kunai Shisui had left her. She could still feel its weight; she wondered if it was this guy's first kidnapping mission, because he was doing a poor job. Disarming your enemy was like, lesson number one of ninjaing. 

Shisui’s chakra distance was getting closer now, and Naruto could practically smell the forest fire and sunshine, as far away as it was.

Despite it all, Naruto wasn’t scared. 

“Where are we now?” Naruto asked him, looking at how the sky was properly speckled with stars now. If it was still night time, they couldn’t have gone that far just yet. “Have we left Fire Country?” 

“Just about to hit the borders now,” he told her, like he was giving a report. “Once we cross over into the Land of Hot Water, we’ll be safe to go home. In fact,” he continued, “one of our men is actually waiting just at the bridge up ahead. He’s going to start shunshinning us over the border, and then the trip will be cut in half. We’ll be in Kumo by tomorrow morning.” 

What the actual freak. 

Naruto make a noise of distress, once again craning her neck to see ahead. When she squinted – eyes still a little blurry – she could see the greenery of widespread forests in front of them. Five nin dressed in shades of gray and white marched steadily in front of them, and on a stretcher between the middle two was a small body, long hair flowing off the sides. 

Hinata, Naruto realized with a small jolt. She was similarly binded, and she showed no signs of movement. She looked so vulnerable.

“You’re an asshole,” Naruto blurted, upset at seeing poor Hinata-chan like this. “Kidnapping little kids. How would you like it if someone kidnapped your daughter? Or little sister?” 

“I dunno,” he told her nonchalantly. “I don’t have either. Hey, did anyone ever tell you that you’re way too emotional? If you want to become a ninja, this is not the attitude to have. I suppose I’m doing you a favor. You would end up dead in the field if you tried to have a heart to heart with every enemy shinobi you met.” 

What a self righteous asshole. 

Another Kumo nin left the formation and whispered in her captor’s ear. There was a series of hushed whispers, in which they both began to glance back at Naruto. She slipped the kunai out of the pocket of the cloak, careful not to let it slip out of her hand as she resumed her normal position, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. 

Finally, they straightened up. “Uzumaki,” the Kumo nin said to her — her captor. “Okara said you had a friend with you when you came into the Hyuuga compound, but our men found no traces of him. Where is he now?” 

In her peripheral vision, Naruto saw Okara, and vaguely realized that he was the gate guard. Damn. 

“How should I know!” Naruto challenged, blue fire alight in her eyes. “I’m here, aren’t I?”

“Oi,” he warned. “I’m serious. He just disappeared not too long before we found you. Tell us where he is, Uzumaki.” 

“How am I actually supposed to know that?” Naruto demanded. “You’ve literally kidnapped me, and I dunno how long it’s been. How would I have a clue about where he is? Maybe he left!” 

Okara and kidnapper-san exchanged dubious looks, and though it was minuscule, Naruto noticed that they almost looked… afraid. 

“You’re scared,” Naruto said, almost incredulously. Naruto almost couldn’t fathom. Being scared of Shisui was like being afraid of Pakkun. It just didn’t click.  

To her even greater surprise, neither Kumo nin denied it. “It was Uchiha Shisui.” 

He says it as though Shisui’s mere name is an explanation. Naruto supposed that to them, it is. 

Naruto has never known that version of Shisui, nor would she want to, but she suspected that with them being basically attached at the hip for the foreseeable future, it was sort of one inevitability that came with it.

Okara steps over her stretcher, hawk like irises piercing as he stares her down. Naruto fights the shiver that goes up her spine, making her skin crawl. Her heart is pounding in her chest. In a move that makes Naruto cry out in shock, Okara grabs her by the ninja wire, and it’s only due to her tight grasp on the kunai that the metal doesn’t completely fall. 

Yanking her upwards, he gets all up in her space, and Naruto fights the urge to recoil. 

“Tell us where he is!” Okara shouts, causing the other Kumo nin to look back at them. 

“Hey!” Her kidnapper — she should really learn his name — says, sounding uncomfortable. “Calm down, Okara. She’s just a kid.” 

“She’s the daughter of the Yellow Flash!” Okara countered. “So she’s not just a kid. Of course she knows!” He probably didn’t mean it in the chakra sensing way, but he wasn’t wrong. Okara’s grip on the wire became tighter. “Listen, little brat. Tell us what we want to know or things will get messy for you and your friend.” He holds up a sharpened shuriken, and Naruto’s breath catches in her throat, for the first time feeling actual fear. 

Naruto has pricked her finger on a shuriken before, and she knows just how sharp it is. Her heart accelerates. 

“Okara…” the other Kumo nin says, looking for all intents and purposes, upset. “What are you doing? Doesn’t matter whose kid she is. She’s a kid. Hasn’t even graduated yet. And the Raikage said not to use excessive force on them. He needs them in good shape!” 

“The Raikage,” Okara spits, “isn’t getting chased down by Uchiha Shisui, is he? I’m sure he’ll understand if we had to take drastic measures to ensure our safe return home.” 

Naruto snorts, all bravado she certainly doesn’t feel. “You sound like someone who just gets off on torturing children,” she says, feeling perversely smug when Okara’s face flushes. 

“Uzumaki,” her other Kumo friend snaps. “Shut up.” 

“If you really like it so much,” Naruto continues, ignoring the way Shisui’s chakra is flashing at her like a warning beacon, “then go ahead and carve me up. See how well my father really trained me.” 

She tilts her head defiantly, shaking her blonde hair out of her cerulean eyes so she can meet him head on. 

Okara’a face has been steadily transitioning from pink to red to purple. 

Her kidnapper is staring at her now. He lays a hand on Okara’s. “She’s just egging you on, man. Come on. You know she’s bluffing.”

Okara doesn’t pay him any attention, pushing the shuriken deeper into her skin. The sharp prick is unwelcome, and the urge to wince nearly has the blonde’s facade breaking. 

“Maybe,” she said, “Raikage-sama thinks you’re expendable. That’s why he sent you on this suicide mission to kidnap the Hokage’s daughter. One who has the pleasure of having her personal guard be Uchiha Shisui. Surely, even he knows that you won’t make it out alive?”

Okara’s eyes are narrowed, and his shuriken is digging into her throat. One of the points nicks the tanned skin there, and the drop of blood that trickles down the blade has Naruto not even moving an inch. 

“Okara—“

“Shut up, Akari,” Okara snaps. “Guard the Hyuuga brat,” he points a stern finger to Hinata’s unconscious figure, and Naruto realizes with some dread that she’s lost the last barrier protecting her from Okara. 

Akari even looks apologetic as he falls into formation with the rest of the nin. Okara’s blade hasn’t let up yet, and Naruto tries not to look too obvious as she desperately scans their surroundings for Shisui’s greeny gold chakra. Nausea seeps into her when she realizes that she can’t spot Shisui. 

Okara leans even closer. “Now. Tell me where the Uchiha boy is before I start. I have numerous weapons on me tonight, Uzumaki. Shuriken, kunai, senbon, knives. Will we have to go through them all?”

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Naruto shoots back. 

Fury ignites in Okara’s face, and there’s a split second where he lifts his arm to drag the shuriken across her jaw. Naruto moves as much as the ninja wire will allow her to, and as his shuriken slices against the pale stretch of skin under her jaw, she jabs upward. There’s a sense of satisfaction when the kunai hits its mark. Naruto pulls it out quickly, stabs him once more before pulling it out, ignoring the warmth of the blood that decorates the metal as she slashed through the wire binding her to the stretcher. 

Okara screams, and she feels when the rest of their guard turns, their lightning yellow chakra signatures flaring in alarm. 

“Fuck!” Okara yells, clutching his chest. Blood drops through his fingers, running along the gray vest he dons. “Fuck! Someone get her!” 

Naruto tumbles from the stretcher, back hitting the ground with an oomph . One of the other, nameless Kumo nin dives for her. Naruto rolls, dodging his outstretched fingers. She barely has a second to think of what her plan of attack will be — Okara is clearly the most dangerous one out of all of them, when Shisui slams into the earth like a burning asteroid. There’s a loud boom and the ground cracks upon impact, and two of the Kumo nin shout in surprise.

Hinata stirs. 

His Sharingan is flashing wildly in the darkness, red rubies in a sea of night.  

“Alright?” Shisui manages to ask from one breath into the other. He’s standing in front of her, left foot planted in front of her kneeling body, acting as some sort of wall between her and them. 

“Yeah,” Naruto says, hoping she doesn’t sound as shaken as she is. She has pressed the heel of her palm against her open wound, marveling at the red liquid that comes away with it.  Shisui’s quick eye-dart to her tells her she wasn’t successful, and she grimaces, gripping even tighter to her kunai and throat simultaneously.

“Oh god,” one of them says. “It’s the Uchiha!”

“There’s just one of him!” Another says, in a poor attempt to boost morale. 

“It’s Uchiha Shisui,” Akari re-emphasises, much paler than his dark skin should allow for. 

“I suggest that you run,” Shisui half-whispers to them, his hair crow feathers in the moonlight. “Because I will chase you all the way to Kumo if I have to.” 

“That’s treason!” Okara says, still clutching his wounds. 

Shisui smiles this strange sort of smile. He spreads his arms, as if looking around mockingly. “I don’t see Hokage-sama here. Just like how I don’t see Raikage-sama. And as far as attempted kidnappings go, do you really think that kidnapping the Hokage’s daughter will have a light sentence?” 

Okara opens his mouth to speak, but as quick as a flash, a kunai is embedded in his throat. 

Naruto inhales. She hadn’t even seen Shisui twitch. Not a single finger was out of place. He’s still standing tall and straight, an impregnable force of nature. 

Okara gurgles wetly, blood drenching the sliver of metal that met the cusp of his neck. The entire field was silent as Okara staggered, feet tripping over one another in a way that contradicted the grace one learned as a ninja. 

He landed in a heap of limbs on the cold ground, and didn’t get back up. 

The other four Kumo nin, not counting Akari, immediately drew their blades. but Naruto thought they all knew that perhaps it was hopeless. 

Shisui didn’t draw it out. He worked around Naruto and Hinata, efficiently and quickly in the way that ANBU were trained to be. He shunshinned around the field, taking out the four remaining Kumo nin with a well aimed slice of his kunai. 

Shunshin, strike.

Shunshin, strike.

None of the others were fast enough to even swing their blades. 

In the end, Shisui stood across from Akari. To his credit, he didn’t flinch. He looked more resigned, like he knew he was going to die and had accepted the morbid fact. 

Just when Naruto thought Shisui was going to make the final strike, Shisui sheathed his kunai. “Thank you,” he said, though his tone was cool. “I will not forget your attempts to stop Okara from hurting her. But I also won’t forget how you were the one to kidnap her in the first place. I’m letting you live. But you’re coming with us to meet the Hokage to answer for your transgressions. He might not be as lenient as me.” 

If possible, Akari pales even further before scrambling away from Hinata, putting space between all of them. But, he doesn’t try to run. Naruto is almost impressed. She would say so, but Shisui is gazing ahead. 

He’s deactivated his Sharingan, but his black eyes are cold. Naruto wonders if this is what he looks like under his ANBU mask. 

“Are you okay?” Shisui asks finally. 

“Yeah,” Naruto whispers. The wind blows overhead, and the smell of the carnage before them washes over them. 

“I saw him cut you,” Shisui turns to her, and in swift steps, he crouches down before her. His hands, despite having just killed five people, are gentle when they tilt her jaw upwards until she’s baring her throat for him. 

“It’s not a big deal,” Naruto mumbles, though she doesn’t fight off his fingers. “It’s barely a scratch.” 

Shisui hums, examining the wound carefully, with a practiced eye. His thumb strokes carefully below the cut, and his eyes rove over her, cataloguing any further discrepancies. For someone reason, Naruto is holding her breath. Shisui smells like pine leaves and fire and sugar up close. “It’s shallow,” he declares. “It’ll scab. Nothing serious.” With one last pass of his thumb, Shisui then turned over to Hinata, who had somehow managed to stay asleep the entire way through. Whatever dose of sedative they had hit her with had certainly been stronger than whatever they gave Naruto. As if reading her thoughts, Shisui said, “It’s because of who your mom is. And what she has inside of her. You’re able to burn foreign substances from your blood much faster than anyone else. It’s why the sedative didn’t last long on you.” 

Naruto doesn’t respond. 

Truly, it was a bit scary to think that she might’ve gotten tortured, but she believes that Shisui wouldn’t have let it happen. She’s a little shaken up, but nothing some tea or ramen couldn’t fix. Maybe the most jarring thing about the entire situation is the dark haired boy in front of her. 

She recognized his behavior actually. 

Whenever Kakashi took a mission that had him out of Konoha for weeks at a time, he always returned a little quieter. A little more distant. Like he was detached from reality, and that the rest of the world was just white noise, fading to the background of his life. He’d trained out of it as the years have passed, but it is a pattern Kushina said that most ANBU agents fall into. 

Shisui doesn’t look like the happy, sweet loving friend she’d made, even though she knows they’re one and the same. 

“Are you okay, pretty boy?” Naruto asks, almost hesitantly. It’s hard to make out the expression on his face when it’s so dark out.

“Yes,” he responds. “Come on, Naruto. Let’s get moving. We have quite a few stops along the way. I’m dropping you and Hinata home and then meeting your father.”

“I want to talk to Tou-chan too!” Naruto blurted, glancing from Akari’s ashen features to Shisui. “He’s kind of.. he’s kind of an asshole but he doesn’t deserve to die. You said so yourself. I don’t want Tou-chan to get caught up in his rage.” She searched his dark eyes. “Please.”

Shisui sighed. “Can you walk?”

Naruto assured him that she hadn’t suddenly become handicap, to which Shisui pressed colorless lips together. “Come on, then.” He hoisted Hinata’s small body into his arms with no trouble at all, and Akari walked in front of them, ninja wire now binding his hands. 

Once again, Naruto was surprised when Akari didn’t try to escape. Shisui wasn’t keeping a tight hold on him, and he had another person in his arms. Not to mention that ninja wire wasn’t much of a challenge to get rid of, given that she’d just done it herself. 

They were mostly silent for their walk back. No one was in the mood to speak; Akari was probably under the impression he was being led to his death, Shisui was in ANBU mode, and Naruto had nearly just gotten tortured and then carted off to Kumo. 

It was all a bit much. 

They trekked through the silent village — street vendors had closed their carts and store lights had been dimmed. There were hardly anyone out, save for a few stragglers. The fairy lights that decorated the cobblestone alleyways shone, illuminating the top of Shisui’s head of raven feather hair. 

They even passed the Lucky Golden Kunai, which Naruto knew was a bar that some of the older shinobi frequented. It was one of the only places open, and through the shop window, she could see plastic golden kunais strung up from the ceiling, and the entire room was bathed in muted purple strobe lights. Inside was abnormally empty, however. 

Naruto knew it was because nearly all the chunin and jonin were on standby with the Kumo delegation in the village.

“How long will she be under?” Shisui asked Akari. 

Hinata had been slumbering for a long time now, and didn’t look like she had any inclination of waking up any time soon. 

Akari shrugs. “It was a potent dose we gave her. We wanted her to sleep the entire trip. She probably won’t wake up until noon tomorrow. Unless you have something here in the hospitals to siphon the drug out of her system.”

“No wounds?” Shisui asked. 

“No!” Akari said. “We didn’t touch a hair on her head after we knocked her out. She’s fine.” 

Naruto supposed he could be lying, but Shisui didn’t question him any further. 

The closer they got to the Hokage Tower, the more antsy Akari became, his eerie, lamp-like eyes darting around in fear. Almost like he expected public execution or something; a guillotine lined up for his beheading. Naruto didn’t think her dad was that scary. But then again — perhaps she wasn’t an expert on such matters. 

Once they had climbed the stairs and were waiting outside the Hokage’s office,  Naruto finally sensed another familiar chakra signature. Not her father — but Kakashi. His silvery swirls were just outside in a tree, and Shisui’s hands ran through some motions, and as Kakashi’s signature flickered to attention, Naruto’s danger senses began to blare. 

Not for her, no. 

She felt perfectly safe. Comfortable even. But the killing intent that began to radiate out of Kakashi’s normally neutral form was a bit of a shock. 

Kakashi — Hound — disappeared in a flash, and they waited for both his and Minato’s arrival. 

It took less than five minutes before Minato practically shimmered into existence besides them, his Flying Thunder God kunai dangling from his grasp. 

His blue eyes were cold and steely, and his Hokage cloak was clasped around his neck. 

He brushed past them all without speaking, not even looking in Naruto or Hinata’s direction. 

Once they were inside, Shisui knelt on the floor, head dipped in a sign of respect for his Kage. Kakashi came in, mask on his face and carefully bundled Hinata up before disappearing again. 

“Rise,” Minato commanded. Shisui got to his feet. “Report.” 

Like some automatic response, Shisui’s back straightened. “Naruto and I went to the Hyuuga compound tonight, and were met with suspicious guards. They reported on Hinata Hyuugas whereabouts but Naruto couldn’t sense her anywhere in the compound.” There was a slight hitch in his voice; the blonde could tell he didn’t want to speak any further. “We made a plan—“ Minato’s eyes narrowed, “— where Naruto acted as bait. Akari,” he gestured to the Kumo nin, “pretended to take her to Hinata, and then drugged her into unconsciousness before fleeing with the rest of his team. I tracked them to the borders of the Land of Hot Water before intercepting when one of them was about to torture Naruto.” 

“Where is the rest of the team?” Minato asked. 

“Disposed of,” Shisui said, very matter-of-factly. 

Disposed, Naruto thought, nearly snorting aloud. That was certainly a nice way of putting it.

“But you’ve brought back a straggler,” he notes, arching one of those elegant blonde eyebrows at Akari, who lowers his eyes, as though Minato could kill him otherwise. 

“Yes,” Shisui said. “Not only did he stop his fellow shinobi from torturing Naruto, but Naruto also…” he trails off. “I don’t believe he deserves death. Perhaps a warning would suffice, Hokage-sama.” 

Minato’s glacier eyes cut to Akari, who visibly gulped. “You’re the one who sedated my daughter?” His tone is dangerously low. One wrong word, and Akari will be dead, Naruto knows. She shifts from foot to foot, kind of nervous. She doesn’t think Akari should die. 

“Yes,” Akari says. “I’m the one who drugged her and then kidnapped her.” 

“Shisui says you didn’t let your comrades torture her,” Minato says. “Why?” 

Akari winced. His fingers were trembling. “I - I couldn’t let them. She’s just a kid. Even if she is your daughter. And that’s not what we were tasked to do, anyways. Okara was - he was a coward. If he was going to torture a kid to find out where Uchiha was – then that’s the act of a coward.”

”Tou — “ Naruto stops herself as three pairs of eyes flit to her. “Hokage-sama,” she corrects. “I don’t think you should kill Akari. He was wrong to kidnap me but he was better than the rest of his team. He wasn’t willing to lift a weapon against a child. And he didn’t try to run. He is accepting his punishment, and I think that — that if we kill him, then we’re no better than them.”

Minato surveyed Naruto closely, and then Akari; the entire room was holding his breath for his verdict. Then he snapped his finger once. Kakashi flashed down. “Hound,” he said. “Escort Akari to the borders of Konoha. If you ever return,” he told Akari, “then you will be sentenced to life in prison. We’re allowing you to return home as a show of goodwill, though we have no reason to give it at this moment. But in the light of our treaty negotiations, I will let you live. But you are not welcome here. Ever.” Akari flinched. 

Minato seemed about ten feet taller when he said, “Make sure you tell your Kage that Konoha sends its regards.” To anyone else, it might seem like a cordial message to pass along. But feeling the killing intent on Minato spike let Naruto know that it was a subtle threat. “You’re dismissed. Shisui, Naruto, stay behind.” 

There was a second where Hound shuffled Akari out of the room, and Naruto and Shisui met Minato’s gaze steadily. 

Once the door clicked shut, all pretenses dropped. Minato staggered forward, pulling Naruto into his arms, running a hand over her hair and squeezing her tight. 

“Naru-chan, Naru-chan,” Minato breathed, sounding more like the father she knew and loved. “Are you okay, my dear Naru-chan?” Naruto can hardly get time to answer him with how fast he’s speaking — he pulls away from her to check her face and her hands, and when he sees the cut against her throat, he stills, almost shocked. “Naruto!”

“Tou-chan,” Naruto gently pushes his hands away from her, but envelops them in her own. “I’m okay. I’m fine. The cut — it’s barely anything. And Shisui took care of me.”

“Are you sure?” Minato asked, bypassing her hands and cupping her cheek, as if trying to make she’s all there. 

“I’m okay. Really.” 

They both turn to see Shisui, who is staring at them, hand clenching and unclenching by his side. 

“Shisui,” Minato said. “Thank you.” 

“It was no problem,” Shisui responded. “I was just doing my job.” 

For some reason, Naruto’s heart locks into a vice at that. 

“Yes, I know,” Minato nods. “I really appreciate it, Shisui. You have no idea. I’d like you to stay with us until the Kumo delegation departs, but after that, you can take a vacation. You’ve earned it.” 

“Thanks,” Shisui says, not looking at Naruto. 

Naruto is looking at him though, waiting for him to acknowledge her. He doesn’t. 

“Hound will switch out with you,” Minato continues, ignorant to the inner turmoil swirling in Naruto. “For now, you’re dismissed. Return to the house, and rest. I’ll bring Naruto home.” 

Shisui dips his head imperceptibly. Then he shunshins out of the window, and Naruto watches as his greeny gold chakra fades. 

“Hey,” Minato’s concerned voice steals her attention. She turns from the window. “Are you really… are you sure you’re not in shock? I can call a medic in here to check you out.” 

“No,” Naruto said, inching away from her father slightly. She appreciated his worry, but it wasn’t necessary. This was all part of what ninjas went through, after all. If she was tracking to become one, she would have to come to terms with that fact. There was no need for him to coddle her. “I’m fine. It’s not a big deal.” 

Minato made a noise of disbelief. “ Not a big deal?” he repeated incredulously. “You were nearly kidnapped, Naru-chan. I think that’s very much a big deal.” His frown turns even deeper. “I got the condensed version from Shisui. I want you to tell me everything that happened, okay?” 

So Naruto did. When she got to the part about her and Shisui using her as bait, Minato’s eyebrows furrowed. “I don’t like that he did that,” Minato tells her. 

Naruto shrugs. “It worked didn't it? Have a little more faith in him. And in me. I — he wouldn’t have let anything happen. Seriously.” Minato hummed, but his eyes were still on the cut. It had stopped bleeding a long time ago, but if she moved too much, she could feel the sting of it. “Tou-chan,” Naruto pushed him. “I’m serious. I know you don’t like that he did that but now, well. I feel safe with him around, okay?” 

And at that, Minato melted, pulling her into another bone-crushing hug that knocked the air out of her lungs. “I didn’t even know,” Minato said sadly. “I would’ve never known.”

“That’s our fault,” she consoled him. “We left the note; we really did think that it wouldn’t take long. Is - is Hinata-chan going to be okay?” 

Minato nodded. “I had Kakashi call her father and sister too. She should be awake in the morning, and the medics said that they really did just give her a sedative. You should expect an early visit from him tomorrow. He was worried.” 

Naruto looked up. “I’m tired,” she said. “And hungry. Can we… go home and eat?”

Minato ruffled her hair affectionately, and Naruto got the feeling that she could ask for anything in the world right then, and he would find a way to give it to her. 

“Anything for you, Naru-chan,” Minato says. Naruto doesn’t stop him when he takes her hand, like she’s a small child who needs to be guided across a busy street. She understands that he needs this physical closeness to assure himself that she’s okay. It’s innocent, even. She doesn’t mind. Her father is one of her favorite people. 

Hand in hand, they walk home together. Minato seems to sense she’s not in the mood to talk, because he doesn’t say much outside of asking her what she wants to eat. 

When she gets home, Kushina isn’t even up, which Naruto takes as Minato not even waking her to tell her he’s leaving for Hokage business. Minato’s sheepish little smile confirms it, leaving her fond. 

As she sits at the kitchen table, playing with the ends of Shisui’s cloak, she looks around. Her mother’s red and purple bubbles are quietly simmering as they tend to do, and a feel of calm washes over her. Sometimes, it’s easy to take a breath when she can spot the familiar people in her life. 

Almost like all her ducks are in a row, and she knows exactly where. Kushina is sleeping, Minato’s lightning quick chakra zips around in front of her as he prepares her a snack. Kakashi’s chakra is far away, but close enough that his silver whorls dance on the edge of her mind. He must be coming back now. Sasuke’s a bit of a stretch to find, but she can pick out his amethyst sparkle from where it’s embedded in the heart of the Uchiha compound. And Shisui is here too, his greeny gold glittering in his room, though Naruto can tell that he’s wide awake. 

“Try not to worry about him,” Minato says suddenly. He’s meticulously fixing up a sandwich for her; it’s not something they normally eat, but it is late, and Naruto doesn’t want him to start actually cooking. 

“What?”

“Shisui,” Minato gives her a small, knowing smile. “You’ve got that — you know. That look on your face.” 

Naruto didn’t know, but he was right in that she was worrying about Shisui. 

“I just can’t help but think he’s not— he’s not okay. He, well. I think the whole thing just shook him up a little. I dunno how to explain it. He just feels… far away.”

Minato quirked an eyebrow. “He’s in the next room.”

An unexplainable flush crawled up Naruto’s cheeks, feeling as though her father was implying something that didn’t really exist. “Stop it,” she whined, embarrassed. “That’s not what I mean and —and don’t play dumb!”

“ I’m not doing anything,” he countered. “Just, give him some time, okay? It can be hard to see someone you’re friends with be attacked. That’s why we normally don’t allow ANBU to guard someone they’re close with,” he says kindly. “It’s a conflict of interest.”

“I don’t believe in that,” Naruto told him stubbornly, crossing her arms, even as he plated the sandwich and slid it in front of her. “Shisui is friends with me, but he still protected me tonight And Kakashi is basically our family. He’s like my brother — your son! And he always protects us. I just don’t see what the issue is.” 

“You don’t now,” Minato said. “But you will. You’ll understand what I’m saying even if you don’t like it. And that’s the hard truth.”

Naruto didn’t bother to respond. Instead, she ate her sandwich, which tasted like cardboard in her dry mouth, her head full of thoughts about her raven haired bodyguard. 

Minato bid her goodnight with a kiss on the forehead and promises of talk tomorrow — Naruto barely resisted groaning. Tomorrow would be a horrible day; it would be a fight to see who could come up with the most ridiculous method of keeping Naruto perfectly safe. Her mother, Kakashi, and her father — they could brainstorm for hours on this sort of topic. 

When she was finished, she clicked off the lights in the room, and quietly padded past her parents room. As she was about to make for her own room, she paused in front of Shisui’s door. 

Maybe she should check on him. 

The door creaked as she gave it a light push. 

The inside was dark, and she could make out Shisui’s form, laying on his futon. He has his back to the door, and though he hadn’t moved a muscle, Naruto could tell through his chakra signature that the older boy was very much awake. 

A small sliver of light poured into the room. Naruto held her breath, waiting for Shisui to say something or do anything. He doesn’t. 

Naruto silently counted to five. 

But Shisui still didn’t turn around. 

—><—

Notes:

WELCOME BACK TO HONEY TRAP!! For starters, I would like to say thank you so much for your continued love and support for this fic even when I was absent. It means a lot that you guys liked it so much!

Second of all, I would like to say that I’m going to be updating regularly, but I shall not make that promise because I’m really horrible at keeping it. I also have so many other fics that I’m trying to update while also keeping up with my college classes; it’s just impossible. I also recently got back into the Harry Potter fandom and was sucked into Drarry hell — so there’s that.

ANYWAYS THO. YES. okay so let’s just outline what’s coming next — after this chapter, there will be one more chapter and then we’re time skipping to when Naruto is a genin.
It won’t be like the first year of her being a genin, it’ll be like year two. So she’ll be a teenager.
As for Shisui — well. I just want to say that there’s a specific thing to keep in mind going forward. Minato said it. Conflicts of interest.

I’m not so sure if it’s straightforward in what’s going to happen, but I’m sure you can guess at least part of it.

But anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!! It took me a long time to write because I was kind of stuck on when Shisui allowed her to act as bait for like months. I was actually thinking that it was an overall writers block because like two weeks ago I was stuck on every fic I own lmao.

Alas, I am back.
Happy reading and stay safe! :)

Chapter 7: Uneaten Matcha Swiss Rolls

→←

In the midst of everything else that was going on, Naruto had all but forgotten that Sasuke still wasn’t speaking to her, though, she had only stared ahead at Iruka-sensei glumly, and thought, well, him and Shisui both. 

Sasuke, in a display of rare emotion, had sort of grimaced at her rather uncomfortably when they’d sat down together that Monday for class, sort of like he’d wanted to say something, but was unsure of how to start the conversation now that they hadn’t spoken for a time. 

Naruto echoed the sentiment. But she was sure the only reason he was feeling so social was because all of Konoha was aware of the treasonous acts committed by the Kumo nin. Which meant that Sasuke was aware that his frenemy had nearly been shipped off to Lightning Country for the rest of her life. 

In any case, Hinata seemed to be taking things rather well. 

Naruto glanced up at her through the corner of her eyes, face in palm, pencil doodling little foxes and Kakashi’s ninken in the margins. Hinata had returned to school that morning, and had requested a private audience, which actually just meant the hallway outside of their classroom. There, she had bowed her head and said in the softest voice that she was so thankful, and that she was at Naruto’s disposal for anything. 

Naruto appreciated the gesture, but it wasn’t one of those things where favors needed to be traded. It wasn’t like she wanted payment for being kidnapped alongside Hinata-chan and having her own ANBU guard take care of said kidnappers. If anything, she should direct any and all words of thanks to Shisui, but with how strict things were between the Uchiha and Hyuuga, Naruto wouldn’t be surprised if it never happened. 

No, Hinata seemed fine. She was copying notes at her normal pace, and her creme sweater was perfectly ironed, as it always was. 

Naruto sighed. Ever since this weekend, she’d been feeling restless. She was usually restless anyways, but it was worse. She couldn’t stop bouncing her legs up and down, and her fingers fiddled with random things on her desk, and everything Iruka-sensei was telling them felt like it was going in one ear and coming out the other. 

It just seemed so pointless, really. The lesson for today was about important diplomatic missions that Konoha had undertaken since its founding. Interesting, sure, to a certain extent. But Naruto believed that was still pointless.

Having been in a real, ninja situation, where lives were at stake, the entire thing just seemed juvenile. How would knowing about diplomatic missions ever stop her from getting kidnapped from Kumo? At no point had she needed to know any specific piece of information that made her think, wow! I should’ve paid attention to Iruka-sensei’s history lessons!

Sasuke was glancing at her, and where he would’ve normally sneered at her for moving around so much, now he just stayed silent. Odd, was what it was. 

Really, though. There was no need to walk around eggshells here. She was fine. Her parents and Kakashi had practically smothered her to death – Kakashi had even given her a hug. Hugs initiated by Kakashi were often reserved for special occasions; birthdays, holidays, and the recently added life or death experiences. 

Kakashi’s silvery chakra signature sparkled above them, like he knew exactly what she was thinking, and she resisted the urge to stick out her tongue at them, as though he could see her. 

And that was another thing – Kakashi. Or - more like, Shisui. 

Tou-chan had given Shisui vacation time, which Shisui had taken off for without a single word. Kakashi was now on temporary guard duty, and Naruto didn’t mind at all. She actually usually liked when Kakashi was her guard, because that meant she and Shisui could hangout as normal friends. 

Except, Shisui had disappeared off the face of the Elemental Nations, or something, because he just wasn’t around. 

Naruto thought that this was like that thing, where Kakashi got weird after missions, except that at least he still came around.

Shisui had been on vacation for like, two days, and had yet to come out of the woodworks. 

Granted, Naruto wasn’t so selfish as to not acknowledge that he deserved time off for the countless hours he put in guarding her. But the silence unsettled her. 

She hadn’t spoken to him since that night, and following the Kumo delegation’s departure, he’d left immediately with no further words.

She had knocked on his door Sunday evening, Kakashi shadowing her steps like a phantom. But the house had been empty, and there was nowhere within Naruto’s radius that she could spot his forest-fire chakra signature. 

Maybe he’d gone somewhere. Maybe he was just on the far side of the village.

When the bell rang for the day, Naruto sighed again. She had been pretty distracted, but Iruka-sensei hadn’t called her out like he usually did; he probably thought she deserved a little leeway, but honestly, a distraction was welcome to find her if it could.

“Oi, dobe.” 

Naruto almost smiled. Distraction successfully found. 

“Oh,” Naruto said, turning around. “Are you finally speaking to me?”

Sasuke’s natural scowl is set in place. “No. Of course not. You still haven’t apologized, have you?” 

Naruto almost felt ashamed. She hadn’t apologized, despite having every intention of doing so. But now that she was here, her tongue felt like it was stuck to the roof of her mouth. Apologizing wasn’t the problem, not really. No, the problem was that she had to give the apology to Sasuke. Sasuke was like her worst enemy. Apologizing to him was like saying she’d lost. It was a matter of pride, and they both knew it. 

Kakashi’s sparkly chakra was still, like he too was waiting to see what would happen. He was the only one besides Shisui who knew what had happened, and he’d actually given her advice about her weird friendship with the Uchiha boy. It would be remiss for her to waste it. 

Sasuke had been mad, but it was clear that with the knowledge that she was going to apologize, he was very smug. 

What an ass. 

Naruto huffed, crossing her arms. “Fine,” she mutters. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you when I… said what I said. I was just — um.” How could she explain it any better? Shisui was right. Sasuke wasn’t ready to hear the truth, but it didn’t make it any less true. “I was just… thinking,” she said carefully. “About something Shisui and I talked about. And I guess it projected into my conversation with you. I don’t…um. I don’t really…” She trailed off.

Sasuke snorted. “You’re just making it worse, I hope you know.”

“Yeah, I know,” Naruto said miserably. “I was thinking about… uh. Apologizing. I was… I just got caught up.”

Sasuke’s face shutters, slightly. “Yeah,” he says, slowly. “I know. Nii-san told me what happened. Now,” he starts, holding his hands out like he’s warding her off, “don’t read too much into this but… are you, like, okay?” 

It takes a second for the question to register in Naruto’s brain. Sasuke’s cheeks are rosy, and Naruto gapes at him. “Did you just–”

“Shut up!” Sasuke says. “I just said not to read into it!” 

Naruto kind of wants to smile, but that’s like, against the rules with her and Sasuke, so she settles for rolling her eyes. Sasuke immediately looks more at ease. “I’m fine,” she drawled. “It’s not like anything detrimental really happened.” 

Sasuke motions to the sliver of scab that still remains underneath her jaw. “No other major cuts?” 

“This one wasn’t even major!” Naruto protested. “It’s little!” 

“Yeah, but it’s at a vital spot,” Sasuke said. “Your neck?” 

Naruto rolls her eyes again. “Every spot is a vital spot if you damage it enough, teme.”

“Whatever,” he said. “Look, I was wondering if you know what’s up with Shisui? He’s been acting–”

“Weird?” Naruto grumbled. “Yeah, I know. Wait! You’ve seen him?”

Sasuke stared at her like she was crazy. “Uh, yeah? He’s not on duty, right now, obviously. I mean, you know that, don’t you?”

“Obviously,” she parrotted. “I just mean, I haven’t seen him since that night.”

“Maybe he’s sick of you,” Sasuke says. “I know I would be.” 

“Take me to him,” Naruto demanded. 

“No!” Sasuke denied. “There’s no way I’m inviting you over just to get stuck in another terrifying dinner with my family.. Besides, you like Itachi-nii too much.”

“But Shisui is avoiding me,” Naruto whined. “I know he is. If you’ve seen him, but I haven’t, then he has to be. There’s no way he can mask his chakra signature, right? I can sense him!” 

“Ugh!” Sasuke threw his hands up. “You and this weird chakra sensing ability of yours. I’m still convinced you made the entire thing up!”

“Why would I do that?” 

“Why wouldn’t you?” Sasuke counters, looking unimpressed with her. “I mean, if you could really do all that, then you would be able to find Shisui, wouldn’t you?” 

Naruto sighed. “Pick anyone whose chakra signature I’ve seen before and I can take you directly to them, teme. You’re just jealous you can’t do it!” 

“Jealous of a dead last like you?” Sasuke says. “As if!” 

“Sasuke,” Naruto starts, and then lowers her voice. “I’m worried about Shisui, okay? He was acting really weird after we got home that night, and I haven’t spoken to him since! And now you’ve gone and said he’s been strange too! And if it’s you saying it, then it must be true because you’ve got the emotional intelligence of a rock!”

Sasuke stares at her for a second. Then, “I don’t know what nii-san and Shisui see in you!” 

Naruto sneered at him, planting her hands on her hips as she got all in his face. “Newsflash, Sasuke-kun, maybe you’re completely blind without your Sharingan, huh? I just think that–”

“No one cares what you think! I’m not taking you to see–”

“But WHY!”

“He clearly doesn’t want to see you, and I’ll pick Shisui’s side over yours–”

“I’ll just find Itachi and he’ll tell me exactly where–”

“Stop trying to steal my brother!”

“Stop being a big baby!”

An abrupt clearing of throats has them both going silent within seconds. Both Naruto and Sasuke shot up, slowly turning to the intruder.

And when Naruto saw who it was, she internally groaned. Sasuke visibly blanched. “There’s no way your sensing skills are real,” Sasuke says, and for once, Naruto can’t even argue. 

Yamanaka Ino stands in front of them, and she does not look happy. It takes a moment for Naruto to realize why. 

Though Naruto has assured the girl for years that she has no intentions of going after her precious Sasuke, Ino has believed after all this time that this has been an underhand tactic to make Ino let her guard down. Her and Sasuke are standing close together, right now, but it’s never romantic, and it never will be. 

Ever. 

If that happens, Naruto is trusting her family to know that it’s not really her, but a fake, imposter version of herself.

“Naruto,” Ino says, shooting her a look of contempt. Her voice immediately softens as she addresses Sasuke. “Sasuke-kun.” 

“Kill me,” Naruto mutters. 

“Me first,” Sasuke mutters back. 

“What are you two doing out here alone?” Ino asks, trying and failing to sound innocent. “I didn’t know that you guys were… friendly.” 

“We’re not!” Sasuke and Naruto chorus together, which, if the look on Ino’s face is anything to go by, does not help. 

“Right,” Ino says tightly. Then her lips form into a smirk. “So, Naruto? We haven’t spoken in a long time. How’s that future husband of yours?” 

Clearly, this is a ploy to remind Sasuke that Naruto is technically taken. It honestly makes her want to blow her own brains out. “Good,” Naruto shrugs. “He’s doing fine. Uh,” she shoots Sasuke a look. “Maybe I should find you later?” she says. “When you’re… free?”

Sasuke is shooting her the most betrayed, pleading look she’s ever seen, and the situation would be funnier if Naruto didn’t understand exactly what the problem was. 

“No!” Sasuke all but shouts, shuffling closer to Naruto as Ino makes to grab his arm. “Didn’t you say you needed to see Itachi?”

His dark eyes meet her crystalline blue ones, and a silent conversation passed through them. 

Don’t leave me with her! Sasuke seemed to yell it. 

Naruto grimaced. Please. She thinks I’m trying to steal you away from her. I'd rather her not kill me in a fit of jealous rage. 

She knows you have a fiancé or something? 

“You guys are going out together after school?” Ino asked. “Is it like a… date?” She wasn’t even trying to hide the jealousy in her tone.

Naruto didn’t even respond. Instead, she turned to Sasuke. See?

If we’ve ever been friends –

We’re not friends! Naruto glowered at him. 

“Hey!” Ino snapped, clearly not enjoying being ignored, and they both turned to look at her in sync. “Since when have you two gotten so chummy? I thought you weren’t friends, and now you’re having all these silent conversations with just your eyes, and you’re planning to hangout after school? Is there something you want to tell me, Naruto?” Her milky blue eyes are accusatory, and Naruto feels both annoyed and affronted. 

“I have nothing to confess to you, Ino-chan,” Naruto snarks, putting her hands on her hips. “And even if there was something to confess, why on earth would I tell you? Besides, it’s not like Sasuke-kun doesn’t have a voice, right? If you have questions, why don't you direct them to him?” 

Ino’s face has turned an ugly shade of red.

“Nobody’s ever–” Ino splutters.

“Called you out when you deserved it?” Naruto asks innocently. “No, I thought not. Listen, Ino-chan, if you don’t believe me when I say I don’t have a crush on this teme, then that’s not my problem. I don’t have to try to convince you. And even if I did, then I’d still have nothing to explain, because he’s not your boyfriend. Is he?” Ino opens her mouth to say something, but Naruto continues speaking. “It’s none of your business, really. If you have something to say, say it with your chest, but that’s it. If it doesn’t concern you, you probably shouldn’t ask.” She sighed. “Come on, teme.” 

And without waiting for Ino to gather her bearings, she grabbed Sasuke around the wrist and tugged him away. It went to show how shocked he was that he didn’t even try to pull away from her. 

It was only until they were a few minutes away from the Academy that Sasuke pulled his wrist back. “I can’t believe –” Sasuke started, rubbing his wrist gingerly. “I can’t believe you said that. She’s going to murder you.” 

Naruto snorted. “She can certainly try.” Then she winced. “She definitely thinks I have a crush on you now, though.” 

“Better you than her,” Sasuke muttered. Naruto gaped. Sasuke turned bright red, seeming to realize what he said. “What!” He protested, in un-Sasuke-like fashion. “It’s true. I would never reciprocate her feelings –”

“And you would reciprocate mine?” Naruto asked, voice almost strangled. There was no way…. This Sasuke was an imposter. There was no other feasible explanation.

“No!” Sasuke burst out. “No! I just mean that you’re better than her in the feelings department. I know you don’t like me, and I don’t like you! Just –” he gestured helplessly, “if you did, you wouldn’t act like a psycho!” 

Naruto only stared at him in silence. Then, “Okay, yeah. Let’s go.” 

Sasuke jerked back. “Go? Go where?” 

There was no way he was serious. “What do you mean?” Naruto asked. “To see Itachi, obviously.”

“I told you I’m not taking you to see him!” 

“You owe me!” Naruto pointed out. “And you told Ino you would!” 

“I was obviously lying!” 

Naruto huffed. “Fine! I don’t need you anyways, you know? I can just track down Itachi myself.”

“The same way you can track down Shisui?” Sasuke fired back. “Or Ino?” 

“Shut up!” Naruto screeched. “And don’t follow me, teme! I’m gonna find him without you!”

“You’re going to my home, dobe,” Sasuke said. “How could I not follow you?” 

Naruto decided that she didn’t need to respond to logical questions, and bounced away, channeling light traces of chakra into her feet as she did so she moved a little faster. Much to her annoyance, Sasuke outpaced her very quickly because he could control his chakra better. Naruto grumbled. Whatever. He would have to look for Itachi. Naruto could spot Itachi’s hearth-like chakra signature, sparkling like the cooling embers of a fire. It was like cozying up next to a fireplace in the winter time, a hot cup of tea warming your hands. 

Satisfied about this, at least, she hopped away, dutifully ignoring Sasuke’s presence even though they were only a couple of feet apart. She scolded to herself. Teme. She couldn’t stand him. 

Sasuke shot her a suspicious glance once they actually arrived at the village gates because as soon as they cleared the guards, she immediately swerved left instead of following the cobble path to where the clan house was located. 

Sasuke had no doubt that his older brother would be home, but Naruto could see Itachi moving about in the training field just behind the compound. She ignored the way that the Uchiha milling about shot her suspicious glances as she came bouncing in, no Sasuke, Itachi, or Shisui by her side mute them. 

It would’ve been more unnerving if she couldn’t feel Kakashi’s silvery sparkle shadowing her every move, like a soothing balm against her skin. It was familiar. 

Sasuke’s amethyst chakra was still buzzing along the road to his family house, and Naruto grinned to herself. Victory was victory, even if it was something as small as this. 

Itachi was in the little clearing that she’d had her first body flickering lessons in. Pushing her way through the thickets, she immediately felt the wide smile crawl on her face at the sight of the older boy just a few paces away. His hair was tied up today, like it was most days, though the edges framed his pale face. A string of dummies were lined up neatly, and Naruto watched as he neatly sliced through each with the large sword in his hands – a katana. 

“Itachi!” Naruto waved, bounding up to him. She didn’t give him a chance to drop his sword before she was throwing her arms around him, squeezing tightly. “Hi!” 

Itachi froze for a second, before he was hugging her back just as tightly. “Naruto-chan,” Itachi greeted warmly. “What a pleasant surprise.” 

Naruto grins back, feeling a little starstruck. Itachi is one of the most popular boys in the village. She doesn’t have a crush on him or anything, and neither does she consider herself a fangirl, but it’s not hard to see why people adore him so. It’s just….

He’s Itachi. 

“I wasn’t planning on coming either!” Naruto told him, finally stepping out of his embrace. “But Sasuke-teme told me that you were home, and that you knew where that pretty boy was! So I thought I should ask.” 

Itachi got this knowing look in his eye, and his lips tilted up in amusement. “Is that so? And where is my younger brother?” 

Naruto shrugged. “Dunno. We split ways once we made it here. But…” She reached out a little, feeling for Sasuke’s presence. “He’s not far now. Should be here soon.” 

“Your abilities are really strong,” Itachi tells her. “Have you made any progress since we last spoke?” 

Naruto pouted. “I thought my chakra chains would’ve activated when I was kidnapped or something! But it didn’t. And now I don’t know what to do. Your older cousin said not to put myself in dangerous situations if I could help it but–”

“And he’s right,” Itachi said, almost sternly for his soft voice. 

Naruto sighed. “I know. But still. We graduate really soon and I’m not sure what to do.”

Itachi hesitated, and then put his hand on her shoulder. “Is there a reason you haven’t asked your mother?” He asks her gently. 

Naruto felt her shoulders hike up to her ears, and scolded herself for it. Ninja shouldn’t be so quick to show off body language. “No,” she said. “I just don’t wanna inconvenience them. You know? They’re busy.”

“Naruto,” Itachi said, his dark eyes kind. “I know your father is Hokage and your mother is a talented shinobi. But they’re still your parents. They love you. They’ll make time for you. And I assure you that they wouldn’t even start to consider you an inconvenience. I think you should ask your mother what she did to control her chakra beside her chains, okay?”

Naruto feels herself flush. It’s a little embarrassing for Itachi to speak to her like she’s a kid. But she also understands, and nothing Itachi has ever said to her has come off as condescending. So she nods slowly, suddenly unable to meet his eyes. 

Thankfully, Sasuke inadvertently saves the day.

“ You!” The accusation is almost customary, and Naruto’s lips tick, her whiskers twitching as she turns to face the dark head of hair making for her and Itachi.

“Me,” Naruto agrees with a smirk. “What took you so long, Sasuke-kun? Did you take the scenic route?”

Sasuke is clearly fuming, his fists clenched tightly. “How did you find Nii-san?” 

“I told you I can sense chakra signatures. Including your brother.”

“Then how come you can’t find Shisui?” Sasuke demanded. 

Naruto turned to Itachi. “Yes. Why can’t I find him? Where is he?”

Itachi’s face changed into an expression she couldn’t quite decipher, and his eyes glanced around, as though he too were looking for Shisui. Finally, the older boy settles on, “...he doesn’t want to be found.”  

“Ha!” Sasuke said, gloatingly. “I told you.” 

“But why?” Naruto stamped her foot, ignoring Sasuke’s snort of amusement. “Sasuke says you’ve both seen him. Is he avoiding me?” 

Itachi’s silence told her everything she needed to know.

“Well!” Naruto exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips, and trying not to feel as hurt as she did. “Whatever! I don’t care if Shisui is avoiding me! He could if he wants! I just want to know how. ” This was not necessarily a lie, if Naruto thought about it. There wasn’t a single soul she’d ever actively searched for and hadn’t found. How was Shisui evading her? 

When Naruto looked again, Sasuke and Itachi were both quiet, shooting her varying looks of disbelief. Itachi was being way more subtle about it, and Naruto willed the red on her cheeks to go away. She wasn’t upset. Not at all. 

Why would she be? Shisui didn’t owe her anything, after all. He was entitled to wanting to be as far away from her as he could possibly get after he guarded her around the clock. 

With a huff that the blonde thought she probably didn’t give enough attitude for, she flipped her hair and pivoted on her heel. “I’m going home,” she said, keeping her voice deceptively steady. “If you see Shisui, I guess you can tell him that I’ll see him when he gets back from vacation.” 

A hand caught her shoulder and twirled her around. “Naruto, wait,” Itachi said. “Shisui’s just being… he just gets like this sometimes,” he said. “It’s not… forgive him. Please,” Itachi's hands were clasped around hers now. “It’s nothing to do with you, really.” 

“There’s nothing to forgive,” Naruto said loudly. “Don’t worry about it, okay?”

And before Itachi or Sasuke could get another word in, she was leaving the clearing. 

She stomped the entire way home, ignoring the glaring Uchiha and the curious glitter of Kakashi overhead. 

She scanned the area once more just to see – and no Shisui turned up. Of course. Mood even worse than when the day had started, Naruto didn’t even think as she slammed the door to her house open, and let it fall shut with a bang behind her. 

Whatever. 

She had planned to make something really nice for Shisui, but she guessed he wouldn’t be getting it. It was fine. Completely fine. She and her parents could share it. 

“Naruto?” Her mother’s voice echoed over the din of her own thoughts. “Is that you, darling?” 

“Yeah,” Naruto called back, tucking her feet into her slippers and letting her school bag drop to the floor. “I’m home.” 

“Welcome home!” Her mother’s footsteps padded to the entryway. A curtain of crimson hair peeked around the wall, and Naruto, despite her inner turmoil, found that she could not fight the fondness tugging at her chest. 

“Hi, Kaa-san,” Naruto said. 

Kushina went quiet for all of ten seconds before she was wrapping Naruto in a big hug that felt like warmth and sunshine. Her purple and red chakra was all encompassing, and Naruto couldn’t help but sink into it, feeling comforted by the lilac of her mother and the fiery red of the beast lurking beneath. “Oh, my Naruto-chan,” Kushina stroked her hair lovingly. “What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing,” Naruto started to say, but faltered when her mom tapped her foot. “How do you know?” 

Kushina smiles. “I’m a mother, dattebane. How could I not? ” And the blonde supposed that she couldn’t argue with that. “Let’s sit,” Kushina says. “And we’ll talk. Do you want something to eat?”

“Not hungry.” 

Kushina seemed startled. “No?” she asked. “This must be more severe than I thought.”

Naruto didn’t really want to talk about Shisui. She still was kind of hesitant to bring him up around her father or Kakashi, and she didn’t want him to get in trouble even if he was ignoring her like a cowardly coward. He was still her guard, after all, and he was clearly doing a good job. 

“It’s not serious,” she said. “I went over to the Uchiha compound after school today and I saw Itachi.” 

“Oh!” Kushina was delighted. “And how is little Ita-kun? Is he alright?”

“Yes, he’s alright,” Naruto said. “I was talking to him and that teme–”

“Naruto.” Her mother said warningly. 

She sighed. “Fine. I was talking to him and Sasuke and he was trying to advise me on how to control my chakra. Y’know? Since my reserves are annoyingly ginormous. Itachi said if anyone could help me it would be you, even if I can’t manifest my chakra chains.” 

Kushina bit her lip. “I…. he’s right. I would be the best suited to help you control it, but the fact of it is that chakra chains were my main method of releasing some of the excess chakra I had. It certainly made it easier to control.”

That made Naruto despair. It seemed there was no solution to fixing her problem. She knew for a fact that the Academy’s graduation test had the student create a clone that could last. Naruto’s clones – she blanched. There was no way. “Is there nothing?” She asked a bit desperately, wringing her fingers together over the plaid tablecloth that adorned their dinner table. 

Kushina seemed almost contemplative. “I have an idea,” she admitted. “But it’s kind of… illegal. I would need to get your father’s permission, and I don’t think he’ll say no, but it's better to be safe than sorry.” She smiled sardonically. “It wouldn’t look good if the Hokage’s daughter and wife were caught breaking the law.” 

“Kakashi would have a great time bringing us in,” Naruto agreed, and Kakashi’s chakra flickered in amusement. 

Kushina smiled again. “Don’t worry, Naru-chan. Your father and I won’t let you fall behind, okay? I’ll fight Mimi-chan if I have to do it with my bare hands!”

And Naruto was admittedly curious about what this secret special technique was, but given that Kushina had just said it was illegal, it was likely that her mother couldn’t divulge the details of it to her until she received clearance from her father. 

Though she was still not upset about Shisui, she felt a bit better knowing that her mother would be able to help her with her chakra problem. Itachi had been right, as he almost always was. 

→←

Shisui’s vacation time is almost over. Naruto spends nearly all of her weekend perfecting the recipe for matcha swiss rolls, and it’s hard. Harder than the ice cream, and that had been a failed attempt. She tries to tell herself that it isn’t for him, not really, but there’s an anxiousness in her belly at the thought of him being just a tree branch away when he’s been so notably absent for a long time. 

She’s both nervous and excited. Neither Itachi or Sasuke had updated her about anything Shisui-related, but she is wondering how he’ll react with being in her presence again. If he’ll say anything at all. 

Her mother, father, and Kakashi exchange knowing looks over her head, though she doesn’t quite notice. Making swiss rolls is harder than it really looks, and her tongue sticks out of her mouth, eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she focuses on the task at hand. Her cake is already finished, and she swirls her spoon around the whipped cream, the color a lovely, soft green that reminds her of early spring and fairy meadows. 

A lone finger begins arching over her shoulder, and Naruto watches with rapt attention as it makes a path to poke the batter. Just as it’s about to hit the cream, Naruto slaps it away, the sound echoing. 

“Ouch!”

“No!” Naruto wields the spoon dangerously, whirling around to look at Minato, whose shoots her a guilty smile. 

Kakashi snorts, his feet propped up over the side of the table, arm thrown dramatically over his eyes, head tilted back over the chair. “Reminds you of someone, doesn’t it, Sensei?” Kakashi drawls.

Kushina tilts her head – like the way they do in horror movies, and Naruto feels a shiver crawl up her spine for Kakashi. “What was that, Kaka-kun? What did you say?” 

“Nothing, Kushina-nee,” Kakashi says quickly, sinking behind his book. 

Naruto puffs out a breath, furiously frosting the cake over. The cream isn’t that sweet, compared to what Shisui usually likes, but it’s that perfect combination of light and airy, and the hints of matcha make it even better.

“Wow, Naru-hime,” Minato noted, peering over her shoulder to look at her dedication. “You’re really putting your all into it. Is that…. For anyone special?” He says it nonchalantly, but Naruto can hear the undercurrents of dread in his voice. 

“Now now, Mimi-chan,” Kushina intervenes. Her voice also holds some warning in it, subtly telling her father to calm down, buddy. Before I make you. “I think it’s sweet that Naruto wants to make a treat for her friends. Who is it for, dear?” 

Naruto almost smiles. For all that her mother is on her side, she’s also a terrible gossip. She’s just as curious as Minato is. Truly, probably, the only person who might know is Kakashi. She glances over at him, and as though he sensed her gaze on him, he quirks a silvery eyebrow, Sharingan eye shut, hitai-ate resting around his bicep instead of across his hair. 

Oh yeah. Kakashi knows. 

“No one special,” she tells them, and flushes when Kakashi snorts into his book. “Just a friend of mine.” 

“It’s not Sasuke-kun, is it?” Minato asks. Naruto turns around and glares at him.

“Tou-chan!” She says. “How dare you?” 

“Just checking,” Minato tells her. “I hear the rumors, you know. He’s a very popular boy.” 

“Well, it’s not for him,” Naruto says. And then she doesn’t expand further, and she can practically feel the way her mother and father are exchanging glances behind her back. Instead, she dips her knife into the cream and begins to generously spread the cream over the sponge cake, layering it over with the back of the blade. It’s not a long process, and when she rolls it tightly, she’s very pleased with the end product. 

She resolves that she’ll cut a piece off from it and leave it for someone in her family. They’ll have to battle it out – she won’t be picking any favorites. 

Naruto bites her lips. She hopes Shisui likes it. 

→←

That Sunday night, Naruto is laying in her bed, idly twirling a kunai around her finger. She sees Kakashi do this a lot, and she knows she has fidgeting hands, so she’s been wanting to learn it. She frowns. She’s never fast enough to move her other fingers when the kunai makes its first orbit around her index. 

She winces when the blade knocks against her middle finger for the ninth time. 

There’s a bruise starting to form. Just as she’s about to go in for her tenth attempt, the window in her pane sounds with light knocking. Naruto sits up instantly, her chakra reaching out.

She nearly goes silent with shock. 

Outside her window is that familiar greeny gold, forest fire, and Naruto practically leaps off her bed in a scramble to get there fast enough. She pushes open the pane, and takes a step back as Shisui lowers himself into her room. 

Naruto doesn’t bother with greeting him – she’s just so shocked to see him at all, and it’s hard to know where they stand when he’s been avoiding her all this time.

She waits for him to turn around, and when she does, Naruto can feel her insides wilt a little when she catches sight of his face. His face, which is usually bright with humor and childishly soft, is so different. His lips are set firmly straight, his eyebrows sloping into a furrow that met right above the bridge of his nose. His eyes aren’t twinkling, 

“Naruto-san,” Shisui greets her cordially, and the set of her lips freeze. Naruto-san. “We should talk.”

“This sounds rather formal,” Naruto notes lightly, suddenly scared to look him in the face. She busies herself with shutting the window behind him, just to give herself a few seconds to prepare herself for what seems like is going to be a stuffy, unpleasant conversation. “It’s been a while.” The small talk that sounds so awkward to her own ears makes her cringe. Things with her and Shisui are never awkward.

“Yes, it has.” Shisui, of course, waits respectfully until she’s settled back on her bed. The silence is stifling, and Naruto takes a deep breath, making sure to grab a pillow from the top of her bed, sure she’s going to need it for whatever Shisui needs to say.

“So?” she asks slowly. “What… what do you want to talk about?” 

She avoids saying his name or any nickname – because clearly he’s not in the mood for it, but referring to him as his real name to his face just brings another level of seriousness to the room. 

Shisui doesn’t rake his hands through his wild curls like she expects him to. He’s sitting perfectly straight, eyes ahead, arms by his sides. He looks as detached as Naruto’s ever seen him. “First,” Shisui starts, “I would like to apologize. My behavior for the duration of my employment as your guard has been entirely unprofessional. I should not have been so… lax while acting as your guard. I am going to remedy that starting today.”

Naruto just stares at him. 

“This leads me to say that I think we should stop meeting outside of work-related business.” Shisui is still staring at her too, unblinkingly. “I’m sure you understand that some of our past encounters cannot continue, including the body flickering lessons. It goes without saying that we can’t speak while I’m on duty unless Hokage-sama strictly allows it.”

She can read between the lines just fine; no paper airplanes, no making ice cream together, no… nothing.

Naruto finds her throat remarkably dry. And then — “Did you… did you get in trouble?” She whispers. “Is that why…”

“No.” Shisui’s tone is sharp, and Naruto blinks in surprise. “I just realized I was making a mistake in interacting with you so freely. Forgive me.” 

“A mistake,” Naruto echoes, and it’s like she’s listening to someone else entirely speak. Like she’s having an out of body experience. 

“Forgive me,” Shisui repeats.

Naruto stares at him again. Then she gets to her feet because – no. No. 

“Look,” she says, “I don’t know what happened but – but I’m not going to let you just stop talking to me for no reason! Give me a proper reason! You’ve been hiding for days, and if this was all you had to say, then you could’ve said it a lot sooner!”

“Excuse me if I wanted to take a little bit of a break,” Shisui suddenly snapped, and it was like a slap to the face. Naruto felt the blood drain from her cheeks. “That is the reason,” he continued. “Did I not deliver my message on your time? Sorry. I apologise for the inconvenience.”

“That’s not what I said!” Naruto snapped back, fighting down the prickle of tears in her eyes – she wouldn’t cry. She absolutely refused. “It’s just, four days ago, we were fine! And now you’re behaving like, like –” she waved her arms around furiously. “Like that!” 

“Like what?” Its practically a demand, and though it’s hard to pinpoint, she can hear the undertones of frustration in his voice, and it only serves to make Naruto more mad.

Shisui’s green chakra was sparkly and flaring, like fire that had been stoked. 

“Like a coward!” Naruto said loudly, blonde hair flying in her movements. “You could just say, you know! I don’t care! I would listen to you. You could tell me what’s really bothering you! Why are you pretending like this is what it really is? Are you really going to push me away — push our friendship away because of something you won’t explain at all? How’s that fair?” 

At her words, Shisui seemed to deflate, and he suddenly looked very tired. Naruto felt a spark of hope in her chest. But then, he spoke. “Naruto-san,” he said, and the dread in her stomach redoubled, “I understand if you don’t get it, considering you have yet to graduate and make a career for yourself, but this is what it means to be professional. But there will be a day where you get it and you’ll see why— why this had to be done. Don’t fight me on this. I’m not changing my mind,” he said. He took a deep breath. “There needs to be some sort of line between – between you and I, and Raven and you. We’re not – we can’t be friends. There needs to be a line between me and Raven,” he says. “My interpersonal bonds should not be bleeding into my ANBU life.” 

“But Kakashi is —“

”I’m not Kakashi,” he interrupts. 

Silence engulfed the canyon of space between them, and Naruto inhaled, her entire rib cage expanding with it. 

When it was clear Naruto wasn’t going to say anything, Shisui spoke again. “Tomorrow, we’ll start fresh. We will behave as a guard and a charge should.” Then he made for the window, footsteps light. As he was ducking out the frame, she called out.

“Wait!” Shisui slowed and then stopped. Naruto tried to hide the way her voice shook. “Why – why couldn’t I find you? Your chakra signature?”

He pursed his lips. “I didn’t want you to,” he said, and somehow, that was worse than any alternative explanation he could’ve given her. Naruto closed her eyes, and she didn’t even need to check her surroundings for him, because when wind caressed her face, she knew he was gone.

→←

The next day after school, Naruto couldn’t find it in herself to run after Sasuke once the bell rang. She didn’t feel like doing much of anything. If Sasuke noticed her being off in any capacity, he hadn’t said a thing. Ino shot daggers at her all day long, but she didn’t care. 

Shisui’s greeny gold chakra sat on the roof of the Academy, stagnant and sparkling, and Naruto hoped that he would throw down a paper airplane like he was so prone to doing so that she could either smile largely and send him a letter of everything that had happened since the last time they talked, or so that she could be petty and crumble it up and feel the way his chakra would droop when she didn’t respond. 

Her mother had come that day to pick her up, and instantly noticed her mood. “Naru-hime!” Kushina yelled loudly, and Naruto’s head snapped up. She mustered up a smile for her bright mother, dutifully ignoring the presence of her guard behind her. 

“Hi, Kaa-san,” Naruto said, letting her mom smother her with a hug. 

Then Kushina pulled back, studying the dark circles under her eyes and the white pallor of her face. 

“My darling, Naruto,” Kushina cooed. “You still look so sad. But don’t worry! I’ve got some news for you that I think you’ll like! Minato approved the secret technique I was telling you about – the one that can help you control your chakra! But you’ll have to wait until we get a little closer to the house before I can tell you!” 

They marched home at a fast pace, and though Shisui’s declaration had definitely put a damper in her, this was exciting. Finally, she could get somewhere with her training.

As they walked, Kushina kept up a mostly one sided conversation. “By the way,” she said at one point. “I found that matcha swiss roll you made in the garbage. Did it not turn out okay?” 

“No,” Naruto lied. It had turned out delicious, but no one would ever know that now. “It tasted horrible. And I think I added salt instead of sugar to it.” 

Kushina pouted. “Oh. When you were making it I thought it looked great, but if you’re sure….”

Naruto especially made sure her eyes were forward then.

It took forever to get home, it seemed. 

“What is it?” Naruto urged, as they ambled up the cobbles to her house. 

Kushina’s lilac eyes glittered. “It’s called the Shadow Clone Jutsu,” she said. “And I think you’ll be able to work wonders with it, my darling.”  

→←

Notes:

Hi everyone!! Welcome back to Honey Trap. First of all, I just wanted to say Happy Valentine’s day — even though our main duo is currently having some problems in paradise.

When I next post a chapter, Naruto will be a genin — so it’s roughly a two year timeskip I think.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!!

Happy reading and stay safe.

Side note: this marks the one year anniversary of this fic!!! Whooop. I know it’s only seven chapters long at this time which means my updating skills are trash but STILL. MY BABY TURNS ONE.

Chapter 8: Cherry Stained

→←

The life of a ninja was unglamorous, but the life of a genin was even more so, was all Naruto could think that blindingly bright Tuesday morning. Up to her elbows in weeds and dirt with sweat pouring down her back and her mesh shirt sticking to her skin, Naruto thought that – that this couldn’t be.

They’d been doing D-ranks for nearly two months now, and Naruto just had to wonder when this uncalled for torture would end. Seriously? Who had decided that kids were allowed to train at a Ninja Academy for their entire lives to become ninja, only to have them paint fences, catch troublesome cats, and do garden work? The two things just didn’t go hand in hand in Naruto’s head, and she’d done nothing to deserve such cruel and unusual punishments. 

It didn’t help that–

“Oi, dobe.” Naruto could practically hear Sasuke’s patented sneer, and honestly, the only silver lining in this whole thing was that Sasuke was suffering as much as she was. “Are you done yet? You’re taking forever with that patch of weeds!” 

It didn’t help that Sasuke-teme was still around, as judgy and obnoxious as he was. 

The blonde craned her neck backwards when a shadow fell over her. Sasuke stood directly behind her, hands planted on his hips as he glared down at her. His white shorts were stained with grass and dirt, making him look like he’d been rolling around in the mud. Looking at the garden they were currently buried in, Naruto conceded he probably had. 

“Sasuke-kun,” Naruto said. “I always knew your talents went beyond that of being a ninja. You make a wonderful umbrella from the sun.”

Sasuke’s scowl became more pronounced, and just like she knew he would, he stepped to the side, making the sun hit her once more. “Are you done?” he repeated. “Hachiro-san has lunch waiting for us inside.” 

Hachiro-san was a middle aged woman who had put out the request for help pulling the weeds in her garden, and though she’d been nice, Naruto wondered what was stopping her from taking care of it herself. She snuck a glance at Hachiro-san; she wore a wide brim sun hat, a pink shirt, and a flowy white skirt. She was sitting on the stoop of her house, sipping daintily from a glass of lemonade. Naruto scowled. She certainly wasn’t crippled. Plus, she kept stealing shy glances at their jonin-sensei, who Naruto was somewhat annoyed to admit was Kakashi. As in – Kakashi, her older brother. 

It wasn’t that Kakashi was a bad sensei, but Tou-chan had practically forced Kakashi to retire from the ANBU a few months before their graduation, demanding he take a team. Kakashi tried to fit into the role of her sensei, but Naruto knew him too much on a personal level for it to be anything but strange. Kakashi-sensei and Kakashi-nii couldn’t be the same person to her. It didn’t sit right with her. Perhaps the most annoying thing about having Kakashi as her sensei, however, was the front row ticket Naruto was granted in seeing how many women and men alike would make heart eyes at him. 

And Kakashi never gave them a second look or thought. If Naruto didn’t know him to be one of the most observant people in the Leaf, she would assume he was completely ignorant with the way he acted. 

Hachiro-chan was another one. 

Snapping fingers in front of her face broke Naruto out of her trance, and she blinked at Sasuke. “What?” 

Sasuke huffed before leaning over her and yanking the last of the weeds out in one fell swoop, carefully tucking them into the trash bags. “There,” he said. “Let’s go. I’m starved.” And without waiting for her, he turned around, hands shoved in his pockets as he trooped back through the front gates, where Hachiro-san stopped staring at Kakashi long enough to greet him with a smile. 

“Sasuke-kun, wait!” 

A head full of cherry blossom-pink hair flew right past her, and Naruto barely held in a half-groan half-laugh as Sasuke’s shoulders hunched at the sound of Haruno Sakura’s voice. 

Some things would never change. 

Naruto watched her two teammates disappear into the house, and she wiped the sweat off her brow with her forearm, shielding her eyes from the intense sunlight. She needed a shower. Like. Immediately. 

“This will probably be our last D-rank for the day,” Kakashi says from behind her, and Naruto turns to see her pseudo brother, flak jacket unzipped and sleeves rolled to his elbows. Like he was the one who had been under laborious conditions for the past four hours. 

“Thank Kami, Kakashi-nii,” Naruto groans. “I feel disgusting.” 

“You look disgusting,” he agrees. “And that’s Kakashi- sensei to you, brat.” 

Naruto rolls her eyes. It’s not the first time her and Kakashi have bickered over his title, and it certainly won’t be the last. How can she be expected to call Kakashi her sensei when up until a few months ago, he’d been her brother only? “Sure, okay, sensei. If you say so. By the way, what do you think about Hachiro-san?” 

“Hmm?” Kakashi raises a silver eyebrow. “What about her?”

“I dunno. Do you think she’s pretty?” 

“I couldn’t see her face from underneath that hat.” 

“Damn.” 

“Mhm,” Kakashi says, mirth lighting his tone. “Damn indeed.” Then he pulls Icha Icha Tactics up to his face, signaling the conversation is over. Whatever. Kaa-san and Tou-chan seem certain that Kakashi would be getting married eventually. Naruto had seen no potential suitors to indicate a marriage, or even a proposal, but what did Naruto know? 

“I’m going to get some food,” Naruto tells him, thumbing at the door. “Do you want me to bring you anything?” 

“Ah, no,” Kakashi says quickly. “Hachiro-san best be left alone, don’t you think?” And when Naruto glances up once more to see the woman in question waving wildly, eyes sparkling at Kakashi, Naruto laughs. “I’ll stay out here,” he says, a little more decisively. “But if you see her heading my way, feel free to stall her.” 

“You’re mean,” she says. “She could be really nice. You could really like her.” 

Kakashi shoots her a dry look without ever moving his attention away from his book. “She has a cat, Naru-chan. Two of them actually. I saw them when we first got here. And she’s got scratches on her hand, which means they’re not gentle. I won’t have my pack being attacked.”

The blonde refrained from pointing out that the pack were trained ninja dogs, which meant they could definitely dodge any swiped claws, but it was moot. Kakashi didn’t do anything he didn’t want to. 

Except, of course, become a jonin-sensei. 

The truth was, Naruto knew why her Team Seven had turned out the way it had. She wouldn’t have minded being on a team with Shikamaru, but Naras were always stuck with a Yamanaka and an Akimichi. That was how it’d been for nearly decades; an infamous Ino-Shika-Cho trio. They were inseparable. And she wouldn’t have minded being on a team with Hinata-chan either, but Kaa-san told her that Hinata and her team would specialize in tracking. With the Inuzuka’s keen sense of smell and heightened senses, an Aburame's kikachu, and Hinata’s Byakugan, there was no other way it could’ve been. Which meant that the last team would’ve had to be her, Sasuke-teme, and Sakura. 

But, just because she was aware of the logistics behind team placement didn’t mean she had to like it. 

Her and Sasuke had remained the same, basically. They weren’t friends persay, but they tended to stick together. They still did their best to irritate one another, but Naruto was still the only one who didn’t flip out about his clan, and Sasuke was still the only one who didn’t treat her differently for being the Hokage’s daughter. 

Sakura was another story. Naruto hadn’t known her very well back at the Academy, but she had known that she harbored a major crush on Sasuke, and had been best friends with Ino. Paired with the fact that Sakura was the only one from a civilian family in their graduating class meant Naruto didn’t know much about her, and hadn’t seen her much outside of school. 

Sakura was deeply offended by Naruto’s mere presence, though, and that was very clear. Naruto really didn’t understand. How many times would she have to say that she had no interest in Sasuke-teme before they got it? Also, how many times would Sasuke make a rude comment before they understood that he had no interest in them?

Her and Ino both — absolutely delusional. 

Anyways, since Sakura had decided that Naruto was her number one enemy, that means they hadn’t spoken much. It was strange to think that Sasuke and her had the best relationship on their three-man team. Plus, Tou-chan had drilled into her head that what made a team functioning was its willingness to work together. As soon as Kakashi had produced a pair of bells from his pocket – Naruto knew. 

Kakashi-nii didn’t talk about his past a lot, but the faraway look in his eyes when he held the bells let her know he was thinking of his two childhood teammates, Obito and Rin. It appeared that sentimentality plagued even the most stoic of ninja. 

But Naruto secretly agreed with her father; Kakashi was good at being in the ANBU, but it didn’t mean he should be forever. Though Kakashi sometimes walked around aimlessly, he looked a lot lighter sometimes. Like he was finally sleeping properly. Being in broad daylight with his pack, meeting up with his friends, training with Gai-sensei – it was doing him wonders. 

It made her think of her own ANBU guard, who Naruto hadn’t spoken to in a long time. Almost two years. How long would Uchiha Shisui remain in the ANBU? If Naruto’s math was correct, Shisui would be fifteen in October, just a few days after she turned thirteen. That was only three months away. 

Like it always did when she thought about Shisui, a lump began to build in her throat. She dutifully ignored the green blaze of fire and sunshine that stuck to her like a shadow. Sensing him had become second nature to her, and he was always in the background. 

It didn’t hurt her as much as it used to; nearly nineteen months without contact meant that it was easier to forget about, even if she had to live with him being around constantly.

Naruto sighed – she wouldn’t drown herself wallowing today – she wasn’t in the mood. Hachiro-san was talking animatedly to Sakura, and Sasuke sat next to her, quietly biting into an onigiri. 

“Oi,” Sasuke’s voice is quiet, and Naruto hums, biting into her own onigiri. Sakura’s voice pauses – no doubt honing onto Sasuke speaking. But then she continues, like she hadn’t noticed. “What’re you doing this weekend?” 

This weekend. “Nothing,” Naruto replies, chewing carefully. It’s delicious actually. Hachiro-san can cook well, and it all tastes super fresh. The lemonade is sweet and refreshing and most importantly, cold. “Why?” 

“I turn thirteen this weekend,” Sasuke starts, looking incredibly pained. “My birthday is –”

“July 23rd,” Naruto finishes. When Sasuke and Sakura both go silent, she shrugs. “What?” she asks. “Was I not supposed to know that after knowing you for like, ten years?” 

“Yeah, well,” Sasuke is clenching the fabric of his pants tightly, cheeks only a little pink. “My family is throwing a small celebration. It’s not anything crazy. It’ll just be us, and a few of the other kids, and your parents.” 

Naruto raises an eyebrow. “If my parents are already invited, why did you need to personally invite me?” 

Sasuke turns a little redder. “My mother,” he grumbles. “She told me that I had to tell you. For some reason, they really like you, and think that you and I are secretly best friends.”

Naruto is unable to hold in her scoff. Her and Sasuke, best friends? As if. That would never happen,

“Even if I didn’t want to come,” Naruto says, “which I don’t – my mother would force me to. So I guess I’ll see you there.” 

“Yeah,” Sasuke says. Then he hesitates. “There’s some other people coming,” he says carefully, and Naruto barely pays him any mind, reaching for another onigiri. 

“Oh? Anyone I know?” 

Sasuke is silent for a second. Then – “No one important. Just some of the other genins. Shikamaru, Hinata. Chouji. Shino maybe.” 

Naruto full out laughs. “So no one who you consider annoying?”

Sasuke smirks. “Well I certainly wasn’t going to invite Kiba, was I?” Naruto laughs again. Because wasn’t that true?

→←

The days leading up to Sasuke’s birthday party are long and drawn out, and the amount of D-ranks Kakashi takes them on is criminal. Saturday morning before the party, Naruto barely notices the absence of Shisui when she’s leaving her house with her mother that day, making a quick stop to Konoha’s Shopping District before they head over to the Uchiha compound. 

Kushina picks up flowers, having already created an entire dessert platter to take over. Naruto doesn’t know what to buy Sasuke, if she even should. But her mother tells her she can’t show up to a party empty handed, because it’s bad manners. Especially for the daughter of the Hokage. 

So Naruto purchases a pack of kunai for Sasuke, sure that he could never have too many. And then she almost smiles when she sees the market stands. Without a second thought, she buys a tomato, because it’s just that funny to her. 

When they arrive at the Uchiha compound, the main house is decorated beautifully. The compound is already aesthetically gorgeous with its pastels, but the summer has worked its magic, as it always does. The trees are a luscious verdant green with leaves that rustle when the wind blows, casting shadows along the cobbled roads. The flowers that line the walkways are in full bloom, bringing bursts of pink, red, and yellow to life, the sweet fragrance only heightened by the heat. 

As they stroll through the compound, almost everyone turns their way. For once, it’s not to stare at Naruto, but Kushina. Her mother commands attention. Her ruby red hair is long and flowing, and the power that she holds as both a jinchuuriki and an Uzumaki means her chakra presence alone is palpable. She is powerful, and everyone here can see it.

Pride swells up in Naruto, and she raises her chin just a little, daring anyone to make a snide remark. They don’t dare say anything – at least, not in front of her. They’ll probably be whispering to one another once they’re out of sight, however. It’s just the way it is, and the way it always will be. 

When they arrive at the main house, the place is already in a bustle. Mikoto greets them with a big smile, pulling Kushina into a customary hug.

“Kushina-chan,” Mikoto says, eyes sparkling with delight. “You’re looking radiant as ever. And Naruto, darling,” Mikoto smiles sweetly, and Naruto is unable to understand how this kind lady is Sasuke’s mom. 

“Hi, Mikoto-san!” Naruto smiles. “How are you?” 

Mikoto blows out a breath, but her smile is still genuine. “I’m a bit tired. Prepping a birthday party is a lot of work.”

Naruto peers around her. “Where is everyone?” 

“Out back,” Mikoto says, smiling at another person who enters – an Uchiha, from the palette of their hair and skin. “My son is excited to have you, Naruto.” 

Excitement flares in Naruto. “Oh, yeah! Itachi is here right?” 

Mikoto seems amused. “My other son.” 

Naruto splutters in disbelief. “Uh – I don’t..” she looks up at her mother. “Um.”

“You can go ahead, Naru-hime,” Kushina says kindly, lilac eyes twinkling with mirth. “I’ll stay here and catch up with Mikoto-chan.” 

Naruto scurries away, box of kunai and tomato in hand. When she goes through the backdoor, she’s greeted with a wide field. Naruto’s never been here before. It’s a good space for training, but Naruto can see why they wouldn’t use it as such. Mikoto’s garden is splendid, and not only does it grow flowers, but fruits and vegetables of all kinds. A large cherry tree sits in the corner of the yard, and Naruto can imagine that in the Spring, the pink sakura flowers that fall make the entire place look gorgeous. Right now, though, it bears ripe red cherries, just begging to be harvested. 

“Naruto-san, you’re here.” 

Naruto’s attention immediately snaps to her right, and she meets the eyes of one glorious Uchiha Itachi.

“Itachi!” Naruto exclaims, She practically dives at him to give him a hug, squeezing him as tight as she always does when they see each other. “Hi! Hello. You look great! And your hair! I like it! I like it a lot!” She declares.

Itachi’s hair isn’t in its usual ponytail today. Instead, he’s got half of it up in a bun, and the other half flows to his shoulders, where it rests on the black shirt he’s wearing. 

Itachi smiles at her. “Thank you, Naruto-san. You also look beautiful.” 

Naruto grins. “Where’s that brother of yours? I brought him gifts!” 

Itachi gently pries the box of kunais from her. “I’ll put this on the gift table, okay? But I’ll leave that one to you. It’s probably a gift you want to give him in person?” He nods to the tomato in her hand, and she nods too. 

“I hear they’re his favorite!” 

“They are,” Itachi gestures behind her, and Naruto turns, unsurprised to see Sasuke standing stiffly surrounded by the Rookie Nine he’d claimed weren’t annoying. True to his word, Kiba is nowhere in sight. Neither is Ino or Sakura. It’s funny, almost. 

Tou-chan and Kaa-san always stressed the importance of knowing who your allies were in Konoha, especially as the daughter of the Hokage. The Uchihas probably lived under the same rule of thumb, considering they were the biggest and most prominent clan in Konoha. However, Sasuke was just that type of guy who would not invite important clan heirs to his birthday party. Stuff like that seemed inconsequential until you were old and had a war to plan, Tou-chan had said. 

But either way, Sasuke was pretty anti-social. He and Hinata Hyuuga were taking turns darting around the space without saying a word. Shikamaru was laying on his back, head pillowed by his arm as cloud gazed, one leg thrown over his knee. Shino, despite the warm weather, was all hooded up, his entire face covered save the sliver of skin that wasn’t covered by his jacket or his goggles. And finally Chouji’s hand was buried in a bag of chips. 

When Naruto came into view, Hinata was surprisingly the first one to speak. “Naruto-san!” Hinata spoke in that gentle voice of hers. She bowed her head. “Hello.” 

Naruto grinned. “No need to be so formal, Hinata-chan. We’re friends, aren’t we?” Hinata flushed, but didn’t reply. 

“Oh, hey, Naruto,” Chouji said around a mouthful. “You look nice. Do you want some chips?” He offered the bag to her, and Naruto took one. Shikamaru had blinked a lazy eye open at her, but hadn’t said anything. 

Sasuke did not look impressed, but Uchiha Mikoto’s words ran through her head, and Naruto felt supremely smug. Sasuke was excited to see her. 

“Oi, teme. Happy birthday.” The blonde held the tomato out for him, and just like she expected, his dark eyes immediately took focus on it. Then they narrowed. 

“Is it poisoned?” 

Naruto snorted. “And have Sakura think I kidnapped you to hide you from her? Absolutely not. Your fangirls are all yours to deal with.” 

Sasuke looked embarrassed for half a second, as though the mere thought of Ino and Sakura fighting over him was enough to make him hurl. “I wouldn’t put it past you,” he said. “You want to eliminate the competition.” But he still took it. 

Naruto mimed looking around. “Competition?” She peered around Sasuke and behind herself. “I don’t see any.”

Sasuke turned red. 

Shikamaru in turn, groaned. “You two are ridiculous,” the Nara heir said. “Do you realize that you’re best friends?” 

She and Sasuke both went silent. Then they looked at each other in disbelief. Best friends? There was no way. They weren’t even regular friends, much less best friends. 

“Yeah, okay,” Naruto said.

“As if,” Sasuke scoffed. 

But then she went silent again. Because…. Were they? 

No. No. It couldn’t be. There was no way on this planet that she and Uchiha Sasuke were best friends. It was unheard of. Uncalled for. Impossible. It just didn’t make sense. Unfathomable. 

The growing horror on Sasuke’s face, however, was another story. Naruto was sure it matched the expression on her own.

“Oh dear,” Hinata murmured, wringing her hands together. “I don’t know if they were ready to hear that, Shikamaru-kun.”

But she wasn’t denying it. Kami above. 

Were she and Sasuke best friends??

There was possibly nothing in the entire world that could shock her as much as this revelation had. Nothing at –

“Baby cousin!” Another familiar voice called out, and Naruto’s blood seemed to freeze. “Happy birthday!” 

Naruto could only watch as Uchiha Shisui completely sidestepped her and pulled Sasuke into a hug, his back facing her. Sasuke stumbled back a step, arms wounding around his cousin, but eyes on Naruto, as though waiting for her reaction. 

Naruto couldn’t help but falter, her smile falling away, and she took a hesitant step back from them, the minuscule amount of added distance a shield protecting her. 

It hadn’t crossed her mind that Shisui would be coming to Sasuke’s birthday party, even though they were cousins. In fact, she hadn’t even registered that Shisui’s greeny gold forest fire wasn’t by her side as it normally was. But if she checked now, she could feel Kakashi’s silvery wisps in a nearby tree, overlooking them. 

“You look familiar,” Chouji says, squinting at Shisui. “Have we met before?”

“You have,” Shikamaru drawls. “He joined our class for a week, remember? He needed to catch up on something that his jonin-sensei couldn’t teach him.” The raise of Shikamaru’s eyebrow made Naruto know that Shikamaru knew that that hadn’t been the case. If Chouji catches this, however, it is unknown to Naruto.

“That’s right,” Chouji says, munching away merrily. “You sat with Naruto and Sasuke.” 

The effect that particular statement has is instantaneous. A lot of things seem to happen at once. Shisui freezes so imperceptibly that if Naruto couldn’t sense chakra, she might not have seen it at all, Sasuke’s usually pout-set lips actually twists into a grimace, Shikamaru looks between Naruto and Shisui, and Naruto herself just winces, looking away from all of them, letting her blonde hair hide her face away from them.

In the end, none of the three of them respond. Shisui is clearly avoiding looking at her, and Naruto is trying not to feel hurt by it. 

There was no reason to be hurt, really. She had known for a while now that this was the stance Shisui had taken. Seeing him for a few hours now wouldn’t change anybody’s opinion on the matter.

Reading the tense silence, Chouji says, “Did I say something?” 

Naruto’s breath is caught in her lungs, and she doesn’t know what to say. Or do.

A warm arm pulls her into its embrace, and then Itachi is speaking, his voice calm and steady like a cool glass lake. “Hello, Shisui,” Itachi says, the rumble in his voice vibrating through Naruto’s skin. Itachi’s hand on her shoulder squeezes in comfort, and it occurs to her then that both Sasuke and Itachi probably know about the strange divide between her and Shisui now. Itachi doesn’t do anything without reason, after all. 

“Itachi-kun,” Shisui greets back just as stiffly. There’s an awkward moment. Then Naruto extracts herself out from under Itachi, appreciating his attempt at being a source of comfort, but not wanting it all the same. 

“I think I see my dad,” she says, a little slowly. “I’ll catch up with you guys later.”

Sasuke opens his mouth to say something – what, Naruto can’t possibly imagine, but then he closes it again, his dark eyes shrewd. 

“I – I’ll come with you!” Hinata-chan says, stuttering but still firm. 

The wash of gratitude that comes over Naruto makes her adore Hinata-chan all the more. 

“I think I will too,” Shikamaru says suddenly, which surprises everyone present, because Naras are notoriously lazy. “Come on, Naruto. I see Hokage-sama.”

Indeed, when they turn back around to the house, her father is easy to pick out with his sunshine yellow hair that’s a match to her own. He’s forgone the Hokage cloak, and is instead dressed for the occasion. If Naruto looks at her mother now, she knows she’ll see heart eyes on the redheads. 

Still, Naruto pastes a bright smile on her face, pretending that the weight of Shisui’s stare isn’t heavy on the back of her head. 

“Tou-chan!” Naruto exclaims, and Minato’s sharp blue eyes immediately snap to hers. 

“Naru-chan!” Minato exclaims right back, adoration as clear as glass. “You look beautiful!” 

Naruto and Kushina hadn’t seen Minato before they’d left, as he’d been at the Hokage’s Office before the party began. When he sees who brackets her, he looks pleased. “Shikamaru-kun. Hinata-chan. It’s lovely to see you both.” 

“Hokage-sama,” The way Shikamaru addresses her father could almost be described as disrespectful in the way that it’s nonchalant. But Minato is clearly familiar with the Nara clan, because he only chuckles knowingly.

Probably – Minato is fond of the Naras. Most of the Kages are. But Minato especially. He and Shikaku Nara are close friends, and it’s always good to have a Nara in your corner. 

If Naruto was to ever be Hokage, Kushina had said that the person she’d want most by her side would be Shikamaru. Her and the other boy weren’t all that close, but there was a passing acknowledgment between them that went unspoken. 

More than Kakashi? Naruto had asked this, because she couldn’t fathom having anyone but Kakashi as her advisor, no matter how smart the Naras were, Kakashi was smarter. 

Kakashi said she was biased, but Naruto secretly thought it was because Kakashi didn’t want to have to fill out paperwork by her side.

Minato catches sight of Sasuke over their heads. “There’s the birthday boy,” Minato notes. “I should go over there. We’ll talk later, okay?” He ruffles Naruto’s blonde hair as he passes, and then the three are left alone. 

Silence passes between them. And then Hinata speaks.

“A-are you okay, Naruto-chan?” 

It takes Naruto a second, but then she blushes bright red. “I’m okay, Hinata-chan,” Naruto says, willing the lie to be true. 

Shikamaru huffs. “Right. You don’t have to lie. The last time we saw him with you, you guys seemed pretty cool. Whatever that was was not cool. Plus,” Shikamaru lowered his voice, “we’re not idiots. My dad’s in charge of Konoha’s tactical units. We know that he’s your guard. Clearly we know that him coming to school for that week was a ruse to be close to you. It was during the Kumo delegation’s arrival.” 

Sometimes, Naruto hates that Shikamaru is so smart. 

Naruto bites her lip. “I haven’t seen him for two years,” she admits quietly. “I should’ve expected him to be here, but I didn’t.”

It felt good to say aloud. She couldn’t really talk about Shisui with anyone. There were certain things she could never tell her parents or Kakashi, because they’d be honor-coded to take action about their past indiscretions, as Shisui would’ve put it. And of course, there was Itachi and Sasuke. Itachi would be impartial, as he always was, but that was also his favorite elder cousin, who he was extremely close to. And Sasuke was.. They talked. But they didn’t talk about that sort of stuff. 

Shikamaru is silent for a second, before he asks, “Have you ever heard of a conflict of interest?”

Naruto is groaning before he’s even done speaking. She’s sick of hearing those words. “Tell me some other time, Shikamaru-kun. I’m so serious. I hate those words and if I could I would never listen to them again.

And she means it. 

“You’re so troublesome,” 

Hinata’s worried milky eyes dart between her and Shisui so very often, as though she feels some personal responsibility for their fallout. 

But neither of them bring it again, despite them sticking close to her for the rest of the party. It’s honestly nice, and Naruto hadn’t expected either of them to abandon their solitary corners to keep  her company.

Sasuke’s party was oddly festive, especially for someone, well, like, Sasuke. Food was served and the adults chatted to one another. At one point, Mikoto had begun to play music, and some of the people attending were dancing. Perhaps the most humorous thing was when Mikoto swept Sasuke up in a dance, claiming that the birthday boy had to set the tone for the party. Sasuke’s cheeks had been a bright red, his scowl fierce when he caught sight of Naruto laughing. 

Itachi and Shisui were both sporting looks of amusement as they watched the youngest Uchiha twirl around the grass. 

Really, Naruto didn’t know what the problem was. Sasuke was a good dancer, even if he looked like he’d keel over from embarrassment any moment now. His steps were graceful, and the way his raven’s hair was moved by the wind made it look very staged and something out of a fairytale. It was very Uchiha-esque. And Mikoto was clearly enjoying herself. Her skirts puffed up as Sasuke twirled her once, her posture perfect, as was expected as the wife of the clan leader. 

Uchiha Fugaku, who hardly displayed emotions, was staring at his wife and son with a barely there expression of fondness. 

After that, it dissolved into pure chaos. Minato spun Kushina out, who giggled like a schoolgirl. Mikoto pulled Itachi in too by his wrist, and the older boy wore a slight blush, but danced with his mother. Just like Sasuke and Mikoto, Itachi displayed a certain finesse. His steps were always perfect even though they didn’t seem to be dancing a specific dance. Eventually, Itachi, while making his rounds in the circle, extended his hand to Naruto, and who was she to say no?

His smile was inviting and warm, as it always was, and Naruto reached back thoughtlessly, curling her fingers around his. 

Naruto doesn’t consider herself much of a dancer, but it’s easy when Itachi is leading. They’re moving around in the rest of the circle, and behind Itachi, she can see Mikoto with Sasuke once more. 

It’s something that’s easy to get caught up in. Once you start moving, it’s impossible to stop. Itachi leads her step by step, and there’s a wide grin on her face when he dips her for half a second before pulling her up and twirling her.

Naruto laughs, a little breathless. “You’re a good dancer,” Naruto tells him when the music changes into something a little slower. 

Itachi smiles wryly. “Mother and Father forced Sasuke and I to attend lessons when we were young. He hated it.” 

“And you?” 

“It was okay,” he admits. “It’s better when you have a good partner.” 

“You’re being generous,” she says, blue irises twinkling, utterly charmed. 

“Never,” Itachi promises. “You’re in a league of your own, Naru-chan.” 

Who was this guy? No one else in Konoha held a candle to him, of that, she was sure. Charming, intelligent, kind, talented, and good looking? Some people really did have it all. 

“You have to be dating,” Naruto stated bluntly. “There’s no way.”

Itachi actually chuckled briefly, though his cheeks did pinken. “A gentleman never kisses and tells.” And that he was. Naruto wondered who it was. Seeing her contemplative look, he twirled her once more. Naruto let him, the bottoms of her skirt flowing out, rippling with the breeze. “You can stop guessing,” Itachi tells her. “You won’t find out. No one knows.”

“Not even Shi–” she cut herself off.

Music filled the empty space between them. Naruto bit her lip. It shouldn’t matter. It didn’t. 

“For what it’s worth,” he said quietly, leaning closer so she could better hear him, “I’m sorry. I saw you. When you saw him. You didn’t know.”

“It didn’t even cross my mind,” the blonde admits. “I was just surprised, more than anything. I haven’t seen him in a long time. It didn’t occur to me that our paths would meet like this.” 

“You didn’t say anything to him,” Itachi said.

Naruto shrugs. “He doesn’t want me to, does he? I’m only respecting his wishes.” 

Itachi purses his lips, dark eyes for once, darting around. “Are you sure?” 

Naruto’s about to ask him what he means, but she gets her answer not seconds later. 

Uchiha Shisui looks fairly the same as he did two years ago. His hair is curly, cropped right above the ears, and his eyelashes are raven dark like the rest of him, save for his pale, pale skin. He’s a little broader around the shoulders, and a little taller, but it’s hardly any difference. He smells like the cherry tree, and his lips are stained red. It’s not hard to make the jump there – Shisui’s sweet tooth had led him up the cherry tree. 

Shisui is examining them both. There’s a careful hesitation that shutters over his porcelain face. Anger begins to bubble in Naruto, because why. Why does he look so afraid – he doesn’t get to look afraid. He doesn’t get to walk up to them – to her. 

Not after he was the one who walked away.

It’s the audacity of it all that shocks her so much. They haven’t so much as breathed a single word to each other in nearly two years – haven’t seen each other face to face in just as long. And now, because they both happen to be at the same event, he thinks it’s okay to do whatever he pleases? Because, right. Naruto should just let him. 

Though he’s speaking to Itachi, he’s looking at Naruto. “May I cut–”

“No.” Naruto’s never heard her own voice sound so cold and stiff. “You may not.”

Shisui’s jaw snaps shut. She can see his throat move when he swallows his words. “I-”

“You have a lot of nerve,” Naruto interrupts. There’s so much she wants to say at this moment. She won’t – she refuses. Just like she had refused to cry that night. But it’s unfair, she thinks. That Shisui gets to make and break the rules as he pleases. “Acting like we’re friends.” She doesn’t mean for it to come out so bitter, but it does.

Because how dare he? 

“We’re not friends,” Shisui says, and then they both flinch. But seeing Shisui flinch only serves to make her more upset. Why is he flinching at the things that are coming out of his mouth?

Itachi is stark silent next to her. 

At this point, she and Itachi have removed themselves from the dance circle, and the good mood the other boy had put her in was dissipating. 

“Then I’m glad we’re on the same page, Uchiha-san,” Naruto replies stiffly, her skin hot with anger, and the horrible satisfaction that comes when Shisui hears her call him by his formal name. “Thank you,” Naruto says to Itachi without removing her stare off Shisui, whose fingers are twitching at his sides, “for a lovely dance. I appreciate your company.” 

And without a second glance over her shoulder, Naruto storms away, feeling fury ignite beneath her skin. 

Two years. 

It had been two whole years. 

Once again, she could feel Shisui’s eyes boring into her back, and she resisted the hysterical urge to curse him loudly or perhaps throw that tomato she’d gifted Sasuke straight at him. 

→←

The next day is Sunday, and if her parents and Kakashi notice her foul mood, they don’t speak about it. Thank Kami. Naruto could think up an excuse, but she doesn’t really want to. Besides, they could sus out well for themselves that it was something that had taken place at the party, given that her change in behavior had happened right before they’d left. If they could pinpoint the reason, however, was an entirely different story.

By Monday, Naruto is, for the first time, ready to throw herself back into D-ranks. 

Of course, that’s when Kakashi decides to throw them a curveball. 

He’s late to their team meeting as he is every morning, though Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura all show up at the bridge at their designated time. 

Sasuke and Naruto had only nodded to one another that morning, the events of Sasuke’s birthday party heavy in both their minds. Though Sasuke would never outright say it, she could tell he was feeling the tiniest bit apologetic for not outright warning her about Shisui. It was probably why he hadn’t gotten on her immediately upon arrival. More normal perhaps, was the way Sakura completely ignored Naruto, and was shooting lovesick smiles at Sasuke’s direction. 

Naruto rolled her eyes, instead leaning on the bridge that overlooked the water. They were in the midst of summer, and the morning light glittered across the lake. 

She didn’t know how long it had been since they’d arrived when Kakashi did, but a light sweat had begun to bead at her hairline.

When he did arrive, he did so in a poof of smoke, his horridly lurid book in hand. Was Kakashi able to recite that thing word for word by now? Naruto should hope so. 

“Good morning, my cute little genin,” Kakashi said cheerfully, his silver whorls vibrant for the early morning. 

“Kakashi-sensei!” Sakura wailed. “You’re late.” 

“I was helping an old lady cross the street,” Kakashi eye-smiled at her, before his uncovered eye landed on Naruto. “Staring out over the water, Naru-chan?” he asked, patting her head like he did his ninken. “That’s unlike you.”

“Was thinking about when my lazy sensei was going to wake up,” Naruto teased, poking Kakashi in his mask, and he batted away her hand. “If he was going to make us boil to death in the sun before he showed up.” 

“Hmmm. Sounds like we need to take a trip to Sunagakure.” 

Naruto snorted. “I wish. Dad’s always telling me how the Kazekage has a son my age.” 

Kakashi tuts. “Looking into political marriages so soon, my little narutomaki? I will certainly have to play chaperone while we’re there or else what would Hokage-sama say?” 

Just as Naruto’s about to retort, Sasuke freezes beside her. “Wait,” he says. “We’re actually going to Suna?”

It takes a second for his question to register, and when it does, both Sakura and Naruto let out excited gasps in unison. “Suna?” Sakura asks. “When are we leaving, Sensei?” 

Kakashi checks his imaginary watch. “Tomorrow morning,” he says. “We’re doing a basic escort mission to Sunagakure. It’s a C Rank,” he said sternly. “Which means no sudden pit stops to chat with the Kazekage’s son.” 

Naruto rolled her eyes again. She wasn’t some stray cat who wandered wherever. “I thought you were chaperoning,” she said dryly. 

Sasuke snorts. “I wouldn’t trust you not to cause a political scandal while you’re in another nation. I would actually be shocked if you didn’t accidentally propose a betrothal by offering friendship to the Kazekage’s son.”

Naruto throws her hands up, mildly offended. “It’s like you guys forget who I am.”

“Believe me,” Sasuke drawls. “I know exactly who you are.” 

“She means,” Kakashi corrects, head already buried in his book, content to let them bicker, “that you forget who her parents are.” 

Sakura is oddly silent behind them. 

Naruto sighs. “Whatever. Maybe I will propose to Gaara-kun. Maybe he’ll be amazing, and we’ll get married one day.” 

The way Shisui’s chakra signature suddenly halts for a moment is noticeable, but Naruto doesn’t show that she saw. Plus, she doesn’t think it was serious. If it was, he would’ve come out of hiding, and Kakashi would’ve also noticed it. She wonders what prompted that reaction.

“Good riddance,” Sasuke says “I’ll never have to see your ugly mug if you’re staying in Suna.” 

Naruto’s nose wrinkles. “Gaara has two siblings. He’s coming here.” And then she pauses. “If I marry Gaara, and then his siblings and him die, does that mean the Hat automatically goes to me? Since it’s like, passed down through family, and not based on a selection process.” 

“Dear me,” Kakashi says lightly, flipping a page of his book. “From marriage to treason. Naru-chan sure is busy. Poor Gaara-kun.” 

“If I became Kazekage,” Naruto announced, "I would request that Sasuke come to Suna everytime Konoha sends a delegation over. Just because it would annoy him.”

“I would defect just so I can’t,” Sasuke says, and Naruto laughs. The other boy is so dramatic. And then she’s suddenly reminded about how everyone at his birthday party had called them best friends, and it’s just not as funny anymore.

But if she puts that aside, she can admit she’s thrilled. Her first C-rank. With her team. Maybe Sakura will be there, constantly complaining senselessly, but it doesn’t matter. Not really. 

Why?

It’s one step closer to becoming Hokage, and that’s all Naruto truly cares about.

→←

Notes:

HELLO FRIENDS!!

Welcome back to Honey Trap. It’s mildly baffling to me that I updated this fic in less than a month — it’s not like me. Anyways, as you can see, I updated the tags to include mild angst bc this is falling into mildly angsty territory.

One of my favorite things to write in this fic is all the different relationships Naruto has with each Uchiha boy. Her and Sasuke — Sasuke and Naruto are easily the most popular ship in the entire Naruto fandom and I hate to be the one to say it but I actually CANNOT stand that ship like something about it makes me recoil. I do like the idea of them thinking each other as best friends or even siblings in a non-blood related sense but thinking of them as a couple has just never —

That was an unpopular opinion I know. But it’s true.

Obviously, I adore Itachi to pieces and honestly, I could see Naruto and him being like. Together. However that is not the case for this fic.

And Shisui.

I don’t know what to say really. I know a lot of you didn’t want Naruto to forgive him so easily, and I assure you, it won’t happen that way.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!! Please comment — I love hearing your thoughts.

Stay safe and happy reading :)

Chapter 9: Strawberries and Syrup

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Naruto has always claimed that summer is her favorite season, but after making the trek to the Hidden Sand, she’s sure that it only applies to the summers in her village. Summer in Konoha is hot, but nice. The sun shines brightly, illuminating the hundreds of trees that surround the village, making everything sparkle green and gold, and the sound of laughter can be heard up and down the streets; all the children are usually on summer break by then, so the ice cream carts come out too, and it always smells like flowers and chocolate and melted granulated sugar. 

Summer in the Sand, however, is just – atrocious, is the right word, probably. The sun feels as though it’s trying to bake them alive, and it’s not nearly as aesthetically pleasing when all there is to see for miles and miles is brown stone, hot sand, and sand-structured buildings so drab that Naruto thinks her vision is blurring into one. It’s surprisingly monotonous for one of the five main Elemental villages. 

Kakashi had warned her, Sakura, and Sasuke that they should pack winter gear too, because in the night time, the desert was freezing. Naruto thought that it was all actual bullshit. Like, how could you be super hot and sweaty during the day, and then freezing cold during the night? It was ridiculous. 

And that wasn’t even mentioning the party she was traveling with in the first place. Granted, Kakashi was fine, like he always was. He’d had his head stuck in his book for the majority of the trip. But there was also Sakura and Sasuke to think about. 

Sasuke had, characteristically, been quiet. Sakura hadn’t made much conversation with either of them. She’d been talking to the client – and Naruto didn’t commend Sakura on a lot of things, but it took true patience to deal with the man they were escorting. Naruto had been half contemplating the entire time if she would get in trouble for accidentally tripping him. She hadn’t voiced this aloud, but Kakashi had very offhandedly said, “Feet to yourself, Naruto.”

Naruto grumbled, glaring at the back of Torino-san’s head. He was a merchant. A very important one, which was something that had been self proclaimed, and Sasuke and Naruto had shared eye rolls. 

“Is he really?” Sasuke had asked Kakashi.

Kakashi only shrugged. “Does it matter? We’re getting paid, my cute little genin.”

Naruto conceded that to this, Kakashi had a point.

“So, Torino-san,” Sakura chattered away, pink hair pulled back into a ponytail that teased the back of her neck. “What kind of wares do you sell?”

“All sorts of things,” Torino said importantly, his chest puffing up. “As you young folk know, Suna is severely lacking in crops and fish, which means that everyone who can afford them is rushing to get their hands on the best products.”

“What about the fish?” Sakura asked, keeping a good pace with the other man. “Don’t they spoil by the time you get there?” 

“Of course not!” he said indignantly. “We have stasis seals we use on them so they’re still fresh when we arrive. And they love me down there because I’m one of the only ones who will make the trek in the desert. And the temperatures. They fluctuate!” 

“That they do,” Kakashi agrees, and Naruto sighs.

“Hey,” she says. “Have you ever met the Kazekage and his family?” 

Torino laughs. “Have I ever? Of course! I personally take requests from Kazekage-sama and deliver him what he needs. I have imported fruit and medicinal herbs that they asked for. You’ll have to escort me there!”

Naruto is gleeful, and she immediately turns to Kakashi, whose lips are quirked. 

“Don’t get yourself into a political marriage, dobe,” Sasuke mutters, like the jerk he is. 

“You?” Torino asks, peering at Naruto from beneath his spectacles. “You look a little young to be married, don’t you? I’ll say – you look to be about the Kazekage’s kids’ ages.” 

“We’re Gaara-sama’s age,” Sakura says. “And Naruto isn’t getting married anytime soon.”

“Of course not!” Naruto exclaims. “But can’t I want to make a friend? He is our age, after all. It would help political affairs with Suna, too,” she says, though this time it's a little quieter. Not entirely inaudible, if Torino-san’s interested expression is anything to go by. 

“You know, you look familiar,” Torino says to Naruto, and she manages to hold herself back from glancing at Kakashi. They’d agreed it wouldn’t be smart to declare on every mission she went on that she was the daughter of the Hokage and Uzumaki Kushina. It would certainly warrant more attention than they wanted.

“Do I?” Naruto laughs, a bit uncomfortable. “I guess I just have one of those faces.” 

“This is Naruto’s first time leaving the village,” Kakashi cuts in smoothly. “You must be mistaken.” 

Torino’s eyes narrow. “Maybe… But I’ve been to Konoha before. I could’ve sworn…” Then he turns back to the road ahead, and Naruto and Kakashi exchange glances. Kakashi flashes a few quick ANBU signs with his hands, and Naruto ignores the flash of greeny gold that follows closely behind them, as it always does. 

Ever since the incident with Kumo, Kakashi has been more diligent in teaching her ANBU hand signs in case of an emergency. She’s no pro at it, but she can make out a few of the ones Kakashi signs to Shisui. 

Watch, be careful, alert, and Naruto. 

Naruto tries not to grimace. Not enough time had passed for her to be over what Shisui had pulled at Sasuke’s birthday party. This was all a job.

She sighed heavily, and Sasuke shifted towards her in miniscule increments. He didn’t say anything, but his dark, raven eyes observed her. 

“Besides,” Sakura says, so oblivious that Naruto can’t really even be mad at her. “Naruto’s already getting married to someone else. She told us herself!” 

“Oh?” Torino says, eyebrows raised, and Naruto tenses, feeling the way Sasuke does too, and how Kakashi is silent, taking in the conversation, and how Shisui is behind them too, no doubt taking everything in. “To who?” 

Sakura giggles. “She’s got a secret admirer but she hasn’t told us who it is. But it’s sweet. When we were in the Academy, he’d throw paper airplanes with notes through the window.” 

“Is that so?” Kakashi muses, and Shisui’s still, green chakra sparkling with something that feels close to panic. 

“It wasn’t serious,” Naruto rushes to say, shooting a pleading look at Sasuke. “We actually aren’t, um, friends anymore. No wedding! None at all!” She thrusts her hands, hoping they get the message. Shisui’s chakra behind her flinches, and she’s more surprised when Sasuke does too. 

“That’s a shame,” Torino offers. “You’re young, aren’t you? But young love is always the hardest. Often because it usually ends and it feels like your heart has shattered into tiny pieces. When you’re young, falling in love is exciting. You’re not jaded and you tend to see the best in people. When you’re older, you look for the flaws.”

Naruto is suddenly reminded of why she doesn’t like Torino. 

“It’s fine,” Naruto says, face turning red when her words come out more snappy than she intended. “I just said it was true because people always thought I liked Sasuke-teme, and it was annoying. It was never real.” 

For a second, the only thing that can be heard is the dusting of sand when the wind blows, and the soft padding of Torino’s footsteps over the dunes; he’s the only one not trained in staying quiet. 

“If you say so,” Torino finally offers, when Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke don’t respond. Then he starts to talk about how strawberries are a rare fruit to come across in the desert because they need a very certain set of growing conditions – temperature and sunlight and water and soil type. Naruto tunes him out, kind of. Strawberries, like a lot of things these days, remind her of Shisui. And he’s the last person she wants to be thinking about. 

→←

The rest of the trek there is stuck in stilted conversation that, once again, is mostly between Sakura and Torino. Naruto doesn’t even entertain another question about who her mysterious suitor is and why they seem so unfriendly, though Torino and Sakura both try. Sasuke obviously knows the whole truth, and while Kakashi doesn’t know everything, he’s not stupid. He can probably guess as well as anyone else – and he’s also not going to bring it up in front of all these other people where Naruto is so clearly adverse to talking about it. 

Kakashi pushes boundaries, but only in private. 

By the time they’ve gotten there, Naruto’s waterskin is almost empty, and the ration bar she’d eaten  on the way is doing nothing – she needs real food. 

“I’m starving,” she mutters to Sasuke, and he hums his agreement. “Do you think we can eat?” 

Sasuke snorts. “Doubtful. We’re going to be heading over to the Kazekage Tower, and I’m sure we’d be considered mannerless if we even tried to choke down a food pill. Besides,” he tilts his head towards her. “Suna has to trade for their food,” he nods towards Torino. “Do you really think they have resources to waste on Konoha nin?” 

Gloved hands clap on both her and Sasuke’s shoulders, and they look up to see Kakashi eye-smiling down at them. “I’m so glad you both understand.” And then he walks away without another word, because that’s just how Kakashi is. 

Torino leads the way up the Kazekage Tower, where guards stand at every doorway and entrance. Where Konoha sports green and blue as their colors of choice, the Suna nin wear blacks and reds, and the occasional purples. Mostly, they have mesh, and the majority of them have some sand-protectant wrapped around their heads or arms, likely to avoid the blowing sand from abrading their skin. 

In front of the main double doors, a guard steps forward, eyeing Torino first, and then darting straight towards the Leaf headbands that shine proudly on their foreheads. “State your business,” he said. 

Kakashi stepped forward. “We’re just Konoha nin, escorting Torino-san here to see your Kazekage. He trades produce with your people, and has a special delivery for Kazekage-sama.” 

The guard’s eyebrow goes up. “Special delivery? We need to inspect it before you’re allowed to see him,” he says. “Security precautions.”

Team Seven dutifully waits as Torino empties his backpack, pulling out the stasis seals he’d told them out earlier. It doesn’t take long for the Suna shinobi to thoroughly check the contents of the bag, and meticulously rifle through the wares. And just as Torino had promised, there was nothing to be wary of. However, the abundance of strawberries plucked straight from the bushes in Konoha looked ripe and red, and Naruto licked her lips thoughtfully as she saw it. 

She knew she wasn’t going to get one, but a girl could dream.

“Don’t drool,” Sasuke says. 

Naruto huffs out a laugh, even as the guards usher them in. They fall into line behind Kakashi, like little ducklings following their mother. As they troop through the office, Naruto peeks around her teammates to catch sight of the Kazekage, and she nearly grabs Sasuke’s arm in her excitement. 

Because yeah, Kazekage-sama is there, but so are three children, all with varying matching features. 

The tallest of the three is draped in garb from the top of his head to the tips of his toes, purple streaks painted across his face like war chalk. He looks like a mime, a little bit, with the way the paint is swirled into his skin and lips, and the top of his hood pokes into two points that resemble cat ears. But it seems like an offensive thing to voice aloud — something  Tou-chan would scold her for doing, so she refrains from commenting. 

The only girl from the trio is blonde, and she’s very pretty. Where her elder brother is dressed in all black, she sports a pale purple, one that probably reflects the heat of the Suna sun well. Her hair is an ashy sort of blonde, and her eyes are deep green. A large fan is stationed by her side, and she leans against it almost carelessly, like she couldn’t care less that she’s standing in the Kazekage’s office with foreign nin. 

Finally, the last one – the youngest, if his height is anything to go by, is the spitting image of, who is no doubt, his father. With blood red hair that covers the top of his forehead, and milky green eyes rimmed with kohl liner, and the kanji for love decorating his temple, he is certainly the most notable of the Sand siblings. 

Kankuro, Temari, and Gaara, Kakashi had told her once. 

Just as Torino opens his mouth to announce his products, Naruto steps out from behind the rest of Team Seven, and takes a bold step towards Gaara, an excited grin splitting open her face. As she does, two Sand nin immediately fly in front of her, but Naruto smiles at the other boy, ignoring the weapons that are already drawn. 

“Gaara-kun!” Naruto crows, leaning over the shoulders who block her from their path, ignoring the wary look on Temari’s face. “Hi!” 

Kakashi sighs, but doesn’t say anything. Gaara only stares at her, arms crossed. Temari and Kankuro stay silent too, probably waiting for someone else to react first. 

“...Hello,” Gaara says quietly. His face gives away nothing, but his green eyes are studying her with intent – like how ninja observe their target. 

“I’ve been waiting so long to meet you,” she tells him, and doesn’t miss the roil of chakra that goes through the room. “When I heard we were going to Suna, I was so excited!” 

“And who are you?” Temari interjects, hands on her hips as she stares Naruto down. 

“I’m Naruto,” she says. “Nice to meet you!” 

“I’m… Gaara,” Gaara tells her unnecessarily.

Naruto’s lips twitch. “I know.” 

Somebody coughs, and Naruto straightens up once more, smiling sweetly at the Suna guards who are still tense, like they expect her to leap across the space and plunge a kunai into poor Gaara’s stomach.

“Anyways…” Torino says, clearly never having been interrupted while showcasing his wares to a Kage before, “I’ve got all the things you requested, Kazekage-sama, along with the shipment of fruits, fish, and wheat.” 

“Excellent.” Rasa-sama is stone-faced as he said this, not looking at all amused with Naruto’s antics and her attempts to be friendly with his son. Though he pretends like it doesn’t happen, because he doesn’t dare address it. “I’ll have one of my men escort you to the market.”

“Thank you for your generosity, Kazekage-sama,” Torino bows his head graciously. “However, these Konoha-nin have promised to accompany me today.” His manners with the Kage are much better than the ones he displayed on the trip there, but that is par for the course. 

Rasa purses his lips, milky eyes flitting across the space from Kakashi to Naruto to Sasuke to Sakura in less than a few seconds. “If you’re certain,” Rasa nods, though he doesn’t look pleased. Gosh. It’s not like they plan to ambush Torino or anything. If that had been the case, they would have done it while they were walking miles in the desert. 

Torino bows again, and Kakashi follows suit, so the genin do too. It’s not until they’re turned around and getting ready to walk out that Rasa speaks again. “You,” he says. “Girl.” She and Sakura both turn, but Rasa is looking at her. “You’re Minato’s, aren’t you?” 

She sees in her peripheral vision how Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara all begin to survey her with a bit more interest. 

Kakashi doesn’t intervene like she half-expects him to, but Shisui’s chakra signature creeps closer from where it’s stationed outside the tower. Like he’s waiting – waiting for perhaps, Rasa to say something unkind, or do something that could jeopardize her safety. 

“I am,” Naruto says, back straight, chin proud. “I’m his daughter. Uzumaki Naruto. Nice to meet you, Kazekage-sama,” 

She’s not a complete heathen. Her parents have taught her manners and she uses them when the situation calls for it.

“You’re…” Gaara begins uncertain, “you’re the Hokage’s daughter. But you’re an Uzumaki.” 

At this, Naruto can feel herself becoming a little colder. “Yes.” Is that a problem? She almost wants to ask, because her mother is frowned upon in the village.

“But…” Gaara trails off, and the whole room becomes a bit more still, like everyone is eagerly waiting to hear what the Kazekage’s youngest son has to say. Even Kakashi has a silvery eyebrow arched. Shisui’s greeny gold chakra hovers just on the edge of her senses, and Sasuke, and even Sakura at her back make her feel so much more confident. “Your hair,” Gaara says, which wasn’t what Naruto was expecting at all. “It’s not… red!” It’s said with such genuine surprise that Naruto blinks. 

“Er. No,” she agrees, taking a quick chance to glance at Temari, who is staring at Gaara like she’s never seen him before. “My dad’s a blonde.”

“Uzumaki genes usually win out,” Gaara tells her, and Naruto can’t help but laugh. 

“That’s not the first time I’ve heard that,” she says. “My mom – she and my dad always fight about how I got everything from him –  eyes and hair and face. She’s a little upset.” 

Gaara doesn’t laugh with her, but there is the faintest twitch of his lips, and Naruto internally cheers. 

Kakashi is the one who steps forward this time, and he gently lays a hand on her shoulder. “Unfortunately, this conversation has to wrap up,” and Naruto can tell he means it; it might not be obvious to everyone else, but she’s grown up with Kakashi, and the way he squeezes her lightly lets her know.

Immediately, Gaara looks a bit shy. “Of course. My apologies for keeping you.” 

“No need for formalities, Gaara-kun,” Naruto waved him off, even as she began to step towards the doorway. “We’re friends aren’t we?”

His head shoots up so fast, like an overgrown puppy. “Friends?” he echoes, hopeful. 

Temari and Kankuro are both shocked. 

“Friends,” the blonde repeats, giving him a small smile.

“Friends,” Rasa says thoughtfully, now giving Naruto and then Kakashi a suspicious look. “Uzumaki Naruto, the Hokage’s daughter. And Hatake Kakashi, the Copy Ninja. The Hokage’s prized and only student. Friend Killer, if I’m not mistaken.” It makes Naruto seethe.

Kakashi doesn’t outwardly respond, but his hand clenched on her shoulder once before relaxing completely. 

“Kakashi’s not a – not a Friend Killer,” Naruto rushes to say, anger flaring up under skin, staring up coolly at the Kazekage, not immune to the way Shisui has flitted closer, his presence still undetectable. The guards that stood between Gaara and Naruto are at attention again. “I’m surprised, Kazekage-sama,” she sneers, taking a page directly from Sasuke’s book. “Do you always talk so confidently about things you have no idea ab–” Rasa’s eyes flash, and Sasuke yanks Naruto back, cutting her off, and freeing her from Kakashi’s hold and Rasa’s glare.

“Idiot,” Sasuke hisses, but no one pays him mind.

“It’s just interesting,” Rasa says. “The Hokage’s student and daughter have come to my village. Then they try to befriend my son. The future Kazekage. It’s not hard to imagine that there might be… ulterior motives.”

“With all due respect, Kazekage-sama,” Kakashi says, though his tone makes it sound like Rasa doesn't deserve a single ounce of respect at all, “I don’t appreciate you accusing my students of something false. We came here on a job. If you have a problem with that, please inform Hokage-sama.” Kakashi is only a slouch when he wants to be, and his stiff posture doesn’t scream obedience. “Naruto is the daughter of the Hokage. What ulterior motives could she have, when she herself probably understands better than anyone?” 

Kakashi’s an S-ranked ninja for a reason, and though he may not be able to take down a Kage just yet, he’s still strong enough to cause a bit of damage. Paired with Shisui who is just outside – Narutoa almost shakes her head. They would be a deadly duo. They weren’t part of the Hokage’s inner ANBU circle for nothing. 

Rasa hums. “But it’s not just her, is it? And what are your intentions? Did you want to spy on us?” 

Naruto’s about to say something again, but to her surprise, Sakura takes hold of her wrist, equally as grounding as Sasuke on her other side, if only for the shock value. 

“Father.” This time it is Gaara who speaks, tone pleading, but Rasa doesn’t look at his youngest.

“My intention is to escort Torino-san to where he needs to go,” Kakashi states. Torino looks out of his depth, and Naruto can’t blame him. “Have you seen behavior that suggests otherwise?”

It’s not even Rasa who responds, but Gaara. “I haven’t,” he says, his milky eyes narrowed at his father.

Rasa falls silent, taking a look at Sasuke and Sakura who are clutching onto Naruto. It’s a little laughable, really. That they think they could hold her back if she was truly attempting to go. But Naruto lets them, because forget promising herself away to a marriage. She wouldn’t want to cause an accidental war from Konoha and Suna. 

“Go, Konoha-nin,” he says, and he very bluntly says, “I do not trust you to be in our village. Especially not after the last war.” 

At that, Kakashi looks truly angry – angrier than Naruto has seen him in years. And she knows why. War was always horrific. For both sides. Even the winning sides. There were always casualties, and Kakashi knew that better than anyone. He had lost his childhood in that war, after all. His best friends had lost their lives. She can tell through his mask that his jaw is clenched, and his silvery chakra is potent, charged with electricity. If she goes closer to him, perhaps she’d smell ozone, like how she always did when he had Chidori crackling along his fingertips. 

“Thank you for your hospitality,” Kakashi says, dipping into a barely-there bow. Sasuke, Sakura, and Torino do too. Naruto only goes because Sakura forces her down. 

Then they’re turning out of the door, and the blonde can hear Gaara behind them. 

“ Father,” he urges. “Did you really have to–”

“ Quiet,” Rasa snaps. 

No one says a word. 

It isn’t until they have trooped out of the Kazekage Tower that the rest of them finally speak. 

“I’m impressed,” Sasuke says, sounding both truthful and condescending. Naruto doesn’t know how he does it. It’s a true talent. “I had already known you couldn’t be diplomatic, but you managed to insult the Kazekage on your first try.”

“I don’t kick your ass everyday,” Naruto snarks back. “ That’s the height of diplomacy.”

“That’s called staying on the legal side of the law,” Kakashi corrects, and he’s got that twinkle in his eye, like she’s done something correctly and he’s proud, but won’t say it outright. It doesn’t matter, though, because Naruto can read him well. 

“You still got Gaara to like you,” Sakura says, which is the nicest thing Naruto’s ever heard her say. 

 “What would Hokage-sama say?” their silvery haired sensei muses, tapping a finger to his masked lips. “Naru-chan is already forming international relations. With Suna no less, which has been hostile towards Konoha since the war. Not bad, Naru-chan. Winning your father's allies is always a bonus.” 

“Gaara’s not really an ally,” Naruto argues, though she can feel the blush on her cheeks, pleased with Kakashi’s silent praise. “He’s a friend. We just became friends.”

Kakashi smiles. “The best allies are won through friendship, Naru-chan.”

“You call that winning allies?” Sasuke gapes, his pale face paler than normal. “If anything, she made things worse.” 

“Maybe,” Sakura says. “But,” she lowers her voice even further, and they all huddle together a little better. “It’s not like he’ll be Kage forever, right? By the time we’re adults, Gaara will be. Suna and Konoha are already hostile, so it’s not like she really ruined anything. Naruto is friends with the future Kazekage. That’s kind of good, isn’t it?” they all turn to look at her. Going against Sasuke, and defending Naruto? Sakura notes their attention and blushes. “What?” she asks. 

Naruto and Sasuke exchange the same look of disbelief, but don’t reply. 

Kakashi ruffles their hair. “Very good, my cute little genin,” he says. “Very good. And Naruto,” he says. “I appreciate you sticking up for me, but you don’t have to,” he tells her gently. “That was a dangerous thing you did.” 

Naruto huffs. “Kakashi, if I get killed by a random ninja on the road or the Kazekage, does it matter? I’m still dead. I wasn’t going to start a war. Maybe just, I dunno. Be a little rude. Is that so crazy?”

Kakashi shakes his head. “What would Hokage-sama say?” he repeats, sounding exasperated. And then, with a look of alarm, he says, “what would Kushina-nee say?” 

“She’d cheer me on,” she says, and Kakashi sighs, because he knows she’s right. 

When they accompany Torino to the market square, the other man gasps, pointing at Naruto. “I knew you looked familiar!” Torino says. “You look just like your father.” Naruto only smiled sheepishly. 

 When it’s time for them to finally head back home, Gaara and his siblings come stumbling to the gates. 

Naruto acknowledges Shisui’s shining presence behind her as it tenses, but relaxes herself when she senses their chakra. Usually, she can tell people’s intentions through their chakra. Gaara’s swirling red and gold don’t have any ill-intent, and the dark purple that emanates from Kankuro and the darker green from Temari are both hesitant but normal. 

“Naruto-san, wait!” 

Torino was long gone, and now Team Seven was heading back home, a bit tired, a lot hot, and positively starving .

But Naruto still waved at Gaara. “Hello, Gaara-kun. Sorry we can’t stay to hang out – we have to get back home. You know how it is.” She eyed him critically, noting the small clothed bundle he cradled in his arms, like it was precious cargo.

“Naruto-san,” Gaara says again. “I just wanted to apologize for my father. He – he was out of line.” 

“It’s not your fault,” Naruto says. “We can’t help it if our fathers are raging ass– HEY!” She rubs her sore ribs; Sasuke’s elbowed her, staring heavenward for patience. 

But Gaara only gives her that ghostly smile again, like he wants to laugh but isn’t sure if he’s allowed to. “I agree,” he says easily. “I know that relations between our villages are not great, and that you and I barely know each other. But no one has just declared themselves to be my friend. Nor have they defended someone my father has dressed down before. I liked that you did that,” he admits, red flags appearing across his cheeks. You’re different. Even if my father doesn’t like you or thinks you have a hidden agenda, I don’t think the same as him. Regardless if my village or,” he wrinkles his nose, “ Kage welcomes you or not, I do. We do not have to be our villages or our parents. I would rather like to be your friend.” 

Naruto beams at him, ignoring the hand he’s stretched out to her in an offer of friendship, and pulls him in for a hug instead. Temari’s hand goes for her fan, but she halts when Gaara pats her back a bit uncomfortably. “I’m so glad you think so,” she says. “We don’t live in the same village, but you can always send me letters, okay?” She clasps his hand between her own, grin stretching from ear to ear. “I’ll write back!” 

Gaara nods his head jerkily. Then he offers her the bundle. “Oh. Um. Just as a parting gift, to show you I mean no ill will. I heard you say you were hungry. It’s not much, but I packed some strawberries and –”

“- Cream?” Naruto finishes, hopefully. 

Gaara’s face goes crooked, his lips twitching. “No,” he says. “Suna is too hot for us to have dairy products on hand. The walk from home to here alone would’ve spoiled it. But we do have certain plants growing in the desert.” 

“Plants?” Naruto questions, taking the bundle from him carefully. She peers in to see the pint of strawberries, and a small plastic container next to it. 

“Yes,” the redhead nods. “There are few plants that grow in our weather and terrain, but my siblings and I tend to a garden. We grow a plant called agave. From the agave plant, we harvest–”

“Syrup,” Kakashi finishes simply, peering into the bag beside Naruto. 

Gaara flushes. “Yes. Syrup. We may not have cream, but strawberries taste great with the agave syrup. A little drizzle goes a long way. I thought –” he scratches his hands, as though he’s nervous. “I thought you might want a snack for your walk back home. I know it takes some time.”

Naruto is wide eyed. As they’d established with Torino, strawberries couldn’t grow in Suna. The climate for strawberries needed a good temperature – one that was anywhere between 10 degrees and 30 degrees. Any lower or higher made for unsuitable conditions. Strawberries were a rare delicacy in Suna; always imported. 

Yet, Gaara had given them an entire pint, along with syrup taken from his very own garden. 

“If it’s not to your satisfaction–” he stutters when no one replies, “- I can find something else to–”

“No!” Naruto yelps, startling the Sand siblings. “No,” she repeats quieter. “This is wonderful. Thank you so much, Gaara.” She pulls him into another hug, making sure not to squish the fruit between them. “I’ll talk to you soon, okay?” 

Gaara nods, looking dazed, and his siblings take him by the arm, as though they expect him to chase them out of the gates. “Goodbye,” he manages. 

But Naruto just smiles, heading out of Sunagakure with her team, strawberries and syrup close to her heart. 

When they make it past the entry point, Sasuke pokes her. “You might’ve gotten yourself a husband after all, dobe.” 

Naruto scowls and slaps his hand away. Because he’s obviously wrong. Gaara was just being friendly. That was what new friends did. 

“Shut it, teme,” she says back. “He was just being nice. Maybe you could learn a few tips and tricks.” 

Sasuke smirks. “When I’m trying to court someone, I’ll take notes from him. People are nice, but not like that.” 

Kakashi speaks next. “Do you ever wonder why it’s tradition to give someone sweets on White Day?” 

Sasuke actually laughs aloud, and Sakura blushes. Naruto doesn’t give him a response, because they’re all the worst. 

While shoving Sasuke and yelling at Kakashi and ignoring Sakura’s looks, she completely misses Shisui flickering away behind them.

→←

Upon arriving home, they report back to Minato immediately. It’s less formal than any debriefing ever because Minato sees them and immediately drops to his knees in front of Naruto, pulling her in for a big hug and begins to tirade about how his little girl is growing up too quickly. If she’s being honest, they don’t talk about the mission details. All because she’d just completed her first C-rank. It’s an exact mirror to what he’d done when she’d completed her first D-rank . 

Kakashi is, as always, used to her father being a complete pushover in her and her mother’s presence, and only shakes his head fondly, buried back in his book before Minato’s wailing even begins. 

“Tou-chan,” Naruto says, half embarrassed, half exasperated, “are you going to do this every time I do something new? What are you going to do when I complete my first S-rank as a jonin?” 

This makes Minato sound off even louder, and Naruto pats his blonde hair in commiseration. How can anyone take him seriously like this?

Sasuke and Sakura are both standing side by side, looking highly uncomfortable. What is the protocol for when your teammate is your Kage’s daughter and said Kage is behaving outside of Kage-like norms? Sasuke and Sakura look like they wish they knew. 

“There there, Naru-chan,” her sensei says offhandedly. “Don’t talk about things like that. You’re going to break your dad’s heart into little pieces.”

She rolls her eyes. “I see that.” 

“Little does he know,” Kakashi presses, tilting a mischievous eyebrow at her, “that his little Naru-chan has made her not first, but second foray into the dating world.” 

At this, Minato stops abruptly. 

“Kakashi,” Naruto hisses, turning a mega glare at her pseudo brother. “You know that’s not true!” 

“Second??” Minato screeches. 

“Second,” Kakashi confirms. 

“He’s lying!” Naruto protests. “I’ve never dated anyone.” 

“But,” Sakura says. “What about your future husband?”

Over Minato’s wheezing, Naruto groans. “I said it was for show! Because people like you and Ino wouldn’t stop talking about how I was after Sasuke! As if! It was a lie!” 

“True,” Sasuke concedes, which placates Minato just a little. “But Gaara?”

“A friend!” 

Kakashi eye-smiles, because he’s secretly an agent of chaos and loves causing problems. “Congratulations, sensei. Do you think Suna is too hot for a wedding? I was thinking we could host.” 

And thus, their first C-rank mission debrief doesn’t actually happen. 

—><—

After that, Team Seven becomes closer. Not enough to notice, really, but the change is definitely there. Sakura becomes more integrated into their team, and she and Naruto can actually hold conversations like civilized humans. Sasuke doesn’t dismiss her either, and it’s all because they nearly got into a fight with the Kazekage. 

Kakashi says it's because when you have to pick, you’ll always pick the lesser of two evils. Naruto concedes that he may have a point. 

Gaara, true to his word, does send her letters, keeping up a constant stream of chatter that doesn’t seem to have a hello or goodbye. He just has things to say. They don’t talk about the state of affairs in their own home villages; it’s a contentious point, and they both know it. But everything else is free game. 

What was Naruto’s favorite color? 

Orange, she’d reply. What was Gaara’s favorite flower? 

Aloe, he’d say back, and then have some sent to Konoha. In turn, Naruto had her mother construct a stasis seal for her and delivered strawberries, cream, cherries, and peaches over to Suna. 

It was a wonderful little pen pal friendship, and it certainly made her happier. Plus, there was just a certain understanding between them; he was the only person who knew what it felt like to be under constant scrutiny as the child of a leader. They didn’t talk about it often, but Gaara admitted that it was lonely. Even having two siblings didn’t change the fact that there was a gap. He was going to be Kazekage one day, he told her. That distinction was always there, and Kankuro and Temari were closer to each other than to him.

Naruto had never thought about it before. Not really. She knew people looked at her differently for who she was. Who her parents were. But she’d never thought of herself as lonely. 

But in talking with Gaara, and slowly becoming closer to Team Seven, she realized that she had been for a long time. 

Even people like Sasuke and Itachi were not able to completely fill that void. Her and Sasuke had only just acknowledged their friendship. In fact, Naruto loathes to admit it, but Shisui was the one who had made her feel not as lonely. So much so, she hadn’t even realized it in the first place. She hadn’t realized it until he was gone. 

Coming to that conclusion had stunned her, and she was sitting back in her seat at the desk in her room one afternoon after training. Shisui’s glittery chakra was perched in the tree outside her window as it always was, subdued. 

They hadn’t spoken. He hadn’t reached out to her since Sasuke’s birthday, and she was happy. It was easier to put distance between them if she couldn’t see him, but it didn’t help that he was always there. Always lurking on the edges of her senses.

Not for the first time, Naruto’s conflicting feelings rose up in her. She wanted to talk to Shisui. She wanted to joke with him and eat sweets and learn how to flicker and do all the stupid things they’d done.

Naruto tched. Kakashi and Shikamaru were two of the most intelligent people she knew, and they’d both said that conflict of interests were a real thing. Real as it was, Naruto still thought it was dumb. 

She put down the most recent letter from Gaara, his script slanted and elegant. It made her smile. His writing looked like it would match him and how he spoke. She played with her pen, twisting it around her fingers, almost like how she would a kunai. 

She sighed, face in her palm. Her window was wide open this time of year, and she could feel the warm summer breeze blowing in, sending her blonde locks tumbling over her shoulder and her drapes waving softly. 

Konoha’s trees were always vibrant in summer, and the rustling of leaves in the wind was a comforting sound. The sun shone through the canopy, casting the lower half of the window in golden shine. It made it feel warm and homey, and sort of Shisui wasn’t just in his solitary tree, but all around the house, encompassing her family in a secure bubble. 

Naruto wondered. If she gazed out the window hard enough, would she see him? 

Not that — not that she missed him really. She just missed having a friend like him. 

She frowned. It was going to be two years soon. Really, she should get over it. 

Shisui’s birthday was coming up. 

And letters with Gaara were nice but they weren’t the same as the mischievous banter that she and Shisui had participated in. 

“What the hell,” she murmurs, annoyed with herself. 

In her head, she knew she shouldn’t compare Gaara and Shisui. They were two completely separate entities, with no relation to one another. But — there were just a lot of parallels drawn.

Shisui’s greeny gold chakra glittered teasingly, taunting her almost. 

You can’t keep me out of your head, he crooned, and Naruto scowled at her invisible, non-existent tormentor. It’s okay. I know you’re obsessed with me. 

“Shut it!” Naruto yelled, and Shisui’s chakra signature immediately flared, like he was standing at attention. She could visibly see as he moved from his tree, closer to the window, trying to identify who she was talking to. 

Naruto held her breath. He crept closer, and there was a brief moment of hesitation as his sharp eyes decorated with their dark Sharingan took in the entire length of the situation. His chakra swirled menacingly, ready to intimidate whoever was intruding. But then there was another pause, when he seemed to realize there was no one there but her. 

A soft, unsure knock sounded off against her walls. 

Okay? Shisui was asking and Naruto felt fury and shame and longing well in her. 

“I’m fine,” she says aloud, volume regular, knowing perfectly well he’s listening and attentive. “It's fine. You — you can go back. It’s — it’s fine.” 

It only makes her feel worse when Shisui stops, like he wants to make sure that’s true, before flickering away once more, stationed in his tree. 

It’s hard not to be bitter. 

Maybe she should try seeing things from his point of view, but it was difficult. Both Gemma and Kakashi were in Minato’s inner circle, and they maintained a good relationship with the Namikaze-Uzumakis despite their positions. She could still hear Shisui’s words from that night. 

I’m not Kakashi.

Naruto knew he wasn’t. The relationship she had with Kakashi was significantly different than the one she had with Shisui. 

But, there was no point dwelling on it. Shisui, birthday parties aside, didn’t seem like he had any notion of going back to the way things were. And Naruto wasn’t ready to forgive him. Plus, he hadn’t said sorry anyways. So there really was nothing to forgive. 

With another long sigh that seemed to build up in her ribs and pour out from her mouth, she turned back to the piece of parchment she’d been slowly strangling in her hands, cerulean eyes coasting over the sloped script. 

 

Naruto,

 

I am unsure if your Kakashi-sensei has mentioned it to you, but my father has said that the chunin exams are coming up. Of course, it is up to each team leader to decide whether or not they feel their team is suited for the challenge, but I know that my siblings and I are attending the examinations. 

You likely know because your father is Hokage, but Konohagakure is going to be hosting the exams. I admit, I am wary of your father and my father interacting. I do not know your father, but I know mine, and he is somewhat hostile. Hopefully, things will be okay.

I do not know if your team is participating in the exam, but I hope you will. We haven’t spoken much about our own affiliates as ninja, but I am sure it would be a curious match up, if you and I were to face off. However, if you find yourself not in the exam, then I would be glad to see you outside of it, as friends instead of competitors. 

The exam isn’t taking place for a little while yet, so there’s still some time if your Kakashi-sensei hasn’t said anything. 

 

Wishing you all the best

Gaara

P.S. I recently was doing some garden work and I came across some plants that grow both in Suna and Konoha. How would you feel about taking care of a plant? 

 

Naruto smiled at the letter and picked her brush back up to reply. 

 

Gaara,

 

I had known about the chunin exams for some time, though I am also unsure of if we’ll be entering them. Kakashi-sensei has neither confirmed nor denied, though I know my teammates want to be entered. I think he’s secretly biding his time and waiting for what we say. Regardless, I am eagerly anticipating your arrival in Konoha. 

Don’t worry about our fathers. They’re not us. And I won’t judge you based on their relationship.

As for plants…..

→←

Notes:

WELCOME BACKKK!!

Hello everyone, I am so happy to be back. I'm finally out of school, which means I finally have time to write and it's been so longggg. I missed writing for this fic, because I feel like this fic is so much lighter in comparison to the other things I write. Really, sometimes the hardest thing I have to think about when creating a new chapter is thinking about what sweet or candy is going to be mentioned in the chapter (LOL!) ..

That being said -- Gaara!! They're innocent friends, two kids who are kind of lonely but find themselves becoming acquainted because of it. If you couldn't tell, Gaara does have his tailed beast but he has a proper seal so he's not a raging insomniac like before!! I know there wasn't a lot of Shisui-Naruto interaction in this chapter, and it hurts me as much as it hurts you, probably.

I will neither confirm nor deny Shisui being prominent in the next chapter because I myself, do not know. But I can say that Itachi will be there, and I love writing his and Naruto's relationship too.

I don't think the chunin exams will be in the next chapter either, because I'm not ready to write it lol, so. Uh. Lazy of me? Maybe. But I think it would fit the pacing of the story well.

ANYWAYS. Sakura is getting to be cooler, and that's cool.

One thing I have been seriously seriously seriously thinking about is making Naruto an ANBU. Not now. She's a bit inexperienced and young, and it's probably not going to follow well with the storyline I have thought out, but for the future, I have been seriously seriously seriously thinking about it because if she is (and spoiler! but not really bc you guys could probably guess) you know who her ANBU partner is going to be LMAOOOOO pls guys I'm so trash. Putting them in a situation where they would be forced to watch each others back and maybe get hurt and i don't fucking know, share body heat in the cold? I won't say it'll happen but knowing me, it might.

I mean. I haven't decided yet, because I don't know if I should, which is why I wanted a genuine opinion on it like. Should I? Would it make sense? Again, not now. Naruto will definitely be older. I just wanna know what your thoughts are..

ANYWAYS. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Happy reading! :)

Chapter 10: Dorayaki for the Deserter

→←

The chunin exams are scheduled to take place in early January, and Kakashi tells Team Seven that they are close to being ready, but not there just yet. He does say, however, that if they wish to take it, then they have to take it as a team, and agree to take it as a team, with no peer pressure involved. Naruto is unsure of why he says this while shooting accusing looks in her and Sasuke’s direction. 

This means that they have roughly three months to get in tip top shape for the exams, and Naruto swears she’s never worked so hard in her life. Everyday, Team Seven meets on the bridge and then they go through rigorous training till evening. Kakashi has them do intensive cardio, practice tree walking, target practice, substitution jutsus, It’s exhausting, and somehow not what Naruto expected. 

She expected more Rasengan-Chidori action, and when she’d told Kushina this, her mother had laughed and told her she had a long way to go.

Special moves aside, Naruto had been thinking about chakra chains – the one her mother had. Naruto hadn’t manifested them despite the numerous dangerous situations she’d been in. She’d been on missions where they’d been attacked and Kakashi had been incapacitated, but it hadn’t happened. Nor had it been the night where she had nearly been kidnapped by Kumo. 

Kushina didn't seem to know what to tell her other than that these sorts of manifestations happened naturally and couldn’t be rushed or forced, which was about the last thing Naruto wanted to hear considering the chunin exams were in three months.

The only person who seemed to understand her plight was Sasuke. He was the clan heir’s son, and he didn’t have his Sharingan yet, and Naruto knew he really wanted it to manifest. There was little to be done with either situation, though, because it wasn’t like you could force trauma. 

But, needless to say, the pressure was on. 

Besides that, Naruto was no expert in politics, but she wasn’t blind. Some sort of civil unrest seemed to be occurring, and it didn’t take a genius to figure it out. 

It had started with her mother and father whispering heatedly in the kitchen on a random Wednesday morning before she was supposed to go out and meet Sasuke and Sakura on the bridge. The weather had gotten colder once autumn began to roll in, and the blonde had opted to grab her ninja jacket instead of a mesh shirt. Her mother and father had been too caught up whispering to each other to hear her, and she’d stopped at the foot of the stairs when she’d heard her father, as intense as she’d ever heard him. 

“- don’t think I don’t know what they’re doing, love,” Minato said, his voice stern and tired. “I didn’t like keeping him on the Council but Sandaime-sama insisted. And I didn’t have evidence for why I wanted him to be removed.” 

“He’s always had a soft spot when it comes to him and you know it,” Kushina says back, and there’s a little clunking of pots and pans in the background; likely, they’re both still getting ready for the day ahead. “He’s not Hokage anymore, Minato. You are.” 

“The others want him to stay,” Minato says. “And I need a majority vote to switch them out. Even if he leaves, there’s still Koharu and Homura to think about.” 

“You will have the majority vote,” Kushina says, and she sounds upset. If Naruto looks closely, she can see the way the roiling red of her chakra is bleeding into the lilac, like a pupil expanding. Kurama always tends to have more of a sway on her mother’s chakra the more distressed she is. “Fugaku, Shikaku, Chouza, Inoichi, and Tsume will agree with you. And Kakashi has a seat on the council. He’ll vote if you ask him to.”

Naruto paused. unsure if she should make her presence known. 

She creeps to the doorway, toes padding softly against the wooden floor, their voices slowly getting louder again. 

When Minato spoke next, Naruto tried applying chakra to her ears the way Kakashi had taught them to. 

“I will probably have to hold that meeting,” Minato murmurs. “It won’t be pleasant. The Hyuugas will be upset and will accuse me of favoritism. Their bonds with the Uchha will only be more volatile.”

The sudden image of Sasuke being uncomfortable while telling her about Hinata flashes through her mind, and Naruto inhales. 

“It’s a tough call,” her mother says, tone uncharacteristically somber. “But we know Fugaku and Mikoto. They’re not — they wouldn’t. Danzo’s always been wary of the Uchiha clan. Unnecessarily prejudiced. I know it’s a difficult decision, but it’s necessary, Minato. You know that. We have to do what’s right.” 

“You’re right,” Minato agrees, his tenor slightly muffled with the added shield of the door. “But I have to wonder — where is he getting this information from?” 

There’s a moment of silence, where they both seem to ponder this question. This is when Naruto decides to push her way through, and both of her parents jump, as though they weren’t expecting her. From the glances they shoot each other, they probably weren’t. But they’re quick to change the topic, because when she greets them for the day, they both give her a kiss on the head without bringing up anything further. 

“Good morning, my Naru-chan,” Kushina beams at her, her ruby red hair pulled up in a long ponytail. “Ready for the day?” 

“I guess,” Naruto tells her, looking for any hint of distress. But both of her parents are trained shinobi, and don’t show anything. “You know how Kakashi is. He has us training until we’re on our knees.” 

Both Minato and Kushina laugh at this, something fond appearing in her father’s crystalline eyes. “That’s Kakashi for you,” he says all knowingly. “He’s tough on you because he cares. He was even tougher on himself when he was a kid.” 

“Much more of a brat too,” Kushina adds with a snicker. 

Then they both get a little sad and faraway, and Naruto knows they’re thinking about Obito and Rin. 

“So,” Naruto says. “I have to go. But I’ll see you later, right?” 

Minato and Kushina glance at one another again, and Naruto’s interest is officially piqued. 

“Yeah,” Kushina finally says. “Your father will probably be home late today, though. You don’t mind helping me make dinner, do you?” 

Naruto beams. “Of course not!”

“Wonderful!”

Minato clears his throat. “Before you go, I need to inform you about some changes to your personal guard.”

Naruto’s heart plummeted from her chest to her shoes, and she hastily rushed to sense her chakra signature. She hadn’t even realized it, but Shisui’s greeny gold forest fire was nowhere to be found in their general vicinity. Instead, there was a glowing bronze that seemed like melted copper that Naruto vaguely recognized as Shiranui Genma. 

“D-did something happen to Shi— I mean, Raven?” Naruto implored, eyes wide. “Is he okay?”

Minato dropped a hand on her shoulder. “Relax, Naruto,” he soothes. “He’s okay. He just needed some time off. He’s having a bit of an emergency at home and requested the next few days to himself.”

The fist that had closed around Naruto’s heart loosened considerably and she inhaled, not even noticing the way that her parents were all knowing. “Oh,” she finally said, hand placed over her neck, calming her rapidly racing pulse. “I — is his family doing okay?”

“I’m not sure,” Kushina replies gently, tucking a strand of hair behind Naruto’s ear. “Maybe you should check on him if you get the chance.” 

Naruto stared at her. Because wouldn’t that be something?

—><—

Naruto decided that morning that she wanted to be at the next meeting Minato held. Most of the time, Minato would let her sit in on financial reports and mission debriefs with low classifications. He was evidently charmed by Naruto’s loud and proud aspirations of becoming Hokage — he said it reminded him of himself - and Obito. Because of this, he was more than happy to let her get a sense of what her duties would be like. She hadn’t had much time for it since graduating from the Academy, but if Kakashi was going to be at this next meeting, then whatever training they had for the day would most likely be canceled.

And whatever Shisui was doing that required him to step away from being Naruto’s guard was probably connected given that her parents had brought up the Uchiha clan. And who was this Danzo guy, anyways? 

Naruto wondered about this on the way to training, and she was slightly more distracted that day, and everyone could tell. 

Kakashi was eyeing her speculatively, and she knew she’d be held back after. 

Sasuke wasn’t so concerned when he managed to land a hit on her he shouldn’t have when they were sparring. But there was a lack of consideration on his face that told her that whatever was occurring in the Uchiha compound was probably happening right under his nose.  

If she had gathered from the conversation correctly, this Danzo guy didn’t mess with the Uchihas and had the authority to do something about it. Naruto didn’t like it. 

Being friends with Itachi and Sasuke, having Shisui as her guard, knowing her parents were close with Fugaku and Mikoto, and hearing Kakashi lament about Obito meant that Danzo was officially not an ally. 

It made her worried. And if Tou-chan was worried, that was even worse, because he didn’t worry unless there was reason to.  

“—obe! Dobe, are you listening?” Sasuke snapped an irritated finger in front of her, and Naruto blinked, taking stock of her situation. Sakura was staring at her too, an elegant pink eyebrow arched. Kakashi was peering at her over his lurid orange book. 

“What?” 

“You’re up in space, Naruto.” Sakura said. 

“You haven’t been paying attention in training all morning,” Sasuke accused her. “Are you falling behind?” 

“Have you seen Itachi?” Naruto asked, completely ignoring him. 

For a moment, Sasuke was clearly taken aback. Then he scowled darkly, arms crossed. “Why do you want to know?”

Naruto rolled her eyes. “Let’s not do this today, teme. You know Itachi and I are friends. I’m not in the mood to play with you.” 

“Play?!”  Sasuke sputtered. “We do not play.” 

Naruto waved a careless arm at him. “I’m serious. I need to talk to him,” 

For a moment, it looked as though Sasuke was going to argue with her, but then he visibly deflated. “I haven’t seen him in a few days actually. He comes home late and leaves early. He’s actually with…” he side eyed Sakura meaningfully. “He’s with Shisui a lot of the time.”

Kakashi’s gunmetal eyes flickered towards the tree where Genma was stationed.

“I figured,” Naruto said. “Do you think you could take me to see him today?”

Sasuke seemed to remember himself, and a flicker of annoyance crossed his face. “Why do you need me?” he quipped. “Surely your so-called chakra sensing abilities should make it a breeze for you.” 

Naruto groaned. “I was trying to be polite. If he’s doing something important I don’t want to interrupt him.”

“Then you should take my denial as a future he’s never going to be free enough to talk to you!” This is all said with a little stomp of Sasuke’s foot, and Kakashi dutifully turns the page of his book, pretending like he’s not listening when he totally is. 

“I hate you,” she tells him. “Have I ever mentioned that before?” 

Sasuke’s smug smirk tells her he does know, and is proud of it. The rest of training goes by painstakingly slowly, and for the first time in a long time, the chunin exams are the last thing on her mind.

Later, when dusk is falling, Naruto leaves Sakura and Sasuke behind and goes a little closer to the Uchiha clan compound. She has no intentions of entering, but she pushes her chakra forward, sensing for Itachi and Shisui. Something like relief courses through her when she sees their chakra signatures side by side; wine and fire mixing with greeny gold canopies. For more reasons than one, her ribcage expands when she realizes Shisui isn’t actively hiding his presence from her like he had done before.

She wonders what’s going on. For the past two years, her guard had been a strict rotation of Shisui or Kakashi, so for it to be Genma was worrisome. 

There were no foreign ninja signatures in the village, and Naruto vaguely thought about the type of signature that Danzo would have when Naruto met him.

The wind blew her hair, and Naruto exhaled, her breath visible in the cold air. The Uchiha compound looked quiet from outside the gates, that was true. It was hard to think they could be planning a coup. 

Then she thought about her mother. Check on Shisui, she had said. 

Naruto bit her lip. Was that really and truly a good idea? There was a good chance that if she did, Shisui would just turn her away. He might hide his chakra signature from her again, and then she wouldn’t know if he was okay. 

She could tell from his signature alone that he was okay. She didn’t necessarily need to go in. Her presence wouldn’t be welcome either way, she rationed. But then, there was also Itachi. 

And it kind of wasn’t fair. Why did she have to consider Shisui in everything? Itachi was her friend way before Shisui ever became her bodyguard or set those stupid rules. That she wouldn’t be able to visit Itachi because she currently was on some speech prohibition from Shisui was dumb. 

Then she shook her head again. What was she saying? 

With another heavy sigh, Naruto swiveled on her heels and took the dusty road back home. 

→←

The more days that passed, the quieter Konoha became. It was like the entire village was sharing the secret, but didn’t know it. Everyone spoke a bit less, and more people seemed to be watching over their shoulders.

Or maybe, Naruto was just being paranoid. 

Still, now that she knew something was going on, it was hard not to – well, know. 

Kakashi had officially said that in a week's time, training would be canceled, and Naruto didn’t even clamor with Sasuke and Sakura to find out why. She knew why. 

Naruto knew what her plans would be too.

“Meeting?” she had guessed, and Kakashi’s sharp, intelligent eyes had turned on her. Scanning. 

“Yeah,” Kakashi said. 

“You normally don’t go to those,” Naruto notes, pushing just the slightest. Kakashi and her are engaged in a bit of a staredown, and Sasuke and Sakura look between them like they’re volleying. 

“Nope,” Kakashi’s lips pop on it, and he seems almost amused by her attempts to glean information from him.

“Why?” 

“Why are you asking so many questions, my cute little genin?” 

Naruto huffs and crosses her arms: Kakashi wins that one, like he always does, but it’s fine. Kakashi is a master at evading and denying, but Naruto just wanted to hear what he had to say. “Can’t a little sister be curious about her brother?” she teases, and Kakashi pokes her on the nose. 

“That’s sensei to you, brat.” 

And so, Naruto makes it her personal mission to be invited to the meeting, one way or the other. The only thing is that neither Minato or Kushina bring it up in front of her, so there’s never really an opening to talk about it. 

Thankfully, though, the next day after training, when Naruto chakra senses across the Uchiha compound once more, Shisui and Itachi are in totally different areas. Shisui’s greeny gold is by the reserves behind the compound, the ones that almost cross into the waterfall. Itachi, on the other hand, is at his own house, notably alone. Mikoto and Fugaku are nowhere to be found, and Naruto knows Sasuke is probably on the way there right now – they’d just trained together, after all.

Naruto makes a quick stop at the market before she goes over; it’s always polite to show up with gifts when showing up uninvited, Kushina says. Two packages of dorayaki later sees Naruto on the road to the Uchiha compound. Sasuke is almost home, his purple glow emanating from the gates of the compound, and Naruto races ahead a little, ignoring the way her lungs contract. 

If there was one thing Kakashi had helped them with, it was stamina. All the laps they did – Naruto guessed she should just be grateful that she didn’t pass out after every training session. 

She leaps across the trees, feet tapping against the bark as she soars for the gated community. Dusk has fallen once more, and it’s cold in the autumn air. She follows the beacon that is Itachi’s embers and wine, and grins manically to herself when she surpasses Sasuke on the road, because it’s just that funny. 

There’s something priceless about the way Sasuke’s stance changes from walking with his hands stuffed in the pockets of his white shorts, face completely neutral to an infuriated glare, his dark eyes scowling at her. 

“You!” he accuses her with a flung finger. “What are you doing here? I’m not letting you into my house!” 

Naruto cheerily steps in front of her teammate and knocks on their door. Itachi definitely already knows they’re there, but he takes the standard amount of time to walk down their stairs and open the door for them. 

Itachi, in all his beautiful glory, blinks down at them, a soft smile painting his handsome face. Though, Naruto thinks he looks tired. 

“Naruto,” he says in surprise. “Sasuke.” 

“I’m home,” Sasuke tells him glumly. 

“You didn’t use your key,” Itachi says this fairly, but there’s a bit of chastisement there that Naruto can read the undertones to. 

“It’s not his fault!” Naruto says, and Itachi raises an eyebrow. “I got here before he did!” 

Sasuke’s pout makes his entire face round, and Itachi’s expression melts into one of mirth. 

“I see,” he says, and steps aside for both of them to enter.

There’s a bit of push and shove to get in through the doorway as Sasuke elbows Naruto in her ribs and Naruto plants her palm in his face, but that’s to be expected. 

“Mother and Father aren’t home,” Itachi’s smooth as glass voice cuts over their roughhousing. “Do you want something to eat, Naruto? We haven’t prepared anything for you, but we have leftovers.” 

“No,” Sasuke says before Naruto can. “ She showed up uninvited!” 

“Itachi’s my friend!” Naruto says. “And you knew I wanted to see him, didn’t you, teme?” 

“You told me yesterday!” Sasuke protests.

“I told you that like, a few days ago!” 

“You still came, didn’t you?” 

“Yeah, because I sensed his chakra,” Naruto said. “He was finally by himself.” 

“Whatever!” the younger Uchiha throws his hands up. “What’s so important that you have to talk to him, anyways?” 

Naruto motions Sasuke closer, and he does so, bringing his ear down to her mouth. “None of your business, teme!” She shouts at him. Naruto laughs when Sasuke slaps her away, and Itachi looks incredibly fond. “No food,” she says. “I just wanted to ask you something.” 

Itachi waves them in further, and they drop their bags outside of the tatami room. 

Once they’re all settled around the kotatsu, legs crossed and slippers donned, Itachi turns to them. “How was training with Kakashi-senpai today?” 

Naruto hands Itachi the dorayaki while Sasuke speaks. “It was alright. He has us training for the chunin exams, you know. But we haven’t officially entered. Apparently we’re waiting for the whole team to agree.” He rolls his eyes. 

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure we said we wanted to enter,” Naruto agrees, smiling when Itachi smiles at her.

“Maybe you two did,” Itachi says. “But there is a third on your team, is there not? Has she agreed?” 

Sasuke and Naruto exchanged shrewd glances at this. 

“I mean–” Naruto says. 

“I don’t see why –” 

They look at each other again. Then they sigh in unison. “No,” they chorus. 

Itachi ruffles both of their hairs, and it’s only not condescending, because it’s Itachi. Which is a superpower only he has. Just like being the most amazing person to ever exist. “Maybe talk to Sakura-san,” he suggests. “It’ll be much easier to get missions done when you can function as a proper team.” 

“But she’s hard to talk to,” Naruto whines. “She fangirls over Sasuke and she hates me because she thinks I’m trying to steal him. It’s exhausting!” 

“I would never say this ever,” Sasuke says, “but Naruto’s right. She can’t act normal around me. And she thinks Naruto and I are….” he bodily shivers. “Like that.” 

“She has a crush,” Itachi tries, though his own face is twisted up in knowing discomfort. “It’s… normal.” Sasuke shoots his older brother a dry look. Naruto inspects Itachi. 

Itachi is a relatively popular shinobi, amongst ninja and civilians. She wouldn’t be surprised if he was familiar with fangirls the same way Sasuke was.

“You’re just kind,” the blonde finally decides. “She can’t stand me!” 

Itachi smiles at her. “You’re still young. When you are in a team with someone, you learn to put aside petty squabbles when your survival is at stake. Maybe it won’t be today, but things will change. Near death experiences have a way of bringing people closer together.” 

Naruto sincerely hoped it didn’t come to that. Instead she shrugged, and turned the topic to what she had been itching to talk about. “Tou-chan says there’s a meeting next week,” she says, playing with the other dorayaki that was still in its package. “Are you going?”

Itachi’s face betrays nothing. “I might be. Whether it’s as a clan heir or an ANBU agent is undecided.” 

“Kakashi is going,” Naruto says and Sasuke’s head turns to her. 

“Is he?” Itachi sounds mildly surprised. “That’s unusual.” 

If there were someone listening to them, Naruto is certain she would be able to spot their chakra signature. The only ones she can see within the radius of the main clan house are Itachi and Sasuke. But for some reason, it feels… wrong , somehow. To speak about whatever is going on freely. She should really get her mother to teach her silencing seals. 

“I thought so,” she agrees. “I was hoping Tou-chan would let me sit in on this meeting like he sometimes does but if Kakashi is going it might be serious. He usually doesn’t go to any of these things – says that the Hatake clan vote doesn’t do much. But if Tou-chan needs to pull Kakashi in, then it has to be important, no?” Naruto bites her lip. 

“Now, Naruto-san,” Itachi says, “Are you trying to pry information out of me?” 

“Pry?” Naruto laughs. “Never. Lovingly ask? Absolutely.” 

Itachi huffs out what may be a silent laugh. “I don’t know,” he admits. “I suspect if anything is going on, only your father knows. Maybe Shikaku-san will too, because he’s Hokage-sama’s advisor. But I’m a low level ninja, and I doubt I will hear anything until the meeting actually takes place.”

Naruto rolls her eyes. “Low level,” she repeats incredulously. “Sasuke and I are low level. You’re part of the black ops.”

Itachi hums. “There are things I don’t meet the clearance level for. If you can convince your father to let you attend, I suppose I’ll see you there. But, I must say –” he studies her under his warm eyes, and not for the first time Naruto thinks he looks tired, “- you look worried. It’s not like you. Is something… the matter?” 

Naruto shrugs, feeling a little uncomfortable. She isn’t even supposed to know what’s going on. And she definitely isn’t supposed to tell other people. She trusts Itachi with her life, but he may not be able to be impartial to the situation given that it supposedly involves his clan. “I…” she trails off. “I’m not sure. Just be careful, you know?” She hesitates before turning to Sasuke. “Both of you. And I just wanted to make sure that Shisui was okay. My mother told me to check on him, but I figured I would ask you. He hasn’t been on my detail for a while now.” 

Itachi’s features tighten imperceptibly, and if Naruto didn’t know any better, she’d say he was frustrated. “Shisui has been… cryptic as of late,” he admits. “Kakashi-senpai and Hokage-sama both informed me of your guard change.” 

“Yeah,” Naruto says. “You know who it is now. I thought if it were changed, it would be you.”

“Unfortunately, I was stationed elsewhere,” Itachi says, and something unsaid passed between them. 

Sasuke is silent, observing their coded conversation, And though they have childish arguments, he’s also smart enough to know that there are just some things the daughter of the Hokage and his ANBU brother would know about that he’s not cleared to. 

“It’s alright,” Naruto tells him. “I just –” she stops short suddenly, unable to stop herself from reaching out across the table to grasp Itachi’s hand in pure shock. She stands up, senses alert. 

“Naruto-san?” Itachi stands up with her, immediately at attention, 

She spies the unmistakable greeny gold of Shisui’s forest fire by the treeline surrounding the clan compound. That in itself is not anything worth noticing. 

But what is worth mentioning is the presence that stands close – way too close. It’s not like any chakra signature Naruto’s seen before, not even from the Kumo ninja that had tried to kidnap her. This one is dark and malicious and angry and Shisui’s bright and greeny gold just looks incredibly wrong next to it. 

Who is that? Why – why. 

There’s an inane need in her to somehow warp across the compound and hide Shisui away forever and ever; away from the prying eyes of this figure. 

“Who,” Naruto hardly dares to breathe, feeling her pulse race. “Who is he with?” 

“Dobe, stop speaking in riddles–”

“Shisui!” Naruto’s pitch is shrill as she rounds on Itachi. “Who is he meeting with? Do you know?” she demands. She draws herself up to her full height, feeling the need to intimidate even though she knows Itachi and Sasuke are her comrades. 

“No,” Itachi says, his dark eyes searching. 

They stare at each for half a beat before Naruto is running, not even bothering to take off her slippers. She slams the main branch house door open, the wood rattling against the wall. 

At this moment, Naruto regrets ever letting Shisui and Itachi stop teaching her how to shunshin. It’s a skill that would come in handy right about now.

Itachi and Sasuke are both hot on her heels as she races for Shisui – his greeny gold forest fire seems like it’s miles away even though she knows it’s not that far.

“Naruto-san,” Itachi says. “Where is he? I can — I can shunshin us across if you tell me.” 

“He’s-“ Naruto points ahead, to where the cascading waterfall covers their view of the sky, the sound of roaring water faint when the wind is whistling in her ears – or, or is that her blood pounding? “By the waterfall. Towards the edge, on the side that’s closer to the compound.”

Itachi grabs her and Sasuke by the wrists, and Naruto has forgotten the sensation of shunshinning, and she doesn’t have time to think about it, but the feeling of falling through the air is familiar. In and out they go, blinking through time and space at small intervals. 

After the seventh or eighth shunshin, Sasuke asks, “How much further, dobe?” 

Naruto grits her teeth. “Maybe – five more jumps. Is that –” 

“It’s fine,” Itachi nods. “I won’t tire.” 

Whether or not that’s true, Naruto doesn’t bother to find out. She’s stuck on the chakra signature next to Shisui, malevolent and ill willed. It’s hard for her to tell if this feeling is aimed particularly at Shisui, or if it's his general disposition, but Naruto knows deep down that whoever this is should never be allowed in Konoha. 

Four leaps. 

Then three. 

Two. 

Shisui glittered just beyond the clearing, and desperation tugged at Naruto. Like – like something bad was going to happen if she didn’t reach him in time. Somehow. 

One. 

Naruto practically launched herself out of Itachi’s arms on the last body flicker, diving headfirst towards where she could see Shisui. He could see her too, she realized. His chakra had snapped to attention, like he was wondering why she was here – why she was frantic; who was the threat? 

He is. Naruto wanted to yell it at the top of her lungs. She wasn’t in danger, but as sure as the air in her lungs and the blood in her veins, she knew that he was. Did he know? 

Naruto landed on her haunches right beside Shisui, Itachi and Sasuke only a step behind her. She was grateful towards Itachi and Sasuke for providing backup, for bringing her to him. But she didn’t want them there either. She wanted to keep them safe. 

“Naruto?” Shisui’s voice is bewildered, and he’s already holding out a hand for her to take so she can pull herself to her feet. 

It doesn’t matter that she’s kind of mad at him still, and thoroughly hurt. Or that they haven’t spoken in so long. Not in the grand scheme, at least. 

“Shisui!” She greets like they’re old friends, like nothing’s changed. She stands up, not yet looking up at this malicious chakra signature, but noting the way his feather gray robes seem to ripple in the cold wind. “There you are!” She is unable to stop some of the relief she feels from seeping into her tone. “I’ve been looking for you for so long.”

“You have?” Shisui asks, completely puzzled. “I didn’t know that….” he trails off. “That we were meeting today.” His dark eyes peer behind her to where his two younger cousins are. Itachi’s face gives nothing away, but Sasuke is inexperienced in hiding his emotions, and his eyes are darting back between whoever the older man is and Shisui. 

“We weren’t,” Naruto says quickly. “Um.”  She finally turns to see who it is, and to the ordinary eye, he looks like any old, seasoned shinobi. There’s bandages around one of his eyes that suggests he lost it in a fight; typical, because ninjas sustained injuries all the time. He’s swathed in a fold of gray and white, like he’s retired at this point, but his posture belies his true ability. He’s alert, even if he may not look it. He regards her with a cold expression, and colder eyes. He knows who she is. Of course he does. It makes her uneasy. “Sorry for the interruption,” she bows her head, to show him some sort of modicum of respect, even if he probably doesn’t deserve it. 

“Is it important, Naruto?” Shisui asks, though this time, it’s said with a deeper meaning. Like he knows there’s something she wants to say, but can’t. She silently thanks him for understanding; for being able to read her so well. 

“Yes,” Naruto breathes, and Itachi and Sasuke both nod too. “My father – erm, Hokage-sama has requested your presence. Immediately.” 

A lie, a lie, and they all know it. Probably. 

“The Hokage,” the cold voice behind them starts, and Naruto wants to flinch, “should not be sending his daughter and her friends on official Hokage business like they were mere errands.”

“I’m sorry for the intrusion,” the blonde smiles a little fakely. “Who are you?” 

Shisui and Itachi both wince. 

“Naruto,” Shisui says. “This is Danzo Shimura. He’s one of the council members, and was advisor to Sandaime-sama.” 

Naruto stares at him. 

Because. 

Danzo. 

It sort of made sense that if this was the person Tou-chan was adamant about not being on the council. Anyone could lie. Ninja could lie better than anyone else. But Naruto had come to learn that the one thing that couldn’t lie was your chakra. Your chakra told everything about you no matter how much you wanted to keep it hidden. It tells your intentions and emotions and your conscious state. 

This was no different. Naruto wouldn’t trust a chakra signature like Danzo’s with the welfare of Konoha in a million years. 

“Nice to meet you, Danzo-san,” Naruto utters. “And I think you’ll find that Shisui and I are friends. And that this official business involves me anyways.” It’s not in Naruto’s blood to defer to anyone. It might be because she’s her mother’s daughter, but no one is going to make her cow. She’s learned not to bow down to anyone, especially since her dad is Hokage. 

Shisui laughs nervously when they stare each other down. Danzo’s got this haughty expression on him; he’s looking down on her and she knows it, but Naruto’s fists are clenched, feet planted halfway between him and Shisui. 

When silence reigns for roughly twenty seconds, Shisui’s hand lands on her shoulder, and he slowly but surely pushes her behind him until he’s in the front. 

“Apologies, Danzo-dono,” Shisui says, hand to his chest like he truly means it. “I must attend to Hokage-sama right away. We can pick this up later.” 

Danzo doesn’t look pleased, but nods. Because even if he is a high ranking official, nothing outranks the Hokage. Naruto smiled nastily at him. 

“Yes, so sorry,” Naruto says. “We really must be going.” She’s got a vice grip on Shisui’s arm, and the danger at hand is enough for her to ignore the nervousness that fills her at being in such close proximity to him for the first time in ages. She tugs on his arm, urging him away from Danzo. 

Danzo’s chakra signature is — it’s a dark blue. But nothing like the dark blue of some of the Uchiha clan members or even that of Mitarashi Anko. It feels void. 

Completely and horrifically lifeless and dead and scary, like an open pit that roars and claws at you. It wants to eat you alive until you’re nothing but bone marrow. It’s.. Naruto shudders. 

“Come on,” Naruto yanks again, and this time, Shisui backs away with her, until Itachi is gesturing for them to go — go far from here. From him. “My — my dad is waiting for us.” 

With that, Itachi takes Sasuke, and Shisui takes her, and the four of them leap out of the area, leaving Danzo. They shunshin across the forest without saying a single word to one another; Naruto’s not sure what she could say. Her mouth feels dry. She’s certain that as far as they are, Danzo is staring after them, somehow able to see and hear them. It’s unnerving. Unsafe in her own village? It was practically unheard of. 

It’s not until they’re truly tucked away in the familiar comfort of Naruto’s bedroom does Naruto breathe. She’s sitting on her bed, pillow close to her. 

The three Uchiha boys are at different points in her room. Itachi’s practically guarding the door, his back to the wood. Sasuke’s sitting on the chair at her desk, inspecting all three of them closely. And Shisui is standing by the window, arms folded.

Naruto sighs loudly. 

“Do any of you want to tell me what that was about?” Shisui’s voice borders on anger. “Interrupting my meeting with– with a high ranking official? What were you three thinking?” Itachi and Sasuke pointedly look at Naruto, and Shisui sighs. “I assume there’s a good reason for this.” 

“Naruto…” Sasuke starts hesitantly… “she sort of. She was at our house, and we were just talking, but she got really scared–”

“I wasn’t scared,” Naruto snaps, though it’s a lie and they can all tell. 

“Are you sure?” Sasuke asks. “Because you just– just grabbed Itachi-nii out of nowhere! And then one second we were home and the next we had to shunshin across the entire compound!” 

Shisui is staring holes into her head, but she can’t bring herself to look him in the eye. It makes her feel embarrassed, somehow. Shisui is capable enough to take care of himself, and showing that she was worried about him feels like she loses a game that she didn’t even know they were playing. 

“It was –” Naruto sighs again, thinking about her father, and the urgent conversation he’d had with her mother just this morning. “It’s… classified,” she finishes lamely.  Shisui opens his mouth and Naruto is quick to say, “I just… saw his chakra signature. And you… you know how I can see people’s intentions when I look at them. His was so… malevolent.”

“Danzo?” Shisui says incredulously. 

“Yes,” Naruto said. “I felt him next to you. I didn’t like it. He wanted to hurt you.”

Shisui’s eyes are wide. “Hurt me,” he repeats. 

Naruto nods. “Plus, I heard… Tou-chan said that he was concerned about Danzo’s presence on the council.” She clamps her mouth shut after that. It's really hard to know what to say, because there is a level of classification involved, but she’s still trying to look out for her friends’ safety. 

Itachi and Shisui exchange glances. 

“Is that it?” Shisui finally says, and Naruto throws her hands up in exasperation.

 “Well. What do you want me to say? I’m not even supposed to know that! I totally overheard my parents, and they stopped talking about it the second I walked into the kitchen. And then suddenly, the guy my dad, the Hokage, is worried about is hanging around you? If you could feel what his chakra is like,” Naruto inhales, feeling a little ill at the thought. “I’ve never—” she shakes her head. She turns to look at Shisui, and drinks in the sight of his ivory skin, raven feather hair, and long eyelashes that brush across his cheeks like butterfly wings. “You wouldn’t understand, pretty boy.” 

“It’s just, Naruto-san,” Itachi says softly, “Danzo-san is a Konoha official. Has been for nearly five decades now. You would think if he had some ulterior motives at hand, he would’ve done something about them long ago.” 

Naruto huffed. “Well, Tou-chan doesn’t like him, nor Kaa-san! And neither do I! Plus, chakra signatures don’t lie, you know?” 

Shisui sighs to himself, running a hand through his unruly hair, before he pushes off from the window sill and crouches down beside Naruto. “What do you want me to do, Uzumaki-chan-san?” he asks quietly, gazing intently at her. “Even if he doesn’t have the best intentions like you say, he is still my overseer. I have no choice but to obey his orders unless I invoke his suspicion.” 

Naruto glares. “I don’t know. But you can make more of an effort to stay away from him. You’re off duty for a reason. I’m sure that if I say so, my father will keep you busy. I don’t like you being around him.” 

Shisui’s eyebrow raises. “You don’t like me around him?” he echoes, a hint of a smirk on his face. “Is that so?” 

Naruto scowls, tempted to push him. But she knows their friendship isn’t really a friendship at all, and so, she shouldn’t act so casually around him. Instead, she breaks eye contact with him, pushing off from her bed covers, and turning to find Itachi, who is the safest one to look at out of all of them. “Fine. Whatever,” she says. “I’m sorry for caring if you die or not.” She sweeps past him, and turns for the door that Itachi is guarding. He kindly steps aside, and she wrenches the handle, and throws open the door. 

“Naruto, wait,” Shisui says, sounding confused. 

She ignores him. 

Mainly because she’s mad. But also because her mother stands poised to knock, and her mouth gapes when she catches sight of the three Uchiha boys behind her. 

“Oh!” Her mother says, sounding taken aback. “Naruto! I heard you enter through the window but I didn’t know you had company.” She smiles widely when her eyes pass over them, like they’re her own children. “Itachi-kun, look at you!” She coos. “And Sasuke-kun, you look wonderful, dear!” Her grin grows when she sees Shisui, situated next to them. “And Shisui-kun too! What a welcome surprise! It’s been so long since I’ve seen or heard about you!” 

Everyone in the room collectively winces. “I’m home,” Naruto tells her. “Sorry I forgot to greet you. I was about to come down to help you cook as promised.” 

“Oh no, dear!” Kushina says. “You can entertain your guests, it’s no big deal.” 

“They were just leaving,” Naruto says, 

“Nonsense!” Kushina sidesteps Naruto, wooden spoon in one hand and the other planted on her hip. “You’re all staying for dinner, aren’t you?” 

It’s not a question, but an order. 

“Of course, Kushina-san,” Itachi agreed politely, the first to recover. “We’re honored to receive the invitation. 

Naruto nearly groans. She loves Itachi, but his manners are too good sometimes. 

“Wonderful!” Kushina claps her hands together. “Your father will be home soon, darling,” she tells Naruto. “I’m sure he’ll be happy to see all of you together again. And, Kakashi’s coming too!” 

“It’s a full house then,” Naruto notes, feeling slightly queasy. “Are you sure there’s room at the table?” she asks desperately. “It’s truly no big deal if–”

“Why, Naruto-chan,” Shisui says, striding up until they’re shoulder to shoulder. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you didn’t want us here!” 

Naruto glares daggers into his head, and Shisui smiles innocently, and it grates on her nerves, because he was the one who had demanded that they stop being friendly. 

“Sasuke and Itachi are always welcome at the Uzumaki-Namikaze household,” she says primply, Kushina whacks the back of her hand with the wooden spoon. 

“Naruto,” she chasities. “That’s no way to treat your guard and a guest.” 

“Sorry,” she lies. In turn, she smiles saccharine sweet at him, reaching into her pocket and producing the dorayaki she’d bought for herself. “For you, pretty boy.” 

Shisui takes the package from her, and the plastic crinkles in his hands as he inspects it. “It’s not poisoned, is it?” he turns to his cousins, and they both are expressionless.

“Now, now,” Naruto chides him. “Do you always question gifts given to you by your host?” 

Shisui stands a little taller. “Do you always try to kick your guests out and then turn around and give them presents?” 

“I dunno,” she taps her chin, cerulean blue eyes locking with his dark ones. “Do my guests always make and break the rules?” 

Shisui smiles crookedly. “Is your guest also called Rule bender-san ?” 

“Ah, but rule bending and rule breaking isn’t the same thing.” 

“I haven’t broken the rules,” Shisui protests. 

Naruto pretends to sound shocked. “Kami, you’re right,” she plants a hand on her mouth. “We’re still not friends, are we?” she asks. 

To this, Shisui doesn’t reply. 

The peanut gallery doesn’t say a word. Itachi and Sasuke know better than to get involved, and even Kushina is wide-eyed at her daughter’s cool tone. 

When no one reacts further, Naruto sweeps past them, head high. 

She can care about someone and still be upset after all. There was no rule against that, thank Kami. 

→←

Notes:

Hello!! Welcome back to Honey Trap!!

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter; for some reason I really struggled with writing it even though I knew what I wanted to happen with it. I was in the stages of writing this and was like hm, maybe I'll write something that doesn't have much influence over the plot, but then I was like hmmmmm, let me introduce Danzo as a problem.

Let me also start getting Shisui and Naruto back on track.

One of the problems that make it so that they don't resolve their problems is that
a) Naruto is mad at him
b) they aren't in each other's vicinity enough to talk

VOILA. now, they kind of have to be in each other's proximity, which means they WILL talk, even if they're not friends lol. Yeah, I don't know, I'm kind of spinning this as best as I can. I do know how I'm gonna have them reunite though wink wonk, I'm so excited to write THAT chapter.

But first, the chunin exams will happen :)

Anyways, it was great to get this out, and I really do hope you guys liked it.

Your comments and kudos always make me so happy.

 

By the way -- I saw the Haikyuu movie and when I tell yall I will never be the same. SPOILER *watching the last rally from kenma's point of view is so like -- like actually. I've read most of the manga, but like, there was that point where you knew Kenma was tired. But watching him actually collapse was crazy. And you see him get back up, and you think, wow, time to start the next point. Only to see that the game is over, and watching it from Kenma's pov is so much fun that you genuinely forget that at some point, it has to end. And Hinata is ready to serve again too, and it's like -- it's over. You see Kenma take one final look around the court and it's the last time he'll do so with the third years.**

And I'm forever hurt and in love again. I had forgotten how much I loved Haikyuu, but that movie definitely made me remember.

Haikyuu is my fave anime for a reason.
Sigh.

LMAO ANYWAYS. I had to get that off my chest. I was gripping my friends' shoulder so hard when that was happening.

Happy reading and stay safe! :)

Chapter 11: Bitter Taste On My Tongue

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Kakashi was one of the most interesting people that Naruto knew, because he was often privy to a lot of information and didn’t speak on much of it. Such was the life of a ninja, but Kakashi mostly kept to himself, and you could usually count on him to know everything and not say anything. 

Naruto is reminded of this fact when not too long after she, Shisui, Sasuke, and Itachi amble downstairs, her father and Kakashi traipse in. Kakashi takes half a second to survey the room with eyes so imperceptible that if Naruto didn’t know him as well as she did, she wouldn’t have noticed. But she does know him well, which is both a curse and a blessing, because sometimes, knowing that he knows things is just the most embarrassing thing. 

She’s not totally surprised when Kakashi’s gunmetal eye scans once over the Uchiha trio, before they come back to her, something akin to amusement on his face. 

Naruto doesn’t stick her tongue out at him, but for the record, she would really like to. 

Kakashi’s eye crinkles like he knows that too. 

“We’re home,” Kakashi says drily, eyebrows arched at her. 

“Welcome home,” Kushina and Naruto chorus together, the former cheerily and the latter with a scowl.

“Good evening,” Minato greets, his sunshiney hair swinging past his face as he unclips his Hokage cape and throws it on the coat rack. His face lights up in a genuine smile when he sees their guests. “Itachi, Sasuke, Shisui. It’s wonderful to see you three.” 

“Good evening, Hokage-sama,” Shisui says, tilting his head. “Thank you for welcoming us into your home.”

Minato laughs, the sound bright. He waves Shisui off with his hand. “Now now. There are no formalities in this house, Shisui-kun. We’re going to be sharing a meal together, after all.” 

Itachi had dutifully helped Kushina prepare the rest of the meal she hadn’t finished, and in no time at all, they’re all seated around the table. Minato and Kushina snatch the opposite heads of the table, and there’s a bit of a mad rush from the remaining five of them. 

Naruto’s already side-eyeing Kakashi, and he in turn, her. Itachi sits politely at her father’s immediate left, and Naruto reaches out for the seat on his right. Kakashi slaps her hand away, and Naruto hisses, cerulean eyes flashing at him with ire. He smiles at her sweetly, taking the chair for himself. 

Unsurprisingly, Sasuke takes  the seat directly next to his older brother, and Naruto pulls out the chair next to Kakashi, leaving Shisui to decide if he wants to sit with his cousins or with her and Kakashi. 

Please, please. Naruto begs internally. Kakashi’s leg knocks against hers. 

Something the matter, Naru-chan? Kakashi was asking, his silvery chakra sparkling with mirth. 

Naruto didn’t deign to reply, and she refused to meet Shisui’s eyes. He was looking back and forth from the empty space next to Sasuke, and the empty space next to her. 

“The food’s getting cold, Shisui-kun,” Kakashi said. “Take a seat.” He inclined his hand towards Naruto, and the blonde clenched and unclenched her hand. 

“Traitor,” she muttered as Shisui sat on her other side. “I hate you.” 

“Hm?” Kakashi asks. “Did you say something? Can you speak up?” 

Itachi coughed politely across the table, and they both snapped up from their staredown. 

“Thank you for the meal,” Naruto said. Everyone else repeated it back, and she had to admit that for how she was annoyed and worried, the smell of her mother’s cooking was like the scent of home. 

Salt broiled saury for Kakashi, pickled plums, heaping bowls of miso soup, roasted vegetables, spicy udon noodles, and yakitori that was glazed with just the right amount of sauce. 

“This looks delicious,” Itachi complimented, and Kushina beamed. 

“Thank you, Ita-kun,” Kushina doted, adoration on her features. “If I had known we would be having so many guests, I would’ve cooked more. And I would’ve had Naruto make some dessert. She’s become quite adept at baking sweet treats.” 

Naruto flushed, and she pointedly didn’t turn her face in Shisui’s direction. 

“It’s not your fault,” Sasuke murmured. Even if he was rude to Naruto, he still had the prized clan training to match his apparent good looks. “We don’t mean to impose.” 

“It’s never an imposition if it's Mikoto’s family,” Minato said warmly. “You know you’re always welcome at the Uzumaki-Namikaze residence. We’re quite fond of Mikoto and Fugaku. And Naruto is friends with all of you.” 

“How is Mikoto-chan?” Kushina questioned. “I’ve been so busy as of late, it feels like I’ve hardly seen her!” 

“Kaa-san is good,” Sasuke says. “She and Tou-chan are on clan business as per usual. She misses you.” 

Naruto is ashamed to admit it, but she sort of zoned out. She glances at Shisui out of the corner of her eyes, noting the way he’s paying attention to the conversation at hand, meticulously forking at his food and chewing. 

It’s been a while since she’s gotten the chance to observe him without him hiding behind the porcelain mask ANBU agents don, or the gray vest. 

Two years isn’t that long, but the time has been kind to Shisui. He’s a little older and he’s grown into his features. He was always strikingly beautiful before, but he’s matured. He’s not all gangly limbs. It can be hard to tell through the wide necked shirt he wears now, but his shoulders are more filled out and his legs are broad beneath his pants. His face has lost the hints of baby fat it had before, and his jawline is sharper. It plays well into the long curving lashes, and his raven colored hair. That paired with the mischievous lilt of his lips and the attractive Uchiha genes makes him unfairly pretty. 

Shisui is already looking like a heartbreaker. Naruto would hate to see what he’s comparable to in another two years.

“--ruto. Naruto!” Naruto jolts and swings wildly, finding her mother staring at her with a gleam in her irises. “My, my,” she twirls a strand of her ruby red hair around her fingers. “Someone’s distracted, aren’t they? I’m shocked Shisui-kun can even eat his meal when you’re practically staring holes into the side of his head.” 

No one actually seems to know what to do after that, because who actually says something like that? Sasuke is gaping at her mother. 

Naruto takes a hasty sip of her water, ignoring the way she knows her face is lit up like a firetruck. Minato is waiting for her reaction intently, and Kakashi, as always, seems eternally amused by her suffering. 

“Well,” she says slowly, forcing her heart to stop thumping so erratically. She glances up at Shisui to see him already looking at her, an unreadable expression on his handsome face. “I don’t call him pretty boy for nothing, right? I believe that Shisui is one of the most pretty people I know. And I like looking at pretty things. Is that so unbelievable?”

The entire table falls silent once more. Itachi is hiding a smile behind his hand, Sasuke is still gaping, her father looks incredibly betrayed, her mother is grinning maniacally, Kakashi is humming, and Shisui’s eyes are wide. 

Kushina throws her head back and cackles. “Oh, my little Naru-chan. You remind me so much of me. Don’t you agree, Mimi-chan?” 

“Yes, Kushina,” Minato says faintly. “She does sound like you.” 

“You think I’m pretty?” Shisui whispers. 

“You think he’s pretty?” Sasuke echoed, staring between them in shock, like he hadn’t known Naruto was capable of such a thing. 

Naruto shrugs. “You Uchihas. It’s the color palette. Personally, I think Itachi is the prettiest one out of all of you.”

“I think you are quite beautiful yourself, too,” Itachi inclines his head, and Naruto beams. 

Minato groaned, hands in his face. “It’s too early,” he bemoaned, looking up at Kakashi for help. “You agree, don’t you?” 

Kakashi patted the tops of her golden hair. “Naru-chan is young,” he says. “But, no older than you when you met Kushina, no?” 

Naruto spluttered into her miso soup, spoon clattering in the bowl, sending broth flying up everywhere. “Whoa,” she held her hands up. “I dunno what you’re talking about. I don’t have to like someone just because I think they’re good looking! It’s called not being blind. That’s all.” 

“If you say so, Naruto-san,” Itachi agrees, and something hysterical threatens to burst out of Naruto, because clearly Itachi is making a joke – which is rare for him. Kakashi is studiously not making eye contact with her, and when she looks at Shisui, he’s raking a restless hand through his unruly curls.

Still, Naruto doesn’t regret having said it. It’s better to own up to these sorts of things – loud and proud. Even when the backs of their hands brush when she reaches for her knife and he, for his cup, they both jerk back as though they’ve been electrified.

“Dear me,” Kakashi murmurs, almost offhandedly, and Naruto – why is he like this? Has he always been? Kushina had said that Kakashi used to be a brat, but he still is. 

“S-sorry,” Shisui stutters, and Naruto ignores the weight of the eyes on them.

 Instead, she forces herself to stare straight at her father, who looks like his entire world is crumbling in front of him. His expression gets exponentially worse when Kushina exclaims loudly, “Oh! By the way, Naru-chan. A messenger bird arrived from Sunagakure this morning after you left. I’m sure it’s just Gaara-kun checking up on you again. A scroll arrived with it. Maybe he sent you something from his garden again?” 

Naruto, for the first time in hours, felt her face light up in a fond smile. “Yeah? Alright, I’ll look at it later. Thank you.” 

Much to her suspicion, Kakashi turns to her, gunmetal  eyes glimmering. “How is dear Gaara-kun, hm?” he asked.

Itachi’s eyes flicked towards Shisui just once before they settled on Naruto, awaiting her response. 

“Gaara is good,” Naruto said, feeling pleased thinking about the Kazekage’s son who lived just over the sand dunes. “He and his siblings are preparing for the upcoming chunin exams in January, and he said even if our team doesn’t end up competing, he would like to meet up again outside of it. It’s rather exciting, you know? I’ve never had a foreign friend.” She finally looked up to see the varying expressions around the table. 

Kushina is grinning like the fox inside her belly. Itachi and Kakashi are both neutral, though her pseudo brother is too underhanded to not have some intention when he’d asked his seemingly innocent question. Minato was, of course, in a state of despair. Sasuke was smirking at her. And Shisui? He was gripping his fork abnormally tight, his jaw clenched. 

“Didn’t he get you a plant?” Kushina asked. 

“Yeah!” Naruto said. “It’s one of those rare kinds that can withstand both Konoha and Suna weather conditions. He said it's symbolic. I don’t know why, though. Actually, he gave me a guide on how to take care of it, and it’s kind of a simple plant, you know? You just water it once a week or so. So,” she turned to Kakashi, elbowing him lightly, “I got you a plant! You always complain you don’t have that much time on your hands with being on long missions and being a sensei, but this one doesn’t require much effort. Bull and Pakkun could take care of it!”

“Is that so?” Kakashi muses. “Bull and Pakkun are capable.”

“Mhm! Its name is Ukki-kun.” 

“Gaara may just make a green thumb out of you yet,” Kushina remarked. 

Naruto smiled. “Maybe. He’s nice. And – and I learn. I normally think stuff like that is boring but he’s very passionate about it, so his enthusiasm for it is sort of, I dunno, infectious?” 

Shisui’s cup hit the surface of the table with a resounding smack, and he flushed, when several pairs of eyes turned to him. “My apologies,” he murmured, steadying the cup with his hand. 

Naruto gets the strangest sense that her mother is hiding a smile behind her hand, and she’d die to know what any one of them are thinking. Trying to desperately move the focus off of her and Shisui, she turns to her father. 

“So,” she starts, and Kakashi’s chakra is immediately perked up, like he can read the intent in the inflection of her voice. “Kakashi- sensei,” she says teasingly, “says that training is canceled. Can I come to whatever meeting you have scheduled? It’s been a while since I’ve been to one.”

Darkness flits over Minato’s normally cheery features. “Naruto…” he warns, already seeing the intent on her. “I know what you’re thinking but I don’t think that I can–”

“Why not?” Naruto interrupts, and Minato exchanges looks with both Kakashi and Kushina. Kakashi’s expression, however, is always pulled into one of bored neutrality, and so, he’s getting no help there. “Tou-chan,” she says pleadingly, “how will I become Hokage one day if you’re not training me to take the hat?” 

“Maa.” Kakashi says. “Naru-chan is so manipulative.” 

He artfully dodges the kick she delivers to his shin.

“It’s not manipulative,” she says, even though it totally is. “It’s just – I’m the Hokage’s daughter. You would think I’m more aware of what’s going on in the village. What is this anyway? A financial report or something?”

The three Uchiha boys are notably silent while she endeavors to get into this meeting, and Kakashi’s smirking beneath that dumb mask, she just knows it. Clearly, she had sort of interrogated both Kakashi and Itachi, so they know she knows it’s not just any random financial meeting, but they don’t give her away. 

“Not exactly,” Kushina hedges, and she and Minato seem to be having a conversation solely with their eyes. “It might be dangerous for you,” she says. “We want you to be safe.” 

“I’m a ninja,” she said bluntly. “I’ll be taking the chunin exams soon. Probably,” she amends. “It’s okay.” 

Still, Minato and Kushina didn’t look convinced. 

In the end, though, Naruto supposed that it didn’t matter. Even if she wasn’t allowed to attend, she would sneak into the meeting. She side eyed the dark haired boy next to her. He wouldn’t be able to stop her, she didn’t think. He was her guard but not her superior. Would she have to outrun him? Shisui seemed like someone who followed the rules, despite his self proclaimed title of Rule Bender-san. 

But then again, Shisui was loyal to her father – not necessarily her.

“I know you’re very passionate about your dreams,” Minato says, and she can tell without even the rest of his sentence that she won’t be allowed to go. “And that’s great,” he says. “I’m really proud of you. But you have to understand that it’s a matter of safety, my love.” 

Naruto’s expression sours. And then it brightens. In response, Minato’s face seems to go through something complicated. 

“Of course, Tou-chan!” she chirps, refocusing on her meal. “For my safety!” 

The table descends into silence, and it isn’t until Itachi clears his throat to engage her parents again that both Kakashi and Shisui lean in a little closer. 

“You’re scheming,” Shisui accuses her. 

“Maa,” Kakashi agrees. “You folded too easily. Not like the Naru-chan I know.”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” she pops a pickled plum into her mouth, resolutely ignoring the boy on either side of her. It’s almost funny when they exchange long suffering looks over her head. “I’m completely innocent.” 

Kakashi audibly snorts. “With Kushina-nee as your mother? I don’t think so, my cute little genin.” 

Naruto’s head whips to him so fast she’s sure that her long blonde hair slaps Shisui straight across the face. “Do you want me to tell her you said that?” 

Kakashi raises his hands. “No need for threats, hm? I’ll be good.” 

Naruto would like to point out that Kakashi is the most hypocritical agent of chaos she’s ever known.

Still, Shisui isn’t around the house enough for Kushina to be a real warning for him, and still eyes her critically. “Is my job as your guard about to be harder? Yes or no?” he demands. “Tell me that at least.” 

Naruto pouts. “Do you really think Kaka-sensei’s little genin could give you, an Anbu agent, so much problems?”

“Was that rhetorical?” Shisui asks. “And it’s because you’re Kakashi-san’s student that I’m wary.” 

“Am I offended? Or pleased?” Kakashi ponders. “Both?” 

Meanwhile, Sasuke was staring at her hotly across the table, and she resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at him. He didn’t look mad, though. Just annoyed. That was par for the course with Sasuke, though. When they locked eyes for longer than ten seconds, she fidgeted. 

What? She raised her eyebrows at him, but Sasuke just shook his head curtly. 

After, then. Naruto blew out a breath. 

Kakashi leaned closer once more. “Poor Sasuke-kun. Naruto-chan is corrupting him. My cute little genin are scheming, aren’t they?” 

“I dunno,” she said honestly. Her and Sasuke didn’t scheme. At least, not together. Usually, they didn’t share any common interests where they would need to. Plus, despite being maybe best friends, they kind of hated each other. 

Kakashi chuckled to himself. “You two are a familiar sight, hm?” He sounded far away, and Naruto didn’t pry. 

Briefly, Naruto wondered who Kakashi might’ve been if Obito was still around.

→←

The world seemingly rights itself because before the week is up, Shisui is back on guard rotation, and out of habit, Naruto now checks for his chakra signature as soon as she wakes up to make sure. Then, she automatically checks for Sasuke and Itachi to make sure they’re okay. She would rather die before admitting that — especially to that teme. 

The day of the meeting, Naruto wakes up a little earlier than usual, and spies Shisui flitting about her senses like always, though he is a bit more flighty today, like he’s anticipating her movements. Naruto smirks. They should be tracking Sasuke.

She takes her time getting ready— ties her hair in front of her mirror into a high ponytail. It’s almost comical. how distressed Shisui is at the prospect of her doing something she shouldn’t. 

Across the village at the Hokage Tower, she can spot her father and Kakashi’s signatures, both burning brightly. There are others she vaguely recognizes too — the heads of the Nara clan and the Uchiha clan most familiar to her. She can spot Danzo’s malicious intent and her father’s personal rotation of guards. 

Her mother is downstairs too, and Naruto casually breezes past her, shucking her slippers in favor for her sandals. 

Kushina peeks her head out from the doorway. “Where are you going? You don’t have training today.” 

Naruto grins. “I’m going to meet up with Sasuke at his house. I’ll see you later!” 

Kushina is regarding her with suspicion. “While I’m glad you and Sasuke-kun are being… friendly,” Naruto snorts, “It’s a bit unusual, hm?”

“Is it?” Naruto asked innocently, knowing she was fooling absolutely no one, least of all her mother.

Kushina stared a moment longer, no doubt trying to identify her intentions. 

Then, she tilted her head upwards. “Keep her out of trouble, okay, Shisui-kun?” 

Shisui flickered in response, Naruto only smiled, waving at her mother before ambling down the path to the Uchiha compound. She had to pick him up, and they had a bit of a plan to put in motion. 

She ignored the stares she got as she walked down the main road, and when she finally arrived at the main branch house, the door flew open before she could knock. 

“Good morning, Sasuke-kun,” she said sweetly, and her dark haired teammate scowled, not saying a word before grabbing her around the wrist and tugging her in the doorway. The door slammed shut behind them, and she realized that the house was empty except for Sasuke. Itachi must be at the meeting too. 

Shisui’s signature flutters about the compound, likely trying to assess what they’re doing. 

“How are we gonna do this?” Sasuke hisses in her ear, quiet enough that Shisui won’t pick up on it. 

Naruto shoves him up the stairs and into his bathroom, locking the door behind them, and turning the faucet on. 

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Because that’s not strange at all.” 

“Shut it, teme. We could just be sharing a secret. Now, hold still and let me look at you.” 

“What? Why? That’s –” 

Naruto clasped his shoulders and stilled him, getting real close to his face. “We don’t have time for this, idiot! I’m not in love with you, I don’t care how you look! Hold still – I need to see you. Your cousin is an exceptional ninja; he won’t be fooled by anything less than the best.” 

Sasuke stopped fidgeting, and though there was a blush crawling up his pale features, Naruto took a second to examine him from head to toe, taking in his mannerisms. The way his back was perfectly straight– clan training, of course. His perpetual scowl and the hands tucked into his pockets. 

“How do you know he won’t find out anyways? Anyone could make a clone. Even a deadlast like you.” 

“Sasuke, Sasuke,” she tutted, lifting his chin with her fingers. “If you must know, due to my Uzumaki heritage, I have abnormal amounts of chakra, which is why I can’t do a normal clone. There’s a technique called the Shadow Clone Jutsu. It’s a forbidden technique, but my mom got me special permission to use it.” 

Sasuke’s eyebrow raised. “Your mom,” he drawled. “Got special permission for you to use it.” When she beamed and nodded, he looked even more unimpressed. “Your mom got permission from your dad,” he emphasized. “I’m sure that was a tedious task.” 

Naruto scoffed. “Whatever. Shadow clones are way cool. And they’re solid, so you don’t have to worry about them disappearing with the slightest breeze. I can make shadow clones for both of us and have one of them henge as you. I’m just trying to make sure it’s right. Shisui will notice if you’re acting off.” 

“So, when he’s following the clones, we’re going to be at the meeting?” 

Naruto grinned, something fierce, the whiskers on her face trembling. “Mhm! I’ve been practicing this technique with Kaa-san and Tou-chan in secret. Not even Kakashi-sensei knows!” Sasuke still looked uncertain, so Naruto cuffed him in the arm. “Lighten up, teme! Think of this as a test of our skills!” 

With that, she formed the hand sign for the jutsu, and watched as two replicas of herself popped into life, the bathroom suddenly overcrowded with mirror images. 

The first clone saluted. “Yo, boss!”

Sasuke groaned. “Great. There’s three of you. One is already too much. The orange is blinding!” 

“Hey, do you think that it’ll help you awaken your Sharingan?” the second clone mused, tapping her lips. Naruto laughed, and Sasuke frowned. 

“Are you laughing at your own joke?” Sasuke asked her. 

All three Narutos shrugged. “I’m funny!” They chorused in unison. 

Sasuke’s frown got deeper. “If you say so. Okay. Let’s see the henge, then.” 

Naruto nodded to her clone, and the clone grinned before a puff of smoke erupted in the bathroom. When it cleared, another Sasuke stood in its place, dark hair and pouty face all there. 

“Voila!” Clone-Sasuke declared, and it was so weird hearing it in his tenor that Naruto had to bite her lips to keep from laughing at the affronted expression on Sasuke’s face. 

“Don’t – don’t say stuff like that when you’re pretending to be me!” Sasuke said, flustered. 

Clone-Sasuke grinned. “Uzumaki Naruto is the best person I know!” 

“I would never say that!” Sasuke thundered. 

Naruto burst out cackling, clutching her stomach – the sound reverberating off the bathroom walls that she was sure Shisui would hear even with the water running. 

“Are you sure?” she asked. “I just heard you say it.” 

For a second, Sasuke’s hands twitched as though he was contemplating strangling her. “ You!” He accused, pointing a shaking finger at her. 

“Me,” Naruto agreed, not even bothering to keep the smile off her face. It was just so easy. 

Sasuke looked away pointedly, folding his arms. 

Her own clone saluted again. “So, boss. What’s the plan?” 

“Alright, First and Second,” Naruto told her clones. “Here’s the plan. You guys are gonna go out, okay? Act like us. Bicker and play and fight like how me and the teme normally do. Second, make sure you put on a good act, alright? Don’t smile too much. Don’t joke too much. Don’t – don’t be like me. You gotta get Sasuke down pat, alright? Call me a dead last every five sentences or so.”

“Where are we gonna go?” First asked her. “What if we see someone we know?” 

“Don’t engage more than needed,” Sasuke said, having recovered from his bout of embarrassment. “The last thing we need is Team Gai running into us and challenging us to a spar.”

“Lee would have us gone in seconds,” Naruto said. “Teme’s right. Don’t engage. Especially avoid anyone we’re close to – no parents or siblings or teammates. No one who would be able to read our body language well.” 

“Shisui’s gonna be a step behind you all the way,” Sasuke said to them. 

“We got this!” Second announced, with a fist raised. Sasuke yanked it down. 

“Don’t do that!” 

“Just – you know how Sasuke and I are,” Naruto told her clones. “Can’t be too bad, hm? The meeting should be done in an hour or two, alright? You can meet us back here. Do not enter until you feel that we’re in the house. If Shisui is watching and sees you two enter only for us to enter a little later, we’re done. Play it smart.” 

Sasuke started. “I know that must be hard for you,” he offered. 

Second glared at him. “Do you really want to insult someone wearing your face? Who knows what I’ll do with it when you aren’t looking.” 

Sasuke turned to Naruto expectantly as if to say, they’re your clones. Keep them in line. Naruto only shrugged back. “I can’t control them once they’re not part of me anymore,” she said unapologetically. “Deal with it.”

And so, with that, Sasuke shut the faucet, and Naruto’s shadow clones exited the bathroom and then the house. They stood together in the small space, waiting for Shisui’s chakra signature to depart. When it finally did, Naruto grinned. “Step one is complete. You ready?” 

“Where are they?” 

“Past the training grounds.”

For the first time since she’d seen him that day, Sasuke’s pale features hinted at the shadow of excitement. “Don’t screw it up, dead last.”

Naruto had no intentions of doing so. 

—><—

Everyone on the council had been seated by the time she and Sasuke arrived, and that in itself presented an obstacle she had forgotten about until Sasuke pointed it out to her. 

“What about the Anbu?” 

The freaking Anbu. Granted, the only Anbu present were the five in her father’s personal rotation. Not to mention that two of them were actually in the meeting itself. Which left Anbu agents Leopard, Bear, and Monkey. Naruto had spent her entire life slipping past Anbu agents, evading Kakashi and Genma. It shouldn’t be that hard. And it wasn’t, thankfully. Sasuke was a bit more inexperienced when it came to doing things like this, but he followed her lead. The council room was located on the floor beneath the Hokage’s office. 

Naruto purses her lips. “Damn,” she says offhandedly. “This would be easier if you had your Sharingan. Can you cast a genjutsu without it?”

It takes Sasuke a moment to realize her plan. Then he smirks. “Of course I can. It’ll be a basic genjutsu, but it shouldn’t be too hard to fool them. I just have to factor in the sound of people walking on the lower and upper floors and the wind outside. It’ll be a good illusion – they won’t even see us.”

Naruto stands guard while Sasuke gets to work, and she doesn’t even know if it's working or not; genjutsu is not her speciality. She literally can’t do it. No matter how much her father and Kakashi-nii have tried to coach her through it, she’s unable to apply her chakra to it. Genjutsu requires such careful fine tuning and precision, and Naruto’s exorbitant amounts of chakra do not allow her to weave threads of illusion together; it’s just not possible. It’s similar to how she needs to use the multiple shadow clone jutsu instead of a regular clone.

It’s possibly five minutes before Sasuke’s eyes crack open and he relaxes his stance. “Let’s go.” 

Together, they step closer to the guards posted outside of the door – one of them is a Nara, Ensui Nara, she realizes. The other is a ninja that Naruto doesn’t recognize. She doesn’t worry about the finer details, however. They’re quick to scan for anything noticeable and then they henge into their respective person. 

Now, the hardest thing is getting through the door. 

“We have to be quick,” Sasuke voices their shared worries.

Naruto nods mutely. The gap between Ensui and the other guard is slim, and Naruto rushes forward, feet silent as she does, just the way Kakashi taught them. She lightly prods on the door, barely tapping it once to keep it ajar enough for Sasuke to slip through the crack behind her. Once they’re on the other side, they wait in silence. The door clicks shut, and there’s a moment where Naruto anticipates the charging of feet, the loud exclamation of voices, the unsheathing of kunais, or something – but all that happens is the guards talking lowly. 

“Some wind, huh?” 

Nara Ensui hums, and Naruto grabs Sasuke’s arm reflexively. Naras. Too smart for their own good. Just when she thinks they’re gonna barge in and someone’s gonna yell, busted! her dad pipes up. 

“Oh. Did you two finally decide to come inside?” Minato asks, surveying them with bright blue eyes.

“The hallways got a bit of a chill.” Naruto offers. When everyone stares at her mutely, she lamely tacks on, “Hokage-sama.” 

Kakashi’s visible eye is shrewd on them, and Naruto wants to groan. He probably knows it's them. Minato and Kushina may know what Naruto is like, but Kakashi knows what she and Sasuke are like apart, together – as ninja. Still, he doesn’t say anything, and Naruto studiously avoids making eye contact. 

“Right…” Minato says. Then he turns his attention back to the meeting at hand, and Naruto stealthily exhales, letting go of the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “As I was saying,” he continues, clearly not caring if they overhear the conversation. It makes Naruto wonder just how much trust her father has in the Nara clan, as well as who the guard that Sasuke is posing as is. Then her thoughts drift to Shikamaru, and the many times her parents had told her that he would likely be in her corner once they got older. 

“Hokage-sama,” another voice interrupts before her father can get out another word, and it’s yet another person who Naruto doesn’t recognize. She’s on the older side, and she flanks Danzo on the left. “I understand that you are our Hokage, but Sandaime-sama appointed Danzo-dono for a reason. To attempt to remove him from his seat is – disrespectful to Sandaime-sama’s–”

“With all due respect, Koharu-san,” Minato says, all smiles, but tone sharp, Sandaime-sama entrusted me to make decisions for Konoha. I will do it whether or not it meets your satisfaction.” 

The silence is loud, and Naruto swallows. She knows that her father is the most powerful man in the village, but he’s so different when he’s playing the part of the Yellow Flash versus when he’s just her father at home. 

Danzo looks unphased. “Can I ask if there’s a reason for my removal, Hokage-sama?” he asks. The rest of the clan heads and councilmen observe quietly, their heads switching back and forth from the two ends of the table. They don’t deign to say anything. Nara Shikaku, Shikamaru’s dad, is eyeing them shrewdly. Likely analyzing every piece of information that comes his way. 

“It has come to my attention that you have your own group of black ops,” Minato says pointedly, and there’s no missing the expressions of shock that litter some of the council’s faces. Inuzuka Tsume is wide-eyed, and Yamanaka Inoichi’s eyebrow is raised. “Something very illegal.” 

“Is that true, Danzo?” Akimichi Chouza asks. He’s a hulking presence in the room, but Danzo does not falter. If he’s surprised at being found out, he doesn’t show it either. 

Meanwhile, Naruto’s trying to curb her own surprise. She can’t quite get a read on Sasuke without looking too obvious about the fact that she knows nothing about anything, but even she knows that the ANBU is a military grade group of operatives that work under Hokage-sama’s command only. There are ANBU captains that control smaller squads and units, but other than that, there’s no one else in the chain of command allowed to give them orders. Kakashi has told her this himself. For Danzo to try an entire group of ANBU – that was an incredibly criminal offense. Still, how would no one have noticed that? 

“It is true,” Danzo nods calmly, and Naruto can tell – even though he’s been outed, he still believes he’ll be okay. He’s got cards to play, excuses to give. “Sandaime-sama was aware of and sanctioned my private group of operatives. I did not know that you wished for me to disband them.” 

To a random outsider, Danzo sounded sincere. Like he had truly made a mistake that was built upon miscommunication. But Naruto could feel the dark blue of his chakra, the way it swirled with smugness, like he’d gotten away with something. 

“Did you take it upon yourself to inform him?” Kakashi asks, and the smile on Danzo’s face slips just marginally. 

Good, Naruto thinks triumphantly. Kakashi is smart. If there’s anyone who can outsmart him, it’s Kakashi. Plus, there’s just something supremely entertaining about seeing Danzo get screwed over by someone less than half his age. 

“No,” Danzo admits. “An oversight on my part. I assumed Sandaime-sama would’ve informed you himself, Hokage-sama. Forgive me.” 

“Surely,” Homura cuts in, “this doesn’t require Danzo’s removal from the board, Minato? A purely innocent mistake shouldn’t warrant this kind of punishment.”

“Besides,” Danzo says. “Though I did run an organization like this, I disbanded it on Sandaime-sama’s orders. I haven’t used–”

“Actually,” Kakashi interrupts, and Naruto nearly reaches across the space to grasp the fabric of Sasuke’s sleeve, because Danzo’s chakra signature sours so much that she worries for her sensei’s safety. “I keep in touch with a former member of your organization. Perhaps you recognize the name you gave him – Tenzo?”

Danzo turns purple so fast that Naruto’s certain he must have choked on his own spit. 

“Name he gave him?” Uchiha Fugaku repeats. “What does that mean?” 

Kakashi nor Danzo answer as they’re currently in a stare off. 

“Tenzo?” Shikaku says. “We don’t have anyone in the Konoha shinobi forces with that name.” 

Kakashi smiles. “You wouldn’t. He goes by Yamato now. He’s working in the ANBU as a captain right now. But he did tell me that he knows that this secret organization was active just a few years ago, well after Sandaime-sama’s retirement. Who's to say it’s still not?” 

There was a moment where Danzo, Homura, and Koharu’s chakra all flared with alarm. But then Danzo spread his arms uncaringly. “You are more than welcome to check my personal residences and the files I keep to see if I’ve continued operating Root.” 

Naruto scowled. Danzo was smart enough to not keep anything that could point any fingers at him close by. There must’ve been a facility of sorts where he was hiding these covert ninja. 

If her father was annoyed by this, however, he didn’t show it. “Wonderful,” Minato said. “I’ll work on putting together a team to investigate your residences.” 

Danzo bowed his head. “If there is anything I can do to help, please let me know, Hokage-sama.” 

Tensions were high now, some of the clan heads eyeing Danzo with distrust. Koharu and Homura in turn, were clearly displeased with Minato’s accusations. 

Still, Naruto wondered what the next steps would be for either side – how would Danzo race to cover his tracks? How would her father race to make sure no stone was left unturned?

“Excellent,” Minato said, clapping his hands together. “I thank you for your easy participation in the matter, Danzo-dono. I know it’s not easy to hear this, but you must understand that I only have Konoha’s safety in mind.” 

“Of course.” Danzo is smooth and well trained; he’s not giving any indication of being worried, and he’s cooperating, trying to convince them he has nothing to hide. Obviously. If he did anything to stop or postpone the investigation, it’d look suspicious. “However, Hokage-sama. I ask that you wait on removing me from the council until the investigation is sealed and shut. It wouldn’t be fair, otherwise, would it?” 

There’s a pause then, where even Kakashi’s visible eye slides towards Minato, waiting on bated breath for his word. 

Minato smiles again, but Naruto can see the sharpness in his cobalt blue eyes, frigid and cold. “You’re right, Danzo-dono. You may keep your seat until further notice.” 

Naruto glances at Sasuke, who is already glancing at her. 

She turns to whisper, but then she’s hit with the sudden influx of memories as what can only be her clones disappearing occurs. “Oh shit,” she murmurs, and Sasuke turns to her. 

“What?” 

“Shisui,” she says, the name an explanation in itself. 

The stolen face Sasuke is wearing pales, and his eyes dart frantically between the council and the doors behind them. 

She contemplates for a split second. More than likely, the meeting will be wrapping up soon and there’s going to be a lot of explaining to do if they’re caught while the real guards are right outside. 

“Genjutsu,” she says. “Now.” 

Sasuke nods, and they turn towards the meeting room again. As they edge towards the door, Kakashi’s eye narrows in on them again, and she resists the urge to wince. He definitely suspects something is up. As if in tune with his student, Minato turns to them too. “Is something wrong?” he questions.

His chakra isn’t screaming danger! but Naruto is still sweating. 

“N-no! Just, chilly in here!” 

Minato’s tan face frowns. “I thought you said that you were chilly outside–”

“Okay, bye!” 

Sasuke barely has a split second to create a genjutsu for them to slip out the doors and past Ensui and the other guard. The illusion is there long enough for Ensui to go, “this damn door, huh?” 

Her and Sasuke speed out of the room, footsteps soundless against the flooring. 

Once they get out the tower, they duck into a nearby alleyway and catch their breaths, henges dropping. Naruto sets herself to tracking Shisui, and nearly sighs in relief when his greeny gold chakra signature is still stationed at Sasuke’s house despite the clones being gone.

“Your cousin is freaking  great,” she says, to which Sasuke shoots her a strange look. She shrugs. “What? I’m pissed with him, but he’s not coming to get us. He’s keeping our cover.”

“For now,” Sasuke grumbles. “What did you think of that, huh?” 

Naruto only shakes her head. “I feel like I have more questions than when I started, to be honest,” and Sasuke nods in agreement. They stew in that for a moment before Naruto groans. “Damn. Shisui’s gonna actually be annoying.” 

“What happened?”

Naruto scratches her head, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks. “We walked past Ichiraku’s and the clone of you may have gotten… uncharacteristically excited.” 

Sasuke groans, hands in his face. “I can’t believe our espionage missions would be blown because you’re hungry. That’s so ridiculous, dobe.”

“Oh, like you wouldn’t just dramatically riot if the tomato gardens in the Uchiha compound suddenly combusted!” 

“That’s not the same!”

“Isn’t it?”

“No! No one’s burning down Ichiraku!”

“It’s basically the same concept. Ramen is my favorite food. You love tomatoes. Is there more to be said? Don’t you get happy when you hear you’re getting a tomato?” 

Sasuke groans again, his stupid hair stuck up at the end when he turns away from her. “How are you my best friend?” 

Naruto nearly chokes. “We don’t speak about that.”

The council members begin to file out of the meeting room, and Naruto grabs Sasuke’s wrist, bodily dragging him behind her when she senses Kakashi’s silvery chakra signature on the edge of her senses, lazily strolling through the space, “Kakashi?” Sasuke craned around to see, because he knows just as well as she does at this point what their sensei is like. 

“Kakashi,” Naruto agrees. “Let’s go. I’d rather be out of the way as quickly as possible so he can’t find us and interrogate us.”

The Uchiha blanches. “You think he knows?” She snorts, because does he? When does he not? Kakashi is somehow aware of everything. Based on the meeting she just heard, Kakashi had been well aware of what was going on and hadn’t let out the slightest inclination that he did. She wouldn’t be surprised if Kakashi investigating his friend, Tenzo, was the entire reason Minato had started delving into Danzo’s past in the first place. “Kakashi has a third eye,” she mutters. Sasuke hears it, and his neck snaps towards her. 

“ Another Sharingan?” he demands, and Naruto snorts again, shaking her head. 

“You’re an idiot,” she declares.

→←

They make haste as they sneak back to the Uchiha compound, and though the house is still empty of its owners, Shisui’s blazing verdant forest fire is poised and ready to strike, and Naruto stops at the front door and prays to the ramen god for strength. She’s never seen Shisui angry. Not really. Will he be now? 

Sasuke, at the very least, seems to have accepted their fate. “Come on, dobe,” he urges, his hand already clasped around the door knob. “You made your bed. Now you have to lie in it.” 

Naruto shakes her head dejectedly. “I don’t wanna,” she pouts, and then sighs. “Why aren’t you more worried?” 

Sasuke shrugs. “Shisui is your guard. Not mine. He’s going to be more pressed for losing sight of you than me, since I actually have my autonomy.”

Autonomy. That word didn’t sit right with Naruto, though she couldn’t tell why. Just as she’s about to reply to that, the door swings open, and Sasuke’s hand flies back as though it’s been burnt. Shisui practically takes up the entire doorway, and he’s a perfectly trained soldier in this instance. They both stare at him, gauging his temper. Naruto can’t help but notice that despite the gray ANBU vest still attached to his shirt, his gloves and mask have been foregone, his curling eyelashes brushing like feathers against his cheek. Even when he’s disappointed, he’s still despicably pretty. 

“Inside,” he commands curtly, and they take a split second to exchange glances before they hustle in, not daring to physically brush against Shisui in any capacity. The door slamming behind them is practically a jail sentence. Naruto cringes, waiting for the blow. 

It only takes half a second before Shisui is in front of them, greeny gold chakra flaring to life. “I’m not Hokage-sama,” he starts calmly, and that’s somehow worse, “but I don’t have to be to tell you how incredibly illegal and reckless it was for you two to have snuck into a council meeting? Do I?” Naruto presses her lips together. “You’d probably get away with it if you were caught because you’re Hokage-sama’s daughter,” Shisui tells her seriously. “And Sasuke would get a pass because he’s with you. But that doesn’t change the fact that it was wrong.”

“I know it’s against the rules,” Naruto mumbles lamely. And she does – it’s just, she doesn’t like following rules. This is, of course, not an excuse but it doesn’t change the fact that it’s true. 

“But you still did it,” Shisui’s dark eyes are laser focused on her. Then he sighs, bending his head towards her until she meets his eyes reluctantly. “Naruto, I’m your guard,” he tells her gently. “It’s my job to watch out for you and make sure no one tries to kidnap you!” Again, goes unsaid, and Naruto glares. 

“I know it’s your job, but you would’ve tried to stop us.” 

Shisui pauses at this, and seems to be choosing his words carefully. “I… don’t condone your actions today,” he states. “But it doesn’t matter what you do. I am honor code and bound to follow you dutifully, whether you’re climbing the highest mountain peak in the world or sinking to the bottom of a trench. Do you understand? I am behind you, even if you’re breaking into the ANBU barracks or defacing the Hokage monument. I would’ve tried to stop you,” he admits. “But I would’ve gone with you and guarded you with my life.” She tries to soak this all up. She knows he’s being sincere here. Shisui has proved himself an exceptional guard, willing to do whatever it took to protect her, something she appreciated more than words could say. 

Yet, it hurts her too. It really is just a job to him. She’s just a job. Not a friend. She already knew that. Had even thrown the words back in his face just recently.

“I know you would’ve,” she says, ignoring the sting of feelings that she feels trying to claw her way up her throat, choking her and making her eyes burn. She refuses. “I know that. But,” she gives him a sad smile. “You’re not really Rule-bender-san, you know? You’re really loyal to Konoha and my dad,” she says, and he stiffens, like he’s got the sense she’s not just referring to this incident. She’s kind of not. “That’s a great thing. I’m glad he has people like you in his corps. But it doesn’t change the fact that you’re not willing to go along with my tricks and plans. Plus,” she hesitates on this next breath, well aware of Sasuke’s presence next to them, “I know you said–” she has to force the words out of her mouth, “- that there’s a conflict of interest. And that – ninjas are supposed to act a certain way. They’re not supposed to be so emotionally vulnerable. But I think that you're wrong. I think the reason ninja are always at war is because we’re always fighting. It doesn’t have to be that way. And I don’t care if it was wrong for Sasuke and I to go to that meeting. I cared more about if you and Itachi and Sasuke were safe. I wanted to know who was threatening you and why – and just, and who he is. I wanted to know what was being done to stop it. Is that truly such a bad thing? I can’t – I can’t be emotionally vulnerable to my enemies, but I also can’t make sure my – friends are safe. That doesn’t seem fair.” 

Shisui’s face is contorted into a pained grimace, digesting her mini speech. 

“Shisui,” Sasuke says abruptly, and they both turn to him in shock. “Naruto told you she wants to be Hokage. Do you believe she can do it?”

At first, Shisui looks baffled by his question. But then he straightens up. “Without a doubt,” he says surely.

“Good,” Sasuke says simply. “So do I.” Naruto is wildly taken aback.

“What does that have to do with–”

“You have to trust her,” Sasuke says, so cut and dry and impossibly faithful that Naruto almost doesn’t believe it’s him. “This is her path. It’s her ninja way. No one can change that for her. And if she wants to be Hokage, then she has to meddle, and she has to be annoyingly caring. It’s not your job to make sure she’s being a ninja the right way. I think the dobe’s proved that she has no intention of following the guidelines. The best thing for you to do is support her. You can tell her it’s illegal to sneak into council meetings but as she just told you, she doesn’t care. She’ll do it again if it means she’s protecting her people. Which includes you.” Sasuke’s lips tilt into a half smirk. “You should be so lucky that your future Hokage is so attentive.” 

Shisui is gaping.

Naruto is stunned speechless. Absolutely floored. Sasuke? Uchiha Sasuke? Defending her against his older cousin? And – he’d said he believed she could accomplish the task of becoming Hokage. More than that – Sasuke got it. Got her. He understood her – so fundamentally. She’d never even thought about herself that way, but Sasuke had. She’s – touched. Affection and fondness surge through her in ways she’s never felt for Sasuke. 

“Teme…” Naruto says hushedly. 

“Oi,” Sasuke warns. “I’m never saying any of that again, heard me?” 

Naruto beams. “We’re best friends!” 

“We don’t talk about that,” Sasuke says, but he’s not outwardly scowling so she counts it as a win. 

Shisui still hasn’t uttered a thing, 

A knock on the door has them all whirling around, and there on the other side of the wood is Kakashi’s silvery swirls, calm like a smooth glass like or clouds floating above. “Kakashi,” the blonde whispers into the void, and Sasuke shudders. Shisui glances between them, the serious conversation from just moments prior falling away.

Naruto steps back. “Well. Better answer the door, teme.” 

His dark raven hair flies as he whirls to look at her. “Me? Why me?” 

“It’s your house.” 

Sasuke groans but stomps forward and wrenches the door open. Kakashi stands behind it, lazily slouching and lurid orange book reliably in hand. He’s already got that knowing look trained on them, and it takes Naruto a second to realize that Shisui has departed from their sides, and is back outside on the roof. 

“Sensei,” Sasuke greets in that awkwardly cautious way of his. “Fancy seeing you here.” 

Naruto waves. If she doesn’t bring it up, then that only means Kakashi will have to bring it up, and knowing him he might not. 

Kakashi scans them from head to toe, like he can see the evidence of their outing on their bodies right in front of him. “Good afternoon, my cute little genin. Are you… busy?” 

“Busy?” Naruto asks casually. “What could I possibly be doing today when you gave us the day off?” 

Kakashi’s blinks are long, and he seems to say, really? 

Sasuke shakes his head. “No, we’re not busy, sensei. Do you want to come in?” 

Say no! Naruto yells at him telepathically. 

Kakashi’s gray eye twinkles because he’s a horrible person. 

“Actually, no. I just stopped by to tell you we’re moving training back tomorrow. We can meet at the bridge at 10:00 instead of 8:00. I have some business to attend to at the Hokage’s office.” 

“About what?” Naruto blurts, and Kakashi chuckles in amusement, reaching out a gloved hand to pat her head of golden hair, clearly seeing the question for what it was.

“Oh, my adorable narutomaki,” Kakashi says. “I’m never putting you on an espionage mission, okay?” 

Sasuke makes a weird sound under his breath before his clan training kicks in and he’s opening the door a little wider, seeming to understand Kakashi is not going to bring up their unsanctioned field trip. “Did you want to come in and have some tea, sensei?” 

Kakashi shakes his head. “No. I have to go to the civilian district and inform Sakura of the team meeting change. Tomorrow, we’re going to have a very important discussion.” 

“Oh,” Naruto says. “About….?” 

Kakashi eye-smiles at them. “Well, it’s only right for a sensei to talk to his genin about their upcoming chunin exam, hm?” When Naruto and Sasuke only ogled him, jaws dropped, he gave them a quick finger salute before slinking back out of the entryway. “Have a good day, Naruto-chan, Sasuke-kun." Then he turned once. "Oh. One more thing. Excellent deployment of your shadow clones, Naruto-chan. Excellent genjutsu, Sasuke-kun."

It wasn’t until he was halfway down the road that Naruto and Sasuke scrambled, not bothering to put on their sandals before they tumbled out of the house, clambering after him. 

“Hold up, Kakashi-sensei, you can’t just–”

“What do you mean about our upcoming chunin exams?” 

“Did Sakura say yes?”

“Stop walking away!” 

“Are we competing?”

"And -- and what shadow clones?"

"I don't know how to do genjutsu!" 

→←

Notes:

HIIII!!!

Welcome back to Honey Trap. I looked at my last update date and was like, oh it's only been a month since I updated. And then I realized it's September so it's actually been three. Whoops.

Anyways, though. First things first!!! We reached 1000 kudos!! Thank you so much, guys! Your continued appreciation and support and love for this fic means the world to me and I'm so happy that so many of you like it!! It really made my day to see it.

Second, LOL. Talk about Sasuke being the MVP this chapter, huh? I love sprinkling little Sasuke-Naruto best friend tidbits in there despite the fact that they'll deny that they're best friends till the day they die. But I do think that Sasuke has a certain insight concerning Naruto, even in the manga/anime. Sasuke in this fic isn't as angsty obviously so he can be a bit more tactful about it.

ANYWAYS THOOOOO.

Chunin exams will probably be the next chapter or two but I'll see how it flows. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter -- it was a lot of fun writing the dinner scene and then the bathroom scene. And, I think you guys are getting the start of the reconciliation of Shisui and Naruto, so that's good too.

THANKS SO MUCH!! Stay safe and happy reading!!! :))))

P.S. I started watching Bungo Stray Dogs and the way Dazai Osamu has a chokehold on me is so crazy like -- also him and Chuuya bro enough.

ALSO!! For all the Haikyuu fans reading this, I will have another ATTS update soon AND I'm sure you guys know by now but they're planning on animating the time skip IM SO EXCITED!!!!! Of course, the same justice a season would have gave it will not be done in a movie but I'm happy to see my lovely MSBY Atsumu just the same.

Kudos and comments are always appreciated!! Have a great read.

Chapter 12: Citrus Sweet

→←

The chunin exams arrive shortly after the New Year, and though Naruto had practically hounded Kakashi about competing in it, she’d only been thinking about her rank when she did so. She’s reminded very quickly of why summer is her favorite season when snow begins falling just a day before the start of the chunin exams. 

Naruto wakes up that morning to white outside her windows, and just like every year, the seasonal chill makes her want to sink back underneath the blankets instead of going out. But Kakashi-sensei said it was required for all competing teams to meet the day before, regardless of storm or shine. 

Unfortunately, despite the horrendous weather conditions outside, ninja attire doesn’t change drastically enough to actually help with the cold. In order to not hinder mobility and agility, they only get to add compression leggings or scarves. And even then, Kakashi had said that there was always a chance that the enemy nin could use the scarf to strangle them to death, and with that morbid imagery, no one had added a scarf to their uniform. Naruto had foregone her mesh shirt in favor of a slim thermal undershirt that provided a shield against the harsh winds that sometimes ruffled her orange and black jacket. 

On her desk sits the last letter she’d received from Gaara before he and his siblings left for Konoha, and she had reread it everyday with excitement, anticipating her foreign friend’s arrival. Maybe she’d see him now. 

With that in mind, Naruto got herself ready for the day, checking almost absently for Shisui’s steady forest fire that hovered outside her window. She had to wonder how he was hiding when the trees were bare this time of year, but she hadn’t spoken to him much since she and Sasuke had snuck into that council meeting. With the ongoing investigation on Danzo that still hadn’t been closed and the incoming arrival of teams all across the Elemental Nations, Konoha had most jonin, chunin, and ANBU on duty, the rosters filled up overtime. A peace treaty had been signed, but it never hurt to be cautious. With Kumogakure’s attempted kidnapping of Naruto not far from the back of Minato’s mind, he hadn’t hesitated to put the necessary security protocols into effect. Naruto knew that one of Minato’s personal detail had been removed for the time being just to have extra eyes and hands around the village.

As was standard, she and the rest of Team Seven met on the bridge, and Kakashi greeted them with no more than the usual fanfare. It was hard to gauge her teammates' nerves because Sasuke and Sakura were both relatively quiet. Kakashi also wasn’t the type of person to offer platitudes, so the three of them fell into line behind their sensei. 

It wasn’t until they were almost at the training grounds that Sasuke spoke. “Are we seeing your boyfriend, dobe?”

“Don’t have one,” she replied automatically. 

“Sorry,” he said. “Your future husband.” 

She huffed, turning around to see him, unsurprised to find him already smirking at her. Even in the most serious of times, Sasuke could find it in himself to make fun of her. What an awful person. Seriously, how he was related to Itachi, she would never know. 

“Do I have to like someone I’m friends with?” 

Sasuke rolled his dark eyes. “It’s not that. It’s just that I find it amusing to see you get worked up. You’re like a prickly fox.” 

Naruto laughs incredulously. “ I’m prickly? You’re like a cat in the rain. All you do is hiss and scratch. Poor baby,” she said, patting his head condescendingly. “Do you have fleas?” 

“Maa,” Kakashi called over their heads. “Don’t make fun of Sasuke-kun,” he said faux sternly, head buried in that book of his. 

“He made fun of me first!” she said. 

Sasuke snorted. “Crybaby. Do you always go running to nii-san when something is bothering you?” 

“Uh, hello, pot. I’m kettle,” Naruto said. “Do you or do you not need Itachi’s help when you have the most minor inconveniences?” 

“You say minor like you completely slicing my shirt open is not embarrassing,” Sasuke argues back, a flush hot on his pale cheeks.

“You’re a ninja! Ninjas don’t have time to deal with modesty.”

“Dobe, we’re in winter. Do you want me to freeze to death?”

Naruto huffed. “If you’re gonna die, I’m gonna be the one to do it, teme. Don’t jump ahead of yourself like that.” 

“Premeditated murder?” Kakashi muses loudly. 

“Never,” Naruto promises solemnly, hand on her heart. They’re still stomping down the road, the cold weather making the trek that much longer. “Sasuke’s just going to piss me off so badly one day my kunai is going to end up in his stomach.” 

“Not your chakra chains?” Sasuke shoots back smugly. 

Asshole. 

“You wouldn’t see them coming since you don’t have your Sharingan,” Naruto shoots back, preening when Sasuke bristles.

“I feel like we should minimize the arguing,” Sakura says, one of her first full statements of the morning. “We’re going to be presenting ourselves as a team to the other shinobi in the Elemental Nations. We should maintain a united front. And that means no arguing,” she says, surprisingly stern, since it’s half directed at Sasuke. Naruto didn’t know she had it in her, but she’s appreciative nonetheless.

“Sakura-chan is right,” Kakashi says, and Naruto scowls. 

“Sure,” she says. “The team is united but the sensei is reading debauchery!” 

Kakashi wags a finger at her. “Such an attitude from my cute little genin. What will poor Gaara say when he sees you in such poor spirits?”

Kakashi would be right, probably, if not for the fact that the mention of Gaara makes Naruto add some pep in her step – she truly is excited to see her friend again. 

She’s ready to turn around and forget the entire thing, but Sasuke pokes her. “Sensei’s right,” he whispers. “Poor Gaara. Having to put up with you.”

Sasuke is lucky he’s got the reflexes of a ninja, or else that punch would’ve ended straight into his gut. 

When they arrive at the training grounds, it’s clear by the markers noting the teams from each village that they’re one of the last ones to arrive. That should have been a given, since Kakashi is notorious around the village for his tardiness, but the thought didn’t cross Naruto’s mind. 

Kakashi leads them to an empty spot between Team 8 and Team 10. Team 8’s sensei, Kurenai-sensei, and Team 10’s sensei, Asuma-sensei, are both chattering together quietly in front, and Kakashi drops them off before joining them. 

“Did you know Kakashi-sensei has friends?” Sakura asks, and Naruto laughs, taken aback. 

“I did know, but it still shocks me everytime I see it,” she admits. She tries to sound neutral. It’s not often that she and Sakura have spoken without it being a fight, and she’d like to keep it that way today. “He’s such a homebody. If he’s not at our house, he’s in his. I’m shocked he’s not hiding somewhere in a tree, since he likes to avoid running into –”

“MY ETERNAL RIVAL!”

“ – Gai-sensei,” Naruto finishes faintly, as a blur of green rushes past them until it’s standing toe to toe with Kakashi. Their sensei looks mildly ill. 

“Hello, Gai,” she hears Kakashi say. 

“Hello, Kakashi! Look at you, my youthful friend. To think you’ve brought a team to the chunin exams. I never thought I’d see the day.” Every word out of his mouth sounds as though it’s punctuated with a capital letter and exclamation point. 

“Neither did I.” 

“A man of few words!” Gai exclaims. “So hip and cool!” 

Asuma is chuckling behind his large hand, and Sasuke shudders next to them. “So…. green,” he says. “And loud.” 

They stand huddled together, and Naruto braces on Sasuke’s left side, hoping to steal some of his body heat. She suspects he would push her off if he wasn’t as cold as she was. Snow is still falling, and white dots the tops of her teammate’s eyelashes. 

“Nervous?” Naruto asks them, blue eyes darting from Sasuke to Sakura just once. 

“Nervous?” Sasuke scoffs with that arrogant pride she’s always known him to have. “Why would I be? It’s just an exam.” 

“Yeah but….” Naruto trails off, glancing around. “It’s the chunin exams.” 

Sakura bites her lip, her green eyes wide with worry. “Ino-pig has told me that people die in the exams all the time.” 

Naruto nods. “Tou-chan said some of the other villages aren’t so civil with their exam rules. Attendees are allowed to kill each other. Encouraged to, even. I hear in the Mist, the school kids are supposed to kill each other.” 

Sasuke suddenly looks uncomfortable. “I…. have heard that,” he whispers. “Itachi-nii said so.” 

“You don’t think….” Sakura breathes. “Hokage-sama would never allow that.” 

Naruto shrugs. “I’ve never seen an exam conducted. Who knows?” 

“I mean,” Sasuke says, and they eye Shikamaru, who in turn eyes them back, “this exam is preparing us to become full fledged ninja. Ones who can take missions without a sensei. It would have real life stakes… right?” 

Naruto blows out a breath. That, for some unfathomable reason, had not been something she’d even thought about asking any of the other ninjas she saw frequently. Technically speaking, dying is part of the job. Most shinobi don’t make it past young adulthood, and it’s always a possibility. But – it’s in the title itself. Chunin exams. It’s an exam. People don’t die during exams. 

Naruto basically lurches toward Team 10, narrowly avoiding Chouji before depositing herself straight into Shikamaru’s space. “Shikamaru,” she says, grabbing his arm thoughtlessly. “Are we going to die in the chunin exams?”

For a second. Team 10 is silent, and Shikamaru is just staring at her. Then, the other boy groans. “Naruto…” He’s shaking his head. “ What are you talking about?” 

“They’re simulating a real life mission,” Naruto says. “Can we be killed by enemy nin?” 

Shikamaru rubs the bridge of his nose. “Are you not the Hokage’s daughter?”

Naruto wants to shake him. “Of course Tou-chan doesn’t like maiming during the exams. But we have nin from every Hidden village here. They don’t abide by the same moral code.” 

“Killing is strictly prohibited during the exams,” Shikamaru starts to explain, finally looking up at them. “In fact, there’s a policy in place that states if a shinobi attempts to kill another while taking part in the exams, their invitation to participate will be redacted and — and….” he trails off suddenly, eyes wide. It takes her a second to notice he’s no longer looking at her, but at something behind her. No – not something. Someone. 

Naruto whirls around, and is met with three familiar faces. 

“Oh!” She says brightly, the mortality predicament all but forgotten. “It’s you guys! Hi!” She inclines her head in a bow, not low enough to indicate any subservience, but enough to relay respect.

At the head of the trio is Gaara, his face in a small smile, and his red hair ruffled from Konoha’s wintery winds. The Sand siblings look bundled up, likely used to cold weather with how drastic the climate changes in the morning and night. To Gaara’s left is Temari, whose dark green eyes are narrowed on – Shikamaru, if Naruto had to guess, who is still staring. And Kankuro is off to the right, purple stripes stark on his pale face. 

“Naruto-san,” Gaara greets, a flush high on his cheeks. “It’s wonderful to see you again.” He bows back, though he inclines just a tad deeper. “And,” he hesitates, offering a shy wave to Sasuke and Sakura. “Your teammates.” 

Sakura bows too. “Good morning, Gaara-sama.” 

Gaara waves her away. “Just Gaara is fine. I’m not — we don’t agree with all the formalities.” 

Naruto beams. “Gaara, these are my teammates. Sasuke-teme and Sakura-chan. And –” she pulls Shikamaru forward, “—this is one of my close friends. Shikamaru-kun. Shikamaru-kun, this is Gaara-kun, Temari-san, and Kankuro-san.” 

Shikamaru barely blinks. “Nice to meet you, Sand siblings.” 

This seems to strike a nerve in Temari for whatever reason, and she stands straight up. “ Nara Shikamaru?” Temari questions. 

Shikamaru stuffs his hands deep in his pocket. “What’s it to you?” 

Temari sniffs, and Naruto is silent, sort of caught off guard by the exchange. “My father knows yours.” 

Almost instinctively, Naruto makes a face. She hadn’t forgotten their previous exchange with the Kazekage, and she doubts she wants to know what he thinks about Nara Shikaku, Shikamaru’s dad. 

“Well,” Shikamaru drawls, a slight smirk on his face. “How troublesome. The Sand’s princess knows who I am.”

“What is happening,” Sasuke mutters.

Naruto truly has no idea. Shikamaru hardly talks to his own teammates, Ino and Chouji, much less – foreign royalty. It’s certainly interesting. Behind Sakura, Ino is openly gaping, like she can hardly believe her eyes. But glee is slowly overtaking the shock as she comes to terms with what she’s seeing. 

As Temari and Shikamaru continue what sounds to be a thoroughly interesting conversation, Gaara turns to her, looking incredibly sheepish. “My sister,” he starts, the bass of his voice low, “I did not know that she and your… friend knew each other.”

“I didn’t either. Maybe — the more accurate term is that they know of each other?” Naruto suggests, tapping her lip. She turns to Gaara, breaking into a smile. “Hi, Gaara,” she says. “How are you?” 

Gaara looks as naturally intense as he did the first time around, with kohl rimmed water lines, milky green eyes, blood red hair, and the kanji for love scrawled elegantly across the corner of his forehead. But underneath the contrasting colors and dark palette, there’s a shyness there that makes Naruto incredibly fond. She’s able to see, despite the set of his shoulders and title he holds, that he is kind, consistent with the way he writes his letters. 

“I am alright,” he answers. “We’ve been busy preparing for the chunin exams, as you know. I didn’t – I was unaware you were competing.” 

Naruto huffs, thumbing towards where her pseudo brother is still engaged with the other senseis. “Kakashi-sensei didn’t tell us until like, super last minute. But I’m glad to see you.” 

Gaara smiles back at her, a tentative thing. Then, much to her amusement, he itches his cheek. “I was excited to see you again,” he mumbles, and she has to crane a little closer to hear him, “so I brought you some of the seasonal harvest of strawberries and syrup. We – I don’t have it on me now,” he amends, when he sees her cobalt eyes light up. “But… later? Maybe.”

She beams, and distantly, Shisui’s chakra signature flares just once. 

“Gaara-kun,” she sings. “You’re so kind! Strawberries are difficult to come by when it’s winter. You didn’t have to!”

“I know. But I’m hoping you’ll accept my bribery,” he admits. “I wanted you to act as my official tour guide while we’re here. While we’re not in the midst of the exam, of course.” 

“Oh my Kami,” Sakura says behind her, but Naruto isn’t paying attention.

Gaara looks so earnest, and Naruto can’t help but link her arm with his. “You don’t need to bribe me, silly! I’ll do it just because we’re friends!” Gaara’s cheeks pinken adorably at that. 

And Naruto is oblivious to it all, but over their heads, Sasuke and Kankuro are exchanging disbelieving glances. 

→←

Tou-chan in all his Hokage regalia makes an announcement at the training grounds, declaring that this year’s exam will be an obstacle course followed by a tournament style battle. The rules change every year, Naruto knows, and she’s more than ready for it. She’s come to the realization that if she wants her chakra chains, praying for them every morning before the exam won’t bring them about. 

For that purpose, she’s been focusing on her combat. Her taijutsu had already been rather good, and Kakashi was very particular about making sure they were sparring without jutsu. Sasuke had been training with both Kakashi and Itachi in his spare time, strengthening his fire and lightning jutsus. Naruto had been working with her parents and Kakashi, and Sakura had taken to training with Gai-sensei and Lee for taijutsu, learning medical ninjutsu from the Slug Sannin, Tsunade, and Kakashi had taken her aside for some one-on-one elemental style training. 

All in all, they all had varying techniques now, and it would certainly be interesting to see how it translated onto the field. 

But before they could even get to the physical aspects of the exam, they had to get through a written exam, which made Naruto green with nausea every time she thought about it. 

Surely, she wasn’t going to fail the freaking chunin exams because she didn’t know what Iwagakure’s policy on foreign trade was, right? 

Sasuke and Sakura would kill her dead if she messed things up for them. 

The worst part was that everyone who was in some shape or form involved in the exams would not talk about the test topics, so Naruto didn’t even know what to cram for . 

Plus – it was like everyone was super busy all of a sudden! Well – no, that wasn’t fair. Kakashi-sensei was going over some last minute training with Sakura, Sasuke and Itachi were training too. Her parents were dealing with the influx of ninja in the village, and Naruto couldn’t pick at anyone for what to do. 

Damn.

Naruto pulled at the ends of her blonde hair, pouring over the textbooks she’d wanted to throw away from the Academy.

This had to be misery. 

Seriously. 

No ninja had ever completed a mission because they knew calculus or something. Stupid! So stupid. They didn’t even have to teach her. Why couldn’t they say what was going to be on the test? The uncertainty was eating at her; it basically meant anything could be on the test from ever. And the written portion of the exam was in roughly twenty hours.

Giving Gaara a tour of Konoha would have to take a raincheck, because this was too much. 

Naruto groaned, kneeling on the chair by her desk that was now cluttered with books and scrolls, Studying had never come easy to her. She’d aced combat training at the Academy – had been tied for first with that teme for it. But the actual academic part of school? 

To put it plainly, no one was naming Naruto the genius prodigy of their generation, that was for sure. 

Itachi, Kakashi, her father, Shisui….

Naruto bolted upright.

Shisui!

Shisui was a genius prodigy. And what was Shisui doing? Just guarding her window. Even now, she could sense his greeny gold forest fire outside, flickering like a candle in the wind. 

Naruto bit her lip. Shisui, at this point, was her only hope. But… if she called Shisui down and he refused to help her, she didn’t know what she would do. 

They hadn’t had much time to speak since that night when Sasuke had stood up for her, and so she didn’t really know what he thought about it all. Between training for the exams and going on missions, there had hardly been time to breathe. 

She wasn’t in life threatening danger, no, but she still needed help. And – Naruto reasoned, Shisui didn’t want to be friends, but helping someone with an exam didn’t necessarily equate to friendship. 

Kami, no. It didn’t. 

If anything that would make them mentor and mentee or whatever. A relationship type so boring and professional and short lived that Naruto probably wouldn’t even get to label it as such. Twenty hours – less, really. Twenty hours of him coaching her through material. It couldn’t be that bad. 

He wouldn’t even take off his mask or vest, if she knew him. 

Naruto tapped the wood of the table impatiently, contemplating. Kami, why was she so nervous? How annoying. How embarrassing. If it were anyone else in the world, she’d grab them by the arm and wheedle them into helping her. Why did Shisui make her act this way? 

The blonde inhaled deeply, giving the table one last decisive pat before scooting out her chair and stomping over to her window with some sort of finality. She cheated, admittedly. 

Shisui’s chakra signature flickered to attention as she strode to the window with purpose, no doubt waiting to see what she was doing. It had been a while since she’d called for him like this, and he likely wasn’t expecting it. 

She was Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto. What was there to be afraid of? 

Naruto threw the window open wildly, skin prickly and hot despite the rush of cool air, snow still ghosting down from the dark skies. Her breath was visible. 

The green forest fire of Shisui’s chakra was still, perched somewhere up on the roof. 

Her mother always said to own everything she did. 

“Raven-san,” Naruto called into the night, feeling horribly stupid, but holding face, “Raven-san, I need you to come help me with something.” 

Shisui was a good shinobi. Had likely been analyzing her room and surroundings the second she’d started moving to make sure there were no threats. He must be confused. But he was duty and honor bound to follow her to the depths of hell if she wished to go, and this was no different. 

Of course — it wasn’t nearly as severe as that, but, well. 

Hesitantly, Shisui flitted off the roof and down the bare tree branches, until he was standing in the sill of her window, crouched on his haunches, and his right hand pressed on the hilt of his katana. 

“... Uzumaki-Namikaze-san?” Shisui’s voice was quiet behind the porcelain mask that ANBU agents donned. “Is everything alright?” 

Naruto huffed, planting her hands on her hips. “ No. No, Raven-san, everything is not alright.” Immediately, his hand tightened around the katana grip. “No, no,” she repeated, this time with her hands out. She did not want Shisui to start swinging and break her lamp or something. “Not that kind of help. Um.” She fidgeted. “I need your help…. Studying.” 

There’s a long stretch of silence that passes between them. 

“Studying,” Shisui repeats, monotone. 

“Yeah,” she nods seriously. “It’s super important that you help me.” 

“I don’t think that –”

“The chunin exams are tomorrow!” Naruto explodes, hands thrown out. “And there’s a written exam! They didn’t even tell us what’s going to be the topics, and that teme and Sakura-chan graduated the top of our class, so they know everything about anything!” 

“Well—”

“I haven’t been paying attention to Iruka-sensei’s lectures since he started talking about the founding of Konoha! When we were nine! Please, please, pleasepleaseplease – Raven-san you have to coach me.”

Shisui ran a tired hand through his curls that stuck up behind the mask. “Is it – is there no one else?” he asked desperately, “What about your parents or older brother?” 

Naruto grabbed his shoulders, shaking him slightly. “Are any of them home, Raven-san?” 

“...No.” 

“Raven-san, if I fail the exam tomorrow because I didn’t pay attention to the Warring Eras, Sasuke-teme is going to actually manifest his Sharingan and put me in a genjutsu where I’m forced to relive the exam over and over again.” 

Another beat and then – “Uzumaki-Namikaze-san, are you sure this exam is what you think it is?” Shisui asked carefully. “If they didn’t give you the topics, it was probably on purpose.”

At that, the blonde stopped short. “Did you have to take a written assessment during your chunin exams?”

“I’ve never taken the chunin exams,” Shisui admits. “I was promoted to jonin during a field mission – they were much more common during the war than they are now.”

Now, Naruto unleashed a full pout, blue eyes wide and begging. “Please. You’re my only hope!” 

Shisui’s leg trembled up and down, before he was sighing. “Only for a little, okay? I have to tend to my post. The village is under tight security now that there are numerous foreign shinobi around.” 

Naruto whooped loudly. “Let’s go! Come on1 You don’t even have to take off your mask! Swear!”

She turned around, a bit frenzied. It didn’t matter that it was Shisui. He was just another ninja she knew who was experienced. He’d be able to help her just as well as anyone else. That was all. 

She tried to channel some of her mother into her veins. “Do you want anything to drink?” she asked offhandedly. “I don’t know what you do up there on the roof for hours, but you must be thirsty or –” She turned around and immediately lost her breath. 

Raven no longer existed within the space of the Uzumaki-Namikaze household. In his place was Uchiha Shisui, and it all seemed to happen in slow motion. The golden lamp light painted his pale skin nicely, and with one hand, he removed his porcelain mask, his curls falling and bouncing like springs in clockwork. With the other hand, he slowly unclipped his vest, the gray armor falling away from his standard wide neck shirt that was now accompanied by thermal sleeves for the winter weather. 

It was a little infuriating. 

That, despite everything, he was still a terrible, despicable, detestable, pretty boy. 

“ – oh,” she finished lamely, words that were rolling off the tip of her tongue just – gone. Like he’d stolen them. “I – I thought that–”

“That I’d just be an ANBU agent sitting in your room?” Shisui offered, a hesitant smile on his handsome face. “That doesn’t seem very appropriate, does it?” 

“No… I suppose not.” 

Naruto hadn’t been alone with Shisui in a long time. There was always some sort of buffer – from the party, to the family dinner, to that night at Sasuke’s house. It was awkward, to say the least. 

The last time they’d stood in her room like this, just the two of them, he had been telling her that they couldn’t be friends because it was a conflict of interest. 

“Hungry? Thirsty?” She tried again. 

Shisui shook his head. His dark eyelashes were like little wings against his cheeks. So horrible and beautiful. 

Naruto huffed to herself. 

She pulled down her textbooks from the desk, letting them splay open on her floors instead. She only had one chair, and Shisui couldn’t help her if he was sitting on her bed. 

Shisui seemed to understand what she was doing, because he sank down shakily, arm thrown over the ledge of her bed as a whoosh of breath escaped him. He looked tired. He guarded her around the clock, and Naruto wasn’t sure where the ANBU agents got their stamina from. 

“You look tired,” Naruto finally said, feeling just a little bad about all but forcing him to start a study session with her. “If – if you’re really not up to it, you can go back up. It’s okay.” 

Shisui shot her a bit of a smile. “You’re really caring, did you know? It’s alright. I won’t pass out.”

“When was the last time you slept?” she demanded. 

Shisui had to think about it, which was indication enough on its own. “This doesn’t look very good, hm?” he said, and Naruto slammed the textbook shut. 

“Shisui –”

“Naruto,” he said, and the use of her first name was enough to get her to shut up. Jaw snapping audibly. “If I’m not here, I’m going back outside. So one way or another – it doesn’t matter. I’ll be awake.” 

And with that statement, she silently resolved to talk to her father about getting more time off for Shisui before he dropped dead to pure exhaustion. But she still opened her textbook filled with years and years of history she had never paid any attention to while at the Academy. 

She groaned. “This is so useless. The only Konoha laws that should matter are the ones still in effect, no?” 

Shisui huffed out a laugh, a little timid, as though he wasn’t sure it was okay for him to do so. “Is that how future Hokage-sama should think?”

“Easy for you to say,” she said. “You didn’t have to take the chunin exams!”

“I had friends who took the chunin exams,” he said. “I hear there’s math.”

“Math!” Naruto despaired. “I’m horrible with math. Especially when the math starts to have letters in it!” 

Shisui actually let out a full laugh then. “Dramatic much, Uzumaki-chan-san?” That has them both stiffening up. The nickname – Naruto, hadn't been expecting it. “Sorry,” he says quickly. “That was unprofessional.”

Naruto refuses to even address it. 

Instead, she begins to flip through the pages of the textbook, searching for the math section.

“You know,” he starts, “you asked Sasuke-kun and Sakura-chan if they were nervous but you never said if you were.” 

“Nervous?” Naruto laughed. “Would I ever?” At Shisui’s raised eyebrow, she hmphed. “I’m not nervous. It’s just, you know. Imagine if the daughter of the Hokage didn’t make chunin on her first try?” 

“It’s never going to be easy,” he tells her, oddly gentle. “That title – Hokage’s daughter. You’re going to have it forever. People will always be looking at you with great expectations that you’ll never escape. It’s not your prerogative to please them or you’ll forget to succeed for yourself.” He offers her a smile. “If you don’t make chunin tomorrow, Naruto, I promise you that there will be other chances.” 

“That’s nice of you to say but,” she shrugs. “Tou-chan vaguely told me that the chunin exams are assessed in teams. What if my failing puts Sakura-chan and Sasuke-teme behind?”

 Shisui only shrugs in return. “Then so be it. Naruto – you have to understand. The exams aren’t meant to give you some fake scenario and have you work through it. You said it yourself earlier to the Nara boy; the exam is a simulation of what could really happen. Unfortunately, missions do fail. Imagine if you were kidnapped by an enemy ninja. Sakura and Sasuke would make a choice to save you or leave you. In this exam, they test whether or not a team will stick together when it gets tough. Do you stick with a teammate? Or do you move on for individual glory? That’s something that you three, as a team, need to figure out.”

Huh.

Naruto really hadn’t thought about it that way. Kakashi-sensei had instilled in them from the very beginning that teamwork was key – something that her own father had taught her as well. Those have been her guiding principles from a very young age. To think Sasuke and Sakura wouldn’t share the same mindset isn’t something that’s ever crossed her mind. 

“I don’t think any of us would leave another behind,” she finally says. “Not even Sakura-chan. She hates me, but she adores the bastard. And he won’t leave me behind, and so she won’t leave him. It all works out. And – anyways, though. That’s all fine and well, I guess. But if this is like a real life situation, then what’s the written portion for? No one’s gonna hold a kunai to my neck and tell me to recite the dates for the different Warring periods, you know?” 

“That’s true,” Shisui acknowledges, looking mildly amused. “Makes you wonder why they would want you to have a written portion at all.”

There was an undercurrent in his tenor, like he was trying to tell her something without telling her, but Naruto’s mind was racing too fast to really sit down and think about it. 

Naruto instead, sighed, slumping down in her seat on the floor. 

“Ugh,” she said. “You make me sick.” 

“Me?” Shisui was incredulous. “What did I do?” 

“You’re a literal genius so you didn’t have to take the chunin exams, which means you have no prior experience to help me out. You’re here, speaking in riddles —“

“ Me!” Shisui’s laughing now. It’s actually a really nice sound, one Naruto hasn’t heard in a while. “Riddles! Maybe if you have studied more while in school instead of—“

“Instead of what?” Naruto challenges, blue eyes flaring with fire. “Passing notes with a certain —“

Shisui splutters, but his eyes are bright, lively with humor. “I was only your guard for one year in the Academy! What about the other years, hm? Don’t blame it on me! My paper airplanes are only so distracting, Uzumaki-chan-san!” 

Naruto scoffed, but couldn’t stop her smile — it hurt her face with how it stretched along her cheeks. “Sure. Whatever you believe, pretty boy-san.”

At first, Shisui opened his mouth to no likely retort. But then he closed it, shooting her a horrible smirk that reminded her of Sasuke-teme. “So I’m still pretty, hm?” He leaned closer, across the space between them, and Naruto scowled, turning her head resolutely to the side. 

“Someone’s getting ahead of themselves,” she said, willing herself not to turn crimson. “It’s just a nickname.”

“A nickname you gave me. Besides, what did you say at family dinner?” He taps his lip, and Naruto maybe wants to tackle him because he’s so annoying and he definitely knows it. “That I’m one of the prettiest people you know?” 

Naruto glared and glared and glared and willed her eyes to gain some Sharingan abilities so she could perhaps turn him into ash. “Pretty boy-san is not very pretty when he’s been narcissistic,” she sniffs. “What good are your looks if your personality is flaming garbage?” 

Shisui cackled, head tipped back. “If my personality is so flaming garbage I guess you don’t need help anymore —“ and like the traitor he was, he began to rise off of the floor once again, and Naruto thrusted her hand out, catching his sleeve, and yanked him back down. 

“Did I say we were done?”

“Hmmm, you don’t pay my salaries, Uzumaki-chan-san.” 

“Not yet.” 

Shisui’s elbow is propped upon his knee, and his cheek in his palm, head tilted to the side as his irises twinkle at her. “Someone’s confident.” 

Naruto mirrors his pose, whiskers trembling. “I seem to recall you saying you believed I could do it.” 

“Fishing for compliments?” 

“As if you don’t want a detailed list explaining why I think you’re pretty.” 

“If you would only be so kind, my liege,” Shisui teased. 

But Naruto was no one if not her mother’s daughter, and rose to the occasion. “Numerical or chronological?” 

“Whatever suits my lady.”

He didn’t think she would actually do it. 

“Hmmm,” Naruto pretended to think about it, pasting on her serious face even though she felt giddy – near delirious. “Well, I guess I’ll start with something simple. I really like your eyelashes. They’re really long, and a lot of people wear makeup to achieve the same effect. But yours are natural. They’re dark, like the rest of your hair, and they look soft like raven feathers. But they’re so long that when you blink, they resemble butterfly wings on your cheeks. Your skin is so pale and your lashes are so dark and the contrast is so stark.”

“Is that all?” Shisui asked, but Naruto had heard him speak enough to know that his tone of voice was off, a little unsteady. “My eyelashes?” 

“Pretty boy-san is so greedy,” Naruto announced to the empty room. “So egotistical.”

“I was promised a list, no?” 

“Hmm, that’s true. How about – I’ll tell you one more thing, but you have to earn the rest?” 

At this, her guard sits up a little straighter. “Earn it?” he echoes, sounding invested. “How shall I ever do that?” 

Naruto shrugs. “I don’t know. Maybe  grovel at my feet, if you’re feeling up to it.” 

“Naruto-san is such a dictator,” he says sadly. “Not even Hokage and she wants me to get on my knees and pledge my allegiance. Fine. One more and then I’ll start working for my keep.”

Shisui is so incredibly pretty. Not really flaming garbage at all, she couldn’t help but muse as her desk lamp soaked him in gold and the burning forest fire in front of her flared and danced and played. 

“Your chakra signature,” she finally decides. It doesn’t give away too much. He knows exactly how she sees his chakra already. “You know how I – how I sense you. You’re emerald green, greeny gold. Like sunshine pouring through the canopies of a forest. Like evergreen trees and smoking fires and - and,” she throws up her hands helplessly. “Even when you don’t talk to me, I feel safe,” she admits. “You’re pretty like a jewel. Not really you, but your energy, if that makes sense.” Shisui is just staring at her now, and Naruto laughs a little awkwardly. “Some people have really, um, ugly chakra signatures. Danzo? His is scary. Not like yours. Yours is… warm.”  Shisui is still just staring at her, blinking rapidly. “Actually,” she says, still talking for whatever reason. “Um. I just realized that I feel so secure around your chakra is because, well, it’s a lot like Konoha, right? I mean – Konoha is the Land of Fire, and you’re like a forest fire. And all that green and gold is like the forests outside of the village.” 

“Are you –” Shisui is hoarse, “are you saying my chakra signature reminds you of…. Home?”

Naruto turns bright red, suddenly embarrassed. The implications of that. Shisui reminding her of — home? There are a million things that could do so. Maybe the smell of miso reminds her of Ichirakus. Or maybe lightning in a thunderstorm reminds her of Kakashi, Chidori chirping along his fingertips. It’s not special. “A lot of things remind me of Konoha,” she finally says. “You’re just the only person to do so.” 

Shisui’s brain must have stopped working or something, because he’s just flat out gaping at her, no hint of that shinobi training anywhere to be seen. Shameful, really. What would his ANBU captain say? Briefly – was Shisui an ANBU captain? She knew Kakashi was.

Then, he seemed to snap out of it, and gestured to the textbook, where over two dozen math equations were waiting for her. “Thank you for indulging my curiosity,” he said, without looking at her. “But I suppose we’ve fooled around enough. Maybe we should get to…. Studying?” 

Naruto nodded, and they got to it. Despite it being strictly work related now, their little back and forth made something in her chest swell, like an inflating balloon. It wouldn’t be like this again for a while, realistically. But – she could admit. It was nice while it lasted. Familiar, even. 

And until the late hours of the night, Shisui coached her until her brain felt fried and her eyes couldn’t keep up. They did math equations and he quizzed her on important dates and once in a while he’d fling a shuriken at her to make sure her reflexes were top notch. Other times, she’d be falling asleep, only to catch him already staring at her. Then she’d blink, and he’d be speaking again, and she’d wonder if she had imagined it. Maybe sleepiness was making her delusional. 

They didn’t talk about the elephant in the room. That was okay, Naruto decided. Maybe Shisui was taking Sasuke’s speech to heart.

She wasn’t sure. She didn’t have time to consider at the moment. 

She was so busy and so tired, and okay –  a little nervous too. And so when her eyes finally fluttered shut, she didn’t register anything. Not the way Shisui sighed and closed her textbook, and placed it in a neat stack on her desk. Or the way he clicked off her lamp, dousing the room in darkness. And she definitely didn’t notice how he gently pulled off her slippers and cradled her in his arms, depositing her in her bed, and tucking her under the sheets. 

When she woke up the next morning, it was to steady tapping on her window pane. She blearily blinked at the sunlight filtering in, confused and dazed. When had she gone to bed? The tapping was still going, and Naruto practically fell out of bed. Once she did, the tapping stopped. But sitting there, atop her sill was a little paper airplane. 

For a moment, she was unable to process. But then the previous night came rushing back at her, and she padded towards the window, holding the airplane as though it were some delicate treasure. Unfolding it was second nature, and her hands were shaking. 

On the inside was a very short message with a neat script she’d know anywhere. 

 

Time to wake up, Uzumaki-chan-san. The chunin exams are today. 

 

That was all the note said, and Naruto stared at it a moment longer. What did it mean? That he had sent her a paper airplane and addressed her as Uzumaki-chan-san? 

Naruto shook her head. He was right. The chunin exams were today. There was no time to dwell on it. 

She swerved for her desk instead, and was met with yet another surprise. 

Sitting on her desk were three items that hadn’t been there before. One was a sharp, sharp kunai – one of the high quality ones from the nice weapons shop in the market square, the next was a little orange flavored candy that was wrapped in a shiny plastic, and the last was one small ribbon of paper. 

 

Good luck

 

Naruto inhaled. 

Okay.

→←

Notes:

HELLOOOO and welcome back to Honey Trap.

So just a little housekeeping (I see that word used a lot but I don’t really know what it means, I’m just playing around lol).

For starters, I promise y’all — you are not getting the chunin exams in full detail. I don’t really care to write out the chunin exams because honestly, the purpose of this fic is not to get rough and tough lol. It’s for me to have fun and have no solid plot other than Shisui and Naruto dating.

That being said, I am not afraid to get rough and tough if I need to (I think i’m jumping like three chapters in my head when I say that because there will be some close calls but you know).

If this offensive to you, I am sorry, but you’re at the wrong fic if you wanted crazy action.

Anyways though. Moving on.

Gaara is in town, as you guys know, which of course, means that Shisui is a little jealous.

The next mini arc IS very important. I think once you see what’s happening, it’ll be kind of predictable but it’s like, my favourite kind of predictable.

And of course, the end part of this chapter really kind of delves into what Shisui and Naruto are doing with each other right now.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!! I also appreciate your kudos and comments; they really make my day.

That being said, happy reading!!!

Chapter 13: Hot Chocolate (With Cinnamon & Nutmeg)

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It’s during the written portion of the chunin exams that Naruto has a bit of a realization dawn on her, horror no doubt painted along her features. She’s staring down at her paper, at the questions that no amount of studying could help her answer, and is recalling Shisui’s cryptic dialogue. What was it he had said?

If they hadn’t given exam topics, it was probably for a reason. 

Looking down at her test now, Naruto understood that the purpose wasn’t to know, but to gather intel without being caught. Blood rushes high up her face, an unprecedented wave of anger coursing through her.

She had pulled an all nighter studying for nothing. Sacrificed precious sleep just to be expected to cheat. What the actual freak.

Her lips twisted in a pout, she glanced ahead to Sakura, whose pink head of hair peeked out from between the numerous exam takers in the room. The other kunoichi was scribbling furiously on her paper, and Naruto didn’t know how she was cheating if she even was, because she didn’t have any easy solutions like the Byukugan or Ino’s Mind Transfer jutsu. 

Then she glanced out of her peripheral vision at Sasuke, who was sitting behind her, slightly to the left. As if sensing her attention, he raised his eyes slightly upward, one dark eyebrow arching. 

Well? He seemed to say. What’s wrong?

Naruto’s eyes darted upwards, startled to see Tenten’s mirrors on a string, the older girl pulling them so that Rock Lee could see the reflection of the papers. How did she even get that installed for the exam? More importantly, how did their super senior ninja proctors not notice? 

What is this exam? Naruto finally asked, darting down to her paper just once so Sasuke got the message. Do you know anything?

Cheat, idiot, Sasuke suggested, his shoulders moving up and down minutely in a shrug. 

How? Then she glanced back at him just once. How was he even cheating? He had no Sharingan to help him out. How are you cheating? 

Sasuke tilted up at Tenten’s mirrors. Then down his row of ninja. Seated two people down from him was Rock Lee. Naruto ahhhed in her head. Tenten was unintentionally helping Sasuke out, which was cool, but that didn’t help her. 

Next to her, Shikamaru was slumped over his test paper, head pillowed in his arms, test paper completely blank. She stared. The one person in this room who could probably answer the questions without cheating was asleep. It just wasn’t fair.

—><—

The chunin exams came and went without as much fanfare as Naruto was expecting, though the tournament style simulation was hard, especially when going up against someone trained in taijutsu like Rock Lee. Gaara was no slouch either, and was able to expertly wield his sand to do whatever he so desired. And those were only the people she could name.

When the physical portion of the exam was complete, they only had to wait for their results, and Naruto found herself remembering all the issues she’d tucked away in her brain for later begin to resurface. From Shisui’s odd behavior to Danzo’s ongoing investigation, to her stupid chakra chains — it was easier to function when she’d had the single purpose of focusing on the chunin exams as a distraction.

Now she was very aware that the Danzo investigation wasn’t going where they wanted to, and she sometimes spotted the councilman’s unsettling chakra signature around the village. Her parents had reassured her numerous times that there was nothing for her to do, which she logically knew, but it was so frustrating. 

Forget keeping skeletons in the closet. Danzo probably had an entire bunker dedicated to them, or something. 

“Are you alright?” Naruto snaps out of her thoughts, focusing once more on the shy boy in front of her, his lips tilted down in a small frown. “You looked upset.” 

Gaara’s cheeks are flushed red from the cold weather, a scarf more gray than blue wound around his neck. 

All of the contestants from the chunin exams that hadn’t been eliminated early or who were recovering were still lingering around the village, waiting for the exam results to be released. Gaara and his siblings had all made it past the preliminary rounds, and Naruto was quite sure that Gaara would be ascending to the rank of chunin. In fact, she wouldn’t be surprised if all three of the Sand siblings became chunin. 

“I’m just thinking,” she admitted, apologetically. “Sorry. I’ve just got a lot on my mind these days.”

Gaara shot her a small smile, one all knowing. “I would ask, but you likely can’t tell me, can you?” When Naruto only opened her mouth and closed it once, he waved her away. “Do not worry. If there’s anyone who knows what that’s like, it’s me.” 

Naruto felt her entire body slump, something like relief on her face. It was nice… to have someone who understood. Gaara didn’t push or pry, and didn’t ask her to reveal anything. He was simply just there. A friend. 

A strong gust of wind blew, sending the tops of Gaara’s bloodred hair ruffling, his milky green eyes squinting up at the cold sun. 

“I would think you’d be used to this kind of weather,” Naruto said, amused. “I’ve heard Suna gets large amounts of snow in the desert during the night.” 

“We do,” Gaara admits, and Naruto has to note that he looks like an adorable eskimo with the way his nose is tucked below his scarf. “I am rarely out at night to witness it. By the time the colder winds appear, my siblings and I are back in our home, asleep. How long does this weather usually last, if I may ask?” 

Naruto laughed. “Usually until late March. It can be rough. Shinobi usually don’t wear anything but compression sleeves and mesh, so taking missions is so hard during the winter months.” 

Gaara looked down once at his own wrappings, his full length long sleeve, dark dark red that was deeper than his hair, and the lightweight armor he had atop of it, his scarf and thick sandals decorating the rest of the outfit. His sand gourd was strapped to his back. 

“In Suna, we produce something called windproof cloth. Most of our clothes are made from this fabric, because it works to shield us against both sandstorms and snowstorms,” he shrugged, lifting his arm out to invite her to get a closer look. “It’s also quite durable. If you wanted, I could commission a piece for you. It would be useful in Konoha’s chillier months. If you wish.”

Naruto beamed. Gaara was so kind. She wished she had something to offer in return for all of the things he gifted her, from the potted plant, to the strawberries, and now to this commission. “I would love that,” she told him. “But you’ve given me so much already. I hate that I have nothing to offer in return. It just doesn’t seem fair.”

Gaara shook his head a bit shyly. “I have heard friendship is not about going one for one. I’m doing these things because I want to. Not because you would owe me.” 

Still, Naruto decided. That was true. It didn’t mean she didn’t want to do something nice for him in return. 

It was not so early in the morning, thankfully. Following the chunin exams, Kakashi had given them a day off to recuperate, which meant Team Seven was split for the day. If she reached out her chakra senses around the village she could feel Kakashi stationed at the Hokage Office, Sakura was in the training fields closer to the ancestral Hatake grounds, and Sasuke had been flitting about the Uchiha compound since sunrise, his amethyst sparkle like a beacon amongst his clansmen.

If Gaara hadn’t been around, she’d probably be more inclined to seek Sasuke out and badger him around the Uchiha compound while he did his clanly duties. But Gaara was here, and Naruto wanted to talk about everything they spoke about in their long letters. 

Comfortingly at her back as she’d grown accustomed to these past few years was Shisui’s greeny gold forest fire, and though it was certainly not as close as it had been days ago, it felt more like a lighthouse, and for the first time in a while, she felt hyper aware of a familiar chakra signature. 

It sparkled and danced as Shisui shifted in the branches — whenever his emotions changed, his chakra changed with them, the sparks rising when he laughed and quieting when he observed. 

“Who is that?” Gaara’s voice is soft, inquisitive, as he stares off in Shisui’s direction.

Naruto blinks once. “You can — you see them?” 

“Vaguely,” Gaara says. “I don’t know who it is. Their chakra is — it flickers. Perhaps I wouldn’t have noticed it at all, but it is constantly around you. And you have this habit where you check on it. I don’t even think you realize you do it. When it moves, you do too. Readjusting to your shadow’s presence constantly. When it jumps, you sit up a little straighter. Did you know that, Naruto-san?” 

Naruto hadn’t. She swallows past the lump in her chest, feeling like somebody had skinned her alive, leaving her bare and raw and vulnerable, the cold wind harsh against her. “I’m a sensor,” she says, if only to avoid the question. “There are particular signatures around the village who I have become rather attuned to. My parents. My team. My bodyguard. I am not allowed to disclose their identity, as you may have guessed. But that’s who it is.” 

Gaara hummed, like she’d said something interesting, and just a few steps away, Shisui’s forest fire had halted, listening intently to their conversation. “How do you know who they are?” he asks, eyes darting across the street. There are numerous on goers today. Despite the wintery weather, the village is bustling, thriving as it does in any season. “When I look at them, I see little flitters of energy. But it could be anyone.” 

Naruto hesitates. “I — to me, they’re all distinguishable. No chakra signature is exactly the same.” At one point, she’d assumed that her chakra sensing had something to do with being born while her mother housed Kurama. But it seemed that being a jinchuuriki or the child of one had no effect on that, because Gaara had no such abilities. Maybe, she conceded, her Uzumaki side had not given her chakra chains, but this small kernel of something. “Yours is golden, like the sand in your gourd. It even moves that way too. Like particles slowly drifting in the wind. It’s quite lovely.”

”How fascinating,” Gaara says, milky green eyes shining with interest. “To think that to you, the world is an amalgam of colors and textures and energy. Shinobi tend to have their strong suits and quirks, but I’ve yet to hear about someone with an ability like yours.” 

Naruto laughed, not so sure that seeing the world in this amalgam, as Gaara had put it, was all that wonderful, but acqueised that it certainly made her perspective unique. “Everybody has their thing,” she shrugs. “Kakashi — my sensei, he’s known as the Copy Ninja.” She rolls her eyes, amused by the title. “Because he uses his Sharingan to copy jutsu. You’d think it’s somewhat common, given that there’s an entire clan that carry the same dojutsu. But people are still surprised when they see him.” 

Behind her, Shisui was fluttering, like he was pacing. He didn’t need to worry. Naruto wasn’t going to say anything that could jeopardize his identity or job. Truthfully, she was anticipating their next talk. Their next — passing of notes? 

Naruto was unsure of which would come first, but with Shisui’s post, it was hard to say. The swell of nerves and sweaty palms washed over her everytime she thought about it. Things couldn’t stay the same. 

That seemed to be the silent agreement they’d left off on — there had to be some sort of renegotiation of boundaries, because this was getting out of hand. It was one thing to say that they kept their relationship professional, but they were terrible at following the rules. Shisui, specifically. He had been the one to draw this line in the sand, and had no problem hopping over it when he so desired. The dancing at Sasuke’s birthday party, the dinner with her family, and now the reintroduction of paper airplanes. 

But Sasuke had given his older cousin something to consider, and consider he had. 

She was hopeful for this inevitable talk they would have. But whenever she thought about it, she began to sweat, something like nausea rising in her throat.

She didn’t know what she would do if Shisui said something she didn’t like. 

She shook her head, hoping she didn’t look crazy to Gaara. “Why don’t we find our teammates and we can go get barbecue?” 

“I would,” Gaara stated, and his lips curled up into a smile, “but I suspect you’d know where they are better than I would.”

Naruto reached her senses out, and was easily able to spot both Sasuke and Sakura. Kankuro and Temari required a bit more concentration from her, since she didn’t know their chakra signatures all that well. 

“It would appear your siblings are currently at an inn located just in the village. Do you know where that is?”

Gaara nodded. “Hokage-sama has been kind with our accommodations. We’re staying at that inn.”

”Okay,” Naruto nodded easily. “Why don’t you gather them, and I’ll get Sakura and Sasuke, and we can meet back here?”

When Gaara nodded again, Naruto grinned and began fluttering away, mapping a path in her head. It would probably be easier to retrieve Sakura first because the training grounds were close to the civilian districts. Sasuke was on the further side of the village; the Uchiha compound was isolated from the rest of the village, oddly enough. Naruto frowned almost absently at that.

Wasn’t that strange? The Uchiha were proud of their police force. Why would the Uchiha compound be far away from the village? Wouldn’t that just make it more difficult for the police to get around? She’d have to ask Kakashi, she decided. He would probably know, or something. 

As she hopped around loose pebbles and wove in and out of the civilian crowd, some of the shopkeepers and elderly waved at her, no doubt knowing who she was. 

“Good morning, Naruto-sama!” One of them called, a broom in her hands. 

“Good morning, Mitsuri-san!” Naruto waved back jauntily. “How are your grandkids?” 

“Oh, they’re doing wonderful!” Mitsuri said. “Neito-kun just started the Academy today.”

”Oh, wow!” Naruto said. “You must be nervous.”

”I am,” she admitted. “But his sensei is nice. Iruka, I believe?” 

“Iruka-sensei’s the best!” Naruto declared, and Mitsuri seemed all that more relieved for it. Truthfully though — Iruka-sensei was the best. But he was also the scariest, and so Neito had better get his act together. 

Shisui’s chakra flickered behind her, and Naruto wanted so bad to just turn around and talk, but — 

She sighed. It was broad daylight, in the middle of the village. There was no way, and they both knew that. 

Interestingly enough, another chakra signature began to head towards her as well, albeit at a slower pace. Where Shisui’s chakra signature was green and gold swirling flames, this one was a rustle in the wind, dark like the tree canopies at dusk. 

“Shikamaru-kun,” Naruto greeted without looking back once. 

“Naruto,” Shikamaru drawled, and she would bet her allowance that his hands were shoved deep in his pockets. “I hadn’t realized your chakra sensing ability was so strong.” 

“Could have seen you from a mile away,” she says proudly. “Though I have to admit that it’s strange to see you like this. Shouldn’t you be cloud watching right now?” 

“I was just following up on a little rumor I heard.” 

“Oh?” Naruto’s attention was definitely caught. What had Nara Shikamaru, notorious for being as lazy as he was smart, looking for her? ”Must be serious.”

”Deadly,” Shikamaru says, with absolutely no inflection, and Naruto snorts. “How troublesome,” he sighs. “You don’t believe me. This is a matter of foreign politics.” 

“Foreign,” Naruto repeats, almost incredulously. Shikamaru’s dressed differently today, she notes, finally giving him a once over. “Did Ino send you out like this?” She accuses. He’s wearing a long sleeve with a thicker outside jacket, the Nara clan symbol stitched into it. His hair is better kept, and his pants are dark, lined with fleece and mesh. 

Shikamaru thinks about this. “…No?” 

Naruto grabs her hair. That’s somehow even worse, because if Ino didn’t force him into the clothes, it means he wanted to do it himself. “You like Temari,” she half-yells half-whispers. 

“Like is a strong word,” Shikamaru acknowledges. “I want to learn more about her. And according to Gaara, who is racing back to their inn as we speak, Team Seven and the Sand siblings are on their way to have lunch together.” Shikamaru smirks. “It’s cute. He has a crush on you, you know.” 

Naruto’s face heats, and she’s glad she’s able to blame it on the cold wind. “He doesn’t,” she says. “We’re just friends.” 

“He has stars in his eyes,” Shikamaru says, and she’s glad she can see Sakura, her pink and red theme making her easy to spot. 

“Shut up about that,” she mutters as they get closer. “I don’t need any gossip getting around. The ANBU are all reporting back to my father as we speak.”

At this particular statement, Shikamaru’s expression grows more amused. “But Shisui-kun would never, hm?” 

Naruto whips to him so quickly her hair slaps him in the face. Shisui grows more alert. “How did you—“

”I’m not stupid,” Shikamaru tells her, which she already knew, but — still. “He showed up to our class for five seconds and no one thought that was strange? Also — he’s Shunshin no Shisui. Why would a prodigy like him ever need to learn anything from a pre-genin course? He could probably teach Iruka-sensei. Plus — Sasuke’s birthday party.” Naruto winces.

”Don’t talk about it,” she mutters, spinning on her heel once more, stomping towards the training ground. “I don’t want him to get in trouble. And the only people that know are my parents, Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sasuke’s family.” 

Shikamaru holds his hands up placatingly. “I wasn’t going to say a thing.” 

She still shoots him a glare, because she hates being caught off guard. When they finally reach Sakura, the other kunoichi is breathing heavily, her cherry blossom hair tied up in a high ponytail. 

“Naruto,” Sakura greets, her brows furrowed. “Shikamaru-kun. What’s going on? Did we receive a summons?” 

“We’re going to lunch,” Naruto says. “With Gaara, Temari, Kankuro, and Sasuke. You’re coming with us. But we have to get Sasuke first.” 

And so it goes.

The three of them trek to the Uchiha clan compound, where she can see Sasuke and Itachi moving up the cobble pathways. She and Shikamaru don’t bring up the subject of Shisui again, and Shisui’s relief is palpable in the air. Behind her, the other two talk about Ino, and Sakura’s rivalry with the other girl will always be funny to Naruto. 

At one point, Sakura scans Shikamaru up and down. “You’re dressed nicely today, Shikamaru-kun. Did Ino-pig make you?” Naruto snickers, and Shikamaru makes a dumb excuse, and it’s all refreshing after the stress of the chunin exams. 

When they finally make it to Uchiha compound, Sasuke takes one look at their troop and sweat drops. “Absolutely not,” he says, his first words. 

“Sasuke,” Itachi reprimands him, with a poke to the forehead, because he is amazing and way cooler than Sasuke could ever hope to be. Both Uchiha brothers are red around the nose, and much to Naruto’s delight, Itachi’s hair is completely down today, his customary hair tie around his wrist.

”Itachi!” Naruto shouted with glee, leaping at the older boy. Itachi catches her readily. “Your hair! You’re so pretty!”

”Hello, Naruto-chan,” Itachi says, the gentlest smile on his face. “You’re looking pretty yourself. Are you here for Sasuke?” 

“Yes! We’re going to get barbecue with the Sand siblings. Do you wanna come with us, Itachi?” 

Itachi shakes his head. “While I appreciate the invitation, I must decline. I have some duties to perform around the compound before I’m free. Next time, though.” 

Naruto pouts. “Awww.” 

“I don’t wanna have lunch with you and your boyfriend, dobe,” Sasuke says haughtily, and Naruto huffs.

”Male and female friendships are a thing. You wouldn’t know because you don’t have any friends!” 

“Aren’t you two best —“

”NO!” Sasuke and Naruto chorus together.

”Never!” Naruto denies.

”That idiot? As if!” Sasuke says.

Naruto elbows him, and Sasuke shoves her, and Itachi, the gentleman that he is, steadies her. “That was impolite, Sasuke-kun,” he says sternly, and the pout that he receives from his younger brother in return is something for the books. 

“We’ll be going,” Naruto says, linking her arm with Sasuke’s so he’s unable to escape. “Bye, Itachi! See you later!”

Sakura and Shikamaru both bow, and Itachi reciprocates, and Naruto beams. Itachi is so great. Whoever he’s dating is so lucky. 

“Just for the record,” Sasuke grumbles, “I do not want to come.”

”I know,” the blonde says cheerfully. “Don’t drag your feet, Sasuke-teme. We’ve got foreign guests to entertain!”

—><—

Twenty minutes later, the Sand siblings are seated around one side of the booth, and Team Seven and Shikamaru are squished in on their side. Sasuke’s closest to the wall, with Naruto on his left, and the only one who looks like they’re having a good time is probably Gaara.

It’s probably because Temari and Shikamaru are engaged in — 

Naruto doesn’t know what. 

“Are they—“ Sakura is gaping, her green eyes caught between Sasuke and Shikamaru and Temari. “Is this —?” 

She doesn’t finish her sentence, but Naruto can hear the ending as if she had. Is this a date? 

“No,” Naruto says drily. “Seeing as there are five other people present, I would hope not.” 

Kankuro and Sasuke are exchanging long suffering looks over the table. 

“So…” Kankuro begins awkwardly. His puppet is nestled between him and Gaara, almost like a shield of some sorts, and Naruto’s having a hard time trying not to stare directly at it. “Konoha, huh. It’s pretty cold.” 

It’s a blank reaction, because Naruto’s pretty sure all of them are paying more attention to Shikamaru and Temari’s conversation. 

“— know how to wield one of these things better than you do, Nara boy,” Temari says, her green eyes narrowed, but her lips tilted up. 

“It’s not so hard,” Shikamaru shrugs, in that infuriatingly nonchalant way of his. “Just a bit of physics, if you ask me.”

”Physics!” Temari scoffs. “Do you know how heavy they are? You wouldn’t be able to lift it, much less use it efficiently.”

Naruto and Sakura glance at each other. 

She’s got a point, Sakura seems to say. 

Yeah, Naruto agrees. Shika doesn’t work on his physical training enough. 

They should know, after all. Her and Sakura are easily the two physically strongest ninja in their graduating class. Frankly, Sakura’s strength is scary. 

“Why?” Shikamaru asks, and his chin is in his palm. “Are you offering to teach me?”

Temari splutters. “T-teach you? Surely Nara Shikamaru doesn’t need my help being taught anything?” 

“Maybe I’d like to see what all the fuss is about,” Shikamaru says, and Naruto’s jaw nearly drops to the floor — was no one going to tell her Shikamaru had game? 

“Oh my,” Sakura mutters. 

“This must be illegal, somehow,” Kankuro says, almost absently. 

Gaara only blinks innocently at his sister and Shikamaru. “I think their friendship is nice,” he says, and Sasuke chokes on the water he’s been gulping down. Naruto hits him on the back. 

”Friendship,” Sakura echoes, so quietly that Naruto’s sure she’s the only one who can hear it. “Don’t you mean, verbal foreplay?” 

Naruto nearly hacks up a lung for two reasons; one — she can’t believe that this is what she and Sakura are bonding over, and two — verbal foreplay.

It’s Sasuke’s turn to slap her back. 

Gaara studies them with focused precision. 

“You…” he nods at Sasuke. “Naruto has told me about you. Uchiha Sasuke, correct?” 

Sakura and Sasuke both tense on either side of her, and there’s even a pause in Temari and Shikamaru’s flirting. 

“That’s me,” Sasuke confirms, though he’s clearly suspicious. 

“Is it true that you’ve been childhood friends?” 

Naruto and Sasuke look at each other once in surprise. 

“I guess,” Sasuke says, uncomfortable sounding. “We weren’t always friends, I think. Our parents are friends. Which is how we knew each other outside of school.” 

Naruto thumbs towards her teammates. “We’ve all been attending the Academy since we were young. We grew up together.”

“I see,” Gaara’s voice is one of neutrality, and it’s hard to get a read on what he’s thinking. Even the golden grains of his chakra are hovering, like they too are waiting to hear the answers. “There’s quite a bit of rumors about you two,” he says slowly, and both Kankuro and Temari’s heads snap up. 

“Gaara—“ Temari starts hesitantly. 

“Rumors?” Sakura is the one who asks. 

Gaara bobs his head. “Yes. When I hear about Uzumaki Namikaze Naruto, the rumors say she is always accompanied by a dark haired boy her age who may yet possess his clan’s Sharingan. You say you are friends, but the rumors always imply something extra.”

”No!” 

For the second time that day, her and Sasuke shouted the word in sync, identical horror laced in their tones. 

“No, no. No,” Sasuke said. “I would never — I would never date a dobe like her!”

”Sasuke-teme is just my friend,” Naruto said. “Really. You shouldn’t listen to the rumors. Sometimes, that’s all they are.”

For a second, Gaara looks ashamed of himself. 

“Forgive me,” he inclines his head apologetically. “I did not mean to offend or disrespect. It’s just — I wanted to know.”

”Why?” Sakura blurts. 

Gaara smiles sheepishly, his green eyes darting to Naruto just once. 

Oh Kami. 

Beneath the table, Sasuke’s hand taps erratically at the space between them, for how little of it there is. She can practically hear his voice in her head. 

Breathe, he seems to say. We know what he’s about to say. Take it with grace. Don’t be stupid.

Naruto forces herself to relax. Sasuke stops tapping. Even though her heart may be attempting to fly out of her chest.  We don’t know for certain if —

Yes we do. Sasuke’s dark eyes met hers for a brief moment. 

Naruto looked away.

Gaara is kind. And sweet. And he’s beautiful as well. But — 

“We’re young,” Gaara offers. “And I know you are most likely not yet open to the idea of such relations. But I am to be Kazekage and you are to be Hokage.” Naruto flushed. “If it is one day permissible, I would like our nations to join hands.” 

Temari and Kankuro were straight up staring at their youngest brother in shock. Even Shikamaru’s eyebrows were raised. 

Naruto was mystified. Gaara had just — in front of his siblings and her friends — admitted that he would be open to a relationship with her in the future. 

“Uh,” she stuttered, hoping her face wasn’t as red as it felt, “t-that’s. I’m — I’m honored.” 

“The honor is all mine,” he says smoothly, face completely earnest. Even his chakra seemed to brighten. 

“I appreciate your offer,” she says carefully. Sasuke’s telepathic words to her were resurfacing now — take it with grace. “I’m — you’re right when you say that we’re too young. At the moment, I don’t feel inclined towards romantic p-pairing. But it’s nice to know you hold me in such high regard. Until there is a moment to formally decide this,” she holds her hands out tentatively across the table, “friends?”

There’s bated breath on both sides — she doesn’t even need to check to know the restaurant owner is checking them out, and that Shisui is surveying the scene with ANBU grade intent. 

Gaara seems oblivious to it all, because he takes her hand readily, giving it a firm shake. “If there is ever any doubt about where we stand, know you were first and foremost my friend, Naruto-san.” 

And then without another word, he turns to Kankuro like he’d never said a thing at all. 

They’re rudely gawking, but it seems none of them can quite hold a poker face like Kakashi can. 

“How troublesome,” Shikamaru muses, for once, not absorbed in his and Temari’s little bubble. “a confession and the food isn’t even on the grill yet. I wonder what Hokage-sama would think.” 

Naruto doesn’t think she wishes to know.

—><—

Afterwards, they walk around Konoha like an old group of friends on a day off, and it’s shockingly fun. There’s no lull in conversation and no awkwardness. Even Sakura and Sasuke hang out normally, and it’s perhaps the most normal outing Naruto has ever participated in. 

It’s dark when they finally turn in, with Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro promising to say goodbye before they head back to Sunagakure with the Suna delegation. Shikamaru, Sasuke, and Sakura all head their separate ways to their respective districts, and Naruto is left to return to the Hokage Manor.

It’s even colder in the night time, and her breaths puff out visibly in the night air. 

Her footsteps echo on the empty pave, and Shisui follows her at a sedate pace, his chakra warm and all encompassing, like a warm cloak at her back. 

When she finally reaches home, she toes off her sandals at the door. Her parents aren’t home either — likely entertaining the Kages from the other villages. 

She can feel Shisui step down from his bare tree branch to the sill of her window, and then finally inside her bedroom before she even reaches the stairs. 

She takes her time in the kitchen, getting out what she needs from the pantry and lighting the stove to warm the milk. 

When she’s done, she adds some cinnamon and nutmeg, just the way her mother does when the first snow begins to fall. 

It smells good.

Naruto inhales — exhales. Climbs the flight of stairs, and pushes open her bedroom door on the left of the landing. 

Inside, waiting, just like she knew he would be, is one Uchiha Shisui, porcelain ANBU mask already discarded off to the side.

Naruto shuts the door quietly behind her. “You certainly don’t waste any time,” she says lightly, and behind her, she can hear the sound of his vest being unbuckled, before it drops to the floor — the swish of his hands being ungloved. 

“I figured now was as good a time as any.” 

Naruto doesn’t know why, but there is something intimate about just knowing. Neither she nor Shisui had made plans to reconvene tonight, or that they would even be discussing anything, but they’d both somehow known. The casualty of Shisui’s actions — waiting in her room and taking apart his disguise. 

It made her feel warm. 

She offers the blue and yellow mug to Shisui, the outsides warm and the handle shiny. Steam rises from the mug, and Shisui carelessly throws his tipped gloves aside, dark eyelashes fluttering in consideration. “Oh! Hot chocolate? Thank you!”

Naruto rubs the back of her neck sheepishly. “Kaa-san always makes it for me and Tou-chan and Kakashi-nii after the first snow falls in the winter.” 

Shisui inhales deeply. “Smells good!” He says, before bringing the cup to his lips. There’s the tentative first sip that he takes, before his eyes are widening and he’s gulping half of the mug’s contents down in one go. ”Mmmm!” He licks his lips, the froth with it. “It’s got a little — a little something! It’s kinda spicy, but like, it makes it better!”

Naruto hums. “It’s a secret ingredient.”

Shisui pouts. “Won’t you tell me, Uzumaki-chan-san?” 

And that, if nothing else, elicits a smile out of Naruto. “Maybe we should talk about that.”

“Ahhh,” Shisui nods, setting the mug down on her desk. “I suppose we should, shouldn’t we? Well, I know what I want to say, but you might not like hearing it.” 

“It can’t be any worse than what happened the first time,” she says. Besides, she doesn’t dare say aloud. You’re certainly treating me friendlier than before. I have to think…. What could be worse? 

Shisui wags a finger at her. And he truly does seem apologetic for whatever he’s about to drop on her. “Before I tell you the means, I think I shall discuss the ends with you. I think we can both agree that this —“ he waves his hands around waspishly, “has not been working.” 

Naruto rolls her blue eyes, annoyed that even when he’s annoying, he’s still annoyingly pretty. “Gee, pretty boy. It’s like I told you not to make the stupid arrangement in the first place.” 

“Tut tut,” Shisui says. “Should future Hokage-sama have such an attitude?”

”When her subordinates are being foolish, she can and will.”

The atmosphere in her bedroom is a lot nicer than it had been many a moon ago when he’d been crawling through her window, shadows darkening his under eyes and frowning on his lips. 

Now he looks — hesitant, yes. That’s undeniable. But there’s a softness to his features that hadn’t been there before. He’s not weighed down by the events of a near kidnapping, that’s for sure. His hair looks like raven feathers, dark and like if she pats it down, it’ll melt right through her fingertips.

She considers. Is it strange that she wants to do that? 

Shisui gestures for her to sit on the floor, and like two nights ago, the only distance between them is that of the floor between her bed and her desk. Shisui settles nicely on the other side, as though it’s a natural thing for him to be dropping in like this. 

There’s a few seconds where Shisui fiddles with his fingers and pops his spine, the cracks and snaps audible. 

“Old man,” Naruto can’t help but tease when he shakes his leg just so and it gives way to a sharp crack. 

“You’ll understand when you’ve retained your first field injury,” he says, but as he does, his smile begins to fade. “Hopefully, that won’t ever happen,” he amends. 

“Not if you have anything to say about it, it won’t,” Naruto says, and Shisui sighs, raking his hands through his curls, and the sharp tug through them looks painful. 

“Naruto….” he starts. “About that. Listen — this is what I wanted to talk about. You and I — we’re not able to treat each other in a professional manner for some reason. It just won’t work. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing —“ he says quickly, noting the spark of outrage that flies up into her irises, “— but, I don’t think I can do it. That’s how I feel.”

And the thing is, Naruto wanted to be upset. Why couldn’t he see things her way? But that wasn’t fair, because his feelings weren’t his fault. 

Still, she tries feebly. “I don’t understand,” she says. “I can treat you professionally,” but Shisui is already shaking his head.

”No,” he tells her. “No, you can’t. If that were true, Uzumaki-chan-san, you wouldn’t have adorable nicknames for me like pretty boy. You wouldn’t ask for body flickering lessons and you wouldn’t be trading messages with me via paper airplane.” Shisui scoots a little closer, until he can take her hand in his own, and for some reason, she realizes it’s the first bit of skin contact they’ve had in a while. “That we have to have this conversation at all, is not professional,” he tells her, oh so gently, like he’s bracing her for a blow. Shisui gives her a sad little smile. “If it were anything but your life, I would be able to look the other way,” he says. 

“But you saved me,” Naruto fights, getting up on her knees just so she can tower over him a bit. It makes her feel like she’s in control, even though she knows that she’s not. “When Kumo came — you fought them all off! You’re doing a good job as my guard.” 

“That may be so,” Shisui admits, and he tugs her back down until they’re eye to eye again. It’s weird. Him initiating this sort of interaction. Naruto hadn’t dreamed of it in years. “But I know that when I’m guarding you, my attention is not where it’s always supposed to be.” His body language betrays him. Kakashi-nii would hone in on his extra movements and point them out with calculated poise about what each move meant. Shisui scratches the back of his head, his eyes fluttering to and from her, almost…. nervously. 

”Where is your attention, then?” Naruto demands. 

“On you,” Shisui says back, almost instantly.

Naruto frowns. “Is that not where it’s supposed to be?”

Shisui huffs out a laugh that might also be a wheeze. “It is. But, not all of the time. I’m supposed to be actively scoping out every area. At all times, I have to know an exit strategy for you. I need to categorize all and any weapons your companions may have in case they become a danger to you. I — I am almost always more caught up with thinking about something silly on the side. Whether or not your ears are cold because your hair is tied up. Or if training with Kakashi-san was more difficult on a Monday versus a Thursday, because your steps are a bit heavier on the way home. Maybe —“ he shrugs, almost helplessly, and Naruto is enraptured with this, with him. “—maybe, I’d like to ask you if you enjoyed your mother’s cooking, because when you saw her place it on the dinner table, your eyes lit up. Or,” he says, his tone that much sadder, “I’d like to ask if the reason you threw away your matcha swiss rolls was really because you added salt instead of sugar, and not because I hurt you.”  He turns to look at her finally, a blush on his handsome face. 

“Oh,” Naruto says. Dumbly. Quietly. “I didn’t — I didn’t know.” 

“As you can see,” Shisui gestures between them, “I am more interested in being your friend than your guard.” 

And to everything before, Naruto is still reeling in shock. Still quite can’t believe he had confessed to all of that. But she can say — with certainty — that he deserves the apology she gives next. 

She cradles his hand in hers. “I… I am unsure of what to do from here. But there have been times where I have begun to regret ever asking you to be my guard.” Shisui flinches back, and Naruto stops him. “No!” She shouts, grabbing a fistful of pant legs and pulling. “Stay. That’s not — I’m not—” She shakes her head. “Let me finish. You’re a great guard. But I’ve always suspected you would have been a better friend. I — I liked when we would hang out. When you would teach me how to body flicker, and we would make ice cream, and all of the notes passing. It was hard when we stopped talking. I began to think to myself — if I hadn’t asked for you as my guard, would we have been friends? Would we have never met? You know I — I missed you.” 

Shisui takes her hand and presses it to his chest. “I was always here,” he murmurs. 

“I know.” 

And he had been — in every greeny gold chakra signature in her peripheral vision. 

“I don’t regret being your guard,” Shisui says, and the shy grin he offers, is proof of that truth. “If I saved your life at all — what is there to regret? I am honored you chose me in the first place.” 

Naruto laughs, and the air seems to brighten. “I only chose you to annoy Sasuke-teme, you know.” 

“I do know,” Shisui says, squeezing her fingers. “But that’s okay. We have plenty of time to address everything we haven’t spoken about and everything we want to say. We’re here, aren’t we?

And so they were.

Naruto felt like her heart was bursting. “What do we do?” The blonde asked, tugging at a strand nervously. 

Shisui finally stood up and held out his hand. Naruto took it without hesitation. “Hokage-sama is still in his office, correct? I think it’s high time I did this.”

”Did what?” Naruto asked, eyeing him suspiciously. “You’re not going to tell Tou-chan what you did, are you? He’d murder you! And why do I have to come?” 

”Absolutely not!” Shisui said breezily. “No, I won’t confess a thing, Uzumaki-chan-san. You see,” he said, “you and I are on a mission of sorts. We have two objectives.” 

There was a bit of the playful side of him coming out — she could hear it in the tone of his voice, and because it had just been so long, Naruto indulged him. “Alright, senpai. What are our objectives?” 

Shisui opened the bedroom door for her, completely disregarding his ANBU attire that now lay on the floor. “Our task is simple,” he states. “One,” he holds his singular pointer finger up, “you’re going to be checking out the ANBU agents when your father summons them.” 

“Why would he do that?” 

Shisui winks as he raises his middle finger. “Two. I will be handing in my official resignation from my post as your bodyguard.” 

—><—

Notes:

HELLOO!!! Welcome back to Honey Trap, my lovely readers. So yes —

I would think that the end of this chapter might have been a predictable one? Although it’s not the predictable thing I warned you guys was coming, so — well.

ANYWAYS THOUGH. There you have it. I would say close the curtains on Act 2 or something, because this does mark the end of an era for Shisui and Naruto, but like, uh. The thing is that in the next three chapters or so I want to wrap up this time period. Naruto is roughly thirteen or something which means Shisui is fifteen, and to get the ball moving there will be another brief yet considerable time skip in which they are older.

I’m still fine tuning those particular details, however, so please be patient!

That being said, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Please don’t forget to leave kudos and comments because your reactions stun me every time!!

Happy reading :)

P.S, I am aware that there are still some things Shisui and Naruto need to talk about, and it will all come in due time.

Chapter 14: Pistachio Cream Chocolate

—><—

The beginning of March brings in blue skies dotted with white clouds that seem to stretch over the village of Konoha like an overcast blanket, and though the weather retains the chill from the previous winter months, it also promises to beckon in spring. Small patches of grass are fuzzing from the ground, and though the air smells cold, the cherry blossom trees that line their streets have begun to sprout into deep purples and reds — the way they also do for a short period of time before the sakura flowers bloom.

And so, it is not yet summer, but spring is better than winter, Uzumaki Naruto thinks. Warmer, livelier. They’ll have to cajole Kakashi into taking a day off with them so that Team Seven can do something silly and whimsical together. Maybe they’ll hike up past the training grounds and into one of the forests that lay on the outskirts of the village, and picnic. Kakashi, despite never having explicitly said so himself, enjoys outdoor excursions that don't involve a mission. He’ll bring his pack of ninken, and he’ll probably situate himself at the base of a tree, not to be bothered by them with that horrible book in his hands. 

They’ll do nothing but laze around and shout and run in the grass and stuff themselves silly with treats and fruits, and Naruto can’t wait. 

As it is now, however, Naruto has learned that the life of a chunin is only marginally different from the life of a genin. Team Seven is still the same as it always was, and they still operate under their team leader, Kakashi. The only thing that’s really changed is that they’re cleared to take higher ranking missions. Which really wasn’t that much of a hard limit before, because having the famed Copy Ninja as your sensei often meant a lot of your simple C-ranks transformed into A-ranks just because someone wanted the bounty on said sensei’s head. 

No, Naruto thought. The only thing that really, truly changed, was their extracurriculars. Ranking up in the shinobi world meant you often had to branch out to learn your own fighting style, or to create jutsu. Despite them still being on the same team, they were all busy in their own training outside of the team. 

Sakura would sometimes be on extended leave with Tsunade of the Sannin to learn about medical ninjutsu, and they traveled to foreign villages to visit apothecaries and take on strange cases and maladies. When she wasn’t doing those things, Sakura was also working with Konoha’s Intelligence units down in T&I. Seriously, Naruto didn’t know how the other kunoichi had time to breathe. But the progress in her training was noticeable. 

Sasuke on the other hand, was becoming quite the multi-tasker. If Naruto had heard correctly, he was someone that the ANBU had their eyes on for future recruitment, which was kind of scary to even think about. That teme in a high stakes situation against the toughest of enemies? He had yet to unlock his Sharingan, a disappointment that he still felt keenly, but was unable to do anything about. He’d had to resort to other methods to make himself stronger. Under the joint tutelage of Itachi and Kakashi, Sasuke had been studying kenjutsu, and had become rather adept with it in battle. During training, Naruto could admit that Sasuke with his sword gave her a run for her money. 

In fact, Sasuke’s recent uptake in swordsmanship was what had prompted Naruto to specialize in something too. There was just no way in hell she was going to let either one of them surpass her. With Asuma-sensei’s help, she’d learned how to wield chakra blades, and his style of teaching worked because they both used wind as their primary chakra transformation. She wasn’t as comfortable with them as she’d like to be yet, but she practiced every day, until the skin around her fingers were raw, and the lines in her palms from the ridges of the thin grip were deep. 

Their abilities in the field were much more heightened, and it felt like in the beginning they’d been so green — so clumsy. Looking back on it, Naruto could admit with some pride in her chest that Team Seven was really coming together. Maybe they could read each other better. Or maybe they’d just practiced their battle formations a little extra. She didn’t know. But it was nice to down one enemy and be certain that no one would strike her because Sasuke and Sakura were taking care of it. 

“Soon,” Kakashi told her one day, inside the Uzumaki-Namikaze household. It was funny, she thought, that she got to see her sensei on their days off, when they were home, eating dinner together. 

“Soon what?” she asked. 

Kakashi passed her a piece of paper over the table. It was the missions list, she realized. B-ranks and things of that nature. “You and the others won’t need to take missions with me. You can assist other teams, or be put in new groups for specialty purposes. Exciting, hm?” 

Naruto guessed. It might be weird, though. Working with someone who wasn’t Kakashi, Sasuke, or Sakura. She said as much, and Kakashi’s droopy eyes slanted over at her from where his head was leaning over the back of the chair, hitai-ate half unraveling, sending his silvery spikes all soft around his face. 

“Maa, my cute little chunin,” he said, a little twinkle in his eye. “Part of growing up means working with new people, you know.” 

“I know,” she said. “Doesn’t mean I have to like it.” 

Kakashi sighs. “Don’t I know it,” he said. “The day I heard I was to be your team leader? Dreadful.” 

Naruto scowled. “You’re such a liar. You love us.” 

Kakashi only smiles behind his mask. “Besides,” he continues. “You never know. Maybe you’ll end up liking who you have to work with.” 

“Like who?” Naruto demanded, but Kakashi had gone silent, the way he liked to do when he was being annoyingly cryptic. 

Other than that, things were the same. 

Conversation with Kakashi seemingly over, she got up from her chair, kicking at Kakashi’s legs, to which he artfully dodged, even with his eyes closed. “I’ll be back later,” she said. 

“Have fun,” Kakashi said knowingly, and Naruto scowled again. 

There was no fun to be had. Really. Truly. Kakashi didn’t know what he was talking about, she decided, because he didn’t even know what her plans were.

Chakra signatures flittered on the edges of her senses as they always did, and the wind whipped through her hair, sending her blonde strands flying. And of course, shadowing behind her like they always did was that familiar chakra signature. 

“Wowwww,” Uchiha Shisui says, having dropped down from whatever tree he was in. “Someone looks unhappy. Did Kakashi-senpai say something?” His voice was amused, because after years, he knew better than most what her and Kakashi’s relationship was like. And because he was as high up in the ANBU ranks as Kakashi, it meant he was privy to things like the ANBU roster, and who was out on missions and who was home annoying their pseudo sisters.

”Did he,” Naruto grumbles, though they both know she’s not truly upset. “Kakashi-nii is the worst!” 

Shisui laughs loudly. “You only say that,” he tells her. “You adore him.”

”Whatever!” She says, knowing he’s completely right. Kakashi is — well. He knows everything, somehow, and she’s never once in her life succeeded in outwitting him. He’d had a wonderful time recently, raising his eyebrows in that silent judgmental way of his, when he’d heard that Shisui was handing in his resignation and that she had wanted a new permanent guard. He hadn’t uttered a single word to the situation, but she knew him so well that she could practically hear his, oh? How interesting, my narutomaki. 

“Well,” he says resolutely, and it catches her off guard when he loosely slots their arms together, lightly tugging in an effort to steer her. “Put it out of your mind, for now, my young disciple. We have lessons to attend to.” 

“Will Itachi be there?” Naruto asked hopefully. 

“Nah,” Shisui said. “Clan heir duties and all that. Plus, I think Sasuke wants to run through some kenjutsu with him.” 

Naruto nodded. That made sense. That was another thing to add to her tally, she supposed. Now, with her teacher available to her once more, she’d taken up learning how to body flicker as efficiently as he did. Or, well, today would be the first lesson they’d tried since that disastrous initial one all those years ago. 

They walk together to the Uchiha compound like old friends, and Naruto’s heart is full. Above them, trailing their moves, is a new chakra signature that Naruto is slowly but surely getting used to. This one is newly rehabilitated, her father had said with a tight smile those weeks ago when she’d arrived to choose a new guard. Kakashi was personally overseeing his training, and though she could tell he wasn’t happy with her choice, she’d made it anyway. Despite her father’s clear distrust of this young man, Kakashi’s gunmetal eyes were boring into her, not in the slightest swaying her decision, other than the unwavering steadiness she could have seen in his posture. 

Even if Minato didn’t trust this person, Kakashi did, and Naruto knew that she trusted him. 

What’s his name? Naruto had asked, and Kakashi had ruffled her hair. 

He says his name is Yamato, and so it is, Kakashi had told her, which had seemed like a strange way to phrase it, but no one had offered any further explanations, so Naruto rolled with it. 

She’d never seen him before, but apparently he was strong. Yamato was only a little younger than Kakashi, and he was quiet. Not like Kakashi, she had decided. Kakashi was quiet, but Yamato seemed almost anxious. Where Kakashi was laid back with that air of cool energy, Yamato buzzed with nerves. 

Yamato’s chakra signature wasn’t as homely to her as perhaps Kakashi’s silver whorls or Sasuke’s amethyst storms, or even Shisui’s emerald forest fire, but there was something steady and strong he brought to the table. 

Naruto suspected that Yamato was involved in the investigation with Root and Danzo — if only because she’d caught her mother and Kakashi whispering in the kitchen one morning about “strict rehabilitation processes” and then the quick murmuring of “new guard”. They could only be referring to one thing, naturally. 

Speaking of Root and Danzo — Naruto couldn’t help but feel uneasy, the way she had been feeling for about a week or so now. Despite her new guard, and the steadfast presence of Shisui by her side, something felt… off. Naruto couldn’t quite pinpoint it, but being the gifted sensor that she was meant she was much more sensitive to changes in the air. 

In a move that reminded her of that night at the Hyuuga compound, Shisui hums, stepping a little closer to her as they fall into step. “Alright?” He asks, short and sweet. What’s wrong? Why are you fidgeting like that?

”All good,” she confirmed with a bob of her head. The truth was, she didn’t know what was bothering her. She’d assumed Danzo and Root, because the last time she had felt like this, she’d been racing across the Uchiha compound with Itachi and Sasuke while that malicious chakra signature stared down at her bodyguard. But there was no Danzo in sight. Nothing to suggest anything was out of place except that the particles of air seemed a little too left. She’d sound crazy if she voiced this. 

“Are you sure?” Shisui asked. 

Naruto blinked at him. “Do the air particles seem too left to you?”

”Too left?” Shisui echoed back, his pretty features screwing up in confusion. “Is there… is that a new feature to your chakra sensing?” 

Naruto scowled. “No. Gosh, pretty boy. Chakra sensors don’t do that. Everyone knows that! Can’t you just feel it?”

Shisui’s mouth twitched slightly, but he didn’t respond, and Naruto took that to mean that they would talk about it. Later. Privately. 

When they reached the gates of the Uchiha compound, Naruto walked right past the guards, deviating from their set path just a tad when she caught sight of that oh so familiar chakra signature that just happened to be walking their way. 

Intercepting one Uchiha Sasuke was easy when you could see him coming from a mile away. 

Sasuke was approaching, and the easy slouch in his posture disappeared the second he saw them, the smile on his face dropping. Naruto snickered. 

“Good morning, Sasuke-kun,” Naruto called, waving cheerily at her teammate. 

“ You,” Sasuke said. “What are you doing here? On my day off from you!”

“So rude!” Naruto chastised, lurching forward to throw her arm around the other boy. Sasuke groaned, but didn’t actually try to push her off. “I’m here for training with your way cooler older cousin!” 

“Why am I not surprised,” Sasuke mutters, only glaring at Shisui as he ambled down after her, hands tucked in his pockets. “You resigned like a month ago and you’re using your newfound friendship for evil.” 

“You could join us,” Shisui offered. 

“And what are you guys doing?” 

“Body flickering!” Naruto piped up. 

Finally, some amusement began to shine in Sasuke’s eyes. “You mean that a dead last like you still can’t body flicker properly? Even when you’re creating all your clones?”

”You know my chakra output is….”

”Trash?” Sasuke offers, that horrible smirk on his face. Ugh! 

“…Unpredictable,” she finishes, ignoring his snort and shooting him a glare. “Clones can only do so much to create a diversion. What if I need to make a quick escape and I can’t shunshin properly? Plus, Kakashi’s been hounding me about it. Like he was gonna teach me.” 

Sasuke’s lips twitch, because she knows he finds it funny. “Well.” His dark eyes move from her to Shisui, and then back again just once. “As productive as this sounds, I would rather not.” 

“Rather not?” Naruto echoes back. “Why?” 

Sasuke doesn’t respond, because he’s the worst, and instead turns right back around, foregoing whatever task that had him originally in their path. 

“How odd,” Naruto says, bemused at her teammate’s retreating back. “Sasuke-kun passing up training with a prodigy such as yourself? Are we sure that’s not an imposter?” But when she turned to look at Shisui, his eyebrows were furrowed, as he stared at his younger cousin. 

Instead of following Sasuke’s footsteps, Shisui has them go through the outskirts of the compound, dodging the main family house and all the little vendors that line up on the sides of the streets. With the weather warming out, more merchant carts have been out, though some of the more summer oriented ones, like the ice cream cart, have yet to make an appearance.

It’s only until they’re staring straight across the open field at the riverbank on the other side that Naruto realizes. “Oh!” She exclaims. “This is where we had the first lesson, right?” 

“Yes,” Shisui agrees, and he throws his weapons bag to her. She catches, already unclasping the latch and sifting through it. “It’s a good space for learning something like this,” he tells her. “This is where I learned how to body flicker. The open field is ideal for pinpointing your destination. It’s also sequestered, so the chances of body flickering into someone is low. Though,” he pauses, his eyes twinkling at her, “with your excess chakra, it’s hard to say if that still applies to you.” 

Naruto sighs loudly, even though she wants to smile. “Don’t tell me,” she says. “ Someone’s been hanging out with that teme. And — and what is this stuff?” The contents of Shisui’s bags were strange. A few odd kunai and shuriken, yes, but also fluorescent markers that were colored in orange and yellow, still in the plastic. Below that was a bar of chocolate — the kind that could be broken off into fegs.

”Training materials, my young kouhai,” Shisui said, snatching the bag of markers and tearing it open. “I think today’s lesson will go better than you’re anticipating because you have experience being a ninja under your belt. In the case that it is so, we’re going to treat this like — like you’re reaching an objective.” 

“And the chocolate?” Naruto asked, eyeing the packaging. Pistachio Cream Filling! The label read, and Naruto could admit that gooey green seeping out from the center of the chocolate as shown on the front looked delicious. “Is this your snack while you train me?” 

“Not quite,” Shisui said, snatching the chocolate back from her. “Think of it as an incentive, hm? Every time you reach a marker, I’ll give you a piece. This chocolate is — well, it’s only sold in certain Hidden Villages. Very rare.” 

Shisui, while not her guard anymore, was still part of the ANBU, and had taken a week long mission out of the village just two weeks ago. 

“Okay,” Naruto said. She could get behind that. Training and food? Two of her favorite things? “Show me the way, sensei.” 

Shisui’s eyes widened, before red began to dust the apple of his cheeks. “R-right,” he stammered out, and Naruto hmmed at his reaction. ”Let me set up.” 

She dutifully waited on the side, rocking back on forth on the balls of her feet as Shisui swept the field, markers clenched between his teeth. The markers were so bright that they stood out from the budding greenery of spring, and everytime the light caught on the metallic part, the glare was blinding. But it was effective, Naruto could admit, because there was no way to miss them. 

Shisui was methodical in his work. Some of the markers were placed in short distances, which would force her to use little chakra to make the jumps accurately. Others were further apart. The final marker was right at the edge of the riverbank, and Naruto almost wanted to stick her tongue out at it. That marker was red, and seemed mocking. 

“I don’t like that marker,” Naruto said, and Shisui glanced up to see which one she was glaring at. When he caught sight of the red one, he chuckled, sweeping a hand through his curls. 

“Is that so?” he asks. “Any particular reason?” 

Naruto humphs, folding her arms. “It’s too close to the river.” 

Shisui huffs out another laugh, even as he nudges her with his shoulder. “So? You’re not body flickering into the river, are you? What’s the issue?” 

But his tone is sly, because, yeah , the objective is the riverbank, but that’s all a matter of whether or not Naruto nails it down as she goes. And he knows that. It’s a tacky, underhanded, extra piece of incentive, and he knows it. 

“If I get sick,” she warns, “you’re taking care of me. And then I’ll cough on you until you’re sick too. And I won’t take care of you.” 

“Biological warfare is not a joke,” he scolds her, but he’s tamping down on a smile, if the way his lips are curling is any indication.

“You started it, pretty boy!” 

“No,” Shisui disagrees. “ You’ll start it if you fall in, though.” When all she does is turn her head away, Shisui cooes. “Poor baby,” he says, reaching a hand out to stroke at her hair. It’s nicer than Naruto would dare admit. “All alone in this cold, cold world. What shall we do?” 

“Remove the marker?” She asks, hopeful, turning her bright blue eyes on him imploringly. 

Shisui’s shoulders fall, and for a second, she’s totally convinced herself that he’s going to do it. And then he tugs at a strand of her hair. “Get to it, Uzumaki-chan-san.” 

Naruto groans, but does as she’s bid. “Explain it to me again,” she said. 

“Okay,” Shisui says, taking up his place beside a large, sprawling tree. “The markers follow a trail that ends at the riverbank. Your job is to get across the field by shunshinning to each marker. As you know, everytime you reach a marker, you will be rewarded with a piece of chocolate. This is a pretty mediocre application,” he says. “I think what we’ll do is have you practice this, and then for your next lesson, I’ll take you somewhere where visibility is lower, and there’s more obstacles. Like maybe the civilian district. Or one of the bordering forests.” 

“You and Itachi were trying to help me visualize how to body flicker before. Do you mind —?” She trails off, and Shisui shakes his head. 

“Not at all. Body flickering, especially to a beginner, is easier if you picture yourself at a doorway. On one end is you — where you are presently.” He nods to her feet, which are at the edge of the field, near the cobblestone path they’d walked to get there. “The other side of the door is the destination you want to reach. You have to imagine when you’re body flickering, that you’re stepping from one side of that door to the other. Even if your destination is meters away, you want your brain to think it’s right in front of you. You channel your chakra through your feet as you take that step. When you get good enough, you won’t need to visualize anymore. You won’t even need to take the step anymore. You’ll be able to just do it. Got it?” 

Naruto inhales, but nods. It doesn’t seem difficult, but that’s how these exercises always start out. Sakura-chan is very adept at these sorts of things. 

“Okay, whenever you’re ready.” Shisui nods at the course laid out ahead of her. At least, Naruto thinks, the markers aren’t in convoluted spots. Well — except for that last one. 

She tries to do what Shisui had told her. Closes her eyes, and sees the marker in the forefront of her mind, glowing yellow. Then she takes that first step. It’s not so bad, because she does have to shunshin while on missions. She’s a bit more practiced now. The chakra in her feet tingles — tickles, really. 

The wind brushes past her face, and she feels her body lurch forward. When she peeks open an eye, the marker is right in front of her, and Shisui is already there, a celebratory piece of chocolate between his fingertips. His dark eyes are twinkling, similar to a midnight sky full of stars. “Good job, Uzumaki-chan-san.” And then, in perhaps the most shocking twist ever recorded in Konoha’s history, Shisui’s fingers draw nearer to her mouth, until he’s prodding at her lips with the piece of chocolate. For a moment, Naruto doesn’t quite know what to do. “Say ahhhh.” 

“Ahhh,” Naruto parrots. Naruto dutifully allows him to place the chocolate on her tongue, and bizarrely enough, the chocolate-pistachio filling hardly registers. More or less, she’s kind of caught up with how Shisui proceeds to lick his thumb clear of the chocolate that had been smeared there, humming in delight when he no doubt tastes just how good it is. 

She chews — almost mechanically. The chocolate is sweet. The pistachio filling is a little salty, and they balance well. She might’ve been more vocally appreciative if she could blink out of her daze. 

“Good, right?” Shisui asks. He’s like a puppy, waiting for validation that, yes, his chosen treat was delicious. 

“So good,” Naruto agrees. 

Shisui claps his hands together. “Okay! Onto the next.” 

And so it goes. Naruto shunshins, and Shisui is always waiting at the marker for her, with a piece of chocolate in hand. Most of the time, she hits the location dead on. Shisui smiles proudly at her everytime she does. When she’s off, however, he urges her to keep going, but he does withhold the chocolate. Shisui must be shunshinning between her closing her eyes, and she never even notices the discrepancies in the wind. It’s only his chakra signature, flitting around, that gives him away. 

When they finally reach the last marker, Naruto is more hesitant. Shisui’s hands are planted on his hips as she stares down this final boss. “Scared?” he taunts, his emerald forest fire dancing playfully to match his words. 

“Scared!” Naruto scoffs, though she doesn’t take her eyes off the riverbank. Now. In her defense. She’s not scared. She can swim. Some of her earliest memories are of Tou-chan and Kaa-san taking her to the waterfalls and rivers near the Hatake clan compound. Kakashi had rolled up with his pack of ninken, donning his summer jonin uniform, which was rare for him. 

Kakashi had thrown Shiba, Ūhei, and Bull in the water with her, and they’d spent many a summer day splashing around. Kakashi would never get in, of course. No, that meant getting wet. But he’d water walk with them, supervising Naruto’s treading. If she got tired, Bull would paddle to her, letting her heft her arms around his broad back, kicking her feet clumsily beneath the surface. 

She can practically hear them now.

”Tired, my narutomaki?” Kakashi would eye-smile at her, the silhouette of his flying hair blocking out the harshness of the sun. 

“Just a little!” She’d reply, alternating between hanging onto Bull, and scratching his floppy ears. Kakashi would lean closer, and then with a quick series of hand signs, a spritz of water would splash her straight in the face. Naruto would shriek in indignation. 

“Kakashi-kun,” Kushina would call. “I hope you’re not drowning my daughter.” 

“You wound me, Kushina-nee,” Kakashi would say cheerfully, carefully sidestepping the completely normal wave of water Naruto would send back at him. “Just helping Naru-chan build character.” 

Minato would laugh, and somehow, that’s all it ever was. 

So, no. She’s not scared. Apprehensive, maybe, of getting soaked in the cold water. 

Praying she doesn’t overshoot on this particular shunshin, she concentrates. The door she envisions leads to the red marker stuck in the mud in the riverbank. Maybe she’ll go a little shorter than the marker. Sacrificing a piece of chocolate — it’s worth it. 

“Don’t hold back,” Shisui says, and Naruto groans. Since when did becoming an ANBU mean you could read people’s minds? 

She takes the step, and the wind whistles in her ear as she does. When she lands, she lets out a relieved sigh that her feet land in the patch of thin grass just before the river. 

Shisui’s smug smile makes her want to push him, just a tiny bit, into the water. 

“Don’t say a word,” she warns, her whiskers trembling. 

“Me?” Shisui feigns innocence. The chocolate feg is already waiting for her, and without prompting, she opens her mouth. She wonders if this is how baby birds feel when waiting for their mothers. Shisui is careful when he feeds her this piece. 

“Mmm,” she munches. “How’d I do, sensei?” 

“Much improvement has been made. Though,” he stroked his chin thoughtfully, “how would Naru-chan feel about upping the ante?”

She leans back, a little suspicious of his intentions. “What does upping the ante entail?” 

Shisui gestures to the open field. “You made a considerable effort when body flickering to each marker. However, you must know that this simulation isn’t realistic. After all, you’re taking time before each marker to prepare yourself to make the jump.”

“There’s also the fact that most of the time there’s gonna be enemy shinobi,” Naruto adds, almost sadly. “I would likely be fighting and shunshinning at the same time.” Who knows what things Shisui has in store for her? 

“Exactly. Not to mention, ninja are quite adept with flying projectiles.” 

Naruto groaned again. “Don’t tell me you want me to fight you? Because that’s more than upping the ante, pretty boy.” 

Shisui smirked, an infuriating little thing. “I hate to break it to you, Uzumaki-chan-san, but you actually would not come out on top in a battle against me. Not yet, at least.” 

“I would totally come out on top,” she argued, stepping a little closer, head tilting just right. 

“Oh?” Shisui sounded amused, matching her stance. His eyes crinkled. “Future Hokage-sama is very confident. Can she put her money where her mouth is?” 

“Is that a challenge?” 

Shisui’s insufferable grin grew even bigger, even as he leaned closer, the tips of his curls brushing against her forehead. “Always.” 

A simple, singular word. There was a tingle of electricity that jolted through Naruto’s spine — the promise of a game. Naruto loved games. But — she digressed. There was a reason Shunshin no Shisui was teaching her and not the other way around. 

Naruto sighed, crossing her arms, fighting down the smile crawling its way up her face. “You see, I would but —“ she shakes her head, “I don’t want to bruise your face. What would I call you if you weren’t pretty anymore?” 

Shisui laughs, his forest fire chakra jumping in excitement. “Such cruelty,” he says. “I knew you were only in it for my dashing good looks. What was it you said? That your closest advisor would have to be Itachi?”

”Mhm,” Naruto agrees. “Itachi is just so great. Who else could I possibly have?” 

“Poaching isn’t polite,” Shisui tells her sternly. “Do you see me trying to take Kakashi-senpai from you?” 

“Itachi would come with me willingly.” 

“Itachi won’t like you if you can’t survive the next level of shunshinning,” Shisui tells her gravely, his dark eyes solemn. 

Naruto thinks that Shisui knows exactly how to instigate, and — it’s just unfair!

”Fine!” She says, gesturing wildly to the field before them. “Up the ante then. I can handle it.” 

Shisui’s eyes flashed victoriously. “Alright. Get back to the first marker then.” When she had trooped her way back across the field, Shisui body flickered beside her, almost in a horrible show-offy way. “Okay,” he began. “New rules. Instead of you receiving chocolate while you work through the markers, you’ll do one straight run. But —“ he flashed a kunai at her, twirling it around his index finger just twice, “— while you do so, I’ll be popping in and out of the field and throwing shurikens and kunais at you to disrupt your progress.”

The blonde clucks her tongue. “One day he’s guarding you, the next he’s throwing sharp objects at you. What would Hokage-sama think if he could hear this?” 

Shisui actually visibly winces at this. “Let’s not talk about Hokage-sama,” he says quickly, darting his eyes around as though her father will pop out of the woodworks, his Hiraishin kunai wielded expertly. “Please don’t report this, Yamato-taichou,” Shisui calls up, and Yamato’s chakra signature sparkles anxiously. 

Naruto laughs softly. Admittedly, Shisui tendering his resignation to her father had been a conversation that she’d half wanted to flee from. It had been uncomfortable. It had been awkward. It had been — terrible. Minato had stared at them for a solid minute before electricity sparkled in his cobalt eyes, and his chakra spiked just once. 

It had happened so quickly that Naruto was certain that she’d imagined it. But then her father had pasted a neutral looking expression on. Shisui had blanched. Kakashi, who had been stationed in the office that night, had remained stoic, though his silvery swirls had begun to oscillate enough that Naruto wanted to scold him.

”Don’t worry, Yamato-taichou,” Naruto says, wiggling her fingers at Shisui teasingly. “I fully give Shisui-kun permission to attack me.” If anything, Yamato’s chakra only turns even faster, his nerves not at all settled despite her reassurances. Naruto snorts. 

Shisui shakes his head. “Ready to start?” 

This time, she isn’t as apprehensive. After all, she just did it. It wasn’t so bad. Granted, this will be a bit different. But how hard could it possibly be?” 

The answer to this is — nothing short of a fight against an S-rank. Shisui is an S-rank. She knows this. 

And yet, she is somehow unprepared for how fast he is. How efficient. How deadly. Shisui only ever used these maneuvers when protecting her. And she can tell that he’s aiming so precisely that the kunai would only nick her so long as she dodged properly. 

As she shunshins from the second marker to the third, a shuriken whizzes past her hair, and she narrowly leans back, the edges of her hair nearly getting clipped in the process. She nearly loses her balance as another four-pronged blade goes flying over the top of her head, and before she knows it, she’s shunshinning to the next marker to escape it. 

Shisui is ready for her, his form a blur in the Konoha wind. His body flickering technique, she notices, is perfect. There is no hesitation to his steps, and he’s already throwing before even reaching his destination; it’s a surety that only comes with knowing you are the best at what you do. 

Shunshin no Shisui indeed. 

She’s severely outclassed, and they both know it. 

Shisui sends two kunai at her in quick succession on the next jump, both much lower than any of the previous ones had been. In a move that would have made a taijutsu specialist like Gai-sensei proud, she carefully backflips over the kunai, into the next shunshin. 

Shisui whoops loudly as she appears next to the following marker, sticking the landing perfectly. “ Very nice, Uzumaki-chan-san! Flawless execution!” Though — Naruto thinks, it doesn’t stop him from launching the following weaponry at her, the flash of metal glinting in the sun the only warning that they’re coming. She sweeps low this time, her heartbeat thundering in her ears. 

Surprisingly, it’s a lot of fun. 

It incorporates a lot of different skills. Situational awareness is one of those things Naruto takes for granted because of her chakra sensing. But she can’t chakra sense things that aren’t alive, so this does wonders of making sure she’s paying attention. The body flickering is a given — it’s the whole point of the lessons. And she’s not actually engaging in hand to hand with Shisui, but the way she has to dodge and jockey accordingly is reminiscent of every taijutsu battle she’s ever had while training with Team Seven. 

There are a few times where between shunshinning and dodging, she’s forced back a few steps, and Shisui takes full advantage of her inexperience to attempt to slow her down. 

He’s relentless in his chase, and Naruto finds herself going faster and faster to outpace him. In fact, she’s going so fast, she hardly realizes where she’s headed until she’s too late.  

She can’t see Shisui’s physical form, but his greeny gold chakra is shooting straight for her. She yelps when he phases into existence beside her, his dark eyes alight with glee. He doesn’t make much of an effort, but he does slash at her with a kunai, which surprises her enough that she takes a step backward, shunshinning into midair. 

There’s a blink of time, and she hardly even registers that she’s body flickered to the final marker until Shisui’s shunshinning just behind her, his eyes widening as he closes the distance between them,

”Oh shit!” He says, and Naruto has a split second where she sees that she's overshot in her excitement. Shisui lunges for her arm, but it’s too late, and she’s plunging face first into the water. 

When she goes under, icy water surges up her nose, and the sound is murky. Damn — it’s March. So of course it’s freezing. Her clothes are soaked immediately, and she can tell she’s going to shiver the entire way back to her house. 

Naruto breaks the surface as quickly as possible, and the air which had seemed so stagnant before is now incredibly cold — wind brushing against her wet clothes plastered to her skin. 

Shisui’s standing over the ledge, his arm already thrust out to help her out. 

“I h-h-hate y-you.” Her teeth are chattering when Shisui hauls her out, droplets dripping down her hair and off her sodden jacket. He doesn’t seem to mind though, because he’s unzipping her jacket for her hastily. “I don’t h-have extra c-c-clothes.” 

Shisui rolls his eyes fondly. “Don’t you think I know that?” Much to her surprise, he barely even thinks twice before pushing his arms out of the sleeves of his shirt, and raising it over his head. Beneath that, is the standard thermal black long sleeve that most shinobi have in their wardrobe. Shisui, Naruto can’t help but notice, is very fit. His body is slim and lean, and the way his muscles curve when he’s leaning up to — oh. 

Naruto watches in rapt attention, cold water all but forgotten, as Shisui takes that shirt off too, bare skin flashing before her eyes with no warning whatsoever. 

Oh Kami, Naruto thinks with a hint of mortification. He’s better to look at when there’s nothing in the way. How embarrassing. Despite her being freezing, a warm flush of red colors her cheeks. She’s so caught up in staring that when Shisui hands her his thermal long sleeve, she only blinks down at it dumbly. What is she supposed to do with it? She looks back up at Shisui — at his face. Stares at him. 

Mistaking her silence for displeasure, Shisui scratches his cheek. “I’ll turn away,” he mumbles. “So you can change. And —“ he hands her his shirt with the Uchiha fan, “—dry off with this one.” And then he resolutely turns himself away, his back facing the clearing behind them — not only to respect her privacy, but to make sure no onlookers come stumbling in. 

Oh. 

Something warm like affection curls around her heart, and Naruto shucks off the jacket that Shisui had already unzipped. She tries to move quickly, very aware that Shisui is standing in the chilly March air with no shirt on. Though — she sneaks a peek back at him, taking in the way his arms are folded and his back muscles indent as they should — he doesn’t seem all that bothered. Maybe the ANBU had trained him to regulate his body temperature? 

She turns back to her task and peels off her mesh shirt. Finally, she unwinds the sopping pile of bandages she’d used as chest bindings, letting both articles drop to the ground in a wet plop. 

It’s with trembling hands that she uses Shisui’s dark, wide-necked shirt to pat her torso dry. She doesn’t bother with her hair or legs — Shisui can’t switch pants with her, and her hair’s going to be soaked regardless. “Here,” she mumbles, pressing the shirt back into the hand that he blindly reaches back for. “It’s damp but it's not so bad.” 

Shisui immediately throws it back on, and his arms are now bare without his thermal shirt. Naruto puts on said thermal shirt. Thermal shirts are meant to be worn skin tight so as to not decrease fluidity in movements while also keeping the wearer warm. That being said, Shisui’s shirt is big on her, and it’s nice. Still skin tight, as it’s meant to be, but the sleeves are long and it smells like burnt sugar. 

Naruto ignores that particularly traitorous thought, and scoops up her items before turning back to Shisui. “Thanks,” she said, not yet looking him in the eyes. “You didn’t have to… um. You didn’t have to give me your shirt.” 

Shisui takes her clothes from her, the ends of the bandages hanging loosely from his arms. “I’m a gentleman, you know, Uzumaki-chan-san.” 

Naruto smiles at him, just a little charmed. “You are,” she admits. “Perhaps there is a place for Uchiha Shisui on my council of pretty advisors after all.” 

She’d expected him to laugh at that, but is delighted when a shy smile creeps up on his pretty face. It’s not a usual expression for Uchiha Shisui, she can tell. 

“I’m glad you think so,” he says. “I guess if I want to uphold my reputation as such, I’m going to have to take care of you when you get sick, huh? It’s only the proper thing to do. Though,” he pouts, his long eyelashes sweeping across his skin like wings, “Uzumaki-chan-san won’t take care of me. How… unfair.” 

Naruto snorts. “If you do get sick, pretty boy, I’ll send you straight over to the hospital.” 

A gust of wind blows, and Naruto can’t fight down the full body shiver that wracks through her. Shisui doesn’t bother asking if she’s cold. He slings an arm around her shoulders, tucking her into his side. 

Shisui walks her all the way back to her home, Yamato’s chakra signature following close behind. 

When they finally arrive, the door swings open. Kakashi stares down at them with those knowing eyes of his, before they’re crinkling into crescents. “Welcome home, Naruto-chan, Shisui-kun. Seems like you had quite the day.” 

And then he’s stepping aside, allowing them entry into the house. 

Kushina takes one look at them and has Naruto going upstairs to shower, and Minato preparing a pot of tea to warm them up. 

When Naruto finally ambles back downstairs and it’s Shisui’s turn to shower, Kakashi nudges her with his elbow. “Looks like someone had fun,” he says with that air of nonchalance. “I knew you would.” 

And Naruto just sighs, her mug warming her hands. “I did,” she agrees. “I did have fun.” Then she frowns, looking up at her older brother. This one thing — it had been annoying her all day. “Did the air seem too left to you today?”

Kakashi doesn’t even seem taken off guard by the question. If anything, he hums, like he’s in deep contemplation. “Wouldn’t you know it?” Kakashi mused. “Pakkun said the same thing to me. Said the particles were shifting.” 

“They are,” Naruto grumbles, trying to figure out exactly what that means. “I’m glad someone else has noticed it.” 

“Well,” he says slowly. “If you’re saying it, I’m inclined to believe you. Be careful, my cute little chunin. We don’t know what that means but — one can never be too sure.” His eye smile, unlike this morning, seems a little more serious. 

Naruto nods. Thinks about Danzo lurking on the edge of her senses. “I will,” she promises. 

—>

Uzumaki Naruto doesn’t get sick easily, but Uchiha Shisui does. 

(She doesn’t send him to Konoha’s hospital like she’d so viciously promised, but instead brings him soup daily and a wet towel to soothe his roasting fever).

—><—

Notes:

HELLO EVERYONE!!

Welcome back to Honey Trap. This chapter was a bit of a like. A reprieve. From everything serious that’s been going on, but also, it allows you to kind of get a sense of Shisui and Naruto, and how their relationship has evolved since they were younger. Now that they are older and would most likely have things such as crushes *ahem ahem* LMAO.

Uh. Anyways. The next chapter, however, will be pretty serious. There’s only two chapters left until the next time skip!!!! Which is exciting to me. I don’t know if it’s as exciting to you guys.

Speaking of, however, I was thinking of including a little bonus scene at the end of the next chapter that shows the scene where Shisui hands in his resignation from being Naruto’s bodyguard to Minato, but I’m unsure yet.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!!! I had a lot of fun writing it.

Moving onto other things — I don’t really know if the people who read Honey Trap read some of my other fics (specifically my other Naruto fics like Quintessential Reflection or Point Break). Guys. I’m well aware that I’m very poor at keeping a posting schedule, which is why I don’t try to anymore. That being said, I was rereading QR the other day and I was like damn this shit is kind of good, and then I started writing the next chapter like I should have done back in July when I last posted for it. Uh. That’s pretty bad, I know.

Anyways, I say this to say that. I have tons of new fic ideas. Coming off the heels of Point Break, which is going to end very soon, I really want to write a KakaNaru fic. The response to them in Point Break was so good, and I always feel like it’s such a cute rare pair because like. I get the age gap and stuff, which is why I tend to age down or up my characters depending, but it doesn’t change the fact that they’re originally not that age at all. But. I promised myself I would NOT start posting any new fics until I finished one of the ones I have. Honey Trap, Quintessential Reflection, Ascent to the Summit — they’re no where near being done. Point Break seems like the surest best.

Then I can finally put myself to the task of writing something new or posting the potential DazaixChuuya I have. Um.

Oh and speaking of age gaps. Someone in the comments pointed out that my Shisui being two years older than Naruto and Sasuke in this fic doesn’t make sense because he wouldn’t have been old enough to go on the mission where he got his Sharingan or participate in the war. Uh.
Guys. I’ll be honest. I’m very sorry for the discrepancies with the og Naruto timeline and my fic. But like. When I write this book I don’t really pay attention all that hard to dates and times because I basically don’t really care for this fic to be super plot heavy. It’s just meant to be fluffy and fun. I also don’t really do research for this fic. Like for Point Break, since it’s about Naruto being in the past I have to be consistent with what was going on or whatever, but I do not make the same effort for this fic.

It’s going to stay that way because I’m lazy LMAOOOO.

UHHH. That’s it for now I think.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.

Happy reading and stay safe!! :)

Chapter 15: Ginger Chews (pt. 1)

—><—

At the end of March, Kakashi had taken Team Seven on a mission to the outskirts of the Land of Fire; their job had been to do recon and intel gathering on the Fire Daimyo, who was suspected to have been participating in opioid trafficking. Then, when they had gathered sufficient information, they were to report back so that Minato could send out an ANBU assassination team to dispose of him if the worst was proved correct.

They didn’t have time to dawdle, because the next shipment of opioids was said to be leaving the port to the other Hidden Villages within the week. Splitting into two cell teams, Kakashi and Naruto had taken to spying after the Daimyo’s wife, and Sakura and Sasuke after the Daimyo himself. From what Naruto had observed, the Daimyo's wife seemed to know nothing about her husband’s scheming. She hardly spoke about the business that came and went out of their lands, and lived a mostly sedentary life. 

Kakashi had agreed, but they watched her closely still.

Once a night, they met up at their designated rendezvous point to trade information. It wasn’t until the fourth night that Sakura and Sasuke were already waiting for them, cooking what appeared to be dinner over a fire. 

“You’re here early,” Naruto said, practically throwing down her pack and stumbling down into place beside her teammates. Honestly, recon was worse than fighting. Having to sit quietly in a tree and tail targets was the shorter end of the stick. 

“We found what we needed to, and we got out,” Sakura said. She rummaged around her pack before producing a scroll and chucking it at their sensei, who caught it between his index and middle finger. He unfurled it, letting Naruto read the contents over his shoulder. Summed up — the Fire Daimyo had indeed been overseeing the drug shipments, and was also a major buyer too. 

It didn’t reflect well on Konoha if their Daimyo was an investor in drugs, especially since Minato had not signed off on any trade. With this sign of corruption, and the official Fire Daimyo seal stamped on the scroll, they had proof to turn the mission over to the ANBU. 

Team Seven had returned on the sixth day, and that had been the last mission they’d taken since. From the second they’d returned to the village, Naruto had known something was up. If she had thought the air particles were too left, before, they were positively out of place now. Kakashi had taken their mission report straight to Hokage-sama, ushering them to rest and they’d meet again when he sent a summons for them. 

That had been nearly three weeks ago. 

—><—

In mid April, the entire village, while operating as it normally did, seemed to be holding its breath. Naruto couldn’t say how she knew that — only that she felt it. It went beyond that of her sensing abilities. Something in the air just seemed to be stagnant, and all of the high level ninja were busy. Busier than usual. In that time, while she sensed Kakashi’s silvery whorls flitting about the village, she hardly ever saw him — not even at home, and especially not on any missions, since he hadn’t called for them to meet. 

Shisui, while absent for the most part anyways, had been something akin to a ghost these past few weeks. She almost wanted to ask her parents about what was going on, but she suspected it had something to do with Danzo and that whole investigation. If that was the case, Minato and Kushina likely wouldn’t share any details with her — given that she wasn’t supposed to know about the investigation in the first place. 

So, even though Team Seven wasn’t officially on the roster right now, it didn’t stop her, Sasuke, and Sakura from meeting up and training. Kakashi-sensei had said that if they received permission from the other jonin-sensei, they could be allowed to accompany one of the other teams on their missions, but frankly, Naruto wanted to stick around and see what was going on. 

As it were, Team Seven outside of their missions were always busy with one thing or the other. In particular, Sasuke was notably absent from their ranks when he wasn’t training with them, and that made Naruto uneasy. The Uchiha compound overall was a mess of chakra signatures — their ribbons of crimsons, navies, and purples like watching a strobe light out of the corner of her eyes. 

Sasuke’s amethyst crackle of electricity was always in her peripheral, and she made an effort to check on him when she didn’t cross paths with him. 

Itachi and Shisui must’ve been on ANBU missions, because she only caught sight of them once or twice. 

Most tellingly, Yamato-taichou, who was ever present as her personal bodyguard, was becoming increasingly anxious the longer the investigation dragged on. Naruto wasn’t sure what the deal with that was, but she could feel it — his chakra spiked and toiled when he was nervous. 

Either way, Naruto hated being so on edge. It was like waiting for some horrible monster to jump out from underneath her bed and grab her leg while she was sleeping. And sensing wasn’t just something she could turn off. The constant weight of discord pressed on her at all times, everyday.

It filled her lungs and sat on her chest, and it was like choking on worry and nerves. 

As it was, Sasuke, Sakura, and her sat together at the bridge they’d taken to meeting Kakashi every morning at. Naruto was braced up on the external part, her legs dangling over the side. Sasuke’s thermal sleeves were gone, and Sakura had tied her hair up, the warm April weather making sweat dot along their foreheads. 

Naruto leaned forward a little, trying to keep her eyes straight.

Unsurprisingly, Sasuke was the one to note the change in her disposition. “You’re quiet,” he observes, sounding taken aback. “And you look like you’re going to throw up. What’s wrong with you?” 

Naruto felt like throwing up. “Not feeling well,” she said, pressing the heels of her palms into her eyes until her vision turned white along the edges.

Sakura shuffled around before she was presenting Naruto with a handful of golden candies. “Have some ginger chews,” the other kunoichi encouraged. “It’s good for nausea.” 

Dutifully, Naruto slipped one in her mouth. The candy was slightly sweet, but the sharp tang of ginger was prevalent. She tucked the others in her weapon’s pouch. Hopefully she wouldn’t need them. 

Sasuke tugged annoyingly at a strand of her hair, and she weakly batted his hand away. “Oi, dobe. Seriously. Do we need to get you checked out? You’ve been like this all morning.”

Naruto shakes her head. “Noooo,” she whines, letting her head fall dramatically on Sasuke’s shoulder. She must be a worse sight than she thought, because he doesn’t even attempt to push her off. “All of the chakra signatures around the village are giving me a migraine.” 

Sakura cocks her head off to the side, her gem-like eyes twinkling with confusion. “But it usually doesn’t bother you, does it? Why the sudden change?”

It’s Sasuke who answers. “Naruto’s chakra sensing is so powerful that she can distinguish other people’s emotions and all of the negative energy in the village—“ He shudders, “— I bet it’s overwhelming for her.” 

Sakura nods. “I can feel something is off too, but I don’t know what. I can’t even imagine what that’s like for a sensor.”

Naruto doesn’t offer any information, and neither does Sasuke. Not because she wouldn’t tell Sakura. 

No, at this point, Sakura and them had found their way together. Sakura didn’t fangirl, Sasuke was nicer, and Naruto was trying to be more open minded. In that way, they had become a true and proper team — no weird relationship dynamic to get in the way. 

It was just such a closely guarded secret at this point — Naruto didn’t regret sneaking into the council meeting with Sasuke, but she felt like she shouldn’t freely offer up sensitive information whenever she wanted to. 

“How’re things on your side, teme?” she asks. “I haven’t heard anything from Itachi or Shisui in a while.” 

It’s hard not to notice the way Sasuke tenses and shifts, like he’s expecting someone to throw a kunai at him for even reacting. In Sasuke-like fashion, he only turns his nose up and huffs. “Stop trying to steal my brother and my cousin, dead last.” 

“Does it count as stealing if they come willingly?” 

Sasuke snorts. “As if.” 

“How do you even know Shisui-san so well, Naruto?” Sakura asked. “He was only in our class for just a couple of days.” 

“Well,” Naruto said, thoughts racing. “After that, we saw each other sometimes. My mom is friends with Sasuke’s, and Shisui’s close with them, so like — we would have dinner together. And sometimes he helps me with my shunshinning.” 

“Oh!” Sakura looked surprised, like she wasn’t expecting Naruto to have friends outside of their Rookie Nine. Honestly, Naruto understood. Other than her own teammates, Shikamaru, and Hinata, Naruto did not go out of her way to talk to anyone in their age group. “Are you guys… um… close?” 

Sasuke looks at her intently, that annoyingly knowing smirk on his face. “Yeah, dobe. Are you and my cousin close?” 

Thankfully, or perhaps not thankfully at all, an outside surge of anger and fear washed up on the shore of Naruto’s mind, hitting her like a ton of bricks straight to the throat. She keeled over the side of the bridge, throwing up the contents of her stomach, Sakura reaching over Sasuke to hold her hair and Sasuke grabbing her weapons pouch before it fell straight into the water.

But she didn’t have to answer the question, and that was a win in itself. 

—><—

Post the incident of her puking over Team Seven’s bridge, several things seemed to happen at once. For one, Naruto gets even worse — her nausea and general unwellness magnified by the odd aches and sore spots around her body. Second, and likely a direct effect of the first — Kakashi made a pitstop home for the first time in weeks, and it was fleeting. 

He stopped by her bedside, running a gloved hand over her forehead, as though checking for fever. She didn’t have one, she told him, but he summoned Bull, and had him wait by Naruto. Just as a precaution.

“Maa, my cute little chunin,” Kakashi says, his eyebrow furrowed just the slightest to let her know he’s worried, “it’s not like you to get sick. What’s wrong?”

”It’s the chakra sensing,” she said glumly, turning into his hand when he finally ungloves it, his cool skin like a balm against her heated skin. “Too many negative emotions and tension in the village. Makes me feel… icky. Like I need to detox.” 

“Anyone in particular?” Kakashi asks knowingly, when she flushes guiltily. “Come on, my narutomaki. Let’s be honest. I know you and Sasuke-kun snuck into that meeting.”

“A lot of the guard and ANBU who are sanctioned for the search on Danzo’s personal residences. Danzo himself,” she admits. “My parents. Yamato-taichou. The Uchiha clan.” She pauses. “Even you. You’re kinda tense too.” 

Immediately, Kakashi’s chakra swirls, which had been oscillating slowly like the whirlpools near Uzu, come to a stop. The freezy, cool wind of his silvery whorls are so refreshingly unbothered, that Naruto wishes he could stay so she could bask in the feeling of something that it should be.

”Sensei apologizes,” he says, like the complete dork he is. Naruto rolls her eyes fondly. “I heard you threw up. Use Bull to send summons if you need to get medical attention, alright? Sakura and the other medical nin should be at your disposal. Is….” his dual colored eyes rove down her blanketed form, taking in the way she’s twisted awkwardly in her sheets, back protruding and barely touching the mattress, “… there anything else the matter?” 

Bull snuffles by the side of the bed, prodding his nose straight into Naruto’s shoulder. Naruto winces, flinching back, and Bull licks her hand apologetically. 

“You’re in pain,” Kakashi says matter-of-factly, and this time, he’s pulling down the edge of her blankets slowly, to where Bull had indicated. She bares her shoulder for him easily. His eyes are sharp — they always are. There’s nothing wrong with her shoulder. Not really. Despite the aches at random points in her body — her shoulders and her hips — there’s nothing visible to reveal anything is out of place. No redness. No swelling. “But you’re not hurt.” She shakes her head. “And you haven’t been on missions.” Another headshake. Kakashi hums, sweeping his hand over her forehead again. “I wonder…”

”What? Don’t be secretive now,” she whines. 

Kakashi holds his hands up placatingly. “ I’ve never seen this before, but your symptoms sound familiar. Maybe…” and then he trails off, because Kakashi never tells her anything. But then he turns a rare stern eye on her. “The investigation’s almost at the end now. When it’s over, you and I are going to find someone who's going to help you control your sensing. You’re far too powerful to just let other emotions invade your person all the time. You should be able to use this ability like it’s an on and off switch.” 

“I like being able to sense other people,” she tells him. “Maybe not right now, because it’s not — it’s not great, but there’s something comforting about being able to know where you guys are. I don’t see Tou-chan and Kaa-san everyday, but I can feel them at the Hokage office. Or if you’re out of the village, I know when you’ve returned even if you don’t visit right away. It’s like…. it gives me some peace of mind.” 

“You wouldn’t have the ability stripped from you,” Kakashi says, not unkindly. “You’d just be able to choose when you want to use it. Like — right now. Have it on all day to sense us. That’s fine. But don’t you wish that right now, it could stop? You wouldn’t be so sick. And — you said this is a product of being surrounded by negative emotions. Imagine,” he starts, “that we’re plunged into another war. How do you think you’ll fare, my narutomaki?” 

Naruto doesn’t know how to quite explain it to him. She knows being able to choose when she can use this sensory ability would be beneficial to her in the long run. Obviously — if they were plunged into war, as the extreme her pseudo brother had laid out, it would be a huge hindrance. Perhaps it was childish, but she liked not having to try. Not because hard work was an issue. But because being able to turn around and see Kushina’s lilac form enveloped by a blazing ring of fire was as natural as breathing. It was a comfort she hadn’t realized she’d had. 

So much of her life had been shaped by turning her head and seeing someone in the distance. 

Chakra sensing had been vital to several of her successes as a ninja, several of her plans, and her survival. Part of what made it so sufficient was that it was always active. 

What if, by choosing to have it off, she missed something important? 

Other ninja didn’t have this sort of handicap, she knew, but she’d basically been born with it. It was no different than the Uchiha genetic wiring for the Sharingan, or Kakashi’s white chakra that bled in his teeth. 

But Kakashi has always been pragmatic in a way she’s unable to be.

She doesn’t say anything to Kakashi’s demand, a silent we’ll talk about it later. 

Predictably, he understands her even when she doesn’t speak, and so, he refills her water glass one time and pats both her and Bull on their heads before departing out of her window, him and Yamato-taichou flickering at one another for less than a minute before he’s off again. 

The third thing that happens is that shortly after this, Sasuke, when not at the Uchiha compound, has taken to camping on her bedroom floor. On the days that he is, Bull relieves himself of his duties, and makes his way back to Kakashi, perhaps. She supposes she won’t know, because Bull doesn’t talk, and Kakashi hasn’t visited again since the first time. 

Sasuke never asks if he can, nor does he offer an explanation, and Naruto is sometimes feeling too unwell to push him, but the first day he comes by, he plays it off by settling a pouch of ginger chews from Sakura on her nightstand, plopping down by her side and irritating her until she might bodily shove him out of her window. But then night falls, and he doesn’t leave, and instead asks her if they’ve got spare pillows, sheets, towels — and everything. Sasuke fell asleep by the foot of her bed. 

Everytime he did so, Naruto peered over her bed to stare at her dark haired teammate. His face was a lot softer in his sleep, his normally disgruntled expression smoothed out into something more neutral.

Sometimes, she wondered if she should offer the other side of her bed. It wasn’t so weird. They were teammates, after all. Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi-sensei had all squeezed themselves into various positions of discomfort while on missions, in varying pairings, and so it wouldn’t be the first time she’d elbow Sasuke in her sleep, and he kicked her in the back. But she never did, because something in her told her he wouldn’t say yes, and if she was sick with something other than what she thought she was, she didn’t want to infect anyone. Even that teme. 

Really, she was a saint. 

So Sasuke became her temporary roommate on and off, depending on what kind of day it was.

“When Kakashi-sensei visited me,” Naruto said, “he told me that…. that investigation we heard about was almost over.” 

Sasuke has been standing sentinel at her kitchen stove, stirring something in a big, steaming pot with a pair of chopsticks. She thinks it’s soup. “I did know that,” he says, almost drily. 

“Did you… tell anyone?” Naruto asks. 

She’s thinking about Itachi and Shisui when she says this, because even if they are ANBU, it doesn't mean they’re automatically privy to all the high security information. After all, despite Itachi’s knowledge about the meeting, he hadn’t attended like Naruto had assumed he would. 

”No,” Sasuke says. “I think that nii-san knows, because I haven’t seen him home.” He opens his mouth like he’s going to continue, but settles for an impassive, “hn.” 

The fifth and final thing that happens is Shisui comes over too. 

She doesn’t know what makes her house a hub for all of the active members of the force, but she’s not complaining — too happy to see he’s okay rather than ribbing him at all. 

His greeny gold chakra signature that had been flitting around the Hokage Tower for the past couple of days, is coming nearer, and since it swerves from the direction of the Uchiha clan compound, she sets another bowl at the table, chopsticks and tea primed for his arrival.

Sasuke only glances at it. “Who?” 

“Your cousin,” she answers primly, ignoring the smirk she can feel him burning into the side of his head, because he’s the worst. 

See, Sasuke thinks he knows something about her and Shisui. Like he’s somehow in on a joke that they’re not privy to, and he always gets this infuriating look on his face when someone brings her former guard up in her vicinity. 

As if on cue, Shisui lets himself in through her upstairs window, clambering down the stairs. 

“Shisui,” Sasuke greets tersely, too fixated on his soup. 

“Hello, Shisui,” Naruto says. 

“Sasuke-chan,” Shisui says in return. “Uzumaki-chan-san.” 

If she had thought Sasuke looked tired, Shisui looks like he’s ready to drop. His katana is sheathed, and he allows it to clatter to the carpet. With one hand, he pushes his mask over his head, until it’s resting on top of his unruly curls. Similar to how he always does it, he unbuckles his vest and lets it drop carelessly, his pointy-tipped gloves tugged off by his teeth. The skin on his face is paler than his arms, marking the time he’s spent underneath his ANBU mask. 

“Long day?” Naruto asks, pushing him down at their table, practically pulling his ANBU mask from his hair, making sure not to hurt the delicate bones of his ears in the process.

”Long month,” Shisui sighs, sounding exhausted. “Seriously. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ve never been so busy in the village before. Kakashi-senpai just told me to take the rest of the day and tomorrow off.” 

“And you came here?” Sasuke asks.

Shisui shrugs. “Your parents have been running around too,” he tells Naruto. “I figured someone should check to see if you were alive. Especially since the word around the village is that you’re sick. And apparently, you never get sick.” He’s staring at her expectantly, like he’s waiting for an answer to this problem, but other than what Naruto’s guessing, she doesn’t actually know.

People know she’s sick? She knew the jonin were bad at keeping secrets but — she supposes this is the price of being the Hokage’s daughter.

”I dunno,” she shrugs back, scooting some of the cutlery away to make room for the pot of soup Sasuke has laid in the middle of the table. “Chakra sensing, is what I think. There’s a lot of stress, fear, and anger going around the village right now. It’s kind of toxic, I guess. Makes me ill.” 

“What about the pain?” 

“Pain?” Sasuke turns up sharply. “What pain?”

”In her back and her hips,” Shisui answers him. Almost absently, Shisui runs absent fingers along her shoulders, where the pain has radiated through. It feels sore — like getting a major bruise and feeling it the next day. Still, Naruto shivers under his hand, and Shisui smiles apologetically, mistaking her ripple of surprise for pain.

”I don’t know what it is,” Naruto insists. “Kakashi and I talked about it, and if Sasuke’s not here, Bull is. But it’s been pretty static. Hasn’t gotten worse since it started. It’s just annoying.” 

“Are they connected?” he asks her. 

“I don’t know,” Naruto says. 

“Maybe it’s contagious,” Shisui says. Sasuke had ladeled all of them some soup, and for some reason, it made Naruto both fond and amused. Her mother often made soup when someone was sick, so to see Sasuke carry a similar habit was a little… cute. 

Not that she would ever admit that to the teme. 

But then Shisui’s words caught her attention. “Contagious?” she echoes. “Why? Are you feeling sick too?” 

“I’m feeling tired, but that could be because I’ve been on duty nonstop. But it feels different. I’ve been moving a lot slower and sometimes my vision is blurry. A little nauseous too.” 

Immediately, Naruto is actively searching his chakra. The signature greeny gold seemed normal at first glance, but upon further inspection, she could tell something was amiss. It was hardly recognizable, if one didn’t spend days and years having that same chakra signature prance around their senses. Even so — it took her actively looking for something before she could see the differences. The greeny gold emerald of his chakra was still present — if that had been gone, she might’ve leapt out of her seat in alarm. 

However, the forest fire she’s grown accustomed to, the sunshine pouring through the tree canopies, seem… somehow insignificant in comparison to what they usually are. Like the forest fire, while present, had more embers than flames now. 

She was no medical ninja, but that had to mean something, right? That the fire in his chakra felt like it was dying. 

Naruto stared at Shisui for a second, hands tensed above his chest. 

Dying. 

No, he couldn’t be. 

Just because his chakra felt a little subdued didn’t mean he was dying. Maybe he was just tired. 

Pushing herself into action, she flits around him, examining his chakra at different angles. The rest of it looks relatively the same as always. The greeny gold is a little dimmer, admittedly, like the sunshine raining through the canopies had a bit of overcast. But sometimes Kakashi’s chakra got like that too, if he had expended too much energy all at once. 

“What’s the prognosis, doctor?” Shisui asked, his dark eyes taking in the way her lips were pulled into a frown.

“It’s hard to say. You… it seems like you’re tired, you know? But I’ve never seen your chakra like this. Not even when you used to guard me for weeks.” 

“Maybe you should go to the hospital,” Sasuke suggests. “Get a professional opinion.” 

“Maybe I will,” Shisui muses. “But…. tomorrow, hm? Right now, let’s eat! I’m starving. Thank you for the food!”

”Thank you for the food,” Naruto and Sasuke echo. Naruto’s heart is not in it, though, and it’s like the boys can tell, because they keep up a steady stream of conversation that gusts around her, never requiring her to get involved unless she wants to.

It’s also nice to hear the inane chatter. They never hit any heavy topics, even though outside of the safe haven of her house, it feels like a storm is brewing on Konoha’s horizons. All of her precious people are seemingly at the forefront of battle, from Minato, to Kushina, to Kakashi, to Shisui, Itachi and Sasuke — and the general unrest is enough to make her uneasy. 

After dinner, Sasuke takes his leave, and for once, Bull doesn’t reappear, like Kakashi somehow knows that Shisui is present. They retire to her bedroom as they tend to, and Naruto kicks Sasuke’s pile of sleep sheets to the side, Shisui’s out-of-ANBU attire something she’s still adjusting to. 

Shisui, despite being tired, is relatively calm, his chakra signature like a warm embrace that tickles the edges of her senses instead of a blazing neon sign. She’s still checking the discrepancies in the brightness of his forest fire, but it looks stagnant. 

“You should go home and rest,” she tells him, bodily not giving him the choice to sit on the floor, instead, pushing him down by the shoulder onto her bed. 

He lands with an oomph, his curls bouncing. “Uzumaki-chan-san is so bossy.” His palms are splayed behind him, and he’s leaning backwards on his elbows just the slightest, giving Naruto the leverage to meet him eye-to-eye.

”If you’re not feeling well,” Naruto says, “don’t push yourself. You’ve been on the ANBU roster for weeks, and you’ve only got a single day off.” 

“A day and a half,” Shisui corrects. “You know, if you don’t want me around, you could just say so.” 

Naruto swipes at his hair, and he dodges, catching her hand in his, and yanking her down beside him. She stumbles artlessly, narrowly twisting to avoid the spot on her hip that’s feeling tender. When she finally adjusts herself properly, she turns to give him a slow smile, mirth shining in her cobalt eyes. “Is that what I said?” she taps her lips, eternally amused when the pretty boy next to her audibly huffs. “It sounds to me like you actually just wanted to hang out with me.” 

Shisui gasps dramatically, frantically pressing the back of his hand to her forehead. “Are you sure you’re not sick? The delusions are getting to you! Me? Want to hang out with you? Someone’s flattering themselves.” 

“Oh?” Naruto. “Then why didn’t you leave with Sasuke-teme?” 

A little smirk crawls up Shisui’s face. “I heard my former charge wasn’t feeling well. My apologies for just making sure you were okay before heading home. I seem to recall telling you that I am a gentleman, but some things are just blown out of proportion, huh?” 

“Mmm,” Naruto hums. Then she holds out her arms, as if to say, well, here I am! “As you can see, I’m doing quite fine. You can be on your merry way now.” 

There’s a staredown that erupts between them when she says this, and Naruto can’t help but arch an eyebrow in challenge, daring him to call her bluff. In return, Shisui was unwilling to back down, not even blinking. 

Finally, Shisui sighs loudly, making a big show of getting to his feet. “I guess I can go now, since you’re in tip top perfect shape.” He moans and groans as though his back is breaking, cracking his limbs, and Naruto has to stifle a giggle at his silliness. 

“Poor, geriatric pretty boy,” she says mournfully. “Only a teenager, yet so old.” 

“And cruel Uzumaki-chan-san,” he says. “Forcing me onto the streets when I can barely walk. How soulless. How uncaring. How very apathetic of you.” And then, she can practically hear the way his voice turns slightly evil. “When did you start preferring Sasuke-chan over me?” 

For a second, she thinks she’s heard him wrong, because all she manages is a stunned, “excuse me?”

Shisui gestures to the pillows and blankets sprawled out on the floor, and the sweater Sasuke had left draped over the back of her chair, Uchiha fan emblazoned on the back. “My little cousin is bunking with you — has been bunking with you on and off, from what I understand. Yet I am ejected from the house in mere hours. Favoritism is not a becoming trait for a Hokage hopeful.” 

And it is perhaps the most outrageous thing she’s ever been accused of. 

Her?

Uzumaki Namikaze Naruto?

Favoring Uchiha Sasuke?

The world would have to be ending on a cosmic scale before anything like that ever happened. Ever. 

But in light of this banter, she only whips her blonde hair at him. “Does it matter where Sasuke is on the list of my favorites when Itachi outranks all of you?” Shisui opens his mouth, to retort back, but she stills him with a simple grab of the wrist. His mouth closes. “You should stay.” 

Shisui’s blinking at her like she’s speaking a foreign language. “W-what?”

“You should stay.” 

“But I —“ Shisui doesn’t seem to know what to say, and settles for doing a rather good imitation of a fish. “Um. I thought you wanted me to leave?” 

Naruto rolls her eyes. “It’s not really a matter of want, you know? Bull’s gone. Sasuke too. Someone has to make sure I don’t choke on vomit in my sleep and —“

“Charming.” 

“— you’re also sick. We can…. keep tabs on each other?”

Plus, no one else will be able to tell such minute changes to his health like she will. Not to mention, Shisui is one of those ANBU types — he probably hates hospitals. Fair take, all things considered, but she’s going to force him to go see a medic nin tomorrow. 

“I don’t want you to be awake all night because you’re checking my chakra. I feel like it’ll actually be detrimental for your sleep.” 

“If you leave, I guess I’ll just have to check your chakra from across the village, expending much more energy than if you had just decided to stay here in the first —“

“You’re a brat,” Shisui says, but there’s a tiny hint of amusement peeking along the corners of his face. “I’ll stay,” he says. 

“You didn’t take much convincing,” Naruto says smugly, winding a stray curl around her finger — watching it stretch, then letting it snap back into a coil. “Just admit that you wanted to hang out with me.”

”That ultimatum tells me that it was you who wanted to hang out with me.” 

“If this is what I get for wanting to make sure you’re okay,” Naruto says with a sniff, turning her head when he tries to poke her cheek. “And to think.” 

She trails off purposefully, letting him hear the way her voice lilts. When she doesn’t continue, he gets up on his elbow, trying to peer over at her. “And to think what?” 

“I had a candy for you to try, but I guess the pretty boy doesn’t want them since he’s so stuck on the ultimatum.” 

“Candy?” Shisui perks up like a dog salivating for a treat. “What candy?” 

“Hmmmm.”

”What candy?” He repeated.

”I have recently acquired a new candy,” Naruto announces to him. “But since you have yet to earn it, you won’t be getting any.” 

“ Earn it?” Shisui says incredulously. “Since when?” 

“Mmm since you’re no longer my guard and therefore no longer earning your keep in candy.” 

Shisui groans. rustling next to her, and the bed sinks as he turns fully. The scent of burnt sugar and ginger and trees becomes more apparent the closer he shifts. “Okay, you tyrant. What can I do to earn my pay?” 

Naruto flops upwards, bypassing his long legs that are hanging over the side of her mattress, until she’s laying down properly, head cushioned by her pillow. “Tell me a bedtime story.” 

Shisui, perhaps used to her antics by now, doesn’t even stutter at the request. She can hear him moving about, settling onto the floor with Sasuke’s sheets. 

“Once upon a time,” he starts, and Naruto is unable to stop a smile from creeping onto her lips at the cliched opening, “there was a young girl who lived in a faraway land surrounded by tall, tall trees. The woods were inhabited by nature sprites, and because the girl had long, golden hair, they called her a sunshine warrior. With no parents, they claimed that a beam of light that traveled from the sun created the child and laid her in a bed of moss and grass upon arrival. They called her… Naruto.”

”A sunshine warrior named Naruto, huh?” Naruto asked teasingly, wiggling her fingers at him. Much to her delight, one of Shisui’s arms was behind his head, his legs sprawled, and his free hand goes to his mouth, single finger pressing against his lips. 

“Shhhh,” he says, eyes twinkling. “You’re interrupting the story.” 

How rude of me, Naruto mouths, holding her hands up placatingly. 

He clears his throat once. “Ahem. As I was saying. The nature sprites took care of the child, though sometimes their customs were different than the ones the sunshine warrior would have learned if she had grown up around her own people. Because they were so in tune with nature, they taught the child to be an empath. She could sense the others around her, picking up on the fluttering of bird wings, or the emotions of nearby sprites. She was very strong. One day —“ 

Shisui’s voice was very soothing. With the promise of sleep heavy in his throat, his voice rumbled when he spoke, and she thought that perhaps if she were to place her hand against his sternum, she’d be able to feel the vibrations reverberating through her arm. 

What a strange thing to even think. 

Though, suddenly, she strongly desired to do just that. 

Shisui’s storytelling skills were a bit vague — he was piecing together the story as he went, she knew. But something about the tremors, and the way he stumbled over his words felt melodic to her, like if he were to get up and lean very, very close, and begin to whisper directly into her ear, she could fall asleep easier. The scent of burnt sugar would become thicker, and she’d feel the rumble in his body too, and it would probably be the best thing ever. 

Shisui’s greeny gold forest fire would be right next to her. Like Konoha itself had come to sing her to sleep. 

“— the sunshine warrior embarked on journey across the ocean, only bringing three trusted companions; a great, gray wolf that was said to be wise to lead the way and protect the other three; a flower fairy that dwelled in the springtime blossoms and had healing properties; a crow with the darkest feathers, perched loyally on the warrior’s shoulders, the moonshine to her sunlight. The four were said to be the strongest in the lands —“

”Shisui?” 

The older boy went silent. Then — “Yes? Naruto?” 

She hesitated. But then soldiered on. “Can I — can I hold your hand?” 

Silence filled the air. She waited anxiously, waiting for him to say something like — what? Why would I do that? How weird, Uzumaki-chan-san! A clear rejection. Or even worse. He’d ask what the purpose would be, and she’d have to embarrassingly explain the feeling of comfort she basked in when he was in her vicinity.

But without a single word, Shisui’s long fingers appeared next to the side of her bed, no questions asked. His palm was outstretched, waiting for her patiently. And Naruto gave in quickly, placing her hand in his, featherlight. 

She laced their fingers together, squeezing once in askance. He squeezed back in response. 

It wasn’t as good as it would be if they were pressed side to side, but it was better than the gap of space that was between them now. Like the forest fire that emanated from him was now physically touching her too. 

When Shisui brought their joined hands to rest at the top of his chest, she waited for the rumble. 

He delved into his story with the same vigor as before. “The sunshine warrior, the wolf, the flower fairy, and the loyal crow traveled to a land full of water and mist, where they met a swordsman. The wolf attempted to remove this enemy, but after being captured, it was up to the other three to do it. Together, they —“

And Naruto was asleep before she could hear if they had won against the swordsman. 

—><—

Uzumaki-chan-san,

It was my intention to make breakfast before I left for Konoha’s hospital, since I am not feeling better. However, I just received a summons from one of the council members that I must attend to immediately. I should be done sometime tonight, in case you’re worried about my ailing health.

Hopefully, at this point, you will reward me with this mysterious candy? 

See you later!

Pretty Boy-san

Naruto stared at the paper airplane note that Shisui had left on Sasuke’s sheets that he had dutifully folded into a neat pile before leaving. 

And she couldn’t quite explain it, but something about the note made her uneasy. She was sure that Shisui had wrote it — that there had been a summons, and he had left of his own volition.

But something — her gut — told her that she should be alert. That something wasn’t okay. 

She reached for Bull, who was right back at her bedside, snuffling for her a head pat. And winced, when a flash of heat throbbed through her shoulder, stopping her from going further. 

What the hell? Why did that hurt so much more? It hadn’t been nearly this bad when she went to sleep. Maybe she had slept weird?

Absently, Naruto pulled down the neck of her shirt, trying to see what was going on. 

And stared and stared and stared at the red splotch that decorated her shoulder, the skin raised and protruding, like something wanted to burst out of it. 

Bull woofed in concern, his head cocked to the side. 

“Bull,” she croaked. “Can you bring Sakura-chan to me?” 

—><—

Notes:

Welcome back to another chapter of Honey Trap!!

So — to be quite frank, this chapter does reflect a few itty bitty things that occur in canon, but nothing as crazy as the Uchiha Massacre, because like, I don’t want to write it, and also, this is my fic, and I don’t want the Uchiha Massacre to actually happen — so haha, it won’t be happening.

BUT. That’s not to say that Danzo isn’t still an evil dickhead, so —

Um. I don’t know if y’all can tell what’s going on with Naruto and Shisui. I think Naruto’s like ailments are a bit more obvious, but I think Shisui’s is too?

UM. Anyways, the next chapter will likely be the last one before the next timeskip, so be prepared my fellow readers, bc well. Konoha is about to be… tearing out their roots so to speak, lmao.

Also as a pre-warning, the next chapter’s word count might be a little long so.

ANYWAYS. I HOPE YOU GUYS HAD A WONDERFUL TIME READING THIS CHAPTER!!! PLEASE COMMENT AND LEAVE KUDOS AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF. BE SAFE!!

Chapter 16: Ginger Chews (pt. 2)

→←

Having a doctor examine her always made Naruto feel like a bug under microscopic review — a sort of feeling she’d hated even when she was young, but was only strengthening the more she went on higher ranking missions. 

Perhaps it had nothing to do with a doctor at all, and more just the general negativity that came with the idea that being in a hospital usually meant something was wrong. The smell of antiseptic and sterility of the offices were just so lifeless in comparison to what Naruto was used to sensing. 

The glowing green of healing chakra felt different than any other chakra Naruto had ever sensed, like the intent to reach out and prod at your body was obvious. Sakura, healer in training as she was, didn’t have quite as much finesse when checking her over as someone more experienced, like Tsunade of the Sannin. 

Sakura’s hands hovered over the protrusion in her shoulder, eyebrows furrowed. Abruptly, she prodded it. “Does that hurt?” 

“Yes,” Naruto hissed, batting her teammate’s hands away. “It’s also kind of itchy.” Naruto wanted to scratch at it, but it felt so tender. 

“Something’s up with your chakra coils too,” Sakura noted. “Nothing bad. It just seems like you have a surplus.” 

“I always have a surplus, don’t I?” Naruto asked. Par for the course with being an Uzumaki.

“Yes,” Sakura says. “But since that’s normal for you, it’s like your surplus has a surplus. All of it is flowing directly into your shoulders and your hips — the places that have been bothering you.” 

Naruto struggled to process what that actually meant — she’d never heard of something like that. Except, of course, when the Uchiha and Hyuuga activated their dojutsu. “So… it’s like. A chakra…. infection?” she tried uncertainly. “Is that even possible? It almost sounds like a —“

”Kekkei genkai,” Sakura finishes for her, looking uncharacteristically serious. “We can’t be certain if there’s been no activation yet, but similar to the Sharingan, kekkei genkais manifest when there’s an overwhelming amount of stress present or if the body is looking for a way to fight. I have to imagine that if you’ve been stationed home in the village, the reason why you’re reacting so badly is because of all the negative chakra you’re feeling. It’s making your body tense and poised for a fight.” 

Naruto hesitated, stretching her achy joints, and wishing that her mother was home. “Do you think that it’s my chakra chains manifesting?” 

Sakura hums, her blossom hair swinging into her face as she inspects the bumps on Naruto’s hip. “It’s very possible,” she says. “However, I’ve never seen a real case of chakra chains, and it’s incredibly specific to the Uzumaki clan, of which we don’t have much information about.”

Bull barked, from where he was currently occupying the floor next to the bed. 

Sakura smiled brightly at the dog, reaching out to pat his floppy ears. “Awww, don’t worry Bull. You can tell Kaka-sensei that Naruto’s just fine. I’ll probably check in with her from time to time to monitor how things are going, but if it really is your chakra chains, then I think we’ll have to wait and see. There’s no point in worrying when we can’t do anything about it.” 

“Well, I’m worried,” Naruto says loudly, flailing her arms. “I’m — I was excited, because chakra chains would be totally cool, but like, am I gonna be in pain? I mean — it’s not like there’s just an opening in my body for the chakra chains to come out! It’s super like — swollen already! What if it hurts?”

At that, neither Sakura or Bull make a sound, like they don’t quite know how to reassure her. 

“I think your best bet is Kushina-san,” Sakura finally says, patting Naruto’s shoulder lightly. “Your mom can use them, right?” 

“Right,” Naruto says. “But I’m pretty sure she hasn’t used them in years. I actually don’t know if she can activate them when she wants to. Not to mention, I dunno when she’s coming home. Her and Tou-san are always out, you know. Hokage business.” 

At that, Sakura frowns, her gem-like eyes darting around the empty space of her house just once, and then down to Bull, as though for the first time, she finally sees that it’s just Naruto and the dog. “You — Sasuke-kun and Shisui-san have come to visit you, right?” 

“Mhm.” 

“And then, Kakashi-sensei has been leaving Bull with you when no one else is here?” 

“Yeah,” Naruto confirms, absently patting Bull’s head. “He’s been such a good boy! Isn’t that right, Bull? You’re a good boy!” Bull’s tail thumps lazily on the ground, putting a smile on her face. 

“Oh,” Sakura says, and she sounds unexpectedly upset, forcing Naruto to really take a good look at her teammate. “I didn’t realize that — I didn’t realize.” 

She waits for Sakura to continue, but the other girl never does. She just stares at Naruto imploringly, as though begging her to understand. “Didn’t realize what?” Naruto asks, confused. 

Sakura gestures around wordlessly. “I didn’t realize that… you were home. By yourself.” Then her mouth snaps shut, like she’s said too much, and Naruto is even more confused than when they started. But once more, Sakura doesn’t offer any further information, and so Naruto just squints at her. 

“Right… well. Thank you for coming to check on me,” Naruto says. “I’ll let you know how it goes.” 

“Send Bull again if you need my assistance,” Sakura instructs. “And…” she hesitates again, “… can I come over tomorrow? I have a shift at the hospital today, so I can’t stay.” 

Naruto blinks, a little surprised. Her and Sakura, while on much better terms than when they had started, had never really hung out. For a while, it felt a little like a professional friendship that they carried, but if Sakura wanted to come over to hangout, then that was okay too. “Sure,” she agrees. “You’re always welcome at the Uzumaki-Namikaze residence.” 

At that, Sakura beams, gathering up her medical kit, and trooping to the door. “Great! See you, Naruto, Bull!” 

Bull barks once, and Naruto waves, and when Sakura leaves, she turns to look at the dog, just a little baffled by the conversation they’d had. She doesn’t understand, not really, but that’s okay. 

For now, she’s more focused on her potential chakra chains that seem to be scraping their way out from her spine and into the real world. Naruto had wanted so badly for this to happen — had hoped for it the way she knew Sasuke hoped for his Sharingan. But now that it was happening, it sort of… scared her.

For the pain, yes. But also the implications of the severity of what was going on around her.

She hadn’t really left her house much recently, but the outside world was still affecting her. This was only confirmed by the absence of her parents and the lack of availability from most of her regular ANBU rotation. 

Maybe she would end up taking missions with some of the other jonin senseis, because waiting around was the worst part. 

Tomorrow, she decided.

That would be something to think about tomorrow.

—><—

It wasn’t surprising that by the time evening fell, no one was back. Bull remained dutifully by her side, and Yamato remained in the tree branches.

Night was upon Konoha, and Naruto laid in her bed, staring out her window with an upside down view, shoulders and hips absolutely throbbing. 

No one had checked in today since Sakura came. Not Sasuke or Kakashi — not her parents. Not Shisui, either. But if she searched, she could see his chakra signature — exactly where she’d seen it this morning. He must have still been sick, she thought, because the dimness in his chakra signature wasn’t better. If anything, it was worse. 

She hoped he went to get checked out soon. 

Above her, in the trees, Yamato’s brown chakra signature paced the length of his tree branch anxiously, his normally jittery demeanor somehow even more volatile than usual. Naruto wondered what was up with him.

That was when Bull perked up. His head rose from his paws, and he looked straight to the wall. Naruto followed him, and she could spot Kakashi’s silvery whorls from miles away, flaring bright and true, as though he knew she was watching and was signaling to her. 

Naruto pulsed her own chakra back at him. 

Kakashi pulsed back in response, and she could feel his relief. She studied his chakra closely, noting the deliberate pulses and the ones that strayed longer. 

ANBU code, she noted. 

She scrambled from her bed, hands clawing up the window so she could get a better view of him. Ignoring the twinge in her shoulder and Yamato’s frantic pulsing, she steadied her bare feet on the ledge of her sill, and made a mighty jump into the trees. 

Chakra lined the soles of her feet as she stretched on her haunches. 

Naruto! Naruto! Kakashi’s silver whorls called to her. Safe? Are you safe? 

Safe! Naruto signed back, clumsily, not as used to using the code as Kakashi or the other ANBU agents. You? Safe? 

Kakashi didn’t answer this message, and unease churned rapidly in her gut. 

The air next to her changed, and there was a split second of panic, before she realized it was just Yamato flashing down beside her. “Uzumaki-san,” he addressed formally, stiff and fingers curled. “I must insist that you wait inside.”

”Kakashi is almost here,” Naruto said, ducking around Yamato’s outstretched arms to see her psuedo brother. Even behind his ANBU mask, his silvery hair was unmistakable, the moonshine on it making it glow. “He — it’s not. It’s not okay.”

Kakashi was darting across the rooftops faster than Naruto had ever seen. When he reached them, he seized Naruto by the arms, hands darting across her head, neck, shoulders, and finally her hands, as though checking her over for any injuries. “Naruto. There’s been a situation. Your father requested that I move you to safety immediately.” 

“What happened?” Naruto demanded.

Kakashi shared a glance with Yamato. “Danzo?” Yamato asked. 

“Danzo,” Kakashi confirmed. “The investigation was a thorough sweep. We didn’t find anything at his personal residences, but that’s to be expected. We had some of our Hyuuga scouts scour the rest of the village, and we were able to dig up his base of operations.” Kakashi’s chakra swirled uneasily, turmoil and coldness all at once. As though he was preparing himself for a fight. 

“Base of operations?” Naruto echoed. “So… he still has his other group of operatives?” 

Kakashi nods grimly, and Yamato is too busy being shocked at the extent of Naruto’s knowledge. “Children operatives, all ranging from the ages of nine to twenty three. Some of these children are villagers that have gone unaccounted for.”

Kidnapped?  Willful recruits? Brainwashed? 

”Did Hokage-sama confront Danzo?” Yamato asks, the worry in his voice unmistakable.

Kakashi sighs. “That’s the thing. When Minato-sensei went to confront him, Danzo escaped. The village is on lockdown until further notice, and they’re requesting that Naruto be brought to a secondary location so that Danzo can’t retrieve her for blackmail.”

Meanwhile, Naruto’s mind is racing. Danzo escaped. As in — this whole ordeal had just happened, because Kakashi was now coming to get her. She startles Kakashi, she knows, when she grabs his arm suddenly. “Shisui. Have you seen Shisui?”

It’s a plea and an ask all at once, begging for Kakashi to know. 

Kakashi’s steel eyes study her through the mask. He clenches back at her hand. A singular squeeze. 

“No.” 

“Uchiha Shisui?” Yamato asks.

”Naruto,” Kakashi says, oh so gently, “what’s wrong with Shisui? Where did he go?” 

“This morning, he left me a note saying he had to go meet with Danzo. He — he wasn’t feeling well. He said that after he was going to the hospital. And I see his chakra signature right now, but if he’s supposed to be meeting with Danzo, then —“ She broke off, horrified. “Why would he still be there if the meeting had already ended? What if Shisui hasn’t heard? What if Danzo… What if Danzo does something to him? We — we have to go get him!”

Kakashi and Yamato exchanged glances over her head again, a silent conversation passing between them. Finally, Kakashi said, “Naruto, our concern at this moment is not Shisui. It’s you. You have a much higher risk of being a target right now than he does. That you can sense his chakra signature at all means that he’s alive. Right now, our top priority is getting you to safety.”

”But Shisui’s sick!” Naruto said. “What if he’s passed out somewhere? We can’t just leave him.” 

“Uzumaki-san,” Yamato said gently, “Uchiha Shisui-san was your guard prior to me. Do you really think he would want you risking your safety for him? After he worked tirelessly to protect you for so many years?” 

What a despicable card to play. Naruto reared back, staring at Yamato incredulously. “I don’t care about how hard he worked to protect me. I care if he’s in danger!” 

“Maa, my narutomaki. We won’t leave him,” her pseudo brother soothed her, smoothing down the back of her hair, the claws of his gloves carding through the strands. “I’ll send one of the pack out to track down Genma and we’ll find him.”

”I can fight!” Naruto protests. “I want to fight. This is what we’ve been training for!” 

“No,” he said firmly, not an inch of givc in his voice. “You’re not cleared for S-rank missions yet, Naruto. Not to mention you’re on temporary bed rest. We will handle it. We don’t leave comrades behind. You know that.” 

She stared at Kakashi straight in the eye, cobalt on grey, willing him to falter.

Reliably, like the pillar he was, Kakashi did not. 

“Alright,” she said. 

Kakashi takes her acceptance in stride, and is dutifully reaching into his weapons pouch. He procures another porcelain mask and a thin, hooded cloak. “You’re going to wear this until we reach the hideout. While you are wearing an ANBU mask, you will refer to us accordingly, Uzumaki-san. We are Hound and Cat. You are Fox. Understood?” 

This was not Hatake Kakashi, Naruto’s older brother. The porcelain mask on his face was both literal and metaphorical. The walls that separated who he was and who he had to become had never been clearer than when he spoke to her like a soldier rather than a loved one. 

No, this was Hatake Kakashi of the Sharingan. The Copy Cat Ninja.

”Understood.” 

Kakashi wrapped the mask around her face, draped the cloak over her shoulders, and pulled the hood over her head to hide her golden hair. Flanked by an ANBU agent on both sides, they slowly led Naruto away from her house, and to the secondary location.

”Where are we going?” she asked.

”It’s a secure location that Hokage-sama and I personally organized,” he reassured her, his hand squeezing once on her shoulder. When she bodily winced, he murmured an apology. “How are you, Fox? Is your… situation better?” 

Naruto had to think about how to respond. If only because — there were other parties involved. “I… Blossom-san checked me out. Blossom-san said she thinks it’s most likely my kekkei genkai responding to the turmoil in the village.” 

“I see,” he replied, very neutrally. 

Most of their walk went silent, with none of them wanting to risk being overheard by any unseen enemies — though as far as Naruto’s chakra could sense, there was no one around in a mile’s radius. Still, it didn’t hurt to be careful. 

Despite the current conflict, Naruto, from a spectator’s point of view, couldn’t tell that anything seemed off just by looking into the distance. The cool April air was unusually quiet, Naruto thought. 

Suddenly, Kakashi and Yamato both tensed, and Naruto had a split second of awareness as something small popped into existence. Their katanas were unsheathed before she could even blink.

Kakashi let out a sigh. “Pakkun.” 

The small pug was panting, his little jacket ripped in two places, but thankfully, Naruto could spot no injuries or blood on him. “Boss. Hokage-sama has requested backup immediately. There’s been no sign of Danzo, but Root has started to mobilize.” 

“Even the younger ones?” Kakashi asked, but by the grimace in his voice, Naruto could tell he already suspected, and didn’t like the answer. Pakkun’s answering grunt was enough to confirm it. 

“Hokage-sama doesn’t want to kill them,” Pakkun said. “He wants to render them unconscious and see what can be done with converting them to normal civilian life or integrating them into Konoha’s forces.” 

Naruto would've guessed as much. If some of the kids were as young as they’d said, then they’d probably been born in captivity and had known no other life than what Danzo had shown them. Being groomed from such a young age — it would be extremely difficult to reverse those effects, but it was a better alternative than death. 

“I don’t feel comfortable leaving Fox-san by herself,” Yamato said. 

“I’ll take her,” Pakkun said. “The safehouse is…”

”Yes,” Kakashi said. “Be careful, Pakkun.” The dog barked once in understanding, and then Kakashi was turning to her, taking her by the hands again. “Fox. Make me a promise. That you’ll stay in the safehouse, okay? We are counting on you being safe tonight. It will weigh that much easier on our minds if we have to charge into battle.” 

“I will.” 

“Promise.” 

Naruto interlocked pinkies with Kakashi. “I promise.” 

With that final parting, Kakashi and Yamato left her behind with only Pakkun as her company, and she watched their retreating figures anxiously. She hoped they would both be okay. She didn’t know Yamato the way she knew some of her other guards — Kakashi, Shisui, Genma. But he was nice, and he was a very dutiful guard. 

“Come on, kid,” Pakkun nudged her leg with his snout. “They’ll be fine. They’re not ANBU for nothing.” 

“I’m worried,” she admits, as she follows Pakkun through the treeline, very grateful that every few paces, his furry side brushes against her, reminding her she’s not alone. “My parents, Hound, the Uchihas — everyone’s out there. I don’t like not knowing what’s going on. And my shoulders are just hurting.” 

Pakkun is silent. “You know, your mother used to activate her chakra chains when you or Hokage-sama or Hound was in danger. Sometimes on missions too, but specifically when it was one of you three. I suspect that’s what is happening to you. And you’re more sensitive to changes because of your natural ability to sense chakras.” 

At this, Naruto was amused. “Hound has been talking about me?”

Pakkun chortles. “Don’t let him fool you, pup. You’re his favorite. He adores you.”

Naruto did know that, but it was nice to hear it too, since Kakashi was so quiet about everything in his personal life, even those he regarded affectionately. Not for the first time, Naruto wonders about Kakashi’s former teammates, Obito and Rin. What they were like.

She knew that one of Minato’s greatest failures was the outcome of his genin team; two lives lost so tragically young, and Kakashi, who was terribly self isolated and had regular bouts of guilt. Obito and Rin, as lovely and as bright as they had been made to sound, were nothing more to Naruto than shrouded spectators that haunted her brother’s every move. She didn’t blame them — no. It wasn’t their fault, after all. But there was something incredibly sobering about watching Kakashi behave the way he did; realizing every facade he threw on, every step he took, every word he said, was just another way to atone for something he would never really forgive himself for.

Naruto wasn’t sure what she would do if something like that were to happen to Sasuke or Sakura. As much as they could annoy her, at the end of the day, they were watching her back. She shivered, not even wanting to fathom it. 

“You’re his favorite too,” Naruto tells Pakkun. 

Pakkun snorts. “Obviously.” 

Naruto can’t help but giggle at that; Pakkun’s dry sense of humor is always funny.

The closer they get to the safe house, the further they get away from the civilian districts, until they’re closer to the thick forestry area that surrounds the Leaf. 

Naruto has a sneaking suspicion of where it is they’re heading before Pakkun even tells her. “Is this…?” she trails off, “is the safe house where I think it is?”

Where she thinks it is — the cave in which her mother and father had chosen for secrecy when Kushina was giving birth to her. Though, Naruto could admit she’d never returned to it, but this is where Minato and Kushina had said it was. Not to mention that any safehouses out in the woods were kind of unsafe, given Konoha was home to numerous creatures in varying shapes and sizes. 

“It was like a home project,” Pakkun tells her, trotting ahead into the thickets. “When you were born, the three of them revamped this place until it was more than just a bare minimum cave. Just in case, they said.”

Just in case, indeed.

”I never knew,” she murmured. 

“They never told you,” Pakkun offers. “It’s only for emergency situations, so they — Fox?” 

Naruto gasped as her shoulder throbbed, the pulsing pain shooting up from her shoulder into her collarbones and jaw, her teeth clenching with the force of it. 

“Pup?” Pakkun barked in concern. 

“It’s — it’s fine,” she said, even as she held tightly to her shoulder, turning the skin from red to white. “Just the stupid chains. It’s —“ Naruto bit her lip so hard to keep in the burst of noise that wanted to escape. 

And then she caught something out of the corner of her eye that made her stop short, pain all but forgotten. 

There were few chakra signatures in the world that she sought out instinctively — she didn’t even have to try. It was like it was a beacon, waiting for her to lift her eyes from the ground. 

There was Minato, Kushina, Kakashi, Shisui, Sasuke, and now Sakura. 

And then — there was this one. 

Naruto stared, cobalt eyes wide, head turned to the left. Through the leaves and the trees, through the tall stalks of grass, through the buildings, and through the moonlight, she could see it. 

Blue, blue — blue like the night sky, a blue, empty void, stretching its maw to swallow its prey whole. Naruto had only been in its vicinity twice before. There it was — as horrible and malicious as the blonde remembered.

And right next to it, greeny gold canopies dimmer than they’d been the previous day, was —

“Shisui,” Naruto said, unable to even stop the horror from entering her voice. His greeny gold chakra was frazzled, and she didn’t know how she knew it,  but there was something wrong with him. “Pakkun,” she said, turning to the pug, and he put a paw on her sandal. 

“Fox,” Pakkun said warningly. “No, pup. You can’t. Shisui’s a big boy. He can handle himself. Hound said—“

”Ka — Hound’s not there!” Naruto said furiously. “He doesn’t even know where Shisui is. He doesn’t know where Danzo is. I do.”

”Even if you go,” Pakkun said, “what will you do? What can you do?” 

Naruto wasn’t strong enough yet to go up against a veteran like Danzo, that much was true. But she couldn’t sit around and do nothing. Even if she couldn’t fight him, she could at least get Shisui to safety. What was Danzo’s obsession with the Uchiha boy anyways? Why did he always corner him like this? 

“I’m going to save Shisui,” Naruto said confidently, tilting her head up, moonshine lighting up her face. “Pakkun, you go get help. Find Hound. Or Hokage-sama. Or anyone you can. I’ll be okay.” 

Pakkun was already protesting, but Naruto couldn’t think about it. She understood his concern, but there was no time to consider another option.

Thankful for the hours of training she’d delegated to shunshinning, Naruto put one foot forward in front of the other and stepped through the invisible doorway that led her to her former guard. Faster than Pakkun could run, Naruto blinked in and out of time and space, propelling herself to where she could feel both Danzo and Shisui’s chakra signatures much too close for her liking. 

Hundreds of possibilities ran through her mind.

What would Danzo want with Shisui?

Shisui was powerful, but there were other people in the village that were probably much more likely to do his bidding.

If he wanted to kill Shisui — why? Why only him? 

What about his personal army, getting ready to mobilize? If he was sending them to fight while he wasn’t even at the helm of it, it stood to be reasoned that it was more than just some hostile takeover. 

A distraction, perhaps? To get Shisui alone?

But what for?

That missing puzzle piece frustrated Naruto to no end. What did Shisui have that no one else in the village did?

And to retrieve it now? Danzo was under accusation for starting his own private, personal army, without the Hokage’s express permission or knowledge — a highly treasonous crime. Despite the clear manhunt that was about to happen, Danzo was wasting time going after one shinobi in the entire corps. It just didn’t make any sense. 

All of these questions plagued her mind the closer she shunshinned to her target. She recognized where she was heading the closer she got to their chakra signatures; it was all so familiar to just a few months prior.

The thick forest area, the sound of water roaring in the falls, and the breeze picking up, sending spray everywhere. 

This is where Shisui had first met with Danzo when Naruto had shown up with Sasuke and Itachi.

Five leaps.

The wind went straight through her hair.

Four.

She could see the waterfall, with dozens of fish jumping through the waves, scales glittering under the moon.

Three.

Her nerves rumbled in her stomach.

Two.

Her shoulders and hips were aching. 

One. 

Naruto flickered into the nearest tree, trying to get a better look at Shisui and Danzo. It didn’t take long for her to spot them; Shisui stood with the ravine behind him, the back of his shirt soaked with mist from the waterfall. Danzo looked just as Naruto had seen him — bathed in whites and greys, the criss cross scar on his chin bleached white, and his eyes cold and unfeeling as he stared at Shisui. 

Most importantly, Shisui’s chakra signature looked so… dull. The greeny gold canopies were fading to gray. What was once sunlight injected into his pores now seemed stagnant, veins of black tainting his chakra coils. 

Oh Kami. 

What was wrong with him? 

Naruto’s hands shook as she grabbed the tree bark to steady herself. From where she was situated, she could faintly hear their conversation. 

“— so well. It’s a shame you won’t reconsider my offer to join my cause,” Danzo was saying, his words a deep drawl. He looked completely unbothered. “Unfortunately, since you won’t willfully aid me, I will just have to dispose of you now.” 

“Even if you kill me,” Shisui said, and Naruto was proud to hear that his voice didn’t waver, “you’ll have to work for it. And when you do that, the rest of Konoha will be there.” 

At that, Danzo opened his left palm, and Naruto peered closer to try and see — could see a tiny, nearly unnoticeable dot in the center of his palm. She couldn’t tell what it was, but Shisui could, because his already pale face drained of color even further.

”Kikaichu,” Shisui uttered.  

Naruto froze. 

Danzo smiled nastily. “Indeed. I have an Aburame in my ranks. His kikaichu specializes in poisons.”

Naruto didn’t have to hear the words to know. The Aburame who had been in Danzo’s ranks had slowly been poisoning Shisui with his kikaichu. How long has this been going on? Long enough, apparently, if his coils were as infected as they appeared? 

“You’re sick,” Shisui breathed. “Even if you use Kotoamatsukami, there’s a limit to what you can do. Who you can control.” 

Kotoamatsukami. 

What the hell was that? 

Naruto had never heard of it; perhaps it was a weapon or a jutsu of some sorts. 

“I don’t need to control everyone, Uchiha Shisui,” Danzo said pleasantly. “Just Hokage-sama will do.” For the second time, Naruto felt her blood freeze over. 

Naruto felt as though her feet were rooted to the ground, and she couldn’t help but think; why wasn’t Shisui doing anything? 

Run! She wanted to scream. 

But Shisui held fast, nothing but his Sharingan swirling a deep crimson in his eyes, and a kunai in his shaking fingers. But Shisui’s Sharingan was flickering. On and off. Blurring from bloodred wheels to dark pools.

Like a light switch. 

And then, Naruto understood, feeling nausea in her gut again. 

Shisui was incapable of doing anything that required chakra right now; using his Sharingan, casting a genjutsu, shunshinning, using regular ninjutsu — there was literally nothing he could do because of the kikaichu’s poison. 

Naruto watched with some strange sense of disassociation as Danzo took one step, and then another, drawing closer and closer to Shisui. She tilted her head, feeling like she was having an out of body experience. Danzo’s hand must have been moving in slow motion when his fingers uncurled from their fist and began to descend towards Shisui’s porcelain face. 

Pretty, Naruto thought absently. 

Even when Shisui was poisoned at the mercy of his enemy, he was still startlingly beautiful. His skin was sweaty, and his under eyes were a shallow purple, like fading bruises. His eyelashes still fluttered like wings. 

His lips were dry too, had lost their color save for miniscule speckles of red, and he had never looked so unhealthy. His usually springy curls were matted to his forehead, and the wide neck collar of his shirt was ripped, sporting a still bleeding laceration.

He looked horrible. 

He was so pretty. 

Within one breath and the next, Naruto shunshinned down into the clearing, her own wrist clamping down on Danzo’s, halting his attempt to touch Shisui. 

Behind her, she could hear Shisui gasp. 

Danzo, however, had turned that penetrating gaze on her. 

She was sure she was an odd sight. She was still bare foot from when she’d left her house, and her clothes were no more than an oversized gray t-shirt, baggy and falling down to her knees, covering the tops of her kunai-patterned shorts. Her hair was a straggled mess, still tangled from tossing and turning in bed and half hidden in the thin cloak she donned. And her face was covered in the Fox ANBU mask. 

Silence rustled through them for a single moment, as they all took stock of this new situation. 

Finally, Danzo spoke.

”The Fox mask does not belong to any existing ANBU agent in deployment,” he said. Naruto didn’t say a word. She wasn’t sure if she should. Did she want to give away her identity? Behind her, Shisui had yet to say anything either, and she wondered if he knew it was her. As if sensing that internal conflict, Danzo gave her a fleeting smirk. “Stand down, shinobi. That was a direct order from a superior officer.” 

“He’s a traitor!” Shisui hissed. 

“If you come quietly, I will spare your life,” Danzo said. “You are unarmed, shinobi-san. You do not need me to tell you that you are at a severe disadvantage.” 

Indeed she was. Naruto had no weapons on her — not even a shuriken. But she had chakra. A surplus of her surplus. 

The air next to her moved, and Naruto had half a second to dodge as in one move, Danzo hauled her closer with her own grip on his arm, and lashed out with his leg. The old man’s grip was tight. Naruto struggled to pull away, and she knew when she removed the cloak, her arm would have bruises. 

“You can’t run from me,” Danzo said. “Either declare yourself an ally to me, or die.” 

Wind whistled in her ear, and Shisui was there a breath later, katana unsheathed. He swiped at Danzo, and the old warhawk jumped back nimbly. It had the added effect of Danzo releasing her, and Naruto could feel her hands shake, half in fear, half in anger. Shisui’s breaths were laboured, she could tell from the rise and fall of his chest. 

“Get out of here,” Shisui told her, his voice hard, and yet so, so tired. “Go.” 

Naruto signaled back with trembling fingers, no. 

Danzo hummed. “An imposter ANBU who knows our code?” 

Meanwhile, Shisui was staring at her with newfound horror. 

Naruto didn’t dare say anything. Instead, she slipped her fingers into Shisui’s weapon’s pouch, and stole a kunai from him, narrowing her sights on the man in front of her. She wasn’t the strongest, or the fastest. She wasn’t the smartest either.

But she wasn’t helpless. 

Naruto was a lot of things. She was the daughter of the Yellow Flash. She was the Copy Ninja’s genin. She was the dead last of the Rookie Nine too. 

But she was also Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto. And that counted for something too.

She didn’t let Danzo prepare before she was lunging forward, kunai twirling around her index finger. Taijutsu was something she could do. It wasn’t like training with Team Seven in an empty training ground where there were rules and begging out, but it was okay. As long as they made it long enough for help to arrive or for Shisui to escape, that was all that mattered. 

Danzo unsheathed his own kunai, and there was a loud clang as their blades met. Sparks popped with the friction, and Naruto dug her heels into the ground as Danzo pushed back, trying to gain leverage. The rocky ground and dirt didn’t make holding her ground easy, her bare feet scraped and vulnerable. 

“Even if you survive this,” Danzo chuckled, “Uchiha Shisui will die without the antidote to the poison, at which time I will harvest Kotoamatsukami.” 

But Naruto also knew that Danzo probably wanted to get out of here as fast as possible; he didn’t want to be confronted with an entire army without the weapon he so desperately needed. And that thought alone was enough to keep her from backing down. 

Danzo pressed harder on the chakra, and Naruto slid back.

As quick as lightning, steel flashed, and Danzo was a blur of movement as he sidestepped Shisui’s blade. Naruto threw her own kunai up high before launching into a series of punches, dodging the kunai that swiped at her neck, at her ribs. Beside her, Shisui slammed the hilt of his katana downwards, and Danzo dropped, somersaulting backwards, and springing up to his feet. 

Naruto caught her falling kunai between her index and middle finger and flung it outwards, the metal speeding straight for Danzo. The other man only batted it away with his own, and Naruto watched as a gust of wind erupted from Danzo’s kunai, cracking her own down the middle. 

The two halves clattered to the ground, and Naruto barely reacted before Shisui was slipping another into her open palm, their fingers brushing. 

For a single charged second, Naruto and Shisui exchanged glances. Naruto’s hand tingled. Then she abruptly pulled back, sucking air into her lungs. 

Channeling her chakra and ignoring the way her shoulders and hips were in agony, Naruto held her fist up, the glittering chakra almost visible with its potency. 

Shisui cursed, and Naruto grimaced underneath the mask.

No doubt he had a few guesses for exactly who she was. 

Instead of commenting on it, Shisui said, “his kunai is a chakra conducting one. He uses wind energy to enhance it. Be careful.” 

This time Naruto and Shisui stood side by side, and together, they met their foe. 

Unfortunately, Danzo was not the Sandaime’s right hand man and the Nidaime’s student for nothing. With Shisui injured and Naruto inexperienced, it made for a very brutal fight. 

Danzo didn’t hold back. Despite his age, he was quite spry. He charged for them, his robes allowing for quite a bit of flexibility. Now that he was actively conducting wind chakra through his kunai, it made hits all the harder to deflect. It was like he had a wider, invisible blade that could cut just as badly as the actual metal itself. 

Quickly, faster than her body was used to, they went through the motions. Naruto parried the slam of Danzo’s kunai with her forearm, twisting his arm down until he let out a grunt. He aimed to punch her in the stomach, and Naruto angled away, deflecting the fast hits.

It was all muscle memory. 

Admittedly, she was stealing Sakura-chan’s technique right here, but she didn’t think the other kunoichi would mind too much. 

When Danzo attacked again, Naruto met him readily, her punches aiming for his vulnerable spots; his face, his throat, his chest. 

One, two. 

One, two. 

Blow by blow they met, and when Danzo had risen too much, she kicked her foot out, hoping to catch him in the ribs. Unfortunately, Danzo anticipated this, and his kunai came slashing down. 

Naruto hissed as the blade sliced through her ankle, barely missing her Achilles tendon. Pain lanced up her leg, and she put her injured foot in the back. 

Shisui’s sword went clanging next, picking up where Naruto fell, and he was much more agile. Despite the poison, he swerved right in front of Naruto, taking up a protective stance in front of her. 

Danzo lunged again, this time with a different sort of ferocity, and Shisui stumbled back with the force. On his knees, he held his sword up, and Danzo came down with the weight of the winds on his shoulders, forcing him down. 

Naruto threw her kunai, and with a quick hand sign, substituted herself out. Danzo’s eyes flashed in surprise as she tackled him down, punch slamming straight into his face. She didn’t give him the opportunity to get back up. She punched and punched and punched, until she heard something crack, and her knuckles came back wet. 

Blood streaked down his nose, splattering on his feathery robes and onto her ANBU mask. 

Naruto had never killed, not even on some of the higher ranking missions she’d taken. Was Shimura Danzo, a traitor to Konoha, about to be her first? 

Danzo’s arm, swathed in bandages, twitched, and Naruto found herself clawing at her neck as a plank of solid wood wrapped itself around her throat, squeezing. Her eyes watered as the pressure increased, cutting off her supply of air. 

Mokuton? But how? 

Danzo’s malicious chakra spiked, and fear roiled in her gut. 

In her peripheral, she could see Shisui, the skin over his knuckles taut as he gripped the hilt of his katana. 

Danzo smiled a horrible, bloody smile. “Do you really plan to fight me, Uchiha Shisui? You can barely walk.” 

It was the worst thing in the world, Naruto thought, even while suffocating, to see Shunshin no Shisui attempt to shunshin and fail. His body disappeared for a single second before it was throwing him down into the dirt, gravel abrading his perfect skin, forcing him to kneel on his hands and knees. Blood sprayed out of his mouth, dotting his pale lips with freckles of red, and his breaths were heaves. 

Saliva dripped down his chin, wetting the ground beneath him.

Danzo watched on in cruel amusement, and there was no reprieve for Shisui, as another plank of wood shot out, encroaching into Shisui’s personal space, his hands and legs giving out from beneath him. 

Shisui’s skin had taken on a deathly pallor, and his katana now lay inches from his fingers. 

“Very good,” Danzo said. “I didn’t want to have to use my Mokuton. It drains my chakra reserves rather fast, you see. But it will have to do. So first…” Danzo stepped closer to where Naruto was struggling with the cage around her throat. 

Shisui’s squirming underneath the solidity of the Mokuton. “Don’t” he rasps. 

Danzo doesn’t pay him any mind. “First… let’s see who we’re dealing with…”

 With his special kunai in hand, he first rips back the hood of her cloak, exposing her golden hair to the light. There’s a pause — Shisui’s suspicions are confirmed;  he starts to struggle even further, trying to dislodge the Mokuton from atop him. 

With the tip of the kunai, Danzo lifts the ANBU mask up from the bottom, moonbeams flooding across her features. There’s a sting on her cheek, and the feel of something hot dripping. Blood trickles off of her chin, and Danzo does away with the Fox mask. There’s a clattering sound as it hits the rocky ground, and Naruto glares up at Danzo defiantly. The Mokuton around her throat squeezes just a bit tighter, and Naruto falters. 

“Oh?” Danzo says. “Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised to see you, considering the last time.” A mock smirk curves on his lips, and Naruto wishes she could claw the old man’s eyes out. What an asshole. “I suppose this is a touching attempt at a rescue. The Hokage’s daughter is trying to save her former guard. How… poetic. I will say — I may have to reconsider where my first usage of Kotoamatsukami will be directed. You would be such a wonderful bargaining chip. After all, how could a father as doting as Minato-sama possibly harm his precious daughter?”

Naruto waited for some sort of blow, or perhaps for Danzo to finally kill her, but instead, all he did was leave her hanging, the Mokuton loosening just enough for her to gasp for air. He walked over to Shisui this time, crouching down on his haunches. 

“Don’t touch him!” Naruto yelled, fighting valiantly against the Mokuton. She pounded her chakra infused fist into the wood, trying to chip away at the vice grip it had on her, to no avail. It was strong. 

She kicked and clawed and punched and scratched. Shisui was still on his belly, his dark eyes staring up balefully as Danzo approached. 

At first, Naruto thought he was going to say some fighting words — perhaps mock Danzo or something of that nature. But Shisui’s breaths, as laboured and smattered with blood as they were, only left him to say, “Please. Please.” 

“What are you begging me for?”

”If you let her go, I… I’ll come with you willingly. I’ll work with you — you’ll have access to Kotoamatsukami whenever you want it.” 

“No,” Naruto said. “Absolutely not. I won’t let —“ The Mokuton around her throat snake-coiled tighter, and she coughed. 

“Neither of you are in positions to be making deals,” Danzo said, even as he stared down Shisui. “Furthermore, I have no need for either of you at this point. Formidable warrior you may be, Shisui, but you’ll never truly be loyal to me.” 

And with that final statement, Danzo’s fingers, once again, began inching towards Shisui’s flickering eyes. 

Naruto screamed behind the Mokuton, thrashed and thrashed. She’d never been so desperate in her life — not even once, not even when the Kumo nin had tried to kidnap her. 

Her vision turned white as searing hot pain erupted from her body, chakra boiling up in her veins, in her arteries, in her bones, until everything went deadly silent in her head.

And then it exploded. 

There was sunshine, unrestrained and burning, like the sunrise peeking over the horizons. A huge fire is alight, the wind bolstering it into a storm, sweeping and ravaging and holding everything in its path. It burned so bright that it was blinding. Naruto could hardly see. Intermingled in the orange sea of flame are sparks of green and blue, glittering like sea glass. Melting until it’s just as hot as the sunshine beaming down at the tree canopies.

Vaguely, distantly, Naruto realizes that this is her own chakra signature. 

The first time she’s ever seen it. 

Maybe she’s burning alive in herself. 

That can be the only explanation for why the pain won’t leave her — why everything hurts. Kami, her shoulders, her hips. Naruto doesn’t even think she can make a sound. 

Something inside of her is trying to wriggle its way out, and Naruto has a split second to understand that — it’s time, before flesh and blood jetted into wide arcs. Chakra ripped from her pores, and it hurts, oh god, it hurts. 

Metal chains rattle, the individual links clinking against one another as they shoot out of Naruto’s shoulders and hips. The protrusions that had been so swollen earlier burst like overripe fruit, and it’s both relieving and agonizing. 

There’s a faint orange glow surrounding the metal, and Naruto can hardly see — her eyes squinting through the brightness of her own chakra. 

One, two, three, four. 

She can see four separate chain strings floating, all connected to her body. She can’t control them. They’re darting around haphazardly, flying straight into the ground and dusting the skies with dirt and rocks. 

Naruto doesn’t know how to tell them where she wants them to go; they swerve around, hitting one another. 

—uto. Naruto. 

Look out, Naruto. 

NARUTO!

Naruto blinks out of her daze, struggling to make out the shadowy figure poised ahead of her. Through the smoke and fire and light, there’s something heading straight for her — a Mokuton plank, she realizes. She raises her arms almost instinctively to block it, hoping to divert the brunt of it away from her head. 

The pain never comes. 

Instead, Naruto can feel when wood splinters scratch her face, one of her chakra chains meeting the Mokuton in the middle, destroying the plank in one short jab. 

On the other side, Danzo is murderous, his void-like chakra signature scraping at her senses, its pointy fingernails waiting to sink themselves into her. The man’s bandages are falling apart, and the killing intent radiating off of him is staggering, like a bubble of darkness. 

Naruto couldn’t hope to step into it; couldn’t hope to touch it, even. If she stepped too close, she thought she might bow her head to the ground in submission — a behaviour she was so vehemently against. She would never bow to someone like Danzo. 

Her fiery orange starbursts recoiled at the feeling of Danzo’s malevolence. One of her chains ripped the Mokuton away from her neck, and Naruto took in a breath she’d nearly forgotten she needed. 

“Naruto…” Shisui breathed, sounded in awe. “Your chakra chains…”

”Chakra chains,” Danzo repeated, panic and glee coloring his voice simultaneously. “An Uzumaki with that kind of kekkei genkai would be an asset to Root.” 

Danzo turned around in one fluid motion, shunshinning to where Shisui lay. He raised the Uchiha’s face by his jaw, and he was not gentle when his fingers probed his eye socket.

Shisui screamed. 

Naruto thrust her hand out, heartbeat thumping in her ears, and her chakra chains shot at breakneck speed to that man. 

She didn’t command them to slow down. Instead, she let them pierce Danzo. Once, twice, again, and again. Danzo’s body jerked as the chakra chains impaled him at four different points. 

His arm — the one that was producing the Mokuton.

His torso, straight through his stomach. 

His left leg, ripping out cartilage and bone marrow. 

And his right eye — the nerve endings completely destroyed. The last chakra chain was still lodged in his eye socket, the sharp tip hanging limply. 

The chakra chains held him up for a moment, before they began to retract back into Naruto, and she stared, almost in shock, as he toppled to the floor, a pool of dark, dark blood soaking his feathery robes. 

He didn’t move again. 

And so there he was. 

Shimura Danzo was dead. 

Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto had killed him.

The adrenaline rushing through Naruto had numbed her down, and she only slid her focus over to the dark haired boy. The Mokuton that had shackled him down was crumbling, and Naruto stumbled past the corpse, her foot splashing in the blood once. Her chains dragged behind her, lifeless, like they innately understood there was no need to fight anymore. They dragged through Danzo’s blood too, carrying a trophy of this battle that stained Naruto’s skin and her clothes. 

Naruto crouched down beside Shisui just as he moved to kneel. 

Silence drowned between them, and Naruto flicked up and down his person, noting the way his right eye was shut, trickles of blood like teardrops. He was still deathly pale. Whatever poison was inside of him was doing numbers on his chakra. 

Between them, Shisui’s palm unfurled. Naruto placed her own in his. 

“Beautiful,” Shisui says simply. “Your chakra chains are beautiful.” His one eye is incredibly dark when he gazes up at her. “Did you do that for me?”

“I’d do anything for you,” she says, and is shocked to find it’s the truth. She would do anything to keep him safe. “Kotoamatsukami?” Naruto asked, the foreign word rolling off her tongue. She still doesn’t know what it is. 

Shisui’s Sharingan flashed just once, shurikens dancing in his left iris. “Safe.” He gave her a small smile. “My hero. Can I tell you that I—?”

Yes, Naruto thinks. I would like to know. Except, she never gets to hear what it is he wants to tell her, because her vision goes black, and Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto ceases to wake for the rest of the night.

—><—

Naruto awakens to multiple sensations all at once. For one, there is an overly bright light trying to stab through her eyelids. Second, there’s a ticklish feeling hovering over her shoulders and arms, before it’s coasting by her feet. She wiggles her toes inadvertently, eyebrows furrowing. Third, there’s a hand stroking her hair softly, while low voices murmur overhead. 

A core of lavender with red rivers bleeding into it — how familiar. How lovely. Naruto sinks into the embrace, a smile tipping her lips. 

“—waking up?” 

“I don’t think so. She looks so peaceful.”

”Maa, we should wake her up. My cute little chunin has some explaining to do.” 

“Kakashi-kun, don’t you dare!” 

“She’s lucky Pakkun found us so quickly. Shisui-kun was —“

Naruto bolts upright, dislodging the hand on her head and turning so quickly that the muscles in her neck twinge. She takes stock of the four people surrounding her. Naruto opens her mouth. “Is — is. Shisui?” 

“Shisui-kun is fine,” Kushina rushes to say, her hands clasping Naruto’s. “He’s fine. They were able to administer the antidote to that poison before it did any serious damage to his chakra coils. He’s in stable condition, and he’s sleeping. The cornea in his right eye is bruised, but it shouldn’t impact his eyesight.”

Naruto deflated. Shisui was okay. Shisui was safe. 

“Oh, my Naru-chan,” Minato was sorrowful as he moved from the doorway to sit on her bedside. His Hokage cloak was nowhere to be found. Instead his jonin blues were crumpled, and looked like they hadn’t left his person in days. They probably hadn’t. His hand was rough and calloused, but startlingly gentle when he cupped her jaw to lift her head. 

Naruto peers down to see what has her father so distressed, and hesitates when she sees the discolored skin on her neck — a mottled palette of purple and blue and yellow. 

“The strangulation marks will fade,” Sakura-chan says softly. She’s got a lab coat on, a stethoscope hanging from her neck, and clipboard in her hands. “It’ll take a couple of weeks for all of the bruises to properly heal, and it might hurt to swallow for a little, but you’ll be okay too, Naruto. I also think it’s wise for you to avoid shinobi regulation sandals while you recover. Something cushier for your feet bottoms would be better. The splinters in your face and neck were all extracted, with no infection to show for it. And as for your chakra chains exit points…” Sakura swallows. “Internally, you’re fine. Genetically, you’re hardwired for this kekkei genkai, no matter how painful it is. Your bones and organs were not disrupted during your manifestation. However, everytime you use them, it will be as though you’re receiving four separate wounds, as they create holes in your flesh that have no way of automatically healing.”

Kushina tugged on the neck of her hospital gown, and Naruto stared at the patch of skin where one of her chakra chains had emerged from. It was no longer swollen — it no longer felt like something was just beneath the surface. It was still tender, but mostly flat. Bandages criss-crossed across her shoulders and if she stretched, she could feel them across her hips too. 

“Oh.” Naruto couldn’t think of what else to say. “Thank you,” she told Sakura. “For taking care of me.” 

Sakura smiled at her, and there was something sad in it. “Taking care of you?” she asks. “And here I thought we’d be hanging out today.” 

“You can still come by my house after,” Naruto offers. And then — “Sasuke’s not invited.” 

Sakura laughs, and it’s with surprise that Naruto is rocked back by the force of her hug. Surprised, and now with an armful of pink, Naruto swings shocked eyes at their sensei, who is leaning up against the wall, legs crossed in front of him. He remains painfully neutral. Slowly, Naruto brings her arms up around Sakura, hugging her back just as tightly.

How surreal, she thinks. Who would have ever thought? 

When Sakura backs away again, her eyes are red even if there’s no tears in her eyes. “I have to go check on some other patients,” she says, “but I’ll see you later.”

Naruto waves goodbye to her, and Kakashi finally slinks forward, arms crossed. He does not look pleased, she decides. A wave of guilt washes over her. 

“Naruto.” It’s clipped — in a way Kakashi usually isn’t. 

“Kakashi.” 

They stare at each other for a long moment, a singular gray eyebrow arched miles high onto his forehead. He’s daring her to speak. Daring her to explain. 

Naruto flounders. “In my defense,” she says sheepishly, “I promised I wouldn’t leave the safehouse. I never actually reached the safehouse to have to stay, you know? So technically, I didn’t break my promise.” 

Kakashi does not look impressed by her loophole in the slightest. She thinks that perhaps, she’s in for the lecture of a lifetime — somehow a million times worse than if one of her parents were to do it. Kakashi was never serious. He wasn’t the lecturey type. It also just wasn’t the type of relationship they had. 

Then, Kakashi’s eyes smiled crescents in that very Kakashi-esque way of his, and he ruffled her hair affectionately. “My narutomaki. You did well. I’m very proud of you.” 

The tears that spring to her eyes are suddenly unavoidable and embarrassing, and the blonde can’t stop herself from throwing herself face first into Kakashi’s chest, sobbing ugly, loud sobs into his green flak jacket. His silver swirls are amused and fond and concerned, but still like smooth waters across a lake. 

It must’ve been a long night, because in a rare show of endearment, Kakashi actually hugs her back. 

“I’m sorry I broke our promise,” Naruto sniffles, only half unaware to the way her tears are forming a wet spot on his uniform. “I knew it would worry you, but — but I couldn’t leave Shisui behind. Even if we couldn’t win, or — or even if it was dangerous, I wouldn’t let him face it alone.”

Even if we died, I didn’t want him to do it alone.

“I know,” Kakashi says. “I know.” And she thinks he really, truly means it. 

A hand claps Kakashi’s shoulder, and then Minato is there too, him and Kushina exchanging one of those understanding glances. 

When Kakashi finally lets her go, she pretends she doesn’t see the way he swipes at his own eyes.

Kushina drops a kiss on her forehead, her smile kind and motherly and everything homely in the world. “Rest, my Naru-chan. When we see you again, we’ll talk about everything, okay?” 

Kushina meant for it to be reassuring, she knows. But all that comes out of her, so quietly is, “I killed Danzo.” 

She doesn’t know how she feels about it. On one hand, Danzo had been planning to overthrow Minato and take control of Konoha by killing Shisui and stealing his eyes. He’d tried to kill Naruto too. But on the other hand, Naruto had killed him. Had played judge, jury, and executioner without a second thought. 

What did that say about her? 

He was her first kill. 

“Your first kill is always the worst,” Kakashi tells her, reading her expression correctly.

“It doesn’t get any easier,” Minato says. “No matter how bad they are, taking someone’s life is not… it never fills you with any sort of satisfaction. There is no reward.” 

“If it's any consolation,” Kushina says, “it was you or him. When you’re a ninja on the frontlines, you always choose yourself. Danzo wouldn’t have hesitated to kill you. He almost did. You only did what you had to do to survive.”

And, yeah.

That’s true. 

But in the end, their words don’t make her feel any better.

—><—

Naruto has a very, very brief run-in with Sasuke that’s as touching as it is funny, and for a brief second, she has to wonder if they really are best friends.

The rotation of nurses and doctors that work at Konoha’s hospital diminishes by nightfall, and though Naruto is supposed to be confined to her bed, she slips out just past midnight. Shisui’s room is on the other side of the ward — the side that specializes in toxicology. 

She creeps down the hallway, her figure casting dancing shadows upon the wall. There’s hardly anyone around, so she’s rather stunned when someone yanks at her hospital gown and tugs her into another empty room. It’s only because she sees their chakra signature that she doesn’t immediately put up a fight. 

“Dobe.” 

“Teme.” 

Sasuke’s got her back up against the wall, and for a second, he looks so uncomfortable and angry that she wonders if he’s going to sock her in the mouth. His dark eyes are searching her — cataloguing her injuries, she realizes. 

She laughs lightly, pushing him back a step. “It’s worse than it looks.” 

Sasuke’s amethyst chakra crackles threateningly. “I’m not worried about you,” he lies. 

“Of course not,” she agrees easily. 

Sasuke’s arms wave up and down frantically as he gestures to her. “I’m not worried,” he repeats, “but it’s kind of lame that a loser like you managed to get so beat up. Haven’t you been training, dobe?” 

“I hate you,” she says. “And clearly I have been training since I just curb stomped a grade-A asshole.” 

“Your chakra chains did all the work,” Sasuke shoots back challengingly. 

“The chakra chains are a part of me!” 

“Do you even know how to control them?” 

“Duh! Of course I do, teme! I can control them so good!”

”You’re a filthy liar.” Sasuke’s features finally softened before he was grabbing her by the neckline, the fabric curled in his fist. “Don’t think this means you’ve surpassed me, idiot. I’m gonna catch up, and I’m gonna kick your ass at training next week. With or without my Sharingan.” 

“Without,” Naruto says smugly. 

Sasuke only shakes his head before letting her go. “Shisui’s down the hall. See you later, loser.” 

And in Sasuke-like fashion, he turned around and walked out like he had never been there in the first place. 

“Just say that you care!” Naruto hollered, and she swore, if she listened just carefully enough, she could hear a soft laugh. 

After that, Naruto made her way back down the hallway, wondering if she was going to bump into somebody else she knew. However, she saw no signs of anyone. No Itachi, no Kagami, no Mikoto, and no Fugaku. 

It made sense. She had yet to discover the aftermath of Root and Danzo’s death, and in what shape that left the village, but these were all things for her to be worried about tomorrow. For now, she ducked into the one occupied room in the toxicology wing.

Shisui’s one visible eye snapped open immediately, though he relaxed when he saw it was her. His right eye had an eyepatch covering it, and there was a bucket next to his bed. An intravenous bag was hooked up to him too, and Naruto had to awkwardly scramble over the equipment until she was sitting on his bed. 

For some reason, she didn’t know what to do with her hands or legs, pressing them in her lap, clasped together.

“Hey,” Naruto murmured, keeping her voice low. “How are you feeling?” 

Shisui snorted. “Like shit. That poison is making me throw up. And even when I’m not, I’m so nauseous. What about you?” 

“Alright,” she says. “Just a little sore.”

”They told me your recovery would be quick,” Shisui says. “Something about the Uzumaki longevity.” But even as he says it, she can see the way he lingers on her neck, the mosaic painting her skin born out of obvious violence. Almost unthinkingly, his fingers brush against the bruising, and she shivers. He pulls back. “Sorry. Did that hurt?”

Naruto shakes her head, and lifts her jaw again, tilting her head just to the slightest so he can see better. 

There’s a bit of a silence that stretches thick like taffy, and Shisui audibly inhales. When his fingers return to her skin, they’re very light. Barely a brush, really. He’s being oh so careful to make sure he doesn’t press too hard. Then his fingers move upwards, to trace the slope of her nose, and brush against the scabs where the splinters had broken off from the Mokuton. The graze on her cheek from Danzo’s chakra has a thin strip of gauze on it. 

“Uzumaki-chan-san,” Shisui whispers. “Your pretty face is all scratched up.” Without him even saying a word — she just knows. She can hear it. He’s blaming himself for whatever just happened, even though Naruto had made the decision all by herself to go and find him. 

“Not as scratched up as your eye,” she deadpans, and Shisui finally releases her to prod at the eyepatch. He flinches back on a touch, before giving her a sheepish smile. 

“Danzo got his fingers in there pretty good,” he says, and Naruto makes a face. The imagery of that is unpleasant. It makes her cringe to even consider what Danzo had planned to do. Stealing Shisui’s eye to — what? Put it in his own? Also, why would you ever want to touch someone else’s eye? It was probably wet and kind of squishy with all the blood and nerves and —

Shisui laughs again, this time a much lighter sound. “You’re a bit green, Naru-chan,” he teases. “Will you need to borrow my bucket?” 

“Shut up,” she complains, pushing him lightly. He makes an oomph sound as he hits the pillows. “You Uchiha with your Sharingan. I’ve seen what Kakashi’s does to him. Even if your eyeball was super powerful, why would I ever want something that’s been in your eye in mine? Do you know how unhygienic that is? Kotoamatsukami is not worth it. Plus, why did he need you anyway? Isn’t Kotoamatsukami like…” she’s struggling to conceptualize it; doesn’t really know of anything beyond a regular Sharingan. “… don’t all Uchiha have it if they have the Sharingan?” 

“Not quite,” Shisui says. Then he grimaces. “I actually am not allowed to tell you. It’s like… clan law. In the olden days, Uchiha would do unspeakable things to gain power.” 

“But I’m not an Uchiha,” Naruto protests. 

“Even worse,” Shisui says gravely. 

And because Naruto is the Hokage’s daughter and knows something about keeping secrets, she doesn’t push him to reveal more. 

They both go quiet again, and Naruto sighs before pulling herself off the footside and up the bed. Shisui watches her as she does, and without any words, pulls back the thin blanket that covers him. Naruto takes the invitation for what it is, and slips down beside him.

The hospital bed is small — meant for one, and there’s a lot of making sure she’s not bumping into any medical tools or agitating his injuries. But they make it work. 

In the cramped space that the bed offers, Naruto is half-falling off the pillow, her arm curled underneath Shisui’s arm. In turn, Shisui’s leg is on top of hers, but notably a good distance from her bandaged feet. 

In the darkness of the room, it is somehow much easier to hear the way Shisui breathes, the rise and fall of his chest rhythmic. His chakra signature is bright and all encompassing, a greeny gold forest fire with sunshine raining down through the canopies. 

It’s like a balm against her wounded senses, to see him as he should be — alive and healthy and recovering and right in front of her where he couldn’t leave her sight. 

It feels like there’s a lot to say. 

It also feels like there’s really nothing to say at all. 

What matters most, she thinks, is; “Shisui. I’m glad that you’re okay.” 

Shisui is already wrapping an arm around her back, tugging her closer until he can mutter into the golden straw of her hair, “Thank you for saving me.” 

She dearly hopes he can’t feel the thundering of her heart.

—>

When Uchiha Shisui wakes up the next morning, there is nothing but soft sunshine entering through the glass of his window, and a cold bed beside him. But on the pillow, where his companion had lain, is a small pouch, a torn off strip of paper from Kami-knows-where tucked underneath it. 

Ginger chews help with nausea. Feel better, pretty boy.

Shisui blinked. 

Pretty. Of course, that was what she called him. 

Still, he was so lucky, he thought. The prettiest person he’d ever met thought he was pretty too. 

—><—

 

Notes:

hellloooo!!! welcome back to honey trap…

so. this was a super super long chapter, and i barely feel like writing a note for it, but i WILL.

for starters, there you have it folks — this is the end of this arc, and the next time you see naruto and shisui, it will be a couple of years into the future. they will be older, though the rough age is not something i’ve decided on just yet.

that being said, let’s address what happened. for starters, as you guys may know, honey trap is not a very plot heavy story. everything that just happened with danzo and root and the chakra chains were all things that needed to happen, but we will not be getting up close and personal with the steps that minato takes to rehabilitate root. you’re not gonna see orochimaru or anything. it’s gonna continue to be fluffy and cute and stuff, and that’s all there is to it (unless i say otherwise lol).

this was a serious chapter, and by the time the time skip spits them out, things will have changed.

sasuke’s gonna have his sharingan, even if you guys don’t see what event triggers it. sai will be recovered from root. xyz, xyz.

that being said, i really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter — it took me forever to write.

 

on to more serious things::

part of the reason why i found it difficult to write is because, i live in america, and as you guys may have seen on the news, we’re in very scary times. as someone who lives in a sanctuary city, i am very afraid to leave my house. i was trying to channel my anxiety into something productive, but i find it hard to focus, or even have motivation at times. i don’t really wanna be explicit with what i say, but it’s one of those things where i fear that things will have to be worse before they get better.

as an american citizen, i want to apologize on for all the horrible things our country is doing right now.

hopefully, things will flip soon.

in that regard, i urge all of you to please look out for one another, stay safe, and be prepared. know your rights and your laws, have proper identification and documentation.

that being said, happy reading!
i hope that in this troubling time, this fic will make you just a little bit happier!!

Notes:

Hello everyone!! This is my newest fic (as you can see!). Just for reference, this fic will follow Naruto and Shisui and their developing friendship. It’s not meant to be anything serious, just something light and fun for me to work on while I also work on my darker fics. :).

Anyways, Naruto and Shisui aren’t going to stay their current ages forever — not all chapters will be be set in the current time they’re in. Though it will all be in chronological order, there will also include flashbacks that I feel are necessary to add in. I hope you guys enjoyed it!!

Happy reading! :)