Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ People Lie ❯ Clients Lie: two ( Chapter 5 )

 

“Ne, Sensei, this is it?” Naruto asked, looking at the shallow stream dubiously. The sun was dipping low in the sky, and they'd been running at top speed, a mad waste of chakra, but Kakashi, presumably, had his reasons.

 

“It is,” Kakashi replied mildly. “We'll be spending the night here, so why don't you go ahead and set up camp, first. I'll observe.” Picking a nearby tree, he leapt into its branches.

 

They were still deep in the Fire country, and the area was heavily wooded with massive trees. The little stream didn't so much wind between them as trickle over their roots, forming shallow, but steep banks and the occasional deeper pool.

 

Naruto's first response was to make a dozen clones and send them to scouting the area, while he began digging a small, concealable fire pit. “Hey, Sasuke, can you handle the tents?”

 

“Make your own tent, Naruto,” Sasuke spat back, quickly assembling his own.

 

“I'm going to dig a latrine, so unless you want to switch…” he warned.

 

Sasuke grunted.

 

Hinata, for her part, activated her Byakugan and began wandering around the camp slowly, ostensibly looking at the ground, but really her attention was elsewhere.

 

Kakashi-sensei in the tree. No traps. No dangerous plants or animals. No sign of human contact anywhere, not a footprint, oddly bent stem, or scuff mark anywhere. Small fish, char, in the streams. Some plants lining the banks, not very close to the water, and dotted between the trees' roots.

 

“I don't think anyone has been here in a long time,” she said quietly, glancing up at Naruto, who was jamming rocks together in a circle around his pit. “There're aren't any signs.”

 

“That's not quite true,” Kakashi offered from his perch. “If you look in the trees, there are a couple of branches with footprints on them. Someone came through earlier today.”

 

Hinata blushed. “A-ano, that was Naruto-kun.”

 

“Are you sure?” Kakashi asked, raising one eyebrow.

 

She nodded. “I recognize Naruto's tracks.”

 

He smiled. “Very good, Hinata. Naruto has a tendency to crouch and touch his hands when he lands, it's very distinctive, and a good thing to know about your team mate.”

 

She flushed. “I'm not very good, Kakashi-sensei. I can't immediately identify yours or Sasuke-kun's tracks.”

 

He smiled at her. “All you need is practice. You've got a tremendous advantage, after all.”

 

“No kidding,” Naruto snorted as he picked up the small folding shovel he'd used to dig the fire pit and walked behind a big local tree to dig a latrine. “Makes me look sort of plain, surrounded by all these powerful bloodlines,” he said jovially.

 

“Naruto!” Hinata gasped. “You can't mean that!”

 

He shrugged and winked at her. “It's okay. I may not have the eyes like you three, but I have my own tricks.”

 

She nodded.

 

Kakashi watched curiously, wondering if he'd told Hinata the secret of the nine tails.

 

“Hey, see if you can find something edible, okay, Hinata?” he added.

 

“Okay, Naruto,” she said obediently, activating her byakugan and moving purposely away from the camp.

 

“You give a lot of orders, Naruto-kun,” Kakashi said wryly.

 

He grunted as he began digging. “It only makes sense, Sensei. Hinata knows plants and fungi.”

 

“Hmm, that's interesting.”

 

Naruto nodded. “Yeah. And she's really good at finding them, too. Sasuke or I might stumble across them, but I only know the basics, and Sasuke hasn't admitted to any detailed horticultural studies. So it makes sense for Hinata to do it.”

 

Kakashi watched them all with interest. Naruto had some sort of relationship with Hinata, which, honestly, he wasn't sure was appropriate. But Hinata wasn't complaining, indeed, he'd even asked her a few questions about the blond once. She described him in only the most complimentary terms, and if Kakashi was any judge of people, which he was, he figured she honestly believed he only had her best interests at heart.

 

Naruto, however, was far too wily a conversational opponent to get information from he didn't want you to have. Kakashi eyed him warily, aware that he sometimes seem to take more vicious options by choice. But, of all the three genin, he thought the most, learning quickly and looking underneath the underneath, and creating quite a few layers to hide behind as well. In any ordinary group, he'd be the uncontested leader, if not for Sasuke.

 

Sasuke, at least, was someone Kakashi could relate to. Solitary, quiet, and an utter genius at learning new techniques. He also didn't take orders well. He listened to Kakashi with a quiet acceptance, willing to learn, silently disdainful of orders he could have figured out himself. Naruto's orders, however much the blond couched them as suggestions, were seen with both hostility and caution. Sometimes he'd take a different path just out of spite, but Naruto was getting especially clever at making sure that not only were his ideas the best ones, they were also the only workable ones.

 

Wearing him down through patience.

 

Interesting.

 

Either Naruto honestly did not think he could win in a fight versus Sasuke, or in a surprisingly sophisticated turn he was using diplomacy rather than brute force.

 

Time would tell.

 

“Not a bad camp,” he said finally. “But I do have to ask a question. Why are there only three tents?”

 

“That was all we brought,” Sasuke replied plainly.

 

“Cause we didn't want to share one big one?” Naruto replied sardonically.

 

“Ano…” Hinata blushed.

 

He raised an eyebrow.

 

“Well, that one's yours,” Naruto said pointing, “the one on the other side is the one Sasuke brought, and the one in the middle is Hinata's.”

 

“And you?”

 

He shrugged, a small smile on his lips. “No point in carrying a tent if I don't need one, right? I packed extra gear, and didn't bring a tent.”

 

His eyes flicked to Hinata.

 

She was blushing furiously, and tapping her fingers together, but she looked up, directly at Kakashi. “U-u-um, I asked Naruto-kun to sleep with me, Kakashi-sensei.”

 

Sasuke twitched slightly at her word choice, and even Kakashi had to still an involuntary response. He wondered if she'd deliberately chosen those words without Naruto's help. He was obviously a tremendous influence.

 

“Oh?” he replied mildly. “And I suppose your father is okay with these sleeping arrangements?”

 

Expecting some sort of guilty reaction, he was much surprised when her blush faded and she gave him a look loaded with killer intent.

 

“My father is my problem,” she said, deadly quiet. “And what he doesn't know,” she paused, “won't hurt me. As a fully fledged Konoha shinobi, my sleeping arrangements are my business.” She gave him what could only be described as a Look, capitalized. “Right, Kakashi-sensei?”

 

He shrugged, impressed by her ferocity. “To a certain extent, I suppose you could say that. However, that does not mean there won't be consequences.”

 

She nodded firmly. “I'm counting on it.”

 

“Well, with that kind of attitude, what can I say about it?” he mused. “Let's train.” He hopped down, a jump of nearly thirty feet, and landed lightly on his feet.

 

“Now, I'm sure you're aware that higher level shinobi can walk on the surface of water with their chakra.” He took a number of steps onto the surface of the stream, standing easily on the very surface. The stream was slow moving, but it was still noticeable how it slowly carried him away.

 

They walked along side, keeping pace. Hinata activated her byakugan to watch closely. Sasuke just stared at Kakashi's feet. Naruto had a look of concentration on his face.

 

Kakashi walked a few paces back and forth. “The technique involves a continuous flow of chakra. Similar to tree walking, you have to mold chakra in your feet, or where ever you touch the water, but unlike tree walking, you have to release the chakra into the water in a steady stream, or you'll sink.” He smiled at them as he slowed, the stream forming a large, nearly still pool. “Now you try.”

 

None of them moved. But Kakashi was glad to note they each had an expression that spoke of thought. Sasuke looked serious. Hinata had her eyes wide. Naruto looked like he was about to murder someone.

 

Sasuke was the first to step onto the water's surface. And through it, his foot hitting gravel. He pulled it out with a grimace of distaste, and hesitated.

 

“Go for it, Hinata, if you're ready,” Naruto said quietly, not looking at her. “You can do it.”

 

Nodding, she took several wobbly steps, sinking slowly deeper into the water with each one. Her face screwed up in concentration, but it was no good, she was standing on the bottom of the pool. She climbed out slowly, then turned and stared intently at Kakashi's feet.

 

He smiled encouragingly, then turned to look at Sasuke, who was trying again. The water was obviously firmer under his feet, but not enough, and once again he sank with a splash two steps in.

 

Naruto formed a seal with his hands, then stepped forward. All eyes were on him. One step. The water seemed solid. Two steps, and he wobbled badly, nearly losing his balance. His other foot came forward again, and at first it sank, then it rose, then it sank, he grunted in exertion… and fell over with a loud splash.

 

Sasuke's chuckles weren't very loud, but they stood out. Hinata glared at him. Kakashi smiled silently.

 

Naruto climbed to his feet with an air of wounded dignity, doffed his jacket, leaving himself in a white t shirt, and tossed it onto the bank. “I should have done that before,” he admitted, turning to the others. “You might want to do the same. No point getting your clothes wet.”

 

Hinata nodded and started taking off her jacket.

 

Sasuke stared, obviously so.

 

Naruto's eye twinkled. “Actually, I was talking to Sasuke-kun.” He formed a seal, and suddenly, it was Naruko standing there, her voluptuous breasts heaving under her thin, wet, white cotton shirt. “I'm sure both us girls would love to see Sasuke's manly chest...” she cooed.

 

“Hmph!” he said, looking away.

 

Kakashi sighed in embarrassment for his students.

 

Naruko gave Hinata a sultry smile, then dispelled the jutsu and became a boy again.

 

Sasuke, to cover his embarrassment, strode boldly onto the surface of the water, making it four, then five steps before sinking up to his knees. He glanced at the other two in triumph.

 

Hinata looked down, as if in shyness, but she also formed the same seal Naruto had used. Hesitantly, she stepped out onto the water. It held firm. Then, she took another. And another. Soon she was in the middle of the pool, near Kakashi.

 

“Woo hoo, Hinata-chan! Nice!” Naruto called.

 

“Ma, ma. Very good, Hinata. Your control is very good for a genin,” Kakashi said in praise.

 

She blushed. “I can see how much you're using, and I tried to use the same amount.”

 

Kakashi looked up to see Sasuke, ankle deep in water, glowering. “Ah, Sasuke, when you develop your Sharingan, you'll be able to see chakra as well,” he offered, mollifying the boy.

 

“Really, Sensei?” Naruto asked. “The Sharingan lets you see chakra like the Byakugan?”

 

Kakashi nodded.

 

“Can you see through stuff, too?”

 

Kakashi shook his head. “No, the Sharingan is related to the Byakugan, some say it is an offshoot, but many of the abilities are different. I don't know all the details of the Byakugan, I'm sure Hinata-chan would tell you more than I know, but the Sharingan excels at copying jutsu, as well as creating and dispelling genjutsu.”

 

“Really? So which one is more powerful?” Naruto pressed, walking two steps into the water before he sank once more.

 

“The Sharingan,” Sasuke said quietly.

 

They all glanced at him, except for Kakashi, who looked at Hinata instead. The Hyuga were usually just as proud of their eyes as the Uchiha.

 

“Really? Then how come you're still on the bank, and Hinata is out there with Kakashi?” Naruto didn't sound like he was mocking the black haired boy.

 

Sasuke's hands tightened into fists. “I haven't developed my Sharingan very far… yet. But I will.” He walked into the water, momentarily so distracted he didn't even mold chakra.

 

Naruto made a splash of his own. “So why haven't you?” he asked, honestly curious. “If you want it so bad.”

 

Sasuke's head jerked. “The Sharingan… usually evolves in combat, according to my family's scrolls.”

 

“I can see that,” Naruto admitted. “The path to strength seems to often start over the bloody corpses of your enemies.”

 

“Ma…” Kakashi interrupted. “That's a violent view of things, Naruto.”

 

Abruptly, his face was all smiles. “Oh, don't worry, Kakashi-sensei! I only said `seems'. I know that the path to true strength begins with friends, and ends…”

 

They all looked at him expectantly, Sasuke disdainfully, Hinata hanging on his every word.

 

“…with lots of friends!” he enthused.

 

*SPLASH*

 

They all jerked their heads around to see Hinata flailing beneath the surface. Kakashi chuckled. Even Sasuke had a smile tugging at his lips.

 

Her head burst out of the water as she got her feet beneath her, the shallow pool only coming to about chest deep. She coughed and spluttered.

 

“Well, you got the idea down, but you still need to master it. Can you climb onto the surface from there?”

 

Hinata nodded, wiping water from her eyes. “Yes, Kakashi-sensei.”

 

That was easier said than done, however.

 

Summoning his chakra, Sasuke concentrated, then took two small steps. Rather than taking more, he paused, making sure his footing was good.

 

Naruto, too, tried again, making it five steps into the pool, the overbalanced and fell in with another splash. He sat up calmly, crossed his legs, formed a seal, and began concentrating.

 

Hinata slipped back into the water, having gotten both arms and one knee out.

 

Sasuke sank again.

 

With a grunt and a nearly palpable wave of chakra, Naruto popped to the top of the pool like a cork, actually flying several inches into the air, before landing slightly sideways and falling over again.

 

Hinata, carefully, climbed back onto the water's surface and shakily regained her feet.

 

“Nice, Hinata!” he called. “Now, can you tell me what I've been doing wrong?”

 

“You're using too much chakra,” she replied immediately, then her jaw closed with an audible click and she looked aghast. “Not that…! I mean…!” she spluttered.

 

“Cool, thanks,” he replied, ignoring the rest of her stuttering. He regained his seated position and started concentrating again.

 

Sasuke grit his teeth, standing up to his knees in water. Finally, he spat, “Fine. What am I doing wrong?”

 

She blinked, turning to watch him. “Umm, could you try again?”

 

He nodded, irritated. Again, three steps in, he started to sink, and by the forth, he had lost it.

 

“Well?” he asked, looking at her expectantly.

 

“You're using too little chakra, only a little more than you use climbing trees,” she explained. “You have to use about twice as much to begin with, then make more of it flow.”

 

Naruto opened one eye, dropping his hands into the water by his side. “That's useful information. I wonder why our sensei didn't tell us that.”

 

Kakashi chuckled benevolently. “And miss the fun of watching you figure it out on your own?”

 

“Fun, huh?” Naruto asked. “That's what you call determining how fast we learn by trial and error?”

 

Kakashi grinned at him. “Yep.”

 

Naruto frowned. “Well, at least some of us learn faster by watching.” He motioned at Hinata, then Sasuke.

 

Everyone turned to see Sasuke take another slow, deliberate step onto the water. He was about a third of the way to the middle, and his footing seemed stable.

 

“Yeah, that's Sasuke for you. Learns everything damned near immediately,” Naruto said quietly, but there was actually a note of deliberate pride in his voice. “Way to go, Sasuke.”

 

Sasuke sniffed.

 

“Very good, Sasuke. Most people take two or three days to get that far,” Kakashi noted.

 

“Huh,” Naruto mused thoughtfully, his body completely motionless. “So this is what it's like to be surrounded by geniuses of powerful clans. It's hard to compete.”

 

Kakashi looked at him thoughtfully.

 

“Ah, well,” he said after a moment, with a small, rueful grin. “I'll get it soon. Until then, I'll have to console myself with the fact that my talents lie elsewhere.” He lifted both hands, displaying a dripping kunai in each. Three fish dangled from the left, and two were impaled, dead, not even twitching, on the right.

 

 

o/~

 

 

 

Sasuke ducked, blocked Hinata's two fingered strike with a sweep of his forearm, flipped backwards and used the distance to leap over her head, landing with a small splash as his chakra charged feet disrupted the surface of the water for a second on landing. He threw an elbow backwards, aiming for the center of her back.

 

She twisted effortlessly, and he hissed in displeasure as her hand brushed his side beneath his arm.

 

“That's a cripple,” Kakashi called. “Sasuke, you can't use your left arm, now.”

 

Obediently, he let the arm hang limp as he flew backwards to the very edge of the pool, the boundary of their sparring session.

 

Unfortunately for him, the small confines of the water were a tremendous advantage to Hinata, who specialized in extremely fast, close combat. They were sparring gently, to leave each other in shape for the mission, which meant that he couldn't use his devastating wide area fire jutsu, either. He was starting to reconsider his self imposed restriction on kunai.

 

“Hey, Sensei, I think I've got it,” Naruto said, appearing at Kakashi's side.

 

The white haired jounin glanced at him, unsurprised. Naruto had been quiet, but far from quiet enough to fool him.

 

“I see you've gotten better at controlling your splashes,” he noted.

 

Naruto had the grace to look embarrassed. “Yeah, well, I know I can't use as much chakra as I want all the time, but it's still tricky to reign it in.” He paused, watching as Sasuke kicked and punched, putting Hinata on the defensive. “Easier than when I learned tree walking, though. Took me a week to get that down.”

 

“The unforeseen curse of a large chakra capacity,” Kakashi noted. “And only adequate control.”

 

Naruto looked at him. “Hey, I thought you said I had good control? I mean, I know I'm not as deft as Hinata, or even Sasuke, really, but I'm not that bad.”

 

“That was before I actually watched you learning something new. You gain skill quickly, it seems, but you start off rather slow.”

 

Hinata parried and blocked her opponent's attacks, exceeding his speed with her hands as she even deflected his kicks and sweeps. Not once had she lost her balance since the match had started, but she was hard pressed to penetrate Sasuke's defenses when he used all his limbs to defend and attack, and she only used her hands.

 

She lunged, taking him by surprise for a moment, letting her deceptively gentle touches be brushed aside as she spun slightly, aiming an elbow for his heart.

 

His `good' hand was on her jacket, and she was lifted bodily as he heaved, her elbow striking harmlessly to the side of his head, and then she was flying.

 

Sasuke was waiting for her where she was going to hit the water again, his body stiff, his leg cocked for a devastating kick that would power through her defenses.

 

Hinata's eyes were wide. She could see the tenketsu on his leg as clear as day, even in the fading light of the evening. His kick would hurt, but she'd disable his leg, and soon the match would be hers. She grew closer, readying herself to strike.

 

And then his right arm made a wide sweeping motion, pulling a wire she hadn't noticed, and suddenly her feet were flying out from under her, leaving her to hit the water flat on her back. His leg flashed out, a fraction of an inch from her throat, and she gasped… getting a breath of water as her concentration failed and she sank beneath the surface.

 

“And, that's a kill,” Kakashi said happily. “Very good use of ninja tools against an opponent who can see the finest wire, Sasuke.” He glanced back at Naruto.

 

“Yeah, yeah. You can't always use brute force. I got that.”

 

Kakashi smiled. Such a bright student. Too bad he was so bloodthirsty. He glanced at the sky. “Well, we seem to have burned the usable daylight. We'll have to see how you do in the morning before we leave, Naruto.”

 

Naruto grimaced. “Yeah. I took too damned long. Sorry, Kakashi-sensei.”

 

He shrugged. “Maa, you'll just have to get faster. Now, I believe I smell roasting fish?”

 

“Stuffed with pepper seasoned rice,” Naruto agreed. Cooking was, of course, another skill you could learn from a book.

 

 

The meal was well received with compliments from Kakashi and Hinata, and a `hn' from Sasuke, who otherwise ate without complaint.

 

“I have a little test for you tonight,” Kakashi began once the meal was through. “This will determine your most likely training path for the future.”

 

“What kind of test, Sensei?” Hinata asked.

 

“A test to determine your chakra affinity,” he explained. “I trust they explained elemental chakra types to you in school?”

 

They all nodded.

 

“Well, I've brought several sheets of chakra paper, made from special trees influenced by chakra over a long period of time.” He rummaged around in his pouch, then held up a sheet of dirty tan paper for his students to see. After a few seconds, it crinkled into a wad.

 

“When it crinkles like this, that means I have a lightning affinity,” he explained, rummaging around in his pouch with his free hand, then handing a second sheet of paper to Sasuke.

 

It immediately crinkled, and Sasuke held it up with a raised eyebrow. “So I will be able to use lightning jutsu?” he asked.

 

“Not just lightning jutsu, but you will be able to use them very well,” Kakashi corrected. “If it gets cut in two, that indicates a wind type. Water: it gets wet. Fire: it bursts into flame. Earth: it crumbles into dust.” He held up two more folded sheets of paper with a smile, then handed them to Naruto and Hinata.

 

Naruto looked at his sheet of paper dubiously. “Um, Kakashi-sensei?” he hazarded. “You gave me a page from a book.”

 

“Hmm?” Kakashi replied. “I don't think so. What does it say?”

 

“Uhh,” Naruto began, tilting it to catch the firelight. “'But we mustn't, Minoru-kun, someone might see,' Akira protested weakly, gasping as the boy's hand slid into her panties'?!” he read, his voice rising perceptibly toward the end.

 

They all stared at him.

 

“That's what it says,” he protested. “Look,” he said, brandishing the page. `Akira's too large uniform slipped off her shoulders and puddled at her feet, her cute and shy face looking to one side as she bared herself,' it's what it says!”

 

“Ah,” Kakashi exclaimed. “I understand. That's a page from Icha Icha Blushing Maidens. For the chakra paper to turn into that…” he paused. “It means you have the elemental affinity of hentai.”

 

Naruto stared at him in complete disbelief.

 

Kakashi shrugged theatrically. “Well, you are planning on sharing a tent with Hinata.” He turned to the young kunoichi. “You might want to take that as a warning, Hinata-chan. Most girls your age don't want to share a tent with a boy of such… obvious tendencies.”

 

Sasuke snorted in quiet laughter. Hinata blushed. Kakashi didn't bother to keep the grin off his face.

 

After a moment, Naruto snorted and threw the wadded up paper back. “Sensei, you idiot.”

 

Kakashi laughed and handed him another piece of paper, which he took cautiously, turning it over to look at both sides. He turned once again to the embarrassed girl. “So, Hinata-chan, what do you have? Not more ero, is it?”

 

She blushed madly, like the setting sun, and shook her head. “Ano, Sensei, it doesn't seem to be doing anything,” she admitted hesitantly.

 

“Hmm,” he replied thoughtfully. “It should react to the smallest amount of chakra. Try deliberately channeling chakra through it.”

 

She frowned at it, but it resolutely refused to change.

 

Naruto, meanwhile, muttered something about a perverted sensei and forced a large amount of chakra through the paper in his hand. Immediately, he had two.

 

“Ah, a wind element user,” Kakashi noted approvingly. “Wind is very powerful in combat, especially short to mid range.”

 

“Good,” he replied, pleased, then looked thoughtful. “Though I kinda liked the hentai one…”

 

Hinata held her other hand over the paper, frowning in concentration. Nothing happened.

 

A small flare of light caught their attention. The paper in Sasuke's hand had burst into flame.

 

“Ah, very good, Sasuke. Two elemental affinities, that will be a powerful advantage to you. I was surprised by the lightning, but flame is to be expected of an Uchiha. Your clan has been known for powerful katon jutsu for generations.” He glanced back at Hinata, who had pumped so much chakra into her hand it glowed to anyone sensitive to it. “And you, Hinata, you can stop now. I've heard of this, but you're the first Hyuga I've trained, so I'd never seen it before.”

 

“Sensei?” she asked, looking up.

 

He shrugged. “Ma, you might want to ask your father about it, but it seems that your clan, with almost nothing but pure chakra jutsu, rarely develop elemental affinity. Have you ever seen any clan techniques involving elemental type jutsu?”

 

She shook her head. “No, Sensei, only those related to the Byakugan and a few other techniques.”

 

He smiled gently at her. “Well, that's okay, then. It won't be an hindrance to you. It seems that your clan techniques really are what you're suited for.”

 

She nodded. But he saw a dark look pass momentarily over her face. Odd.

 

Another flare of light caught everyone's eye. The paper in Naruto's hand burned with a clean yellow light.

 

Kakashi's eyebrow raised. “Another fire type?”

 

Naruto grinned, then pulled a burning twig from behind his back. “Something like that,” he said with a smirk.

 

Kakashi nodded at his little joke. Two students with two elements this early in their training was pretty unlikely, anyway.

 

“Well, it's been a very informative day. Sasuke has a lot of chakra for a genin, and very good control,” he said, gesturing at the dark haired boy, who's head moved imperceptibly, indicating he'd been beginning to nod off. “Naruto has an incredibly large chakra capacity, but his control is only fair. He tries to make up for his lack of efficiency by simply using more chakra, which sometimes causes problems.” He turned to Hinata, whose liquid white eyes glimmered at him in the firelight. “And you, Hinata, have less chakra than the other two, but you use it with precision. You are clearly going to be a talented close range fighter.” He shifted his position slightly.

 

“Sasuke will perform well at any distance, so what he chooses will largely be up to him. Naruto, though… Hmm.” He paused, then smiled. “Well, we'll find out in the morning. Be thinking about it, Naruto, but no sneaky extra training tonight, okay? You may have plenty of chakra left, but you'll need to be as prepared as possible when we reach Tomahigiro tomorrow night.”

 

Naruto nodded, and Hinata rose and began tidying up the campsite area.

 

“Oh, and one more thing. I don't have to tell you that resting tonight also means you need to sleep in that tent, not anything else,” Kakashi warned.

 

Naruto's serious face blossomed into a grin. “And deny my very elemental nature? Sensei, how cruel.”

 

Kakashi frowned at him, then shrugged. Naruto and Hinata might not be taking the wisest course, but Naruto was both clever and cautious. He'd just have to keep an eye out for immediate trouble.

 

Not that the current situation didn't scream trouble to his senses, anyway.

 

“Sensei, what order do you want the watch?” Sasuke asked.

 

“Very good question, Sasuke,” he replied happily. “I hadn't planned on warning you, but since you ask, I'll be taking the first watch. I'll wake… mmm, Naruto at midnight, he can relieve-“

“Me, Sensei,” Hinata said quietly.

 

“Okay, Hinata, at two,” he agreed easily, “and you can take it from four till dawn. Any questions?”

 

They shook their heads.

 

“Sounds good, then. Sleep tight.” His voice wasn't quite mocking.

 

Taking up a comfortable position on a branch overlooking the camp, Kakashi pulled out a worn copy of Icha Icha, then hesitated, watching Naruto and Hinata enter their tent, and the way Sasuke hesitated before entering his.

 

His students worried him. Sasuke had a lust for revenge so strong it could well destroy him, and a distrust of his team that Kakashi couldn't entirely blame him for. Hinata was so dependent on Naruto she was almost hopeless, except that Naruto was so ruthless he pushed her to be stronger, faster, than was good for her. Without Naruto, she'd crumble, and with Naruto, she might well break. Naruto, for all his cleverness, had a mean streak a mile wide and a lust for power that would either make him one of the most feared shinobi in Konoha, or a missing nin.

 

The biggest problem, he reflected, was that every single one of them was in such a hurry to grow up they had sacrificed their childhoods on the black altar of death. Sure, they were older than he'd been as a chunin, but he'd been different…

 

Well, no, maybe not all that different. Perhaps that was why he'd been assigned to the trio.

 

Nodding softly to himself, he made a silent promise that this time, he'd keep them safe, both from the dangers without, and the demons within.

 

Then he cast a simple dojutsu that gave him powerful night vision, and flipped his damaged book open to his current page. It was a shame to hurt such a precious work of literature, but the book was worn and the bindings loose, and the look on Naruto's face had been more than worth it. The little trickster needed to be reminded that other people manipulated situations, too.

 

 

Naruto crawled into the little tent, removing his jacket as he did so, intending to use it as a pillow. The fire had been banked, leaving them in the pitch blackness of the nighttime forest, so he pulled out a tiny flashlight, adjusted it for flood, and turned it on, blinking at the sudden glare.

 

Hinata stared at him as she crawled in on her knees. Unlike him, she didn't blink or squint at the light, another quirk of her special eyes.

 

He glanced at her, then resumed shimmying out of his shoes and pants, leaving him in nothing but a t shirt and boxers.

 

As he undressed, she unrolled a single sleeping bag, extra large, and unzipped it before sitting back and looking at him with an expressionless face.

 

He ignored her as he rummaged through his jacket, checking his hidden weapons.

 

Finally, she could stand it no longer, and, walking on her knees to his side, she put her arms around his waist, grabbing the hem of his shirt. She inhaled deeply, drawing in his scent, musky with the day's sweat and stream water. She kissed the back of his neck, like he did with her sometimes.

 

He didn't react on the surface, but she could hear his heart speed up, just a little bit.

 

Smiling, she gently lifted the hem of his shirt, pulling it slowly upward as he raised his arm and allowed her to take it off. Still, he refused to give her any attention as he continued his equipment check, even as she ran her hand over his lean back and chest, pausing when her fingertips hit the faint scar where Sasuke had accidentally stabbed him in a training session.

 

Still, he didn't look at her.

 

Pouting slightly, she backed off and started getting ready for bed herself. She didn't carry but two hidden kunai, one in each sleeve, and three senbon beside them. As a taijutsu user, she rarely used them anyway, and only carried a fraction of the number either of her team mates did.

 

Her jacket was folder in a manner similar to Naruto's, and put carefully to one side. Unlike Naruto, she wore her customary layers of mesh armor, though today she was wearing a plain black sports bra. She hadn't expected the mission, nor her night's sleeping arrangement, and mentally cursed her lack of foresight. She decided to always wear something sexy from now on, just in case she got to show it to Naruto.

 

The mesh shirts she removed as well, placing neatly over her jacket, and her shoes beside them.

 

Behind her, Naruto crawled into the sleeping bag, leaving it unzipped, one corner folded back across his waist. He propped his head up on one hand, looking at her.

 

Now was the time. She carefully slid her pants down her legs, leaning forward to get them down her thighs, displaying her firm bottom, clad now only in boy cut black panties. She rocked onto the side of one thigh to get them all the way off, acutely conscious of Naruto's eyes.

 

She wanted to know what he thought. But if she asked… she'd be needy. Naruto didn't like needy. So she didn't ask.

 

Now wearing only her bra and panties, she hesitated, wondering if she should take them off. Wondering if Naruto would approve of her boldness, or put her in her place with a word.

 

“Let's go to sleep, Hinata-chan, he said quietly, patting the sleeping bag with one hand before turning off the little flashlight and sticking it in his jacket.

 

Feeling a wave of relief, she quickly slid across the narrow gap and against Naruto's side, curling against him with her face on his shoulder and her arm across his chest…

 

Just like she'd wanted to do for ages.

 

He was thin, but his muscles moved like whipcord under his skin. She snuggled into his chest with a sign, barely repressing a wriggle of pleasure when his arm wrapped around her, his hand gripping her side, right above her hip.

 

Oh, how she wanted him to grab lower!

 

But he didn't, and she lay there for several long minutes as his breath slowed into a deep, regular rhythm. He was probably asleep.

 

Her eyes flicked open with a start as she realized there was something she'd meant to tell him.

 

“What is it, Hinata?” he asked, suddenly, nearly scaring her out of her wits.

 

“Naruto! I…!” she stammered, blushing. “I… how did you know I wanted to say something?”

 

“I know you,” he said simply, but vaguely. He felt no particular urge to let her know that the sudden brush of her eyelashes on his skin was the clue.

 

She blushed in the darkness. “Well… I… I just wanted to say, Sasuke pulls his wire out left handed.” She held her breath, waiting for a response as he lay there silently.

 

“Always?” he asked finally.

 

She nodded fiercely. “Every time I've ever seen him do it. Left handed.”

 

There was another pause. Then his arm squeezed around her.

 

“That's my clever little vixen,” he said quietly, and pulled her closer, her face automatically tilting up. His kiss was warm on her lips.

 

His vixen.

 

Hinata sighed happily and kissed his chest before she settled back down, his praise making her tingle.

 

 

“Naruto.”

 

Naruto's eyes snapped open, his mind automatically placing a name to the voice.

 

Kakashi.

 

It was nearly imperceptible, but the presence of someone outside his tent moved away. He nudged Hinata, who woke with a sudden tension in her body.

 

“Naruto-sama?” she whispered sleepily as he slid over her, climbing out of the sleeping bag.

 

“I'm about to take watch,” he replied quietly. “Check the area while I get dressed.”

 

She obediently activated her byakugan, and if she took a moment to watch him get dressed in the darkness, her scan of the camp and immediate area was no less thorough because of it.

 

“All clear.” She let her technique lapse, yawning.

 

He patted her leg, then slipped out of the tent into the blackness.

 

For a moment, she thought about watching, but the sleeping bag was still warm from his presence. She fell back asleep.

 

 

Naruto paused a moment, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness. It was still basically solid black, the moon wasn't up and the starlight was useless under the thick canopy. But ninja were trained to move in the darkness, and he silently climbed a nearby tree he'd picked out while it was light, clinging lightly to the trunk with his chakra as he found a good spot to hide.

 

Sleep was gone from his mind within moments as his senses strained for any hint of danger. He didn't expect a serious attack, but Kakashi might decide to spring surprise training on him. Naruto would not be caught napping.

 

Really, though, he was glad of the time to himself. He needed to come up with a plan to fight Sasuke in the morning.

 

Without his kunai and a surprise, disabling or lethal blow, Sasuke would be quite a challenge. Naruto had every confidence he could win, provided he could summon kage bushins, but Kakashi had made several comments since he'd started training them about Naruto's reliance on the move. So, just as a point of pride, Naruto wouldn't use the jutsu, whether Kakashi forbade it or not.

 

He actually kind of hoped Kakashi wouldn't forbid it. It would be much more impressive to Sasuke if he kicked his ass without it, without it being forbidden.

 

Sasuke was a proud, prickly sort of ninja. Naruto hated that type, except that Sasuke backed up his arrogance every time.

 

He wouldn't be using kunai, either. Actually, he rarely used kunai. If he used ninja weapons, it was usually wire and shuriken. He was devilishly creative with both, controlling up to half a dozen shuriken with thin wires.

 

Add his speed, skill with taijutsu, and fire jutsu, and he was a hell of an opponent.

 

At least his fire jutsu wouldn't be an issue, as a lethal or near lethal move, they would probably also be forbidden in the sparring match. His speed, on the other hand, while not nearly as fast as Hinata, he also wasn't as one dimensional in how he used it.

 

Ordinarily, Naruto would set up traps beforehand, since he knew he'd be facing him, and where. Lots of traps.

 

But… that wasn't the solution this time.

 

It was beautiful, really. Sasuke was everything Naruto could want in a team mate. Calm. Collected. Popular with others. Breathtakingly skilled. Unspeakably powerful.

 

Vulnerable.

 

His eyes straining into the darkness, Naruto happily whiled away the time, his mind examining the problem from every angle.

 

 

Hinata woke thirty minutes later, moaning slightly as she flailed in the too large sleeping bag.

 

Naruto wasn't there.

 

That was because Naruto was on watch.

 

Instead of sleeping with her.

 

Frowning sleepily, she gathered up the sleeping bag around her and left in search of Naruto.

 

 

Sasuke woke at ten minutes till four in the morning. It wasn't a difficult ability, it just took a certain discipline in telling yourself when to wake up.

 

He pulled his clothes on quickly, then left his tent to relieve Naruto at the watch, stretching briefly as he stood straight.

 

“Sasuke.” The voice was Naruto's, coming from high to his left.

 

Blinking owlishly, he found Naruto's tree and climbed it silently. Halfway up, he found an unusual sight.

 

Naruto leaned back against the trunk, staring at him in the darkness. In his arms, wrapped in a voluminous sleeping bag, was Hinata, nuzzled into his chest.

 

He looked away.

 

“She was supposed to be on watch,” he noted expressionlessly.

 

“True.” Naruto didn't elaborate.

 

“Are you planning on taking my watch, too?”

 

“No. Just curious if you wanted me to leave Hinata for you,” Naruto replied reasonably.

 

“Che,” Sasuke spat.

 

“Are you sure?” Naruto asked. “She'll keep you warm.”

 

“I will be perfectly fine.”

 

They stared at each other for a moment. Finally, Naruto shook his head.

 

“You should pick one of your girls, Sasuke,” he said finally. “Some of them would do anything for you.”

 

“They're too obsessed with me,” Sasuke shot back. “Besides, some of us can think with our minds, not our dicks.”

 

“Really.” Naruto shifted Hinata in his arms, letting the sleeping bag fall away, displaying pale flesh that seemed to glow in the darkness. She moaned sleepily as she was moved.

 

Sasuke carefully didn't look away, despite the heat in his face. In the darkness, it would be invisible.

 

He hoped.

 

“Enticing, isn't it,” Naruto said quietly, looking down at the girl in his arms with an unreadable expression.

 

He didn't reply. The tension in his body was answer enough.

 

“You're a hell of a fighter, Sasuke. Denying what you want can be as much of a weakness as enslaving yourself to it.” He grinned, his white teeth flashing in the dark. “I know what you want, Sasuke. I can get it for you.”

 

The sneer formed almost of its own volition. “I want something far more important than the affection of some girl,” he all but snarled.

 

Naruto's grin, if anything, grew wider. “You want many things, Sasuke, just like I do. Revenge may be the one you hold on to, but don't underestimate the others.”

 

Sasuke stared back, momentarily unsettled.

 

“Ah, well. Time to finish my night's sleep,” Naruto said suddenly. He stood up carefully, keeping Hinata in his arms, and, with a jaunty wave to the dark haired boy, stepped off the branch without a sound.