"Suna?" Naruto asked. Tsunade had just told him that she was headed to the Hidden Sand for a medical trip.
"Yes." She replied, inspecting her bag. "While the alliance is still being reformed, the Kage have all decided that it would be beneficial to open up to each other. The Medical Program is just one of many things we're sharing."
Naruto nodded. "Is it just with Suna?" He asked.
Tsunade shook her head. "No. After Suna, I'll return here for a while, and then head to Kirigakure." She explained. "After Kiri, I'll do the same, and then visit Kumogakure, and so on and so forth."
Naruto nodded again, though he didn't say anything this time. Tsunade looked at her younger blond lover, wondering.
"Is there something wrong?" She asked.
The smile Naruto gave her was obviously a fake one. "No." He shook his head. "Not at all."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, unbelieving. "Hmm?"
"Really, it's nothing." He tried to assure her, laughing nervously. "When do you leave?" He asked her, rubbing the back of his neck.
"We." Tsunade corrected.
"What?" He asked.
"'When do we leave?'" She stated, placing a scroll full of medical syringes into her bag. "You're coming with."
Naruto was silent, just blinking at her with his adorably confused expression.
And then, his entire face lit up like a Christmas tree.
"Eh!? I am!?" He shouted, jumping from the chair he was previously occupying from Tsunade's kitchen.
Tsunade gave him a sidelong glance, smirking. "Of course." She said. "The previous Hokage can't just leave the village without a protective detail, now can they? Even in relative peace time, that would just be illogical."
"Yeah, yeah. Illogical!" Naruto replied a little too excitedly, his true colors showing.
"And if the Hero of the Fourth himself is my guide, surely nothing could possibly befall me on my journey, now could it?" She asked, smiling at the way Naruto nodded in response.
The idiot even saluted her. "You can count on me, Godaime-sama!" He shouted playfully, before developing an evil little expression.
Tsunade had only taken her eyes off of him for a split second to put something else into her bag. And yet, that's all it took for Naruto to strike.
Hokage, past, future, and present, did not squeak, and Tsunade would fight to the death any who claimed she had ever done such an undignified thing. Unfortunately, Naruto was willing to take on that fight, because the noise his woman made when he suddenly picked her up bridal style, was most certainly, without a doubt, unequivocally, a squeak.
And the bastard laughed about it the entire time he carried an indignant Tsunade to her bedroom, unable to resist the charm of the most beautiful woman in the entire world any longer.
| Naras are Scary |
"I still don't know why I can't come along, Tsunade-sama."
"Because Sakura can't run the entire hospital by herself, Shizune." Tsunade replied, walking beside a woman she viewed as a younger sister, or a daughter, even. Shizune had showed up at her place early in the morning, wanting to walk her to the gate before she set off on her trip to Sunagakure.
Which had been an extremely close call, since Naruto had, once again, stayed with her the previous night, something that had become an everyday thing.
Luckily, her orange-clad lover was able to sneak away fast enough that they hadn't been caught, but it nevertheless was a close call.
Neither of them wanted to keep their relationship a secret from their friends, but it was just too… complicated to explain right now. They knew, without a doubt, that they loved each other more than almost anything in the world, but still, there were many factors that needed to be considered before they went public – or even if they went public.
So for now, they were staying tight-lipped about everything.
"I know." Shizune sighed. "I guess I just miss the old days. Back when it was just the two of us on the road. Us against the world!" Tsunade snorted. "Just kidding." She laughed.
Tsunade knew for a fact that Shizune was miserable when it had just been the two of them. Not because she disliked Tsunade herself, but the lifestyle that she lived. Shizune had missed Konoha more than she ever admitted, and Tsunade knew that she was finally genuinely happy now that she was back home.
"Well, when I get back you can fetch me sake while I take a shot at the local game." Tsunade replied with as serious a face as she could.
Shizune narrowed her eyes, glaring at the blonde-haired woman next to her.
"Don't even think about it, Tsunade-sama."
"Hai, hai." Tsunade waved off.
The two fell into a companionable silence after that, just enjoying the feeling of the bustling village around them, making their way to the gate, which they reached in only a few minutes.
As Shizune bowed to her master and mother-figure, saying her goodbyes, Tsunade noticed that Naruto wasn't there at the same time she noticed someone else waiting at the gate with a backpack full and ready for travel.
"Shikamaru?" She said. "What are you doing here? Are you about to depart on a mission too?" Tsunade asked, curious. Surely, the now Head of the Nara wasn't here for…
"Godaime-sama." Shikamaru gave the previous Hokage a respectable bow of his head. "Kakashi-sensei didn't tell you?" He sighed, muttering something under his breath that Tsunade guessed was along the lines of 'troublesome'. "The Chunin Exams are coming up soon, and they'll be held in Suna this year." He explained. "Hokage-sama has attached me to your guard detail while we're on the road. Once we get to Suna, I'll be carrying out my own mission."
Tsunade was able to suppress her disappointment. "I see." She smiled at him, able to understand that he was just following orders and not deliberately trying to ruin an entire week of alone time with Naruto. "Please do your best."
Before the Nara Head could respond, there was a flash of yellow and orange heralding the arrival of everyone's favorite idiot.
"Sorry. Was I late?" Naruto asked her, giving her a sheepish smile. "I left my stuff at your ap–"
"No." Tsunade interrupted. "You're just on time. I was just speaking with Shikamaru here about our journey." She nodded in the Nara's direction with her head, giving the Uzumaki a look.
Naruto chuckled nervously, obviously understanding how close he was to accidently spilling the beans on their secret.
"Oh, Shikamaru?" He gave his friend an awkward smile, which wasn't really that strange, since Naruto was always a little awkward. Then Tsunade saw his expression sober, and the same disappointment that she experienced flashed through his eyes. "Wait, Shikamaru? What're you doing here?" He asked, his voice accidently a bit too accusatory.
"I have my own mission in Suna, so Kakashi-sensei placed me on the Godaime's protective detail with you, since we're going to the same place." Shikamaru explained, annoyed at having to explain himself for the second time.
"Eh?" Naruto crossed his arms across his chest. "Why? I'm all the protection Tsunade needs." He stated defiantly, his tone and expression petulant.
Unknown to either Naruto or Tsunade, Shikamaru was very aware that Naruto didn't call the Godaime 'baa-chan'.
"Naruto." Tsunade began, even though she felt just as Naruto did. "He's heading to Suna anyway. There's no reason for him not to tag along with us…"
Again, unknown to either the aforementioned blond idiot or the obsessive gambler, Shikamaru was very aware of the fact that Tsunade didn't scold Naruto, but rather, felt the same way. Or so it seemed to the nineteen year old Nara.
"But our tri –" Naruto was cut off mid whine.
"Enough. There's no point in getting all worked up over nothing." Her eyes met Naruto's for a second, both thinking the same thing; there was most certainly a reason for them to be upset about. This was going to be a time that nothing else really mattered until they reached Suna in five days. They could dote on each other and act like a real couple with relatively no reasons to sneak around. Almost an entire week of just enjoying randomly kissing one another, or holding hands out in the open, or whatever else they couldn't do now since Kakashi had, probably unintentionally, ruined their plans.
Naruto sighed, an annoyed frown marring his face. "Fine. Whatever. Let's go." He grumbled under his breath as he began marching towards the front gate.
Once more, neither Naruto nor Tsunade realized that Shikamaru saw the previous Hokage mirror Naruto's sigh, a flash of disappointment and irritation passing on her face.
As Nara Shikamaru followed his two blond companions out of the front gate, his mind slowly started to process what these micro expressions he had picked up meant.
He had to be losing his touch, though, because the picture his mind was painting was one so ludicrous it wasn't even funny.
Surely he was wrong. Surely he was getting rusty…
They did seem to walk a bit too close, though…
| Naras are Scary |
"… and then, the Noodle God wrapped me up in His noodle arms, and tried to eat me. It was because I've eaten so many of His kind."
Tsunade couldn't help the expression that was painted on her face, one that questioned both the sanity and intelligence of the beautiful idiot before her as he retold his latest nightmare about… a… Noodle God…
"I swear, it was like a horror movie. Ramen Strikes Back!"
Though, she also couldn't help the small little smile that graced her lips as she listened to the ridiculous tale her lover detailed with such gusto it could be considered cute. Like a dog wagging its tail when it's excited.
As Naruto continued with his story, something or other about evil beefcake eyes, Tsunade glanced back at Shikamaru, who was strangely keeping his distance from them and being rather quiet. The young Nara wasn't the most talkative person to begin with, but he hadn't said a single word since they left the village, and that had been hours ago.
At times, she felt as if his eyes were on them, watching and analyzing them in the way only a Nara could.
The Nara really didn't get enough credit. When debated, the Uchiha or the Hyuuga were considered the strongest clans in the village, though before the Senju all but died out, they were considered the 'top dogs' of Konoha.
But in Tsunade's opinion, the Nara were the deadliest. It was true that none of them were really considered 'powerhouses,' but it wasn't their strength and power that made them so deadly, but rather their minds.
It was almost impossible to outsmart a grown Nara. They had tactical minds of high-ranking generals by the time they were old enough to become genin. Natural born geniuses, the whole lot of them. Tsunade's father had used to say that, if they so desired, the Nara could take command of Konoha at any point in time.
When her younger, naïve self asked why they hadn't done so already, her father would laugh jollily.
"Geniuses they may be, but lazy they most definitely are."
Now that she was older, Tsunade understood what her father had meant entirely. The Nara were scary competent when you ordered them to be, able to devise counterattacks to nearly anything they came across within minutes after only seeing it once.
The truth of the matter was, if there was ever a motivated Nara born among the deer-herders…
The thought was actually kind of terrifying.
Thankfully, there didn't seem to be any in existence yet, Shikamaru being the closest description of motivated, and his hobby was watching clouds.
But right now, with his eyes on their backs, Tsunade couldn't help but feel a bit nervous. She didn't think they were being too couple-y. She didn't think she smiled too much, or stared at him for too long. They walked at an 'appropriate' distance, and talked about mundane things.
So why…
Why did she feel like the Nara on her shoulder knew their secret without any evidence whatsoever to lead him to that conclusion?
| Naras are Scary |
Tsunade's smile was far too malicious to be innocent.
How could she not smile, though? She had converted the Hero of the Fourth to her side, the side of saké lovers.
While nothing like her, Naruto had, after many nights of keeping his woman company, developed a liking for saké. He certainly didn't drink it every day, but he didn't mind at all sharing a cup with Tsunade at dinner.
He told her that he enjoyed the warmth it spread throughout his body as it slid down his throat. That had made her smile, too. It was exactly that reason she liked it so much.
"We made decent time today." Shikamaru started as she and Naruto enjoyed their alcohol. His voice reminded her that they weren't alone. "We could be there in four days if we keep up this pace."
Tsunade nodded, placing her cup on the table. "Seems like we'll be arriving a bit early. I hope Gaara doesn't mind."
"No worries, no worries." Naruto chuckled. "Gaara won't care. We're close, after all."
Tsunade smiled at Naruto's carefree attitude in regards to the Kazekage. While young, the sand shinobi had proven himself a competent leader, guiding Suna into prosperity in a very short time. In the past two years since the war ended, he had done more for the Hidden Sand than his predecessors had done in nearly twenty years.
The shinobi academy had been completely reformed, modeled after Konoha's. The material was more in depth and expressed the importance of teamwork and comradery.
The governing body was cleaned up, most of the anti-Gaara faction dealt with.
Mission policies were erased and rewritten, emphasizing the idea that every ninja mattered.
Trade had bloomed, markets flourishing, bringing in both money and opportunity. The village's economic state had never been more stable.
And most of all, the alliance with other nations was ironclad, thanks in huge part to Uzumaki Naruto, the great Orange Hero.
Honestly, Tsunade couldn't help the smile that crept on her face every time she thought of the man who became her lover.
"You haven't seen him in a while, huh?" Tsunade asked.
Naruto shook his head. "Not since that mission I took a year ago to Suna. He's really busy, though, so I don't mind. He's living the dream." He huffed. "Becoming a Kage before me…"
Her lover's consternation at being beat to the position of Kage made her laugh, smiling as she stared into the blue eyes of the greatest person to walk into her eyes in so many years.
"You'll join him soon enough." Shikamaru said. "Everyone knows that Kakashi-sensei won't pass the hat to anyone but you."
Tsunade nodded in agreement. Kakashi was just keeping it warm for his student, after all. He had said as much, even. It was Naruto's right to become Hokage.
He had earned it.
That, and so much more.
| Naras are Scary |
It was night out, but it wasn't that late yet. Even so, the group of three had decided to settle into the inn for the night, deciding to get an early start in the morning.
Shikamaru and Naruto had gone to their room for the night, leaving her to sleep in a room all by herself, in a bed that was missing a particularly warm blond that Tsunade liked to use as a body pillow.
She sighed, still bitter that Kakashi had added Shikamaru to her guard detail at the last minute. She didn't mind, Shikamaru was usually good company. But Tsunade couldn't help but think that, if he wasn't here, Naruto would be in her bed right now, spoiling her with his undivided attention and…
Ugh! This was not the time to be getting horny, damn it!
Damn sake and its tendency to make her want blond idiot's with whisker marks that felt surprisingly good against bare flesh and…
Damn it, she was doing it again.
Tsunade sighed. She wanted Naruto…
| Naras are Scary |
Naruto sighed, again, thus making Shikamaru sigh.
Again.
"Just go." The Nara finally said, unable to keep his mouth shut any longer. It had only been an hour since they left Tsunade in her room, yet Naruto was acting as if he had been away from her for days.
"What?" Naruto asked, confused.
"I said go. You want to be with the Godaime, right? Then go. I'm not going to stop you."
"What're you talking about?" Naruto tired, chuckling awkwardly. "Why would I want to be with baa-chan at this hour?"
Shikamaru couldn't see his face, but he was almost positive the blond was trying to seem innocent and confused.
Once again, Shikamaru sighed.
"Look, I'm not going to judge either of you or anything, so just go. What you two do in private has nothing to do with me or anyone else." The Nara explained.
"I don't know what you're talking about…" Naruto tried, sitting up in his bed.
"Naruto, I already know that there's something going on between you two. I could see it in your eyes the moment we met up at the front gate." The Nara Head explained. "And I don't care. And if you're worried that I'll expose you two, don't be. I was being serious when I said you were going to be the next Hokage. And I was just as serious when I promised to be your right hand. You've earned my loyalty and discretion. Now go, before you try and lie to Nara again." That last sentence almost seemed like a challenge.
"Shikamaru…"
"Go."
Naruto was silent and very, very still for a moment, his mind racing, his heart beating faster than usual.
Shikamaru had already figured it out? He had already discovered their big secret from just their eyes?
And most importantly… he didn't care?
While it wasn't illegal or anything, the fact that Tsunade was so much older than him was a fear his beautiful lover had expressed on multiple occasions. She was worried that their peers would look at them in disgust, or even worse, at her like she was pathetic.
Naruto himself didn't think that would happen, but he was a bit worried that his friends might not approve. It didn't matter to him one way or another, but he respected Tsunade enough to keep their relationship a secret for the time being.
But now… the secret was out (sort of), and there wasn't a big fallout or speech.
There was only indifference. And that was actually relieving.
"You really are the smartest guy I know." Naruto said, getting out of bed with a thousand-watt smile on his face. "I'm lucky that someone like you will help me out when I become Hokage!" With that, Naruto was gone, leaving Shikamaru, finally, in peace.
"Troublesome." The Nara sighed.
But even in the dark, the small smile on his face was still noticeable.
| Naras are Scary |
When Naruto knocked on her door, entering like he owned the place, she had been, at first, happy.
But then she remembered that there was a very suspicious genius in the other room, who would start to question if his temporary roommate went missing at this hour.
The smile on Naruto's face was only slightly reassuring.
"He knows!?" No matter what the idiot swore, she most certainly did not squeak again. "What do you mean, "he knows"?"
Naruto just shrugged, putting his hands behind his head and leaning into the pillows of the bed.
"He just knows." Naruto stated. Seeing her eyes narrow, he sighed. "I don't know how he found out, but he did. He said that he could see it in our eyes the moment we met at the gate back in Konoha." He shrugged again. "He just knows."
Tsunade felt sick. He could see it in their eyes!? What the hell was that? Somewhere, in the back of her head, Tsunade became sure that the Nara were far too smart for their own good. For others' goods too.
"Shit." She cursed, her mouth suddenly dry. "What did he say?" Her eyes narrowed again. "What did you say?"
Naruto finally stood, walking up to her and placing his hands on her shoulders.
"Tsunade, relax. He didn't say anything. Just the truth. That what we do in private is no one's business. That, and that it isn't his place to judge us." He led her to the bed, sitting her down. "We aren't doing anything wrong. We're two consenting adults, doing what adults do."
Tsunade felt even sicker. Naruto was making too much sense, and felt like the mature one in the relationship right now. It was too strange.
"I was worried for second, too, but Shikamaru didn't care at all. He promised he wouldn't say anything, too, so we don't have to worry about anyone else finding out yet." He cupped her cheek with his hand, steadying her with his presence alone. "He's going to be my right hand when I become Hokage, after all."
While slightly more relaxed than she had been at the start of this conversation, Tsunade still wasn't totally comfortable.
What did he really think? Did he no longer respect her as both a kunoichi and woman now? Did he view her as pathetic for 'seducing' someone so young? These were the things she worried about. Trifling, petty things, but she worried about them all the same. No matter her age, she was still a woman, after all.
But then she felt Naruto's arms wrap around her, pressing her body into his own. He touched her forehead with his, forcing her bronze eyes to clash against his azure ones, and looked at her.
Those eyes. That gaze. The fire within them.
No one could escape it.
"I give you my word, Tsunade." Naruto began, his voice serious. "Shikamaru doesn't care what we do, and he's not going to tell anyone else, either. I can't stand the way you feel right now."
She swallowed, remembering that her young lover could sense negative emotions.
"You're a queen – my queen. You never have to worry what other people think." His statement brought goosebumps to her skin. "I dare anyone who feels that way towards you to say it to our faces. To my face."
He pulled his face away slightly.
"Everything's okay. I promise." His faith in Shikamaru was unshakable.
Tsunade just nodded, unable to do much more.
Then, Naruto smiled, his serious side fading to mischief.
"I hope you're not too tired, baa-chan, cause I'm craving slug."
Before she could scold him for calling her granny, she felt warm, wet lips press into hers, an eager tongue pushing into her mouth, ready to explore.
God, he was so good at this now. He really was a fast learner.
Tsunade only had one last thought before she melted into Naruto's… enthusiasm.
Nara's are scary.