Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Sand in the Leaves	By : ahmenet Category: Naruto > General Views: 1317 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto nor do I make any money from this fanfiction.

Chapter List
- 12
- 13
- 14
Hope everyone enjoyed the last
chapter. I don't own Naruto, and I've said it so many times it's
getting old.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Sasuke walked into
Labor and Deliver and stopped when he heard the blood curdling
scream. Shizune winced walking out of the doors to meet him.

“Shouldn't
they have knocked her out by now?” The Uchiha asked speaking
of his laboring wife.

“Tsunade
isn't in with her.” Sasuke raised a brow and Shizune grimaced.
“Ino is.”

Sasuke blinked
twice then nodded. Ino would let her take the pain much longer than
Tsunade would. But then Ino had a little more patience. And a nasty
mean streak. He almost felt sorry for his wife.

“How much
longer?” Not that anyone could tell him. He knew these things
happened in their own time and had been warned that twins might come
early but take longer.

“I'm not
sure. She came in four hours ago and is progressing rather quickly.
Since she's already had one child these should come just a little
more quickly.” They both cringed again as more screaming and
now crying came from behind the doors. “Of course, it would
move faster if they'd just put her under.” Shizune rubbed her
sore ears.

Sasuke nodded once
more and looked to the benches lining the walls. The doors opened
and a white robed medic stuck his head out.

“Shizune-sama,
we are in need of assistance.” The man looked flustered and
kept pulling at his ears as if to clear them.

Sighing Shizune
made for the door. “I don't understand how one woman can be so
quiet in life and scream her fool head off for this long over a few
cramps.”

“She's not a
kunoichi. She's simply a nobles daughter. She wasn't taught to deal
with physical pain.” Sasuke explained. Unlike his first wife,
Takako had no tolerance for any kind of pain, only the ability to
offer it.

“Damn shame
for the rest of us.” Shizune mumbled then opened the door wide
to the sound of crying and screaming.

Before
the door closed Sasuke could hear his wife sobbing the words, 'It's
not worth this'. He was starting to agree with her.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Neji and Gaara
walked sedately through the streets toward the academy. They were to
meet with Shikamaru who was setting up for his new position as
academy teacher. Neji had mentioned Gaara's situation to the shadow
ninja who'd been confused for a moment then throughly intrigued and
more than willing to help out in their quest to find the truth behind
Gaaras current assignment, though he made sure to add in how
troublesome it all would be. Of course, they'd also offered to bring
all the sake for the party he was throwing and to make sure Hinata
showed up. Neji hadn't said a word about the personal invitation but
his eyes were dancing with unspoken thoughts on the subject.

“So, how did
your date with Moegi go?”

Gaara frowned and
looked over at his stoic friend... friend... the word still sounded
strange. Even in his mind.

“That bad?”
Neji asked when Gaaras frown only deepened.

“It wasn't a
date.” The red head shook himself and lengthened his stride to
out pace the man.

Neji only smirked
and walked faster.

“What did
you talk about then?” Neji continued.

He thought about
it. They'd discussed that children's story of Sasukes' and his
family dynamic, Sakura and her daughter, the difference in climate
between the desert and Konoha, the chuunin exams, her teammates and
their relationship with Naruto Uzumaki, and a number of other
insignificant topics. Gaara stopped in the middle of the road and
stared, wide eyed, at the street before him.

“Great
Kazekage! It was a date!”

Neji started to
laugh while Gaara groaned and press his thumb and forefinger between
hi eyes.

“Stop
laughing, this isn't funny!”

“Oh, but I
think it is.” Neji gripped his shoulder and gave him a push to
get him moving.

“She's 15.
Little more than a child.”

“She's of
age and most likely tricked you. You have to watch out for her.
She's a fine kunoichi and more than capable of taking down her
target. Regardless of what or who the target is.”

“So you're
saying she set this up?” Gaara lifted his head to the taller
man.

“I'm sure
she was asked to tell you about your appointment. I'm sure she was
even asked to explain the details to you.” Neji narrowed his
eyes as an evil smiled tipped his lips. “But no one has ever
been given a personal guide for the exams unless they were a
dignitary or liaison.”

“Maybe I'm
still being treated as a foreigner.” Gaara stated hopefully.

Neji turned away
with a shrug. “Possible.” He didn't say unlikely. The
poor guy wasn't taking this well. “Is she so bad?”

“She's too
young.” Gaara stated frankly. “I'm nearly 20 and she's
only 15. I'm well aware she's of age but it just feels wrong
somehow.”

“Is it the
age, the distance between ages or the fact that you don't date that
bothers you... wait, what do you mean you're nearly 20?” Neji
turned his now frowning face on the man attempting not to mope next
to him.

“I turn 20
next month. And it's not the difference in age. It's the difference
in maturity. If she were 16 it wouldn't be so bad. She talks a lot
but is an excellent story teller.” He mused.

Neji shook his
head. “We all thought you were younger. And whats the
difference between 15 and 16. One year as a teen isn't much
different than another.”

“The
differences are not just physical, their mental. A person grows a
lot in that one year.” Gaara blinked a few times before
looking back at Neji. “Why would you think I was younger?”

Neji
shook his head at the shorter, more delicate featured, red head,
debated telling the truth for a moment then looked back toward the
road. “I haven't a clue. And you're thinking in terms of men
not women as far as age. Men mature more slowly than women. At
fifteen she's a lot more mature than you
were at that age.”

Gaara was silent
for a moment as they walked. “I notice you didn't include
yourself in that 'you'.”

“Why would
I?”

Gaara considered
arguing the point. He really did. But it seemed a waste of breath
and he wasn't one to waste energy on inane things.

“Alright.
So you're saying I'm over exaggerating the age issue and since I've
already been conned into one date I should just keep going with it?”
Gaara raised a brow then shook his head. “I don't think so.
I'll simply talk to her at our next meeting then speak with the
Hokage about the situation and the exams and...”

“Humiliate
her in front of her superiors and peers, not to mention breaking her
rather impressionable heart.”

“If she were
not so young she wouldn't be so impressionable.”

Neji whistled as
they stepped inside the academy grounds and rubbed his forehead
protector absently.

“Wow. With
an attitude like that, you could have been a Hyuuga.”

Gaara stalled at
the doors. Neji simply walked inside, leaving the stunned shinobi
behind.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Sakura tipped the
water can until a sprinkle landed on the cluster of flowers around
the large headstone. This was the last one and the hardest since so
many different flowers grew here. And so many weeds. A light breeze
tossed her hair and she lifted a grubby gloved hand to push it out of
her face.

“What's up,
Forehead? Need any help?”

Sakura looked back
to see Ino moving along the rows of headstones toward her. The blond
looked a little frazzled but in good spirits. She smiled at her
long time friend and rival and patted the ground beside her.

“Have a
seat, Pig. I could use some help with these weeds. I have no idea
why so many of them grow here.”

Ino dropped cross
legged to the ground and pulled a linen out of her pocket.

“You've got
something right here.”

Ino slapped her
hand to her own forehead and handed Sakura the linen. The pink
haired woman rolled her eyes and wiped the smudge from her face then
threw the scrap of cloth back at her friend.

“What's got
you smiling so hard today?”

Ino only grinned
wider. “Sasukes twins are here. I assisted this morning and
just got done. Damn but that woman can scream.”

Sakura simply
nodded.

“It was two
girls, not one of each like they were told. I think Tsunade would
have ripped through the medic contingent if Sasuke hadn't been so
happy about it.” Ino shifted for a more comfortable seat
watching Sakura put a little more effort than was needed into pulling
up a small patch of weeds.

“Less talk.
More weeding.” The pink haired medic grunted.

“But you
know the only reason I come here is to talk. And to steal easy jobs
from the pitiful little genin. It's always fun to take their jobs
when I'm too lazy to do anything harder. Shikamaru had the right
idea all along. We should have been listening.”

Again, Sakura
rolled her eyes.

Ino sighed, “You
know, you don't have to do this. Ebisus group are in the tower right
now bemoaning the fact that we do this job for them.” She
watched as Sakura lowered her hand to a bundle of weeds and gripped
the root, a sad smile on her face.

“A shame no
one wanted to spend that much time with him when he was alive.”
She yanked on the plant and it pulled from the ground with a harsh
ripping sound.

“You know
that isn't entirely true. A lot of people respected and cared for
him a great deal.” Ino started in on another set of weeds.

“It wasn't
enough. He fought for them, for this village, for years and they
never gave him credit for the accomplishment. Sure the shinobi were
always encouraging and supportive, even protective, but they were
still wary. Especially after he opened the last seal. But the
elders, the villagers... He was their Hokage! For one year he held
his dream in his hand and this village in his heart and arms...”
Tears gathered in her eyes and she tried to hold them back. He'd
always told her she cried too easily. Damn him for being right.

“Sakura...”

“He had to
die for them to appreciate just who he was and what they meant to
him.” She swiped at the tears on her face and smudged more
dirt on her cheeks. “Do you know, I still hear some of them
whispering. Even now, with a peace gained by the blood of so many of
our friends, they still whisper and accuse.”

Ino sighed and
dropped on her back in the flowers. So many grew on Naruto Uzumaki's
grave they'd simply given up pulling them and now weeded the patch
instead. In the sky the clouds passed by unhindered by the trials of
life. Shikamaru really did have it right. For just a little while
it would be so nice to be a cloud.

“You know
the crowd is fickle and more prone to gossip than truth. If it
sounds juicy or off color they'll take it over something good any
day. The people who count know who he was and what this village
meant to him. We are not ashamed. And it's because we protect his
memory that the gossips can only whisper in corners.” She
reached out a hand to her friend and rubbed the goose bumps from her
skin. “Go home and spend a little time with Tsunade. She
misses her mommy when she's not there. I'll go tell those poor genin
this job is theirs. They'll be thrilled! They may even do Kiba, Lee
and Akamarus over again just for the honor!”

Sakura sniffed
then laughed softly. “Alright. You win... this time.”

“Yes! And
Yamanaka wins again!” Ino pumped a fist in the air then sat up
and helped Sakura, who was yet again rolling her eyes, collect her
tools. “And besides. I have to tell you the latest gossip
about Gaara.”

Sakura groaned.
“At least it can't be nearly as bad as the bath house show.”

Ino pulled a face
and tapped her index fingers together. “Weeeeeell... That all
depends on what you consider bad.”

0.0.0.0.0.0

Knock, Knock,
Knock

“Shiga? You home?”

A man with one smiling eye and sand brown hair looked down at the
Suna station guard.

“Yes. I am.”

“Oh, sorry man.” The guard took in the gray tunic and
loose pants most sand shinobi worn in their homes and the Icha Icha
book that most didn't. “Sorry I had to interrupt your
afternoon but you got a call from the tower.”

“Oh? Well, then...” He put the book on a small table by
the door. “I'll go and get ready”

When the guard didn't leave, Shiga raised a brow.

“I'm sorry, but my orders were to wait and escort you up
personally.”

Shiga nodded, “Then do come in.” He opened the door and
called to his wife. “We have company!”

The guard stepped inside and stood at the entrance. A young woman
with soft blue hair and a soft, round face peeked around the corner
from the kitchen.

“Would you like something to drink?” She asked with a
sweet smile.

“Oh, no thank you, ma'am.”

“Then I'll leave you to your work.” And she disappeared
around the corner once more pulling at her sleeve to hide the dragon
tattoo on her left wrist.

Moments later the two men stepped from the small house and started
down the quiet road.

“I can't believe your wife really lets you read that crap.”
The man pointed at the book now tucked in Shigas vest pocket.

“It's not crap. It's popular literature and very riveting.
And my wife is very flexible.”

“Sure wish mine was that flexible.”

Shiga smiled.

0.0.0.0.0.0

The room was quiet. Takako lay sleeping in the bed against the far
wall while Sasuke sat rocking two pink bundles. Lady Tsunade stood
quietly in the doorway, not wanting to disturb the rare moment as the
former missing-nin stared awestruck at his new baby daughters. Yawns
and soft clicks came from the two blankets and at each one a tiny
crinkle would show around the mouth of his otherwise perfectly smooth
face. It always gave the Hokage pleasure to see a father who truly
loved his children. Even more so to see a man, who'd cared about
nothing but power and revenge, humbled at the site of his daughters.

“Are you going to stand in the door all day?” Sasuke's
smooth voice rolled softly through the room.

Tsunade gave a derisive “un” before closing the door
quietly behind her. “You're going to wake your wife.”
She pointed out.

“Not a chance. I knocked her out myself.”

The blond narrowed her eyes and moved to stand over the contented
Uchiha. He simply looked back at her. No remorse showing on his
face.

“I thought I told you to stop using your sharingan on my
patients.”

“She asked. Apparently the pain was just too great.”
His voice sounded only a little disgusted. “Besides. I wanted
a little time for myself.” He turned his attention back to the
little girls in his arms.

Tsunade shook her head not truly angry over Takako. She'd have
probably asked him to do it herself if it wouldn't cause such stress
to his eyes, though it might have been worth it to shut her up.

“Her family will be here by nightfall.” Sasuke
continued. “I'll be too deep in political protocol and host
duties to spend any time with them for the next three days.”

“So tell them to go home. You hate them anyway.” She
pointed behind her at the prone woman on the bed. “And you can
send her back with them.”

She was graced with one of his stunning smiles. The one that showed
just a hint of his perfect white teeth. Yeah, he was an ass but an
honest one.

“Do you have their names?” She pointed to the twins in
his arms pretty sure he had at least one chosen. The children were
suppose to be one boy and one girl. She needed to have a talk with
her medic about the mistake.

“No. I don't. I honestly hadn't expected this.”

The child in his right arm reached up and touched the tip of his nose
with her fingers. Tsunade watched his eyes shine with an all too
familiar light. She'd not seen that light in a long time. She felt
the change in air pressure before the door opened a crack.

“I'm sorry. Am I interrupting?” A softly lulling male
voice called from just behind the glass.

Tsunade looked up and waved a hand for the man to enter. Nearly as
tall as Kakashi though not as thin his sandy blond hair danced in
fly-away spikes over and around his headband. When Sasuke looked up
from his charges into the faded baby blue eyes of his lover and
smiled softly, she wondered for the thousandth time where this man
had come from and thanked him for his perfect timing.

“I'll
leave you to them. Let the desk know if you need anything.”
Before either could utter a thank you she narrowed her eyes and
gritted her teeth. “And you may not
put
your wife under again with the sharingan. If she needs medical
attention or a good swift kick in the ass, call the desk.”

Sasuke stared her down but relented when his friend lay a comforting
hand on his arm and reminded him not to waste time. Tsunade nodded
and walked into the hall, looking back in time to see the blond bend
to the new father and place a gentle kiss to the top of his dark
head.

“Is she still sleeping?”

The Hokage cut her eyes to the elder of Sasukes wives and nodded
before closing the door completely.

“She'll be out for a little while longer, thanks to your
husband.” Izanami tipped up the corner of one lip and Tsunade
grunted. “Kouhei is with him now. They were both girls.”

The young woman actually looked shocked then very, very pleased.

“Two girls? Really?! That's... wonderful!” She smiled
broadly then looked at the door. “I have to go and tell the
boys. Naruto and Hiro will be so pleased!” She looked to the
door again.

“I'll let him know you were here.” Tsunade sighed.

Izanami took a moment to regain her composure then bowed. “Thank
you.”

“No problem.” The dark haired girl turned quickly back
the way she'd come but stopped as Tsunade called back to her.
“Izanami-kun? I've requested you for one weeks overnight duty
next month. I understand your pregnant and this may be a problem for
you...”

Izanami shook her head and stood straight before the Hokage. “No,
Hokage-sama. It will be no trouble. I'm honored you chose me.”

“Oh, it wasn't me. You can thank Sakura Haruno for it.”
The girl looked surprised making Tsunade grin. “She may not
like you but she knows talent when she sees it. I look forward to
testing you myself.”

Izanami drew in a deep breath and looked boldly to the older woman.
“I look forward to the challenge, Hokage-sama.”

0.0.0.0.0.0

“So you think Suna's bringing in their genin too, huh?”
Shikamaru propped his feet on the desk in front of him and looked at
the two men standing before it.

Gaara had told him about his appointment, and a considerable amount
about what happened in Suna. None of it had been terribly pleasant
news. In fact, much of it was disturbing at best. And he agreed
with the red head. Something more was going on than the little he'd
been told. It hadn't skipped his notice that quite a few of the
village shinobi hadn't been seen in more than a month.

“Yes. And I have no doubt bringing the genin is not all they
are doing. They infiltrated the village months, maybe even a year
before they took over. They don't mind taking their time and laying
ground work. If they know I'm here...”

Shikamaru frowned. “If they're as meticulous as you've said,
they've most likely already lay out some ground work here. The
chuunin exams may be a scout mission.”

“Or a chance to drop a plant in unnoticed.” Neji
offered.

Shikamaru nodded his agreement. “I'm sure the Hokage has
already considered all of this. But why wouldn't she explain it to
you?”

“That's what we hoped you'd help us find out?” Neji
dropped a bottle of very fine Sake on the desk. Shikamaru whistled
low.

“Nice bribe.” The shadow wielder picked up the bottle
and turned it in his hands.

“We aim to please.” Neji leaned a hip against the desk
as Gaara turned to stare out of the classroom windows.

“I would have gone back the day I was able to walk if not for
the threat I was given before they dropped me to die in the woods.
The people of Suna have suffered enough, whether because of their
ignorance or my inattention, they do not deserve to suffer more.”
Gaara looked from the window back to the two men now watching him.
“But I do remember the faces of the men who betrayed us all and
I still want my brother back.”

Shikamaru nodded but kept eye contact. “You have to realize he
might be dead by now.”

“He's not dead.” Gaara stated simply and looked back to
the window. Kurenai was now on the grounds with several children.
He recognized three as Tsunade, Naruto and Hiro. He didn't recognize
the other two.

“What is it you hope to accomplish?” Shikamaru stood and
walked from behind the desk.

“What I want and what I will gain are two very different
things. I've already lost one home. I will not lose another. I'm
willing to give the Hokage and this village any support they need but
I will not be kept in the dark.”

“The council won't go for sharing information.” Neji
interjected solemnly.

“No they won't. But I have a feeling the council may be in the
dark about a few things.” Shikamaru lifted the books from his
desk as he mused. “I'll get up with you at the end of the
week. We'll discuss what I find out before we get very very drunk.”

Gaara smiled as the children chased one another around a tree then
drop in a large pile on top of Naruto. “I don't drink.”

“You do now.” The shadow ninja smirked and walked out of
the door.

Neji pushed away from the desk and walked to stand beside his solemn
teammate. He saw the children now running along the short wall as
Kurenai tried to calm an overly emotional Tadao.

“I'm not sure I trust him.”

Neji looked back to Gaara as the man spoke softly to the window in
front of him.

“Temari always told me 'If you can't trust anyone else, you can
trust that Nara brat.' But I've trusted so many people and been let
down so many times.”

“Do you trust your sister?” Neji reached up to rest a
hand on Gaara shoulder. When the red head didn't pull away he let it
rest there.

“She saved me. I don't know how but I know she saved me. I
keep having this dream. She's screaming for me to help her and she's
frightened but I know it's not right. She wasn't screaming when they
executed her. She spat in the swordsman's face right before he...
Kankuro was so still. I know he could hear but he was just so
still.” Neji squeezed his shoulder. “I was screaming.
I couldn't control the sand. I couldn't even walk on my own. I'd
been beaten and cut for hours before they dragged me to watch. I
can't remember ever being that frightened before. Not since I was a
child.”

“Shikamaru will find what you're looking for. And if you want
to go back and find your brother we will go with you.”

Gaara turned to look at the tall man standing next to him. A man he
now called friend.

“I have tried to see this with a shinobi's eyes. I have tried
not to care. I can't.”

Nejis smile was small and soft and made his pale eyes glow. “If
you could, you wouldn't be human.”

0.0.0.0.0.0

Kankuro heard the rattle of the keys, the rusty hinges open and
close, the soft brush of boots on dusty stones. He tense, ready for
the pain. There was quiet and a small rustling of clothes before a
soft blue light penetrated his lids. He crack his eyes open to watch
that light spill into the room and felt the genjutsu take affect then
a figure moved into his line of site.

“Kankuro.” The voice was low and feminine.

He had to swallow twice before he could speak.

“You don't have to use genjutsu here. They like to hear me
scream.” He snarked with a wizened voice.

The woman chuckled low then sat next to him on the bed. The movement
hurt and he gritted his teeth to keep the pain sound in. The blue
light shifted into green and Kankuro looked down to see the tattoo of
a dragon softly glowing on the womans left wrist. A memory tickled
at his thought and he concentrated to catch it but all he could
gather was that this person was to be trusted.

“The
genjutsu is to make them think you are
being tortured.” She lifted a hand to his face and he flinched
back. “I'm going to heal you as much as I can. We have one
month to have you ready to move. In your current condition travel
isn't possible.”

The puppeteer looked back toward the cell doors.

“All they hear are your pained screams. When they see you next
you will look like a man tortured to the brink. This seal...”
she pointed to the dragon on her wrist. “will fade as the
jutsus stored inside are used.”

Kankuro swallowed and looked over the womans blue hair and lovely
face. The brown shinobi clothing didn't do justice to his savior.

“What do I do?”

She smiled and he relaxed, letting her touch his tender face.

“The bruises will stay for now. I'm going to take care of the
more serious injuries. You only need to be still and let the healing
work.”

He sighed and relaxed a little more as the healing jutsu filtered
into his system and eased some of the pain.

“They'll only recreate the damage.” He whispered

“Leave that to me.”

He nodded, his eyes growing heavy as his muscles relaxed.

“Where's Gaara?” His abused voice slurred.

“He's safe. Sleep now.”

His body heeded her words almost instantly.

Outside the cell the guards turned to laugh and call out to the ninja
they'd just let into the cell as another blood curdling scream rent
the air.

“Hey! Don't kill him! The boss wants him alive!”

“That woman sure does love her work.”

“Maybe next time she'll let us watch.”

The
screaming grew louder and both men looked at one another before
falling once more into gales of laughter.
- 12
- 13
- 14
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Sand in the Leaves