The Long Awaited Duel

The First Time or 20 Q's with Tsunade

He sensed her the moment she walked into the bar and thanked his training, the extent to which she was suppressing her signature she could have gotten past his abilities before Jiraiya and he left on their trip. It was difficult to manage the sense of excitement coursing through his body, as if hit with a surplus of new energy that needed to be used, expressed. Instead, he stayed where he was, nursing his drink. He couldn't even remember what it was, the barkeep had recommended it but it was little more than a distraction. Naruto had to admit, that for an out of the way place, it was decorated quite nicely. Not too bright, nor too dark. Plenty of private tables, even the bar has an impeccable wood finish. It was as he was trying to distract himself with the design of the bar that he felt her chakra invade his system. He had to fight his natural impulse to reject the intrusion, his curiosity outweighing sound decision making so instead he concentrated on the flow of his chakra, making sure the foreign presence wouldn't be disrupted but couldn't fully take hold. From one point of his body to the next, he felt his chakra flow increase slightly above its natural resting state.

She took the seat beside him and greeted him with a smile. It momentarily threw him off, how much she looked like an older Haku, if the kimono and the hair bun are similar. He'd compliment her on her sources if it wouldn't ruin the game. The two make small talk, nursing their drinks. Naruto says his name is Hiru and claims to be a writer. Itachi says her name is Miko and is in talent acquisition. Eventually the drinks start being consumed a little faster, the lies become a little closer to the truth. He finds the back and forth exhilarating while simultaneously damning its necessity. They talk the night away until Miko states she has to turn in for the night, then requests if Hiru would mind walking her back to her room, for safety. He hesitates for only a moment, liquor and hope overriding initial concerns of a delayed setup but he extends his sensory range just to be sure. He may be a little too drunk to fight but he isn't too drunk to flee.

The walk back to her Inn was mostly quiet, with her arms wrapped around his. There is a part of him, a part he rarely indulges that laments that this can't be a regular occurrence, wishing his life wasn't so antithetical to normalcy. He dutifully escorts her to her room, fully expecting this to be it until he hears her say, "Would you like to come in?".

Most of him screamed "NO!". Not just his shinobi instincts but the little part of self-awareness his drunken mind has held onto realizes if this goes where he thinks it could that would be utterly embarrassing. He doesn't know what to do with a woman, well he has some idea thanks to Jiraiya but he'd be entirely too nervous to even remotely pull that stuff off. This is Itachi, despite what people say you're first time shouldn't be with the one you love. That's like your first shinobi battle being with a freaking Kage. You got to get some experience under your belt, perfect your moves. While much of Naruto was slipping into an uncharacteristic bout of crippling insecurity another part of him spoke up,

"You got this." That voice that let him stare down Zabuza, that let him beat Gaara and challenge Tsunade. Oh, confident Naruto was in the building. And he seemed to be supercharged by the liquor in his system because he was sounding extra smooth and commanding tonight; like it wanted to sell him some Colt 45 in Cloud City smooth. "Just take it slow and let the night goes where it goes. Besides, this won't be the first time you tussled with an S-Rank kunoichi." He listened to that voice.

Naruto gave a response, one he still isn't sure about but it was in the affirmative and he'd hope it was cool. Itachi wasted no time once the door was shut, kissing him aggressively and he returning her gesture with equal fervor. It escalated from there, Naruto's unnatural belief in himself, high stamina and undesired lectures from Jiraiya making up for his lack of experience.

Even while wrapped up in their activities he couldn't help note the bittersweetness of it all. How he longed to see her face and hear her real voice, to not have to do this behind a hastily crafted fiction. Was it really too much to ask that he be granted a moment of happiness with no strings attached? He supposed it was since it never happened, every benefit came with a cost. Hearing her moan and the feel of her breath on his neck sent a chill down his spine, the rest of it was almost too much to even comprehend. They fell asleep in each other's arms both silently thankful for the moment they got to share. She was gone by morning with no trace she had been there the night previous. In the quiet of the morning Naruto was able to think.