(Discontinued until further notice) Naruto: The Truth Beneath the Surface

Chapter 41: Dumbass Ducks

I wrote this while on a plane heading to Seattle. I was running on two hours of sleep and had just been on a plane earlier heading from Alabama to Atlanta. Part of me demands you like this chapter because I put effort in it and the other part of me hopes  you like it because it shows my dedication.

Whatever, enjoy.

-- Yuki <3

--

"We must discuss the Chunin Exams," Hiruzen spoke, looking at the Jounin gathered in his office. 

Yuki was the first to pipe up, "Wait, that's still a thing?"

"Of course it is," Senji snorted, sneering at him. "It's a wonder you ever passed your exam."

The raven-blonde rolled his eyes, "I didn't take the exam, dumbass. The Kazekage requested I get promoted."

"It's true," Asuma nodded. "Yuki beat some ninja that were planning to assassinate the Kazekage half to death."

Yuki leaned over to whisper to Kakashi, "I wonder how everyone would react if they knew I only attacked those guys because they made me drop my popsicle."

Kakashi had to hide his face in his boyfriend's shoulder as he shook with laughter. He could feel Senji's glare at his back but he could also sense Yuki sending his own with full-force at the white-haired bastard.

"I have spoken with the other Kages," Sarutobi spoke again, eyes shining with amusement. "The Chunin Exams will be held here in Konoha in three weeks."

"Oh," Kurenai looked at the other sensei, her eyes asking the one question on their minds: Were the kids ready?

"Wonderful!" The Kaka-Yuki Duo exclaimed at the same time, clapping their hands once. They were scarily in sync, "That gives us enough time to train the kids!"

The other sensei paled. If they were training them (mainly Yuki), they feared the children wouldn't live to participate in the Chunin Exams.

"Ah, yes, that reminds me," The Hokage said. "Due to your return- and I must say "welcome back" officially, Yukimoto-san,- Team Seven is down one member. However, I am still searching for a replacement."

Yuki's eyes widened as the news hit, "Shit."

--

"You don't understand!" The raven-blonde paced the apartment, running a hand through his hair, "If we don't find another kid for the Exams in three weeks, Team Seven can't participate. I know Sasuke isn't a Hyuuga with their "fate fate" shit but he is an Uchiha. If he doesn't fight, that's like us telling him he's not good enough and if he feels he's not good enough, he'll find someone to make him good enough. Outside of the village. If that happens, he'll be marked as a Missing Nin and the Old Man is going to send me to find him and, by then, the orders would be to kill and I can't- I can't do that! I can't-"

"Yu-chan!" Kakashi grabbed his boyfriend's hands, pulling him close, "Yu-chan, breathe. I won't let that happen. We'll find someone. Sasuke won't be a Missing Nin. Okay?"

Yuki released a shaky breath, resting his head on the Hatake's chest, "Okay... Okay."

"Speaking of Sasuke, though,  we still have to give the boys their scarves."

Yuki mumbled something.

"No, you can't choke Sasuke with his."

"But he caused me so much stress."

"Alright, maybe a little. Do you know where they might be?'

"Probably Shika's place. They're researching the last seal."

"Oh, yeah," Kakashi lightly brushed over when it was located with his fingertips. "I thought it blocked part of your personality. Why are they researching it more?"

"It does, or at least we thought it did. Shika sketched the seal for me and it looks like it does the opposite. It has the Kanji for body and soul."

"What does that mean?"

Yuki looked up, biting his lip in frustration, "I don't know."

-- 

Shikamaru and Sasuke were sitting in the Nara's room when they heard voices from the front/

"I'm hooooommmmeeee~!"

"That's Yuki-san," Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows. "What is he doing here?"

"Two possible reasons," Shikamaru spoke in complete seriousness. "One, he's hungry and too lazy to cook. Or two, he's here to kill one of us."

"Accurate," Kakashi nodded, standing at the doorway of the room.

"Ack-!" Sasuke was suddenly tackled by Yuki, who seemed to be mumbling something like "fate fate" and "dumbass ducks" as he proceeded to choke the last Uchiha with a scarf.

Shikamaru just turned to the silver-haired Jounin, internally thankful he wasn't the target today, "What are you guys doing here?"

"We picked up knitting for some reason," Kakashi gestured to his scarf and Yuki's beanie that Shikamaru just noticed. "And we made you guys a scarf."

"Oh, thanks," The Nara grabbed the item, studying it. It was a dark brown with some specks of white scattered around and was super soft. He wrapped it around his neck and sighed in contentment. Nice and toasty. "Who made this one? It's awesome."

"Yuki did."

Shikamaru looked at the Jounin still choking the Uchiha before turning back to the Hatake, "Really?"

"I know. I should probably stop him. I don't think Sasuke's face is supposed to turn that color."

--

Sasuke practically purred as he snuggled into his scarf (once he wasn't being choke with it). It was dark blue with the Uchiha symbol added at the ends like little pom poms. "Thanks, Kakashi."

The man gave an eye smile, ruffling the kid's hair, "No problem, Kiddo."

"Hey, Shika, what's Yoshino cooking?" Yuki asked, sprawled on the floor, flipping through a picture book.

"I don't know, why don't you ask her?"

"'Cause she doesn't know we're here."

"Troublesome. She'll probably kill you."

"Yeah, probably."

Kakashi snorted, "Sometimes, I think you have zero self-preservation instincts."

"I really don't," Yuki nodded, looking proud of himself for some reason. "By the way, Yoshino's home. She seems angry."

"What?!" The Nara scrambled to get up, hurrying to the front.

Yuki had always been freakishly good at sensing emotions- especially anger. Kakashi knew it was because of Kurama.

Sasuke turned to the Jounin, "So, Yuki-"

Yuki smacked him in the face with a magazine, "Shut up, I'm pissed."