AN: [IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ]
First off, about the slow updates - I'm trying my best to write, but unfortunately, inspiration is slow in coming. When it does, I will do my best to update!
Also, I know many of you are slightly upset with the short chapters - believe me they're a challenge to write as well, considering it is not my usual style. This is specifically why I have chosen to do it - provide a challenge for myself - please respect that.
Finally, I'd like to say this - every chapter is important! There are plenty of plot points there, in each chapter! They all go through a very thorough editing to make sure it isn't full of pointless ramblings, so feel free to exercise you mind and come up with theories of where the fic is going!
Thanks for reading! Enjoy~
***
It had been quiet. A peaceful afternoon, idly passing by. Sasuke reveled these moments; all he had to do was silently keep watch over Kaori as she lounged in her private rooms. This particular day, the expecting mother had been browsing through a book, humming a soft tune under her breath, when she abruptly stilled.
Sasuke blinked at the complete cessation of her movements, wondering if she'd sensed something. A quick sweep of the area with his senses revealed nothing. He was about to pass it off as the woman's imagination –
"Hikari," The pregnant woman gasped suddenly, clutching at her stomach, "Hikari!"
'Oh no,' Sasuke glanced about, looking for Kaori's personal attendant – hadn't she just come by with a jug of water?
Kaori bit her lip, pulling in a scream just before it could escape, "Hikari!"
Sasuke cursed. How irresponsible! Where the hell was that maid? He watched silently as Kaori heaved, breathing heavily through her pain. He wavered, what should he do? His job was to remain still, silent and watchful. Nothing was ever planned for such a situation! Sasuke watched as panic splayed across the woman's face, lines around her mouth tightening as pain rippled through her body.
Kaori staggred to her feet, determined to get help if it would not come to her. Every couple of steps, she paused. The ninja watched carefully, as she made her way to the door.
Small steps.
Little steps.
Sasuke swallowed uneasily.
Her face contracted and she screamed.
"Argh! Hika-Hikari!"
Dammit! Sasuke was not equipped to deal with this. He was a shinobi, not a nurse! What was even going on? Was she going into labour? They'd prepared a signal for that, but he'd rather be sure before alerting the entire squad.
"Help!" Kaori moaned, "Someone, anyone...Hikari?"
Where the hell were the servants? But Sasuke didn't get to think any further. A sudden jolt and Kaori's hand went to her back, mind dizzy as the world spun. In an instant, without thinking twice, Sasuke flickered to her side, facing away from her as she automatically clutched at his shoulder for support. Her knees buckled and the raven gracefully knelt along with her, politely not looking as he tried to regain her breath.
Rapid footsteps sounded down the hallway. Sasuke repressed a wince at the grip Kaori kept on his shoulder, thankful that someone had finally heard. Kaori shouted once more and the door flung open.
"Kaori-sama!"
Sasuke's eyes widened. It was Naruto!
***
Two hours later, when everything had calmed down, Naruto finally stepped away from the bed. Kaori was resting, the false-contractions having subsided. Sasuke was pleased to know that there were no problems, and the situation was not out of the ordinary for pregnant women. Hikari had rushed in only moments after Naruto, but had stepped back to allow the blonde to take charge, instead looking over Junichiro-sama since he'd come in with the maid during the emergency.
"I'll take Junichiro-sama to his room, Naruto," Hikari said, "You've got experience with this and Shuichiro-sama would prefer his wife to be under your care at such a time."
Naruto nodded, not protesting. It was after they'd left, she turned to the corner, where Sasuke leaned against the wall in plain sight, not bothering to go back into the shadows in case they needed an extra hand.
"Hey, thanks!" Naruto beamed, "It was so lucky you were there, really! And just in time to help Kaori-sama! I'm glad you were there today, I mean, it wasn't your job to, but you still helped so, yeah –"
Sasuke smirked, "You're rambling."
"Oh geez! I totally am, aren't I?" She gave a small embarrassed laugh.
This wasn't how Sasuke had expected his day to go, but somehow, talking to Naruto made things different. More real, personal. The moment she'd rushed in, taking stock of the situation, ordering him around as they both tried to calm Kaori-san and help her relax...she'd stopped being 'the spy' or a target to keep an eye on. She seemed human. More...solid. Present.
"I'm Naruto!"
A bright grin was directed his way. Sasuke knew that if he hadn't ever known of her before, if this had been their first meeting, he'd only have thought of her as the kind and helpful maid. One with a cheerful personality and infectious smiles.
"Sasuke."
And that was what made her so dangerous.
***
Things didn't change after Sasuke first talked with the blonde maid. Not drastically. But in a way, it already had.
A not very well known fact, that Sasuke himself realised after overhearing a few guards talking, was that the married staff did not reside in the servant quarters near the basement. No, quite like the shinobi, they'd too been given an entire complex; however, unlike the ninja forces, nearer to the mansion than farther.
This explained why he'd never seen Naruto inside the palace after hours – she was not supposed to be there. Sasuke had taken note of the small building on his first tour 'round the place, but quickly dismissed it, assuming it was where the night guards rested when he saw a couple of men sleeping in the daytime.
Sasuke would have cursed his oversight, but he couldn't blamed entirely. After all, a month ago, he'd had no reason to know that Naruto was married! All in all, for a servant's residence, it was rather well maintained. A canopy of trees surrounded the place and it was in running distance to one of the backdoors of the main mansion.
Which was why Sasuke found himself occupying a branch of a tree, whose boughs conveniently spread out over a second floor balcony. It was wonderful place to keep an eye from. He could perfectly see anyone entering the house and at the same time, was totally unseen to those who might chance a look above. The entire purpose of this was to gather information about the blonde, naturally. What he'd not anticipated was the nature of the information.
It started innocently. Naruto returned back to the quarters late afternoon and Sasuke surmised that she might have forgotten something – there was no one else in the quarters and he doubted she'd come to exchange information or anything of the sort at such a time.
Surprisingly, the blonde had stayed put for nearly half an hour, doing absolutely nothing. All she had done was stand under the trees, a little away from the one Sasuke was perched upon, and wait. Whoever she was waiting for, Sasuke was beginning to think, had stood her up.
But no, another half hour passed. And someone did arrive.
The person was cloaked and it drew the teen's suspicions, but Sasuke relaxed when he realised it was not a ninja. A man, by his way of walking and a quick look under the Sharingan proved that it was a civilian.
"Hey, Naruto. I'm sorry for calling you out so suddenly." The figure reached out towards her, but the blonde did not reply and moved out of his reach. This had him hesitating.
Sasuke sat up in interest – what was the nature of their relationship exactly? The tone, posture, words...he had an inkling, but waited for confirmation before he'd voice it out to himself.
"And, I – I apologise for keeping you waiting."
'A formal speech pattern, not used to owing up to his mistakes,' Sasuke furrowed his brows, 'All point towards a high-class upbringing. Yet, this man is here, secretly meeting with a maid?'
"Hmpf! No need for your sorries and all," Naruto scoffed, "I'm used to it. Kept waiting."
A sigh of breath, "Listen, Naruto, I –"
"Leave it!" She raised a hand, "Did anyone see you coming?"
The man swept a look around them, denying the claim. Sasuke subtly moved back, allowing the leaves to give him cover.
"See, I – I just returned, and I heard you accepted – I mean, you came..."
"Jut get to the point already."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow. That was not how Naruto usually talked; so short and clipped. Annoyed.
"You want me to get to the point?" The man snapped suddenly, throwing off his hood, "Well, I shall get to the point! Why come? Why come at all, if it was as a wife to a kitchen staff!"
'What? This was getting random. Come? To the palace? The way he speaks, it is as if Naruto came here on his bidding. Besides,' Sasuke narrowed his eyes, 'that face is familiar, but I don't recognise it very well...'
"I don't see what the problem is. You're concerned about the marriage?" Naruto asked.
"Yes! If only you were not wed –"
"Excuse you! You're engaged! You've got no right to tell me anything –"
"What about us then?"
"–when you've already given up!"
"You're the one who gave up!"
'Well,' Sasuke thought dryly as their voices slowly rose, 'I was right. They definitely used to be a couple.'
"Gave up?!" Naruto's next words came out as a screech and Sasuke cringed before straining his ears as the voice became low again, "Uzumaki Naruto doesn't give up! Never ever, ya hear? I didn't give up, I – I just washed my hands off you! Yeah! "
"Naruto – don't say that..." the person implored, finally placing a hand on her shoulder "And you're here...that means something, right?"
"No."
"Please...!"
"Stop it! You're engaged and we both know you are never gonna tell your father about me –"
"I would have! I would have! You're the one who pulled away...married, of all things!"
Naruto snorted. It was not a pleasant sound, "No – you say that now. But I know what I would have ended up as – your mistress on the side, while you hitched up with the woman your father picked out. After all, no noble would ever accept a penniless, orphan girl as your wife, would they? Especially – what do they say? Oh yeah – one as uncultured as me!"
'Son of a nobleman, I was right,' Sasuke noted, trying to detach himself from the conversation playing out. This was not something he'd ever imagined to stumble across. He had no sympathy for either party, however, the relationship was clearly never going to work. But, at the same time, it didn't stop him from being curious about the man. 'Did I see him in the Daimyo's court?'
Naruto's hands found purchase on her hips as she leaned forward, towards the man, but the gesture was not intimate in the slightest. Her shoulders seemed to be trembling from an unnamed emotion. "You would have been shamed," she laughed mockingly, "and your position in society...dignity was not worth risking for me. Leave me alone – I am here at your request, I will help you, I have promised that. At least I never break my promises."
"Naruto...I don't plan on breaking mine – just give me a bit of time, just a bit –"
"No."
The man fell silent.
"Is it truly over for us?"
Surprisingly there was no reply. Sasuke wondered what it meant, but either way, one thing was clear. Mibuchi – or as she spoke of herself – Uzumaki Naruto, had more layers to her than he'd thought.
Sasuke quietly departed; he heard too much, more than he expected to. How much of it was play-acting and how much genuine? He didn't know. But it was something he wanted to find –
There! That flickering chakra! As if someone was trying to keep himself hidden, but slipped up every now and then. Sasuke didn't know when he'd activated the Sharingan. But he quickly made his way towards where he'd seen it. His feet led him to the gardens.
'Here? This place is deserted –'
"Hello."
Sasuke turned, surprised though he didn't show it. A pale skinned man with short dark hair stood before him, garden shears in his hand. Sasuke blinked, more than a little surprised at the physical similarities between them, but paid it no mind.
"Who are you?"
"Ah, I'm the new gardener." A bland smile played upon the man's lips, "My name is Sai."