Not you, too!

39: Gaara and the Doctor

Naruto was pacing the lower halls when Shizune approached him.
He hurried up the stairs to the office and burst through the doors without even knocking and startled the occupants.
“Naruto!” Tsunade yelled as he stopped and blushed in embarrassment.
“Sorry, Hime. I was so excited that Gaara and Choji were back.” He said, bringing more irritated color to the Hokage’s face. “Gaara! You are huge!” he blurted out.
“Uz-u-ma-ki!” Tsunade growled “First, I told you never to call me that. And Second, confine your lack of tact to your subordinates.”
“But, Tsunade. Don’t you see it? He’s way bigger than Neji. Now many babies are you having, Gaara?” he added.
Gaara hadn’t risen from his chair but he had also not managed to remove his staring eyes from the blond Jounin until the last statement from his friend caused his eyes to snap toward the Hokage.
“What is he talking about?” he asked the woman as she smiled his way.
“He’s an idiot.” Tsunade ventured, “with a very big mouth. Just because Sasuke is carrying twins doesn’t mean that everyone is, Naruto. Remember that this child is an Akimichi.” She said.
“Oh, so it’s just big because of Choji?” he asked.
“It could be,” Choji said, shrugging. “But my mother once told me I was a very small baby.”
“We are going to do some tests tomorrow. You and Sasuke should come, too. I need to see how those two are doing. If there are any complications.”
“Tsunade. We already told you we will keep them both somehow.” Naruto insisted, cutting her last comment off. “I’ll bring Sasuke but don’t start talking about that. It is too upsetting and then she spends the rest of the day eating takoyaki.” He finished.
“Fine, show Gaara to the guest suite and get the time from Shizune. I will see all of you tomorrow. Now out, please.” And she waved them off as she returned to the scroll Gaara had given her.
“Come on. She’s gone if she’s reading something medical.” Naruto said, helping Gaara to his feet. “Let’s go get you to your room. Isn’t Kankurou with you?”
“He will be back later. Most of our luggage is in Kuroari.” Gaara said following Choji to the door.
Naruto held it open as they passed nodding at the statement. “That must come in real handy. How long are you staying, anyway?”
Tsunade looked up as the door closed and sighed.
“Jiraiya.” She called and the white haired Sannin slid into the open window. “You heard?” she asked.
“Every word. So, what are you thinking, Tsunnie?” He queried.
“That no one has babies the old fashioned way any more.”
“Now, Tsunnie. There are plenty of people doing that. I have seen the playgrounds and nurseries of our village nearly bursting with the new generation. The losses we suffered twenty years ago are finally being replenished. And who better to give it a boost, than that young man? It’s like Kyuubi itself is returning for our loss.”
Tsunade stared up at her spouse, her eyes wide and her mouth open. Jiraiya looked back. “What?” he said, pouting.
“Nothing. I’ll just never get used to you waxing poetic. You’re right, of course. Now, Naruto is correct. Gaara is far too large for this stage. Either he is farther along or Shukaku has been up to something. Choji is correct, also. Akimichi babies are usually small. I remember Choza saying something about it and I will be looking that up to be sure. But, that doesn’t add up. So, after the test tomorrow I should know something. But, either way I wish they had come sooner.” She said with a sigh.
“You’ll handle it. We all trust you, Tsunnie.” He said pulling her to her feet.

Green vegetables are good for you. They help developing children’s get enough folic acid as well as provide essential fiber to aid a young mother through the rigors of her last few months. It is absolutely essential that a pregnant woman attempt to eat of these. At least, once a day.
The fact that they made Itachi gag not withstanding, greens were served at each and every meal in the Uzumaki/Uchiha house through out the course of the impending arrival.
“How can you eat this? It’s rabbit food.” He stated as he looked down at the plate before him.
“I don’t know. Naruto makes it taste pretty good. I never used to like beans.” Sasuke said moving the serving on her plate with the narrow end of her chopstick.
“I’m not that hungry. I’ll be back later.” Itachi said rising and leaving his plate behind.
“Where is he going?” Naruto asked as he came in carrying another serving platter with a new dish he had tried.
“Don’t know.” Sasuke said over the bite in her mouth. “What’s dis?” she said, spearing a piece from the platter.
“The recipe didn’t have a name. It’s made with squash.” Naruto explained as Sasuke dipped it into a bowl of green sauce and bit a large piece off the end.
“Not bad. Needs pepper.” She said, trying another sauce and swirling it around. Naruto watched and sighed.
“I should have just steamed it.” He said resignedly. “You only taste the Wasabi anyway.”
Just then, Aoi came in carrying Koibito. The boy was chewing on a Hitae-ate and drooling all over the man.
“I think he’s teething again.” Aoi said, placing the baby in the seat next to Naruto and dropping in front of the abandoned plate. “He was chewing on the end of a Kunai and I took it away. He could hurt someone, you know?”
“Yeah, I worry about that too.” Naruto said, as Koibito crawled up on his knees.
“Ga bo.” The baby blurted and Naruto Lifted him and held him before his face.
“Na-ru-to. Say it Bito. Say my name, Na-ru-to.” He spoke clearly and the baby waved the headband in his face.
“Di da.” He answered.
“Dobe. He isn’t going to say that at this age. He’s too young. Pushing him will confuse him.” Sasuke said, as she browsed the bowls for something more.
“Sasuke, don’t tell him that. He will get it. I know he will. He’s a smart boy. Aren’t you, Bito? Daddy’s special ninja.”
“Tookie.” The baby said and Naruto smiled.
“Yep, he’s a smart boy. If he can say cookie, he can say Na-ru-to.” And he reached for the ever-present plate and handed his son a treat.

Itachi strolled down the street and looked around. He had done a lot of walking in the village since his return and he had noticed something.
The people of the town had very definite opinions. And they were very vocal about them.
He had heard them scoff at his passing, knowing that he was branded a missing nin for so many years and not understanding, but he had ignored that. He had heard the comments about Naruto, the demon, the fears, and he had watched the blond ignore them, so he had also.
Then, he noticed something new.
The villagers were tooting a new horn these days. The horn of predjudice and it was directed at anyone who didn’t follow their strict rules of conduct.
It had begun just after Sasuke’s ‘mission’ began. The streets were a buzz about the traitor being given something so important that he would be gone a full year. There was speculation about him disappearing again, and this time he had supposedly dragged the Hyuuga prodigy with him.
They were full of this news for about a month and Itachi found it amusing at first, now he was irritated whenever he heard these comments.
He knew why Tsunade had wanted to keep the Jutsu babies a secret, he had agreed. But if these villagers only knew the lengths his brother was going to revive his clan, they would not be scoffing him, they would be praising him. And it grated on his nerves.
The worst part was when the same voices that had called him on his prior treachery were now hinting that they would wish his fatherhood on the children of their daughters or nieces. Itachi was annoyed to the point of mayhem and only his promise to his family and the dead that he had already been responsible for, kept him from lashing out.
He was determined to stop these forms of speculation and give the villagers something to really talk about.
A familiar voice was heard in a notable ramen stand and Itachi turned and made his way in.
Other than work he hadn’t seen Gai in weeks. He moved up to the counter and took the next stool catching the older man’s attention.
“Itachi-san. What are you doing out here this time of the day?” he asked.
“Trying to find something to eat that didn’t just get picked out of the ground.” He answered waving to the man who immediately came over to take his order. “What is your best ramen?” he asked.
“Naruto says it is the pork. I like the miso myself.” The man said.
“I’ll take a bowl of each.” He replied and the man smiled at him.
“You must be hungry. I wonder if you eat that much, how do you stay so thin?” Gai asked. Itachi smiled and leaned over to speak in whispered tones.
“I’m not really, it’s all jutsu.” He said “But I don’t want the women of the village to hear about it. Imagine if they found out they didn’t have to diet anymore?”
“The tragedy of that is that they would believe it and I do not.” Gai said.
Itachi felt himself laughing. He hadn’t had a good hard laugh in so long it hurt at first, but then he felt such a loss of burden.
“Gai. Why do I feel so comfortable with you? The rest of the world seems so far away when we are like this.” He asked and the other man just shrugged. “Well, it doesn’t matter. But I hope to spend more time like this, if you don’t mind.”
“I too, enjoy your company, Itachi-san. Perhaps we could make this a regular thing. I come for Ramen every Wednesday. Would that be convenient for you?” Gai suggested.
“Wednesday? I believe you have just asked me for regular dates, Gai.” Itachi teased.
“I think you may be correct,” Gai said, not bothering to hide his light blush.
“Wednesday it is. It’s a date, Gai.” Itachi said, winking as his food arrived and he lifted his chopsticks. “Itadakimasu.”
“And to you,” Gai said his mind on the comments of the younger man.
He had not forgotten his odd dream and it was not hard to realize that there was only one man in this town that continued to use the dark blue polish on his fingers and it was obvious to Gai that his body wanted more than he was admitting to.
Itachi also remembered a waking dream and who was the main character for his. He watched the other man as he drew the noodles into his mouth in as provocative of a way as he was capable when dealing with ramen.
Gai continued to eat his dinner and secretly watched Itachi through the side of his eyes as the younger man finished the first bowl and began the second. When he couldn’t finish it, they shared the last and left the stand, full of ramen and a little bloated.
Gai followed Itachi home and they talked the entire way, like good friends and even shared a private joke periodically that sent the gossip mongers scurrying to find each other.
“You know we are scandalizing the neighborhood?” Itachi asked after he noticed the most recent of these.
“It’s you fault for living so far from the center of town.” Gai informed in a bland way. “If we were going to my home we would never have had this much time in the open.”
Itachi smiled and shrugged. “You have me there.” He said, secretly wishing that Gai did indeed have him.
“It is true. Now, tell me more about the problems of your brother’s conditions.” Gai said, leaning in conspiratorially.
Itachi’s breath caught but he managed to whisper clearly, “You should see the stuff she eats.” And Gai looked at him wide-eyed and interested.
“Eats?” he asked and Itachi squirmed slightly at the proximity.
‘Gods, does he even realize?’ he thought as he spoke. “Yeah. In the middle of the night, Takoyaki with Miso and Wasabi. And on Ice cream. Peppermint Ice Cream.” And if he were not trying so hard he would have leaned closer.
Gai heard the words and blurted out a quick, “that’s disgusting.” That had little force as he looked at Itachi’s lips. The same lips that had told him about the strange craving were causing a craving of his own and he dipped closer and breeched the gap.
Itachi felt the touch and closed his eyes as the older man moved experimentally against him and the kiss ended up very chaste.
Gai pulled back and looked away in shame. “I’m sorry.” He said.
“I’m not.” Itachi answered to the surprise of the other. “It took you long enough to make up your mind. But, we really shouldn’t do such things on a public street. And I am sorry to say, that I am home. Come in here.” He said pulling Gai through the tall fence that surrounded Naruto’s playground.
Gai followed and when the gate closed Itachi pulled him by his vest and he found himself in a firm lip lock that left him breathless and holding on to the other for life.
“Now, that is how you kiss someone goodnight. Good night, Gai. See you tomorrow.” And Itachi crossed the yard and entered the house.
Gai stood there silently for a minute before he pulled himself together and headed out the gate once more.
Itachi closed the door and found himself the subject of two very intense gazes.
“Um, I had ramen for dinner. Now I’m going to bed.” He said, but he never made it through the door as a pair of hands stopped him.
“How long has this been going on, Aniki?” Sasuke asked as Naruto pushed him into the chair and they both sat on the couch.



Serenia – Mmm, me too. And you ain’t seen nothing yet. Once these things get started they just kinda snowball.

Vashta – Some lines are just ‘classic’. And I don’t Have to start a new part, it is just that this is the longest I have stretched a point, so far.

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