As The Leaf Turns

Eight: The Heart is a Lonely Hunter Nin – Gai’s Day in the Spotlight

Now that she was teaching full time, Tenten rarely went on missions, but she enjoyed the time she spent with her former teammates, discussing the missions that they went on.
Today Neji, Choji, Naruto, Shikamaru and Sasuke were at the Hokage tower and the scuttlebutt was that it was an A ranked mission.
She was sitting with Lee and Gai at the Dumpling restaurant listening to the rest of the village speculate on what the five would be doing and if any of them might not survive.
Of course there was still that small undercurrent of the population that hoped Naruto would not return, and though it annoyed his friends, the blond ignored it and it was becoming less prevalent. But today, as they sat and listened another subject was on their minds.
“Gai-sensei, are you all right?” Lee asked.
“Yes, Gai-sensei. You look a little different today? Is there something bothering you?” Tenten agreed.
“No. I am just tired today. Do not upset your young minds over me. I wanted to hear about your youthful time with the Hokage’s powerful apprentice. Have you shared with her your Great Plan?!!” Gai asked, waving away their concerns.
Lee blushed darkly and Tenten rolled her eyes.
The talk shifted to Lee and Sakura and how they had progressed in the past few weeks, but Tenten had a lingering suspicion that their older Teammate was keeping something important from them and she was determined to find out more.
She watched them as the talked and displayed the enthusiasm she had become numb to. Then she noticed it. The way Gai looked around and his eyes hovered on every table that touted a paired off couple in the restaurant. He would quickly look away and then focus on Lee and the discussion they were having. Tenten suppressed a sigh as it came to her that since they had moved on, Gai had not taken on any new genin to train, nor had he devoted any time to his long time friends.
Iruka and Kakashi had moved in together and were raising a small child. Genma and Ino had married and she was steadily closing on her due date. Asuma and Kurenai had a small boy and they were never available to the Jounin for social interaction as they used their continually fewer minutes of social time for other couples like Raido and Anko, with their tiny new daughter and Ayame and Tsumon and their two children.
Gai didn’t fit in with their new lives and he was slowly being left behind. She gave consideration to who was left to keep her sensei company.
Tobitake Tonbo seemed to be unattached and when Tenten thought of the oddly wrapped young man, she shuddered slightly. Plus, the man was always on a mission, for his services were always in demand.
Among the other Shinobi of Gai’s generation, there were only a very few that had not paired up or passed on.
Tenten again suppressed a sigh at the thought.
Then, as if to mock her, her mind reminded her that, among her own fellows, there were just as few that were not currently involved and some that had moved on and married, becoming families. She would likely end up just like Gai, alone and lonely.
Well, Tenten decided that regardless of her own fate, she would not sit back and let Gai flounder. She began a mental list of the available Kunoichi of Gai’s peers. Tenten was about to play matchmaker for the first time in her life.
After lunch she hurried back to her classroom to enjoy the free period the children were spending out of doors.
She pulled out a paper and began to list the women she had considered and then classify them by their different traits and skills.
Just because the names ran together at times she listed the men they had dated recently and the same information about them.
Next she listed the rest of the people she knew that ranged in age from Kiba’s sister Hana who was dating Shino at the present, and was around the youngest she figured Gai would be interested in at twenty-four, to Akame Iwana and Suzume Namida who were even older than Genma and at thirty-seven, and were the extreme age she thought her thirty-three-year-old former leader would be interested in.
Now, to research the data and find out just who was truly available and who would be interested in the somewhat outspoken and flashy dressing Jounin.
Tenten put the papers in her folders and concentrated on her class as the children returned and sat in their seats before her.

Hagane Kotetsu was a mild mannered man. He didn’t often seek out danger, but in his position as the head of security at the special correctional facility on the island outside of the village limits, he often found himself dealing with such things.
Only his cool head, a lot of training and the aid of his lover and coworker, Kamizuki Izumo kept him successful and the prisoners in line.
They worked well together and had managed to make the prison a safe and even comfortable place to work and live. They had also taken on an adopted child, Shinja who was if not the most precious thing in their world; he was also the most tiresome.
The child was now fourteen months old and had just achieved the speed of run as part of his ever-growing list of skills and talents.
Not that they didn’t love him all the more for his speed and agility, but it did make it more difficult to keep up with him.
Izumo smiled when Kotetsu was caught unaware and found himself tackled to the ground by an overzealous toddler trying to steal one of the candies he had recently begun sequestering in his many pockets instead of some of his previous weaponry.
“You fall for it every time,” the younger man said, a twinkle lighting his left eye that the fall of his hair failed to hide. Kotetsu growled at the child before turning to his love and winking in conspiracy as he hoisted the baby and tossed him in the air.
His small beard tickling Shinja’s cheeks as he nuzzled the tiny boy and held him close.
The sound of giggling in the little house they shared was common and their housekeeper and day care provider, a woman who was said to be a relative of Utatane Koharu herself, was not awoken from her nap by it.
Izumo laughed along with them, and they enjoyed a rare day when both were home all day and could relax and play with the baby.


“Tenten, I just don’t understand. When did Gai express an interest in me? He never said anything about this?” Yugao said as she and the Chuunin school teacher sat over tea at a local diner.
“No, he wouldn’t he’s very shy about things like that. But I have noticed the way he looks at you. Maybe if you asked him out, then he could be more at ease and you two would have a great time. I just know you are perfect for each other.” Tenten said, looking around to see if she were being watched.
Gai was currently walking down a street with Ibiki and Kumugi and they had been discussing the most promising young genin that were in line for future entry into the chuunin exams.
“So, if Futuba and Daichi are ready but Nobori isn’t then it is unlikely that they will pass the first test?” Kumugi asked, his own first failure a vivid memory in mind. “Perhaps then Nobori will back out at that time.”
“I imagine they will fall prey to a trick like the one that Kotetsu and Izumo pulled on your group,” Ibiki reminded him. “I suggest they are not even nominated.”
“And what would you say about Genma’s group? Konohamaru is a very exuberant Youth with the Spirit of the Leaf in his very Genetic make-up. I would not be surprise if he were able to, ah, ah, ah, Ahhchoo!, I apologize. I would not be surprised if he were to fulfill his desire to be Hokage, someday. ” Gai said, and the other two stopped and stared at him.
“Are you catching a cold, Gai-san?” Kumugi asked.
“No. There must be some pollen in the air. Now, about these exciting prospects. Who else is in line?” and the three continued on down the road.
Meanwhile, Tenten and Yugao ordered some rice balls and continued on this train of conversation.
“I don’t know, Tenten. I am kind of seeing this other ninja. I don’t want to spread myself too thin. Besides, he is Gai after all.”
“I know but that makes him all the more exciting. But, if you are really seeing someone, then I guess it would be a little much. Now spill, who is this mysterious nin?” she said, the chance for gossip overcoming her desire to find a companion for her unusual Sensei.
“Well, I have been going out with Aoba for about two months now. Once you get him out of those dark glasses he is really handsome, and surprisingly his hair is so soft. He and I aren’t exactly moving-in together, but I don’t think he would care for me taking on another boyfriend while dating him. He’s the jealous type, you know.”
“Yeah. Tell me more.” and they settled down to some juicy details.
Tenten would have to scratch the purple haired ANBU ninja off of her list later, but that also included Aoba as an already occupied male. Her list was getting smaller by the day.

After a productive day of aiding the chuunin exam selection committee, Gai decided that a meal of Miso soup and some light reading were in order.
He stirred his meal and settled on the thick futon in his room, lifting the heavy book from the floor and turning to his marked page.
He began to read but his mind shifted as he did. His thoughts returning to some strange events that had been taking place around him lately.
He had noticed a number of his colleagues staring at him oddly and had begun double checking his clothing for unseen tears or stains. He found none, but the odd looks continued.
He had been approached by an old acquaintance and asked some odd questions.
Tobitake Tonbo had asked him if he was inclined? And Gai had to admit that he didn’t know what the man was talking about, which had brought about some interesting and embarrassing details from the older Jounin.
Then, when he had escaped with his body’s life juices still in his veins and not running down his face, he had come face-to-face with Yajirobee in the halls, his shirt off and a funny smirk on his face.
“Hey, Gai. How’s it hanging?” he had called out and after the informative conversation he had just endured, he knew what the man meant by his familiar greeting. Gai fled.
‘How many of his fellow ninja’s were homosexual?’ Gai wondered to himself as he turned into an office and dropped onto a desk chair. It struck him that this was why Iruka and Kakashi had moved in together before being asked to raise the tiny newborn. And the same went for Izumo and Kotetsu who had been best friends for years and now also shared the raising of a child in their new home near the correction facility. And there was Neji and Shikamaru who to the best of Gai’s knowledge shared more than an interest in Choji’s family loss. Slowly his mind put two and two together and he soon had a list of at least ten couples that he was fairly certain were not only inclined but involved.
Tanzou and Housei had been roommates since the Chuunin exam that had seen Shikamaru it’s only successful applicant. And they were not from the same team, either. So they never went on missions together and he recalled an event where the mission had injured Tanzou and his beard had been shaved while he recovered. Housei had sat near him and gently rubbed the exposed skin assuring the other that it would grow back in time. Gai nearly fainted now as he realized what he had witnessed.
He had to pull himself together. This was not so earth shattering, and he could deal with it. He decided to overload his senses to avoid possible embarrassment in the future. Gai left the tower and headed straight for Kakashi and Iruka’s home. There he would find a balance in his life and move forward in his growth.

Iruka had just put Hebichani down for a nap and was curled up in Kakashi’s arms when the knock came to their door. Kakashi called out habitually and the door swung open.
Gai stood there in shocked silence and they were just becoming uncomfortable when the green clad Jounin spoke.
“Yes. I knew it. Continue as you were, and I will observe. But, if you would clear up some details for me, how long have you been having homosexual sex with each other?”
Iruka held the icepack to the bruised eye and explained in careful terms like one would use for a small child. “The proper way to ask someone about their relationship it, ‘how long have you two been a couple?’ this tends to stop anger from rising and attacking in such a way. Do you understand Gai?”
“Not really. I have only recently been exposed to the whole idea that there were any of this persuasion in the village. Tell me, Umino-san, how did you know that you were, um inclined?” Gai asked looking warily at Kakashi who stood across the room with a matched icepack on his bruised knuckles.
“I have never been very interested in the women of the village. I only dated sporadically, until I met Mizuki. He is what you would call Bi. But then I met Kakashi at the Chuunin exam and we started meeting to discuss the progress of the entrants. It was a long time before we became close. What started this, Gai?” he asked looking at the honest expression in the Jounin’s face.
“Tonbo asked me if I was gay?” he said, “and I had to admit that I wasn’t sure. I wasn’t sure what it meant in the first place.”
“Knowing Tonbo, he explained.” Kakashi said. “That guy is a slut. Did you know he slept with Naruto?” he added.
Iruka paled then a new and sinister emotion crossed his features. “Naruto?” he asked.
“Um, yeah. But, he said it was Naruto’s idea. You aren’t going to do something rash, are you Iruka-kun?” the tall grey haired Jounin asked.
“ME? Now, Gai. It isn’t something you can decide that quickly. You should tell anyone that asks that you are as yet undecided and then take it slowly. No jumping in to something do you understand?”
Gai nodded and Iruka smiled. “How will I know?” he asked the ex-chuunin teacher.
“Take it slow. Your instincts are pretty good. And you were probably right to expose yourself to more couples to avoid embarrassment, but we are not going to have sex for you to watch. But you can stay for dinner, okay?”

Thinking back on that meal, Gai sighed in contentment.
Iruka and Kakashi reminded him of his own parents. Their simple ease with each other so natural and their love filled the small house to capacity. Gai would be happy to spend much more time with the pair and wished some of his heterosexual friends had such a wonderful life together.
Now as he returned to his book, Gai realized that his rival had beaten him once again. Kakashi had found love before Gai and this would not be left unchallenged.


:::God, that sounded like the story called “I don’t think you understand” No, I am not stealing ideas. I just agree with them. I love that story by the way, and I don’t think she could have found a more unusual theme to write on. If you haven’t read it, go - now!!!!

As for me, I will simply move on and get back to the main couples in this thing, okay???


Next chapter is Mission success – The world comes to a strange parallel