finally || naruto and tsunade

v

When Uzumaki Naruto gave you the Uzumaki Grin (as his friends had begun calling it), you knew something was wrong.

"What?" Shikamaru asked, finally annoyed enough by that look to speak up. He hated that look. It meant Naruto was either up to something, or knew something you really didn't want him to.

Pranksters were exhausting to keep up with...

"Nothing, nothing." Naruto all but sang, his expression still one of evil intent (as concluded by the Nara).

"I'm not playing this game with you, Naruto." Shikamaru replied, narrowing his eyes. He was already a naturally paranoid person. How couldn't he be? He had an IQ that was steadily getting closer and closer to 300. His mind constantly ran through scenarios, even with random, unimportant things.

He understood that people were capable of anything, and that it only took a single move for them to do something they'd normally never do. He could predict human action and reaction, even when he didn't wish to. It was troublesome as all hell.

That led to a very paranoid Shikamaru, and Naruto wasn't helping at all with that damned look.

"What game?" Naruto asked, still playing innocent.

He was a shitty actor, in Shikamaru's unbiased opinion.

The two nineteen year old shinobi were waiting for Tsunade outside of the hospital. The three Konoha-born shinobi had made plans with Temari and Gaara for lunch, and Naruto insisted on waiting for the Godaime instead of meeting her at the restaurant.

And ever since Naruto had met Shikamaru outside the building they were staying at for their duration in Suna, he wouldn't stop smirking in that infuriating way.

And worse, he was keeping his reason for it to himself in a very un-Naruto-like manner. The ass.

What did the troublesome blond know?

| My Idiot |

After an amazing and friendly lunch at the local BBQ restaurant, Naruto and Gaara made their way to Gaara's personal training facility, an indoor ring much like the arena in the Forest of Death they used for the preliminaries way back in the day, when Naruto had first met Gaara.

Tsunade returned to the hospital to spend another few hours with the aspiring medic-nin, actually enjoying herself. She found excitement in her work again after so many years, like an old spark reignited suddenly.

Shikamaru and Temari returned to the academy to speak with the instructors about the upcoming Chunin Exams. They knew the genin of Suna better than most, and knew how to best challenge them, even if they had the home field advantage.

"What do you say, Naruto? Brave enough to go a round with the Kazekage?" Gaara asked, smirking.

Naruto, never one to back down, returned the smirk.

"I hope you've been training, Lord Kazekage." Naruto retorted. "I know you're busy and all, but I wouldn't want to start an international incident for kicking your butt too hard."

Gaara laughed. "We shall see." The Godaime wanted to see if the fame had gone to the Hero of the Fourth's head. Pride cometh before the fall, after all.

They entered the training arena, Naruto having already taken off his jacket, and Gaara placing his Kage hat to the side along with his robes.

"Whenever you're ready, Genin Uzumaki." Gaara offered, baiting his friend with his ridiculous rank. Naruto was more powerful than all of the Kage, and each one of them knew it.

His words seemed to have the desired effect, though. Naruto's eyes narrowed and he dashed forward without much thought. So, basically in a very Naruto-y fashion.