A Love Story

•Part Three⚜

Hello everyone! I hope you're all enjoying the story so far. It's pretty fun writing this alternate storyline.

Sasuke and Naruto had finished getting dressed and had already begun walking to the Hokage's office for orders. Naruto walked behind Sasuke as they entered Tsunade's office.

"Goodmorning Lady Tsunade." Sasuke greeted formally.

"Morning Sasuke. Naruto you know this mission doesn't involve you right?" She questioned, eyeing them down.

Naruto looked down at the floor, already beginning to lose hope on going on Sasuke's mission with him.

"Well, we were hoping he could come along. He's kinda bored." Sasuke explained with an honest smile.

"Bored? You both just went on an assignment yesterday." She protested, confused.

"Yeah but--... I don't have anything else to do, do I?" Naruto asked.

Tsunade sighed, "Fine. I'll fill you both in on the details and you'll tell me if you still want to go after." She sighed, turning her head to the side. "Sakura! Bring them in!"

Sasuke made a face and sighed, realizing he wouldn't be alone or just with Naruto on this mission.

Two Anbu Jounin walked into Tsunade's office right behind Sakura. "M'lady, we're ready for this mission." The three of them were wearing the green leaf ninja combat outfits, and Sakura carried an extra one for Sasuke in her arms. She smiled as she saw Naruto, practically stuck to Sasuke's side. She was beginning to catch on.

"Your assignment is a rescue mission. A child has been kidnapped for ransom and the village doesn't have the money they want. Your mission is to retrieve the child safely, and return them to their village. Whether you can sneak the child out, or take out his captors I leave up to you, Yamato." She glared at the Anbu to the right of Sakura. "I trust you'll make the right decision."

Yamato nodded his head quietly. His real name wasn't Yamato, his name was Tenzo, but as an Anbu Jounin he accepted his cover name in order to protect his identity.

"Naruto, if you're really going on this mission, keep your mouth shut and do as Captain Yamato tells you. Do you understand?" Tsunade scolded as if he were still a child, pulling out the files for their mission.

Naruto crossed his arms stubbornly. "Yeah, fine."

A few hours had passed, and by now they were nearly to the rendevou point where the village was supposed to trade the money for the child.
Yamato was in the front of their line, the second Anbu behind him. Sasuke was in the middle, then Sakura, and Naruto.

Naruto ran silently behind them all, lost in his thoughts. He barely understood Yamato's plan, mainly because he was thinking about Sasuke, but also because he heard his role was to split up and wait for them to return with the child. Yamato was purposely pushing Naruto out of the mission, so it would work as he'd previously planned.

Once they reached the spot where he had to split off, Sasuke dragged behind and stopped with Naruto.

"Sasuke come on! We need you up here!" Yamato yelled, though they rushed ahead quickly.

"Yeah I'll be there!" He called, annoyed.

Naruto gave Sasuke a smile, despite his current feelings. "What's the hold up?" He asked, curious as to why Sasuke fell behind.