"...After that, it's like Naruto flipped a switch. Now he doesn't yell as much, doesn't argue with Sasuke as often, and, curiously, seems to think more before acting. It's clearly helped him mature. I just wish it hadn't come at the cost of everything that happened.
As for the pervert... Naruto talked to him. I don't know what he said, but he seems to have accepted that I modified the seal again and that he messed up. He apologized, but I'm not sure he understands that I no longer respect him the way I used to. Honestly, with what happened, Jiraiya showed that he didn't really believe Naruto would achieve what I did before going back to Konoha. Now that Naruto knows all the effort I put into getting where I am, he's stopped comparing himself to me and wants to give it another go with Kurama-yang. We'll see how this all plays out...
I miss you. Now more than ever. I like being with these people, but sometimes I need you so much it hurts. I know that if you'd been here, one of your hugs would have comforted me far more than anything else. I'm sorry. I've been feeling down lately since everything happened. It stirred up some old, painful memories."
She finished writing the letter, aware of her growing melancholy. It was only mid-June, but it already felt like it was dragging on forever. Kisame had been right when he said she didn't need Jiraiya. She didn't need a lot of people, but she did want Kakashi, and right now she really did need him. She felt oddly unprotected. Maybe she was, emotionally speaking.
When July arrived, Jiraiya resumed his spy work, which helped ease the atmosphere a bit. They kept training hard, morning and afternoon, so the days just passed by. She finished mastering the ninth adamantine chain and learned the last ninjutsus Kisame wanted to teach her. As for kenjutsu, she still had a long way to go before she could match Kisame, who had literally been a kenjutsu master for over 15 years.
"It may be that you still can't beat Kisame with your sword, but you've surpassed me" said Itachi, after a sparring match using his wakizashi against her ANBU ninjatō. Without the sharingan, of course. Otherwise, well… who knows.
"How's the list of Kakashi-sensei's ninjutsus going?" asked Naruto, munching on a piece of fruit beside her.
"Alright. I definitely won't finish learning all of them before going back to Konoha, but I've got a solid arsenal for every chakra nature" she admitted, a bit defeated. Without a dōjutsu like the sharingan, it was very hard to learn that many ninjutsus in such a short time.
"How many do you know already? 500?"
"Maybe close to 700, if you count medical ninjutsu too."
"You're a monster" said Sasuke with a crooked smile, "but thanks to you and the dobe, now I am too."
Itachi, of course, had also copied countless techniques. Even more than Kakashi, since he usually fought with the sharingan active. His problem was chakra reserves, not as large as hers, so he had to be careful with how he spent his energy. Same for Sasuke. In fact, since joining them, Itachi had also been training on his own, like his brother, to increase his chakra reserves.
A few days later, she received a letter from Kakashi. She hadn't read a reply in weeks, so she locked herself in her room that night to read it alone.
"Dear Seina,
I've read all your letters a couple of times before getting a clear picture of what happened. I understand why you're angry, and you have every right to be angry with Jiraiya-sama. Even powerful and experienced people make mistakes. Whether you want to forgive him or not is up to you. At least you've had time to think about it and were able to fix Naruto's seal.
Speaking of Naruto: comparisons are cruel, but sometimes inevitable. You didn't start from the same place in your training with Kurama, so of course your progress was different. That's what Jiraiya-sama should have helped Naruto understand, but I don't think even he realized how much you've interacted with Kurama, or how long you've been doing it. I'm not trying to excuse him, but I imagine that's something he overlooked. I'm glad Naruto has matured a bit after this… scare. You've never pushed him away like that before. You two were always at least mentally connected, so this must've hit him hard.
On the other hand, I'm happy that Itachi is doing better now. I read his letter too. I was really surprised in a good way. I don't know how you managed to help him recover, but thank you. I only spent a bit less than two years with him in ANBU, before he was made captain and everything else happened, but now… he reminds me of that version of himself. I'm sure Sasuke must be really happy to see him finally recovering.
As for your friends… Gaara is now the Kazekage. Neji, Shikamaru, and Shino have been promoted to jonin, and—you're not going to believe this—remember that girl? Sakura? She's taken the chunin exams again. Hayate is training her for the final fights. Apparently, she's very determined to pass this time and has been training during her free time ever since she failed the first time. I don't know if this interests you, but I found it kind of amusing. Seems like the disappointment a couple years ago finally gave her the push she needed, just as you thought.
Do you remember Sai? The boy from Root I captured and faked his death? Tsunade-sama has him imprisoned in the secret floor of the interrogation department. He's not the only one. We've been capturing who we can and eliminating those who resist, all without Danzo realizing. Tsunade-sama also started gradually replacing the matrons of the Konoha and Fire Country orphanages, so he can't get close to them and secretly recruit. It's slow and tedious work, but if she manages to control all the orphanages, she'll cut off a major supply of recruits from Danzo. And considering he's running low on Root agents…
I've been digging into what you told me about the Uchiha stone tablet, but nothing. No one knows anything about the Sage of the Six Paths, Kaguya, or the "god tree." It's as if it doesn't exist… or as if everyone has forgotten. Asuma thinks the monks might know something. I'll try when I get the chance, but I'm not sure they'll have anything useful. Itachi told me he knew you'd ask, so he copied what was written on the tablet related to those topics. He also copied information about the mangekyo sharingan jutsus. Once I have some time, I'll start training to see what I can do with this borrowed mangekyo. So far, I've barely used it due to the lack of information.
As for you… I miss you terribly too. I know it's not always obvious in my letters, but I still have depressive episodes. I guess it's the result of my childhood, adolescence, and just… being a Hatake. Nothing new. At least now I can recognize it, which helps a lot in dealing with it. I've been talking to Guy. I think he suspects something, but I don't know what to tell him without spilling everything I'm going through.
Still, whenever I need comfort, I think of you and our promise. I touch the ring on my finger, the one you gave me, and I remember that it wasn't a dream, that we're really fighting to be together again. That helps me cope with missing you, because now I have a goal. We're getting closer, love.
Yours,
Kakashi."
Seina sighed when she finished reading the letter. It felt too short. It comforted her to know Kakashi felt the same, but on the other hand, it hurt to think he was suffering. Then again, was it even possible to be far from a loved one for years without suffering? Or did it hurt precisely because they were loved? They had both accepted being together, knowing it would hurt to be apart, because they wanted to be together when they could, in the future. Seina wasn't going to back out. Not now, not when almost two years had already passed.
She was glad to read that Tsunade-sama was making progress, because it meant the end was getting closer. She also felt happy for her friends, even for Sakura. She hoped becoming a chunin would ease that inferiority complex she had, though she couldn't picture Sakura with Sasuke, no matter how much she wanted it. Frankly, they were complete opposites. Sasuke looked down on her for being such an ordinary person, and for saying she was in love with him without even knowing who he really was.
"Naru," she called one afternoon in July. "Have you ever liked anyone?"
"What?" her brother asked, surprised and slightly flushed. "Where did that come from?"
"Kakashi sent me a letter about Sakura, and it made me think that I just can't picture her with Sasuke. They're too different."
"And that made you think about whether we've liked someone?"
Naruto slung an arm over her shoulders. Seina had stopped growing at 1.69 meters, but both Sasuke and Naruto seemed like they were just getting started. Her twin brother already stood a head taller than her, and Sasuke the same, maybe even more. They'd started using her as a coat rack, draping their arms over her for support, much to her regular exasperation.
"The truth is... no. At first, I found Sakura cute, but then I realized what she was like and that was it," Naruto admitted.
"What about our friends? Or guy friends?"
"I'm pretty sure I'm not bisexual," he said with a half-laugh. "I've never thought about our friends that way. We were only 13 when we left. I didn't really get the chance. What about you?"
"You mean, have I liked someone or if I'm bisexual?"
"Are you?"
"No. I like men."
"And you haven't liked anyone?" her brother asked slyly, leaning in with his arm still around her.
"On the contrary."
"What!?" he shouted in her ear, making her jump. "You've liked someone? Who? Shikamaru?"
"Shikamaru?" she raised an eyebrow. "Why do you think it's someone our age?"
"Don't tell me it's... Itachi?"
"Itachi?" she repeated, holding back a laugh. "Okay, I won't lie… He's hot, but I don't see him that way. He's more like another older brother to me."
"Good to know," said, of course, Itachi.
Naruto, caught between shock, amusement, and embarrassment, looked at Itachi. He was leaning against a tree trunk, while Sasuke beside him looked like he was choking on a laugh. Itachi was clearly looking at her with an amused expression and perhaps a hint of satisfaction, though she couldn't tell whether it was because she'd called him a brother out loud, admitted he was hot, or both.
"And what about you, Sasuke? Do you like men, women, both, neither…?" she asked, genuinely curious now.
"…I'd say I'm more bisexual," he finally admitted.
"Like Itachi, then."
"And you, Kisame?" Itachi asked with a teasing smile, looking at Kisame, who was laughing a few meters away.
"Nothing beats a good pair of tits. Everything else can step aside."
Naruto burst out laughing at the bold declaration of heterosexuality, forgetting entirely about her confession of liking someone older. But Itachi was watching her with interest. There would be no distracting him. They chatted a bit about everything, killing time before dinner.
The days passed, and then Sasuke's birthday arrived at the end of July.
"Seriously!?" Naruto grinned from ear to ear.
"Seriously. It's just a matter of dressing up and blending in. I think we can afford a couple of days away from here."
Itachi and Kisame took them all to a fairly large, faraway city where they could go unnoticed. They obviously had to disguise themselves and suppress their chakra, but that was no problem for them.
"Look, nee-chan! It's a festival!" Naruto whispered excitedly. "We can win all sorts of prizes!"
"The dobe's right. I want to try that duck game."
And so, they wandered the whole fair, going from stall to stall and winning prizes. Itachi and Kisame spent their time drinking at a café, happy to let them run free for a while.
"I like that yukata," Sasuke suddenly said.
"Which one?"
He pointed to a shop window. Naruto and Seina fell silent as he studied it.
"You like that yukata? You?" Naruto asked, eyeing the off-white, or maybe very light grey, garment.
It had long sleeves, no buttons, no pockets, nothing fancy. It came with a small black braided belt and some loose, cropped black pants. It was the least Sasuke-Uchiha-like outfit she'd ever seen. She glanced sideways at him, dressed in his typical black shorts and short-sleeved shirt.
"Why don't we go buy it then?" she finally said.
If he wanted to change his style, who was she to stop him? They entered the menswear shop. He tried on the yukata and pants while Naruto browsed some clothes and she waited in an armchair. When he came out, Seina stared, slightly open-mouthed. She hadn't realized how much Sasuke had grown. The open yukata exposed almost all of his chest, sculpted from training, and pale yet golden from the sun. His recently trimmed hair framed his sharp features. Sasuke was bordering on adulthood. No wonder he'd driven so many girls and teens crazy. He was really good-looking.
"Wow, teme. That looks good on you," Naruto admitted.
"Hn. Thanks, dobe."
"You like it?"
"I do."
They left after buying several more clothes in darker tones and a white set. She felt a bit awkward standing next to Sasuke in his new look. Naruto, in his black cropped pants and grey summer hoodie with blue accents, looked ready for a mission. Just like her. Sasuke, by contrast, looked like he was just enjoying the fair as an average civilian—though attracting plenty of female and male attention. Luckily for him, Naruto and Seina were enough to keep anyone from approaching. Especially when Sasuke noticed the stares and slung his arm over her shoulders like a shield. Sometimes he was so introverted it was funny.
"Actually, now that I think about it, it wouldn't hurt to change my style a little. I always dress the same."
"Seriously? You too, nee-chan?"
"Why not? I haven't bought new clothes in literal years."
They went with her to browse stores and window displays. In the end, she bought a short black kimono that reached mid-thigh, with long sleeves and a violet obi that matched her eyes. She also got black thigh-high stockings that ended just a few centimetres above her knees, and bought the same outfit in white and dark grey with a red and black obi. She completed the new look with larger ninja sandals she had never used before. She noticed her red-painted nails peeking out for the first time.
She had to take off her mesh armour and ninja bra since, with the obi, it was just too tight. She put on a regular civilian bra, realizing the obi offered enough support on its own. Looking in the mirror, she noticed that without the mesh and the ninja bra, and with the snug obi, her chest looked much bigger. Probably because the new clothes were anything but loose; they hugged her body like a glove. She wasn't wearing her forehead protector, none of them were, and her straight hair was completely down, falling past her hips with shorter strands framing her face like bangs.
Naruto choked when he saw her come out of the changing room. Sasuke stared at her from head to toe like he was seeing her for the first time. His eyes lingered on the bare strip of thigh between her kimono and stockings, then on her chest, clearly outlined by the tight obi. He didn't seem at all embarrassed to be staring or to be checking out her chest. Naruto, on the other hand, looked like he was trying not to notice. Then again, come to think of it, her brother hadn't seen her naked in… what, eight years?
"Just wait until Itachi sees this."
"What do you mean?"
"Hn."
Sasuke seemed to suppress a laugh but didn't answer her question. Seina shrugged. Eventually, due to peer pressure, Naruto agreed to buy himself a long-sleeved black yukata with a pair of diagonal orange stripes, a colour he hadn't worn in years.
"I'm starving. Let's go find the others," Naruto requested.
They walked off in search of Itachi, whom she could still locate thanks to the Patronus-like pendant he never took off. They found them easily after about ten minutes of walking. The first to spot them was Kisame, who was sitting facing the street and saw them coming. As soon as he noticed their new looks, he burst into laughter. Itachi turned in his seat to see what was so funny. First, he saw Naruto's yukata, Sasuke's bare chest, and then Seina's pale, exposed thighs.
"Seina," he called after several seconds of silence, "if anyone puts a hand on you, feel free to send a fireball to their genitals."
She cracked up upon hearing it. The best part was that she knew he meant it. Naruto, his face twitching at the remark, growled as he pulled her closer. Kurama laughed maliciously inside her, almost hoping someone would try something just so she'd have an excuse to kill them—always thirsty for blood.
"No one's putting a hand on my sister."
"It was just a suggestion."
"Are we eating or what?"
They walked to a sushi restaurant. Seina started to feel a bit exasperated when she noticed Naruto clinging to her side like a limpet, alarmed by Itachi's words, and Itachi himself walking just a few steps behind her. Sasuke simply followed along using her as a shield, holding her by the waist since Naruto wouldn't let go of her shoulders. It was obvious they were doing it to spite each other. Behind her team, next to Itachi, Kisame was quietly laughing. She, however, was starting to feel overwhelmed and ridiculous, to be honest. She elbowed both of them aside, carving out some space and making them let go of her.
"Do you always have to drag me into your disputes? People are going to think we're a threesome," she sighed, noticing some glances.
"We are a threesome," Sasuke grinned mischievously.
"Ew!"
"You know what I meant!" she rolled her eyes, punching Sasuke in the chest while ignoring Naruto's disgusted face. At least he stepped back a little to let her breathe.
She overheard the low conversation of the criminals behind them.
"Your overprotective big brother complex is starting to show, Itachi."
"That doesn't exist. And if it did, I wouldn't have it."
"Sure you wouldn't..." Kisame replied with full sarcasm, pretending to be an average guy.
"Actually, he's got a point," Sasuke chimed in, looking over his shoulder. "You've never told me to shoot a fireball at someone's junk."
Naruto burst out laughing just picturing it. How would Sakura's crush on Sasuke have changed if he'd fireballed her? She could imagine her scream before diving to safety. Naruto and Sasuke, sensing each other's thoughts, began laughing.
"If anyone touches you, you can do the same," Itachi assured his younger brother.
They ate and chatted about nonsense. It was freeing to realize no one knew who they were. They just looked like a group of weirdos. She could already hear some people wondering if she was sleeping with two—or even all four—of them. The truth was that Naruto and Sasuke weren't helping. She knew perfectly well why Naruto was acting like a jealous boyfriend. On one hand, he was upset from being apart for a month and then fighting upon his return. On the other hand, she had spent a lot of time alone with Itachi, who had finally admitted in front of Naruto that he considered Seina a sister too. She promised herself she'd spend more time with her brother.
They spent the weekend goofing off at the fair. Kisame took the chance to seduce a girl that night, while Itachi pretended not to notice the eyes of women, and a few men, on him.
"You know, teme, you could take this opportunity to lose your virginity," Naruto said when he saw more than one woman seemingly willing to take Sasuke to bed.
Sasuke and Seina both choked at Naruto's completely shameless and inappropriate comment.
"Me? What about you?"
"They're looking at you," Naruto rolled his eyes. "I'm not trying to sleep with anyone by force."
"So, you're admitting I'm hotter than you," Sasuke smirked.
"Uh oh..." Seina muttered, realizing they were about to compete over who would lose their virginity first. "Where did that question come from, Naru?"
"I don't know. It just reminded me of something the old pervert told me," he admitted with a guilty look for bringing up Jiraiya in front of her.
"What did he say?"
"He said that sometimes, during seduction missions, a ninja might actually have to sleep with their target. And it was better to lose your virginity with someone close or with a civilian so you're not caught off guard during a mission," Naruto sighed, clearly worried.
"Jiraiya-sama is right," said Itachi, returning from the restroom, "but very few ninjas take on seduction missions. Most of the time, you can refuse unless it's your specialty."
"Always?"
"Not always," Itachi admitted with a frown, "but I don't think they'll send you on those kinds of missions. So you don't need to lose your virginity to a stranger if you don't want to."
In the end, it didn't go anywhere. Itachi eased Naruto's concerns, and Sasuke smacked her twin for even suggesting sleeping with a random stranger. Seina, however, had no intention of losing her virginity to anyone except Kakashi, so there was no point in discussing it. Honestly, if she didn't have Kakashi and had to lose it, she'd have asked Itachi or Kisame, or someone she trusted who knew what they were doing.
"What are you thinking about?" Sasuke asked hours later when they were lying in their shared room. "You're not still thinking about what that idiot Naruto said, are you?"
"Hey!"
"Actually, I am."
"Seriously? Why?"
"Well... for starters, women are statistically more likely to be raped, even female ninjas. Imagine having your first time stolen through rape," she muttered with disgust. "And on average, we also do more seduction missions. I don't think they'll assign me one, but you never know, right?"
Sasuke and Naruto frowned as they acknowledged she had a point. Of course, she did. She was quoting real data. Plus, she hadn't been sent on seduction missions before because she'd been twelve or thirteen, but who knew what would happen once she returned to the village.
"If I had to lose my virginity, I'd do it with someone I trust. Preferably someone experienced."
"I can't imagine asking Anko to take my virginity," Sasuke shuddered from head to toe, face slightly green. "No. Just no."
Naruto didn't even tease him. He looked almost more traumatized than Sasuke just picturing it.
"So... who would you choose?" Naruto asked. "Honestly, I've been wondering that ever since the perv told me about it, and I have no idea who I'd ask."
"Truthfully… If I didn't love you like a sister, I'd ask you," Sasuke admitted with a gesture in her direction. Seina raised an eyebrow, surprised. "What? It's not that crazy, after all. Maybe you're still a virgin physically, but you're not really one. And there's no other woman I trust like you. You could teach me everything without me feeling ashamed to ask certain things."
"Ugh. If she really is like your sister, how could you even get an erection around her?"
Seina stifled a laugh at Naruto's words. He wasn't wrong. She had never thought about either of them that way, especially not Naruto, and probably never would. Still, if she had no other option, Sasuke could've been a candidate for the reasons he'd mentioned. Sure, it wouldn't be the most exciting sex ever, but it would've gotten the virginity thing over with. The thing was, she wasn't really a virgin anymore, so she didn't feel pressured. She wanted Kakashi to make love to her because she loved him, plain and simple. Still, she could understand the pressure Naruto and Sasuke felt to stop being virgins, especially as ninjas.
Naruto fell asleep soon after that, lightly snoring on his futon like he hadn't slept in days. Sasuke rolled his eyes at him before turning his back. She stared out the window, waiting for sleep to come, while Sasuke seemed to be silently pondering something.
"I lied earlier," he murmured unexpectedly, trying not to wake Naruto. "Even though I love you like a sister, I would have asked you anyway."
She blinked, lowering her gaze to see Sasuke staring at the ceiling beside her. Her brother-from-another-mother glanced at her sideways.
"If I didn't, it's because we both know you already have another man in mind."
Kurama laughed wickedly inside her when he realized Sasuke knew exactly what she planned to do once she returned to Konoha in a year. Honestly, the fact that her brother could imagine it turned her on a little, no point in lying. Egged on by Kurama, she decided to toy with him a bit before going to sleep. She moved in her futon to snuggle against Sasuke, using his chest as a pillow and wrapping her arms around him. He draped one arm over her. She raised her head a little to lock eyes with him. She didn't know what she saw in his eyes, but she watched him gulp hard.
"You're right. As soon as I get back to Konoha... I'm going to fuck him."
She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, ignoring Sasuke's tense, burning body beneath her head.