Five more minutes
"Alright so I suppose you guys want an explanation," Izuku rubbed the back of his head.
"Um, yeah," Sasuke's sarcasm makes the greenette wince.
"Since when was my adopted brother ANBU?"
"Since about a few days ago, Sarutobi had pulled me aside before we left for Tsunade, said that in order to properly lead the mission I would need to be ANBU since it was such a classified and high ranked mission, not only that but after I held off the two Hokage until you showed up and was then able to perform such a powerful genjutsu, he acknowledged my skills fit for ANBU as well as the intelligence I displayed, it was a last minute promotion in order to make sure we had the manpower here to truly recover from the distraction,"
"Distraction?"
"Did you really not feel it Naruto? All the ROOT agents in the casino?"
"Uh, no?" Izuku sighed.
"The intent wasn't aimed at you so I guess it would be harder for you to pick up on, well it doesn't matter, I need to get Katsuki and Sasuke to the hospital,"
"No need, I want team seven in my office in three minutes, Sasuke and Katsuki can come with me to recieve aid from ANBU," Tsunade answered, before another word was spoken. "Izuku can you?"
"Hai," The greenette just walked over to Katsuki and Sasuke, placing a hand on either of them, letting them vanish in moments. "They are awaiting you in the office now," The Hokage nodded before leaping away. "Naruto, we should probably let them out of the attic now," Together they made their way back to the house.
As the attic door was lifted a blonde and pink blur was first down it, both crashing into Naruto at the bottom of the ladder. Sakura and Ino clutched onto him tightly. "We were so worried," Sakura was shaking softly. Ino sniffed.
"We," *Sniff* "We thought you'd," *Sniff* "You'd been taken,"
"You could've mentioned there was chakra blocking material in the insulation," Itachi's voice scolded Izuku.
"There's chakra blocking material in the insulation," The greenette's voice was deadpan.
Whack
"Smartass," Shisui grumbled. Naruto held the girls gently.
"Hey, hey it's okay, like I'd let some punkass rogues get close to me," He rubbed both of their backs softly. "It's okay, I'm here, I'm alive, relatively unhurt, only nicked me," Both girls squeezed him, burying their heads into his shoulders and chest. "I'm alright, it's okay,"
"Where's Sasuke?" Tayuya's voiced echoed from the loft.
"With Tsunade, which reminds me, Sakura, Naruto, let's go,"
"W-what?" Sakura let the arm around her loosen.
"Tsuande wants team seven in her office in a minute," Ino quickly backed away and nodded, wiping her tears away.
"You'd better get back before I'm done with dinner," Itachi threatened, "Yamanaka would you please lay the table?"
"Of course Uchiha," Ino nodded as they began heading towards the stairs, "Tayuya, could you guide Shisui downstairs please?"
"Oh so he gets Uchiha but I get Shisui,"
"Ignore him, he's a sensitive little baby," Izuku teased before he walked over to Naruto and Sakura, the latter still clinging to the former. "Let's go see Tsunade," The office contained two ANBU attending to the wounded boys sat in chairs. Naruto moved over to Sasuke while Izuku remained in the middle of the room. The ANBU stood up and left silently. Seizing his chance Naruto summoned a Shadow Clone, pushing the chairs together. Izuku now stood behind both boys, a hand on each of their shoulders while Naruto and Sakura sat on the floor in front of the chairs.
"Alright, now all five of you are here, a few things that are going to happen going forwards, firstly, Uzumaki Katsuki, you are now the fifth member of team seven, while unorthodox, you are too old for the academy and quite frankly, appear to be close to Izuku's level of taijutsu and chakra control, you are also the only other Primal chakra user so keeping you together makes sense," Naruto pumped his fist, "However I expect you to not make your confrontations as, conspicuous as your training session earlier,"
"Yeah yeah Hokage," Izuku waved a hand, "Second?"
"Brat," She groaned, "Secondly team seven is going to be ANBU squad seven,"
"Huh?"/"What?"/"Really?"
"The first three boys displayed exemplary skills as shinobi, Katsuki has shown an incredibly fast growth and Sakura has been training under your guidance for several weeks now, I'd be more concerned if she hand't improved with how hellish your regimes are," Sakura quickly jumped at Naruto, sending them both crashing to the ground.
"This is amazing, we're going to be ANBU!"
"I told you, team seven isn't going anywhere,"
"Squad seven from now on," Izuku nodded, "When can we get the tattoos?" Everyone paled
"T-tattoos?" Katsuki tensed "That means needles doesn't it? Oh-kay,"
"Afraid of needles?" Sasuke looked at the newest team mate.
"Yeah," He admitted "I, they used to stick a lot of needles in me to keep me sleepy, it prevent me from disappearing like Izuku did,"
"They drugged you?" Izuku growled, everyone began to feel a weight on their shoulders.
"Izuku, don't," Naruto shook his head, "Not worth it," His brother took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
"Right," Everyone sat up a bit straighter and Izuku stretched out one arm, "Continue,"
"There's one last thing we must discuss," Tsunade leant on her desk, the mood much heavier than before. "After two rogue shinobi entered the village aiming to take Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto, we must,"
"Lady Hokage!" A voice shouted as someone burst into the room. "We detected foreign chakra in the village," Neji Hyuuga stood looking alarmed at the door. "We fear the,"
"The enemy shinobi have been dealt with, one was neutralized, you were too slow Hyuuga,"
"We were fortifying the compound Lady Hokage,"
"Your priority should be to inform me,"
"Lord Third gave us permission to focus on our defences after the Kumo,"
"The Kumo forces were dealt with by yours truly before you realized Hinata was missing," The greenette turned to face the brunette.
"T-that was you four?"
"No it was myself and Sasuke," Izuku gestured to the chair containing Sasuke.
"Regardless I am not Lord Third, therefore you can't assume I will allow the same things he did, from now on I want to know the moment you detect a foreign ninja that should not be here, then you can forify your 'defences'," Neji bowed "And next time don't forget your hitai-ate when coming to see me,"
"Hai Lady Hokage,"
"Hey Neji, what's that on your forehead?" Izuku had closed the gap before a word could be uttered, pulling the hair aside.
Mifune sighed as he knelt on the cushion by the great window overlooking the snow laden Land of Iron, polishing his sword slowly he enjoyed the relative silence his room held for him.
"HIASHI!!!"
The random voice startled the wisened samurai so much he dropped his sword against the floor, clattering loudly. Just as quickly as it had appeared the voice was gone. Mifune looked around his room quickly before cleaning his ear with a finger. Silence again. Sighing again Mifune decided to worry about it later, he wasn't going senile just yet.
Naruto groaned as Izuku disappeared with Neji in tow. The blood curling scream had caused everyone else to freeze. Quickly shaking off the fear he grabbed Tsunade and the two moved to the Hyuuga compound Taking in the area several things stood out to Naruto. One the great double doors had both been blown clean off their hinges, two Neji was stood staring numbly at the sight before him, which lead to three, Izuku was curently crouching on the Hyuuga head's chest, shaking him by his shirt. "A CAGED BIRD SEAL, ARE YOU SERIOUS? I DIDN'T PREVENT YOUR DAUGHTER FROM BEING A BROODMARE JUST FOR YOU TO DO IT TO YOUR OWN FAMILY!!"
"I do what is necassary to protect the byakugan," Izuku stepped away from the elder and grinned savagely.
"Oh, is that so?" Naruto shook and walked over to Neji.
"Hey, whats a Caged Bird seal?"
"It binds me to a life of servitude by the main house, along with sealing my Byakugan when I am killed so it is not taken and used by enemies," Naruto turned to Tsunade.
"This isn't legal right?"
"It is clan affairs, which a Kage should not get involved with," She put a hand on her hip.
"Lucky for me, I ain't Hokage," Izuku lowered his head at Hiashi, "Get them in here, now!" Hiashi scrambled to leave the room before he returned with several more elders, many appearing older than himself.
"What is is Hokage?" Izuku snapped his fingers.
"That's Lady Hokage to you and she's here as a witness, I am the one you should be paying,"
"What is a boy going to,"
Thunk
A kunai sat dangerously close to the head of the elder, "Interrupt me again and I will really start losing my patience,"
"I'd listen to him if I were you," Naruto warned as he folded his arms, "He isn't pleased with you,"
"As if we care about the approval of a child," Izuku chuckled maniacally, putting off most of the elders.
"The Caged Bird Seal, why?"
"It is to protect both the Byakugan and the Main House," An elder growled to him, "I do not see the need to explain to you boy,"
"So it's soley applied to members of the Branch House?"
"If it is not they would rebel against our order,"
"Because your order is shit,"
"The Caged Bird Seal protects,"
"So why do you not have it?" Izuku glared at the room.
"Because we don't- Gah-AHHHHHH!" The elder screamed as Izuku flickered back to the centre of the room. The elder in question screamed as they clutched their face, blood seeping between their fingers.
"You don't need it did you say?" Izuku held up a bloody eye in his hand, "Because that sounds like a cheap out to me, it sounds like you just want slaves,"
"Impudent whelp,"
"Keep talking, see what happens to your whatever member's eye,"
"How dare a civilian threaten us!"
"Uzumaki Izuku of the Uzumaki clan," An elder laughed egotistically,
"There is no,"
"Uzushigakure, the villlage in the whirlpools was literally a village of Uzumaki's, just because there's three of us, doesn't mean you are going to win," Izuku held the eye in his closed fist. "Now I will ask again, why do you not have the Caged Bird Seal you force upon the Branch Houses?"
"Because,"
"Answer carefully or you may not get the eye back," None of the elders saw Izuku moved his hand behind his back and pull out a scroll. At the same time he pulled out a small white rubber ball, sealing away the eye and closing his hand around the rubber ball.
"Quick thinking," Tsunade whispered as the elders kept looking between each other, sweating profusely and pulling at their robes.
"You don't have any reason do you?"
"No," Hiashi shamefully admitted, "No we, I do not, the elders proposed the seal to prevent the Branch House from rebelling against the way they are treated," Naruto felt his jaw slacken.
"So, let me get this straight," He began walking to his brother, "You recognise you're treating people badly and your solution to the problem is to force them to deal with it?" He grabbed onto Izuku's sleeve, the greenette being ready to jump every elder present. "How about you remove the seal of all Branch House members and I won't let him begin a collection of Byakugan?"
"We can't remove the,"
"Then you will not get the eye back, may it be a reminder of how your hubris will end you," Izuku turned around swiftly walking over to Neji. "Here," A small booklet was put in the young Hyuuga's hands, "Give every branch member one of these pages, do not tear the formula, tell them if the elders ever call them in to put chakra into the page,"
"I,"
"Neji, please, if you care about family at all, give them a page, regardless of who it is,"
"And they simply push chakra into the page?"
"Yes, it will alert me to the situation as well as allowing me to be by their side instantly,"
"Why?"
"Because that was a load of horseshit," Tsunade interrupts, "They can very easily remove the seal, it's a seal, anyone with any knowledge of fuinjutsu knows all seals can be undone,"
"They will take an eye from a Branch member and then reapply the seal," Izuku shook his head, "They have far too much pride and arrogance to listen to everything I say, they will forget this blemish since they are the porud Hyuuga, strongest of all clans, except they aren't," Neji scoffed, "They are prideful, arrogant ninja that have outlived others with their cowardice and use of others, tell me how many elders are from Branch families?" The brunette looked at the floor.
"None," He mumbled, "They all died in combat,"
"Protecting the Main house members, right?" A nod, "Because they were incompetent shinobi only allowed onto the field because of their dojutsu, have you fought Hinata?"
"Many times, I have claimed victory every time,"
"Because she does not train in the way you do, she is not trained to fight, she is trained to flee, to use her dojutsu and nothing else." Izuku shook his head.
"Next time you fight her, remember, they haven't taught her anything, it's up to you to make sure she can, Gaara already did what he could before he had to go home so you do have something to work with," Naruto nodded gently, "And whatever you hold against her about the kidnapping, remember it was not her fault but the Kumo nin, that caused whatever happened,"
"I will endeavor to remember that, thank you, both of you," Izuku clasped his shoulder.
"No worries man, it's what a hero does,"
"And what could would I be as Hokage if I can't help anyone?" Naruto chuckled, "Now we should probably be going now,"
"Yeah, Itachi will probably be serving up dinner now, oh and Neji, don't be afraid to drop by with or without Hinata, if you could also pass along the message to her and Tenten, Lee too but,"
"I understand," Neji chuckled, "I owe you both greatly, but I suppose I have taken enough of your time, enjoy your evenings, I shall go and hand out some papers," He waved the book, "Lady Hokage," Tsunade nodded to him as the Hyuuga began walking away.
"Tsunade, you and Orochimaru are also welcome anytime,"
"And what of Jiraiya?" Izuku's face fell.
"If he can change his behaviour, maybe even attempt to make up for what he did, we shall consider it," Naruto compromised, "Otherwise we will not welcome the pervert sage in our home," Tsunade nodded in understanding before disappearing in a swirl of leaves. "Right, homebound then?"
Warmth. That was the first thing he felt when he woke up. It was comforting and yet, odd. Naruto never shared a bed before, so he'd either cast a Shadow Clone in his sleep or someone had creeped into his bed. Or Someones as both arms felt pinned either side of him, both wrapped around somethings that were resting on his shoulders gently. Sasuke and Izuku definitely wouldn't do that, Tayuya was absolutely interested in Sasuke so she was a no-go, Itachi and Shisui were in the other room, Katsuki wouldn't have the balls to try prank him like this and Ino and Sakura were way more interested in Sasuke than him so they'd never do this, right?
Right?
Keeping his eyes closed he knew plausible deniability was his best bet. If he acted like he was still asleep when the others woke up, they'd act like nothing had happened. The body on his left shuffled, snuggling into him, head lifting to rest in the crook of his neck. Great now he had someone's breath tickling him while he tried to remain dead still. It was harder than he wanted to admit. Trying to focus on his breathing didn't help much either. Hoping one of them woke up soon he lifted his chin slightly. Unfortunately the person on his right seemed to take it as an invitation, snuggling into him the same way the person on the left had. Internally groaning he gave up on waiting and simply relaxed again, hopefully he could actually fall asleep before the two woke up and then he'd be golden. Just relax, and.
Brriiinng
Gritting his teeth Naruto kept his eyes closed, the alarm would surely wake whoever was in his arms up, it had to.
Brriiinng
'No, don't do this to me' He cried still making sure his eyes didn't open. It wasn't fair he didn't need this, this was just some higher power being cruel. His arms couldn't even move for him to make a Shadow Clone.
Brriiing
It was torture, there was no other way to describe it. It was worse than torture. The alarm was going mad at him but the two weights kept slumbering. Oh sure, he could lift his arms, it'd be relatively easy, the hard part was explaining to whoever they were, why they were in his arms and why he was awake first. No, he'd rather avoid the double edged sword if he could.
Brriiing
Even if it meant he'd be driven insane by that damned alarm clock. The person on his left shifted slightly grumbling. "Stupid alarm," He knew that voice, and it sent him into a bigger craze loop as the alarm was smacked off. What was Ino doing sleeping on his chest?! Had she realized he was her pillow? She rolled back over and her arms immediately wrapped around his torso, her fact buried into him. "Comfy," Heat made his cheeks turn bright red, that's what it was, heat, not embarrasment from being called comfy. Not at all. And she'd just turned the alarm off, meaning she'd go back to sleep and whoever was on his right would stay asleep too. 'Kami fucking damn it' He groaned, his one chance at getting out of this safely had just been ripped from him. Kurama was chuckling in the back of his mind, being of little to no help. At least now he could,
Brriiing
'Oh, come the actual fuck on!!' He whined mentally. Resisting the urge to thrash he just kept his eyes closed and attempted to keep his breathing level and quiet. "Mn, Sakura, get your alarm," Ino complained. Naruto froze, Sakura was the person on his right, that wasn't fair, the whole situation wasn't fair. She rolled over still in his arm and hit the alarm clock on the other side. "Tha-aank you," Ino yawned as she rested her head on Naruto's chest.
"It's, fine," Sakura slowly rolled back over and he could feel them stare at each other, their heads tickling his chest as they turned to look up at him. He still kept his eyes closed and pretended to be asleep. Both girls looked down again and Naruto rolled his head. Ino shrugged against his body.
"I've woken up in worse ways," She mumbled, squeezing his chest. Sakura seemed to hum in agreement. Allowing his head to roll sideways, Naruto faked trying to roll over in his sleep, when the girls gave quiets 'eeps' he rolled his head back and cracked open an eye.
"And how did you two end up sleeping on me exactly?"
"Uh, no idea but," Ino flushed bright red, "Your chest is comfortable so don't move,"
"Sakura?"
"We were waiting for Izuku when he went off to deal with the Hyuuga clan, we ended up in a pile out of boredom and I guess we fell asleep,"
"Eh, I've woken up to worse," He teased, both girls blushing heavily before burying their faces into his chest, only for them to realize and roll to face the ceiling. "Anyone have anything to do today? Cause I don't,"
"We're training in the afternoon remember?" Ino couldn't look at him at all.
"Oh yeah, but that's later," Naruto kicked up the blanket and yawned.
"So?" Sakura almost turned to look at him but the pink in her cheeks caused her to flick away again. He simply adjusted his arms around the girls and held onto them.
"That means we can sleep in," He whispered to both as they looked ready to pass out. They moth mumbled agreements, a hand each resting on his chest. With a relaxing sigh Naruto looked at the insides on his eyelids again. He could get used to this.