Chapter 86: Night [1]

The road from Konoha to the Hidden Sand which is also called Suna stretched long and mostly empty. Three days of steady travel, no forced marches, no sense of looming disaster.

The reports from Suna had spoken of strange weather and unknown figures wearing Leaf symbols, but nothing had exploded or burned yet. That left the six of them moving at a pace that felt almost like an ordinary training run.

They kept to the forested routes for the first day, staying under the canopy whenever possible. Kael ran near the middle of the group, Ino close enough that their shoulders brushed now and then. Sakura and Sasuke took the front more often than not. Shikamaru and Choji brought up the rear, the former already looking like he regretted leaving his bed and the latter snacking from a pouch that never seemed to empty.

Conversation came and went in the usual way. Shikamaru complained about the heat, the distance, and the general trouble of having to work with another team. Choji offered everyone dried meat and looked wounded when Sakura turned it down for the third time. Ino teased Naruto about how quiet he had become since she left on her last mission. Sakura stayed mostly practical, checking maps and water seals. Sasuke said almost nothing, which was normal.

By the afternoon of the first day the trees began to thin and the air grew drier. They pushed on until the light started to fade, then found a wide clearing beside a calm lake that still sat inside the outer edges of Fire Country territory. The water reflected the first stars. It was as good a place as any to stop.

Three tents came out of the packs. Two looked fine. The third had a long tear down one side and a broken support pole. Shikamaru stared at it with the expression of a man who had just been told he had to do extra homework.

"So what are we going to do about this?" he asked. "One tent down. Great."

Sakura examined the damage. "It’s not repairable tonight. We don’t have the right seals or spare fabric."

Originally the plan had been simple: boys in two tent, girls in the other. That plan was now impossible. Sasuke’s eyes moved from the torn canvas to Kael and then to Sakura. The memory of what he had once seen between them on a different mission sat behind his gaze. He did not want a repeat.

"Why don’t one of us take first watch?" Sasuke said. "It would be cleaner. Rotate through the night."

Shikamaru waved the idea off at once. "Nah. We’re still inside Konoha territory. No point. Waking up every few hours to stare at trees is such a drag. We’re fine."

Kael stepped closer to Ino and rested a hand on her hip with easy familiarity. "If we’re sleeping in groups of three, I’m with my girlfriend. I don’t want any perverts near her."

Ino’s face went pink at the word, but she did not pull away. The title still felt new enough to matter.

Choji blinked. "It’s not like any of us would do anything to someone like her."

Ino’s head snapped around. "And why wouldn’t you do anything to someone like me? Am I ugly?"

"Wait, Ino, that’s not what I—"

"Come here, you fatso!"

Choji yelped and scrambled behind Shikamaru while Ino gave chase for three full steps before laughing and letting him go. The tension in the clearing eased a little.

Shikamaru sighed. "Fine. Groups of three it is. Less troublesome than arguing all night."

Sasuke looked at Kael again, then at Ino standing close against his side. If Naruto was officially with her, maybe Sakura would be left alone. He gave a short nod and claimed the second tent with Shikamaru and Choji. That left the remaining intact tent for Kael, Ino, and Sakura.

They worked in practiced silence after that. Poles went up, canvas stretched, bedrolls unrolled. The damaged tent was folded and set aside for gear. A small fire was lit long enough to heat water and eat, then put out to avoid drawing attention. By the time full dark settled over the lake the two tents were closed and the forest had gone quiet.

Inside the girls’ tent the space was tight but manageable. Sakura sat on one side with her bedroll neatly arranged. Ino took the other. Kael stepped in last, looked at the narrow gap in the middle, and dropped his pack.

"I’ll sleep in the middle, then."

Neither of them argued. The arrangement made practical sense and no one had the energy to redraw the lines. Kael stretched out on his back between them. Ino turned off the small lantern. In the sudden dark she leaned over, found his mouth with easy familiarity, and kissed him once, soft and lingering.

"Night," she murmured, then settled against his side and was asleep within minutes. The long day of travel had caught up with her completely.

Sakura stayed on her side facing the tent wall, back to both of them. She had been with Naruto before—more than once—but that had been before Ino became official. She had no intention of letting the other girl find out. The quiet breathing of the tent settled into the steady rhythm of sleep.

Kael waited.

When Ino’s breathing had been deep and even for a long stretch he shifted closer to Sakura’s back. One arm slid around her waist under the shared blanket. His chest pressed against her spine. She stiffened at once.

"Naruto, what are you doing?" Her whisper was sharp. "What if Ino wakes up?"

"Don’t worry." His voice stayed low against the back of her neck. "I already fucked her while everyone was eating dinner. She’s out cold."

His hips rolled forward once, letting her feel the hard length of him against the curve of her ass through their clothes. Sakura’s breath caught. She tried to stay still, tried to keep any sound from leaving her throat. Kael’s hand moved up under her shirt and closed over one breast, thumb brushing the nipple until it hardened. A muffled noise escaped her anyway.

He smiled in the dark.

"This is going to be a long night."

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Give me power!!! 🥺