Naruto: Mind over matter

-two days later-

Pov: Shikamaru

Maybe I should break my leg more often...

I stare into the sky and calmly gaze at the passing clouds, The Akatsuki lady broke my leg and now I have a bit of vacation time.

A lot of people do due to the current situation.

I yawn- *Step* what a drag... who is disturbing my slumber...?

I turn my head to see Riku and my heart nearly stops- fuck! Damnit Riku I nearly forgot you where alive...

"Riku... took you long enough to come say hello" I huff and turn back to the clouds- Riku lays down near me and stares above too.

"I was going to ask you to take a trip with me to the snow... but it seems you broke your leg" Riku says.

"Uhuh... So your the unlucky one eh? My old man was happy to get out of that" I mutter.

"How have you been Shikamaru... I heard you took my death pretty... bad" He slowly asks me.

"Troublesome... I may have been a tad bit angry..." I mumble.

"How many plans do you have against someone who can teleport?" He asks.

"... A lot. But I calmed down... I am feeling better" I say.

"Good to hear. Sorry about dying and all that... Sorry about trivializing death as well- but Riku has to be inhuman and all that" He jokes lightly.

...

"Who are you going to take to the summit?" I ask.

"Emrys. Then I can have rock sage tell everyone what is happening in the meeting and Bing bang boom! Your dad can act as if he really went to the summit himself!" He chuckles evilly.

"You are a nightmare to deal with... what a drag" I mumble.

"Better to be dealt with than not though right?" He asks and I sigh.

...

"Cant you just relay that information? You don't need Emrys right...?" I ask.

He barks out a laugh and chuckles to himself- so he forgot huh?

We sit and stare at the clouds for a while.

---

Pov: Sasuke Uchiha.

I am eating sweets with my brother on top of the Hokage mountain... it is peaceful and nice.

"Yo! Here to disrupt your brotherly bonding!" Riku announces himself.

...

He cant read my mind right? He didn't appear as soon as I thought that- right?

...

Haaa-

I sigh and turn to look at Riku who stands behind us, Itachi offers a dango to him- that's surprising... maybe the stories of him helping me has swayed the opinion he has of Riku.

"I am fine, thanks anyway Uchiha-san!" Riku smiles.

"What are you here for" I ask deadpan.

"Rude but fair. I'm looking for someone to take to the summit! Couldn't find Windoor man so I came to ask how your relationship is going?" Riku asks.

"...? Me and Itachi are getting along... there is some awkward steps but in the end he is my brother" I tell him.

"No, no, no- how is Sakura! Did you start going out with her?" He asks and I stiffen.

...

I look anywhere but at Itachi and I sweat.

"You... are dating Haruno-san?" Itachi asks and I can feel the gaze of interest being placed onto me.

"Riku..." I mutter coldly.

"Woops got to go! I can see that everything is good and insert apology here!" He declares before flickering away.

I turn to Itachi and he has a warm smile on his face... but his eyes betray him as he tries to hold back from teasing me.

...

Damnit Riku.

---

Pov: Wakana

I dance and follow the rhythm of my own voice... I feel free...

*Clap* *Clap*

Tenten claps along to the rhythm and watches me dance and sing- She has truly become one of my best friends... best friends? Doesn't that book say...

*flicker*

I stop and turn towards the figure- oh, it is Sleepy-senpai.

"If me and Tenten are best friends is this a lead towards a sexual relationship? A few books reveal that in history many 'close friends' were in fact sexual partners" I ask and I see that Tenten has frozen and starts to blush heavily.

"... I just flickered in... who starts a conversation like that...? Uhh... Tenten do you like Wakana?" Riku turns to Tenten who is blushing heavily now.

"Uhh- umm- wait- I" she fumbles on her words.

"Nod your head or shake it" Sleepy-senpai gives great advice as always.

I stare Tenten in the eyes.

She hesitates but nods her head.

"Oh, congratulations you two!" Sleepy-senpai claps.

...

"Did you need something senpai?" I ask.

"... I did then you said that... and I realised maybe that a meeting with important people... never mind- you two have fun!" Sleepy-senpai flickers away.

Odd.

I turn to the red Tenten and approach.

"Now what do we do?" I ask and she chokes on her words and faints.

...

Should I faint too?

---

Pov: Sai

I am sitting on top of a mid construction house.

*Flicker*

I turn to see sleepy approach.

"Riku, Sleepy. It has been a while since we conversed... I prefer the world when you are in it" I tilt my head and smile.

"Thanks man! Same about you, how is life?" He asks and I think on it...

"Life is pretty great. I have become closer to many and consider many my friends..." I tell him.

"You busy this week?" He asks.

"Ino wishes to utilize me for various chores while she and her father are injured" I let him know.

"Ah, that's a bummer" He says.

"Why?" I ask.

"I need to bring someone with me to a meeting and I have some amount of say in who I bring... just haven't found anyone yet" He tells me.

...

I stare at the streets of people as they build it... the streets I mean.

"Catch you later then Canvas- have fun with Ino" I nod and he flickers away.

---

Pov: Anko

*Slam!*

"This is too much! You cant expect me to write this many reports in a week!?" I yell at Ibiki.

"Cant help it- I am far more busy then you Anko, just deal with it" Ibiki coldy says and I groan.

*flicker*

"Hey my favourite Sensei!" Riku says.

"No!" I deny him whatever he wants from me.

"Fuck!" He flickers away.

---

Pov: Yamato

I am currently overworked making housing frameworks with my wood release... surely I have better things to do.

I see Riku pass me.

"Hey Riku! Where are you headed?" I ask.

He stops and spins to walk to me and he smiles warmly.

"Just trying to find someone to take to this very important meeting... you wouldn't be free would you?" He asks.

"I wish but the village needs me here more than anything... as much as I hate to admit it" I say and take a breather from house spawning.

He chuckles and pats my shoulder.

"Don't worry Yamato-sensei! Need someone to talk to while you do this?" He asks.

"Nah... just have to keep at it. Be safe at that meeting Riku" I tell him and he waves while walking down the street again.

---

Pov: Neji

*knock!* *slam!*

My fingers hit wood and the pinpoint smacks crack my target and send splinters everywhere.

"Woah... you definitely grew stronger..." I hear someone behind me and turn....I forgot he came back from the dead.

...

"Not strong enough-" I declare.

"You go through something while I was gone?" He asks.

"I wasn't there to protect the village" I say.

"... so not fast enough to get back to the village... or not lazy enough to stay at home..." Riku deadpans and I sigh.

"Did you need something?" I ask.

"Nothing but an answer- you free this week?" He asks me and I shake my head.

"Guy-sensei has signed our team up for as many community services as possible" I tell him.

...

"Well I guess that's all... have fun" He says before leaving.

...

When did the gap between us get so big? If I was in the village could I have done anything to the Paths of Pein?

*Whabam!* *Crash!*

---

Pov: Hinata

"Hehehe~ alright, alright- I get it..." Naruto chuckles as I gesture to the vegetable on his plate for the fifth time.

...

"Man your cooking is so amazing Hinata! Dattebayo!" He declares.

...

*Knock Knock*

"Ill get it Naruto" I get up and walk to my door.

Opening it I see Riku.

"Riku! How are you? Did you want to have some dinner?" I ask.

"Hey Hinata! I am good thanks for the offer though- did you have any free time this week?" He asks.

"I have some time tomorrow at noon and maybe Thursday..." I reply.

"Ah- never mind then, don't worry about it" He waves his hand and I nod.

"I'm still available!" Naruto shouts behind me.

"Still unable to go due to your fox problem!" Riku yells down the hall.

"Aw man!" Naruto groans and I raise my brow.

"Big Kage meeting, I am standing in for Tsunade... mostly because I can talk with Konoha from all the way in Iron" Riku tells me and I nod my head in understanding.

"Another time then?" I ask.

"Course! Ill see you all when I get back" He declares and flickers away. I close the door and return to the table where my vegetables have doubled... and Naruto's have gone missing.

*Whistle~*

...

He is lucky I love him.

---

Pov: Shizune.

"Yep, I gave up on my hunt for the perfect plus one- you got anyone waiting for this?" Riku tells me and I turn to every Jonin currently waiting in line- they all shift and look away so I don't choose them.

...

His friends are all busy and anyone who doesn't know Riku thinks he is a horrifying nightmare that will kill them for looking at him funny.

...

"Can I just go alone? I mean all the smartest in Konoha will be in that meeting in spirit due to my mind link with the Rock Sage who will be busy- and this is a peace meeting held by the Kazekage, I have nothing to fear" Riku asks.

"What if the Akatsuki attack you on your travels?" I ask.

"What are they gonna do? Kill me?" He jokes and everyone in the wooden building goes silent.

I swear his infamy is so high right now that he could hold hands with someone and they would think that's a sign of death.

Haaa-

"Fine- go alone, but know that if you change your mind an Anbu will be ordered to become your bodyguard" I tell him and he nods.

A rock floats in and sits at the desk.

"He will let you know if I need reinforcements- I will depart tomorrow" Riku states and flickers out of the room.

---

Pov: Riku

"Hey Eiko!" I pop in through my window.

...

"... maybe I shouldn't walk naked around the house in a ninja village..." she mutters.

"That... might be the best Idea, these curtains block view but not entry... perhaps only when I am around so my sense can pick anyone entering up" I tell her and she nods.

"You are leaving tomorrow right? Lets do something fun tonight! How about cooking some desserts? Or maybe we could do some carving together! Use that basement we have" She asks and I nod.

"Why not both? We can make something small to save some time" I ask and she hums a yes.

We stand in the kitchen and throw together some quick and easy cupcakes... Eiko has truly surpassed me in cooking while I was gone, has she always looked so graceful when doing this?

"My breasts are down here Riku" Eiko catches me staring into her eyes and makes a joke.

I chuckle and sigh.

"When did you become so... amazing?" I ask.

"Was I not always amazing?" She retorts.

"No, you were great..." I smirk and she rolls her eyes.

"What do you mean?" She asks.

"I feel like I am falling in love with you all over again... I loved you when you where all over me... but I love you more in moments like this..." I soften into a smile and she blushes lightly.

"Well, T-Thanks Rabbit... I am just cooking though..." She replies and tucks her hair.

"Cooking... hugging... eating and carving... I could name a thousand places where you look divine." I let out a slow breath.

"U-uhm Riku... what's with this all of a sudden...? I mean I love you too-" She blushes a bit more and rambles on.

...

I sit and listen as she waves her hands around and panics a little, failing to find the words she feels for me.

I love this lady.

We spend all night making cupcakes, eating them and then taking our time to carve simple wooden toys... I carve a small statuette of Eiko and Eiko does the same but with me.

Admittedly I still have Eiko beat on the carving hobby.

We walk up from the workshop and enter into bed, she has started to wear pyjamas again and it makes me smile.

She said that she wanted to make me comfortable... that she cared for me deeply and will try to cut down on the perverted stuff... which admittedly got a little out of hand.

"Please... Don't die again rabbit" Eiko clutches my hand and I snuggle up closer to her.

"Me? I would never..." I whisper into her ear and we fall asleep together.

---

Thanks for reading :)