Full Summary: With a new threat looming on the horizon that endangers the world's hard earned peace, Naruto must learn how to become a courtesan. What he never expects is to run into Sasuke while he's undercover. At first he is sure Sasuke will betray him but as time goes on, it is clear he has other plans. With a new and delicate alliance, they need to learn how to trust one another before the entire shinobi world tumbles into another war.

A/N: Yay for another Naruto story!!!! I'm super-excited about this once because its going to be multi-chapter and I've never really written a story like this before. It should be fun! I have all these other plot bunnies clamoring about in my head and I was in the shower the other day and it was like BAM! I need to write this, screw everything else! I was going to wait to post this after I had two chapters written but I'd like to see how many people like it first. Anyway, though it will take a few chapters, this is indeed a SasukexNaruto fic. There will be, however, two side pairings with Naruto so I'm warning everyone now (though the romance is all SasuNaru). Reviews are loved and rewarded with faster updates! Enjoy!

Warning: This fic will contain a lot of references to sex, including graphic sex between men. It is mainly SasukexNaruto but there will be some OCxNaruto and GenmaxNaruto (I LOVE throwing in secondary cannon characters!) Sadly, this is unbeta'd...

This Hidden Deception

Chapter 1: A not-so-expected mission…

Once, when he was naïve and innocent at heart, he had assumed the way of the shinobi had relied on strength of both body and character. He had never really been all that good at the whole stealth thing, but he was better than he used to be and, as had been drilled into his head since the very first day as a Genin, teamwork was essential.

Of course he knew that there were other ways of being a ninja; Kakashi was once an assassin, though he never spoke of it and Iruka made an excellent teacher for the next generation of shinobi. Though his own path was rather straight forward, he was proud of it. It was just another way to be strong.

There was one thing, however, that he had never associated with the ninja arts and that was sex.

Too bad for him because if he had, he might have been prepared, at least a little, for the mission that would change everything for him, including his outlook on life.

The note that he had found hurriedly stuffed under his door had been curt and to the point, simply asking him to meet the Hokage in his office sometime during the day so that he could receive the details of the new mission he was to be assigned. He met the words with a surge of excitement for he hadn't been on a mission in quite a while and he was starting to get bored. Sure, there was always someone around to train with but that only went so far. He wanted out of the village for a bit. As a matter of fact, he would be glad to go do some D-ranked missions at this point, including chasing after some lady's crazy cat. Once the feel of restlessness would have dismayed him but after continuously traveling for three years, staying in one place for longer than a few weeks made his skin itch. The need to be ever moving had been ingrained in him and he couldn't seem to shake it.

At first he hadn't noticed it. He had thought that once he returned from his extended trip with Ero-sannin, he would settle in, show everyone how amazing he had become and then, someday, he would make it to being Hokage, like his former sensei was now. Between meeting back up with old friends, training and then saving the village from the organization that wished to claim the fox locked within him, there was no time to realize that even the place he loved could not sate the wild beating of anxious wings within his chest, aching to be free.

Now, though…

So when he read the words about a mission, one that required special training, even, the great winged beast raised its head and screamed its furious joy. He wanted to copy it; wanted to throw his head back and howl with the giddy excitement that pounded through his veins. He loved Konoha, he really did and he would do anything to protect it, had done already, but there was nothing like the joy of being completely and absolutely free.

With a grin that threatened to split his face apart, he scrambled through his somewhat messy apartment, expertly dodging empty ramen cups to put his groceries away. Though the note had not told him to report as soon as he got it, the thought of waiting even a moment longer than needed filled him with the familiar antsy feeling that had been getting stronger the more time went by. He flew through the chore of putting all the food away, practically tripping over himself in his haste. Kakashi knew his worth, his strength and didn't hesitate to put him on A or even S-ranked missions but lately most of the assignments could only be completed by ANBU. Too bad he was too well known to don a mask of his own and even if it did offer some kind of anonymity, he would hate that kind of hiding away, tucked behind a face that was not his own. He wanted people to see him, to acknowledge him.

Now, with anticipation running high in his veins, he scrambled through familiar motions of a chore he had done since he was small and pushed away everything else. All that mattered was getting to the Hokage's office and finding out what assignment he would be sent on this time. Dangerous or mundane, he was sure he wouldn't be disappointed.

The single visible eye looked haggard and somewhat haunted when he finally made his way into his former teacher's office, the expression shocking him. He had been made to wait outside the door for who knew how long as Kakashi had been in a meeting already when he had gotten there and the time had only wound him up further rather than serving to calm him down. The door had practically splintered when he finally burst through it but the expression he was pinned with froze him on the spot.

"Hyper-active as always, I see," despite his appearance, there was a warm smile in the older man's voice that he understood was reserved only for his old students, "Hello, Naruto," It was then the blond realized he hadn't seen the masked, silver-haired man for nearly three weeks and wondered how he could have missed it. Even when he hadn't had any missions, he was usually in this office, pestering the Hokage because, well, otherwise he tended to get lonely. As he closed the door with more care than with what he opened it with, he wondered what Kakashi's smile would look like unfettered by dark cloth.

"Your note said that you wanted to talk to me today about a mission," he stated without preamble, bounding over to the wide, sturdy desk the older man was currently perched upon. He was practically vibrating now, and he couldn't keep it from his voice or his expression. Usually this would prompt an eye roll or a fond, calming words of assurance. Not this time. The dark eye fixed on his face for a long moment, the deep slate color flattening in a way they only did when he knew the older man was conflicted.

"Yes, well," and he paused, gaze sliding away to look out the window that the sprawling village below. The blond shifted and for the first time since he had received the note, he frowned. Surely nothing could be so bad as to put a look like that on his former sensei's face. Naruto knew he was stronger than just about anyone in the village and that wasn't arrogance; it was hard earned just like everything else in his life. After all, he had taken down several Akatsuki members by himself.

"Come on, Kakashi-sensei, it can't be that bad," he prodded, curiosity and the need for a change in pace getting the better of him. The only thing that could make the older man hesitate like that was something to do the Sasuke, who they had lost track of months ago but he doubted it. If the Uchiha didn't want to be found, he wouldn't be and it was actually Kakashi that had urged Naruto to give the other boy time before he went back out in search of him. The Hokage turned his gaze back into the room and sighed heavily, shoulders tense.

"Right," the older man picked up a scroll from his desk, one that looked worn and a bit frayed around the edges, as if it had been fought for and then read more than a few times, "First of all, I want you to know that I would not have you doing this if I had any other choice. Unfortunately, after much debate, I think you are the best person for this mission," those words kicked up a fierce pride in the younger man's chest and he couldn't understand why Kakashi wasn't more upbeat about it. If anything, he sounded…reluctant.

"But that's good, right? You know you can count on me!" the Hokage flinched and looked away, frowning beneath his mask. Naruto's confidence and enthusiasm only seemed to make the older man's negative reactions worse and it was beginning to bother Naruto.

"I know that, Naruto. That is my concern," the blond tipped his head to the side, confused. Something more was going on here and he didn't like that he couldn't understand it. Despite the fact that he was a little slow on picking things up, he had never liked that familiar feeling of confusion and it rankled on him now, "Typically, a mission like this would go to a specially trained ninja who uses…certain methods to extract vital intelligence from a designated target. However, even they operate in teams and for this, we can only send one person," Okay, so far it all made sense and the blond gave a crooked smile, pointing to his own chest.

"That would be me, then?" he couldn't help the hopeful tone of his voice, the thought of learning a new skill sending giddy warmth through his chest. He always loved learning new things, no matter what it was, and usually threw himself into whatever that new task was, heart and soul. If he understood Kakashi correctly, he was going to be undergoing more training, something he loved almost as much as he did travelling.

"Yes, that's you. It has come to our attention that the young Feudal Lord of the River Country is offering places of sanctuary to rouge ninja in payment for their skills. We had several spies infiltrate his defenses until recently. Unfortunately, there hasn't been any new information for a couple of weeks and we can't get anyone new inside t find out what happened. I fear the ones that were already there have been found out and killed," the information was surprising and not a little disturbing because as far as Naruto knew, the River Country had always been a small, peaceful land that was content to rely on both the Fire and Wind countries should it need protecting as it lay on both their borders. He was sure that they couldn't pose that much of a threat but then he had never really had a head for politics, either.

"So you want me to go in there and find out what they're up to?" it wasn't really a question but Kakashi's sharp, jerky shrug acted a kind of half-answer.

"In so many words, yes. I need to know if they are going to pose any kind of threat, especially considering all of the ninja gathering there are missing-nin and S-class criminals. This can possibly break our alliance with Suna, should anything untoward occur such as offers of alliance," Naruto blinked his wide, blue eyes in surprise. He had thought their understanding with Wind was unmovable, especially considering his own history with their Kazekage. Surely a nation like the River Country couldn't break it so easily. Yet the worry in the silver haired man's single visible eye spoke volumes more than any words could. He swallowed, suddenly nervous.

"You want me to do this?" he asked finally, wondering what he could possibly do better that trained spies couldn't, "I'm not exactly subtle," and it was true. He knew his weaknesses as well as his strengths, as any good shinobi did and stealth was not one of his strong points. Kakashi shook his head and fiddled with the seal that clung to the scroll in his hands.

"That's what I'm counting on, actually. You are strong enough that you can go in alone and survive should something go wrong. As for the rest…" he paused and looked out the window again, the sunlight slanting softly over the rooftops and spilling into the room so that the formal robes the older man wore looked more dazzling white than usual, "you will be trained so that you can get in and get the information that you need," All in all, it sounded pretty easy. The sneaking and being subtle part he would have a problem with but if he did well with the training, surely he could pull this off. The fact that he would be surrounded with Jounin level ninja that wouldn't hesitate to rip him apart should he be discovered didn't scare him but failure did.

"This sounds easy, Kakashi-sensei!" he said with a grin, excited once more despite the circumstance, "I don't know why you're worried. What kind of training will it be? Something super-cool, I bet!" his words made the older man wince again and for some reason, warm color flooded the pale skin of Kakashi's cheekbones that weren't covered by his mask.

"Super-cool is not the word I would use to describe it," he said, deep voice oddly flat and thin, like he hated the words that he was speaking but didn't have a choice. The blond eyed the older man, wondering what he could possibly mean by that. Suddenly he was pinned by a single eye, the dark color of them bright and intense, forcing the gravity of the situation upon him, "Naruto, listen to me carefully. It is absolutely important for you to keep an open mind. This technique has been used by shinobi for thousands of years and is as valid a tool as a katana is. You can refuse, of course but you are the best chance we have for this to succeed," the words left him even more confused but he nodded, fierce determination burning within him, strong and bright.

"I promise, Kakashi-sensei," he responded, rough tenor unwavering. No matter what it was that needed to be done, he would do it because he never went back on his word. Besides, he still didn't believe it could be all that bad, no matter the haunted shadows that flickered around the older man's gaze, "I won't fail you," for a moment, he was sure his former teacher would smile but he was surprised when he didn't.

"I know, Naruto. Please, I would not ask this of you if I had a better choice. If there was some other way that you could keep your innocence, I would have gladly taken that path but there is not," again the blond blinked, studying the Hokage and wondering what he could possibly mean by those words. He was far from innocent, having been immersed in bloodshed and death since he was thirteen. Then the older man held out a piece of paper, gaze still dark and full of something miserable he couldn't understand.

"What's this?" he asked as he took the paper. Upon it was an address that he didn't recognize for a house in a section of the village he wasn't familiar with. Kakashi stood and moved around the desk, standing before the blond. The man was tall but the younger shinobi stood an inch or two taller, something he took a quiet pride in.

"It is the address for your new sensei. I have told him to expect you and you will be with him for two months, learning as much as you can in that time. He's very good at what he does and he has been a friend of mine for a long time," the Hokage laid a warm hand on the younger man's shoulder and even Naruto could tell his smile was forced, "Try not to give him a hard time, alright?" it was familiar ground and the blond saluted with a sunny grin, eyes sparkling.

"Of course, Kakashi-sensei! I'll be good!" no matter the Hokage's strong warnings, he still couldn't temper his excitement. This was what he lived for, this was his life; whatever it was that his former teacher seemed so reluctant for him to do, he would do it and to the best of his ability because he promised. He couldn't bear to be a disappointment. They shared a few more minutes with lighter, easier talk before he turned to go, eager to get started. He couldn't wait to meet his new teacher and start his training. Yet just as he reached the door, the strong voice behind made him turn, so full of that miserable, nameless emotion he barely recognized it.

"Remember, all I ask of you right now is to keep an open mind. If you want to refuse, you can and if you ever wish to talk, I'm here," such strange words and he only took perfunctory note of them before the whirling excitement scattered his thoughts.

"Sure, Kakashi!" Naruto missed the look that followed him, filled with regret and anguish. If he had, he might have tried to make more sense of Kakashi's words.

Not that it mattered. He had given his word and he wasn't about to back out.

He had never really ventured past the run down sections of the village where he lived except for where the shinobi trained and worked, the market and the restricted section that had once belonged to the Uchiha clan. Actually, he had spent a lot of time in Sasuke's old family home as if that would bring him closer to the other boy. It hadn't made him feel any better but sometimes he imagined he could hear soft laughter following him down the dark, lonely halls, the remnants of a boy whose soul had been broken a long time ago. Yet this part of the village that the little slip of paper led him to was neat and quiet, filled with moderate sized houses that were typically more traditional rather than modern, giving the neat, straight roads a feeling of nostalgia and elegance.

Naruto liked it immediately.

Since he would be staying with his new teacher for the two months of his training, he had packed a small bag and slung it over his shoulder so that it bounced with every popping step. It made him feel strangely worthwhile and he couldn't help but smile at the handful of people he passed. They were all dressed neatly, even the children playing their small games in the street and every one of them gave him a polite greeting. How different everything was now than it had been when he was young. Everyone knew who he was; they had even when he didn't know about the fox that resided within him and he relished the lack of cruelty that he had grown up with.

Nothing, though, could sour his mood now and he felt nearly weightless as he finally stopped before a neat, well-kept house with dark, sloping roofs that had deep eaves and the outdoor wooden walks that were typical of the traditional style homes. It reminded him of the giant houses in the Uchiha district but this one was welcoming rather than stark and abandoned, boosting his confidence somewhat. For some reason, he was nervous, something he never really experienced and he thought again of the disturbed expression that had Kakashi had gazed at him with. Well, whatever it was, it couldn't be worse than succumbing to the demon inside of him so he took a deep breath and made his way down the neat, stone walk.

The yard was impressive and well kept, filled with all kinds of plants that looked both beautiful and useful, though he didn't know much as he wasn't really a plant kind of person. It seemed quieter here, peaceful and it eased some of the tension that he didn't realize had been tightening his shoulders and back. This would certainly not be a bad place to stay for two months, even if his teacher was unbearable, which he doubted; they would have to be quite a person to have been friends with Kakashi for a long time. And he was sure no one could be as bad as Guy-sensei. The very thought made Naruto cringe.

By the time he reached the front door, which was made of light paper and dark wood, he had forcefully squashed all of the butterflies that had been fluttering in the pit of his stomach. He liked learning and he was determined not to screw this up. So, taking a deep breath, he pulled the cord that hung by the door, waiting as a chime sounded deep within the house.

Honestly, he didn't know what he had been expecting but the man who opened the door a few moments later was not it.

"Um, hi," he stammered, suddenly shy under the piercing grey gaze, "Kakashi-sensei said you were expecting me?" The older man lifted one slender eyebrow, looking completely at ease, his light brown hair falling into his eyes and tugged by an errant breeze. He wasn't as tall as Naruto but his build under the dark blue yukata suggested agility and strength. The thing that struck the blond the most was how familiar he seemed as he smiled around a gleaming senbon caught between his teeth.

"Ah, yes. You must be the Uzumaki kid," his voice was a deep, easy drawl and his handshake firm, "I'm Genma," Naruto immediately liked the man, finding his smile warm and inviting and he grinned back, glad he seemed at least somewhat normal.

"Please call me Naruto," those grey eyes glittered and the man stepped back from the door, holding it open so that the blond could step into the house.

"Of course. I admit I was a bit surprised at Kakashi's request but anything for a friend, I suppose," Genma gave an easy shrug as the blond looked around the open entry way with interest. There were several rooms all connected to the main one, full of space and light. All of the furniture was light and often covered with comfortable cushions while the kitchen, which was one of the rooms he could see into, was neat and welcoming. It was so different from his own little apartment that he wasn't sure at first what to make of it. When he turned back to the older man, he was smirking, swirling the skinning senbon around against his lips.

"Sorry, I get distracted easily. I like your house," he said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. He found he liked Genma's laugh even better than his smile and couldn't help but smile back. This was going to be a piece of cake.

"I know. I was warned, though I thought Kakashi was exaggerating a bit," it was a familiar line but he crossed his arms over his chest and huffed indignantly anyway. Really, he wasn't that bad and once he started training, nothing short of a tsunami could distract him until he mastered that technique.

"Hey," he protested and then was struck by that strange sense of familiarity as the light caught on the thin piece of metal in the older man's mouth. He wracked his brain, sure he had met Genma somewhere before. His wide, blue gaze narrowed as he pondered, "Do I know you from somewhere?" the brunette grinned then, slipping his hands into his wide sleeves.

"I watched you pummel the young Hyuuga a few years back at the Genin exams," he explained, amusement sparkling in his gaze as the blonde's eyes widened with recognition.

"You were the proctor!" he exclaimed, seeing the similarity now. Though this man in front of him was in comfortable clothing and didn't have his shoulder length hair back in his forehead protector, he was clearly the same person.

"Yes, I was and I have to say that show you put on still amazes me," the light brown strands shone a soft gold in the sunlight that filled the house when the older man shook his head, "Never expected that from you, I'll admit but for some reason, I'm glad I witnessed it," the words filled him with warm confidence and he shifted slightly, always uneasy when he received a compliment.

"Well, people do call me unpredictable all the time. I just couldn't stand to lose to the person that Neji was then," he shrugged because in his eyes, it was simple. Destiny was what you made it, not something that ruled you and it had irked him the way the older boy had spoken so animatedly about it.

"Indeed. Yet you do not have hard feelings for each other now?" Naruto grinned, thinking of the stoic, long-haired Jounin.

"No, we're good friends now. We usually train together when we get the chance," the grey gaze looked at him closely, their color always seeming to shift from stormy clouds to hard slate to light foam. They were endlessly fascinating and impossible to read, making him wonder what the older man really thought of him.

"Interesting," he mused before realizing they were standing in his front hall, "Very well, then. I shall show you to the room you will be staying in and then I will make some tea. It would be good to get to know one another before we begin training," at the mention of the reason why Naruto was there in the first place, his heart leapt and he followed the burnet through the big, open rooms and down a long, airy hall to their left, long, thin windows marching down the hall. They opened up to the back garden that was even bigger than then the one in the front, a fragrant breeze whispering against his skin. Genma stopped at the third door, opening it and letting Naruto step through.

It wasn't, surprisingly, a big room, with enough room for a small writing table in the corner and a futon, which was currently rolled up against one of the walls. It had a door, though, that led to the outside and through which more light spilled, making the room seem bigger than it was. He loved it instantly and dropped his bag to the floor beside him with a little sigh. No, this wouldn't be bad at all.

"I will give you a few moments to get settled and then you can meet me in the kitchen. There was a bathroom at the end of the hall and the bath is across the hall, though I do have a private shower outside in the garden if you wish. We can worry about a schedule tomorrow," Genma's voice was brisk and professional and the blond nodded, feeling shy again, as if he was missing something big that he should really know.

"Why do I have to stay with you?" he blurted, "Wouldn't it be okay just to meet at the training grounds?" his question stopped the brunet before he could step out of the room and his grey eyes were dark as they regarded him. He wondered vaguely as the older mad studied him if it was because of the light that they changed like that or if the color followed his emotions.

"He didn't tell you, did he?" Genma finally asked, voice toneless with exasperation and the younger shinobi tipped his head to the side like he did when he was confused.

"Tell me what?" the feeling of missing something strengthened and the older man frowned then sighed heavily, just as Kakashi had done earlier that day. He heard the Hokage's words in his head then, asking him to keep an open mind and he wondered, then, just what it was this grey-eyed ninja would be teaching him.

"Of course he didn't. Just get settled for now and we'll discuss it over tea," and he was gone, leaving the blonde frowning after him. This whole thing just got stranger and stranger. Then he shrugged and turned back to the room, eyeing it with enthusiasm. Whatever it was, he had promised that he would do this and that he would succeed. Nothing Genma did could be that terrible, surely, to warrant all this fuss. So what if he had to stay at the man's house? Perhaps there was a lot of scroll studying he would have to do that required staying indoors and while he had always been terrible with anything intellectual, he wasn't stupid. He could do anything if he just applied himself and he wouldn't let himself fail something that was obviously so important.

So he plopped his bag into the middle of the floor and started emptying it into the small, neat closet, deciding not to worry about it. He had already made up his mind; he'd be the best student he could be for Genma.

There was nothing but steely determination in his heart.

"So," Naruto watched as Genma set two steaming cups upon the low table he knelt in front of, noting how the man moved with easy, natural grace and gratefully accepted his cup, cradling it between his palms, "I suppose we should talk about why you're here, before we go any further. I was informed that you are allowed to turn this down, of you so wish and I will tell you, there is no shame in that. This path is not for everyone," those words again but this time they only flattened against the bright resolve he had wound around himself and he lifted his chin, looking the older man in the eye as he settled across the table from the blond.

"I won't back down. I can't. I already gave my word and I never go back on it," his words sound strong, like a steady heartbeat, the familiar mantra giving him reassurance that he didn't realize he needed. He already liked Genma but he had caught the man looking him over before and he wondered now if the spark in those grey depths meant something more than professional interest.

"Very admirable. But this kind of thing is not what you seem to think. Has Kakashi explained to you what you will be using it for?" Naruto nodded, taking comfort from the warmth of the thick, earthenware cup in his hands, the steam filling his nose with the heady scent of jasmine.

"Yes. It is not my usual style mission but I'm sure that I can do this," the older man took a sip from his own cup, peering at the blond through the thick steam and if he didn't know better, he would think the brunet was trying to hide a smile.

"Such determination. I don't doubt your words. But there is much more than that, too. It is an art, one that usually takes years to learn, yet I only have a handful of weeks to teach you. It is stealth and subtlety and takes a great deal of discipline. You will need good observation skills and acting skills otherwise it will never work," the blond listened, enraptured. He was sure he could do all that. Acting had always been something he was good at; after all, the smiles he had worn since he was very young covered a great, consuming ache.

"You say all that," he began slowly, mind still trying to pick its way through the things he was and wasn't good at, "but what is it? Both you and Kakashi keep dancing around it as if you're afraid to put it into real words and I'm not really good with subtle," Genma did smile then, putting his cup down onto the table and leveling his gaze at the younger man.

"Which we will have to change. But no, we aren't afraid. We just want to make sure you understand the importance of the options you are being given and that you do not take them lightly," he took a breath then seemed to straighten, as if the words he was about to speak were practiced, "It is a Shadow art that has been used for many hundreds of years and is one we shinobi keep secret even from each other. Kakashi only knows about me because we shared a teacher," Naruto's eyes widened in interest.

"So, Kakashi-sensei knows this Shadow art too?" he asked, voice eager and the older man's grin was sharp, like the senbon he had discarded on the table beside him when he had sat.

"Just a little. Not nearly as much as me," he took a breath and the blond leaned forward, waiting, "Should you choose to accept, the art you will be learning is that of seduction," the words were said easily and without hesitation. There was no fear or shame or anything but calm fact. Yet Naruto felt the air in his lungs halt as he blinked, feeling as if all his emotions had been put on hold and then scooped from him by a spoon. Surely it was a joke. It had to be a joke. He wasn't naive enough not to know what the older man meant when he said that but even he knew he would be the last person suited for this. Even so, when he opened his mouth, only his confusion tumbled out.

"Huh? W-what does that mean?" because it obviously couldn't mean what it sounded like. Then Genma met his eyes and smiled. It did.

"It means, I will be teaching you how to use yourself to get information from a given target and your weapon will be sex,"

For the first time, Naruto felt his determination shatter.

...To be continued

Teehee...poor Naruto!

Reviews much loved...I would love to hear what you guys think!

ATTENTION!!! sorry! I'm already changing things around and those of you who have read this already, I'm terribly sorry! It thought that three weeks was not enough time for Naruto's training and changed it to two months. Sorry again for the confusion!