He should have bought her two kunai, one for each leg. Or a shuriken. Or something. Maybe they'd get attacked and she'd do that bending-down thing again, with her dress sliding open just enough to bare that swathe of thigh...

"Hm?" Asuma said, realizing Tsume was talking to him. "Go? Right. Yep, good idea."

Behind Tsume's lean shoulder, Tori gave him a knowing look, full of sharp edges. Asuma grinned at her.

"Don't worry, grandma, I'll have her back for ten. Well, maybe midnight. Or thre--umph." Tsume's elbow whacked into his ribcage and cut off the next words. Asuma leaned back, rubbing his side. "Or whenever. That was lady-like, princess."

"Was it?" said Tsume dryly. "I'll try harder to be less lady-like, stud."

Asuma blinked at her--along with the rest of her family--then split a broad, dazzling grin. Megawatt level. A self-contained supernova of lips and teeth. He stepped back to let her out of the door, opening his mouth to say something charming...

And the distant world exploded.

Tsume hit the wall; Asuma grabbed onto the doorframe. The older male Inuzuka lunged for Kiba and Hana. The teenager and Tori snarled in surprise, steadying each other.

Asuma jerked out of the doorway. Far too close, on the edges of the Inuzuka compound, a black pall of smoke was rising.

"What the hell?"