Here is the first chapter of me and my friend's naruino story. Hope you enjoy and I have an idea for a third story but if you want to know what it is ask in the reviews or pm me and I will tell you.

Naruto was walking through the streets of Konaha. It was about time for dinner and he was headed to his favorite place to eat, Ichiraku Ramen. He had been training with Ebisu-sensei for the past three weeks preparing for the finals of the chunin exams. Ebisu-sensei had told him earlier today that there was no more he could teach him and that he would have to finish his training on his own or find someone else that could teach him more. As he was walking, he was too lost in thought of finishing his training that he failed to notice the young kunoichi that rounded the corner until he walked right into her knocking her straight to the ground.

"Why don't you watch where you are going next time." said the female ninja as she dusted herself off not bothering to look at who knocked her down.

Naruto looked down at who he had ran into and first noticed the blond hair of his long time friend Ino Yamanaka. Next he noticed that she wasn't wearing her normal ninja outfit but instead was dressed in a dark purple skirt with matching blouse, and she had her hair pulled back into a ponytail.

"I'm sorry Ino. I must have zoned out and wasn't didn't notice you." Naruto said as he reached out his hand to help her up. "What are you dressed up for, got a date or something?" Naruto chuckled.

"No, I don't have a date you idiot. I just got done helping mom and dad at the flower shop and decided to get something to eat, and since I didn't know where I would end up I wanted to look my best." explained Ino as she finished dusting her self off.

"Well I was headed to get ramen before heading home, you want to come?" asked Naruto.

"Is that all you ever eat?" replied Ino.

"No not all the time. I have been training a lot with Ebisu-sensei the last three weeks for the finals and I haven't had much time for ramen or anything else. So how about it, you want to come with me and we can catch up on what has happened in the last few weeks? asked Naruto.

"Sure. It will be nice to sit and talk with a friend." said Ino as they started towards Ichiraku's ramen.

~96~

A little while later they were setting in the restaurant enjoying their ramen. They had set there eating in silence for about ten minutes not knowing what to talk about. It was Naruto who finally broke the silence.

"So how are things going back at the flower shop?" Naruto asked her trying to get a conversation going between the two of them.

"It has been pretty slow and boring last few weeks. Not to mention extremely quiet without your loud mouth being gone."

"So what your saying is that you missed me all this time." replied Naruto with his signature grin.

"No what I said is that it has been quiet. I never said if it was a good or bad thing." Ino said.

"I feel bad leaving all the work to you and her mom. I just have been training a lot and I am just glad they let me take this time off to train."

"I was talking to mom yesterday and she said not to worry about it. That it was the least they could do since you saved me from the bullies years ago. This was their way of saying thanks." replied Ino.

(Flashback)

Naruto was on his way home. It was late evening and he was tired from running away from the mob that tried to beat him everyday. He was walking back the park when he heard a girl scream. Naruto rushed toward the direction he heard the scream to find a young blond girl no older than him maybe five or six years old. She was surrounded by three older boys maybe ten or eleven and they were throwing things at her and kicking her all while laughing about it. Naruto knew he had to do something in order to help the young girl.

He rushed at the boy in the middle from behind and knocked him to the ground. He picked himself up fuming with anger as he looked for who knocked him down. The three boys eyes widened in horror as they saw who it was. Unbeknown to Naruto his eyes were now slited and a very deep shade of red. the boys were frozen with fear as Naruto made his way toward them.

"Stay away from us you demon brat." yelled one of the boys.

"Get out of here and don't you ever come near this girl again." Naruto replied as he kept moving closer.

"You don't tell us what to do you piece of garbage." another boy called out.

Naruto was inches from the boy he had previously knocked down. Before the boy knew what was going on, Naruto had him by the throat lifting him a few inches off the ground. The boys eyes were as big as dinner plates.

"I said to get lost and never bother her again." Naruto said as he threw the boy a few feet to the side.

They boys picked up their friend and took off at a very fast pace. Naruto walked over to the young girl and knelt beside her. He looked her over to see if she was bleeding. She looked fine except for a few bruises and a scarp across her arm from trying to protect herself.

"I'm Naruto. are you ok?" he asked as was looking her over.

"Yes, I'm ok thanks to you. My name is Ino."

"How far away do you live?" Naruto asked her.

"Just down that street about half a mile. Why do you ask?"

Naruto reached down and picked her up bridal style with one arm around her waist and the other under her legs. "You don't need to be walking home alone so let me take you ok." He told her as he took off up the street.

A few minutes later, Ino pointed out which house was hers. Not letting her down he walked up to the door and knocked. Ino's mom answered the door and her eyes went wide. She snatched Ino from Naruto's arms and started yelling for her husband, Inoichi. Inoichi and his wife both knew of Naruto and the demon he had sealed in him. They had never had any problems out of him but seeing him with their daughter in the state she was in, they went into protective mode.

They started to chase him away but Ino jumped out of her mother's arms and stood in front of Naruto with her arms spread wide.

"You can't hurt him or chase him away." shouted Ino at her parents.

"He hurt you. We can and will chase him away." responded her mother.

"He didn't hurt me, he saved me." Ino said with tears in her eyes as she turned and wrapped her arms around Naruto.

"What do you mean he saved you?" ask Inoichi.

"I was being chased by some bullies and they corned me and were kicking me and throwing things at me. I started screaming and Naruto came and saved me. So you can't chase him away." Ino replied through sobs.

"Ok Ino. We are sorry, we were just worried is all. Do you need a place to stay for the night Naruto?" asked Inoichi.

"No sir. I have a place to stay thank you though." responded Naruto.

"Well you saved our daughter, so you are always welcome here. Say goodnight Ino."

"Goodnight Naruto" Ino said as she gave him a small kiss on the cheek before running inside.

"Goodnight Ino." Naruto said as he placed his hand on the spot he had just been kissed as he headed home.

(End Flashback)

"Naruto, you ok?" asked Ino.

"Yeah, I'm ok. Just thinking about the day I first met you." he replied as he placed his hand on his cheek.

Ino knew then what he was thinking about and blushed a little. They had been best friends since that day and they were hanging out with each other every chance they got. Deciding to change the subject, she asked him how his training was going. He placed the money for their meal on the table as he offered her his arm which she took.

"It is going pretty well. I just need a little more training on my wind nature and I will be ready."

"Wait, you have a wind affinity?" asked Ino.

"Yeah, but I don't know any one else who does and that is why my training isn't complete yet." replied Naruto with a sad look on his face.

"Well I know someone who has a wind affinity as well."

"Really, who? It will help if I can get them to train me." replied a now upbeat Naruto.

"Meet me at training ground ten in to morning and nine o'clock. Then you will see who I am talking about." She replied with a devilish grin because she knew that it was killing Naruto as usual.

They walked up to the front door and stood there talking for a few minutes. On the other side of the door watching through the window and smiling was Ino's parents.

"Well I better get going. I will see you in the morning Ino." He told her.

"Alright goodnight Naruto."

Naruto took a step forward and gave her a kiss on the cheek which caused her to blush about ten different shades of red in less than a second. "Goodnight Ino" and with that he shunshined away.

Ino walked in the house and went straight to her room not noticing her smiling parents. "Do you think something is going on with those two?" asked Seiko Yamanaka, Ino's mother.

"No not yet anyways. But I think Ino is starting to get feelings for a certain blond knucklehead." laughed Inoichi.

"What about the Kyuubi? Naruto could hurt her and not even realize what he did." responded a worried Seiko.

"If I know Naruto, he wont let anything happen to his friends. And if Ino ends up becoming more than his friend down the road, that would go double for her. It's late, let's head to bed." responded Inoichi.

~96~

Ino lay in bed with her face still blood red from the kiss on her cheek. "Goodnight Naruto." she thought as she drifted off to sleep.

Well I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. I know not much happened but there will be more action in the following chapters. So if you mind please review.