AN: This is that one shot I talked about. It isn't much, and it isn't wonderful. You have to understand I've been out of the writing game for a while now. However, I have done my best to make this as good as I can.

I'll shut up now, and let you get to the story. Thanks for taking the time to read, by the way.

Our Time

"Naruto!" I heard my name being yelled again. At least it wasn't because I had someone mad at me this time.

Actually, from the smile on her face and the tears in her eyes, I'm pretty sure she's really happy to see me. Not that that's surprising. I've been gone for the past two and a half months on a mission. Even with the war over and formal peace among the shinobi villages, there are still rogues, bandits, and murderers in the world. We all knew that would never change. People are still going to need shinobi to guard against them.

But really, was it necessary to make me leave my home for two and a half months just to watch over some Lord who thought his guards couldn't take care of the local bandits? For some reason I don't think it's worth it, even if the pay is phenomenal.

My thoughts are cut short as the girl who yelled at me wrapped her arms around my chest and squeezed as tight as she could. If it were any normal girl, I wouldn't be bothered, but this was...

"Ino-chan... I need to breath..." I managed to gasp out. She immediately loosened her grip and tried to step away looking embarrassed. I caught her in my embrace. "I said I need to breath, not let go."

She laughed and hugged me again, this time not as hard.

"I'm so glad you're back, Naruto. I missed you" she says as she snuggles into my chest.

It used to be I'd be the first one to speak on how awkward this is. First that she's the only one there to greet me when I come back from missions, and second that she's so emotionally attached to me, but I guess that just how it happens when you decide to ask out the only girl you thought didn't have feelings for you at all.

To clarify, I'd stop chasing Sakura,as she and I had worked out that we were better suited to having a brother sister relationship. Hinata and I came to an understanding that although my attitude helped her in the past, I couldn't see a future with us together in it. I was too loud, brash, and over all uncivilized. She was well cultured and important heiress to what was probably the most powerful clan in Konoha. It just wasn't going to work. Her father Hiashi agreed, even though he told me that I was always welcome to visit their compound when I had the time.

So I'd been slightly tipsy from celebrating the fifth anniversary of the war ending, and I'd decided that since I was still single, I'd ask the other single person at the party if they wanted to go on a date. I didn't think she'd do more than scoff and tell me that she'd prefer Chouji to me, but she didn't. She seemed to brighten up at the idea. I'm fairly sure that's what lead to this series of circumstances I currently found myself in.

Again I'm pulled out of my net of thoughts by Ino as she kisses me.

I realized that I'd spaced out on her again right after she said she missed me, and blushed sheepishly.

"I missed you too. Especially your kisses, Hime." I finally replied. She just smiled and shook her head.

"Any plans for tonight, Baka?" She teased. Even she could see my face light up at the implication

"None that I know of. I just need to turn in the mission report. If you're feeling up to it, maybe..."

"We could spend some time together again?" She finished for me.

"Yes." I smiled. "I just need to get cleaned up, and then I'll be over to pick you up, that sound okay?"

She nodded as she finally let go and turned to walk away, that cute smirk still on her face. "You do realize that it is getting a little late right?" She asked.

"Yeah, but if it gets dark, then we can watch the stars together, just like we've done before." It had become our thing to do when we had the time and alertness to appreciate it. We'd sit on top of the Hokage Monument until long after the sun at gone down, just watching the stars and talking about anything that came to mind. It was relaxing. Especially with my Hime.

I watched her walk away before I started jumping across rooftops to land on Tsunade-baachan's windowsill.

"Hey, Baa-chan. Mission complete." I ducked as she tossed a paperweight at my head.

"Don't call me that, Naruto. You know better." Even though she said that, she was still smiling. "I take it the mission went smoothly?"

"Quite. I didn't even really have to help them deal with anything. Just be a deterrent until they were dealt with."

"And I suppose that you have something planned for tonight and that would be why you are perched in my window ready to jump as soon as we're done talking?" If it was possible, her smile got even bigger. This wouldn't normally worry me, other than I had already told Ino I'd be over at her place soon to pick her up, and usually this kind of smile meant that I was going to have to help finish all the paperwork in lieu of actual Hokage training.

"Well..." I started nervously. I didn't want to tell her no, but I really wanted to see my Hime. "Ino-chan met me at the gate and I told her I was going to spend time with her..."

I saw the smile on my mentor's face soften as she spoke. "I guess I can let you off for tonight then. Have fun." She turned back to her paperwork as I left.

Not even twenty minutes later I was standing in front of Ino's house. It wasn't very big, but it was definitely larger than my apartment. Even after the Pein invasion I still lived in the same building since it hadn't been destroyed. I opened the door and entered, shouting a hello up the stairs before sitting in the living room to wait. This was always how our time together started.

Before long I could hear her soft steps on the stairs, and I turned to watch. It happened ever time. And ever single time I'm still in shock at just how beautiful this girl really is. It doesn't matter what she's dressed in, if it's even slightly formal, like the purple dress she currently wore, she looked stunning. Even if it was the same color as her usual attire, I was still amazed at how particularly awe-inspiring she looked in it.

It took me almost ten seconds to realize she was laughing at the look on my face. Even after that, it took me another ten seconds to close my mouth, swallow, and say, "You look beautiful, Ino-chan."

She smiled at that and held out a hand. "Where to handsome?"

I blushed a bit at the name. I wasn't really all that handsome, I'd just put on a clean long-sleeve white shirt with the Konoha emblem on the back in red and slacks.

"Does a picnic suit your fancy tonight?" After her nod I continued. "Then I've already got it set for us."

She looked a little surprised, but I think she immediately picked up on my shadow clones slinking away.

"Our usual spot?" I asked. Again, I got a simple nod, and I immediately shunshined both of us there. The look on her face was one of surprise.

In the maybe two minutes that we had been talking since my shadow clones left, they had set up a small romantic scene on the Fourth Hokaghe's head. On a sheet spread on the ground, there were a several of our different favorite foods. Even if they were the instant versions they were still good. They're were also two lit candles, which provided a small amount of light to see by in the dusk.

With darkness fast approaching, we sat down and ate, making small talk about my mission and what all didn't happen on it.

As we were about to finish, I noticed a strange light behind her. It was some greenish blue, up in the sky. Without even thinking about it, I blew the candles out, earning a huff from my female companion.

"Naruto-kuuun, I hadn't finished..." I silenced her with a kiss before laying back onto the sheet. It only took a moment for her to notice the lights reflected in my eyes before she turned to look up.

The smile I saw on her face was one I wanted to keep there always. I didn't get to see much more of it as she lay down on top of me, with her head resting on my chest.

The lights we were watching didn't come often to Konoha, and we'd only seen them once before. This time, we took the time to really enjoy them. It took almost a full hour, but the Aurora eventually left, and we were once again cast into darkness. Not that it mattered. My Hime had fallen asleep just as it was about to end.

I took her back to her house, sending a couple shadow clones back to clean up what we had left behind. Carefully lowering her into bed, I was suddenly pulled down on top of her. Obviously she was awake, so I didn't have to worry so much about noise now.

"What's up, Ino?" I asked hesitantly.

"I just don't want our time to end so soon. Stay with me? Please?" She looked up at me sleepily. "Just for tonight?"

I couldn't have gotten myself out of there, even if I had had the will to not crumble and give into her tired beauty.

"I'll stay."

She loosened her grip and moved over, making room for me on the bed. Neither of us even bothered to disrobe, we were too tired to care.

Besides, it didn't really matter if we were extremely comfortable or not. The only thing that did matter, was our time.

AN: Okay, I know it's probably a little rough, but you write at four in the morning after working seven hours and being up for several before (and after) that and do better.

No that isn't a challenge, it's an explanation of why it might not be quite my typical writing style. This story has been sitting in my head for a while, since I saw some random picture on an AMV.

Now that my little rant is done, thank you for reading. Please read, respond, and critique in a helpful way. I don't particularly like flames, but hey, I need something to keep warm by right?