Always look on the bright side

It had been a week since Naruto saw them both. And the sight he saw was not at all pretty. "Dammit Sasuke! You knew that I loved Sakura and now you've taken her for yourself!

Naruto grabbed a kunai out of his pocket and threw it at a picture of Sasuke that he had pinned to the tree at the training grounds.

Xx

She had just come back from a mission and was so tired. "Hey Shikamaru, I'm going home now to sleep, so see you and Chouji tomorrow okay?" "Yeah, I might just do the same."

As Ino walked through the streets, she decided to walk through the forest. She needed to get her head clear as she too saw Sakura and Sasuke.

Ino sighed, " Oh well maybe it was meant to be." Just then she heard a scream from the training grounds. Running with her Ramen legs she manages to see Naruto sitting in a pool of blood. "Naruto! Are you okay? Don't worry I'll heal you!" Naruto wasn't even paying attention to her, but was cradling his arm. He then felt a warm glow of chakra on his arm and faced to see his healer. He found himself looking into two pale blue eyes that were focused on her healing. That's when he noticed something, her eyes weren't their usual shiny, dancing eyes. Instead they were clouded over with what seemed like sadness.

"Thanks Ino. Say, are you alright? Says Naruto curiously.

"Mmmmm? Oh, yeah me? I'm fine." She answered. Naruto knew she was lying but didn't press it. "Anyway, it should be me asking you that question. What were you doing?" Naruto shifted uncomfortably. How does he start, that he was pissed off with Sasuke and Sakura and slashed his arm like an emo? As he was about to reply, he saw Ino walk away. "Hey didn't you want to know why I'm hurt?" Naruto calls after Ino with a puzzled look on his face. Ino turned round to face him. Her eyes were emotionless as ever. " Well I didn't really think you would want to tell me as I'm not really that important to you, you might not want to tell me." Ino gave a little shrug.

"Is that how you feel?" Naruto was a bit shocked from these words.

"W-well yeah." Now it was Ino's turn to feel uncomfortable.

"Oh sorry to make you feel that way. And, what's wrong with you? You seem down."

Ino was shocked. How can Naruto see that she was in pain? Her own teammates didn't even notice.

"Yeah don't worry about me! Nobody ever does." But she said these last bits under her breathe. Naruto having the ears of the Kyuubi heard this.

"Oh come on at least you have a family. People who love you and will always care. Me, who do I have? I thought I could get Sakura, but I guess I was wrong"

Ino hugged Naruto gently. "Well look on the bright side, you will always have me." Ino whispers gently into Naruto's ears.

Naruto's eyes widened in shock. Did he just hear her right? Well he's ears never fail him. With this Naruto wrapped his toned arms around Ino's waist.

With this response, Ino's grip tightened slightly. Her voice was like a lullaby to Naruto's ears.

"Don't let this get you down Naruto. You've been through worse thing than this, like being shunned by the village. But even then you still managed to get their respect! I really do admire that. I'm weak and practically a failure.

"If Sakura can't see that, then I guess she's an even bigger baka than Sasuke is! Don't loose your heart just because of one girl. I'm sure with a personality like your's, any girl would really want you."

Naruto was way beyond shocked by now. Was this really the Ino that he knew? It seemed that she has really matured over the years just like he had.

"Ino..." Naruto whispered softly into Ino's ears making her shiver.

"Thank you so much. You have really made my day. And yeah you're right there are other girls out there.

"And you're not a weak failure. You're Ino the best kunoichi this village has ever seen!"

They both pulled away and were blushing. "Anyway look on the bright side; I can train with you if you want!"

"That would be really nice. Thanks Naruto."

Naruto gave his foxy smile. "Sasuke doesn't know what he's missing out on!" Naruto says in his mind

Ino smiles a real smile and thinks "Sakura you are a teme! You're so hung up in Sasuke that you never noticed how great Naruto is!"

"Hey Ino?"

"What is it Naruto-kun?

"Would you like to go out with me Ino-Chan?"

"Yeah sure. And I would really love some ramen!"

"Really? Never seen you there before"

"That's because I hide until you go and then I pig out!"

The two blondes gave each other a shy smile and got up. Ino had forgotten that she had some serious injuries that she hadn't healed properly and was about to fall.

That was until she was pulled in by Naruto. He then held her bridal style. Ino was surprised at him.

"Are you okay? Must have been a tough mission huh?"

"Yeah I'm alright that to you. And it was a pretty tough mission."

Xx

Naruto held Ino until they got to Ichiraku's. Naruto was reluctant to put her down. Ino was reluctant to let go. They had sat down next to a couple who was watching them.

"Naruto and Ino! Wow I would have never seen that one coming!" Snorted a certain pink haired kunoichi.

"Well they are both losers, so why are surprised babe?" This remark came from a smirking blue haired baka.

"If you don't mind I would really love it if you would let me and my GIRLfriend eats in peace."

"Did he just call me his girlfriend? Wow, I thought I would make the first move but he beat me to it!" Ino is really happy while thinking this.

"Yeah, you heard what he said, me and my BOYfriend are trying to eat in peace."

In a huff Sasuke and Sakura left without another word. "Did you mean what you said, about me being your girlfriend? Or was a mistake that came out of your mouth?"

"Knowing you, you might think the second one. But I really did mean what I said." With this, Naruto bent his head down and kissed her. It was short but still long enough for a kiss.

"I would understand if you didn't wan" He never got to finish his sentence because Ino was kissing the life out of his lips.

"Why would you say such a thing? Of course I wanted it. I-I really love you." Ino by this time had a face the same colour as a tomato.

"You're cute when you blush. And I love you too."

"Well well well! It would seem as if you're taking after you're father Naruto!" laughed Ichiraku.

"Huh what do you mean?" Asked Naruto with a puzzling face.

"This is the exact same place your mum and dad met. I even have a picture of their first date!"

Ichiraku brought out a nice framed picture to Naruto and Ino.

"You're mum is really pretty" Breathed Ino. "And you look more like the Yondaime every day."

"I guess you're right. But you're way prettier." Ino blushed again.

"You're so sweet Naruto!"

Naruto gave her his signature foxy grin.

"Well let's get you home now."

With that they thanked Ichiraku for the free ramen and went home.

"I had a really great time, thanks again."

"No problem. Anything for my girl."

They both kissed and parted ways.

Xx

And although they've been married for ten years, they remember it like it was yesterday. They now had 2 children a boy who was 7, who looked like Naruto, and a girl who was 5 that looked like Ino. Naruto had made his way to become the Hokage, while Ino had become the greatest sensei in the ninja academy.

They both had a great life, that is a whole lot better than Sasuke and Sakura's which had ended in divorce 5 years ago.