Acceptance Chapter 4: Atonement, a naruto fanfic

Acceptance: A Naruto Story

Chapter 4: Atonement

By: T.E. Rose

Disclaimer: I do not now nor will I ever own Naruto or any of its characters. Much to my great displeasure.

A/N: I would like to apologize for two things.

First, how long it has taken me to get this chapter out. When it came time for me to sit down and write this piece of the story I was not entirely sure how I was going to proceed, having originally not planned to write any additional content beyond the first chapter for this. Thus it presented me with a formidable challenge.

Second, any spelling or grammatical errors that I may have made within the body of the chapter. I do my best to weed them out but I am sure I missed some, I am only human after all.

In other news, I have gone back and made several corrections and additions to the previous chapter. I even, just for one of my readers, changed the color of Ino's eyes from green to blue.

Now that that is out of the way I hope you all find this chapter to your liking and without further ado, please read and review.

Publishing date:July 4, 2011

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"Darkness is cast by the thunderheads overhead, as they sound with a deafening clap. A lightning bolt's dazzlingly bright display relieves the surround of nights all consuming shadow. If only for a moment."

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The morning following his confrontation with Konohamaru, Naruto woke up determined to finish his apologies for simply existing. Kurenai was the last of those to whom he felt he was obligated to make amends to.

Kurenai he felt was likely to be both the easiest and the hardest to atone to. His sin was simply existing so if she blamed him for Asuma's death then their was little he would be able to do to make things right, though if blaming him made her feel better he would shoulder her resentment just as he did everything else. Other than that he would do his best to watch out for her and her child from the sidelines, with or without her consent.

Course of action decided upon Naruto rose from his bed kicking his tattered blanket down to the foot of his bed, not bothering to make it up. As for all intents and purposes it would look just as bad. Quickly dressing Naruto made his way over to his small kitchenette and set water to boil on the only burner of his stove that actually worked.

After breakfast he would have to go and see the former Ice Queen.

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Ino sighed as she picked at her breakfast. She was not overly hungry she had to much on her mind to concentrate on eating. Mostly a certain blond haired blue eyed boy. As well versed as she had believed she was in relationships she now found herself in a situation in which she was not sure what to do. For a number of reasons.

Normally she would have talked to her mother but with her mother being a civilian she was not sure that she would understand her concerns. What she needed was to speak with a kunoichi one who had made time for a relationship while at the same time continuing on with her career and find out how they had juggled the two. Which, out of the women that she knew, meant she would be seeking out and speaking with Tsume Inuzuka, Kiba and Hana's mother, Yoshino Nara, Shikamaru's mother, or Kurenai Yuuhi Sarutobi her mentors widow.

Her course of action decided upon for the day she scrapped the remnants of the garden omelet from her plate into the bucket that her mother or father would empty out that night after dinner, adding the food scraps to the compost pile that would eventually be used to fertilize their many flower beds. Setting her dishes in the sink and making her way out of the house in search of a more worldly kunoichi.

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Naruto still did not know what it was that he was going to say to Kurenai when he finally arrived at the woman's house. She had always been pleasant enough to him in the past but that had been before the death of her husband at the hands of men who were out their hunting down him and those like him. As if their existences were not challenging enough as it was.

When he arrived at the tiny house, that Asuma and Kurenai had purchased after they had tied the knot, he stood across street staring intently at the wrought iron gate. Unsure how to approach the red eyed beauty he loitered out front of the small home for well over an hour trying to will himself forward, to pass through the gate and approach the front door. Despite his impressive will he failed. His legs flatly refusing to take a step towards the house.

Frustrated that he had failed he turned and made his way to meet Kakashi and Yamato for training. He was late already and if Kakashi beat him there he would never hear the end of it.

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"You alright Naruto? You seem distracted today." Kakashi asked concern lacing his lazy drawl. As he gave his student an appraising look from his visible eye as he worried over his student's bizarre behavior. The boy had shown up late that morning and had seemed off ever since.

Naruto however did not hear his sensei speak to him. His thoughts preoccupied with the things that had been on his mind ever since the day of the funeral. Ino, learning to create the Fuuton: Rasengan, and informing Asuma's precious people of his part in the mans death. It was not until Kakashi set one hand on his shoulder and waved a hand in front his face.

"Huh?" Naruto asked intelligently as he was dragged from his thoughts to find his cycloptic sensei in front of him.

"I asked if you were alright. You seem distracted." Kakashi answered his single visible eye crinkling signifying a smile as he stooped slightly to be eye to eyes with his blond haired pupil.

"Yea... Yea, I'm fine sensei, just lots on my mind." Naruto responded a sheepish smile finding its way to his face even as he scratched the back of his head in an embarrassed fashion.

Kakashi gave his student a long look before prying, probing the depths of his most unpredictable students mind. "Well is it something I can help you with? You going to need to be able to focus if you're planning to be able to complete the process of infusing your Rasengan with your wind natured chakra anytime soon."

Naruto considered his sensei's offer momentarily as he stared into his instructors eye before he answered. "No that's alright sensei just women problems is all."

He regretted saying that almost the moment it left his mouth as it lead to his silver haired sensei's eye to begin sparkling with a light of barely suppressed glee. "Why Naruto. If there is any facet of life that I can help you with it is just that." Kakashi assured his whisker marked student, mirth evident in his voice as he whipped out a worn and battered copy of the first volume of the Icha Icha Series. Icha Icha: Spoils of War. "As the Elite Jounin and literature connoisseur that I am, I am well versed in a multitude of ways in which to deal with lady problems."

Groaning internally Naruto proceeded to tune out his instructors incredibly enthusiastic and disturbingly detailed lecture.

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Ino sighed as she walked down the bustling streets of Konoha a frown marring her delicate features. One that in recent days had seen its way onto her face far more often than she would care to admit. Its only remedy being the presence of a certain blue eyed boy who had been plaguing her thoughts more and more over the past week and a half.

Thus far on her quest for enlightenment she was having no luck.

Yoshino Nara, who had been her first choice of the three women she had narrowed her list down to, had had a full schedule at the hospital where she worked as a psychiatric councilor. After finding that out she had then gone in search of Tsume who as it turned out had been sent out on a mission early that morning to track down a Chunin who had gone A.W.O.L. That left Kurenai Yuuhi Sarutobi her late sensei's wife.

It was not that she did not feel close to the raven haired woman. On the contrary she was very close to her having spent a number of training sessions with the red eyed woman honing her Genjutsu skills during the period that Naruto had been away from the village training with Jiraiya and had developed quite the rapport with her sensei's significant other. The truth of the matter was that she had sought to avoid speaking to her because she did not wish to reopen fresh wounds.

Of course of the three women she would also probably be the best one to talk to over the subject, Yoshino having never lost her partner and Tsume's had been killed during the Kyuubi's attack more than sixteen years ago giving the emotional wounds the loss had incurred time to heal. Given the rawness of Kurenai's emotional scaring however Ino was afraid that the topic would make the already emotional and hormonal woman even more so when coupled with the advanced stage of her pregnancy.

Deciding that there was nothing for it, Ino made her way to her families flower shop where she could procure a nice arrangement of flowers to take over to the Genjutsu mistress' house with her.

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Naruto's body sagged with relief as he leaned against the side wall of shop, having just escaped his sensei. Kakashi had been lecturing him on ways to deal with a variety of lady problems, none of which he was having at the moment, with a fervor that had frankly disturb him. The fire that burned in the mans eye as he had been was remarkably similar to the one's that burned in Maito Gai and Rock Lee's eyes when they spoke about "Youth" or Anko Mitarsahi spoke about dango. It was a passion that was frightening on a number of levels.

'That must be how people feel when I talk about ramen.' Naruto mused idly to himself as he relaxed slightly in the relative safety of the alleyway.

It was as he stood there that the bell over the shops door chimed, turning his head to look and see who it was he was surprised, though he did not know why, to see Ino carrying a rather attractive bouquet of flowers. He must have unwittingly hidden near the Yamanaka Flower Shop.

Deciding that it was a happy coincidence he decided to skive off the rest of training for the day, he could not concentrate on the task at hand anyway and was unlikely to make any headway whatsoever if he did not deal with what had been bothering him all day. Namely Ino.

Ducking out of the alleyway he hurried to catch up to his fellow blond.

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Ino made her way to Kurenai's house, cradling a bouquet of beautiful white lilies. She was somewhat apprehensive about the prospect of approaching Kurenai but resolved as the women was her last hope before she would be forced to turn to some other source whose opinion she would not be entirely sure she would be able to take to heart.

She had made it only a couple of blocks before the hairs on the back of her neck began to stand on end. She was being watched, she could feel it. Turning her head slightly she caught a brief glimpse of orange and black only a few paces behind her.

Once more watching where she was going she slowed her pace until her pursuer caught up with her.

It took only a moment before the current enigma that had been plaguing her thoughts reached her side, his golden blond locks shining brightly in the midday sun.

"Ino-chan!' Exclaimed the blue eyed boy once he had matched her stride. He was silent for a moment before he spoke up once again. "If those are for me you should know, I really prefer violets." Naruto commented brining her attention back the lilies that she was carrying.

"Well its a good thing they are not for you then. Isn't it Naruto-kun." She was sorely tempted to genuinely laugh, something she had been very little of the past two weeks, at the fake hurt look that plastered itself on the boys face a moment later. The way his eyes teared up and his lower lip pouted and quivered was very amusing.

The look disappeared almost as quickly as it arrived being replaced by the grin Ino had dubbed his Foxy Grin when they had been younger. "You wound me Ino-chan!" the golden haired blond informed her before theatrically clutching his chest.

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All joking aside Naruto was, in fact, very curious about the flowers and perhaps a teensy bit jealous that they were not for him. Not that he expected to get flowers from the girl, that kind of gift was usually the other way around. "Seriously though. Where are you off to this afternoon?" He asked prying, genuinely interested in what his friend was up to.

His purple clad friend was silent for several minutes before she responded with a sigh saying. "I am going to Kurenai-sensei's house. I have something I would like to talk with her about."

Naruto did not miss the tension in the voice of the girl who was possibly his closest friend. Lacing his fingers together behind his head he continued to walk side by side with Ino fro several more pace's wondering if she might elaborate about what it was she needed to speak with the expectant mother about. Alas she did not, forcing Naruto to pry. Just a little. "So... What do you need to talk to her about. Is there anything I can do to help?"

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Ino cast a quick glance at the boy walking beside her, wondering, and not for the first time, if he knew about the conflicting emotions that she was experiencing. After quickly scrutinizing the boys body language as he continued to walk beside her she thought that he in all likelihood had no clue that the topic of her conversation with Kurenai was to be him. Not that Kurenai would know either, she would outline her misgivings but leave out names unless she had to divulge.

Seeing that he was still waiting for an answer though Ino shrugged before saying as nonchalantly as possible, "It's nothing, just a girl thing." She glanced at her enigmatic companion as he just nodded his head his hands falling from the interlocked position behind his head down to his sides once more.

As Naruto continued to follow her for several more blocks however she was possessed by a sudden curiosity. "So Naruto where are you off to? Shouldn't you be training?" She asked narrowing her eyes playfully as she interrogated the other blond.

The boy laughed sheepishly before a rather large grin came over his face and he rubbed the back of his head. "Lets just say training ended early."

Ino quirked a pale blond arch in response but did not comment further instead trying to see if the boy intended to follow her. "So what are you doing instead."

"Well, actually, I had been planing to go to Kurenai-sensei's house as well. I still need to speak with her. I had intended to do it this morning but..."

Ino looked worriedly at the boy who had come to mean a great deal to her over the past few weeks. His body language which had just a moment ago been playful had altered radically. Figuring that he had been unable to face Kurenai alone after what had happened with Konohamaru she decided that it was her obligation as his... friend to help him.

"Well we will just have to go together then wont we." Ino concluded for him before shifting the flowers so that she was cradling them in the crook of one arm and linking her now burden-less arm through his own.

That decided the pair continued their trek in companionable silence.

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The walk had been uneventful for the most part, aside from a few dark glares which Ino had heatedly contested causing several of the perpetrators to avert their own eyes. When they arrived outside the humble little home Naruto's feet once more rooted him in place just outside the gate but, with Ino's urging, managed to proceed.

Drawing a deep breath he walked, still arm in arm with Ino, through the gate and down the path of slate paving stones to the door and knocked. His heart rate increasing with each step and stopping when he knocked and the door was opened.

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His fear regarding the conversation with Kurenai had proved unfounded. The Jounin had been very understanding. Saying that Asuma, like his father, had loved the him as if he were family and that as ninja there was always a danger of dying on a mission. At least he had died doing something that he had truly believed in, trying to make the world a better and safer place for his family to live in.

When they had left Kurenai had kissed Naruto on the forehead, much as Tsunade had done all those years ago, before telling him that she hoped he would not be a stranger and that despite her husbands passing he was still family.

Those words had meant a great deal to him and it had taken considerable effort on his part not to break down into a sobbing mess afterwards. He'd had no idea that Asuma had thought as much of him as he apparently did.

It was as they were walking away, once more arm in arm, Ino's head resting on his shoulder that Naruto realized Ino had never asked Kurenai about what she had wanted to. Curious he decided to ask her about it, "Oi, Ino-chan. You never asked Kurenai whatever it was you were gunna ask her. How come?" Naruto inquired softly foregoing his usual boisterous nature.

Ino glanced up at him from her resting place taking a moment before answering. "Funnily enough, my question was answered."

With that silence once more fell over the duo as they continued their walk through the now dark and mostly deserted streets of Konoha.

When they arrived at the Yamanaka residence Naruto turned to leave only to find the delicate, at least in appearance, fingers of Ino grasping his forearm turning him back around. Confused Naruto faced the other blond who moved right up against him before planting a chaste kiss on his lips and stepping back from the now throughly dumbfounded form of Naruto. Then without saying anything turned and left for her home.

Glassy eyed Naruto stood in the now deserted, save for him, street in front of the Yamanaka residence for several long minutes before finally coming to his senses enough to look up at the window behind which he knew was Ino's room.

When he looked up he found the blond girl staring down at him a flirtatious smirk crossing her face before she twitched her curtains shut.

Smiling one of his once rare, now increasingly, common genuine smiles Naruto made for home. A spring in his step.

Maybe it could be after all...

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