A/N: Well, Hello again, I don't have much too say, so please enjoy
"Naruto, if you don't stop" I whisper pushing against the taller blonde as we fight for personal space. We have been doing this for 10 minutes already.
Naruto pushes his shoulder against me once more mumbling "I told you we should of took the bus" I give him a glare, clearly remembering him insisting on taking the train.
"Both of you, just shut up" The short pink haired girl whispered harshly, I mean who would have thought that the train would be this packed barely half way through the day
"I'm hottttt" Naruto whined
"Shut up" I respond, It had to be at least 70 degrees today, I mean it was September so that's pretty hot for New York.
I looked down to the girl beside me, her face has a neutral expression; she is almost unreadable if it wasn't for the white knuckles caused from gripping the metal pole as she swayed with the train. Honestly what happened back at school wasn't something I expect to happen, why she seemed upset was beyond me because last time I checked I just at odds with this same woman a lot so long ago.
I was taken out of my thoughts as Naruto pretty much dragged me off the train giving me a disbelieved look on his face, "Helloooooooooo, earthhhhhhhh toooooooooo Inoooo" He dragged out loudly enough for everyone on else on the platform to stare, some gave frightened looks while others glanced over kind of creep out by the blonde boy shaking me.
"Get off!" I hissed, smacking him lightly on the head, "You almost missed our stop" Naruto hissed back ruffling his hair as I walked past him towards the stairs when I heard a familiar, freighting voice.
"NARUTO!"
I looked back at Naruto quickly, Seeing the color leave his face as I slowly looked behind him to see the woman behind the voice as well as her two friends trailing her as she jogged towards us. Sakura seemed to stiffen as well.
"Ino," The girl looked me up and down smiling lightly
"Karin" I responed back, I looked behind her "Suigetsu, Jugo" They both nodded at me.
Naruto turned slowly to be eye to eye with everyone, "Hey" he said cautiously.
"Naruto!," Karin beamed as she jumped forward and hugged the taller blonde, I scrunched my eyebrows together and tried to hold in my laughter.
After a few awkward minutes of silence while Naruto was being choked to death, Karin let him go and jumped back, "What are you guys doing out here?!"
I gave Naruto a glance, Already noticing his deathly glare warning me to not tell her where we were going, But come on, What kind of friend would I be If I didn't do the opposite of what he wanted?
I smirked for a moment, "We are heading to the basketball courts," I already seen her face light up when I said it and Naruto sink with disbelief. Suigetsu perked up, "Can we join you?"
I put on a cheesy smile, "The more the merrier" I notice Sakura flinch a little more than Naruto once I said it.
The awkward eye contact between Sakura and Suigestsu was making me uncomfortable and I wasn't even walking with them, Karin was clung to Naruto's arm while Jugo and I walked side by side. I turned to Jugo, He had bright orange hair spiked back, his normally pale skin is tan and toned, He stood at about 6'0. He turned his head and noticed me observing him, "How's New York been without me" He said, turning back to the front of the street we were walking on.
"Didn't even know you left," He looked at me warningly, I laughed as he huffed.
"But seriously,"
I caught the drift of his tone, I felt a tension wash over my body.
"I mean, it could be worse" I stuffed my hand in my pockets.
"Any problems with Akatsuki"
"No, they've gone off the radar these last few months, no kidnappings, murders, none of that."
He glanced behind him to Karin and Suigetsu "Hmm"
The Akatsuki is the neighbor gang that worked closely to were Jugo and I live, they are notorious around New York City. They've had a few problems with our families before, So we know them better than most. These last few months they haven't been active, They stopped around the time Jugo left for California.
"That remembers me, How was California?" I said pushing him alittle.
He smiled and showed me his forearms "Haha, Well, as you can see. I got quite the tan"
"Yeah man, I see that"
We past the barber shop as we finally got to our block, "AY! INO, JUGO! NARUTO!" We all turned to notice a man in his 50's named Tony come outside with a barber robe hanging from his neck and shaving cream still on half of his face.
"Ha, Tony!" Jugo said, Jogging over to the man. They gave each other a tight hug.
"When'd you get back?!" Tony beamed, grabbing the taller man's shoulders to get a better look at him.
"Two days ago, I was staying at Suigetsu for the time being. I'm about to go surpise mama after we go to the courts for a little" Jugo answered
Tony grew up with my father as well as Jugo's dad, they all grew up on the same block, We used to call him Uncle tony back then.
I gave him a hug pulling back I noticed a red headed girl about 4 walk outside.
"Gramps, what are you doing." She had a frown on clearly telling us she is annoyed we are keeping her from getting out of that dreaded barber shop filled with gossiping men and crude humor.
Just then, An older woman about our age walked outside following her, "Sara, I'm pretty sure I told you to stay insi-" She stopped mid-sentence and looked up at us, her eyes locking with mine for a spilt second.
Tony broke us out of our silence "Tayuya, it's alright" he smiled, He walked over to the little girl, picking her up.
I waved slightly, noticing her obvious embarrassment.
"These are my two granddaughters, Tayuya, Sara" Tony said
Tony noticed the glances between me and his oldest granddaughter, "You know each other?" he pointed between us.
I laughed alittle, "It's a funny story actually"
"She's the reason I have this" Tayuya pointed to the ankle brace I put on her just hours ago.
"Ay, Ino you hurt my precious baby" Tony asked accusingly
"Grandpa!" She said, irritated at his words. He roared with laughter.
"Hey now, It was a group effort indefinitely" I shot back.
"Right, If that's the case why don't you have a wrapped up ankle instead of me?" She folded her arms smirking.
I laughed, unable to come up with a comeback
"Where are y'all heading?" Tony asks
"The courts" Naruto answered, Clearly trying to make his presence known, Looked more like a cry for help as Karin tried to kiss his face.
"Whose ya girlfriend" Tony asked, smirking alittle.
"She's not my girlfr-" "My name is Karin" She interrupted him grabbing his arm little harder.
I couldn't take much more, I felt at that moment I would burst out laughing if we didn't start leaving, I looked back at Tony and smiled. "I think it's about time for us to leave" I say laughing inbetween a few words.
I saw Tayuya smile alittle.
"Would you like to come with us?" I ask without really thinking.
She stared back not expecting the question, Tony cut in "Yes, she'd love too"
"Grandpa!" she hissed again,
Tony just laughed, Walking back inside apologizing to his annoyed barber for making him wait for so long.
Tayuya stared back at the man flustered before turning back to us.
I gave her a small smile, kinda of happy Tony made the choice for her "So, we should get going?"
"Finally!" Suigetsu shouts from behind us.
We walk for 5 minutes in silence, set up the way we were before expect Tayuya is walks next to me and Jugo.
"How's your ankle feeling?" I ask lowly, glancing at the red head.
"It could be better, But I'll live"
I laugh lightly as we walked up to metal gates that enclose several different basketball courts, I looked to my left and seen Kiba sitting on the bleachers with the rest of our friends. We all made our way inside.
"AY" I shouted, watching as some of the boys looked up and smiled.
"Ino!, Jugo!" Kiba yelled back, Running up to us giving us both tight hugs.
Jugo smiled brightly at the group "Hey mutt" Kiba frowned lightly looking up at the taller man, "Shut ya tall ass up" We all laughed as Jugo Ruffled Kiba's hair.
It finally felt like things were normal again, like the two years had not been as terrible as I imagined, but nothing was ever truly that golden.
A/N: I'm surprised I got another chapter out, I'm amazed, But I'll humble myself for now. I hope you enjoyed, This story is getting personal to me very soon, Life is never easy y'all, but we gotta learn to weigh out the lows with the highs.
