Naruto walked down the dimly lit road, a bit of a chill in the air as it hit his bare skin. "Hey Kyuubi, what do you think about all this" Naruto asks in his mind, he and the Kyuubi had come to terms during the fight with Sasuke, they finally realized they lived together and they died together and no twist if fate would change that.

"In truth kid, I think shes right and you should forget it already" Kyuubi's voice echoed in Naruto's mind. Naruto sighed, looks like everyone wanted him to just move on, like it was nothing. They didnt know what he had been through, he had to kill the man he considered both a friend and a brother, he had to carry the dead and cold body back to the woman who loved him, he broke his promise to the girl he loved and the man who helpped him find himself.

Naruto kicks a small stone hearing it bounce along the hard street. "N...Naruto-kun" a small voice called out his name, he turned to see Hinata and Kiba a few feet behind him. He hadnt seen them she he got back. He put on a small smile and gave them a slight wave "Hey". They two walks up to Naruto, Kiba was the first to speak "So you finally show up huh, took you long enough" naruto chuckles a bit "Yea sorry about that, just had some things to do" Hinata watched the two of them bicker for a moment before speaking up "Kiba-kun do you mind if Naruto walks me home instead, I need to speak with him about something" Kiba nodded, he understood the two of them had some things they needed to talk out, Hinata had come out of her shell in the years Naruto was away "Sure, ill see you tomorrow ok" with that Kiba was off.

Naruto looks down at Hinata with a confused look "What did you want to talk about" he asks a half smile on his face. "You can stop faking it" Hinata voice was direct, not something Naruto was used to coming from her.

"How did you know" he asks

"I know your traits better then anyone, it comes from watching you as long as I did"

Naruto sighed "You know, I spent a good amount of time perfecting this mask of mine and yet you see through it so easily"

Hinata couldnt help but laugh a little "Yes well, lets just say I have a good grip on you are behind it"

"So what did you want to talk about" he asks

"Whats bothering you really, I didnt think I would see that mask of your once you came home" she admitted.

"Then thats makes two of us because I didnt think ide come home" he starts walking down the street toward the Hyuga compound. He knew there was no way she could have moved, she was the next head of the Hyuga family after all. Hinata walks because him keeping pace. "So"?

Naruto sighs "Hey Hinata what do you think of me? Now that the war is over I mean"

Hinata thinks for a moment "I think your still a great man Naruto, and i will continue to think so, even if it may not seem like it I know you havent givin up, its not like you" she smiles up at him "I never give up and I dont back down, I refuse go back on my word, because that my nindo" she says to him, she could see the small but real smile come to his face. "My nindo huh" his voice was quiet.

"Hinata what if I wasnt such a great man"? His smile was replaced by a serious expression. She looks at him curiously "what do you mean"

"Hinata why doesnt anyone see that im a murderer, I killed my best friend and because of me thousands of shinobi died, how can no one blame me"

Hinata sighs and stop walking and takes hold of his wrist to stop him "We dont see that because its not true" she says bluntly she looks up into his face her pale eyes fixed on his deep blue ones "We dont see a murder or anything like that, we see the man who stopped the biggest treat to the shinobi world, we see the man who saved this village, we do not see the man who caused a war, we see the man who stopped it and saved so many people" Naruto had a shocked expression on his face "We dont see the man who killed his best friend, we see the man who saved the entire leaf village from distruction a third time." she finishes.

The rest of the walk was a quite one. "Hinata what you said before, if that really how you see me" he asks finally as they stand outside the gates of the compound.

She nodded "Yes it is, its how I and many other see you, including Sakura" Naruto's head popped up at this and looked at her "Shes really worried about you Naruto, you should take that to heart" she put a hand on his cheek and smiled up at him "I think its about time I let her watch you and moved on myself, Naruto be sure to show her the great man that you showed me for all those years" with that she hurried inside the gate. Naruto stood there for a moment before looking at the compound, he smiles a little and bows his head "thank you Hinata".

-(With Sakura)-

Sakura was sitting on the couch, Shiro's head in her lap the little boy fast asleep. 'What am I supposed to say to him when he gets back' Sakura's mind had been wondering about this question since Shiro had fallen asleep. They boy comforted her the best her could and it was cute watching him try. After she had calmed down she got him a glass of warm milk and a few minutes later he she out again. She pet the boys soft hair as she thought, unsure of herself but knowing she needed to try.

-(With Ino)-

Ino sits back in her couch a cup of warm green tea in hand. She had a long night at her parents place helpping with flower orders, there seemed to be a lot of them lately. The quite of her apartment was interrupted with a knock on the door. A confused look come to her face as she got up and walks to the door 'Who would be coming over so late' She openned the door to see Naruto standing there, no shirt on and a oddly nervous expression on his face. She didnt ask anything she just stepped out of the way and let him in. He walks inside and takes a seat on the couch as Ino goes into the kitchen and makes him a cup of warm tea. She sets it infront of him before retaking her seat. "That should warm you up" he smiles a little and nods "Thanks".

"You know if you walk around like that you sure to catch a cold"

Naruto chuckled as he picked up the cup "Sorry, I wasnt thinking" he takes a drink of the tea, it really did warm him up.

"So what happened, its rare to have vistors this late, not that I mind, its just a bit odd"

Naruto sighs and sits down his cup "Lets just say its been a long night, I dont really want to go into detail right now"

Ino nodded, she learned that sometimes it better to let people sort things out of their own, Naruto was one of those people, he learned and sorted things out in his own specail way and it didnt matter what she said if he wasnt asking for her advice then she knew he wouldnt listen.

"So I take it you were walking around the village shirtless for awhile and ended up here" she asks, already knowing the answer to her question.

"Yea sorry, like I said I wasnt thinking"

"Hey I dont mind openning the door to a good looking guy with no shirt on" she teases, Naruto couldnt help but laughs a little.

He took another drink of his tea "So im good looking now huh" Ino shrugged "Maybe, depends on my mood"

"Oh and whats your mood now" he teased, the two had taken to joking arond like this, it seemed to help Naruto calm down and she didnt mind the attention. She jokingly looks him over then her eyes stop on the scar near his heart. She sets the cup down and reaches out touching the torn skin. Naruto couldnt help but twitch a bit, the sudden warmth of her hand on his skin felt good but it surprised him.

"Naruto how long has this scar been here" she asks, Naruto sighs "Since the fight with Sasuke six years ago" he admits, 'Whats with everyone and this scar'. Ino runs her fingers over the scar thinking back on her conversation with Sakura, 'So this is what she meant huh' she thought before looking up at him. She removes her hand and sits back into her seat, decided it was probably a topic she should avoid.

"So I take it your crashing here tonight" she asks

"If you dont mind"

She pretends to think for a moment "Oh I dont know whats in it for me"

"What do you want"

"Keep me company till I fall asleep and ill call it even" she teases, he nods

"I think I can do that".

-( One hour later)-

Ino had her head on Naruto's lap, he was telling her about the time Shiro first met Gamakichi and she had to admit it was actually pretty funny. It was nice hearing him talk about him travels and she learned a lot about him just by listening, when they were growing up she never gave him a second glance but now here she was laying in his lap and she couldnt think of a single place she would rather be or a person she would rather be with.

"Shiro ended up spending the day playing with him in the lake that entire day" Naruto finished, the smile on his face was honest just as everyone remembered. "You know Naruto you sound like a father with the way you talk about Shiro"

Naruto laughs rubbing the back of his neck "You think so huh"

She nods "Yea and I must say its kinda cute"

The blush on Naruto's face made her laugh, his face was always so honest when it was just the two of them, though it didnt happen enough for her taste. Ino let out a small yawn and Naruto chuckled "Finally getting tired huh" he jokes. "Maybe you should get to bed" '

Ino shook her head "Nope im sleeping right here, I got a nice warm body pillow right here"

"So im a pillow now huh"

"Yep and it your not carful youll become a full bed"

"Oh yea how so" he teased thinking she wouldnt do anything, and of course Ino going against Naruto thought pushed him down and crawled ontop of him laying her head on his chest, her body traced over his. "Just like this" she teased back.

"your not seriously gonna sleep like this are you" He asks

"Yep, you got a problem with that"

A blush came to Naruto's face even though he tried to hide it. "No its fine, just curious is all"

After about fifteen minutes of playing teasing both of them were tired, Ino already had her eyes closed and Naruto had a hard time keeping his open. "good night Naruto" her voice was soft and quite "night" with that the two blonds fell asleep on the couch.