Chapter 8: Surprise! Surprise!

Naruto watched as his wife activated herself over the cooker while she hummed a melody to herself. Her tummy had grown a little bigger she looked four months pregnant meanwhile she was almost getting to her sixth month. Her face looked healthy and a serene glow covered her body. As the day passed she became more and more beautiful, even more desirable… Though on that part Naruto knew he better laid his hands off. A self derisive smile spread his lips. He had come back from a mission three days ago. Another one in the long lists of missions he'd been having for the past month. It was most likely he'd be sent for another one anytime soon. So he had decided to enjoy as much of her as he could before his next mission.

Though he liked the excitement and the action during missions, there were times when he couldn't help but miss home; Or to be more precise Karin. Oh sweet heavens! The woman was his obsession. There were times when he found himself few feet from the enemy camp and the only thing he thought about was what Karin was doing at that particular moment. Even when he was surrounded by a band of infuriated threatening A-Rank enemies he couldn't help but ask himself if she was doing fine.

She was in his mind at all times of the day and the best thing he liked about missions was when he came back. Not only did he like the familiar citrus perfume that floated in the apartment or the gloss and shine of all the surfaces; it always felt like heavens to soak in the long healing baths she prepared for him. Not to talk of the epicurean meals that waited to send him to the most exotic settings he had in mind. But above all what he liked the most was that he got to hear the melodious voice that haunted his dreams. And that smile which said more than words—I've missed you. Though she didn't voice it loud, Naruto was sure Karin longed for him as much as he did when he was away. At least he hoped so because as time passed Naruto had begun to develop feelings for her that went beyond duty or platonic friendship.

It was even above mere desire. It surpassed everything he had ever felt. He felt possessive and unsecure whenever it came to Karin. He often thought of her as his wife these days and not more like the roommate he was married to. He loathed thinking that one day they might have to part. He couldn't imagine himself with someone other than her. The thought of Karin with another man was unbearable. So unbearable that he had decided he was going to brand her with his mark, show the whole world she was taken and his and that he belonged to her forever and always. But how could he do that? He couldn't just take a hot piece of metal and apply it on her skin. Could he? No way it would be barbaric and out of place.

This kind of mark didn't have to hurt physically it had to be heartfelt and beautiful. Even if Naruto wasn't sure there was something with enough beauty to compare with Karin's. It had to be well thought and eternal. Even if they parted she could keep it and it would remind her of him forever and bring a smile to her face whenever she saw it. But if he knew the effect he wanted it to have nonetheless Naruto couldn't figure out exactly what thing could possibly produce that.

Naruto suddenly lifted his head up Karin had stopped singing and everything seemed deadly silent. He furrowed his eyebrows inquisitively wondering about the cause of her sudden muteness. He was about to voice his question when he heard it too—the shrill ringing of the bell. For a moment he felt like cursing not very used to this sound. Very few people ever paid him visits. It had been so even before Karin's arrival. He usually went to his friends' home or they met at agreed meeting spots. Most of them rarely took the pains to get this far.

"Who could that be?" Karin murmured voicing his question loud.

She dropped the cooking spoon she held in her hand on the counter and was about to head for the door when he interrupted her;

"Never mind I'll do it."

Her eyes fluttered in a very enticing way and a killer smile graced her lips and she thanked him and returned to her cooking. Naruto was happy he was leaving the room for a moment because when she did that he felt dizzy and tipsy with desire. He came back a moment later a weird expression on his face.

"We have some visitors", he told her in a fake cheery voice.

Karin just raised an eyebrow intrigued but said nothing. She wiped her hands with a dishtowel and followed him in the living room. Her eyes took the same dimensions as the saucers she used in the kitchen. No need to say she was as dismayed as he had been when he had opened the door and he had seen the Inuzuka couple at the door step. Sure Karin had told him some weeks earlier about her meeting with Hinata. Naruto could remember feeling happy and relieved she had at least made this acquaintance.

He loathed the idea of her being secluded in their apartment with no one to talk to when he was away. But he hadn't expected to see the pearl-eyed heiress and the dog boy—especially—in their home. It was obvious she too shared his surprise. Till now he hadn't even been sure the Inuzukas knew his address. Not that they were at odds but they had hardly been the best of friends either.

Kiba didn't do the visiting thing, he preferred they met at places for training or to have a drink in either case they were usually opportunities for him to compete with Naruto. That was when Naruto used to do the socializing thing. For a long time Naruto had enjoyed the casual rivalry though he had secretly wondered about its reason until the day he had been invited to their engagement party three years ago and Kiba had flashed him a not very subtle triumphant smile. That's when Naruto had understood the source of their teenage rivalry- Hinata.

Though Naruto had been surprised since he had already made Hinata understand as much as he appreciated her, he wasn't sure he deserved her attention, needless to say her love because he didn't feel as strongly for her as she did for him. Obviously it hadn't been enough for Dog Boy. Nevertheless Naruto had sincerely wished them the best in the world and everlasting happiness. Since then, they had hardly met again, firstly because Naruto made it a point not crossing their way in order to avoid given Kiba the wrong impression and later because he had not been willing to see anyone after the misery Sasuke and Sakura had inflicted on him. Talking of those two he hardly ever thought of them any more these days…

He snapped out his daydreaming when he heard Hinata's soft embarrassed voice

"I'm sorry we didn't inform you before coming but we wanted to surprise you…"

"I'd told you this wasn't a good idea", her husband whispered in her ear.

"We are clearly surprised", Naruto whispered before he knew what he was saying. "But actually we are pleasantly surprised, aren't we Karin?" He asked in a cheesy voice recriminating himself inwardly for being so tactless even if they were not expected there was no need to be impolite.

"Of course we are very happy to see you…P-Please don't remain standing have a seat", she stuttered still not fully recovered from her surprise.

"At last", Kiba grunted, earning him a whack from his wife and a cornered smile from Naruto.

"I'll get you some tea", Karin suggested before exiting hurriedly to the kitchen.

Naruto was left with their surprise guests. For a moment they said nothing then Hinata's voice sprang up:

"I hope we are not disturbing you", she said cheeks red with embarrassment, "We could still go…"

"Of course not!" Naruto cried out before saying in a cooler tone, as we said earlier, "Karin and I are happy to see you—both of you", he emphasized to Kiba's attention.

The latter just snorted as if he didn't believe him. Nevertheless Naruto continued unfazed;

"It's been a long time since the last time I saw both of you, so I haven't got the opportunity to congratulate you for the new addition in your family so congrats."

"Thank you", Hinata cheered as her hand automatically moved to the huge bulge underneath her elegant pearl maternity gown.

Even Kiba could not help but let an upward smile grace the corner of his mouth, paternal pride written all over his face as he placed his big hand on top of his wife's smaller one. Naruto could only understand him he felt the same whenever he saw the swell in Karin's abdominal region. Even if he had not yet had the pleasure to touch it. Indeed the baby was not his, yet he thought of it as his own and if he anticipated the moment it would arrive he was also looking forward to it. Karin came in at this moment and placed a tray of tea on the table. She bent down to serve them but Naruto was faster than her.

"Leave it to me. You seat down and rest a little", he whispered softly.

Karin was about to protest but she knew with Naruto it was pointless so she did as she was told and sat in the couch opposite to their guests' over the table.

"You should know my wife Kiba, don't you?"

"When were we introduced if I may ask?" Kiba said in a tone that made Naruto grit his teeth.

While he was fuming silently trying to regain composure Karin went ahead.

"Good afternoon. I'm Naruto's wife—Karin. I-I was looking forward to meeting you Mr. Inuzuka", Karin said after clearing her throat. Your wife made me understand you were a wonderful man.

"That must be because I am", he said with unhidden arrogance scrutinizing her with a sharp glare as if he was assessing her suitability to be his wife's friend or not ;making Naruto flinch and Karin wriggle uncomfortably in her seat while Hinata just rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"It's rude to stare at people", Naruto growled.

"That applies for ugly people. But beautiful people are meant to be stared at and that is exactly what I'm doing", he said flashing a wide grin to Karin who was blinking frantically. "I was talking about you in case you were lost. I was looking forward to meeting you too. Hinata was right; you are a sheer beauty and I was wrong you're nothing ugly as I'll expect Naruto's wife to be. By the way you can call me Kiba no need for formalities—we are friends." He extended his big hand that she took with a small smile her cheeks red and hot with pleasure mingled with embarrassment.

"OK! OK!" Naruto exclaimed feeling more than irritated because of this wild man charming and flirting with his wife in front of his own. "I suppose now we know each other well enough, you ladies could go to the kitchen while Kiba and I stay here and have a man to man talk."

"I have nothing to tell you and my wife is not a maid…"

He was cut off by said wife with a rapid kiss on his lips. Before she struggled her way up

"You're right Naruto, Karin and I will be in the kitchen. Be good boys the two of you."

With that she left the room with Karin. As they entered the kitchen Hinata let out a sigh.

"You must have walked a long way till here", Karin offered pushing a chair in her direction and setting a cup of water near her hand so fast Hinata didn't release when she did it.

Their apartment was very distant from town. Every normal person would find it far and the trek somehow tedious. She could only guess given Hinata's condition the exercise should have been even more strenuous.

"Your house isn't that far I've worked longer distances than that. I'm feeling very fine", she assured smiling sincerely as she always did. "I was sighing because Kiba exasperates me sometimes with his excessive...eagerness."

Karin blushed embarrassed by the show that had taken place in the living room some minutes earlier.

"I hope what he told me didn't upset you…"

"Of course not!" Hinata cried out looking at her as if she had lost her mind.

But then she remembered Karin had evolved in a world where possess and be possessed was the bloody Modus Vivendi. She wasn't use to this type of casual flirting whose purpose was more to compliment and cause pleasure than to seduce to cause havoc.

" He was right you're a beautiful woman and pregnancy suits you well; you're glowing."

"Thank you", Karin said half-believing it not used to this kind of compliment.

Sensing her uneasiness Hinata changed the subject of the conversation:

"I was rather thinking about the rivalry between him and Naruto."

"Are they always like that?"

"You mean childish?"

Karin nodded.

"Yes." Hinata informed. "Whenever those two are in a room the air starts feeling thick and overstuffed with brooding misplaced ego."

"In that case should we be leaving the two of them alone?" The red head asked feeling anxious they might start a real fight and get hurt.

"Don't worry, the worst thing they can do now is calling themselves very embarrassing names. You wouldn't want to hear that."

Karin wanted to tell her there was no word they would say which could shock her since she must have heard most of them before. Addressed to her most of the time and she had retaliated to them using even filthier vocabulary. Instead she stayed quiet there was no need to file Hinata about the worst details in her life. This visit as unexpected as it was was aimed at being pleasure time and not turning into a pathetic heart spilling exercise. If the two men were going to be fine so be it. But they better not tear down her living room if not they were going to have a glimpse of her vast vocabulary in the domain of foul talk. As well as what happened when you stepped on a hormone overloaded pregnant woman.

"Well in that case", she said with a bright smile, "I guess I can fix dinner in peace. I hope you like meatballs."

"Yes… I really hope Kiba and I, are not intruding", she asked for the nth time.

"No you're not…Naruto and I often lunch in private if you know what I mean. It's good to have other people at home for once. It's definitely a pleasant surprise. Thank you Hinata."

"Y-You're welcome", the other answered a little bemused before shaking her head and chuckling softly: you're definitely special Karin. "Only you could make coming to someone's house uninvited a good thing."

She fell into one of her contagious fits of laughter in which Karin followed her yet unable to figure out while she was laughing.

Kiba and Naruto had been alone for some time now when they heard the laughter coming from the kitchen. Obviously their wives were faring better than they did. Naruto wanting to be a good host decided to act mature and initiate the conversation on a subject he sensed Kiba liked very much. He cleared his throat openly to attract the brunet's attention since he had decided looking into space was far better than looking at his ugly face.

"Karin told me Hinata and you were expecting twins. You must be very thrilled."

"Hnn…"

"You seem cool and relaxed but aren't you a little nervous?" Naruto persevered and he made it the Inuzuka spoke:

"Have you decided to change your profession to become a psychoanalyst? In as much as you may think yourself fit for the job I will never let you come an inch near my mind. Even if it's for free."

Naruto was starting to feel unnerved again but he was determined to behave himself. This dog scent boy was being a knucklehead but he was not going to have the better of him.

"I see you left Akamaru home."

"Good of you to notice."

"Why is that?" The blonde continued pretending he had not heard the sarcasm in Kiba's voice.

"My wife feared he might frighten yours", he answered between his teeth.

"There was no need for that precaution Karin may look frail but she is tougher than that. But all the same it's very much like Hinata to be caring for others. But you should know that better—you're her husband."

"Yes it's my wife. See dude in as much as I like my wife and I know the long list of her qualities am not going to give them to you. Marriage seems to have turned you into a chatty maiden but that's not my case. So I'm not going to tell you even if you live as far as the promise land and your building resembles a wrecked ship, your apartment is pleasant to the eye and your chairs are comfy. I'm not also going to tell you your wife does an excellent job at keeping it tidy—because this can't obviously be you're doing—as well as good tea. So keep your questions to yourself I have nothing to tell you."

For a moment Naruto was puzzled. Though he had made them in his own twisted way Kiba had actually complimented him. This was one rare occasion he was sure he would have to live for ages before hearing them again. For some reason it went deep into his heart and for some reason he was angry with Kiba because somehow he felt a little a chatty maiden at this moment.

"Sure", he said stiffly.

They sipped their tea pretending the other was not there. Some minutes of this stuffy atmosphere and this time Kiba broke:

"We don't often see you neither at the training grounds nor on missions these days. Has marriage affected your will to train too? Anyway you should get back to it you're definitely looking out of shape."

Naruto knew Kiba wasn't referring to his physical appearance while saying this. It was more of the fact that for the last year he had made it a point to avoid contact with everybody willing to lick his wounds in solo.

"I have been training. But just it wasn't with you."

"Why? Were you're afraid we might kick your ass or you think you are too far gone for us to meet up with you—Hero?"

"I think it's more because of the second option than the first", he said with a cheesy smile unable to resist to the temptation to taunt his friend.

Kiba just snorted.

"If that makes you happy to think of yourself that way, I won't deny you the only pleasure you have left in your life."

"It's not the only one. I have my wife too", Naruto said surprising his own self.

More silence fell on the room. This time again Kiba was the first to speak:

"I meant it when I said your wife is beautiful."

"I thought you didn't like maiden talk", Naruto said ironical.

"I'm saying this just so you should know when I first saw her I thought she was your girlfriend instead of your wife."

"Why is that so?" Naruto asked feeling his whole body tense if the guy dare insult Karin he was going to break his head and as lovely as Hinata could be he won't let go of him till he was a crumbling mess.

Then Kiba said what he expected least:

"There is nothing to account for that."

"It's not supposed to be stamped on her face", Naruto pointed out defensively.

"That's the reason for this", Kiba said pointing the silver band on his ring finger.

Naruto was taken aback for some minutes. At the time they had gotten married neither he or Karin had found it necessary to have wedding rings. Karin was too overwhelmed by her recent assault and the decisions she was to make to give it a thought. As for their witnesses they were far too busy trying to bring him back to his senses to think of such a tiny detail. As for him he didn't see the necessity of what he considered like some sort of ornament more than anything. But under the light of what Kiba had just told him he was starting to think he had had it wrong. Now he could only think of what people could have believed when he introduced her as his wife.

They must have certainly thought he was trying to make things sound normal because Karin was pregnant. Now the look the shopkeeper the maternity boutique had cast at Karin's bare finger made more sense to him. She was certainly intrigued by the blatant absence of wedding ring. Had she thought their marriage was pretence too? And all those they had come across; what had they thought? More than what people must have thought what had Karin thought?

At that moment said person, came into the room with a tray full of dishes that she set on the dining table at the corner of the room.

"You may want to know dinner will be served in a jiffy", she said warmly.

"At last", Kiba grunted again.

This time Naruto was unable to flinch even as Karin smiled heartily.

Over dinner Naruto couldn't keep his eyes of his wife. She smiled easily to Kiba's grudginess and enquired to know if Hinata was alright or if he had enough food in his plate. She was the perfect hostess smiling and warm. But there was that moment when Hinata's diamond ring caught the light and he saw the furtive longing in Karin's eyes as she looked at the ring. Then he knew Kiba had been right from the start. Karin cared less about ornaments. In fact he hardly saw her with jewels, apart from the studs she wore on her ears.

But this was more than a simple ornament. It was the symbol she belonged to him as much as he belonged to her. It was the sign the vows they had made were not for fun. Yes he had strived to be the best husband ever but as Kiba had clearly pointed out; what accounted for it? Naruto smiled to himself who could have known such a tiny detail mattered so much. Certainly not a thick fool like him. But now he knew what he had to do and he was going to do it not only because it was the right thing to do—because he had found the answer to the question that tapped his mind.

By the time Kiba and his wife decided to leave few hours after lunch, Naruto already had a plan forged at the back his mind. While the women were saying their good byes to each other he gave Kiba a firm handshake.

"Good bye. I hope you don't expect me to tell you, your wife is an excellent cook and that you're a lucky man."

"Of course not that will make you a chatty maiden, but all the same thank you", he said with a warm smile.

"You're welcome", Kiba said stiffly.

Hinata and he headed for the door without turning, he addressed Naruto:

"Blondie when you gather enough courage meet us at the training grounds", he said mockingly.

"Sure", was Naruto's casual response.

When they were out of sight he closed the door and walked towards the living room Karin by his side.

"Interesting day, wasn't it?" He asked.

"Sure it was…I hope Kiba didn't upset you too much he was just trying to be kind", she enquired.

"A little. But that's because he did the things I don't do enough."

"Like what?"

"Telling you how much you're beautiful and how lucky I am to have you as a wife."

Karin blushed:

"Then I think we should invite him and Hinata more often", she said looking down to hide her embarrassment.

"I won't push it that far either…But we never know I could still give it a thought…"