"I want to see him!" Shion roared, standing on her bed and chucking yet another glass vase at Ren's pitiful head.
"My lady, I-" the servant was quickly interrupted by a glass bowl smashing at his feet.
"I want to see Naruto!" the priestess screamed, tears rolling down her cheeks like rain drops on a window. "Now!"
"Lady Shion, please! I'm sure he'll come soon or later…" Ren pleaded, before a china bowl flew into his stomach.
"I want see him now!" Shion wept, falling to her knees and howling loudly.
"For his sake…" Ren muttered to himself as he rubbed his bruised stomach "I hope its sooner…"
"REN!" Shion shrieked, making the servant jump violently "Take me to Konoha!"
It was 10am when Naruto Uzumaki was awoken from his sleep by a catchy-sounding tapping.
Ratta-tat-tat. Tat, ratta-tat-tat-
The blonde ninja forced himself out of him warm, comfy bed, before lazily heading down stairs to his front door, wearing only his red underpants. He yawned heavily as pulled his front door open while the knocker was in the middle of one of their 'ratta-tat-tats'. Naruto wasn't fazed when he saw who his visiter was.
"Good morning Naruto-san!" Lee greeted in his usual cheerful way, bowing to his friend.
Naruto hadn't seen his large-eyed friend for a while now, and at any other time he would have been filled with joy to receive a surprise visit from him. If Lee had chosen to visit him about 3 hours later, Naruto's welcome would have been a lot more pleasant, but his sleepy head and have shut eyes made any sort of communication as a drag, so he kept his welcome short with his brain not fully registering that missed friend had surprising appeared as his door. Naruto would have been a lot more happy if Lee had come later…
"Hi Lee…" Naruto said groggily.
"I got back from my mission last night-" Lee declared happily "And since I'm still full of energy, I thought I'd come see how you'd been!" he grinned.
Naruto stared with have closed eyes, leaning on the door tiredly "At 10 in the morning?"
"Most people are up by 8, Naru-san!" Lee chuckled.
Naruto groaned, but a small smile spread across his face. "Come on in…"
"Why thank you, Naruto-san" Lee thanked politely as he bounced into his friends home "You look very tired… Aren't you sleeping well?" he asked as the blonde ninja closed the front door.
"To be honest, no. I've had a lot on my mind recently…" Naruto sighed, his smile getting bigger. "Oh well! I guess it's worth it in a way" he said, sounding much more awake, before leading him and his friend to his kitchen.
"What's worth it?" Lee cocked his head to the side like a confused dog as he followed Naruto.
"You wouldn't believe me!" Naruto laughed as the two boys entered the kitchen "I'm not sure if I believe me…. Want a coffee or tea?"
"Tea, please Naruto-san" Lee bowed again, before taking a seat at the kitchen table "I'm guessing I've missed a lot then?"
"No kidding" Naruto giggled, switching the kettle on and searching around for cups "God, so much as happened in the past few weeks…"
"What's happened then?" Lee asked curiously "If you don't mind me asking…"
Naruto's smile dropped as he spooned the grains into the cups.
"Well… You know the priestess?" he began slowly.
"Yes? The one we escorted?"
"Mmm-hmm! Well, you know I kind of liked her all…" Naruto bit down on his tongue as he poured the kettle.
Lee nodded, even though Naruto couldn't see with his back turned to him. Either way, Naruto carried on.
Naruto poured in the milk and carried the mugs to the table. "Well, the night before you left for your mission-"
"You sneaked out the village to see her" Lee beamed at his friend.
Naruto blinked "How'd you know?"
Lee laughed at him and winked "Let's just say, I gave you a little hand in getting out"
Naruto sat down, staring at Lee in a daze, completely confused but what he meant. He frowned, pursing his lips before pushing them into a straight line as he thought. Then he remembered.
"Did you throw the conkers at the guards?" he almost whispered in surprise.
Lee smirked and nodded slowly.
"Really?" Naruto choked on his own air "YOU, Rock Lee, throw conkers at the guards?"
"Yep!" Lee cheered, a hint of guilt in his voice "I saw you sneak out-"
Naruto immediately frowned. And there he had been thinking he had snuck out so brilliantly. Accept the part where he got caught by the guards…
"So I followed you-"
"Stalker" Naruto smirked
"And when I saw you trying to get out the village, I remember over hearing a conversation between you and Kakashi. I guessed that you were going to see Shion, so…" Lee shrugged "I gave you a little help. You know, for the sake of love" Lee giggled, sipping his tea.
Naruto raised an eyebrow before thanking his friend with great gratitude.
"And way" lee breathed after a long sip of tea "I take it something happened when you went to see Shion?"
Naruto nodded "A lot happened… But he's what she told me that has left me restless and… and shit"
Lee rolled his eyes at Naruto's curse, but said nothing and allowed him to speak.
"It was just… Wow, and… God, I don't know if it's the biggest mistake of my life or if it will be the best thing I've even done!" Naruto leaned back in his chair, massaging his neck with his hands and screwing up his eyes.
"What are you talking about?" Lee questioned, suddenly feeling quite worried about his friend. Lee mind wondered for a moment, conjuring up a list of things Naruto could have done, and a linking list of things Shion could have told him. His lists got bigger when Naruto rested his gazed straight into Lee's dark eyes. Even so, he hadn't been expecting Naruto to say what he did.
"Shion is pregnant"
Lee froze, his eyes frozen on Naruto's blues. The was a long pause with Lee still trying to 'understand' the idea, and Naruto trying to think of something else to say. Nothing came to mind, and Lee's own mind carried on ticking, before his thoughts exploded past his lips.
Lee quickly stood up as shrieked loudly "Why aren't you with her now then?" at his friend, who jumped out his seat and fell to the floor in alarm, the chair going with him
"What?" Naruto blurted out.
"If she's pregnant, then why are you here?" Lee roared "You should be with her! It is the right and duty of the father to stand by the woman who carries his child! It is an honour to-"
"Lie your life down to someone?" Naruto giggle nervously as he untangled himself from the legs of the chair, unease by Lee's eruption.
"NARUTO!" The black haired ninja yelled "In these circumstances it is an HONOUR to give up everything to look after someone in a time of need! It is a greater honour to be a parent to a following generation!"
"Wait a second-" Naruto jumped up from the floor "Did you tell me that I have to give up everything? As in everything I've been working for?"
"It's an honour-"
"Stop talking about honours!" Naruto began to pull at his own hair in anguish
"And your duty"
"I can't! I'm going to Hokage! I'm going to follow in my father's footsteps!" Naruto yelled angrily at his friend.
You don't have to be Hokage to follow your father's footsteps, Naruto" Lee told him sternly.
"Yes I do-"
"No. You don't. Your father have up his own life for his child; you."
Naruto let his fingers run out his hair, his arms going limp at his sides.
"If you really want to follow in your father's footsteps, then give up your own dream for your own child" Lee smiled gently, sitting back down at the table, clasping his hands round his tea cup.
Lee was right. He was right about everything, even though Naruto didn't really want to admit that. If it was truly going to be like his father and follow in his footsteps, then he should give something massive up from someone he loves. Or will love… Maybe, even though he had met his future child, he did love it, or at least the idea of it. Naruto wasn't sure, he didn't know, and he defiantly didn't understand. It was all so difficult for him, as it be for any high-hoping teenaged boy in his situation, but that didn't give him any excuse to be selfish.
Naruto gave a shaky sigh before whispering "It's not that easy though… So give up something like that…"
"Is it easier to give up your life?" Lee sipped his coffee.
At the moment, a tear ran down Naruto's cheek. He picked up his hair from the kitchen floor and sat back down, more tears following the first. Lee placed a comforting hand on Naruto's shoulder.
"Can I be completely honest with you, Lee-san?" Naruto sniffed.
"Of course. I won't laugh and I promise I won't repeat a thing" Lee spoke with the kindles of a mother.
"I'm scared. But, when I say scared I mean really…" Naruto swallowed "Really, really scared. But not just because I'm going to be… you know, a dad, but… Actually I'm not scared about that part. I'm worried, but not exactly scared…In a way, I'm kind of happy. I mean, I'll have a family again!" Naruto giggled weakily, wiping his tears away.
"what are you scare do of then?" probed Lee softly, giving Naruto shoulder a squeeze
"That I'll mess up… That I won't make Shion happy…" Naruto swallowed, covering his eyes with his hands "And I already have!" Naruto gritted his teeth "You're right! I should be there, and I should give up everything and… and…" Naruto coughed "and I haven't made Shion! She told me she was miserable when I wasn't with her… And I'm still not there!"
Naruto placed his head onto the table and sobbed. Lee tenderly stroked Naruto's head.
"Don't cry, Naru" Lee comforted him melodiously "It's not too late to put everything right"
Naruto's head shoot up from the table "Your right!" Naruto smiled at him with pure joy "How could I be so stupid! You're so right! All I have to do is tell Tsunade the situation and I'm sure she'll let me leave and-" Naruto paused "She'll probably maim me first… But afterwards! Afterwards I can be Shion!"
"That's it Naruto!" Lee praised, punching the sky with his first.
"Hell to being Hokage!" Naruto declared loudly "I'm gunna be a dad!"
"GO NARUTO!"
Naruto jumped up from his chair and headed to the front door.
"Naruto!" Lee called, running after him "You might want to put some clothes on first!"
"Oh yeah!" Naruto hastily made his way upstairs and to his room, ripping his closet door open and grabbing a orange track suit and quickly pulling the pants and jacket on. Spraying deodorant with one hand a combing his hair with other, Naruto quickly checked himself in the mirror, before crazily heading back out the room to find Lee waiting at the foot of the stairs for him. The blonde ninja whizzed past him, heading to the wooden front door. Naruto triumphantly dragged the door open, before freezing at he looked out in to the street in front of him…
Finally finished this chapter! It's been a while, no?
BTW- if you want some 'mini-spoilers' for this story, just message me and I'll give you a very important clue for the future of this story ;)