[Konoha]
It had been a little over two weeks now since Temari had moved to Konoha into the Namikaze compound with Naruto and been sworn in as a Leaf Kunoichi. By now Naruto and Temari had a decent amount of time to get to know one another and learn more about their groom and bride to be. Their relationship for the most part went well. After some time though, they came to learn a little about their roommate that they would find pretty annoying. Temari found Naruto's very enthusiastic and over energetic nature very tiring sometimes. Once he'd finish getting dressed and ready he would get super pumped and excited to get his training underway which was something that got on her nerves. Naruto didn't know the importance behind patience and the virtue of taking your time.
And if that wasn't enough, it got very irritating very quickly at how someone with great grades like his he could still be pretty slow or thick at times. He also was pretty forgetful when it came to the little things like remembering the rules she laid down. If he simply forgot to hang his jacket up or take his sandals off or worse, leave them laying around in the middle of the house it would really annoy her. Having to remind him over and over again really got on her nerves at times. Of course, she wouldn't be the one to pick it up. No she'd hunt him down and nag him about it until he'd hang up his jacket, put his sandals over by the front door or pick his laundry up off of the floor and put it in the hamper. She didn't clean up after Kankuro and she wasn't gonna clean up after him either.
If that wasn't enough he was pretty blunt at times which stunned her given how he was raised by a Hokage, he fought her every step of the way when she either told him to do something or how to do it and was it really too much to ask for him to put the toilet seat back down once he finished using it? But with that said, it's not like Naruto was the only one who was at fault here. In fact he found plenty about Temari that got on his nerves too. First there were the mornings. She always, ALWAYS had to be the first one in the bathroom and has a few times in the past got really nasty on the mornings when she'd sleep in a little and then find him in the bathroom first which would mean she'd have to wait till after him. This wouldn't bother him at all but she always took forever when she showered first.
Naruto could get a hot shower and be done in fifteen or twenty minutes tops. Temari would take over an hour doing Kami only knows what in there. And when Kankuro warned him that she was bossy he hit the nail right square on the head. She was constantly barking out orders on what to do or what not to do and how to do it and it really annoyed him. She may have been three years his senior but that didn't entitle her to dictate him on everything. Another thing that annoyed him was that she wouldn't let him eat as much ramen as he'd like to. Before they moved in together he was free to eat as much as his heart desired if he could afford it and now he was lucky if he was able to eat a third bowl a day. She insisted on a more healthy and balanced diet. He knew she was right but still.
But it didn't stop there. Temari was very short tempered and was set off by some of the smallest things sometimes. Naruto knew he may not have been the easiest person to live with. Hell, he got on his mom and dad's nerves plenty of times in the past too but even they didn't have such short fuses. Temari would get angry over some of the littlest things and there were days he just wanted to tell her to take a damn chill pill. Let it suffice to say that given their personalities they both would butt heads quite a lot. Temari was very bossy, short tempered and hated having to admit when she was wrong while Naruto was stubborn, short on patience and didn't like being told what to do and this would lead them to fight at least a few times each day when they were alone in their house.
With that said though it wasn't all bad either. In fact, if they weren't arguing over one thing or another they actually got along really well most of the time. And although there were still plenty of little things about their roommate that they found a little irritating from time to time they actually found more about one another that they really liked. Temari thought that Naruto's kindhearted and easy going personality was very admirable and easily one of his best traits. She was glad that when they were training or working he was willing to listen to her and see her side and opinion. He was also very helpful too. One of the things they agreed was fair was how to divide up chores around the house. Naturally they did their own laundry but they did take turns with other tasks around the house.
She really liked how she never had to ask him for help if it was her turn to do a certain chore around the house. If it was her turn to vacuum, he'd go out of his way to move the furniture for her so she could get underneath and in the corners. If it was her turn to cook that night, he'd help out in the kitchen so she could work on several things at a time and get them done sooner. Once dinner was done, he'd set the table for her while she'd bring the food in for them. And speaking of dinners, they were actually really nice. The first few nights they had dinner together things were actually a little awkward with neither of them knowing what to say. But once they had opened up they'd be surprised to find themselves talking with one another for hours and hours while they ate.
And once dinner was done, he'd help her do the dishes too if it was her turn to do them. She'd wash and then he'd dry and stack before putting them all away. There were times where she actually felt bad about how helpful he was and he'd never ask for her help at all. Anytime she offered to help him out with a chore he was doing he'd just smile and tell her not to worry about it before he'd summon any number of Kage Bunshin he needed and then would continue. She really needed to get around to asking him to teach her that jutsu because it looked really useful and he sure knew a lot of creative ways of using it. Another thing she really liked about him was despite how energetic he was which was tiring, she admired his dedication and commitment to his shinobi career.
Naruto found plenty he liked about Temari as well. He was glad to finally have someone who would be able to help him learn wind style ninjutsu. He always wanted to learn how to use wind but he never could because neither of his parents knew any or how to even access wind affinity chakra. It was really unfortunate since very few people in Konoha actually had wind as their main affinity or even knowledge of wind style jutsus which made sense given that they lived in the land of fire. In fact, they only knew of one expert of wind and that was the elder Danzo so that was a no go. So the fact that not only she knew but was also willing to train him how to use it was something he really appreciated. Something that also meant the world to him was that she was someone he could trust.
Growing up in Konoha as a Jinchuuriki, even if he was the Hokage's son was really hard on him some days. Within reason, people didn't lash out or try to hurt him and there was only one time when someone decided to call him a mean name. Unfortunately for him Kushina was there to hear him say it. Let it suffice to say that even Naruto felt a little sorry for the poor bastard who thought it was a good idea to call him a monster in front of his very protective mother. The fact that he was able to tell her the truth and trust her not to hate or think badly of him for it meant the whole world to him. To be fair she did have a little brother who was also a Jinchuuriki so she would have been naturally more understanding but she was afraid of Gaara for a time so he feared she was gonna fear him too.
Another thing he really liked was that she got along great with everyone he knew. His friends and family meant the whole world to him so the fact that Temari liked them and got along so well made him really happy and hopeful. Her first time meeting Jiraiya was hilarious. She caught him peeping outside the ladies side of the hot springs (Sorry "Research") so she crept up quietly behind him while he was squatting behind a bush and bashed him upside the head full force with her battle fan. When Jiraiya was rolling around on the ground and screaming in pain while rubbing the massive bump on his head he laughed so hard that he almost peed himself. To this day, she would always keep her guard up around the man who she had deemed "Konoha's most notorious sexual predator" and watched him like a hawk.
She also got along great with his godmother Tsunade which made him happy. And he was also surprised to see her hanging out a lot with Tenten of all people. He was worried that after she had moved to Konoha that there would be some tension or bad blood between the two of them but apparently whatever happened between them was just water under the bridge now. He'd seen them both hanging out and getting coffee together at what was now Temari's new favorite cafe and Tenten had even invited Temari to come and train with her with Temari seriously considering it. The only thing that bothered him now was Sasuke. Naruto had tried to build a friendly relationship between his teammate and his fiancee but Sasuke was always so cold to her. In fact he was always moody towards him and Sakura too.
[Team Kakashi Training Grounds]
Team 7 was currently in the middle of another training session with Kakashi. Right now Naruto and Sasuke were in the middle of a taijutsu sparing match while Temari and Sakura were taking a quick water break before they'd star another sparing match together. Sakura poured some water into a tin cup before handing it to Temari while they sat and had a drink.
"I have to admit you're getting better Sakura I'm impressed." said Temari before taking a quick sip of her water.
"Well thank you but I don't think I could have made it this far without your help Temari." replied Sakura who then took a quick drink.
"Oh I don't know." she told her. "I think you have great potential and can becomes a great ninja with a little more time and practice." she said with a friendly grin. "What I can't understand is why are you only getting better now?" she asked her. "From what I understand you had the highest grades next to Sasuke in the Academy so why are you only getting stronger now?" she asked the pinkette.
"Well I..." she started before looking over to Sasuke who was now taking his own break with Naruto. Temari looked to see the younger girl blushing and looked back and forth before it hit her. Sakura then looked back to Temari to see a disappointed expression. "What?" she asked.
"Are you serious?" Temari asked back.
"What?!" Sakura asked again now sounding a little offended. "So I have a crush on Sasuke, why is that a crime?" she asked her.
"So let me see if I've got this straight." said the blonde teen who was leaning forward from where she was sitting. "The whole time you were in the Academy, rather then training and improving your skills as a ninja like we've been doing lately, you've spent all your time drooling over a pretty face? Are you kidding me?" she asked while raising one of her brows like she really couldn't believe it.
"Hey! Sasuke-Kun is worth it!" she snapped back wanting to defend her crush on the boy she really liked.
"Really?" asked Temari. "Would you still be saying that if you were killed in battle? Would you still be thinking that if you were captured by the enemy? Tortured or even worse?" she asked now causing Sakura to shrink a little.
"Well I...uh." was all she could respond with.
"I've got news for you Sakura." said Temari standing up to her full height. "The Shinobi world isn't a game and it sure as hell no romantic love story either. It's a very dangerous lifetime dedication and there are consequences if you're not prepared or if you don't take things seriously. Do you think I got anywhere I am now because I spent all my time flirting and chasing boys?" she finished asking. She didn't answer but she knew Temari was right. She wasted all her time trying to impress a boy she liked and convincing him to go out with her. She then felt a hand on her shoulder and looked to see Temari sitting down with her again. "Sakura." she began more calmly. "I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with having a crush on someone." she told her.
"Even if we are Shinobi, we're still human so it's only natural for us to develop feelings for someone." she continued. "But what you don't want is to focus all your attention on a boy when you're supposed to be a ninja. How many times have Sasuke or Naruto have to save you when you were in trouble? And if they were captured, would they be able to depend on you? These are all things we must always put first when we decide to become Shinobi." she finished.
"I...I guess you're right." she replied taking it all in. "Thanks for showing me the best way of looking at it." she told the older girl.
Temari smiled in response. "Like I said, it's not a bad thing to have a crush on a boy you like just be sure it's not all you're focused on." she told her.
Sakura returned a weak smile from that. Her smile then dropped when she thought of asking Temari something and hoped she wasn't crossing the line. "Hey Temari can I ask you something?" she asked her. Temari nodded to which she asked "How are things between you and Naruto? Is he treating you well?" she asked her.
Temari crossed her arms real quick before answering. "Things are going well enough." she told her before looking over to Naruto while he was talking with Sasuke and Kakashi. "I'm not gonna lie, there are times he can be a huge pain in my ass." she said before smiling. "But I like him. He's a good guy and his heart's in the right place. And to top it all off he makes the best breakfasts." she finished. Sakura looked over to Naruto and felt something comparable to jealously almost. Naruto had always tried asking her out on dates and she always refused each and every time. But now that she saw how Temari was with him and seemed to be happy about it, she started wondering if she made a mistake telling him no when he tried asking her out.
"You know it's kind of funny." she heard before turning back to Temari. "Growing up I always figured that I was gonna be set up with someone in an arranged marriage. It's a common practice for the leaders of Shinobi villages to set their children up for such unions for political reasons. I should have seen it coming really but when Baki-Sensei told me that I was to be wed to someone from Konoha I was furious. I always figured that I was gonna be set up with the heir of one of our own noble families or even the heir of a Daimyo." she told her. "When he told me that I was engaged to Naruto, I was both surprised and not as much at the same time if that makes any sense at all. I mean, we're both the children of Kage so I should have expected as much. But I was at a huge loss because of my first impression of him." she explained to her.
"When I first saw him I thought he was loud and could only talk big so I didn't really think much." she continued while she watched him. "I watched him fight several times as the exams continued and he proved that he had the strength to back up his bold words. And after he beat my Brother in single combat, something I thought was impossible, I was at a complete and total loss for words. He surpassed all my previous expectations when it came to judging someone's level of strength after first contact. I was even kind of intimidated by him to be honest." She told her. She then smiled again. "But now I've gotta say that I really enjoy the time I've been spending with him. He's actually very kind and thoughtful. He's attentive and not afraid to ask for my advice or listen to what I have to say. I'll admit, he's a good catch and on my own I think I could have done a lot worse." she finished.
About an hour later and Team Kakashi was pretty much done for today. Naruto then came by to speak with his young bride. "So what are you gonna do with your free time today?" he asked her.
"I have an appointment with Tsunade-Sama at Konoha General." she answered. "After that I'm not too sure but I believe it's my turn to cook dinner tonight so once I'm finished with my check up I'll just head back to the house and begin on supper." she told him. "Why? What are you doing?' she asked him.
"Dad asked me to come to his office to speak with him once we were done training." he answered. "He wasn't too specific on the purpose but did tell me that it was important." he told her.
"Then I guess we'll meet back up again at the house for dinner." she said as she headed back towards the village. "I'm making a curry tonight so don't eat anything okay?" she asked him.
"Sounds good." he answered and made his way to his father's office.
Sasuke also headed back to his clan's compound while Sakura headed home to take care of her own chores. Kakashi then whipped out his "Icha Icha" novel and continued where he left off before heading off to get himself something to eat too.
[Hokage's Office]
Naruto was currently waiting in the middle of the room standing before his father's desk while Minato finished reading his papers. He was pleasantly surprised to see his mother there too. Kushina smiled to her young son while she stood just behind her husband. Finally the Fourth Hokage put down the papers to speak with his young son.
"Naruto, I'm glad you're here I wanted to talk." he said sitting back in his chair.
"Sure, what's up Dad?' he asked with his hands behind his head.
"I wanted to ask how things were going between you and Temari." he replied. "It's been nearly three weeks since she's moved to Konoha and moved in with you. I wanna be sure that things are going well with you and your young bride." he explained.
"Things are okay I guess." he told him while placing his hands in his pockets. "She can be a hard roommate to live with at times but she's really nice most of the time." he added.
"Do you think she's beautiful?" he straight forward asked.
"Wait what?" he asked taken back a bit.
"Do you think Temari's beautiful or attractive?" he asked his son. "Have you tried courting her at all?' he asked as well.
"Dad I have no idea where you're going with this." he replied raising a brow in confusion.
Minato leaned forward and pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed in response. "Naruto I'm asking because there's not a whole lot of time left before your wedding." he told him. "Your Mother and I are genuinely concerned about your love life. Why do you think we talked with the Suna Council about setting the date three whole months from your engagement with her to begin with?" he asked his son.
"Well I uh..." was Naruto's response.
"You're Father and I are really hoping that you'll avoid being trapped together in a cold and loveless marriage Naruto." Kushina spoke up. "You don't want that do you?" she asked him.
Naruto thought about that for a moment and he realized that his parents were right. Temari wasn't his roommate, she was his fiancee in an arranged marriage between their villages. The both of them were now heavily involved with the political relationships between Konoha and Suna, they were gonna have to exchange marriage vows, live together for the rest of their lives and they were even expected to have children and raise a family together one day.
"Well no now that you mention it. " he finally answered. "But what would you have me do? It would be kind of weird if I were to just walk right up to Temari and say "I love you" right out of the blue don't you think?" he asked them.
Minato sat back in his chair again before responding. "Well if you want our advice why not try asking her out on a date?" he asked with a smile.
Naruto was surprised again by that. "Ask her out?" he replied with a raised brow. "But aren't the two of us already engaged? Is that even allowed?" he asked his father.
"Naruto there's no rule that says that you can't ask your fiancee out." his father replied with a smile. "Your Mother and I went out on plenty of dates when she and I were starting off just as boyfriend and girlfriend but we didn't stop dating once we were engaged. We were still dating before we got married, we were still dating after we got married, we continued dating while she was carrying you, hell your Mother and I are still dating today too." he told him.
Naruto thought that what his dad said made a lot of sense. He and Temari did have a decent relationship already but maybe he really should try for something more. And now that he really thought about it he really did think she was very pretty. Her eyes were a very lovely shade of teal green, he liked the color of her hair too and he liked seeing her hair when she woke up because she still had it down when she got up in the morning. And he couldn't deny that he thought she was very attractive too. Temari had a slim and delicate figure with very nice legs. (When Naruto went through puberty he quickly learned that he was a leg man and a little bit of an ass man too.) And lastly, he did like her. The both of them may have fought from time to time but then again so did his parents.
"Yeah okay I see your point." he replied with a grin. "But what's the best way of asking her out?" he asked his folks.
"Well Naruto." Kushina replied. "I highly recommend flowers. When we first started out, Minato brought me flowers all the time which really brightened my day and he still does." she said before looking over and smiling at her husband and he back up to her. "I love getting flowers and so do many other women. I'm sure Temari would love it too." she told him.
"That's an excellent point." Minato added. "Why don't you go to the Yamanaka flower shop and get Temari some flowers before asking her out?" he asked him.
"All right, I'll do it." Naruto said with a confident smile. "I'll get Temari a bouquet of flowers and then ask her out before taking her on a date. A night out together in Konoha." he declared before he was off.
[Konoha General]
Temari was sitting up on the examination table after just getting her physical with Tsunade. Now she was simply waiting for the Sannin to return and give her the results. She had to admit that she was surprised that one of the Sannin would personally see to giving her a checkup and physical when she needed one but then again a lot of people who were related to Naruto or friends with his family seemed to be very laid back and down to earth. Temari heard stories about Tsunade when she was a little girl and she thought she was a goddess among Kunoichi. Meeting her face to face though shined some light on how human Tsunade actually was. She also wanted to know what her secret was in how she stayed so young because she found it hard to believe that she was fifty years old.
Temari didn't have to wait very long before Tsunade entered the room and closed the door behind her. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting very long." said the older blonde who was flipping through the pages on her clipboard. "It took me a little longer than I would have liked to get the results." she told her.
"It's fine Ma'am." she replied now getting down. "So what's the verdict?" she asked.
Tsunade read down the lines real quick before answering. "Well for starters your blood pressure is a little higher than it should be and your white blood cell count is a little low." she listed. "Nothing dangerous or major but I still have to ask you, are you alright? Are you having difficulties with anything at all?" she asked her.
Temari let out a sigh before responding. "I guess I'm still getting used to Konoha." she answered. "And living with Naruto can really be a strain on one's patience." she added with a smirk.
"Hmmm." replied Tsunade who thought on that for a moment. "I think it's just stress. I'd like to recommend that you take things a little easy for the next couple of days. Don't push yourself too hard for your training sessions and try to relax as much as you can when you're not working. Afternoon naps would be the best in my opinion." she told her to which Temari nodded. "Good." she said putting her clipboard back down. "Now if you don't mind my asking, how are things going between you and my Godson? I hope he's been polite and treating you nicely." she told her.
Temari put a hand on her hip before answering. "I'm not gonna lie." she said with a smirk. "He can be a huge pain sometimes. He's stubborn, he's very blunt and pardon me for saying so but he can be very thick sometimes too." she listed. Tsunade only nodded with an even look. Temari then put on a warm smile before bringing her arms up under her chest and crossing them. "But he is very sweet." she told her. "Despite our differences and how often we may argue I actually like spending time with the little guy." she said which got Tsunade to smile.
"Good, I'm glad to hear that." she replied. "I love that boy. He can be a huge pain in the ass but he's the closest thing I have to a son nowadays and I pray day in and day out for him and you that things will turn out great for you both in the end." she said which got the younger blonde to blush a little.
[Yamanaka Flower Shop]
Naruto was currently looking over a large selection of flowers on sale at the Yamanaka's flower shop. So far he has been unsuccessful in finding any Desert Lilies which were Temari's favorite flowers. Naruto really wanted to impress her by offering her a bouquet of her favorite flowers before asking her out. Probably twenty minutes and he was approached from behind and was startled when he heard a familiar feminine voice.
"Naruto?" he heard and turned to see Ino. "I don't think I've ever seen you here before. What brings you through our doors?" she asked him.
"Well I'm looking for flowers obviously." he answered. "But what are you doing here?" he asked her back.
Ino smirked and raised a brow as if that was a silly question. "Naruto, this is my family's shop. I work here too, not just as a Kunoichi." she told him.
"Oh right, silly me." he replied smiling and rubbing the back of his head.
"But why are you looking for flowers?" she asked. "Can I help?" she also asked.
"I'm looking for a Desert Lily, do you have any?" he asked her.
"One moment." she answered and walked into the back room. A few moments later and she reentered the room empty handed. "I'm sorry Naruto. I thought we may have had a few but no. They grow in the deserts of the Land of Wind so it's not easy to find here in the Land of Fire. But why would you need one?' she asked him.
"Desert Lilies are Temari's favorite flowers." he answered. "I was really hoping to get her a bouquet of Desert Lilies because I'm going to ask her out on a date tonight." he told her.
"Wha-really?" she asked genuinely surprised. "You're asking Temari out? Aren't you both engaged to be married?" she asked him.
"We are, but Mom and Dad told me that I should at least try to get to know her much better and recommended that I take her out on a night in Konoha. I figured that it's a good idea and I'm hoping she and I could become something more than just friends relationship wise." he explained.
Ino looked really excited at the idea of Naruto and Temari dating. She was a notorious gossip in the village and the fact that Naruto was wanting to court Temari before they had to exchange marriage vows was gonna be juicy.
"I'm more than happy to help you out." she beamed. "I have just the Bouquet you can present to her and I'm sure she'll be flattered when you give it to her." she said as she started going over the flowers and figuring out which flowers to arrange. "Also, if you're taking Temari out then you need a different outfit from what you're wearing now." she told him.
"Wait really? What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" he asked.
"You're not going on a mission Naruto, you're going on a date so you should try to look nice." she replied turning with her fists on her hips. "And you also need to take her to a nice place so you better not be thinking about Ichiraku's." she warned.
"What's wrong with Ichiraku's?" he asked almost offended.
"You're not even trying!" she almost screamed. She then calmed herself down and brought a hand up to her head to think. "We have a lot of work to do." she said messaging her temple.
[Naruto And Temari's House]
Temari would finish a few more errands while she was out before she'd head back to the house. She'd walk in and see Naruto's jacket hung up by the door and his sandals placed by the door. This got her to grin with satisfaction as she took her battle fan off.
'I'm glad he's remembered the rules involving clothes and footwear. Clearly he's making progress.' she thought as she put her fan away. "Naruto, I'm back." she called out as she entered the living room.
"Kitchen!" he called back.
She'd enter the kitchen to see him squatting and rummaging through the cabinets. "I thought it was my turn to cook dinner tonight." she said looking down at her young groom.
"It is, but I had something I needed your opinion on." he replied looking up at her and then back in the cabinet again.
"And what would that be?" she asked with one of her brows raised slightly.
Naruto then stood up and quickly presented the bouquet of flowers he got from the Yamanakas to her. "I wanted to know if you liked these flowers or not." he said with a big grin on his face.
Temari was completely taken back by the gift. "Naruto, thank you these are beautiful." she said finally smiling and genuinely touched by the kind gesture.
"I had hoped you'd like em." he replied smiling and rubbing the back of his neck. "I was hoping to actually find and buy you some Desert Lilies but they didn't have any of them here I'm afraid." he told her.
Temari smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Naruto it was very sweet of you. I love them thank you." she said before closing her eyes and bringing the bouquet up to her nostrils. She hummed softly as she got a whiff of their sweet aroma. "And they smell wonderful." she said before looking back to him. "But I don't understand, why are you giving me these?" she asked him.
"Well, I thought that maybe instead of just having dinner here at the house maybe I'd ask you to go out on a date with me." he replied.
Once again she was surprised by that. "A date?" she asked.
"Do you want to?" he asked her back.
"Naruto, we're engaged to be married." she replied.
"That's not what I asked you." he shot back with a sly smile.
Temari was really intrigued by the idea now that she really thought about it. "Hold on, I'm gonna find a place for these and then I'm gonna put on something nice." she told him.
"Yeah that's fine, I wanna change too." he replied as she ran up stairs.
Temari was in the shower for probably fifteen minutes before she'd exit and quickly head back to her room and get changed. She put on her favorite black dress which actually made her day. The dress was low cut and stopped just below her knees and was meant to show off her delicate figure. She brushed her hair thoroughly but quickly so that it had that nice and healthy shine to it. She also decided to leave it down rather then have it up like she always did. She knew Naruto liked her hair when it was natural. She pondered if she should wear some lipstick or not. Would that be overdressing? Screw it. Just a little bit and chose a shade and color that went with her hair, dress and some mascara to finish her look. She then put on some of her best perfume before she left her room and went downstairs.
She'd come downstairs to see Naruto waiting for her and he cleaned up very nicely too. He was wearing a white dress shirt with the top button undone and the sleeves rolled up, a navy blue pair of dress pants and black dress shoes with his matching coat slung over his shoulder. Naruto's hair was also gelled and calmed which she really liked.
"You look especially handsome tonight Naruto." she said as she came down which got him to blush.
"Thanks Temari." he replied as he gazed upon her. "You know you look very beautiful yourself." he commented, thinking that she looked amazing in that dress, makeup and how she wore her hair.
"Thank you." she replied with a small blush of her own. "I take it you have a plan for tonight?" she asked him.
"I've got a nice dinner already set up for us and it's gonna be at one of my favorite sights in the village." he replied. "Shall we?" he offered as he put his coat on.
"Lead the way." she answered with a soft smile.
Naruto opened the front door and let her to exit first before he followed and locked the door behind them. They then walked side by side as Naruto led her to the destination he planned out for their night out together. Little did either of them know, there was a shadowy figure watching them.
'Well well well.' Jiraiya thought as he watched the young blonde couple. 'This seems very interesting. Looks like Naruto's planned a special night with Temari. This could have some real potential.' he thought as he followed from a safe distance.
[Inuzuka Compound]
Hinata was currently sitting at a dinner table with her boyfriend Kiba and his family which was his mother Tsume and his older sister Hana. She was wearing a lavender colored sleeveless dress which was decorated with intricate flower designs. As she enjoyed her meal, she noticed that her hosts' dogs Kuromaru, Akamaru and the Haimaru triplets would get up from their spots on the rug and beg at their master's table to receive some food from their plates. And seeing how Kiba and his family would share their food with their dogs she did so too any time one of them came over to beg from her.
"Hinata I'm very happy that you were able to make it tonight." said the Inuzuka Matriarch to the Hyuuga Heiress. "I really hope that you're enjoying your meal." she told her.
"Yes Ma'am, everything is delicious." she replied kindly.
"Y'know, it has occurred to me that we've never had a member of the Hyuuga Clan over to our home before." said Hana who handed another piece of meat to one of her Ninken.
"That's true and truth be told I'm actually surprised that Hiashi was willing to invite you over to his house too." she said to her son. "I hope everything went well at the Hyuuga Compound." she told him.
Kiba stopped mid chew as his mind traveled back to his last visit to the Hyuuga house for when Lord Hiashi laid down the ground rules for him dating his daughter.
[Flashback]
Kiba was sitting at the table with his back straight and his shoulders back while Hinata sat next to him and her father sat across from him on the other side of the table. The food was really nice but it had a little too much seasoning. It's not the Hyuuga's fault but they didn't know that because Inuzukas have such sensitive taste and smell, it made eating food with strong flavors hard to enjoy. Especially with lots of peppers and spices. Still, he was glad that he was formally invited and Hinata was glad that her father was willing to give him a chance. The both of them sat and ate their meals peacefully and quietly but after about twenty minutes Hinata excused herself from the table for a quick trip to the ladies room and leaving her boyfriend with her father. That's when he finally decided to speak with him.
"So." he said breaking the silence and getting Kiba's attention. You've decided to ask my beautiful Daughter out on a date have you?" he asked him.
"Well yeah...I mean yes Sir. I hope that's alright with you." he replied and trying to sound respectful to the Hyuuga lord.
"I bear you no ill will." he told him. "And given that you both are on the same team I'm not surprised that she would have gotten close and developed a relationship with someone on her squad. But there are some rules I expect you to follow." he told him calmly but firmly.
"Of course Hiashi-Sama." he replied.
"First of all, any place you take her out to must be respectable." he began. "And she also has a curfew and must be home by eleven at the latest." he added.
"That sounds very reasonable." Kiba replied.
"I'm pleased that you think so." said the Hyuuga lord who took a quick sip of his drink. "But there is one other thing you must remember." he said as he put his cup back down.
"Like what?" he asked him.
"If you ever give my Daughter drugs, an alcoholic drink or get her pregnant outside of wedlock then I'm gonna hunt you down and castrate you." he said with a very cold and even face while Kiba paled in fear.
[End Flashback]
Kiba was quiet for only a moment longer before he finally swallowed his mouthful of food and responded. "Dinner at Hinata's home was really nice." he said which made his girlfriend smile before their evening continued.
[With Naruto And Temari]
Temari was following Naruto up a road towards the Hokage Tower until he had her follow him off the road and up what was apparently a secret pathway. She had no clue where they were going but he didn't say too much. They did talk a little about what they like doing but he wasn't straightforward about where he was taking them on her first date with him. Finally she couldn't wait anymore and thought she'd get to the bottom of it.
"Okay Naruto, where are you taking me?" she asked him.
"One of my favorite spots in the village." he answered. "It's one of the best sights and offers an amazing view over all Konoha." he added.
"Can you be more specific?" she asked.
"I suppose I can go ahead and tell you." he replied. "We're going to have a nice picnic dinner on the top of the Hokage Monument." he told her and answering her question.
"Really?" she asked intrigued. "Why are we going up there?" she then asked.
"When I was very little, I remember looking up at the faces of our previous Hokage and telling myself that I wanted to go up there." he told her as they were reaching the top. "But for a long time I never could. It was against the rules and there were over a hundred regulations telling me that I wasn't allowed and why which I had to follow until after I finished at the Academy." he told her.
"I take it that your Father changed the rules?" she asked with a smirk.
"No, now I just don't give a damn." he said with a smug.
"So we could get in trouble if we get caught?" she asked trying not to laugh.
"IF we get caught." he replied as they reached their destination.
"You're something else." she said as they finally reached the very top. The both of them were standing on top of Minato's figure head monument. She saw a blue blanket laid out with a bottle in a bucket of ice and a few bento boxes set up for them. "This looks very nice." she commented. "Did you come up here and set everything up before you asked me out?" she asked him.
"Nope, once you said yes when I asked you out I had some Kage Bunshin I already made head up and set this up while I was bringing you up here." he answered. "They probably dispersed about ten minutes ago." he explained.
"Clever." she said as they both walked over and took a seat next to him. "I gotta admit Naruto, I was half expecting another trip to Ichiraku's." she told him.
He only chuckled at that. "Oh believe me, I seriously thought about that but Ino told me that I should try something a little nicer and a picnic atop the Monuments sounded like a better idea when I really thought about it." he said as he handed her a wine glass.
"Did Ino have something to do with this then?" she asked him.
"She did help yeah and I'll have to remember to thank her for the idea later." he said as he popped the cork off the bottle.
"So will I." she replied as Naruto filled her glass for her. She brought it to her lips and was surprised what she tasted. "White grape juice?" she asked him slightly puzzled but not bothered by it.
"Yeah, I'm not a big fan of alcohol and I thought both wine and juice are made with grapes anyway right?" he asked as he poured himself a glass.
"Yeah, I'm not much of a drinker anyway either." she said before taking another sip. "And it's the thought that counts and I'm enjoying this. It's nice to be pampered on a date by your Fiancee." she said with a kindhearted smile.
Naruto then brought out the bento boxes and handed one to her. "I hope you like it. I tried to set up a balance of meat, rice and vegetables like you enjoy with your meals." he told her.
She took it and once she opened it up she was impressed with the selection of nicely cooked roast chicken, white rice and steamed veggies. "I can tell you put a lot of time and thought into this Naruto. I'm actually really impressed." she told him as she picked up her chopsticks to begin eating.
The both of them would eat and drink together while they talked. This wasn't like their other meals together because of how everything was set up. Temari thought there was something really special about this. She got the feeling that Naruto was really trying to improve their relationship and pursue something special with her. It actually made her genuinely happy. That was when she looked off to the side to look over the village.
"It's very beautiful isn't it?" Naruto asked her.
"It is quite the sight." she replied. "I can see why you brought me here and why this is your favorite sight." she told him.
"I come up here all the time and look over the village every chance I get." he replied. "Every time I look out over the village it reminds me why I love Konoha and why I can't wait for the day I becomes Hokage." he told her.
She figured that this would be a great time to ask him about that. "Why are you so fixated on that?" she asked him. "Becoming Hokage I mean." she added.
"I remember watching my Dad looking out over the village when I was very little and how the whole village cheered for him." he began. "When I was four I told my Mom that I wanted to be just like him when I grew up and become the next Hokage." he said with a fond smile on his face. "As I got older, I realized that being Hokage wasn't simply a popularity contest. I wanna be Hokage simply because I love my village. It's my home and the people here are my own. There are many who hate and fear me because of the Kyuubi, but I don't hate them for it. And one day, I'm gonna prove to them I'm the one who'll lead them and protect them. That I will be the leader they will look up to and respect." he said giving her his full speech and answering her question.
Temari was almost completely blown back by that. She didn't know if it was how the wind blew through his hair or how the light shown upon him but she started seeing him as more than simply the guy she was gonna marry. She started seeing him in a whole new light, she just didn't have any words to describe it.
"Naruto." she said in amazement.
"Hey, the Sun is setting." he told her pointing off in the distance. "I know you said that you enjoy sunsets and sunrises. It may not be anything like what you describe in Suna but ours aren't too bad either." he told her.
Temari looked out over the distance and was blown back with how the now orange sun was slowly setting behind the mountains in the distance. The way the sky changed colors too was truly a sight to behold. She was dazzled.
"Naruto, this is beautiful." she said smiling before looking back over to him. "I'm really happy you brought me here to see this. Thank you." she told him.
Naruto smiled back and watched the sun set with her as it slowly disappeared behind the mountains. He would later take her out for some dango before they'd walk back to the house together. Naruto would open the door and let her enter first before he'd follow in behind her and close it. She had a very satisfied smile on her lovely face and turned to Naruto once they made it back.
"Naruto I had a wonderful time tonight." she told him. "Thank you so much for the dinner and the night out. I had so much fun." she said with one of her genuinely sweet smiled.
"I'm very happy I was able to make your day." he replied smiling himself. "Um, would you like to go out again another night? Dinner? A movie? Dinner and a movie?" he offered.
Naruto got his answer when she walked up and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I would really like that." she told him as she headed upstairs to get ready for bed. She purposely swayed her hips and smiled when she felt his eyes on her. She really liked it that he thought she was attractive. Naruto stood there with a big blush from the kiss and from seeing how she walked in such a suggestive manner. Once he was done gawking at her he headed upstairs and got ready for bed too.
[Next Day]
Naruto was in his father's office speaking with his parents and telling them all about his date with Temari. All the while they were smiling while Jiraiya was there too. "And she said she'd love to go out again." he finished. "I had no idea that dates were so much fun." he told them.
"Well Naruto your Mother and I are both very happy that things went so well for you two. I hope that things will only get better for you both." his father replied as he sat back in his chair.
"I'm thinking this time I'll take her to see a new movie that just came out recently." he said with a grin. "We're already talking about places she'd like to eat out at too." he added.
"That's wonderful Sweetheart." his mother replied. "Now why don't you go on ahead to the training fields. Kakashi should be waiting for you." she told him.
"Yeah I probably should get going." he said rubbing the back of his head. "Anyway, I'll see you all later. Bye Mom, bye Dad, bye Ero Sennin." he said as he ran out the door.
Once it was closed, Kushina could barely contain her excitement and was jumping for joy. "Minato! Our Son sounds so happy right now!" she cheered. "I think he really likes Temari and it sounds to me that she really likes him too." she said hugging him while he was still seated.
"I know and that's wonderful news." he replied. "You made the right call in encouraging him to ask her out." he added.
"I think it's only a matter of time before they both truly fall in love and then...Jiraiya, what the hell are you doing?" she asked looking over to the Sannin with a raised brow.
Jiraiya was scribbling down notes in his book and chuckling as he did so before he was interrupted by Kushina clearing her throat to get his attention. "Okay, so here me out." he began. "I think that Naruto and Temari could very well be the inspiration I need for my next book. The story will be of a young Prince who's trapped in the ever changing world of royal politics and forced into an arranged marriage with a beautiful and exotic Princess from another kingdom. So to save them both from a cold and loveless marriage, he'll fight to win her heart before the day they say I do." he said with a fire in his eyes.
"You've gotta be kidding me." replied the red head with one of her eyes twitching.
"It's gonna be great!" he continued. "It'll have action! It'll have political intrigue! It'll have adventure!" he said before he started blushing. "It'll have romance." he said before giggling again. "Yes! I think Naruto and Temari will be the stars of my best book yet!" he cheered loudly as if he just won a great victory.
"Absolutely not." replied Koshina now crossing her arms.
"Wha?" he asked back looking at a very angry Uzumaki.
"I won't let you use my Son or our future Daughter in law for one of your filthy novels." she said putting her hands on her hips.
"Oh please?" he asked her. "I promise that I'll cut you all a percentage of the profits." he tried offering.
"No!" she yelled. "I know how you conduct your "Research" when you write your books and I won't have it." she told him.
"B-But..." he tried protesting.
"I said no!" she said one last time. She then turned back to her husband. "Minato, I need to go now but I'll see you again later for dinner." she told him.
"Of course love." he said before they shared a quick kiss and she was gone. He then turned back to his mentor. "You're still gonna write that book aren't you Sensei?" he asked him.
Jiraiya only smiled. "Yes Minato, yes I am." he answered.
The blonde Hokage only smiled. "You'll be sure to get Kakashi and I a copy once it's finished right?" he asked him.
"Oh absolutely!" he said with a big grin and two thumbs up.
[Author's Notes] Boy oh boy was this one a pain in my ass to redo. But I'm glad I finally got around to doing it. Wasn't easy when you're still without a computer but I managed. As you can probably read, the only real changes were changing some of the dialog and a few scenes but other then that mostly it was just the writing style. Now all I got left are chapters twelve and thirteen and I'll have everything caught up and I'll be able to update my chapters to this story regularly again like before.
Anyway, thank you all as always for reading my stories. Please leave a Review or a PM letting me know what you think and if you have any ideas you wanna share lay em on me because I love hearing from my readers.
This is Dragon1990 signing out :-)