Naruto put his hand out waiting for Sakura to take it. He knew the information he just gave her was hard to believe. Who could believe it? The village had gone eighteen years thinking that he was just a random orphan, and that the Yondaime had no significant other, let alone that the two had an offspring. The village council had kept a very tight seal on that bit of information, so had the Hokage. It was still surprising that Naruto had known for as long as he had.
He would probably still be in the dark had Jiraiya no told him of his lineage. It was so simple that Naruto couldn't understand how he had never figured it out. What kind of man would sacrifice a child of unknown origin to the hardships that Naruto had gone through? Only a father could have put his own son in that situation. Yet Naruto had learned that his father's hope was that he would be seen by the villagers not as the Kyubi, but as a hero for containing the Kyubi within himself. Unfortunately his father's plan hadn't gone that way.
Jiraiya had told him there was no other way to save the village, and that his father sacrificed his own life, so that Naruto could grow up and live a normal life. Well things never turn out the way we plan. Naruto knew his father wanted him to be praised, and in a strange way isn't that what ended up happening in the end. If tonight's cheering had any indication than Naruto knew he was finally accepted by the village whole heartedly. This above all was really the only thing he ever wanted growing up. Now at the age of eighteen he had it all. He was going to be the Rokudaime, He was one of the most powerful ninja in the world, and he had Sakura.
That thought was brought to an end as Sakura took Naruto's hand and pulled herself off the ground. It was a lot to go over in one's head. Her boyfriend was the next Hokage; he was the Jinchuriki for the Kyubi no kitsune, and now she found out that he was the son of the village's most beloved ruler. It was as if Naruto's life was just one big surprise after the other. She still couldn't believe how she treated him as a kid, and now she knew that she had bad mouthed the son of the Fourth. Wait a second she was dating the son of the fourth Hokage. That meant that Naruto was practically aristocracy in the village. Now if that wasn't a boost to her confidence, nothing else that happened that night would be. "So, Naruto, what do we do now?"
Naruto just laughed and shrugged his shoulders. He hadn't expected Sakura to take this news so easily. He had planned on her blowing up in his face for never telling her who his parents were. "Well, since you're running this event, I figured you would have something planned after the fireworks." Naruto smiled at her. He knew she was coming to terms with what she had learned, but he couldn't let the information change who he was or how he acted. He pulled Sakura into an embrace and held her tight to him. "This changes nothing between us does it?"
His question wasn't unexpected. Naruto was a very insecure person when it came to dating. Early in their relationship he was always asking her questions. Was he doing this right, was he not doing something the way it should be done, or her favorite, When will I know when to kiss you? Naruto was definitely insecure, but after a few weeks he had grown tired of asking those questions. Yet every once in awhile one would come through, just like right now, and every time he asked, it brightened up her mood. That was Naruto, trying his best at something. "Of course nothing has changed; you're still my idiot teammate, and my caring boyfriend. Now you're both of those plus the incumbent Hokage, and the son of a former Hokage."
He laughed at her comment. He couldn't react any other way. It was just too perfect for him, and yet it was the only way he could have imagined it. Naruto looked down to Sakura and lifted the hair out of her eyes. He put his right hand under her chin and raised it up a bit so he could see her face. As he did that he bent down and captured her mouth in a kiss. The moment was made so much better by the fireworks going off over the village. 'I wouldn't want to be anywhere but here.' Naruto kept saying that line in his head.
The two separated as the fireworks died down. Sakura was blushing a deep red, while Naruto couldn't stop smiling. The moment was perfect. Just the whole scene around them was nothing but perfection, and Sakura knew it. There was just something about Naruto at that moment that made her want him all to herself. She turned her head to look over the village. The festival was over, and she couldn't help but figure it was time to end their date. Sakura turned to Naruto and smiled. "Naruto, I think it's time you walk me home."
Naruto's face lost a bit of its emotion; he didn't want the night to end. He however held his arm out to his girlfriend and took her hand in his. "Ok Sakura, I'll walk you to your doorstep."
Sakura giggled a bit; Naruto hadn't caught on to her flirtatious statement. "No idiot, it's time you walk me to your apartment. We're spending the night together." Sakura smiled coyly at the man next to her. She made sure to shake her hips a bit as she drug her boyfriend along with her. "I don't want to be alone tonight, and I know you like to cuddle."
Naruto was in heaven. What else could go right at this moment? It didn't matter, right now he was walking home with Sakura and she was going to spend the night. He was glad that she had found a way to get him to clean his apartment. He had kept it organized ever since the first time she had spent the night. There was nothing more mood killing than seeing a clutter around a room. "If you're spending the night, don't you need a change of clothes?"
Sakura giggled again, she knew Naruto was still a bit reserved about her spending nights with him. It was too cute. "No silly, I'm going to wear one of your old shirts and borrow a pair of shorts." Sakura laughed as she watched Naruto's face go from shocked to questioning. "What's that face for?"
Naruto grinned in his fox like manner. "Who said you could wear my clothes? I think there's a rule at my place that says if you don't have your own sleeping attire then you have to sleep naked." He finished his comment with a lewd smile. Of course he knew how to ruin moments, and he had done just that. Or so he thought.
"Well that's fine, but do I at least get to dry off with a towel after taking a shower? Sakura didn't let her boyfriends comment throw her off, so she decided to throw one back at him. If his face was any indicator then Sakura knew her retort had surprised him even more. "What? Can't I have some fun too?" Sakura pouted and acted like she was about to cry, she was wrapping him around her finger and she knew he couldn't resist it.
"That's not true; you can have all the fun you want. Just not when it's at my expense." Naruto looked her in the face and bent down like he was going to kiss her. Sakura closed her eyes waiting for his lips to touch hers. She however was greeted with his tongue licking up the side of her face.
"Naruto, that's just not right!" Sakura wiped her face off. He had licked her from chin to forehead. And he was laughing about it hysterically. Oh how she hated when he played with her like that, but she had started it. "You know, I'd break your neck if I wasn't so taken with you."
Naruto just laughed harder at the situation he had caused. Sakura was red in the face with anger and embarrassment, but why? Nobody was around, so only the two of them knew what was going on. "You know Sakura, I always thought red was a great color on you, but not when your skin is that color." He couldn't stop himself; he reached for her arms again and pulled her close to him. This time he didn't play around. Naruto bent down and kissed her again, effectively ending the joking session. Upon releasing her he put his hand over hers and began to escort her back to his place.
On the other side of town Tsunade was in her office talking to Kakashi. "Kakashi, I am asking you to watch over him for the duration of this trip. You are to train with him and help him perfect his techniques." Tsunade held her head up with her hands. No more than an hour ago she had told the entire village the news of Naruto's heritage. She had half expected the young man to be present when she told everyone. However she had watched him walk off with Sakura before she had the chance to make her second speech.
Kakashi had heard the news; he was one of the select few who had known the truth for years. It was Kakashi's duty to watch over Naruto as his sensei, so he had to know everything there was about the kid. Now just six years later Kakashi was discovering other new things about the boy, and some of them infuriated him. Naruto had been hiding his strength and speed, and had even held back during the jonin exams. Those above all were what angered the silver haired ninja. He knew that he had trained the young man to hold back so as to not allow his enemies to see his full potential, but to do so against his sensei, and during a match that would showcase his prowess in front of other villages. "I understand Hokage-sama. I will watch over him without incident. When do we start this mission?"
Tsunade looked out her window. She didn't want to do this to Naruto, but he had to leave for a while. The international backlash would be through the roof. She also knew that he had to finally learn to perfect the techniques that he used. Naruto had to master the jutsus that he had learned, and be able to create them without the help from his shadow clones. She knew Kakashi would help him with such things. Also Naruto had to learn how to interact with people in a formal manner, and that was what she expected would take him awhile. "The mission will start within the next forty eight hours. I want you two to leave by the morning after next, since I know the two of you will be sorting out your issues tomorrow."
Kakashi was shocked, how did Tsunade know about his and Naruto's earlier confrontation? Not even Gai had a clue what had happened between the two male members of team seven. Kakashi stood up and headed towards the window. He turned just before he left. "We will resolve our issues; just don't let anyone get in the way." With that Kakashi leapt from the window and into the streets below.
Tsunade just looked out over the darkened village. "You guys may not see eye to eye right now, but I'm pretty confident that the resentments between you two will end tomorrow." With that said Tsunade stood from her chair, and left the room. She turned off the lights and locked the door, as she decided to head home to get some sleep.
