Chapter 38: Homecoming

Home.

It was hard for Naruto to believe that he was so close to the Hidden Leaf Village's entrance. Massive gates made of wood and reinforced by iron welcomed proud citizens and curious visitors alike, and when he smelled the rich air and took in the tall trees that vibrated with life, he was overtaken by a mixture of complicated emotions.

After all this time, he had finally returned.

He walked at the front of the pack, with Samui at his side. As always, her presence reassured him. This wasn't the first time she'd visited the Leaf, but he imagined taking her to Ichiraku Ramen or the Hokage Monument. Maybe he'd even show her his apartment before she returned to her village.

Before he could do any of that, he had to complete his mission. He briefly considered going back to the Fire Temple so that Asuma could receive more healing, but Ino did a good enough job that it wasn't necessary. As it was, he was being carried on a stretcher by his old genin team, sleeping in peace, as Raidō and Aoba surrounded the stretcher's sides, Yugito watching the back.

Chōji was carrying both of the stretcher's rear handles with ease, and it was clear to see that he'd grown substantially, both in height and bulk. His brown hair had grown long and spiky, held back by a red forehead protector. A red suit covered his body, and plated armour protected his arms, legs and torso. Worry had suffused his normally cheerful expression, turning it into grim determination.

Ino was carrying one of the front handles, a long bang of pale blonde hair covering one of her blue-green eyes. While she still wore a sleeveless purple blouse and an apron skirt to match, her elbows and knees were covered by mesh padding and her abs were exposed. Her figure had blossomed over her years, and it was clear that she was proud to flaunt her toned physique, even if she was currently frowning from concern.

Shikamaru was carrying the other front handle. His hairstyle hadn't changed, but he wore the standard chūnin uniform in black, the metal from his forehead protector stitched onto his left sleeve. His chakra reserves had increased dramatically, but they were slowly refilling, and he kept on looking back to check on Asuma's prone form, fear overtaking his usually laid-back countenance.

All in all, it looked like his old classmates had grown up, too. When they finally entered the village, a medical team was waiting for them. No doubt it was thanks to Kotetsu and Izumo, as they had gone ahead to bring news of Asuma's injury. Asuma was quickly and gently handed over to the medics, and as he was being carried off to the hospital, Shikamaru made eye contact with him, an unsaid question in his eyes.

"Go ahead," Naruto said, smiling at his friend. "I'll come over to your place later."

Shikamaru smiled, tiredly. "Thanks, Naruto."

Ino looked his way and held her gaze for a few seconds, before giving him a firm nod. Naruto returned it; whatever bad feelings he harboured towards Ino were all but gone. Once she and Shikamaru went to join the medics, Chōji appeared in front of him and bowed deeply.

"Thank you for saving Asuma-sensei," he said. He rose to a standing position and stared at Naruto first, then Samui. "If either of you need any help, then you only need to ask me, and I will do everything in my power to make sure that you get it."

"I appreciate it," Samui said. Her eyes had softened somewhat.

Naruto smiled. "So do I. Thanks, Chōji."

Chōji thumped his chest once, before he went to join his teammates. Samui glanced at him, searching his face.

"You're finally back home," she said.

"Yeah, I am."

She nodded. "Let's get going."

When he looked ahead, he saw the village in all its splendour as it sprawled out past his vision. The Hokage Monument overlooked the Hidden Leaf, and he remembered looking at the village from its peak, resolving to return home when he was ready.

Home.

In spite of it all, the Hidden Leaf Village was nothing else.


Raidō and Aoba had gone ahead to report in at the missions desk, leaving Naruto free to see the Hokage. As he walked over there, flanked by Samui and Yugito, he travelled past familiar streets and buildings, villagers were gazing at him and he expected to see their fear and disdain.

Some of them were afraid, but there were a bunch that weren't sure what to make of him, a few people were awestruck by his appearance, and others who nodded at him or waved their hands out of respect. It was perplexing, but it had been a long time since he'd been in the Leaf, and he'd changed substantially.

When he arrived at the village's Administration Complex, nostalgic warmth and the slightest hint of dread infiltrated his mind as memories of the place came to him. It barely took any time for him to reach the Hokage's office, and opening its doors was as easy as it always was. He let Samui and Yugito enter first and once he stepped through, he shut the door behind him.

Tsunade was looking at him from her chair, hands steepled in front of her mouth. Shizune was standing behind her, a gentle smile coming to her face once they made eye contact, one that was easy to return. Neither of them had changed physically, and the office he'd spent so much time in hadn't changed either.

"First off, welcome back," Tsunade said.

Naruto nodded. He made sure to stand in front of Samui and Yugito. "Thank you."

"What did you do after I sent you your instructions?"

"I went with Samui and Yugito to the Fire Temple, where we found out that it had been attacked by Hidan and Kakuzu of the Akatsuki, who fought and killed Chiriku, a monk who lived there. The medic you sent evaluated our condition and cleared us, but we learned that a squad of Leaf ninja had left the temple before we arrived.

"We discussed what to do as a team after leaving the temple. Since they were trying to collect Chiriku's bounty, we decided to meet up with the squad at the black market exchange point in case they came across Hidan and Kakuzu."

"Why did you think that was necessary?" Tsunade asked. "You had your orders, and you were fully aware of the danger the Akatsuki presented not just to you, but to Yugito as well."

Naruto kept his face carefully blank. "It was to ensure the squad's safety, since they didn't know how dangerous Hidan and Kakuzu were. My plan was to observe the area and intervene so that the squad could escape from the Akatsuki."

Her gaze was piercing, but Naruto didn't flinch. "Go on. What happened when you arrived?"

"I found Hidan attacking Asuma Sarutobi with his ritual and used the substitution jutsu to replace him with a Shadow Clone I made, while Samui helped me release Asuma from the ritual's effects. Reinforcements arrived not long after we did, and we were able to get Asuma's squad to safety. Hidan and Kakuzu departed from the area after communicating with someone I assume was their leader.

"Once they left, Ino Yamanaka healed Asuma and we returned here."

After he finished, Naruto relaxed slightly. This was the first time in years that he had to give a verbal report, and Tsunade had a rather imposing presence that practically forced him to be as accurate as possible.

"I see," Tsunade said, setting her hands on her table. "I'll expect a full written report from you by tomorrow, but for now..." She smiled. "Good job. Your decision resulted in the rescue of four highly valuable ninja from the clutches of the Akatsuki. I can easily overlook you delaying your return in light of your results."

Naruto nodded. "Thank you, Lady Hokage."

She looked past him. "As for you two, you can deliver your reports to the Raikage. I've organized a reservation at our ambassador's hotel for you two to stay in until your departure."

Yugito smiled. "Thanks, ma'am."

"Yes, thank you," Samui said. Naruto could see the grateful expressions on both of the Hidden Cloud's kunoichi.

"It's the least I can do," Tsunade said. "After all, Samui, you took care of Naruto and performed admirably throughout your assignment. For that, you have my thanks."

"I'm honoured." Samui's eyes flickered in his direction. "I enjoyed my time with Naruto. He was a good partner."

Tsunade's eyes gleamed. "That's good to hear." She stood up. "Well, I won't keep you any longer. Shizune, please escort our guests to the hotel."

"Yes, milady," Shizune said. She led them out of the office. When the door closed, it was just him and the Hokage.

Tsunade went around her table, walking right up to him. She actually had to look up to meet his eyes, something that nearly made him burst into laughter.

"Looks like you did some growing while you were away," Tsunade asked.

Naruto smiled. "I'm finally taller than you."

Tsunade smirked. "I never thought it'd happen, but here we are."

"Still as mean as ever, aren't you, Grandma?"

She shook her head, but her smirk hadn't faded a bit. "I thought you'd learn some manners on your trip, but I can't expect Jiraiya to perform miracles. Then again, the fact that he made a skilled shinobi out of a bright-eyed punk with a big mouth is a miracle in itself."

Naruto's smile grew. "Calling me a skilled shinobi? Are you sure you aren't getting soft in your old age?"

Her brown eyes glinted. "Do you want me to answer that question before or after you wake up?"

He could read between the lines, he knew exactly what she was implying. Before he could make another smart remark, though, he saw that Tsunade was watching him, desperately trying to hold back a laugh.

"Well, I am pretty tired," Naruto said, before he lost it and began to laugh. Tsunade laughed as well, and the tension in the room melted.

"It's good to see you, Naruto," Tsunade said, her smirk giving way to a softer smile.

"You too," Naruto said.

She set a hand on her hip. "All merriment aside, you've become quite a skilled shinobi, and your body of work proves that you've made the most of Jiraiya's tutelage. It's clear to me that your rank no longer reflects your capabilities or your potential contributions to this village."

Naruto's eyes widened as the implications sunk in. He grinned. "Wow, that means a lot. Thanks, Grandma Tsunade."

"That said, you're going to earn that promotion. Those old geezers on the elder council would complain if I promoted you on the spot."

"Why listen to them?"

Tsunade frowned. "Sarutobi-sensei's one of my advisors, so even if I kick them out, they'll still have his ear. Besides, it lets me set up a bunch of tests for you and see what you're capable of with my own eyes."

He never expected to gain a promotion without earning it, so having to take a test was fine with him. "I understand." However, the mere mention of Sarutobi's name made him bristle. "If Lord Third is your advisor, where is he?"

"At the missions desk," Tsunade said. "I'm sure you want to catch up with him, but for now, you should focus on what I've got planned for you instead. Got it?"

Naruto hadn't planned to confront Sarutobi right there and then. He'd be busy assessing other ninja, and jumping into a public fight would just be a waste of his time. If he was going to get what he wanted, it would be on his terms, when there was no chance for Sarutobi to escape. After all, timing was of the essence, and not just in battle.

"Yes, ma'am," Naruto said.

Tsunade smiled. "Glad we understand each other."


Naruto was finally alone, and he took the time to wander through the village, reminiscing over his time as an innocent kid. He had some good times, fondly remembering how he'd run away from irate villagers after nailing them with a prank, the joyful moments spent training or ditching classes and journeying across the village's outskirts. But his days had been fraught with loneliness, spent watching other kids go home with their loved ones while he sat on an old swing, desperate to have what they took for granted.

He fought to be acknowledged and respected, fought like he was trying to keep his head above water in a never-ending storm. One day, someone did acknowledge him, fought for his right to be seen and treated like he wasn't a walking bomb destined to explode. After Iruka acknowledged him, he found another person who was kind to him and sweet to him out of the goodness of her heart... or so he thought.

Then he found someone who helped him and became friends with him just because it was the right thing to do. At the time, he had been filled with such warmth that he gave up on trying to fight for his team's respect, because he'd been given a lifeline from an unexpected place.

Not for the first time, it made him wonder if he would've gotten through to them if he kept on trying. Maybe then, he wouldn't have needed Kurenai's help or her friendship, because Team Seven would be his friends. Then again, there wasn't much point in wishing that his time with Team Seven was better. After all, Kakashi and Sakura respected him now, and even Sasuke had seen him for who he truly was.

The thought of his old rival brought a wan smile to his face. He hadn't really thought about Sasuke in such a long time. What would he even say to the guy if they crossed paths, now that he knew the difference between secrets and plain disrespect? He wasn't sure. Hopefully, Sasuke was getting close to achieving his revenge. It'd be good if he could finally put his pain behind him.

However, he wouldn't be surprised if he couldn't. Letting go of past hurt was not the easiest thing to do, and it was something he still struggled with.

A gust of wind blew right through him, ruffling his clothes and letting him focus on where he had ended up. The hospital wasn't too far away, and when he checked it out with his sensor, he saw Asuma being attended to by a team of medical ninja as Shikamaru walked over to the hospital's entrance.

If he was going to go to the Nara compound, it'd be best if he went alongside Shikamaru, and since Shikamaru was so close by, it'd be easy to meet up with him. So when Shikamaru left the hospital, he was there, waiting for him.

"Naruto?" Shikamaru asked. "What are you doing here?"

"I was just passing through," Naruto said, drawling his words like Shikamaru tended to do. "Since I was in the area, I thought I'd check up on you."

Shikamaru stared at him as a goofy smile grew on Naruto's face, before he shrugged. "Fine by me. I was just heading home."

"Mind if I join you?" Naruto asked. "I did say I wanted to visit you guys."

A wry smile appeared on his friend's face. "Do you even have to ask?"

Naruto smiled as well, and together, they started walking to the Nara household. Shikamaru's hands were in his pockets, but his brow was furrowed.

"How's Asuma-sensei doing?" Naruto asked. Might as well get straight to the point. He never liked seeing Shikamaru worried.

"His injuries were pretty bad, but they aren't life-threatening. He's going to be fine."

Naruto smiled. "That's great!"

"It is. Thank you for saving Asuma-sensei's life."

"Don't mention it," he said.

Shikamaru sighed. "Honestly, I don't want to think about what would've happened if you didn't come when you did. It took everything I had to pull Hidan out of his ritual diagram, but you and your partner didn't just kick him out, you destroyed that diagram completely."

Naruto frowned. "Hey, don't sell yourself short. I already knew how to break Hidan's ritual and I've worked with Samui for months, so we had a big advantage going in. If you were able to pull Hidan out of that circle of his, then that means you figured out how Hidan's ritual worked in the middle of a fight."

He frowned. "I guess so, but you should've seen him. We cut off his head, then that Kakuzu guy re-attached it and Hidan was as right as rain. All that effort, and all I had to show for it was wasting most of my chakra, while they could go for another round and walk all over us. Even if we somehow managed to beat Hidan, Kakuzu would be waiting to pick us off."

"You guys cut off Hidan's head," Naruto said. "Yeah, he's immortal, but you can hurt him, and you know how to get around his ritual. That means you can beat him."

Shikamaru's eyes widened, mouth slowly opening. Then he clicked his tongue. "Easier said than done. If I want to beat Hidan, I have to separate him and Kakuzu. Then I need a way to cut off Hidan's head without getting in close. He'll know what I'm capable of, so I have to make sure I get the drop on him before I run out of chakra. I have a couple of tricks I can use, but Hidan's wily, dangerous."

Naruto smiled. "You're wily and dangerous."

"Maybe, but there's one big problem: I'm not sure if I'm strong enough. I trained really hard while you were gone, I learned a bunch of new jutsu, I went on tough missions and learned how to lead. But the first time I face an S-Rank ninja, I get exposed. They made a full team of seasoned ninja look like rookies, and once they got serious, there wasn't a thing we could do to stop them."

Naruto looked Shikamaru right in the eye. "So what?"

Shikamaru flinched. "What do you mean, so what?"

"You got exposed, but you didn't die, and you figured out how to be Hidan. You know what you're capable of, and you know your limits, so you won't allow yourself to fail. You just have to make a good plan, find the right teammates, and win."

"You make it sound so easy," Shikamaru said.

"It isn't easy, but do you think that they'll go easy on you just because you aren't sure of yourself?"

Shikamaru frowned, jaw tightening. "No."

"Then there's your answer. If you doubt yourself, if you think that your opponent's invincible or you aren't strong enough, then you've lost the fight before it's even begun. You want to know how you'll beat them? By knowing that you'll win, no matter what it takes, by wanting to win so badly that even when you're about to die, you'll get back up and fight."

Naruto had gotten himself worked up during his speech, so he took the time to calm down. For nearly a minute, they walked in silence, and he could see the gears whirring in Shikamaru's mind as everything he said began to sink in. Then Shikamaru's cheeks puffed out as he blew out hot air.

"Here I am moping about how tough the Akatsuki are, and you're not even fazed, even though you'll die if they catch you." He looked at him. "You've got guts, Naruto."

Naruto frowned. "I don't know about that. Sometimes, I get really scared that they're going to get me. It's that fear that drives me more than anything, because they're not going to let me go because I'm afraid. I have to fight them if I want to survive."

Shikamaru smiled. "Sounds like guts to me."

He thought about it for a bit, and then he smiled. "Maybe you're right."

A calm silence took its place as they continued to walk. They had left the Market District entirely, and were coming close to the grounds that Shikamaru and his family lived in. Suddenly, Shikamaru stopped moving. He took his hands out of his pockets, shook them.

"I know what I have to do," Shikamaru said. "If you're going to fight the Akatsuki, then I will, too. It doesn't really matter how strong they are, I'll just have to make do with what I have. I've got your back, Naruto."

Naruto smiled. "Thanks, Shikamaru."

He felt a renewed sense of security from hearing Shikamaru's proclamation. There was no doubt in his mind that Shikamaru was his friend, no doubt at all. But he never told him about his secret.

"How did you know the Akatsuki were coming after me?" Naruto asked.

"Kakuzu said he'd take the Nine-Tails from your corpse," Shikamaru said. "Once I thought about it, everything about you suddenly made sense. I just wish we became friends sooner."

His smile widened until he was grinning from ear-to-ear. "Me too, but I'm glad we're friends now."

Shikamaru smiled. "So am I."

Eventually, they reached the entrance to the Nara compound, and Naruto took a moment to take in its wide fields and grazing deer. Memories of learning to play shōgi and pleasant dinners with Shikamaru's family came to mind as he entered the compound, and he knew he'd be welcome inside, even if Shikamaru wasn't around.

"I'm home," Shikamaru said, sliding the door open. "And I brought a guest with me."

It was better to announce your presence than knock in a house with such thin walls, and the sound of hurried footsteps was proof that it worked. Yoshino came up to them, and while Naruto was looking down at her instead of looking up, the only sign that she'd changed were a few wrinkles that came with age.

"Shikamaru, you came back safely. Who's your..." She stared at him, unblinking. "Naruto?"

He smiled. "Hi, Yoshino. I'm back."

Instead of responding, Yoshino immediately hugged him with a grip so tight that it was nearly suffocating. Naruto returned the hug as best as he could, savouring the warmth that bloomed in his chest. Even though he was just Shikamaru's friend, Yoshino had treated him like he was one of her own.

Now that he knew who his mother was, he wondered if his mom and Yoshino would've been friends, or if she'd appreciate what Yoshino had done for him.

"Welcome back, Naruto," Yoshino said, before releasing him. "We were just about to have dinner. You'll be joining us, right?"

"Of course," Naruto said, sharing a look with Shikamaru. In a way, he kind of regretted leaving the village on such short notice. He'd been betrayed, but there was no evidence he could find that Shikamaru's parents were involved in the scheme to keep him loyal to the Leaf, and leaving the way he did must have worried them all dearly.

After they took off their sandals, Yoshino led Naruto and Shikamaru to the dining room, where Shikaku was waiting for them.

"Naruto, it's good to see you," Shikaku said, smiling at him. He hadn't changed much, but that was fine. Some things had to stay constant, and Shikaku wore his years with pride.

Naruto smiled back. "You too, Shikaku."

"I know you've kept busy while you were away. Got any interesting stories?"

He shared a look with Shikaku. Naruto had always been closer to Yoshino than Shikaku, but Shikaku had welcomed him into his own home without condition and became a mentor of sorts to him. Of course, he wasn't just Shikamaru's dad, he was also the Leaf's jōnin commander, which was why he already knew what he'd been up to.

That also meant that he had a wealth of experience to share, a unique perspective he could glean information from now that he was older and wiser and on the cusp of reaching jōnin himself.

"I got plenty of stories," Naruto said, and when he took his seat, he settled in, looking forward to a good dinner and some time to relax. The Naras might not have been related to him by blood, but they were the closest thing to a real family that he had.


The sun was close to setting when Naruto left the Nara compound, though he couldn't leave without promising Yoshino that he'd return for another dinner in the next few days. He really missed Yoshino's cooking: restaurant food was fine and he could cook in a pinch, but it lacked that personal touch that made her food so satisfying to eat.

Now that his belly was full, Naruto took a more leisurely route to his apartment, taking in the sights and smells of the village as it prepared to welcome the night as it always did: in a show of dazzling lights and sounds.

Just then, he came across someone he hadn't seen in a long time. He was clad in a green hooded coat that hung over a dark brown coat and pants that matched his undercoat. A high collar covered his mouth, with thick goggles strapped over his eyes. He was taller than him, and other than his pale skin, he was barely recognizable. However, the bugs crawling within his body were unmistakeable.

"Long time no see, Naruto," he said.

"It has been a long time, hasn't it, Shino?" Naruto asked.

"I believe we last spoke during the Chūnin Exams," Shino said. "I'm surprised that you recognized me. Then again, that makes sense. You're a sensor, after all."

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck. "I actually saw you during the mission to beat those Sound ninja."

Shino nodded. "Right. I was unconscious then."

"How's your shoulder?"

Shino rolled it in a full circle. "It works. I wanted to thank you. Why, you may ask? Because you saved me and Hinata from certain doom."

Naruto smiled. "You're welcome, but Shizune did most of the work."

"I know, but you still contributed."

Honestly, he would've thought that Shino's way of speaking was kind of weird in the past, but Shino was a logical guy, so it stood to reason that he wouldn't be so casual with his words. Fortunately, he had a lot of experience dealing with logical people.

"When did you return to the village?" Shino asked.

"Earlier today," Naruto said. "What have you been up to lately?"

"Cultivating new strains of kikaichū. Learning more jutsu to improve my battle prowess." He paused. "Spending time with friends."

The training sounded right, from what he knew of Shino. He knew first-hand how dangerous Shino could be, so it wasn't a surprise to know that he was finding ways to strengthen himself. But taking out time to be social was new to him, since Shino always seemed to be a loner.

"Spending time with friends, huh?"

"Yes," Shino said. "They should be coming now."

Naruto checked out the area, and true to Shino's word, he saw two people approaching them. One of them was Kiba: he'd grown taller and more muscular, swapping out his fur hooded jacket for a black jacket and matching pants. The other was Hinata, and she'd changed just like the rest of his graduating class had.

Hinata's lavender sleeveless top was loose enough to draw attention to the swell of her voluptuous chest without compromising her modesty, while her dark purple capri pants cut off just below her knees. Unlike Sakura or Ino, who had visibly toned physiques, Hinata had slender arms and long, sleek legs.

Midnight blue hair reached the small of her back. Her shoulders were squared, and she walked with a confidence in her step that he'd never seen her possess, not even when he found her training deep in one of the Leaf's forests.

"Finally found you, Shino," Kiba said. "Hey, Naruto!" He held out his fist. "Welcome back, man. How's it going?"

Naruto smiled and bumped Kiba's fist. "Pretty well. I'm glad to be back. Where's Akamaru?"

"Back home," Kiba said. "You should see how strong he's gotten." He looked at the tantō strapped on his waist. "You got a sword, huh?"

He pulled it out of its gray sheath, showing it to the former members of Team Eight. "Yeah. I got it a few months ago."

"Makes sense," Kiba said. "It's in your nickname, after all."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Didn't think you'd pay attention to that stuff."

"I don't think there's a single ninja above genin who doesn't know who the Blade of Illusion is," Hinata said, making eye contact with him.

Naruto sheathed his tantō. "Is that right? Well, I try my best."

There was an emotion in her pale lavender eyes that he couldn't place, but Kiba's smile prevented any awkwardness from building up.

"Do you think I'd look cool with a sword?" Kiba asked.

Hinata blinked, and just like that, that strange feeling was gone. "Hm... Kiba the swordsman. Maybe you can do it. After all, one of the Hidden Mist's Seven Swords has your name."

Kiba's smile widened. "I know, right? That's why I'm wondering if I can do it."

Shino hunched his shoulders. "You'd look cool, but I suggest focusing on what's in front of you. That way, you won't get distracted chasing lost causes."

Kiba winced. "Fine, fine. I was just wondering."

While circumstances – some of his own making – prevented him from growing too close to the three ninja in front of him, seeing their bond last throughout the years was quite endearing. As far as he could tell, they didn't bear any hard feelings toward him, and for that, he was glad.

"It was nice seeing you three, but it's time for me to get going," Naruto said.

"See you around," Kiba said. Shino gave him a nod.

"Good night, Naruto," Hinata said.

Naruto smiled, before disappearing in a swirl of leaves. Time to go home and sleep.


In what felt like no time at all, Naruto was in front of his apartment building. Nothing about it, or the red-light district had changed. The wooden stairs still creaked, the escorts still did their business, and when he reached his apartment, the blood seal that contained his keys was still intact.

Naruto let out a deep breath and activated the seal, grabbing his keys. He unlocked the door with ease and stepped inside, turning on the hallway's lights. For an apartment that he hadn't seen for almost three years, it was surprisingly clean, with no dust or cobwebs to be seen on any visible surface. Nothing was out of place, either.

Of course.

"I know you're there," Naruto said. "Come on in."

The air shimmered behind him, just outside the front door, and with his sensor, he saw her come into the open. He couldn't let her know that he knew the truth. Not yet, he couldn't let her gain any advantage over him.

Malevolent laughter filled his mind, and to the Nine-Tails, it must have been amusing to know that it had a front-row seat to this long-awaited reunion. He could use some of that attitude. When he turned around, his face was a carefully crafted mask, free of any emotion other than the smile he plastered onto his face.

Everything about her was the same: her white dress, her smooth skin, her long black hair, her plentiful curves, her full lips, those damn red eyes. Her chakra reserves had grown, but that was it.

Nothing had changed.

Nothing at all.

It was infuriating.

His blue eyes locked onto hers, and he remembered all the times that he was eager to see her smile, to hear her praise and make her happy. She'd never been afraid to let him know when he screwed up, and he suddenly realized that he'd left the village without telling her, leaving her in the dark.

"How have you been, Naruto?" Kurenai asked, and even her melodious voice hadn't changed.

In spite of himself, his body betrayed him with its relief. She was still his teacher, she still had a hold over his heart. What was he going to say to her after being separated for so long? He wasn't going to rant and rave at her for her betrayal and let her seize control of the conversation from the high ground.

"Pretty good," he said, because it was the truth, even if he had to fight and get help to reach that point.

"I've been okay," she said, answering a question he didn't want to ask. "I've been training, actually. I can't let my student leave me in the dust."

A smile almost came onto his face, because it was something she'd say to encourage him, to show her pride in his progress, and he was still slightly interested in her growth as a ninja.

"That's nice."

Silence fell between them. Her eyes were trembling and he saw her bite her lip, like there was a question burning at her tongue that she was battling to contain.

"Learn any new genjutsu?" he asked. It was a question that would give him room to breathe and let her talk about something she was passionate about.

"I figured out how to combine my chakra nature with genjutsu. You have to mould the genjutsu first, then layer your elemental ninjutsu over it. It's been surprisingly effective."

Naruto pursed his lips. "I was trying to use Wind Style jutsu to carry my genjutsu, but I can't get it to work like I want it to."

"You mastered your chakra nature?"

"Years ago."

Kurenai nodded, more to herself than to him. "Good. You've done very well for yourself, Naruto. I'm proud of you."

"Cool," he said. It was just her way of letting him know that she was still his teacher, that nothing had changed. But he could see the way her blood red eyes narrowed from his response, how her mouth suddenly flung open when he didn't react like he used to. He wouldn't let her know that he still enjoyed hearing her praise.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Finally. He had time to come up with an answer, too much time to make up an explanation that would appease her. But why would he want to do that? His silence, a non-committal shrug was answer enough.

She blinked, once, before taking a step forward. "You leave for three years, and you can't even explain why?"

He forced himself to stay still, stay quiet.

"What was so hard about telling me? You knew I supported you leaving on that training trip, but you told the Naras and your friends at Ichiraku Ramen before you told me!"

Was that spite he was hearing?

"And even then, they heard from a Shadow Clone. I only found out you left me after asking the Hokage what happened to my student!"

Her arms flew out at her sides and her hair swayed in an invisible breeze as she expressed her fury, her red eyes blazing. It was strangely exciting, almost arousing to see how worked up she was getting over his departure.

"Damn it, Naruto, say something!"

Naruto frowned, just barely keeping a lid over his pent-up anger as it seethed deep within him. "You made it really clear that you wanted nothing to do with me."

Both of her eyebrows rose, shock hitting her like a punch to the gut, and her scowl faltered. "You can't believe that. You know that I'd never turn you away!"

"Then why were you disgusted by my touch? Why were you afraid of me?"

He shut his mouth. The sudden outpouring of passion that came from Kurenai had caught him off-guard, and he'd responded in kind. It had affected her, though, and she looked away from his accusing stare.

"I... I shouldn't have reacted like that," she said. "I never expected you to take things so far, but instead of handling things like an adult, I panicked. It wasn't your fault I reacted so badly, and I was going to tell you that as soon as you left my apartment, but I was too much of a coward to chase after you, and I was too much of a coward to come and find you."

Kurenai looked at him, and her red eyes were shining. "I shouldn't have done that to you. It was childish and immature and you did nothing to deserve it."

"But why?" He couldn't disguise the anguish, the desire for one concrete answer.

"I was... afraid."

"Of what?" he asked, nearly stumbling over his words.

She glanced at his eyes, before her gaze trailed down to his chest. It was clear that she wasn't going to respond, and while he wanted to wring the answer out of her lungs, he tempered his impulse. He'd make her come clean, one way or another, but it would be on his terms.

"Myself," she said, and her answer cut through his thoughts like a kunai knife. There was no way he'd know what she meant unless she elaborated, but it was more than he expected from her.

"I let my fear make my decisions for me, and you suffered for it. I'm sorry that I hurt you, Naruto."

He flinched, and he scrambled to keep his surprise from showing. This wasn't what he expected to hear, but the tiny part of him that wanted to hear her apologize swooned from joy and abject relief that she was owning up to how she hurt him.

"Thanks," Naruto said.

Kurenai nodded, and her eyes raked over his body. She took another step forward, and when she stood right in front of him, he finally noticed that she had to look up to meet his eyes. He was taller than his sensei.

"You've become very handsome, Naruto," she said. She smiled, and a host of emotions, wanted and unwanted swarmed him. "I missed you."

She raised her arms, and for a moment, he wanted her to hug him, to let her lips crash against his and finish what they started so long ago.

Naruto grabbed her wrists, pulled her hands down between their waists.

"Naruto?" Kurenai asked.

He stared deep into her eyes, focusing so intensely that it felt like he was staring right through her.

"I know that you're sorry, but that doesn't mean I've forgiven you."

All moments came and gone, and he hadn't forgotten a thing.

Kurenai frowned, and she looked away. Her eyes were filled with an emotion he couldn't place. Was it scorn, resentment... guilt?

"Of course," she said, in a tone that suggested she wasn't remotely surprised. "You're right. I shouldn't have expected things to be the same, not after everything that happened."

She tried to move her hands, and Naruto let go. Something had bitten into his left palm, and when he glanced at Kurenai's wrist, he saw the bracelet he'd given her wrapped around it. His gaze lingered on it, before he shook his head.

"I'm glad we had this talk."

Naruto nodded. "Me too."

She smiled, and like always, it was gentle and sweet. "Good night, Naruto."

"Goodbye, Kurenai," he said, hating how easily her name rolled off his tongue and through his lips.

Kurenai turned around and left his apartment, and when her chakra left his sensor's range, he scowled.

He was wrong.

Everything's changed.


Author's Note: From here on, it's all me.