Hello my readers, now the question is, is it a date if the two people on the date like trip out are either A: An emotionally damaged child soldier who has never actually been on a date himself because he was forced to murder his whole family at thirteen, and B: An excitable oblivious dumbass who, while capable of noticing when other people have crushes, is incapable of noticing if she herself has a crush or if someone has a crush on her?
Naruto had half dragged Itachi to the Ramen stall, though the Uchiha hadn't actually complained and he'd sat down by her side happily enough as Ayame moved towards them.
"Naruto-chan! It's good to see you again-you're all grown up now! Dad will freak when he sees you!" her eyes flicked to Itachi, a curious look on her face. "Uchiha Itachi-san yes?"
"Yes." Itachi nodded, "It's nice to meet you Ichiraku-san."
"Call me Ayame." the woman smiled warmly. "Any friend of our best customer is a friend of mine."
"Where's your dad?"
"Out back doing some cooking." Ayame grinned, "Shall I order your usual?"
"Make it a double, I just sparred with Sasuke-kun and I've worked up a hell of an appetite."
"A double it is." Ayame laughed, "What about you Uchiha-san?"
"Can I have a bowl of Shoyu ramen with some pork and seaweed?"
"Of course." Ayame jotted it down on a pad, "I'll just go tell dad what you ordered. Knowing him he'll make me cook it, he'll be real happy to see you again Naruto-chan."
"And I'll be super happy to see him again." Naruto declared brightly.
"Good." Ayame laughed, ducking around the back to speak to her father-and Naruto could hear the clattering and footsteps and then the old man was stepping into view, a bright smile on his lips. "Naruto-chan! Look at you all grown up!" his voice was bright and cheerful. "Thank Kami you're home, I don't know how we kept the business running without you buying so much food."
"I missed your too Teuchi-san." Naruto leaned over the counter, hugging the smiling older man.
"Damn straight you did brat." Teuchi chuckled as she pulled back, "But I bet you missed our ramen more."
"I've had ramen from like, everywhere and nowhere does it as good as you do Teuchi-san."
"Good, that means you'll keep coming back for more then-"
"Til the day I die. When I'm old and wrinkled I'll bring my grandkids here."
"And they'll be served my my grandkids." the old man chuckled fondly, "And might I ask who your new friend is?"
"Uchiha Itachi." Naruto smiled, "Sasuke-kun's older brother."
"Ah yes." Teuchi nodded, "I had heard rumours that you'd returned home Uchiha-san. Tell you both what, since you two have only just come home your meals are on the house-call them homecoming presents."
"There's no need Teuchi-san." Itachi smiled faintly, "Though I do appreciate the offer-"
"Nonsense." Teuchi waved a hand dismissively, "I won't be accepting any money from either of you."
"Are you sure?" Naruto tilted her head, "We can afford it."
"I never said you couldn't." Teuchi chuckled, a smile on his lips, "But you're not paying and that's final."
"If you insist then." Naruto grinned.
"We appreciate it Teuchi-san."
"We really do." Naruto grinned, "You're the best."
"Of course I am." Teuchi laughed, ruffling the blonde's hair, "I'll leave you two to relax, and I'll go save Ayame from the cooking. I don't want to keep my best customer waiting."
"See ya Teuchi-san." Naruto gave a little wave as the man headed to the back once more, and Itachi smiled.
"You get along well with everyone don't you Naruto-san?"
"Not everyone." Naruto shrugged, "Some people I don't get on so great with but I guess I'm good with most people." she said after a moment of thought, "I'm good at getting people to come 'round to my way of seeing things-though I don't think that the Raikage likes me very much."
"Why would you have even met the Raikage?" Itachi raised an eyebrow.
"Because I decided to go and warn the other Jinchuriki that Fu-chan and I knew about."
Itachi blinked slowly before smiling softly, "You care about everyone don't you? I don't think I've ever met a shinobi who cares quite so much about people they've never met as you do."
"Well I mean," Naruto flushed as she shrugged, "I don't see why it should matter that I've never met them. They don't deserve to have the Akatsuki tear away their Bijuu anymore than I do."
"I didn't think of warning them." Itachi admitted, "My priority was blocking Obito's plans to try and draw him out."
"If it's at all reassuring I don't think that he's going to really be targeting Sasuke-kun."
"No, no the main threat to Sasuke is Orochimaru." Itachi shook his head, "But rushing in to get to him would be suicidal-especially given my sickness and I didn't want to risk him getting his hands on my eyes."
"Logical." Naruto smiled, "I'm glad you care so much about him-seriously."
"Yes, well given my past actions towards him..." Itachi shook his head, "I don't truly understand how he's accepted me home so easily. I am grateful though." he glanced at Naruto,
"And I admit our first meeting did... shock some sense into me."
"Yeah well." Naruto laughed softly, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly, "I was just real annoyed at you at the time."
"Perfectly understandable. Sasuke found a good friend in you."
"He didn't make it easy." Naruto shook her head, "But if there's one thing I am then it's stubborn as hell."
"I can tell." Itachi chuckled, and they both turned their heads as Ayame moved towards them, three bowls set up on a tray, which she placed down carefully, "One for you Uchiha-san, and two for you Naruto-chan." she grinned, "If you want anymore just say-both of you."
"This'll be perfect." Naruto declared brightly, "Thank you Ayame-chan. And thank your dad for me if he doesn't come back out."
"I will." Ayame laughed, leaving them both, and Naruto picked up her chopsticks and started eating, letting out a happy noise at the first taste.
"I love ramen."
"You don't say." Itachi quirked an eyebrow at her.
"You brother and Sakura-chan say I have a problem-I say the problem is that they don't appreciate Ramen as the food of the gods that it is."
"I'm sure you're not that bad-"
"Tell them that!" Naruto waved her chopsticks dramatically, "But it's all 'No Naruto you can't pack just instant ramen for a mission! You have to pack other food! I ask you why? Why Itachi-san?"
"Why indeed. I must admit that as much as I enjoy ramen I have more of a sweet tooth."
"Hmmm." Naruto's eyes narrowed, "As long as you still appreciate the fact that ramen is indeed a very superior food I suppose I can allow that."
"Why thank you Naruto-sama. I appreciate your permission."
"Did-" Naruto's eyes narrowed, "Was that-was that a joke?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Hmmm." Naruto eyed him suspiciously before shrugging, "So you have a sweet tooth huh?" she grinned, "If I remember right there's this nice little sweet shop Sakura-chan and I went to right, we could go there after we have our ramen."
"I suppose, Sasuke has been going on at me about getting some more air-he's been worrying about me far too much."
"I know how that feels, my mom fussed over me a lot in the aftermath of my fight helping Sandaime-sama with Orochimaru."
"Ah yes." Itachi nodded, "You were still recovering when I first met you."
"Yep, my hand was messed up real good for a lil while and it cost Kurama three tails of his chakra."
"That sounds unpleasant."
"Yeah, he was in a lot of pain." Naruto scowled, "I still can't believe I actually came face to face with the reanimated Senju brothers."
"I have to ask how you dealt with them. There are rumours but I admit I'm curious to hear your version of the story Naruto-san."
"I sealed them away." Naruto shrugged, "They weren't dying so I figured it was our best shot y'know."
"Sealed them where?"
Naruto tapped her neck in the spot where she'd so hastily drawn the seal to trap the two first Hokages.
"Hn." Itachi blinked slowly, staring at Naruto for a long moment before speaking again, "And what did you do then?"
"Uh... I Rasenshurikened the shit out of Orochimaru's arms-"
"I mean to the Kage's." Itachi's expression was shifting, turning disbelieving as he realized something, "Naruto-san. What did you do to the Kage's?"
"Uh..." Naruto blinked slowly, "Does Edo Tensei have a time limit?" she asked slowly, "Will it have like, ran out."
"I don't think so." Itachi stated carefully, "You... you may technically still have them sealed away."
"...Huh." Naruto blinked slowly, "Um... okay." she let out a nervous laugh, "Y'know what let's not tell anyone about this?"
Itachi was smiling slightly as he nodded, "I'll agree to that Naruto-san." he looked incredibly amused, "If only because I'm not even sure what one is supposed to do in a situation like this. I highly doubt that anyone else would be able to get themselves into a situation quite like this."
"You're laughing at me!" Naruto pointed her chopsticks at Itachi, "You traitor you're laughing."
"Not at all." Itachi was almost smirking as he took the chance to have some more of his ramen, "Now Naruto-san, have your ramen before it goes cold."
"Hmmm.." Naruto shook the chopsticks at him, "You best bet I'm not forgetting this Itachi-san. I'm only agreeing to drop it for now because I want to make sure I eat my delicious ramen."
"Of course." a comfortable silence settled over the two of them as they ate their food-and Naruto was definitely a faster eater, she finished her first bowl before Itachi was even halfway through his first.
She finished her second bowl as Itachi was finishing his first, and he shoved a napkin at her, raising an eyebrow in silence, and Naruto took it with an unashamed laugh and a grin as she wiped her face.
"Are you always a messy eater?"
"With Ichiraku's I am, it's just too delicious not to be."
"I see." Itachi shook his head, "Sasuke-kun was always like that with tomatoes-"
"Hah." Naruto grinned, "They're his favorite food I know that."
"Whenever we'd have tomatoes when we were younger I used to save some of mine and sneak the onto his plate when he wasn't looking-I never really liked them and Sasuke loved them so it was a perfect scheme really." there was a softness in his voice, clearly he was caught up in the memories, "Father would scold me for it but mother used to slip me sweets."
"I bet she was nice. Our moms were friends."
"I know. I think I remember meeting Kushina-san once or twice." Itachi admitted softly, "And your father. Father used to complain whenever they came over because Kushina-san tormented him."
"From what I know about her that would be normal." Naruto grinned, "You'd have been pretty young back then huh?"
"Yes." Itachi hesitated before stating, "I think they even came over once when Kushina-san was expecting you."
"It's nice, hearing about them, even if you don't remember them well." Naruto looked down at her hands before shaking her head, "Anyway, we're done here I think. We should thank Teuchi-san and then I could take you to that sweet shop?"
"I'm sure I'll enjoy that."
Naruto grinned and stood up, calling out, "Teuchi-san! Itachi-san and I are gonna head out now."
"Oh." Teuchi bustled around from the back, smiling warmly and clapping his hands, "Well then you two, if you're sure, have nice days."
"Thank you for the ramen Teuchi-san." Itachi smiled warmly, "It was delicious."
"Good. Well you two have a nice day."
"We will Teuchi-san! See ya soon!" the blonde gave a jaunty little wave before grabbing Itachi's hand and skipping out of the room and dragging him with her through the streets of Konoha, ignoring the startled and curious looks they got as they passed people-it made sense she'd been gone for years and Itachi hadn't exactly gotten out much since his return home, people were reasonably curious.
Thankfully Naruto had a good enough memory and it didn't take them too long to reach the familiar street that held the shop, the big sign outside was just the same as it had been last time Naruto and Sakura had been there.
"Here it is Itachi-san." she towed him inside, smiling when she spotted a familiar looking girl, her hair had grown and she was sat on the counter grinning widely as she chattered to her mother, neither of them had noticed the two newcomers and Naruto grinned before calling out in a singsong
voice, "Is that you little Ise-chan?"
Mother and daughter turned their heads to look at her, and Ise's eyes widened in surprised.
"Naruto-san!" the girl beamed, hopping off of the counter and rushing towards Naruto, "I haven't seen you in forever!"
"Of course not, I've been training Ise-chan. Oh, this is Itachi-san by the way, he's a friend."
"Hi Itachi-san. I'm Ise." the girl gave Itachi a wide smile, and Itachi gave a small smile back.
"It's nice to meet you too Ise-san."
"My friend loves candy." Naruto told Ise, as if imparting a wonderful secret to her, "Can you help him pick some stuff out."
"Yeah." Ise nodded quickly, darting to Itachi's side and grabbing his hand, dragging him to look at some of the selection, Naruto watching with a grin as Ise's mother moved to stand by her side.
"I didn't think we'd see you again Nohara-san."
"In my defence I did get very sidetracked by a long training trip." Naruto smiled at the woman, "Ise is all grown up now."
"You remembered a little girl you met once years ago." the woman smiled warmly, "I think she thought you probably forgot her."
"Now how could I do that?" Naruto glanced over to Itachi and Ise-who were looking through a selection of pocky.
"Well you've definitely made her day today." the woman smiled, and several minutes later Ise was dragging Itachi back to join them, her arms filled with a selection of different flavours of pocky.
"Itachi-san can't decide which he wants to have." she declared.
"I don't have much money on me to buy a lot of candy." Itachi pointed out looking amused.
"Good thing I do." Naruto winked at Ise, mentally filing the way Itachi's eyes widened in surprise.
"Naruto-san-" Itachi protested, "There's no need."
"Nope." Naruto took the boxes of pocky from Ise's arms, "Arisawa-san can you ring these up please."
"My pleasure." the woman laughed, "I assume you want a bag."
"Of course-"
"Naruto-san-"
"I'm not listening." Naruto's voice was singsong as Ise giggled and the older woman outright laughed, and soon Naruto was swinging the bag as she dragged the still protesting Itachi out of the store.
It was about time to head home.
