Hello, my lovely readers, thank you very much for dropping by for the next update to FHF. I hope wherever you are or whatever your doing, you are having an awesome day. Writing this story has been a delight, and I am so, SO thankful to all of you who take the time to leave reviews, or the couple who have sent awesome DMs to express their feedback directly to me. Like I said last time, I'm sorry my replies have been somewhat slower than I'd really like, but it's been sort of shaky on the home front and my energy has been down as a result. But anyways, let's dive back in, eh?

Chapter 5: Growing Bonds

-Inuzuka Family Compound, early the next morning-

"Kiba, breakfast is ready!" came Hana's voice up the stairs. Kiba groaned under his breath, his barely open eyes squinting at the sunlight pouring in through the blinds that rested over his bed. He really needed to think about moving those damn things when he got around to it. The sunlight bashing his face in with how late he was in waking up was starting to get old. Akamaru wasn't in his room, meaning the little dog was probably already downstairs eating. It was a relief to know one of them was an early riser, though as the master in the partnership, maybe he should've been the one to be that. Slipping his hoodie on, he hurried down the stairs and smiled at the bowl of rice and the little plate of grilled fish Hana had set out for him. He almost snickered at this, remembering Ino teasing him about only liking beef. Joke was on her.

"Thanks, sis. Mom already take off?" he said, looking around and not finding his mother, Tsume, anywhere. Hana shook her head, sitting down to her own meal after setting a cup of tea down for each of them. Kiba sighed, having a feeling where she might be. "The new puppies again?" Hana only nodded, and he sighed. The last couple of months, the new group of pups that had been born hadn't been developing along lines the clan was used to. They weren't critically behind in terms of a house pet, but these were supposed to be trained as ninja hounds. And if you didn't start them on that path within a certain time frame, they wouldn't be any good for that. Which, in turn, would affect not only the clan's reputation but their available forces. And at this point, the current group was dangerously close to that line. As clan head, Tsume had taken a personal level of dislike to this, feeling responsible. "I wish she'd stop faulting herself. It's not the first time the clan has had a litter of iffy pups," Kiba mumbled.

"But it's the first time there's been this many since mom took over fully," Hana pointed out. "And with things starting to get more tense out there, we need every clan to be at their best. You never know what might happen out there."

"I know, I know. It's just frustrating to see her so stressed out. I wish dad was still around," he said softly. Hana's expression saddened and a moment of quiet settled over them. They didn't bring up their father Aizen very often, and for good reason. The former head of the clan had been killed while out on a mission, and even now a couple years hence, it still stung anytime he was mentioned. The siblings had an ironclad rule to not do so in front of Tsume, who understandably never fully recovered, though she did a great job masking it. Sighing, Kiba returned to his food and tried to forget it.

"How's your training coming along by the way? I know you were working on that weight thing for a while. And, speaking of mom, I heard the two of you get into a heck of an argument, ever for you two," Hana laughed. Kiba scowled, shoving another bite of rice into his mouth.

"I got a tiny reaction out of the thing but couldn't ignite it fully. And the mom thing was because she refused to teach me any big time jutsu moves. I know she knows where their kept, she just wouldn't listen to reason when I said I needed them." Hana arched an eyebrow, and he felt his irritation grow. "Oh, come on, sis. The only thing she offered was the fire claw, and that's such a basic move. There's no challenge, no fun in it. I haven't tried it myself, but the signs were so simple I bet even Naruto could do it," he said.

"Kiba, mom reports directly to Lord Third, remember? As a jounin and a great clan leader. If she was caught teaching high ranking jutsu to a genin, a fresh out of the academy one at that, anything more extreme she'd be dragged through the mud at best and she'd be lucky if that's all that happened. Be patient. There'll be time for you to learn all of that," she said. Kiba sighed softly and offered her a half smile, which she returned with one of her own. Her brother's heart was in the right place, she knew. He wanted to grow strong, do their family proud. But he needed to learn to pace himself. Glancing at the clock, she frowned. "You'd better finish up. You don't want to be the last one there," she said. Kiba scoffed at that, but nodded, polishing off the last of his fish, downing his own cup of tea in one long gulp and standing up from the table.

"Clearly I've done a bad job describing my team, otherwise you wouldn't think that was even possible," he chuckled. The only one that would maybe beat him there was Ino. Kakashi was always the last to arrive, and Naruto was second to last. It had been that way every single time, though maybe for once he'd be proven wrong. Crazier things had happened. "C'mon Akamaru, let's go," he said. Akamaru jumped up, taking his usual spot atop Kiba's head and the two were off. As he ran by the kennels kept near the exit to the compound, he saw his mother busy with one of the pups and frowned. 'Don't give up on them, mom…if anyone can help them, you can'.

-Training Ground-

It was a warm, bright day in the village today. There was barely a cloud in the sky and the ones that were there, simply wisps, weren't any threat to cover it up. Kiba moved quickly over the rooftops, letting the breeze run through his hair. Akamaru didn't care much for roof traversal, but it was faster. He suspected his partner just didn't like heights. Hard to blame him. As it turned out, he wasn't wrong this time about his teams schedule. As he assumed might be the case, Ino was waiting, leaning against one of the training dummies, but their other two teammates were nowhere to be found. To his credit, though, Naruto showed up not too long after, so maybe he was getting better. A guy could hope. "You guys have any luck with your weights? All I managed was a faint cloud of chakra around it. I could feel the heat off it, but the flames just wouldn't form," he sighed. Ino and Naruto shook their heads.

"All I managed was some droplets of water along the top of it. Kind of like a window after a rainstorm or something. Better than I thought, but not as good as I wanted. And I damn near used up all my chakra before I threw in the towel," she said.

"Same here. I made some tiny little scratches in the material, but I was nowhere near shredding the thing." Naruto griped, pulling the ball from his pack, and glaring daggers at it. So that settled that. None of them had fully gotten their weight to respond to them. Though, in fairness, Kakashi-Sensei hadn't demanded they get it done, just that they try. Matter of fact, he had flat out said that he didn't expect them to get it done in one night, hadn't he? That was some comfort, though it begged the question what the next step was. "What about jutsu? Did either of you get to ask your folks about a technique you could work with?" Naruto asked, rocking back and forth on his heels.

"Sorta. My mom stonewalled me about any sort of big time move though. 'You gotta work on the basics, you can't just jump into the deep end' blah, blah, rules this and that, blah. "Ino giggled slightly at that, sharing a grin with Naruto, remembering their talk after Kiba had left them last night. "But she did show me a basic move. So, small victories and all that. How about you, Ino?" he said.

"Same with me, really. Dad was hopeless when I caught him, cranky as usual. But mom has a water nature and she showed me something. I haven't had a chance to practice, but I'm hoping Kakashi-Sensei will work with us on some practical moves this time," she said. She didn't know how likely the chances of that were. None of them had been able to get past the homework as he put it. Kakashi was definitely one of the most unconventional shinobi she'd ever encountered, but she didn't think even he would let them cut loose with elemental techniques without even having a handle on being able to channel said chakra whenever they tried to cast their jutsu. She turned to Naruto. "How'd you do on finding a new move to try?" she asked. She purposely dodged the choice of words of 'who did you ask'. After last night, she'd felt utterly mortified in her slip up with all the talk about parents. Naruto, seeming to pick up on her cautious tone, smiled widely.

"Not too bad! I don't know anyone with a wind nature, but Iruka-Sensei was awesome enough to loan me a jutsu scroll from the library. Most of 'em are sealed," he muttered, clearly not enjoying that, "But I managed to at least memorize one." Ino smiled, nodding at this. She started to ask why Naruto didn't just unseal the stronger ones, considering that she'd taught him a useful trick to doing so during their team initiation training, but knowing him, he'd already tried. Likely, the seals on those were much heftier than the simple ones Kakashi-Sensei had used during that. So, while none of them had managed to make much headway with their chakra weight training, but they all had an additional jutsu to add to their arsenals when the time finally came to try and integrate them into their routines.

Kakashi arrived about twenty minutes after Naruto, again gave some strange excuse that none of them even came close to believing, and then took in their updates regarding their progress. He was pleasantly surprised by the fact they'd managed any sort of reaction at all, saying they were already a couple steps ahead of where he might've anticipated they would be. He was also pleased that they'd each found a jutsu, but as Ino figured, he wasn't sure it was a good idea to jump straight into practical training of it. "It's not that I don't trust you. I think you all have a great deal of potential. But I've seen genin try to run before they could crawl, and it's not at all a good way to go about things. I don't want you all to get hurt by getting ahead of yourself. Okay?" three quick nods were his response. "Okay. So, for the moment, were going to shelve elemental training, at least as a group. You are to continue with the chakra weights in your free time, but as it's not really an exercise that you can help one another with, team training will be focused on other things for the time being."

The training in question was to break off into two pairs and work on certain aspects of their arsenal outside of ninjutsu. Though Kakashi wasn't as committed to taijutsu as his 'rival' in Might Guy, he still had to acknowledge that it was a key component to any ninja's skill set, and two of his three genin needed work in it, while Kiba needed to refine what he had. So, Naruto was paired off with Kiba, and Ino with himself. They fought late into the afternoon, Naruto and Kiba both roughing each other up rather well. Naruto had a swollen cheek; a black eye and his jacket was torn in several spots. Likewise, Kiba's hoodie was torn up, and he was massaging his jaw where Naruto had landed a solid kick towards the end. He had even managed to counter Kiba's fang over fang move once, getting the hang of the movements better. Ino hadn't had as much luck damaging Kakashi, but she'd done decently well for someone who before this hadn't prioritized hand to hand all that much. All in all, it was a successful day.

"Hey, Naruto, damn good job today. A few more rounds like that and you might actually pose a bit of a threat," Kiba snickered. Naruto scowled at this, but Kiba dropped the teasing and offered him a smile, extending his fist outward towards him. "I'm serious. You did a good job," he said. Naruto's eyes widened, but only for a moment before he smirked and bumped his fist against Kiba's. Kakashi smiled at his, though you'd have to look close to notice. The two of them butted heads and had an almost endless game of one-upmanship going on, but they seemed to be coming along nicely in their friendship.

"Good job today, everyone. Make sure you continue your weight training; get some rest and we'll reconvene same time tomorrow. See you then," he said giving them a quick salute and vanishing from their sight.

With Kakashi's dismissal of them, they stretched, finding a comfortable spot to sit in as they unwound from the day. Kiba dug into his pack for some water, passed it around and they then dove right into their almost engrained routine of discussing where to eat once they rested up. Or rather, Ino and Kiba did. It was Naruto's turn to choose, but he seemed lost in thought as they sat there talking, Ino eventually having to snap her fingers in front of his face a couple times. "You okay, Naruto?" she asked. Naruto rubbed the back of his head, putting on a grin that didn't quite reach, though only Ino seemed to notice.

"Y-Yeah, sorry about that! Just thinking about some stuff," he said.

"Well, quit spacing out on us. Where are we grabbing some food, cause it's your turn." Kiba said. Naruto bit his lip for a moment, digging into his pack for his wallet. He unfolded a small handful of ryo and handed it over to Kiba.

"You guys go ahead and eat wherever you want, I'm not really that hungry," he said. Now even Kiba took notice. Naruto not hungry? On what planet? Ino reached over and placed her hand lightly against his forehead checking for a non-existent fever making him lightly knock her hand away with an irritated look. "I'm not sick, I'm just honestly not feeling very hungry. But I'll still pay since it's my turn." Kiba shrugged and stood, tucking the money into his pocket.

"Suit yourself. C'mon Ino, if he's passing up his turn, that mean it's yours," he said, walking away with Akamaru in tow. Ino nodded, but hesitated in following, looking back at Naruto who tried to smile more, but not really succeeding.

"Go on, Ino. I'll be alright. I'm going to get some more training in," he said softly. She nodded and followed Kiba, though still somewhat reluctantly. She wound up choosing one of the sushi stands in town, much to Kiba's irritation. It wasn't that he minded it personally, it was more that it meant Akamaru wouldn't be eating any of it. Not for lack of being able to, ninja hounds had hardier stomachs than typical house pets, but the dog never had much of a preference for raw fish. Raw beef, sure. But fish never sat well with him. All of that meaning that he'd have to take the time to feed him when they got home. It was usually more convenient when the dog would eat at the same time as him. Ino couldn't really focus on her plate, though. Her thoughts kept drifting to Naruto, how distracted he seemed and how he had passed on food. Something she had NEVER known him to do.

"Yo, Ino, are you drifting off on me too?" Kiba said.

"Sorry. Hey Kiba…you really think Naruto is alright? He was acting funny towards the end there," she said. Kiba swallowed the bite he had and shrugged. Sure, Naruto's behavior was a little bit off, but missing one meal didn't seem like anything to worry themselves over.

"I'm sure he's alright. He might just have a bad stomachache or something," he said, though he didn't really know for sure if he believed that. Naruto hadn't been complaining about anything like that, and this was the guy that whined for a solid three hours when he got a bad splinter on one of their missions helping around the village. "If he feels like telling us what it is, I'm sure he will. Naruto's a lot of stuff, but subtle isn't one of them," he chuckled. Ino laughed along with him, conceding he had a point there. Still, the thought lingered in her mind. After their meal, she said her goodbye and was on her way home. As she passed some of the stalls, she went by Ichiraku's and, still thinking of her teammate, she dipped in and ordered a large bowl of ramen to go. Don't ask her why, she wouldn't be able to tell you. Just like she couldn't fully explain why she wound up at the training field where Naruto still was. He had removed his jacket, leaving him in the faded black t-shirt he wore under it. He was panting a bit, clearly worn out and focusing his chakra heavily on the weight in his hand. So that was it.

Ino smiled and walked closer, and Naruto's expression brightened when he saw her, and his stomach growled when he noticed the little white bag with the Ichiraku symbol she carried. "Hey, Ino. Did…did you bring me some food?" he said, surprised. Ino rolled her eyes and held out the bag.

"No, Naruto, I heard the squirrels that hang around have a mighty craving for miso and pork. So I figured I'd drop this into one of the feeders. Yes, dummy, it's for you," she smiled. Naruto pouted, but gratefully took the bag, his stomach growling even louder. "Not hungry, huh?" she said. He chuckled nervously, face reddening with embarrassment. "Come on, let's go sit down. I'm getting more tired just looking at you," she said. The two of them walked over to where one of the large trees rested and sat underneath it. By now, the sunlight was mostly gone, save for some very faint orange streaks on the horizon. The stars were just starting to be visible, and the air was turning cooler. Naruto unpacked the ramen and downed the food with his usual eagerness. Once it was done, he sat the bowl down into the bag and he leaned against the tree trunk, smiling.

"Thanks', Ino. I owe ya one," he said.

"Don't mention it. But if your offering, could you tell me why you stayed out here instead of just going home?" she said. Naruto winced a little bit at this. "You don't have to tell me if you aren't comfortable," she added. "Just…remember, I said I'd be here if you wanted to talk," she reminded him. Naruto nodded, taking a breath, feeling a lot more tired now that he had a full stomach and the adrenaline from his training was starting to taper off.

"I guess I just…didn't want to hold the team up any more than I already have. I know you feel the same sometimes, but I feel like outside of being good at cloning, I can't do much of anything. And now with this weight training? I could barely channel my chakra enough to make scratches. And least you two got some sort of deeper physical reaction. That just tells me I need to try even harder than I have been if I'm going to keep up. I can't be the anchor on this team, the idiotic kid who could barely keep up…not anymore. You two are depending on me. And I don't want the villagers who already hate me to be proven right," he said. Ino's eyes softened a bit at the low tone he took on as he spoke. He didn't want to be an anchor. She wouldn't describe him in such a way, but given his history, she could see why it was a fear of his.

"Well…for what it's worth, I don't see you that way," she said. He looked at her, surprised, and she smiled. "I think you've done really well since we became a team. Sure, you don't always take things as seriously as me and Kiba, but I honestly appreciate that. It keeps the mood light when were all annoyed or stressed out. I know there's been a couple times I've been on the verge of snapping and one of your jokes has made me feel better," she said. His eyes widened a bit.

"Seriously? I…kind of thought you and the others just thought I was a pest," he said. Ino sighed softly.

"Well.…if I ever did, I don't anymore. Okay? And if I ever made you feel bad…or like you were lower than me? I'm sorry," she said. "Nobody deserves to think that way about themselves, Naruto. Especially not someone like you."

"Someone like me?"

"Someone who…I don't know how to describe it. It just doesn't seem right when your all down on yourself. It doesn't seem to fit with your whole...vibe I suppose?" She giggled at his confused expression. "You look more like yourself when you're laughing and smiling. You actually have a nice smile, I don't know if anyone's told you that," she said. Naruto's face went redder again and he laughed a little, a more nervous chuckle than anything this time. "So, keep your head up, okay?" He nodded and a comfortable silence filled the air between them, both looking up at the stars that were now bright against the inky black sky.

"Ino…" she looked at him and saw him smiling brightly. "Thanks. For all this." Ino smiled warmly, reaching out and flicking his nose with one of her fingertips

"Don't mention it, blondie."

"Blondie? Really?"

"What, that IS your hair color isn't it? Such a blinding shade of it too," she teased.

"Oh hey, pot, my names kettle, have we met?" Naruto asked. Ino's smile dropped, her eyes narrowed, and Naruto scrambled to his feet. "Uh..what I meant was...um…" Ino stood and smiled sweetly, but held one hand up, beckoning him towards her with a finger.

"Come here." Naruto chuckled nervously, slowly backing up, waving his hands in front of him.

"Nah, I uh, I think it'd be best if I didn't."

"Come here," she repeated, taking a step towards him. Naruto's face paled and he took two big steps back.

"Ino, come on now I think we should-Oh boy!" he yelled, taking off at a run, with her not very far behind. Several people would talk the next day of the sounds of a chase going through their part of the village.

And this chapter ends. I wanted to elaborate further on the hint I gave towards a mission for our favorite group of loudmouths, but as I was writing this, considering the stuff that'll go down on that mission, I shifted that to the opening portion of next chapter to leave us off on something fun. So, Fave, Follow, review, all that good stuff you lovely people, and I shall see you next time!

Till next time,

-Elise