A/N - Okay, I know it's been a while since I updated this one, but hopefully this chapter is worth the wait. I wanted to do more in this chapter, such as getting through the meeting with the Tsuchikage and at least STARTING the Chunin Exam finals, buuuut...the chapter ended up getting pretty long and so I had to end it where I did.
Anyways, I think the chapter turned out pretty well. So, hopefully you enjoy it. I know I enjoyed writing it!
Chapter 8 - A Date with Ino
The very next day, Inoichi stood within the Hokage's office, staring at him intently with a determined look on his face. "Hokage-sama, I know this may be a bit concerning for you, but I truly believe Naruto needs to continue seeing me as his full-time therapist. I would recommend that he come see me at least once every other week; once a week if you feel he would benefit more from that." the blonde Yamanaka head stated.
Hiruzen frowned at this assessment and took a drag of his pipe. Exhaling slowly, he stared calmly into his subordinate's eyes and decided to pose a couple of questions to him. "And why is that exactly? What did you find out during your session with him yesterday Inoichi?"
The mindwalker sighed and lowered his gaze before taking a seat across from his aged leader. "It's...troubling Hokage-sama. After everything Naruto has been through recently, from his encounter with Orochimaru and the trauma that he suffered from that particular event to being forced to end the life of his teammate...and then having to kill a fellow Konohagakure shinobi that had family?" Shaking his head, Inoichi looked sadly into his leader's eyes and released a sigh. "Naruto is showing signs of suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Sandaime-sama. I need to help him through this. I've already recommended that he come with me to meet with Kiba's family so they can help him through his trauma. But…"
The Sandaime Hokage nodded his head in understanding and offered an understanding smile. "You wanted to run it by me first. I understand. If you feel it's a good idea and are absolutely certain that this is what's best for Naruto's healing process, then you have my trust. Do what needs to be done to help Naruto through this Inoichi. Naruto is dear to me and I don't want to see him suffer like this." Hiruzen said.
Inoichi nodded in understanding. "Understood Hokage-sama. Thank you for placing your trust in me. I'd also recommend removing him from the Chunin Exams due to his unstable mental state, but you won't do that, will you Hokage-sama?" he questioned with a smirk.
The Hokage chuckled and shook his head in the negative. "No, I most certainly will not. Naruto has worked hard to make it this far, and he's earned his position in the finals. I have confidence that Naruto will overcome this trial before him and be more than prepared for the finals. I also have faith that you will help him to be ready for the finals. So do your job Inoichi and help him through this." Hiruzen ordered. "Now, you're dismissed."
Chuckling, Inoichi nodded in understanding once again before rising and turning around to leave the office. Before he left, he turned to glance back at his Hokage. "Thank you for your faith in me Hokage-sama. I won't let you down." he said before he left the office.
"I know you won't." the Sandaime Hokage said with a smile.
The Next Day
Kakashi watched as Naruto hit the ground hard and shook his head. "Get up Naruto. We're not done yet. Guy trained you so hard in taijutsu and yet, ever since you became a Genin, you've neglected to use it. Just look at you! You've gotten sloppy! I'm going to keep this up until you remember all your training under Guy and manage to land a blow on me! So get up and try again!" he commanded.
Naruto winced and clutched at his chest in pain. Wheezing a bit, he rose to his feet and began to cough for a moment as he struggled to catch his breath. They had been going like this for hours now and he was truly beginning to see what neglecting his taijutsu training had done to him. When he saw his sensei blur towards him again, the blonde raised his defenses and quickly dodged Kakashi's first attack before being struck by a knee to his stomach, causing him to spit up a glob of blood onto the ground.
Kakashi watched as Naruto went flying through the air and shook his head in disappointment. However, when Naruto landed on his feet and disappeared in a blur of speed, he smiled beneath is mask and nodded in approval. The longer this spar went on, the better Naruto was getting. His student was gradually regaining the skills he had learned under Might Guy and he was more than proud to be playing a part in this recovery process.
When Naruto appeared next to Kakashi with his foot poised to strike him in the abdomen, Kakashi easily blocked the strike and prepared to lash out with a palm strike to Naruto's chest. However, the jonin sensei was forced to block an uppercut that would have jarred his teeth and rattled his brain a bit. When Naruto went for another attack, Kakashi leapt backwards and prepared for whatever follow-up his student would attempt next.
The Jade Dragoon growled at his failed attacks and prepared to up his speed for another attack, but before he could move in, they were interrupted by Haku appearing between them. "I'm sorry to interrupt the two of you, but we have company. There's an ANBU agent at the gate asking for you and Rose, Naruto-kun."
Naruto stopped what he was doing and relaxed his muscles before slowly collapsing to his hands and knees. Gasping for breath, he realized he was drenched in sweat and began to chuckle. "C-Can you get H-Hinata-chan for me first? I'm in a lot of pain here. And I'll need to take a shower first too." he said.
Haku smiled and nodded her head. "Of course Naru-kun. You just relax." she said sweetly before walking off to go and first explain the situation to the ANBU agent and then to get Hinata for her beloved.
Kakashi, meanwhile, eye-smiled at his student as he walked over to him. "You're getting better Naruto-kun. If we keep this up, your skills will be back up to what they should be in no time. Afterwards, we'll make things really interesting." he said before chuckling menacingly.
Naruto couldn't help but sweatdrop at his sensei's antics. "Joy." he muttered sarcastically. "I can't wait."
A short while later
Rose and Naruto were standing outside with the ANBU agent. Folding her arms across her chest, the beautiful woman decided to ask the Konoha ninja what he wanted. "So why are you here? Does the 'esteemed' council need something else from us?" she questioned irritably.
The elite ninja sighed behind his mask and shook his head. "My apologies Rose-sama. Sandaime-sama has called a council meeting and he has requested the presence of yourself and Naruto. I don't know what the meeting entails. Will you please come with me?"
Nodding in response, the three of them soon vanished together and reappeared in the council chambers where Hiruzen Sarutobi and the council were waiting for them. Glancing around, Naruto's eyes rested on Tsume Inuzuka for a moment and he couldn't help but frown sadly in remembrance of what he had done to her son.
When the Inuzuka clan head saw this, she frowned for a moment before offering him a wave and a small smile. When he turned away, she sighed and shook her head. Damn. Poor kid's taking it even harder than I am. She thought to herself. I miss my son...but… Sighing to herself, Tsume closed her eyes and shook her head. Kiba was a fool. He brought it on himself. I don't blame you one bit Naruto. Not one single bit.
Inoichi saw their little interaction and found himself frowning in thought. Our meeting with them at the end of the week's going to be a rough one if Naruto isn't willing to open himself up and allow their words to reach him. I've got my work cut out for me.
Hiruzen cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. Once he had it, the Sandaime began to speak. "Naruto-kun, I'm sure you're wondering why I've summoned you and your guardian here." Releasing a sigh, the elderly gentleman closed his eyes and rested his chin atop his hands. "I have decided that, due to your relationships with Rose-dono and Haku-chan, and the other young women you seem to be attracting to you, that it is time to enact the CRA."
When the room began to erupt into noise, the Sandaime slammed his fist down and shouted, "Quiet!" Once everyone had settled down, he opened his eyes and looked around at everyone before settling his eyes back on Naruto. "I thought hard about my decision. I took into account everything I know about you and your loved ones Naruto-kun. I also took into account your family history and your clan status. I also factored into account how Rose-dono is likely to react to this." he said, looking into Rose's eyes, seeing her standing as still as a statue with her fists clenched tightly at her sides. "I apologize, but...as the last of the Uzumaki clan, and due to the fact that I know how you are as a person, and the fact that you are a young man full of love to give, I feel that it's time to enact the Clan Restoration Act on you."
Naruto sighed and nodded his head in understanding. Before he could speak however, Rose's voice carried throughout the room. "How many?"
Hiruzen smiled at this and looked into her eyes. "I wasn't going to set a number. I was planning to leave that up to you and Naruto-kun. You two should feel free to accept whomever you want into your lives. I didn't want to make you feel too uncomfortable by forcing an unreasonable number of women onto your boyfriend." he explained sincerely.
Rose blushed a bit and nodded slowly. "Th-thank you. I...appreciate that." she said with a small smile adorning her face.
Naruto smiled in thanks and went to speak, but before he could, someone on the civilian council spoke up in protest. "Hokage-sama, you can't honestly expect us to allow our children to marry that...that thing!" he shouted. "I don't care whose son he is, he's still a de-"
Before the man could finish, Rose silenced him with her rapier through his throat. Turning to the Hokage, she sighed and shook her head. "They never learn their damn lesson, do they?" she asked before withdrawing her rapier. Looking around at the others, she narrowed her eyes and jumped back to Naruto's side. "I've said it before and I'll say it again: Naruto is not a demon. He is my beloved and I will not abide people harming him in any way. Now does anyone else have anything they'd like to say?"
Hiashi decided to take this moment to speak up. "What about the possibility of arranged marriages? I understand that my daughter's life was saved and she…" taking a moment to think over his next words carefully so as not to reveal any truly sensitive information to those that didn't need to hear of it, namely people like the civilian council (he'd name Danzo and the elders, but thankfully they had been dealt with already), he soon began to speak again, "received a 'gift' from you, I was wondering if perhaps you'd take her as one of your future brides?" he questioned hopefully.
Naruto frowned at this, but once again, before he could say a word, Rose spoke up. "There will be no arranged marriages! If they want to be with MY Naruto…!"
Having enough of this, Naruto clenched his eyes shut and shouted out, "Would everyone please just shut the hell up and let me speak?!" Looking around, he could see everyone looking at him with wide eyes and he nodded with a smile on his face. "Finally! It's about damn time I got a chance to talk." he said.
Taking a breath, he closed his eyes again and took a moment to think over what he wanted to say. Once he was sure he had it right, he opened his eyes again and started to talk. "Rose is right. I don't want any arranged marriages. I'd rather get to know a girl first before I even think about marriage. And, as I'm sure you're thinking about children as well, I'll get to having children when I'm damn good and ready for that. Right now just isn't the time. Maybe in a couple of years when I've had a little more time to mature, but right now? Nuh-uh. Not happening." he said sternly.
Sighing, Naruto looked into Hiashi's eyes and frowned. "As for Hinata...we're friends right now Hiashi-sama. If it evolves into something more, then that's okay. But I'd rather get to know her more before anything like that could happen between us. Okay?"
The Hyuga clan head nodded in understanding and offered him a smile. "Understandable. If you'd like, I would like to extend to you an offer to come over for dinner sometime Naruto. I would be glad to have you and your guardian over soon."
Smiling back, Naruto nodded before looking to Rose, who simply offered him a smile in response. After a moment, the fourteen year-old blonde remembered somebody else and looked at Inoichi, who caught his gaze and began to chuckle. "Yes Naruto-kun, if you want, we can talk as well. I'll come with you to your estate after this meeting is over so the four of us can chat."
At first Naruto and Rose were confused, but then they remembered Haku and they both nodded their consent to Inoichi. Turning back to Hiruzen, Rose decided to ask him, "Is there anything else you needed from us Hokage?"
Nodding once, Hiruzen looked squarely into Naruto's eyes and spoke. "Naruto, as your Hokage, I'm commanding you to see Inoichi Yamanaka once a week for therapy sessions. He has informed me about your worrying mental state and it is therefore my decision that he becomes your permanent psychologist. Do you understand?"
Naruto flinched at this, as if he had been struck, but slowly nodded his head after a few moments of silence. "I understand Gramps. Thank you both for looking out for my well-being." he said, bowing his head to the both of them.
"Good. If that is all, then you are all dismissed." the Sandaime stated before rising from his chair and making his way towards Naruto. Once in front of him, he pulled the young man into a hug. "Everything will be okay Naruto-kun." he said before releasing his surrogate grandson and leaving the room.
Naruto and Rose waited for everyone else to leave before Inoichi approached them. Once he had, they left the building together and were about to head to the Uzumaki-Namikaze estate, but Inoichi stopped them. "Wait! Let me go get my wife, Setsuna, first. I'll meet you at your estate afterwards. It wouldn't feel right to have this conversation without her there too. Alright?"
Nodding in understanding, the duo waved goodbye to him before making their way home. Once there, Rose sat down on the couch with Naruto and looked him in the eyes, trying to see what it is that Hiruzen and Inoichi apparently saw in him. After a moment, she sighed and shook her head. "You're suffering from trauma Naruto. If you've been having such a hard time dealing with everything, why didn't you talk to any of us? We would have helped you through all of this. You shouldn't have tried to bottle it all up like this."
Sighing sadly, the Jade Dragoon shook his head and closed his eyes shut tight. Turning his head away from his girlfriend, as he couldn't bear to face her right now, he began to speak, "I didn't want you to think I was weak Rose-chan. I want to be strong for you. I didn't...I didn't want to let you down." he admitted shamefully.
Blinking in shock at this, Rose clutched at her chest, feeling a sharp pain shoot through her suddenly at his admission. Feeling tears building up in her eyes, she let a few of them fall before she wrapped Naruto up in a tight hug. "Oh Naruto. I am so, so sorry you had to feel that way. You're human, Naruto. It's okay to be vulnerable sometimes. It's okay to let your guard down around your loved ones. I would never think you were weak. I love you as you are. Please Naruto; never, ever doubt that."
Clutching onto Rose's shirt tightly, Naruto began to sob into her chest, unable to hold it in anymore. All she could do was hold him against her, allowing him to cry out all his pain. It hurt her a great deal to see him in this much pain, but she didn't know what else she could do besides just being here with him.
After some time had passed, a chime was heard to signal that somebody was at the front gate. Seeing as Naruto had zonked out from all the crying, Rose was about to lay him down on the couch and get up to go let Inoichi and his wife in, but Haku walked by and smiled at her. "I'll go let them in. You stay there Rose-san." she said kindly before disappearing through the front door.
Looking down at Naruto, the gray-eyed woman gently nudged him awake. Offering him a warm smile, she leaned down and captured his lips in a passionate kiss before laying her left hand upon his cheek and caressing it gently, stopping occasionally to pet his whisker marks. This action elicited a strange purring sensation from him, which only caused the both of them to further enjoy the kiss, which made them both that much happier.
When they parted, they both wiped at their eyes and cheeks to rid themselves of their tears before they began to giggle. Before they could say anything however, they heard a cough and turned to see Haku smirking at them while Inoichi and Setsuna simply smiled at the two of them.
Blushing in embarrassment, Naruto and Rose parted and simply held each other's hands, content just to be in each other's presence. Haku guided the Yamanaka's to the loveseat, where they gladly sat down together. Afterwards, she was about to leave them to their privacy, but Naruto spoke up to stop her. "Actually Haku-chan, you should stay as well. This discussion involves you."
Blinking, Haku turned to him and nodded slowly before taking a seat on the couch on his other side. Gently taking his other hand, she squeezed it slightly to show her support to him, as she could see he had been crying. When he whispered "Thank you," to her, she smiled at him and whispered back, "You're welcome."
Before they could begin, Hinata walked into the room with Kurotsuchi, the two of them lost in conversation with one another. When the Hyuga heiress spotted their guests, she squeaked and quickly bowed to them. "H-hello! I didn't realize we had guests! W-would you like some tea? I can go prepare some for you right away if you'd like?" she stuttered out. Hey, she may not be the same wallflower that she used to be when she was younger, but that didn't mean she didn't stutter sometimes!
Inoichi was about to decline the offer, but his wife beat him to the punch. "That would be lovely dear. Please and thank you." she accepted graciously.
Nodding once, Hinata took Kurotsuchi by the hand and rushed off with her to the kitchen so they could prepare the tea. As soon as they had vanished from the room, Inoichi decided to get their conversation started. "Naruto-kun, I'm sure you already know the reason we're here."
Sighing, Naruto nodded once. "Of course I do. We need to talk about Ino and about the CRA."
Setsuna smiled kindly at Naruto and got up from the loveseat. Walking over to him, she reached down and placed her hand gently atop one of his, despite the fact that both of his hands were currently occupied. "Naruto, we aren't saying you have to be with Ino-chan. That's not what this is about. Nor are we trying to push you into giving a relationship with her a chance."
Rose frowned at this and looked at the parents. "Then what is this about? Why are you here?" Thinking back on it, Rose remembered when Naruto told her about Ino's new feelings for him. She was furious when she found out! In fact, she wanted badly to hunt down Jiraiya and to neuter the son-of-a-bitch for doing something so stupid! But at the same time, he had managed to keep that little bitch from ruining her love's life further, so…
Inoichi shrugged his shoulders and offered them a smile. "As you well know, now that those seals have been placed on her, our baby girl has undergone a drastic change in behavior. She's fallen for you, Naruto. But...she's more serious about her career now and she's really working hard to be worthy of you. One of her dreams now is to study under you in the way of the lance; to learn how to wield a weapon like yours. She wants to be like you and grow closer to you. So what I want to ask you is this: take her on as a training partner and be her friend. If your relationship blossoms into something more and you choose to take her on as your bride, then that's wonderful. I would very much love to have you as a son-in-law Naruto-kun. But if you two decide that you just aren't right for each other, I would understand."
Setsuna smiled at Naruto sweetly before returning to her husband's side. "Naruto-kun, I really think you and Ino-chan would make a wonderful couple. I do hope you consider giving her a chance. And, it's like my dear husband says: take her on as a training partner. You won't regret it, I promise you that."
Haku sighed and shook her head in exasperation. She still didn't like Ino very much, especially after everything that had happened with her. But… "If...she really has changed, I suppose allowing her to train and be friends with Naruto-kun is okay. But being in a relationship with him? I don't know…"
Rose frowned at this and looked at Naruto. "I agree. But...it depends on what Naruto's heart decides. They are, after all, his feelings. I won't try to force him to leave her alone if he develops feelings for her. I may not like it, but I want Naruto to be happy."
Haku nodded in agreement as she wrapped herself around his arm and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Agreed. So long as he's happy, I'm happy too. Besides, a threesome could be fun." she said with a giggle.
Inoichi and Setsuna blushed fiercely at this and tried to will away the image of their daughter, Haku, and Naruto together in that sense. Needless to say, it was a very hard image to get rid of and they realized they'd have to do something later to scrub that image from their brains. "Please...don't say things like that about our daughter until we're gone from the room. It's...disturbing." Inoichi said, clearly embarrassed by what he had just heard.
Haku looked at them with a smirk and went to say something more, but Naruto quickly slapped his hand over her mouth to keep her quiet. After a moment, he turned to look towards the kitchen and frowned as realization struck him. "You know, I just realized that Hinata's taking an awful long time to bring us that tea…"
Rose sighed and shook her head. "Hinata, Kurotsuchi, how long do you plan to spy on us?" she questioned grumpily.
Letting out an 'Eep!', Hinata quickly stumbled out from behind the corner and blushed fiercely out of embarrassment. "S-sorry! I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I wasn't sure if I should interrupt your conversation!" she apologized as she hurried over to hand out everyone's tea.
Kurotsuchi casually walked out from behind the corner, a sheepish smile on her face as she waved at everyone. "I have no excuse. I was just curious about what you all were talking about and happened to listen in. So, the CRA huh? Poor you. I bet you were hoping you wouldn't have to deal with that kind of shit, huh?"
Naruto sighed and shook his head. "Believe it or not, I was expecting it to happen at some point. I just didn't know when it was going to happen. At least I get to choose how many wives I take, when I have children, and who I get to be with. That's better than some people get when the CRA is forced on them." he said with a shrug.
Kurotsuchi chuckled before giving a nod. "True. True. Though it makes me wonder if maybe I should start flirting with you. After all, you are quite the catch." she teased goodnaturedly.
While Rose glared at her for that comment, Haku and Hinata couldn't help but imagine what a threesome with her and Naruto would be like. Naruto, on the other hand… "You know...I can't tell if you're joking or not." he admitted. "Either way, thank you for the compliment." he said sincerely.
Giggling, Kurotsuchi gave him a smile before she turned and walked off with a slight sway to her hips, causing his eyes to become glued to her rear. When he felt a slap to the back of his head, he winced and turned to see Rose glaring at him. "Stop that." she commanded.
"S-Sorry Rose-chan." he apologized.
Rose sighed and shook her head. "Men. I swear you're all perverts on some level." she said.
Inoichi frowned at hearing this. "It's not just men you know? Women have a level of perverseness in them as well. Everyone in the world is a pervert on some level, whether they realize it or not. Some just hide it better than most. Whether you realize it or not Rose-sama, you have a level of perverseness inside you as well. I'm sure if you looked deep enough inside of your own being, you'd find it there. It may lie buried and forgotten, but I can assure you that it's most certainly there." he assured her with the utmost certainty.
Rose was about to snap at him, but before she could, Naruto gave her hand a squeeze and spoke up as he looked into her eyes. "Rose-chan, you should listen to him. Inoichi-san isn't trying to rile you up. I think he's just trying to help you like he's trying to help me."
Growling a bit, Rose looked back to Inoichi and watched him nod once before smiling kindly at her. When she looked at Setsuna, she was about to say something to the both of them, but the Yamanaka woman beat her to the punch.
"Rose-sama, perversity isn't a bad thing. Yes, some people take it way too far, but perverseness itself is most certainly not a bad thing. It can lead to some wonderful moments with those you love. Sure, there are those like Jiraiya-sama who take perversity to levels that are just...wrong on so many levels, but in your private moments, when you're with someone you truly love...perversity can be such a wonderful thing. Don't you want to be intimate with Naruto-kun someday Rose-sama? Or do you want it to be a purely platonic relationship for the rest of your lives?" Setsuna questioned, hoping that Rose wouldn't be that much of a prude.
Rose blushed badly at that and looked away from Setsuna before grumbling something under her breath. When Setsuna asked her to speak up, Rose glared at her before speaking up. "I said that I plan to have children with him someday, okay?! But...but...that doesn't make me a pervert! I...I'll admit that you and Inoichi have a point, but…"
Haku giggled and shook her head. "It's okay Rose-sama. Nobody's calling you a pervert. They're just saying that we all have a little bit of perversity in us. That's all. It's okay to use that perversity in the bedroom with your lover. It's not okay to use that perverseness in the way that Jiraiya-sama does, however." she said.
Rose sighed and nodded as she struggled to get her blush under control. "I agree and I understand. Now…" turning to face Inoichi and his wife, she narrowed her eyes, "if that is all you needed, inform Ino that she can come over for training at any time. However, she should know that we won't be taking it easy on her. And she needs to know that we'll be taking her to have a lance crafted for her before her first lesson. When she returns home, don't be surprised if she's barely able to stand and she's covered in cuts and bruises."
Inoichi sweatdropped while his wife giggled mischievously. "Understood. We'll let her know once we get home." Setsuna said before she took her husband's hand and guided him out of the estate.
Once they were gone, Hinata turned to Naruto, Rose, and Haku and bowed to them before looking straight into her love's eyes. "Umm...N-Naruto-kun? Is it true that you're in the CRA now?" she questioned.
Sighing, the fourteen year-old blonde nodded once. "Yes Hina-chan, it's true. And I know about your feelings for me too. I'm...sorry I never gave your feelings any consideration before now. I've always been in love with Rose-chan, so...you...umm…" blushing a bit, Naruto looked away and scratched at the tip of his nose in embarrassment, "you weren't on my mind at the time. I'm really sorry. But…"
Hinata sighed and nodded her head in understanding. "I get it Naruto-kun. You...don't have feelings for me like that, do you? But...you're willing to try at least, and that means a lot to me. If...if you still don't feel anything for me after we've gone on a number of dates, then I'll understand. We won't have to do anything more. But...I do hope you come to feel the same for me as you do for Rose-sama and Haku-san."
Naruto sighed and nodded his head in thanks. "Sorry Hina-chan. I care about you. You're a very dear friend to me. We've spent a lot of time together and I promise you that I'll give a relationship with you a serious effort. You are one of the kindest people I have ever met and I want you to be happy." he admitted sincerely.
Before Hinata could reply, Rose interrupted. "You're lucky I like you Hinata, otherwise I wouldn't even consider allowing him to date you. But, since you remind me so much of Shana, and because you've proven to be a capable and kind young woman, I'll permit you to date Naruto as much as you like."
Haku pouted at this and looked at Rose with a look of betrayal on her face. "That's not fair! Look at all the rules and stipulations you slapped on me! What's the big deal Rose-sama?!"
Rose glared at Haku and pointed at her. "You annoyed me." she said simply, as if that explained everything.
Haku deadpanned, but before she could reply, Hinata and Naruto burst into a fit of giggles, causing Haku to began laughing as well, unable to help herself. At least now she was able to date and be with Naruto as often as she wanted, so she supposed there was no point in complaining about the problems now, after the fact.
Rose found herself smiling, unable to stop herself from enjoying this moment. It was so peaceful and she couldn't help but bask in the happiness she felt. Joining them in their laughter, she reached down and gently took Naruto's hand in hers once again, squeezing it gently. You have no idea how much I love you Naruto. I can't wait to start a family with you. Two sons and two daughters; that would be so perfect. She thought with a beautiful smile on her face.
Saturday
It was the end of the week and Naruto and Rose were walking with Inoichi and Ino to the Inuzuka compound to speak with Tsume and Hana Inuzuka. As they walked, Ino clung to Naruto's arm and talked practically a mile a minute with him, though she'd also rest her head on his shoulder from time to time and flirt with him as well, much to Rose's irritation.
"Are you absolutely certain I can't murder Jiraiya?" Rose asked Inoichi as she gritted her teeth.
Inoichi chuckled nervously and shook his head. "Yes. I'm sorry Rose-sama, but Jiraiya-sama is very important to the village. We kind of need him." he explained with a nervous grin on his face. "And besides, look at how happy my baby girl is. She was never this happy when she had that crush on Sasuke." he continued.
Rose quirked a brow and looked into Inoichi's eyes. "Really? I find that hard to believe."
The Yamanaka clan head chuckled and nodded his head. "Oh, believe me, I know my baby girl plenty well Rose-sama. She may have been his number one fangirl, but Sasuke never paid her any attention. Every rejection hurt her worse than the last. Every insult made her feel more and more worthless inside. She began to feel like she didn't matter and my baby girl was truly a depressed mess inside. My little Ino-chan had to put on an act around others while at home…" Sighing sadly, the blonde clan head shook his head and smiled sadly. "She just wasn't the same."
Staring ahead at Ino and her beloved Naruto, Rose watched how they interacted with one another and compared how they acted with how she and Sasuke would have behaved around one another. The comparison she made between the two pairs was like night and day in her mind. Once she had finished, Rose smiled softly and shook her head before letting out a small chuckle. "I see. Then what Jiraiya has done for your daughter is actually a blessing. I'm happy for you. But...the fact that she's after my Naruto does bother me. Still...I suppose if they get together, it won't be the worst thing in the world to happen." she admitted with a small smile.
Inoichi smiled at Rose. "I'm really glad to hear you say that Rose-sama. Thank you."
"Don't mention it. And don't get used to me being this nice either. It's just Naruto rubbing off on me." Rose replied.
Chuckling to himself, the Yamanaka clan head nodded in understanding, but remained quiet as they continued to walk along on their way to the Inuzuka compound.
Meanwhile, Naruto couldn't help but blush as Ino brushed her hand up and down his chest from underneath his shirt. She was feeling awfully frisky today it seemed, and he was growing increasingly more nervous around her. Carefully, he removed her hand from its place and stared into her eyes. "I-Ino-chan, please stop that. I know you like me, but...but…"
"But what Naru-kun? I'm just teasing you a little." she said with a giggle.
Blushing again, Naruto glanced down at the ground and mumbled something under his breath. When Ino asked him what he said, Naruto shook his head and spoke up. "I'm...I'm still trying to get used to the idea of you having a crush on me Ino-chan. I mean, you're beautiful. You really are. But...I just don't understand something. Why me? What do you like about me? We...we've never really talked before and we don't really know each other very well. Before we get together, I want to get to know each other first." he said.
Ino frowned and took a moment to think about it seriously. After a moment, she froze and clutched at her head, moaning in pain. When she felt Naruto wrap his arms around her and hold her close, she leaned against him and began to sob quietly. "My head really hurts Naru-kun. I'm trying to think, but it hurts so bad…"
Naruto frowned and shook his head. "It's okay Ino-chan. Don't think about it. Don't worry about answering my questions okay? I don't want you to be in pain."
Shaking her head, Ino decided to speak up. "I...I want you to know why I like you though! You need to know that I'm serious about you and it's not some stupid crush!" she shouted out as tears leaked from her eyes. As she began to shake, she clutched Naruto's shirt and began to speak again. "You're...you're really sweet. I've seen how you interact with other people Naru-kun. You're so kind to them and you're so helpful. You're also one of the strongest people I've ever met! I've always admired you, whether you believe me or not."
The pain began to subside and she looked up into Naruto's eyes, a soft smile on her face as she began to wipe away the tears. When she felt a hand on her shoulder, she looked up to see her father looking down at her with a concerned look on his face. Without saying anything to him, she looked back into her crush's eyes. "I...I think somehow...somehow I focused on …- before. But even then, I admired you Naruto-kun. I always thought you were special, in a good way. You know what I mean?" she explained with a sincere smile on her face.
"I...I wonder why I focused on …- so much before? I can't remember anything about that time." she said, trying to bring those memories to bear, but she wasn't having any success. Feeling her father squeezing her shoulder firmly, she looked up at him and saw him shaking his head, telling her not to try. Frowning at him, she figured she'd ask him about it later. For now, she decided to focus on Naruto. So, looking back at the loveable blonde, she offered him a smile and placed her right hand on his whiskered cheek. "Enough about him though Naruto-kun. My point is that I love you for who you are. And yes, I mean that Naru-kun. I love you. I want to be with you. I'm willing to fight for you if that's what it takes. And my parents have informed me that you've been placed in the CRA, so I know you can take on multiple wives. And yes, I'm willing to share. I don't even care if I'm the first or last to be with you, just so long as I get to be yours. Do you understand me Naruto-kun? I want to be yours and yours alone. You're the only one I want. So...will you accept me as one of your future brides?"
Naruto couldn't help but blush deeply at Ino's confession. He wasn't expecting to hear such passionate words from her. She's been watching me for that long?! But...I don't get it! I thought she only had eyes for Sasuke! What the heck?!
Inoichi and Rose were just as shocked. Rose looked between Ino and Naruto before she eventually let out a sigh and smiled at Naruto. "It's hard to argue against that Naruto. She's sincere as can be, and it's obvious to me that she's been thinking about this for a long time now. What are you going to do?"
Inoichi, on the other hand, looked down at his daughter and offered her a small smile. My little princess. How long have you truly felt this way? Did you just bury your true feelings underneath your crush for Sasuke and the seals only brought them to the surface once again? I might have to look into this. He thought as he waited to see what Naruto would do.
The young blond Uzumaki took a moment to think over Rose's words as well as Ino's confession. He didn't expect Rose to apparently approve of Ino the way she did, but… Heh, if Rose approves, then I suppose I might as well. Naruto thought to himself with a chuckle. "Ino-chan, if you're that serious about me, then I can't very well turn you down now, can I?" he questioned with a smile. "But can we just start off as boyfriend and girlfriend for now? I want to start dating before we think about marriage. We need to get to know each other better first. Is that okay?"
Ino smiled happily before glomping onto Naruto and pressing her lips against his in a passionate, loving kiss. Blushing deeply, the whiskered blonde slowly returned her kiss and wrapped his arms around her tightly, pulling her flush against his body. After a couple of minutes, they broke apart for air and they both muttered, "Wow." before they began to giggle. "That was one hell of a kiss Naru-kun." Ino said.
Naruto chuckled and nodded his head in agreement. "It was. But...I think we should get going. The Inuzuka's are waiting on us after all. I'll, uh...we can, uh…"
Ino giggled and took his hand in hers. "Go on a date later today? That sounds lovely Naru-kun. I'd like that very much." she said with a wink.
Naruto couldn't help but chuckle again and nodded his head. "That sounds great Ino-chan. I'm looking forward to it." he said honestly as the group of four continued on their way to the Inuzuka compound.
Moments later - Inuzuka Compound - Clan Head's Estate
As they stood on the front steps of the Inuzuka head's home, Naruto fidgeted nervously, not quite able to control himself. Yes, Rose had helped him overcome some of his trauma with her talk the other day, but this was still nerve-wracking for him! How was he supposed to face the family of the guy he fucking murdered?! What would they say to him?! What would they do to him?! These questions and more plagued his mind and he felt like running away the more he thought about it! However, despite his fears, Naruto stayed where he was and remained determined to see this through. He wouldn't run away!
When the door opened, Naruto looked to see Tsume Inuzuka staring at him. Wincing a bit at her stare, he glanced away and rubbed at his arm nervously. Sighing, Tsume looked around at everyone else. "Please everyone, come in. Hana's making some tea for everyone now." she said with a smile as she stepped aside to allow them entrance into her home.
As they passed by, Tsume waited for Naruto to step up before putting her hand on his shoulder. When he stopped and looked into her eyes, she smiled down at him reassuringly. "Naruto...it's okay. Let's go inside and talk. I promise you that Hana and I aren't mad at you. Just hear us out okay?"
Naruto offered a small smile in thanks and followed Tsume inside. Once they reached the others, he took a seat between Ino and Rose on the couch and waited with them, Inoichi, and Tsume for Hana to appear and serve them their tea. Once she did and Hana had taken her seat beside Tsume on the loveseat, their conversation began.
"I'm glad you agreed to meet with us today Tsume-san, Hana-san. This will be a very useful step in Naruto-kun's therapy." Inoichi stated. "You see, in my first session with him, I came to the assessment that he's suffering from PTSD, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, after his experiences in the Chunin Exams thus far. As you well know by now, he and his team encountered Orochimaru, Naruto was forced to kill his own teammate, Sasuke Uchiha, and then he was ordered to kill your son, Kiba. All of these events piled together have caused a great deal of trauma that have done a great deal of damage to Naruto's psyche. It is my belief that speaking with the two of you will help in Naruto-kun's healing process."
Tsume and Hana nodded in understanding before looking at Naruto sadly. They watched as Ino hugged Naruto tight and kissed his cheek affectionately in an attempt to show her support while Rose squeezed his hand in a supportive gesture of her own. Offering him a small smile, Hana decided to speak up first. "Naruto-kun, you didn't do anything wrong. When the Hokage gives you an order, you follow it to the letter. Kiba broke the Sandaime's law by revealing your secret to everyone the way he did. He...he brought it on himself. We knew he was a screw-up, but we didn't know he had fallen so far as to do something like that."
Tsume sighed and shook her head. "We don't even know how he found out your secret to begin with. If we knew, we'd find the bastard that told him and make him pay." she said angrily. "It's not your fault Naruto-kun. You did absolutely NOTHING wrong. Please believe us when we say that."
"But…" Naruto began, but he was interrupted by Hana.
"If you're going to say "I took your son/brother away from you." don't." she commanded. "We'll miss him, sure, but what he did was unforgivable. Kiba had become a monster."
Tsume sighed and shook her head. "The pup took after his father way too much. Same attitude, same disrespect towards women, same everything. I'm sorry you had to suffer through his bad behavior Naruto-kun."
Naruto blushed a bit and lowered his head. After a moment, he looked up with a watery smile on his face as tears streamed down his face. "T-thank you. Thank you so much for not hating me. I thought you'd want to kill me for what I did. I didn't think you'd forgive me for what I did. I broke up your family and that's such an unforgivable act! I just…"
Tsume and Hana hurried over and wrapped Naruto up in a tight hug while the Inuzuka heiress put her finger to his lips. "Shhh. There was absolutely nothing to forgive Naruto-kun." Hana said. "If it helps, feel free to come over and talk with us anytime you want. We'll always be here for you Naruto-kun. I promise."
Inoichi decided to take this moment to speak up. "You see Naruto-kun? I told you that they wouldn't blame you for what happened. So, does this help put your mind at ease?"
Naruto looked at Inoichi and nodded slowly after a moment. "Sort of. It...helps. I'm glad to know that they don't hate me. I'm still a little shaken up, but it's better now. It feels like a huge weight has been lifted off of my chest." he admitted with a smile. "But there's still the attack by Orochimaru and Sasuke's death to think about…" Naruto admitted with a sigh.
Nodding in understanding, the Yamanaka clan head frowned and tapped his fingers on the armrest of the chair he was sitting on. "Well we'll just have to work on that during our sessions. For now, I'd say this has been a huge step in the right direction, wouldn't you?"
Tsume and Hana smiled and nodded their heads in agreement. "We agree." they said together. Turning back to Naruto, Tsume spoke up. "Y'know, now that I think on it, if you still feel like you have to make it up to us, you could marry my daughter and give me some grandkids." she teased.
Both Naruto and Hana blushed bright red before looking into Tsume's eyes and shouted out, "Tsume-sama/Mom!" in embarrassment. When she began to laugh, Hana continued with, "Don't tease us like that! We don't even know each other well enough for something like that. Besides, he's got a couple of girlfriends already. I don't want in on that!"
The Inuzuka matriarch smirked at her daughter and pointed straight at Naruto. "He's in the CRA now sweetie, and you're not getting any younger. You're already eighteen years-old and you still don't have a boyfriend. Sooo...how about it Naruto? Hana? Wanna give it a shot?" she continued to tease with that same grin on her face.
Rose sighed and shook her head. "I swear, you people and your incessant need to shove women onto my lover. Can't you accept that Hana has no interest in being with Naruto?" she questioned irritably.
Hana blushed and looked away before poking her fingers together. "I'm not totally against it per se. I'd just rather get to know him as a friend first. If we end up developing feelings for each other down the road, then I might consider dating him." she admitted.
Naruto blushed as well before nodding his head. "I agree. Let's get to know each other as friends first. I don't know anything about you yet." he said.
Sighing again, Rose nodded once. "There's nothing wrong with friendship. I have no problems with that. Now, if that is all, we'll be on our way. Thank you for your time."
Inoichi nodded his head and looked to the Inuzuka duo. "Yes. Thank you for allowing us into your home and for helping with Naruto's recovery process. Have a good day you two. I'll see you later Naruto-kun." Looking to his daughter, he offered her a smile. "Ino, have fun on your date." he said to her before he got up and left Tsume's home.
Looking at Ino, Naruto offered her a smile and took her hand in his. "Umm, so...shall we go?" he questioned somewhat nervously. "Where would you like to go?"
Rose sighed and patted Naruto on the head. "I'm going to head on home. You two enjoy yourselves." she said before getting up and leaving Tsume's home.
Ino watched Rose leave before turning to Naruto and smiling. "Let's go get some lunch. Afterwards, I want to go see a movie. Would that be okay?"
Smiling in acceptance of this, Naruto left the Inuzuka head's home with Ino and the duo began making their way through the village in search of a place to eat. "Thank you Naruto-kun." Ino said after a short while of silence passed between them. "For giving me this chance, I mean. You didn't have to, and yet here you are, going on a date with me."
The fourteen year-old blonde male wrapped an arm around Ino's waist and pulled her against him, giving her a gentle squeeze. "You don't need to thank me Ino-chan. Now that I understand how deep your feelings for me are, I'm more than happy to give being with you a chance. Besides, you're a good person and you're really pretty too. At least I've always thought so." he admitted somewhat bashfully as he blushed and looked away from her.
Ino blushed deeply and glanced away for a moment before she blinked as she spotted a restaurant that looked like a good place to eat. Pointing towards it, she smiled at Naruto and kissed his cheek. "Look Naru-kun! Why don't we try that place? Whisperwind. It looks like a pretty nice place."
Naruto looked at the restaurant and smiled. "Hey, I recognize this place. I've been here with Haku-chan once before. The food here is delicious. I promise you that you'll love it Ino-chan. The people are really friendly too." he said.
At first, Ino was a bit bothered about him talking about Haku on their date, but she quickly understood that he was simply recommending this place to her for their good food and service. So, offering a smile, she took hold of his hand and rushed inside. "Table for two please!" she exclaimed upon entering.
The waitress at the front nodded her head and led them to a table and even pulled out their chairs for them. Thanking her, the young couple took their seats and ordered a couple of sodas. After the waitress walked off, the couple picked up their menus to begin looking through them for something to order.
Upon finding what they wanted, they placed their menus down and smiled at each other as they began to converse with one another. "Um, Naruto-kun, any idea what movie you'd like to see after this?" Ino started.
Before Naruto could respond, the waitress returned with their drinks and asked if they were ready to order. After ordering their meals, they watched as the waitress walked off before looking towards each other once again.
Naruto shrugged his shoulders and smiled at his new girlfriend. "Well, I was thinking we'd watch a romance flick. That new one involving Yukie Fujikaze looks like one you might enjoy." he said with a warm smile on his face.
Ino bounced in her seat for a few moments before jumping up out of her seat and rushing around the table to hug her new boyfriend tight. "Ooooh, thank you! You're the best Naru-kun! I would've been fine watching anything with you, but a flick like that sounds wonderful!" she exclaimed before kissing him passionately on the lips.
Blushing deeply, Naruto wasn't able to respond at first, but after a moment he closed his eyes and began to return her kiss. When they parted, they opened their eyes and panted a bit as they tried to catch their breath. "Wow." was all they said. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of that." Ino said with a brilliant smile on her face.
Naruto chuckled and nodded his head. "With kisses like that, I'm amazed nobody else has managed to snatch you up yet." he teased. "I'm a damn lucky guy that you're this much in love with me Ino-chan."
Ino giggled and put a finger against her chin, tapping it there in thought for a moment as she wondered if it would be alright to take a seat on his lap in this public setting. After a moment, she decided against it and returned to her own chair. Looking at him again, she smirked at him and nodded her head. "You'd better feel lucky mister. I'm quite the catch." she said with a wink.
Chuckling some more, Naruto nodded in agreement. "That you are Ino-chan. That you are." he said. "Now, I have to admit, I am rather curious about something. How is your training under Asuma-san going? I heard from Sakura-chan that he's really been running you guys ragged this month so far. Is that true?"
Ino giggled a bit and nodded her head enthusiastically. "Oh yeah. Asuma-sensei's been absolutely killing us with training this month. Before he was kinda lazy with the training, but for some reason he's really stepped it up. I'm not complaining though. I'm happy that he's finally being serious. Yeah, it's exhausting as hell, but I'm getting stronger and I just know that I'll be catching up to you and the others from our class in no time at all. By the time the next Chunin Exams roll around, I'll be more than ready for 'em." she explained.
Naruto nodded in understanding. "I bet. I'm glad he's finally taking your training seriously. And I bet Inoichi-san's helping you with your clan techniques too, huh? You're going to be one hell of a kunoichi. Anyone that messes with you and your team is gonna regret it."
Blushing a bit, she found herself giggling. "Thank you Naru-kun. I'm happy to hear you say that. How about you? How's your training going?"
Sighing, Naruto rubbed at his arm and shook his head. "Kakashi-sensei's been beating me into the ground, trying to bring my taijutsu back up to snuff. He says I'm getting better, but it sure doesn't feel that way sometimes. Rose-chan's been working on my magic, trying to get me to create new spells and improve my speed as well. It's all been nuts. But I'm happy to be improving day by day." he explained.
After a moment, Naruto began to grin wickedly. "I'm really looking forward to the Chunin Exam finals. I'm going to annihilate Neji for what he did and then I'm going to move on and win the whole thing. But more importantly, I'm going to demonstrate to the Hokage and the judges why I deserve to make Chunin." he said passionately as he clenched his fist in front of his face.
Ino couldn't help but smile at this and nod in agreement with him. Reaching across the table, she grabbed his hands and brought them up to her lips, giving the backs of his hands a tender kiss. "I believe in you Naruto-kun. I'll be cheering you on the whole time." she said.
They would have said more, but the waitress returned with their food, laying it out upon the table before them. Thanking her once again, they began to eat their meals. As they ate, they enjoyed a bit of small talk about random things in their lives such as their favorite colors, their likes and dislikes, and other such things.
Later
The young couple proceeded to the Golden Leaf movie theater where they purchased two tickets to see the new Yukie Fujikaze flick, The Princess' Handmaid. As they entered the theater and approached the snack bar to order some popcorn, soda, and some snacks, they stumbled across Haku, Hinata, and Kurotsuchi standing in line just in front of them.
Smiling at them, the couple approached them and said, "Hello you three." in greeting. "Which movie are the three of you here to see?" Ino asked them out of curiosity.
Turning around, the three of them were a little shocked to see Naruto and Ino together. Haku, deciding to be the one to answer Ino's query, spoke up for the three of them. "We came to see the new Yukie Fujikaze movie. It looks really good. How about you two? What are you two doing here? Don't tell me you're on a date?"
Pouting at this, Ino folded her arms across her chest and narrowed her eyes at Haku. "And what if we are? Is that a problem?"
Haku sighed and shook her head. "Just...don't hurt Naru-kun. If you can promise me that, then there won't be any problems between us."
Grumbling to herself, Ino looked hard into the Water Dragoon's eyes and nodded slowly. "I promise that I'll never hurt Naru-kun. I love him. And yes, we're on a date. We're here to see The Princess' Handmaid too." she said.
Hinata looked between the two of them and smiled. "Well, if we're all seeing the same movie, then how about we all sit together? The more the merrier, right?" she suggested.
Kurotsuchi rubbed the back of her head with a frown and looked at Hinata. "Umm, they're on a date. That might be kind of awkward Hinata."
Naruto looked at Ino and shrugged. "I'm fine with it if you are Ino-chan. What do you think?"
Ino smiled and gave Naruto a nod before turning to Hinata and nodding her head in the affirmative. "That sounds like a great idea Hinata. We'll be happy to sit with you three."
After a short while, the group managed to get their munchies and drinks and made their way into the theater room where the movie would play. Once in there, they spotted a head of pink hair that was easily recognizable to them. Smiling to herself, Ino quickly rushed forward, drink and popcorn bag in hand, and stopped beside her best friend. "Sakura-chan! Hi there! I didn't expect to see you here. Mind if we sit with you?"
Sakura, surprised to see Ino here, looked at her in shock before her words registered with her. Turning to see who she had brought with her, she spotted Haku, Hinata, and Kurotsuchi first and was about to say something in greeting before her eyes settled on Naruto and she began to blush. Turning back to Ino, she grabbed her friend by the wrist and tugged her down so she could whisper into her ear. "What's Naruto-kun doing here?"
Ino smirked and whispered back, "Naru-kun and I are on a date. We just happened to run into those three in the lobby by the snack bar and we decided to sit together." Seeing a frown forming on her friend's face, the beautiful blonde woman flicked her friend in the forehead and smiled kindly at her. "Hey, none of that now Sakura-chan. I'm going to share him with you, remember? You just need to build up the nerve to make your move soon."
Sighing softly, Sakura whispered back, "I thought the plan was to wait until after the finals? You just couldn't wait, could you Ino-chan?"
Blushing in embarrassment, Ino shook her head in the negative as she took her seat beside Sakura. "It...just kind of happened. Naruto-kun has to see Daddy for therapy now and we've spent some time talking. So I kinda took the opportunity to make my move on him. I'm sorry Sakura-chan." she admitted somewhat shamefully.
Patting her friend's hand, the pinkette smiled at her and nodded her head in understanding. "I understand. Don't worry about it. Is Naruto-kun okay though?"
Hearing this, Naruto looked at Sakura as he passed by and smiled down at her. "I'll be fine. Things have just been kind of rough since my encounter with Orochimaru and having to kill Sasuke and Kiba. Inoichi-san says I have PTSD, so I'm undergoing therapy sessions with him to try and work through it. I'm gradually getting better, but it's an ongoing process." he admitted before he took his seat beside Ino and popped a kernel of popcorn into his mouth.
As the others took their seats, Sakura nodded her head in understanding and reached over to pat Naruto's hand. "Well I'm glad you're getting help Naruto-kun. I'm sorry things have been so hard on you lately." she said. "If you ever need help, just know I'm here for you." she said sincerely.
They would have talked some more, but the lights began to dim and movie previews began to roll. So, going quiet, they began to watch and listen. And once the movie began to play, Naruto and Ino linked hands before looking at one another with a smile. Turning back to the movie, they didn't notice Sakura and Haku looking at them jealously for a brief moment before they, too, returned their gazes to the movie screen.
A couple hours later - After the movie
After the movie let out, Naruto was walking Ino home. Along the way, they were discussing the movie and how good it was. Ino was gushing about how romantic it was and how cute Yukie's character was with her forbidden love, the princess' handmaid.
Naruto frowned after a moment and shook his head. "The ending could have been better, but all-in-all, that was a pretty good movie. I really enjoyed watching it with you Ino-chan." he admitted.
Ino smiled and clung happily to her boyfriend's arm as they rounded a corner and walked up to her home. "I'm glad you enjoyed the movie Naru-kun. I had a really great time with you today. Sooo, see you in a couple of days for our first training session?" she asked.
Grinning, Naruto pulled her in for a hug and booped her nose with his right index finger. "Yep. You'd better be prepared, because I'm not going to take it easy on you." he said before he leaned in and gave her a kiss.
Blushing deeply at the fact that Naruto was the one to initiate the kiss this time, Ino took a moment to return the kiss, but when she did, she wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened it, gently running her tongue along his lips, begging for entrance. When he granted it, her tongue began probing his mouth as they began a french kiss.
When they broke apart moments later, they gasped for air for a moment before they both gained matching grins and kissed each other again. This kiss only lasted for a short moment, but it meant just as much as the previous one did. When they pulled apart this time, they rested their foreheads against each other and began to giggle. "You're amazing Ino-chan. You really are." Naruto admitted.
"You're the amazing one Naruto-kun." Ino said. Releasing a breathy sigh, she closed her eyes and shook her head slightly from side-to-side. "I don't want to let you go. I just want to stay with you forever and ever. This feels like a dream."
Naruto smirked and booped her nose again. "Well it's not. But I really do need to get going. It's getting really late and we both need to get some rest. We have training in the morning with our senseis. That...and your parents are watching us. It's getting kind of awkward."
Ino blushed deeply before releasing her boyfriend and turning around to glare at her parents. "Mom! Dad! Stop spying on us already!" she shouted angrily. "I don't spy on you two when you go on dates."
Giggling, Setsuna stuck her tongue out at her daughter and waved goodbye at her daughter's new boyfriend. "Good night Naruto-kun. You should run on home now. Ino-chan needs to get to bed now."
Sighing at the fact that she was just ignored so blatantly, Ino turned around and gave Naruto one last kiss before she stepped back and smiled at him sweetly. "I'll see you later Naruto-kun. Love you!" she said before disappearing inside.
Chuckling a bit, Naruto waved goodbye to the Yamanaka family and hurried on home where he just knew he'd be scolded for being out so late instead of returning earlier to get some damn training in.
Five Days Later - Hokage's Office
Hiruzen sighed as he looked across at the elderly male sitting before him. This was not what he wanted to deal with today. However, he knew that it was bound to happen sooner or later, and it seemed that today was the day. Normally, this particular guest would be here due to the fact that one of his ninja had made it into the Chunin Exam finals. However, due to extenuating circumstances, he was here for not just that, but another matter as well, one that was an extremely sensitive matter that needed to be discussed with some extra 'guests'. In fact, these 'guests' had been summoned to meet with him in his office a scant ten minutes ago and the two of them were now just waiting on them to arrive.
So far, neither of the two elderly gentlemen had said much of anything to one another. Both were content to simply wait in silence for their 'guests' to arrive. When they heard a knock on the door and the secretary announce that they had arrived, Hiruzen called for them to enter. When the door opened, in walked Rose, Naruto, and Kurotsuchi. "I'm glad the three of you could make it. Rose-dono, Naruto-kun, I would like for you to meet the Sandaime Tsuchikage of Iwagakure, Onoki-dono. Onoki-dono, meet Rose-dono and Naruto-kun."
Onoki hopped out of his chair and turned around to look at the three newcomers and folded his arms behind his back as he stared at Rose and Naruto first. Looking them over with an appraising eye, he nodded his head in greeting before turning to look at Kurotsuchi. "Hello granddaughter. It would seem we need to have a talk."
A/N - Okey dokey, that's the end of the chapter. Hopefully you all enjoyed the chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.
As you can see, Naruto and Ino are officially dating now. Yeah, it might be kind of awkward and a little rushed, but I hinted at something, a small connection if you will to something in the past from before the seals were put on. Hopefully you caught on and noticed that. I'll delve more into that later, I promise!
Anyways, as you can see, the Tsuchikage is in town and the conversation between him and the Dragoons will happen in the next chapter. When that next chapter will be though, I'm not entirely sure. Sorry guys. lol. I dunno what I'll work on next. We'll see. *shrugs* For now...I need sleep. I'm tired. lol.
Love you guys. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!