"Talking"
'Thinking'
Jutsu/ Bijuu/ Summons
Flashbacks, Letters, and Setting
I don't own Naruto
Chapter 38: The Bloodline Rebellion Part 9
In Konoha, with Team 7
Sasuke kept stealing glances at Narumi. Something was not right.
"Psst. Hinata. Do you know what's up with Narumi today?" Sasuke whispered to Hinata.
She shook her head. "I-I'm not sure. She's been in a strange mood ever since we reached the orphanage for the delivery mission."
"Do you think it's that time of the month?" Sasuke asked, only to receive such a threatening glare from Hinata that he shrunk back. He was surprised that someone like Hinata could even give such a scary look.
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that, Sasuke-kun." Hinata told Sasuke with venom in her voice.
"What? It was just a guess, alright? It was just something I heard from Shikamaru." He said defensively. "I'm just trying to figure out why she's acting so strange today."
Hinata looked at Narumi with concern in her eyes, as she watched Narumi's shoulders slumped, and her eyes on the ground as she walked deep in thought.
"I see you're trying my training method of walking without looking where you're going. Good effort, but you'll need a book to really get the most out of that training." Kakashi told Narumi in an effort to brighten the mood, when he noticed something was up.
Her shoulders were still slumped over, but she raised her head to look at Kakashi.
"Kakashi-sensei?" She asked in a quieter voice than he was used to hearing from her.
"Hmm?" he replied as he kept up the appearance of reading his book as he walked.
"Do you know where my nii-chan is?" Narumi asked.
'Oh. So that's what it was all about.' Her three squad members thought to themselves.
"He's still probably on that mission he left on since that time in Taki." Kakashi replied as he flipped a page on his book.
"Still? But that was months ago! He's never been gone for this long before." Narumi commented.
"Do you… do you think something went wrong?" She asked in a worried tone.
Hinata walked closer to Narumi to hold her hand and gave her a gentle squeeze to comfort her, and to let her know she was there for her. However, she too was worried about her sensei.
"I wouldn't worry too much about him if I were you." Kakashi told Narumi. "He's one of the strongest shinobi I've ever seen in my life. I can't imagine anyone catching him off guard. His mission is probably just taking longer than usual."
Narumi felt a little better at hearing that, but it didn't stop her from being concerned.
Sensing the atmosphere, Kakashi decided it to call it a day, and let the kids go do something else.
"Look. I'll write up the report and wrap up this mission. Why don't the three of you guys go off and do something else? Help Narumi take her mind off of her worries." Kakashi suggested.
Sasuke and Hinata nodded in agreement. They already had an idea of what they should do for Narumi.
"Alright then. I'll see you kids tomorrow. Have fun, you three." Kakashi then disappeared in a swirl of leaves.
"So, what should we do? Wanna go spar?" Sasuke asked Narumi.
She shook her head.
"W-we could pull a p-prank?" Hinata offered, surprising Sasuke, as Hinata was almost always just a bystander or a very unwilling participant when Narumi roped Sasuke into her pranks. He realized how much she wanted to help Narumi.
She shook her head once again.
Sasuke and Hinata's eyes met, and they had a nonverbal conversation with their expressions.
'Man, that didn't work?'
'Looks like she's really down, Sasuke-kun.'
'I guess we'll have to pull out the big guns then.'
'Surely, you don't mean what I'm thinking?'
'I'm sorry Hinata, but this might be the only thing that works.'
'Ok, Sasuke-kun. If you think this will work. I have some money saved up. I hope it's enough.'
The two nodded at each other before Sasuke spoke up.
"Hey, Narumi, wanna get some ramen? Me and Hinata are paying. You can get as much as you want!" Sasuke offered, and Hinata nodded.
To their shock, she shook her head once again.
"I'm not feeling so well. I think I'll head home early today, guys. Enjoy the ramen for me." Narumi told the two in a quiet voice.
She walked on ahead, leaving the two shocked Genin standing where they stood, and heading home.
"Sasuke-kun…" Hinata said in a concerned voice.
"Maybe she just needs some time alone. I'll ask my kaa-san and Izumi-neesan and see if there's anything we can do."
Hinata nodded, but couldn't help but be concerned. She had never seen Narumi this depressed before.
Meanwhile, Narumi kept walking, until she reached her house. She opened the door.
"I'm home…" she announced to no one in particular. She was only greeted by the dark and empty house.
She tossed her ninja gear on the couch, and trudged over to Naruto's room, somehow managing to avoid the mess that had built up in Naruto's absence without looking, in a manner that would have made Kakashi proud.
She opened Naruto's door and entered the only room in the house that stayed clean and organized, as Narumi made sure to keep it neat, as she wanted her brother come back home to clean room. She grabbed a framed picture off of his desk, and curled up in his bed.
She stared at the picture, a photo they had taken together when she was first attending the academy. A couple tears rolled down her cheeks.
*sniff* "Where are you, nii-chan? Please come back soon." She whispered to herself as she wiped her tears.
At the Daimyo's Palace
"Do we really need to dress up THIS formally?" Naruto complained to Mei again, as he tried to stretch his arms in his stiff, dark-blue montsuki haori hakama.
"Oh, stop it. You're really trying so hard to ruin all of the hard work I put in to make you look presentable to the Daimyo." Mei said as she slapped his shoulder.
Naruto rolled his eyes. "If you ask me, I'd rather be wearing my shinobi outfit. If I'm here as your bodyguard, shouldn't I be wearing something I can fight in?"
"Well, luckily for us, escort can mean more than just a bodyguard, Naruto-kun. You can also see yourself as my date for the night, and I'd say you're dressed perfectly for that role."
Naruto's face began to blush a little. "A-a d-date?"
This would be his first date ever, and he suddenly felt nervous. How was he supposed to act?
Mei saw the reddish tinge on Naruto's cheeks and smiled. Oh, he was just so adorable.
"Relax, Naruto-kun. I did say you were my date for the night, but we're really here on business."
Naruto nodded as he tried to calm himself down with some breathing techniques.
Mei giggled at Naruto's behavior as they continued to walk towards the palace.
"Alright, we're almost here. Before we go in, let's check if we're in a presentable state. How do I look?" Mei asked Naruto as she presented herself to him with a slow twirl.
She felt slightly nervous, as Naruto looked over her meticulously. She had masked her true intent with trying to look formal and presentable for the Daimyo, but what she really wanted to hear was what Naruto thought of her. She knew she was beautiful, but it was something else to hear it from somebody you were interested in.
"Hmmm… I'd say you look perfectly fine. Everything is neatly worn." Naruto replied, addressing the state of her clothes.
Mei was disappointed at his lack of attention at how SHE looked, but realized she should have been more forward about what she wanted to hear, especially from someone like Naruto, who wasn't the most socially adept person.
"That's great Naruto-kun, but how do I look? Do you think I look good?" She asked as she fluttered her eyelashes at him, trying again to hear what Naruto thought of how she looked.
"Yeah. Everything looks good. The kimono looks nice on you, Mei." He replied, not knowing what she wanted to hear.
She sighed before she gave a resigned chuckle. Looks like he knew hundreds of jutsu, but he didn't know how to talk to girls. She comforted herself by telling herself that this was part of his charm.
"Well thank you, Naruto-kun. You look quite handsome in your formal wear as well." Mei told Naruto as she adjusted his collar.
Naruto felt his cheeks get warm again from her compliment, and the contact her hand made with his chest.
"T-thanks." He stammered out.
Mei chuckled. He didn't know how to tell her what she wanted to hear, but at least his behavior let her know what he really thought of her. That was good enough for now.
"Alright, Naruto-kun. We're here. Now, behave, and let me do the talking, alright?" Mei reminded Naruto.
He shrugged. He knew he was mostly here to make sure she was safe and to make her feel at ease. She was the one who needed to do the talking to the important figures anyway.
When the two entered the court of the Daimyo, they could see an opulent party had been prepared.
There were numerous tables covered in plates of expensive and exotic foods, and beautiful servers walking around with drinks and finger foods that people could grab. Silk banners, expensive paintings, imported porcelain goods, and other expensive decorations lined the giant hall, displaying the power and prestige of the Water Daimyo.
Or at least that was the intent. To Mei, this was all just a display of excessive and wasteful luxury that would be better spent on other things. But what did she know? After all, she had spent most of her adult years living in a tent, hiding on several secluded islands.
"Ah! There's the star of tonight's gathering!" The Water Daimyo called out when she saw Mei looking around the party..
"Daimyo-sama." Mei greeted as she bowed to the Daimyo who walked up to her.
"Ah, yes. Mei-san. Good to see you! Please, come with me." The Daimyo said as he led her up the staircase in his grand hall, and to a loft that overlooked everyone.
The gathered guests quieted down when they saw the Daimyo preparing to speak at the loft.
"I thank each of you for coming tonight. We are gathered here today to celebrate the end of the civil war in Kirigakure, and for the return of peace in our lands." The Daimyo spoke.
The guests began to clap when the Daimyo paused to let them react.
"We have here with us today, the one responsible for putting an end to that despicable and barbaric war, and the star of tonight's celebration. Please, give a warm welcome, to Terumi Mei!" The Daimyo announced, as he stepped back to hand the spotlight to Mei.
She stepped forward to address the guests. "Thank you everyone for gathering here to celebrate the end of the war, and to celebrate a new era of peace for Kirigakure. It means a lot to us." She said before giving a slight bow to the guests.
Naruto watched her from below the loft. Even amongst these nobles, she didn't look out of place as she gave her speech, and despite only being 24 years old, looked at ease while addressing them. He was blown away by how elegant and beautiful she looked right now.
Meanwhile, Mei could see Naruto from below as she continued to speak, and drew confidence from having 100% of his attention, and his look of awe. He didn't know it, but she had actually been quite nervous until then.
"And finally, I'd like to thank the Daimyo for hosting this party, and celebrating our victory with us." Mei concluded her speech as she turned the attention back to the Daimyo who looked pleased.
Once they came back down from the loft, the party resumed. Mei rejoined Naruto and began greeting the nobles who came to congratulate her.
"My my, what a beautiful young lady." One noble commented to another in the presence of Mei.
"Congratulations on your victory, my dear."
Mei smiled politely and thanked them, though she was disgusted by how some of them were looking at her, practically undressing her with their eyes.
Some of the younger nobles were bolder.
"Why don't we celebrate together privately? We can rendezvous at my room later." A handsome noble suggested.
To most nobles, kunoichi were no different from courtesans. Just hired for different things. Sometimes, they were even hired for the same things, though the major villages usually turned those missions down.
Mei quickly looped her arm around Naruto's arm. "I'm sorry, but I'm here with a guest tonight, so I'll have to decline." She said politely with a smile, even though she would rather have dissolved him.
"Hmm? And who exactly are you?" The noble said in a condescending tone as he stepped up to Naruto. How dare this low-born scum get in the way of his conquest.
"Her guest, if I recall what she just said 2 seconds ago." Naruto replied coldly, without any of the politeness Mei was showing.
"Do you know who I am? I'm the son of the Minister of Commerce of Mizu no Kuni. I suggest you show me some respect." The man informed Naruto.
"Well, you heard what she said. She declines, Minister-of-Commerce's-son-sama." Naruto said with a lazy look on his face, completely unintimidated by the man. After facing Yagura and the Sanbi, someone like this spoiled noble could hardly faze him.
"Why you!" The noble growled at Naruto, before he was cut off by another noble who came to congratulate Mei.
She quickly turned to greet the newcomer, while Naruto followed her, completely ignoring the now seething noble.
The party was turning out to be quite boring for Naruto, mostly watching Mei greet people, and nonverbally chasing off people who wanted to get into Mei's Kimono with his presence and small amounts of killing intent occasionally.
An hour after her speech, Mei and Naruto were invited by the Daimyo to dine with him privately, when the banquet started.
"Congratulations once again Mei-san. I'm happy to hear that the savagery in Kiri is finally over." The Daimyo said to Mei as they sat at their table.
"Thank you, Daimyo-sama." Mei replied back with a bow, though internally, she was displeased at how the Daimyo kept calling Kiri barbaric or savage, while he did nothing to help, even though he could have ordered Yagura to stop the genocide.
"Now, if I understand correctly, there were some things you wished to discuss with me?" The Daimyo said to Mei, as the servers brought their food.
"Now that the civil war in Kirigakure is over, we finally have peace in the village and surrounding lands again." Mei began. "However, the war was not kind to Kiri. Our economy has suffered greatly during the 9 years of war, and our infrastructure is damaged as well. We need your funding and support, Daimyo-sama."
"I see. I've actually sent out my own people to assess the situation in Kirigakure, and have had reports for what it's currently like." The Daimyo replied, much to Mei's surprise.
"I'll be blunt, Mei-san. I'm not sure if Kiri will ever be back to what it was like before." The Daimyo told Mei.
Mei was taken aback by the Daimyo's response. When had people come from the Daimyo's court?
"I know things don't look great right now, but we can turn things around. We just need a fair chance, Daimyo-sama." Mei told the Daimyo.
"The shinobi population has been cut to less than a third of what it once was, and that's if you count Yagura's men that you currently have imprisoned. The civilian population has been cut by more than half, with many skilled laborers and educated people leaving Kiri for good, or being killed by the last Mizukage. There's absolutely no trade with any other villages, and Kiri is not even able to produce enough food to feed its own people. Roads and docks are in disrepair, and crime is rampant. The last Mizukage waged a genocidal war against his own people, and the one before that let children fight each other to death. I'd say you had your share of fair chances already, and I haven't seen anything promising from Kirigakure since the Nidaime." The Daimyo replied before digging in to his expensive meal.
"But that was in the past, Daimyo-sama. We've learned from our mistakes." Mei was not expecting the Daimyo to have such a harsh outlook on Kiri, and was taken by surprise.
"Perhaps. But I cannot waste taxpayer money on such a risky and potentially fruitless endeavor."
Mei scoffed internally. And he could afford to waste taxpayer money on gold-trimmed porcelain dinner plates and expensive meals?
"Daimyo-sama, you'll be able to draw from our pool of talented shinobi for your military needs, should you need to handle things discreetly." Mei reasoned.
The Daimyo, however, was not convinced. "Kiri hasn't been stable for decades now. With Yagura as the Mizukage, we even stopped hiring Kiri shinobi over the years, and truthfully, their absence wasn't missed too much. Our samurai forces can handle military matters, and should we need shinobi, we can hire shinobi from other villages."
Mei was getting desperate now. Without the Daimyo's funding or blessing, Kiri would shrink to the point that it would become a minor village, or even cease to exist altogether. "Please, Daimyo-sama, you must reconsider. Things have changed now. You'll find that we are capable of doing things that samurai aren't able to do, and shinobi from other nations won't be loyal to Mizu no Kuni. What if Mizu no Kuni went to war with another nation?"
The Daimyo sighed. "Listen. How about we downsize Kirigakure? If we are able to reduce the number of shinobi to several hundred of your most elite, then I might be able to fund them with my personal wealth, instead of using taxpayer money. They'd be under my direct rule, and play a similar role to the 12 guardian ninja of Hi no Kuni. I'll even allow you to be the leader."
Mei couldn't accept this. This would mean everything they fought for would be for nothing. They won't be able to rebuild their clans, and their heritage of the village would be lost. The civilians who believed in them and followed them would be forced to relocate. And the remaining shinobi would be firmly under the rule of the Daimyo, instead of being allowed to run their affairs in an autonomous village as they had been.
"Daimyo-sama." Mei begged. "Please at least give us a 5-year period to show you that putting your faith in us will be worth it."
"And what do you expect to be able to do in 5 years? Do you have a concrete plan? What are your goals for the 5-year period? How do you expect to ramp up your food production and kickstart your economy? How much money do you think you will you need? A billion Ryo? A trillion?" The Daimyo asked dismissively.
Mei wasn't able to reply right away. Kiri was in a worse state than she had expected, and while she had plans for better policies, didn't know how to stimulate trade and kickstart their economy. Her plans banked on getting missions from the Daimyo again, and without his cooperation, nothing would take off.
That was when Naruto interjected.
"Well, Kiri is currently in the process of finalizing a trade deal with Wave, and the Wave Shipping Company. The shinobi of Kiri are probably the most battle-hardened forces on the continent, and the Daimyo of Wave recognizes this and is interested in hiring their services. In exchange for patrolling shipping lanes, and protecting their merchants and fishermen, Wave will give reduced tariffs for Kiri, and will help grow Kiri's fishing industry, as well as help get their products out for trade at a reduced price. I imagine in a couple years, the fishing industry will be able to help feed the people of Kiri, as well as produce a surplus for trade. The President of Wave Shipping Company also proposed a deal where they would provide raw materials to Kiri, and the skilled smiths of Kiri will create high-quality tools which they can also export. The friendly rates for Kiri will make sure that Kiri will get goods at a cheaper price, while selling Kiri products at a higher price, until Kiri is stable."
Mei was shocked. What the hell was Naruto talking about? She had never heard anything regarding this before.
"I see. That could prove to be helpful." The Daimyo said after some thinking. "Who is this, Mei-san? Is this your advisor?"
"I'm Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto of Konohagakure. I'm here under the orders of the Hokage, who believes in Mei-san's vision for Kiri, and seeks an alliance with Kiri. I'm here as his representative." Naruto answered instead.
"Namikaze-Uzumaki?" The Daimyo repeated to himself. So he was the son of the Yondaime Hokage and a member of the main branch of the Uzumaki clan? That meant he was of noble birth himself, and he even appeared to have the full backing of the Hokage, who himself had a very high standing with the Daimyo of Hi no Kuni. This meant his words had weight to them. This changed things.
Kiri forces were being recognized for their experience, and with the right kind of publicity, could drive up Mizu no Kuni's military prestige. Kiri would also be gaining 2 new alliances in Wave and Konoha, which would stabilize Kiri, and improve their economic situation drastically. This could be used to his advantage for better relations with Hi no Kuni and Nami no Kuni. Maybe Kiri wasn't a lost cause after all.
"Well, in that case, perhaps I can allocate some funding to facilitate these things which could benefit both Kirigakure and Mizu no Kuni as a whole. I'm sure my ministers can agree this will be beneficial for everyone involved." The Daimyo stated.
"If you can bring me the signed agreements with both Konoha and Wave, I'll be able to convince my council to allocate our funds to Kiri. Until then, I shall donate some funds from my personal treasury to help with the rebuilding efforts. I'll see if I can visit Kiri soon to declare you as the Godaime Mizukage, Mei-san."
"Thank you, Daimyo-sama!" Mei was starting to have hope again. She looked at Naruto with gratefulness visible in her eyes.
However, there was one thing at the back of her mind. She knew Hiruzen was interested in an alliance. What she didn't know was what Naruto was talking about regarding Wave. Was he making things up to convince the Daimyo?
In Tsunade and Shizune's House
*KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!*
Shizune's eyes opened at the sound of pounding at their doors.
*KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!*
"SHIZUNE!" Tsunade yelled out from her room. "CAN YOU CHECK WHO'S TRYING TO BREAK DOWN OUR DOOR AT THIS TIME?"
Shizune rolled her eyes as she got out of bed. What was keeping Tsunade from checking herself?
*KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!*
"YES! Coming! Just a moment!" Shizune replied as she shuffled towards the door.
"Yes? What is it?" Shizune asked as she opened the door, only to be surprised to see Narumi at her door.
"Narumi-chan? What are you doing here at this time of the night?" Shizune asked in surprise.
*Sniff* "Nee-chan…"
When Shizune saw that Narumi appeared to have been crying, all of her drowsiness vanished. She immediately pulled Narumi into the house, and closed the door.
She sat Narumi down at the couch, and threw a blanket over her shoulders. She created a shadow clone to create a cup of hot chocolate, before she sat down next to Narumi and put an arm around her shoulder.
"Narumi-chan! What's wrong?" Shizune asked.
*Sniff* "I don't know… I just, it just hit me harder today than the other days." Narumi told Shizune.
"What hit you harder today? Why don't you start from the beginning, Narumi-chan?" Shizune said in a calm and soothing tone, as she put her hand comfortingly on Narumi's cheek.
Narumi nodded as she leaned into Shizune for comfort.
"You know how my nii-chan has been on his mission for a while now?"
Shizune nodded.
"He used to go on missions all the time, but he's never been gone for this long. I'm worried something might have happened to him. Nee-chan, he's all I have in this world, I can't lose him! I don't know what I'll do if…" Narumi started to cry again.
Shizune hugged Narumi, and patted her back. "Shhh… don't worry, Narumi-chan. I'm sure he's alright."
"Hmph. Alright? As if anybody can hurt that kid." Tsunade commented as she stepped into the living room with Shizune's clone. "That little brat is strong enough to handle himself."
Shizune's clone handed Narumi her cup of hot chocolate, before it dispelled itself.
"But Baa-chan… if he's alright, what's taking him so long to come back? He's never been gone for this long. I wish I could go out there to look for him."
Tsunade ignored Narumi calling her by the honorific she hated, since Narumi seemed to be distraught. She sat down by Narumi on her other side.
"Don't worry about Naruto, Narumi-chan. That kid is too stubborn to leave you here alone and die off somewhere."
Shizune slapped Tsunade's back at her untactful comment, but Narumi didn't seem to mind.
"Listen, you know the Sannin right?" Tsunade ignored Shizune's glare and asked Narumi.
"The san- what?" Narumi asked in confusion.
Tsunade felt a vein twitch on her forehead. They didn't teach about the Sannin in school anymore? The disrespect.
"The Sannin. The 3 legendary ninja of Konoha?" Tsunade asked again for confirmation.
Narumi looked confused. Tsunade sighed.
"Well, that's not important. The point is, they're strong enough to handle anyone, but Naruto was strong enough to beat one when he was 14. Do you really think someone was able to hurt him so bad that he can't return to you? Don't you have faith in your brother's ability?"
"I-I guess you're right. I should believe in him more. He'll definitely return. I-it's just that I miss him so much. Today, I went home, and when I saw the empty house again, i-it just hit me really hard. I miss having him home to greet me, like when I used to go to the academy."
"I know it's difficult right now, Narumi-chan, but he'll be back soon. And if you don't like coming home to an empty house, why don't you stay with us?" Shizune asked. "That's fine with you, right? Tsunade-sama?"
Welp. There goes all semblance of peace and quiet. But she wasn't about to turn down her favorite niece. "Of course. You are always welcome at our house. And I mean always. You can grab your stuff tomorrow. For tonight, you can wear the pajamas you leave here for girl's night. We'll all sleep in the living room tonight." Tsunade told Narumi with a warm smile.
*Sniff* "Like a sleepover?" Narumi asked.
Tsunade and Shizune both smiled at her. They loved the adorable little redhead. "Of course. We'll have a sleepover every day until Naruto comes home!"
Narumi gave them a smile, as she wiped her tears. "Thanks baa-chan! Nee-chan! I'll go get changed!"
She ran to get her pajamas.
"AND STOP CALLING ME BAA-CHAN!"
In one of the Daimyo's Guestrooms
Naruto was in his king-sized bed, thinking about the night's events while digesting his food. He was happy to have some good food again, after eating ration bars and camp cooking for months, and happy to be sleeping in a nice bed again, after sleeping in sleeping bags.
He was about to fall asleep, when he heard his door creak open. He immediately unsealed a kunai, and held it under his pillow, pretending to be sleeping. He stretched out his senses, until he felt a familiar chakra signature. 'Mei? What is she doing here?'
"Naruto-kun? Are you sleeping?" Mei whispered as she closed the door and tip toed into the room.
"Mei? What are you doing here at this time of night?" Naruto asked in surprise as he sat up.
She sat herself at the foot of his bed. "I couldn't sleep, so I visited you. Now put that kunai away, will you?"
He sealed the kunai back into the seal on his palm. "So, what's keeping you up?" He asked Mei.
"There was a lot on my mind, so I couldn't sleep. Then I decided I could use some company, but you were the only person here that I wanted to see. Hope you don't mind." Mei replied.
"No, not at all. Make yourself comfortable." Naruto told Mei as he got up to light a candle.
"Don't mind if I do." Mei said as she lied down on Naruto's bed while he lit a candle.
Naruto placed the candle on the bedside table and sat on the edge of his bed.
"So, you wanna talk about what you're thinking about?" he asked.
Mei gave him a playful smile. "Not until you lay down too. I feel bad for stealing your bed."
He felt weird laying down next to Mei, in a dark bedroom, with just the two of them, but he decided to humor her and lied down on the very edge of the bed, to keep the maximum amount of space between them. "So?"
She rolled over onto her belly, facing Naruto as she lied perpendicular to him, resting her head on her crossed arms, as she bent her legs at the knees and gently kicked her legs back and forth.
Naruto felt his breath hitch when he looked at Mei. Why was she acting so casual tonight, and why did she look so damn cute doing so? And what was this weird feeling he was feeling in his chest?
"Well, first of all Naruto-kun, I'd like to thank you for being such a good escort tonight, scaring off those lecherous perverts." Mei started.
"O-of course. It was clear that you didn't like the way they were staring at you like something to be conquered." He replied as he began nervously twiddle his thumbs as he stared straight at the ceiling.
"My, my. Such a gentleman, aren't you? Did they make you feel jealous?" Mei teased in a seductive voice. She loved watching how uncomfortable she made Naruto.
Naruto struggled to reply, as his toes curled under the blankets. She needed to stop playing this game before he burst a blood vessel or something.
Her voice became a little more serious as she rolled over and used Naruto's firm stomach as a pillow, forming a T-shape when seen from above, staring at the ceiling as well. "I was wondering… what was that whole thing about Wave? As far as I know, we don't have any ongoing negotiations with Wave."
"You're right. There aren't any negotiations with Wave." Naruto replied.
Mei sat up immediately, and turned to look at him. "So, you're telling me you made that up to convince the Daimyo to support us? Naruto-kun!"
"Well, I didn't make it up completely. That's a real deal you can take." Naruto said calmly.
She raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"I know someone who knows both the Daimyo of Wave and the President of Wave Shipping Company. They owe that person a favor, and that person would do anything for me, so all I gotta do is ask." He replied.
"You're banking a lot on some assumptions." Mei argued. "What are you going to do if that person decides not to ask them? Or if they turn him down? Naruto-kun, this was quite irresponsible of you."
The blonde just smirked. He pulled out two papers, that was marked with the official seal of the Wave Shipping Company, and the Daimyo of Wave.
"I already asked, and they drafted the papers. So, all you gotta do is sign." Naruto said as he handed over the papers.
Mei took the papers from his hand, and started to read over the agreements. They were just as Naruto had said to the Daimyo, and seeing the actual numbers made her eyes widen. This was almost too good to be true.
"How and when did you manage to get these?" She asked in shock.
He just smirked. "I have my ways." He had secretly sent out clones to Wave during his recovery, and they brought it back via Hiraishin, all without anyone noticing. "So, are you going to sign those or what?"
Mei reached over to place the papers on the bedside table.
She then looked at Naruto in the eye before asking, "Why do all this? Why go so far to help us? To help me? Did the Hokage tell you to do this?"
He shook his head. "It's not like that."
"Then why?" Mei asked again.
"I-I'm not sure. I guess I just felt like it. I guess I got close to you guys while I was here. After all of the tough times we went through, I want everyone to finally be happy. I want you to be happy. I don't really get it, but it is what it is." He answered.
Mei gave him a warm smile as she stroked his cheek softly.
Naruto's face turned red again, and turned his face away from her in embarrassment.
However, Mei grabbed him by his chin and turned his face towards her, before she planted a kiss on his cheek.
"Wh-what was t-that?" Naruto stammered out, as he felt his cheeks tingle.
"That was me thanking you for being such a sweetheart." She replied with an affectionate smile.
"Sw-sweetheart?" He had heard a lot of names, like asshole or jerk, but sweetheart? That was not something he was used to hearing. At least not since his parents died.
"Yes, sweetheart. Now why don't you tell me more about how you'd like to see me be happy?" Mei asked as she lied back down, using his chest as a pillow.
Naruto gulped. Why was his throat feeling so parched? What the hell was going on? "Wh-what do you mean?"
Mei started to trace circles on his chest with her finger. "You know, things like why you want to see me happy?"
"I-I guess I just like seeing you happy. It just doesn't feel right when you're unhappy. I like to see you smile. You have a very pretty smile, after all." Naruto told Mei who couldn't help the small tinge of red from appearing on her cheeks.
"Is it just my smile that's pretty?" Mei asked teasingly, trying to get more out of him.
He shook his head. "No, everything about you beautiful. It's just that your smile is what I appreciate the most. It does something to me, but I don't really quite get what it is." He said awkwardly.
She was almost straight on blushing, but she still wanted to tease him more. "Now, now, Naruto-kun. Let's not get too naughty here. I'm not sure that's the kind of thing you want to share with a lady. I'm flattered, but I'm going to have to watch out if little Naruto stands at attention every time I smile."
Naruto's face resembled Narumi's hair. "That's not what I meant! It's more of a warm feeling in my chest, ok?!"
She smiled cheekily. "Oh, is that so? So you're saying I don't turn you on? I'm not attractive enough?" She lifted one leg onto Naruto, and squeezed her chest together as she breathed on his neck.
Naruto gulped again, but there was no saliva in his mouth to swallow. He covered his crotch his one hand, and tried to hold himself back, but his body betrayed his mind, and reacted.
"T-that's not it at all! I-" Naruto choked when Mei kissed his neck.
"What was it you were trying to say?" Mei cooed in his ear.
"Mei, I don't know what you're doing, but I think we should stop. I-I feel strange. I feel hot all over. I can't think straight. I-I'm dizzy."
"Only fair that you feel that way too, after you did that to me first." Mei whispered in his ear in a suggestive tone.
"H-Huh? When did I do that to you?" Naruto asked in surprise.
"You've been doing it to me this whole time." She replied with a seductive smile.
"Wh-what?" Naruto sat up in confusion.
"Shhh… enough about that." Mei said as she sat up and put a finger on Naruto's lips to hush him.
"Now, why don't we get back to how you want to see me happy?" Mei cooed as she slipped her nightwear off of one shoulder.
Naruto's eyes widened to their maximum size, and it took all of his control to not have blood gushing from his nose.
Mei leaned in to grab his chin, and planted a deep, hungry kiss on his lips.
Naruto felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up, and felt a jolt of electricity shoot through his whole body. He felt like he was floating on a cloud.
When Mei pulled her head back, Naruto's head subconsciously followed her forward, trying to get more, before he caught himself.
He couldn't believe his first kiss was with a woman as beautiful as Mei. He touched his lips in disbelief, which felt like they were tingling. It had felt amazing. He couldn't imagine anything feeling better than how Mei had just made him feel.
Mei smiled at the effect she had on Naruto, before she slipped the other shoulder of her nightwear off. It slowly slipped down her arm until her kimono style nightwear was hanging off at her elbow joints, exposing her generous bosom. "Now, why don't I show you what you can do to make me happy?"
He nodded stupidly as he allowed Mei to take off his own top. Naruto knew at that moment, that there would definitely be something that felt better than that kiss.
The Next Morning
When Mei's green eyes opened up, she was greeted by the snoring form of Naruto, who had one hand on his stomach, and the other one wrapped around her shoulders as he slept. The memories of what they did the night before came flooding in, and she felt her cheeks burn. She couldn't believe she was no longer a virgin, but she had no regrets. Everything felt so right. She cuddled even closer to him, and rested her head on the crook of his neck, as she breathed in his scent.
It was now obvious: she was officially in love with this incredibly powerful, but socially-awkward blonde man next to her. She imagined a life where she could wake up like this every morning, and felt incredible contentment. She enjoyed his warmth and the feeling of comfort that he evoked in her, and she slowly fell back asleep with a content smile on her face.
A few minutes after she fell back asleep, it was Naruto's turn to wake up.
His blue eyes blinked a few times as his mind followed his body in waking up. Did he just have the most amazing dream, or did last night actually happen?
He turned his gaze to the beautiful person who was cuddled up to him, which confirmed that last night, did, in fact, happen.
For the first time in his life since his parents' death, he felt almost whole. He used his arm that was wrapped around her to lovingly stroke her auburn hair.
His mind went back to the times when his parents were still alive. He would sometimes enter their room in the morning, and find them cuddling as they slept like he was doing with Mei.
He looked at Mei once again, and saw the content smile on her sleeping face. To him, that smile was more beautiful than any of the other smiles he had ever seen in his life, including Mei's other smiles.
He planted a kiss on her forehead before he closed his eyes, content. He allowed himself to drift off to sleep, hoping to enjoy this moment of his life a little longer.
In the Kiri Dungeons
Ao was kept occupied in Mei's absence, sorting through the thousands of prisoners they had. He had to first sort through the shinobi that had surrendered to them after the Battle of the Gates of Uzushio, weeding out the fanatical bloodline haters, from those who were sort of roped into Yagura's forces. Then he had to sort through the prisoners that were put in the dungeons by Yagura, separating the true criminals and dangerous prisoners from those who were sent there for being bloodline sympathizers.
"Put that man back in the cells. I'm putting him in the list for execution." Ao told a guard, who shoved an angry looking man back into his cell.
"One more cell, and I'm taking a break. Talking to these insane bastards is tiring." Ao commented to the guard.
He looked at his list, writing an X next to the last man he had screened. He looked at the next name on the list and gasped.
Nezu.
He rushed over to the cell the guard was about to open, and saw a man lying on the cold prison ground, staring at the ceiling.
"Nezu? Is that you?" Ao called out.
The man seemed to stir at hearing his name.
"Ao?"
When the man got up to get closer, Ao was shocked by what he saw. His old friend Nezu had been reduced to a gaunt, tired looking man, who looked 10 years older than his actual age.
He had only been imprisoned for a couple months, but his mental anguish and torn spirit had broken him down quickly. He didn't know what had happened to his wife and child, and knowing his decisions caused the death of thousands of people was weighing down heavily on him, and he stopped taking care of himself.
"Nezu, what the hell happened to you?" Ao asked.
Nezu looked down in shame. He didn't know how to tell Ao.
*Author's Note*
And that's the latest chapter of the Jinchuuriki's Brother!
So I finally wrote some romance into the story! It only took 38 chapters! LOL. I guess you could say this was a slow burn type of story. What did you think? Mei's super flirty approach on someone who has close to no touch with his emotional side? When it comes to fighting, training, or missions, he's confident and self-assured, but when it comes to romance? He's hopeless. He's awkward and doesn't know how things work. We have to remember that he doesn't really watch TV or read love stories, and the only romance he saw was between Itachi and Izumi when they were 14. Basically, he has no idea what to do. I hope that showed in the writing. I also want to make sure that everyone knows that he is also in love with, or at least likes Mei a lot, so I hope it didn't look like it was Mei taking advantage of him.
Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Thanks for reading, and I hope you guys all have a great day, and stay safe!
Until next time!