Chapter 9

I'm back! Welcome everybody to chapter 9 of 'Sword of Power'. In this one, I decided to make a change. Originally, I was going to go for the Chunin exams off the bat, but after reading some Reviews, talking with a friend, I decided to make a focus between Haku and Naruto new relationship. And one last thing, I honestly don't know what to do with the pairing. The thing I know for sure, is that I want that either Hanabi or Haku be the Naruto's girl. But I don't know who, and I honestly don't know if I can make a love triangle work. So, any Review or PMs are welcome with open arms. But for now, enjoy this chapter.

Legend:

"Talking."

'Thinking...'

Jutsu Name

Chapter 9: New Life

Naruto and Haku where sat on the table of their small apartment while eating food that Haku prepared.

They were eating in silence. Neither really knowing what to say. They only had been living together for a day or two, that counting the night they stayed in the Namikaze estate, and they don't know much about each other.

Haku knows that he is a swordsman, decided to become stronger for reasons she doesn't know. He is kind of obsessed over his sword, and he is decided to protect her.

Naruto knows that she is the last survivor of her clan, served under Zabuza and that she loves him.

Not much at all.

"So, how had you been?" Naruto asked and Haku smiled at him.

"Good, thank you. And you?"

"I'm fine too." After that small talk, silence came back to the table. Naruto looked to the sides while Haku tapped her foot nervously.

'This is awkward. What should I say to her?'

'What can I say? We barely know each other...'

"So-" Both said at the same time and so interrupting each other.

"You go first." Naruto offered and Haku nodded.

"Well, I was thinking that maybe we can go out and eat tomorrow night. Like a date..." Haku said with a slight blush and Naruto nodded slowly.

"Yeah. We can do that. That way we can now each other better." He smiled at her "Where would you like to eat?"

Haku smiled at him as she closed her eyes "Surprise me~" She stood up, grabbed the empty bowls and went to wash them in the kitchen.

Naruto nodded as he rested his head on the palm of his hand. "I'll do that."

'How!?'

Haku, as she washed the bowls started to have similar thoughts 'Surprise me? Why did I say that?! Now he will think that I can't do anything by myself.!' she scolded herself mentally.

They didn't speak for the rest of the night, not knowing what to say exactly. They went to sleep on the futon that Naruto brought and in there, they fell asleep.

*Next Day*

"And that's why I need your help." Naruto said, finishing to explain to Ino what went down last night.

Ino was giving him a neutral look "Let me see if I get this clear; You PROPOSED to Haku, the same girl that tried to kill us."

"You make it sound bad when you say it like that, but yes."

"Then, you two moved out to a small apartment to live together, not knowing nothing of each other."

"We know a couple of things but continue."

"And now you two have a date, and you don't know what to do. Am I right?"

Naruto nodded and Ino sighed. "Okay, first things first; where are you going to take her?"

Naruto shrugged "Don't know. I was hoping for you to tell me what to do."

Ino eye twitched a little before passing her hand across her face "For god's sake... don't you have any experience with girls?"

"No, I don't."

Ino took a deep breath to calm herself down. This was going to be though. But for a friend, she can make the sacrifice.

"Okay, we are going to do a couple of things first, first we are going to go shopping, then I will tell you what to do during and at the end of a date, then we will practice. Understood?"

Naruto nodded. In what had he got involved in?

*With Haku*

"So, you think you can help me?" Haku asked Kiba that raised a brow.

"You and Naruto got married?" He asked "Like, married."

Haku blushed a little at the blunt comment "Not yet. We are just engaged."

"Damn. I envy Naruto for having someone like you as his bride. Anyway, what you need help exactly?"

"His likes perhaps?" She asked and Kiba nodded as he scratched his chin.

"Well, I don't know. The guy is really private about his private life. I know he likes his sword... to train... ehm..."

"Arf!"

Kiba snapped his fingers as Akamaru remind him of something "Novels. He reads them in private but he gets really into them. I think they are either romantic or horror."

Haku nodded with a small smile "Thank you Kiba. I appreciate." It wasn't too much information, but something is something.

Kiba grinned at her "No problem! For my best friend's wife, anything!" Haku blushed at the comment but smiled anyway.

"Thank you."

*With Naruto and Ino*

"What a waste of time." Naruto said as he walked across the village with Ino by his side.

"It is your fault, y'know? You literally threaten to kill every tailor I took you!" She exclaimed and Naruto closed his eyes.

"Their suits are too tight. They don't give me enough mobility."

"You are going to a date! Not to war! You don't need mobility!"

"Whatever." Naruto looked to the sky to see that the sun was already hiding. "It is almost time and I still don't know what to do."

Ino smiled having a last-minute idea "Why don't you take her to the BBQ of Chouji's family? They have great food there." She suggested and Naruto nodded.

"I see. It might work. Thanks, Ino."

"No problem! Now go get her tiger!"

*Hours Later*

The date was a mess.

To start, Haku is vegetarian. They didn't even enter the place when she informed him of that.

Second, that was his one plan and was hoping for the date to move naturally.

And lastly. Haku had actually put on a fancier looking kimono that she had saved for a special occasion. While he was still in his usual clothes.

They were walking silently across the empty streets of the village. Naruto was frustrated. He had at least a base for a plan and it was all destroyed because of his stupidity.

How the hell can he protect Haku, give Haku the good life that she deserves, when he fails in such small tasks like this?

He stopped as he looked to Haku that stopped some steps in front of him. "I'm sorry. It wasn't supposed to be like this."

Haku tilted her head as she looked at Naruto that still wasn't finish "Maybe I am not fit to protect you like I promised. And if I can't do that, I don't believe I can make you happy. If you wish, we can pretend to be a couple and-"

He stopped when Haku put a novel titled 'Man, Woman and Child' in front of him. Naruto eyed it as Haku smiled softly to him. "Kiba told me you enjoy this type of reading. I hope this novel will be of your liking."

"I-I don't have anything for you..." Naruto said as he held the book.

Haku giggled softly "I have you. That's more than enough for me." She held his face between her hands "Naruto, we don't know each other. But I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that if we put effort and patience into this marriage, it will work. You saved my life, and now I want to spend it with you."

"Haku..."

She smiled at him as she held his hand and guided him back home. Naruto looked at his hands. One holding Haku's hand, while the other holding both, Yamato and the gift. He put the novel under his arm as he strapped Yamato to his waist.

From a nearby bush, Ino and Kiba were spying on the pair. "That date was a mess." Kiba muttered as Ino grinned.

"Who cares? Did you see how happy they looked? I didn't know Naruto had it in him." She whispered at him and Kiba rolled his eyes.

"I don't think he knows it either..."

Naruto knew his teammates are there, but he doesn't care. He was happy. But most importantly...

Haku is happy too.

And done! That was chapter 9 of 'Sword of Power'. Hope that you enjoyed. I will not lie, I think that this one of my hardest chapters yet, because I never wrote this type before. Hopefully I did a good job. Also, while writing this, I got an idea. Who shipped Ino x Kiba? No one? Neither did I! But it can be a nice little experiment. Tell me your opinion about that. And that's all! Remember to leave your Review that it helps my motivation, PM me for any doubts or suggestions, Follow and Favorite me and the story.

Till Next Time.

Roy D. Harper.

Next Chapter: Let the Exams Begin! (A/N: For real this time)