CCNote: Thanks so much ya'll for the continued support. This chapter was a fun one to write so I hope you like it.
Important: This story is not linear. It dips in and out of the lives of all of the characters/storylines from SwtE. So in order to not be confused please pay attention to date, time, and location stamps. It will help you keep things in order.
As always, please overlook my mistakes and please leave a review! Enjoy!
D is for High Society
Friday, February 2, 2019, 12:13 pm
Hokage Mansion- West Wing Master Bedroom
….
"What do you think of this one?" Ino asked as she turned from one side to the other. "I think this shade of blue looks nice on me don't you?"
The newlywed Uzumaki had put on a powder blue wrap dress that came down conservatively just below her knees. The neckline was high enough not to draw attention to her breasts and her shoulders were covered of course. The world would explode if she dared to show her shoulders. She turned to her inspector, eagerly awaiting his expert opinion.
"Bllllllsgghhgah!" The six-month-old said, drool spilling down his chin and onto his bib.
"Well, it is a bit much for a playdate but you don't want me to embarrass you in front of the other moms again right?"
The little boy babbled contently in his bouncer and reached out his chubby hands to grab one the brightly colored toys that were dangling in front of him. Ino smiled and put her hands on her hips.
"I asked you a question, mister! You should pay attention!" Ino huffed playfully as she walked over to her son.
At six months old Ito Uzumaki was the liveliest baby she'd ever encountered. He was constantly getting into things even though he was barely mobile. If there was something within reach for him to put in his mouth it immediately found a home there. The only time Ino was certain he wasn't poisoning himself was when he was strapped down by his bouncer or in her arms. He certainly liked to 'talk' more than any of the other babies she'd encountered over the last few months which amused the Uzumaki family to no end. Ino especially took immense joy in having private little conversations like these with her son even though she knew she looked silly. He was quickly becoming her best friend now that her life was much more limited than before.
"Bllllgggghhhhhhhssss!" Ito cheered and bounced up and down in his chair as Ino wiggled the toys in front of his nose.
"Itoooooooo." Ino cooed. "You have to help mommy get ready."
Ito's pale blue eyes were transfixed by the toy wiggling in front of him. Ino stopped moving the toy and small hands immediately took hold of it. Not one to let a good opportunity go to waste, Ito shoved as much of the plushie as he could into his mouth and drooled all over it. Ino's smile grew wider at her son's antics and she gently ruffled his blonde hair.
"Are you ready to go Mrs. Uzumaki?" An elderly servant asked from the doorway of her master bedroom.
"Oh no! Just a minute!" Ino replied and quickly pulled Ito out of his bouncer. He was still wearing his yellow and green dinosaur onesie and was absolutely not ready to go anywhere near the lions' den they were slated to attend.
"I can help you if you'd like." The old woman suggested warmly as she watched Ino bounce around the room.
The blonde woman flashed the servant a smile and placed her squirming baby on the bed.
"It's no problem! It will only take a minute!" Ino said and started removing the onesie from Ito who kicked his little legs mischievously.
The next thing Ino knew she had baby vomit down the front of her dress and a little boy who couldn't be happier with his handiwork. The maid quickly pulled several napkins out of her apron and tried to clean her mistress up but Ino waved her away.
"I didn't want to wear something stuffy like this anyway. Thanks, Ito." Ino said and pulled the dress over her head.
Sure the other mothers would be dressed to the nines, all ready for the off chance they may be photographed but Ino still hadn't gotten the hang of that yet. It didn't feel real anyway to put on airs. Part of her wanted to fit in with the advisors' wives but a stronger part of her wanted to make them choke on their hair extensions. Today, as she pulled on one of her favorite purple t-shirts, it felt as though the more petty side of her just might win out.
…..
Friday, February 2, 2019, 1:56 pm
Shimura Residence
…..
To her right and left, silent bodyguards stood ready to pounce at a moment's notice. It was weird always having them around but not bad. They were helpful in their own stoic way. There was always an extra set of hands to help dispose of a dirty diaper and they served as excellent lookouts when it came time for her to feed Ito. Her two bodyguards were not the most talkative, in fact, she didn't even know their names, but she appreciated having them around. Maybe if things went south today they could whisk her and Ito out of the house.
They were supposed to be protecting them right? If she had to try another 'healthy' smoothie she might just throw up. They should protect her from that kind of disastrous outcome, right? Ino shook her head of her ridiculous thoughts, took a deep breath, and put her finger out to ring the doorbell. That immaculate doorbell that wasn't good enough to have a regular ding dong. No, it had its own special little ring that made Ino want to egg the house when everyone was asleep. She hesitated and pulled her finger back to look down at Ito in her front facing chest carrier.
"Ya know." She said. "If you would just have a tantrum we wouldn't have to go. I'll give you extra puffs if you do."
Ito's little legs swung out happily and his lively babbles continued, completely oblivious to his mother's enticing bribe. His mother sighed and patted some of his errant blonde hair down. The hair immediately sprang back up into place despite her best efforts to make him look presentable. It appeared as though all of his father's unruly genes wanted to show themselves within Ito at the same time. She didn't mind it too much though. Naruto was very handsome in her own biased opinion and at least Ito had inherited her eyes.
The littlest Uzumaki continued to babble happily on her chest so she had no choice but to ring the doorbell. Mentally Ino cursed her son's fair temperament. The Uchiha twins knew where to draw the line when it came to interacting with these kinds of people. Whereas the twins would begin to cry if someone so much as looked at them wrong, Ito took all attention as a good thing and had no problem being around strangers.
Usually, she could count on the either Hajime or Hiroto pitching a fit and drawing them out early from these 'mommy and me' get-togethers but alas she was not going to be so lucky today. Hiroto had caught a cold and Sasuke refused to allow the boys or Hinata to leave their penthouse until his son had a clean bill of health. The Uchiha swore up and down that it was because the twins were exposed to the filthy children of other people that one of them had fallen ill. Ino sighed and shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Unless the Uchiha penthouse caught on fire it was unlikely that she'd see Hinata for another week. When the door was answered by a rather tipsy housewife Ino smiled brightly but mentally cursed Sasuke and his overprotectiveness. If only Ito had been around Hiroto for just a couple of hours longer then maybe she would have a legitimate excuse as well.
"Ino!" Ayame Shimura greeted cheerfully, a glass half full of white wine in her hand. She leaned in and kissed the air around both of the blonde's cheeks and gave her a smug grin. "You're late as always. Everyone has been waiting."
"Well you know Ito. He always has the final say on my wardrobe decisions." Ino said with a laugh that died halfway through as the brunette skeptically looked her up and down.
"I can see that..." The woman said slowly, the judgment evident in her voice.
The blue dress she had intended to wear was now soaking in vinegar and was replaced with her favorite purple t-shirt and a pair of light washed blue jeans. Sure she could have changed into another one of the many dresses she'd acquired over the last year but she felt much more comfortable this way. In stark contrast, Ayame was dressed rather elegantly in a cream-colored day dress and her brown hair pulled up into a perfectly coiffed chignon. There was not a hair out of place or a wrinkle in sight and Ino knew without a doubt that the other women in attendance would be just as perfect.
"Well, it can't be helped I guess." Ayame sighed and stepped aside to allow Ino to enter the house.
When the woman's back was turned Ino stuck out her tongue.
'Snooty bitch.' She thought in her head.
On her chest, Ito babbled happily as though he were able to read his mother's petty thoughts and the guards masked their laughter with well-timed coughs. Ino smirked and patted the top of Ito's head innocently when Ayame gave their group a suspicious backward glance. This would only be for a couple of hours. She could make it through this without Hinata, right?
"I heard that he's been having relations with his secretary." A nasal voice whispered and several other voices gasped at the information.
"No, you got it all wrong. It's one of his shareholders."
"Even worse!"
Ino rolled her eyes but slapped on a quick smile just as they turned the corner into the immaculately clean kitchen. The Uzumaki woman was positive that Ayame never actually cooked in the kitchen. It was just a nice place for her to show off her latest appliances and keep her wine. The other women all looked at her arrival with varying degrees of pity and distaste. She was nothing like them. She wasn't the daughter of some oil tycoon or the heir to a vast fortune.
She was Ino Yamanaka, daughter of a flower shop owner who could barely afford to keep the heat on in the winter. A random nobody who had managed to get the attention of the future Hokage and ensnare him into marriage by getting pregnant. She was a harlot, a gold digger and Naruto was a fool for not catching onto her schemes sooner. Instead, he'd married her. The shame! He should have just given her hush money like most respectable men do when they had a dirty secret they needed to keep in the closet.
Ino smiled kindly to one of her bodyguards as they helped her unstrap Ito from her chest. She knew everything these women said about her behind her back. How they secretly thought she was unfit to be the future first lady. How it was so 'lucky' Ito wasn't going to be considered a bastard. Every hurtful tale they could spin they spun. The yarns that told of her dastardly plot to trap the current Hokage's only son became more fanciful and more cunning than she could have ever imagined possible. In a way, she was flattered. The women gave her way too much credit. If only they knew that Ito hadn't been apart of some master plan or how happy Naruto had been when he found out he was going to be a dad...
"Would you like some wine Mrs. Uzumaki?" A servant asked but Ino shook her head.
"No thank you. Water will be fine for now." She said absently as she watched one of the other servants take Ito away to play with the other children in the garden. Behind her, the other women giggled, yet again alerting her to the fact that she was the oddball of the group.
"Still breastfeeding?" Ayame asked as one of the servants refilled her wine glass.
"It's a good bonding experience for Ito and me and the doctors say it's good for his development." Ino replied although she was aware that she sounded like a broken record.
"I heard that breastfeeding will make your tits saggy." A little blonde woman named Rei said and the two women sitting on either side of her giggled. "I know of a good surgeon who can fix you right up whenever you decide to stop...milking? Feeding? Whatever, just remind me before you leave and I'll give you his card."
"You really should take her up on the offer." Ayame said with a sly smile. "If you don't stay in shape who knows what will happen."
"She's right." One of the other mothers piped up after she took a long swig from her wine glass. "After you have the baby men tend to lose interest."
Ino's eyes widened as all of the women nodded in some sort of sage-like agreement. They could not be serious? Her father and mother had been married for over twenty-seven years and they still looked at each other like the sun shone out of the other person's ass.
"Just make sure you get your surgery before he starts looking around for a second wife." A redhead teased and Ayame placed a hand over her heart in mock offense.
"Now Aya, that's an insult to second wives everywhere. I take personal offense!"
Ino laughed along with the group but felt a little sick as she did so. Naruto wasn't the type to go sneaking around looking for an upgrade. He wasn't like the husbands of these women...
"Now ladies, enough about Ino's saggy breasts. What were you gossiping about earlier when we walking in?" Ayame asked, never one to be left out of the loop when it came to gossip.
The other women all exchanged awkward looks until Rei spoke up. She twirled a lock of her curly blonde hair between her perfect manicure fingers.
"Well..." She began, her voice dropping low. "You know how Gaara Sabaku was supposed to be pursuing Hinata right?"
Ino stiffened as the other women nodded their heads and sipped their wine. They hung onto every word as though they had not just been discussing this subject only a few moments earlier.
"I heard that he and one of his shareholders have been spending a considerable amount of time together recently. It is just terrible."
The group gasped and Ino couldn't help but feel a little lost. Unless they were caught fucking she really didn't understand why the women were acting so scandalized.
"So?" Ino said and Ayame raised an eyebrow at her. "I don't see the problem."
"Oh dear." Ayame tsked and the other women shook their heads.
"What?"
"You really don't understand do you?"
Ayame reached across the counter and patronizingly patted Ino's hand. The Uzumaki had to fight the urge to smack her hand away.
"I'll explain it simply." She said. "When a man is spending more time with his 'secretary' or his 'shareholders' it usually means he's fucking someone."
"Ayame language!" One of the moms chided playfully and the woman only rolled her eyes.
"What? It's true." She said with a shrug of her shoulders. "Hinata certainly dodged a bullet with that one I guess but all men give in to temptations at some point. I wonder how long it's been going on."
"I want to know who she is."
The women continued gossiping and hypothesizing. She could already see the web they were weaving for whoever Garaa was 'supposedly' seeing. These women clearly had nothing better to do with their time. With that thought in mind, she sighed and placed her glass down on the counter. She should be trying harder to make these women like her. Naruto would need to have someone influential by his side when he took power. As of right now, she was useless to him.
"Madame Ayame come quick!" A panicked servant called from the garden.
The women stopped their conversation immediately and all filed out the kitchen door to the garden. The outdoor area was just as painfully immaculate as the inside. Small shrubs and flower beds had been cultivated just for show and not for the health of the plants which really ground Ino's gears. Plants that should be in semi-shade most of the day were getting full sun while naturally, acidic rose bushes were sucking the nutrients dry from their neighbors. Ayame paid a small fortune upkeeping the garden but she would have been better off flushing her money down the toilet in Ino's honest opinion. The Uzumaki woman was the last to make it outside where the others were huddled and causing a commotion.
"What ha-" Ino started to say but her face turned pale as she finally saw what everyone was looking at.
One of Ayame's flowerbeds was utterly destroyed. Violets had been pulled up by their roots. Peonies were beheaded. There were patches of grass that had also been dug up, the worms underneath now visible. The other mothers were trying to scoop up their own children from the muck but the damage had already been done. Standing in the center of the damaged flowerbed was one of the bodyguards holding a very happy and very dirty Ito. In one of the boy's hands, he held a fistful of dirt and in the other the decapitated remains of a pink peony. When he saw his mother he waved his prizes and wiggled in the bodyguard's arms. Swiftly she slipped past the small circle of moms and took Ito away from his guard.
"You!" Ayame hissed as she balanced her dirty daughter on her hip. The toddler was sucking her thumb with tears already brewing in her eyes. "Your child destroyed my flower bed."
This time Ino couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes.
"Ito is only a baby. He couldn't do all of this." The Uzumaki woman replied incredulously.
"Mina says that he did it." Rei said as she tried to dust dirt out of her three-year-olds hair. No longer was she the slightly tipsy mom offering boob jobs and gossip. She looked at Ino and Ito as though they were the dirt she was knocking off her daughter. "Everyone knows that common people don't train their children well enough. If he was older he would have done more damage."
"Ito can barely crawl, he didn't do this." Ino replied in as even a voice as she could.
"Nori." Ayame cooed to her daughter clutching the edge of her dress. "Who did this baby?"
The little girl's tear-streaked looked up at her mother and her bottom lip quivered. Ayame pulled the little girl's hands off of her dress and turned her in the direction of the Uzumaki.
"That boy did it didn't he?"
"This is absolutely ridiculous." Ino laughed and shook her head.
Who the hell asks a toddler to tell the truth? Sure Ito was covered in dirt and happy about it but that didn't mean he made this entire mess. He had only just started crawling. How could he have done something like this? Unfortunately, logic was lost among the other mothers as they fretted over their own children and threw the Uzumakis shifty glances. It was in that moment that she realizes these women would choose the word of an empty boot than to ever side with her. She was the other. An outsider. She was the dirt from the garden that had somehow managed to get tracked into the house.
'Well.' Ino snorted and shifted Ito to a more comfortable position on her hip. 'I know when I'm not wanted.'
She then signaled for the bodyguards to leave and started to remove herself from the angry flock of hens around her.
"Where do you think you're going?" Ayame hissed and Ino looked blankly at her. Completely unbothered by the woman's pretentiously outraged tone.
"I'm leaving."
"You're not even going to apologize for this mess? Do you know how much this cost?!"
"No, and quite frankly I don't care. I do not want to spend another minute in the company of women who have had so much wine they can't think logically. It's only two in the afternoon."
The other women gasped at the slight and Ayame placed a hand dramatically over her heart
"Well, I never!" She shrieked. "You do not want to make an enemy out of me Yamanaka."
"It's Uzumaki and it's not like you were ever my 'friend' to begin with. I'll cut my losses now and see where that gets me." Ino replied with a shrug and let an outraged Ayame in her wake.
The other mothers whisper furiously to each other at her slight against Ayame. They called her common and unruly. Ungrateful and untrained. Ino ignored all of them and walked back to the immaculately decorated house. She didn't even care that she'd tracked the mud from the garden into the house. When she walked through the front door her phone began to ring loudly in her pocket. One of the bodyguards scooped Ito from her arms, freeing her up to get out her phone. She smiled as she noticed the caller id and swiped to accept the call.
"Hello?"
"Naruto, you're supposed to be working." Ino said, biting her lower lip as the voice on the other end of the phone laughed.
"I know I know but all this paperwork is boring! Hey, put Ito on the phone."
Ino shook her head but hovered the phone near her baby's face. The little Uzumaki was too preoccupied trying to smear the dirt from his fingers onto the front of his bodyguard to care about the person on the phone. That didn't bother his father who was cooing nonsensical phrases into the phone in an attempt to get Ito to talk. Ino smirked at Naruto's antics but kept the phone steady. No matter how bad her day was going, whether he knew it or not, Naruto always managed to swoop in and make it better.
…..
Friday, February 2, 2019, 7:20 pm
Hokage Mansion- West Wing Nursery
….
Ino sighed as she watched Naruto put Ito in his crib for the night. As soon as the man got home he'd had his son wrapped around his finger. It was nonstop play time which led Ino to seriously wonder how the hell Naruto had so much energy.
"You're spoiling him." Ino chided softly from the doorway and her husband looked up at her with a lopsided grin.
"Is that a bad thing?" He asked.
"Hmmm."
With a few short strides, he left the crib and wrapped his arms around her waist instead. Ino playfully slapped his chest and tried to wiggle away but he was determined to keep her in his hold.
"Are you jealous?" He whispered in her ear. "Do I not spoil you enough as well?"
The blonde woman pressed her lips into a tight line, trying her best not to smile when his breath tickled her neck. Naruto pushed her a bit further out of the doorway and closed the door to Ito's nursery with his foot. Once the door was shut warm lips pressed against her cheek. Kisses were showered from her jaw to her neck as he pulled her body closer to him. Ino giggled softly under his ministrations which only egged him on further. He backed her up against the opposite wall and began tugging at the edge of her shirt. He pouted when she did not give into his nonverbal request for its removal but that only made her smile.
"Naruto." She whispered, pushing him away a bit much to his distaste. "When my boobs become saggy will you still find me attractive?"
"That's a weird question but yes. They will be even more fun to play with." He replied in a low voice and a suggestive wiggle of his eyes brows. He then grabbed her hips and closed the distance between them again.
"What about when I'm old and ugly." She asked between fervent kisses.
"I will be older and probably uglier so I will not know the difference." Naruto snickered as he placed a short peck on her lips. His eager fingers moved underneath her shirt and pushed the material higher up her torso.
"You promise not to take a second wife?" She asked and at that question Naruto paused.
Blue eyes stared down sternly into her own and his wandering fingers stopped their exploration.
"You went to another 'playdate' didn't you." He whispered and Ino nodded her head stiffly. "You know you don't have to go to those things."
"I know but...its important that I'm of use to you. Everyone has told me how important it is to make strong ties with the diplomat and advisor wives. I just-"
Her words stolen by Naruto's lips on hers. It was short and sweet but was enough to make her forget what she wanted to say when he pulled away.
"You are already of use to me." He said softly. "You make me happy. You gave me a son. You agreed to be my wife for reasons I'll never understand."
"Naruto, I'm not like the other women though. My family doesn't have any money or power or influence. I can't help you with anything. I-" she protested but he kissed her again.
"Ino. You forget that my own mother was shunned when she first married my dad. She was a foreign woman from a disgraced and nearly extinct clan. She and I were both outcasts at those 'playdate' things and dinner parties you keep dragging yourself to. Sure, eventually the women came around but at what cost? I don't want you to have to go through that as well. And besides-" Naruto said, taking her hand in his and leading her down the hall towards their bedroom. "I'd rather you stay locked in here. Ready and waiting for me to play when I get home."
"Keeping your wife locked in the house?" Ino teased. "You're starting to sound like Sasuke."
Naruto smirked and opened their bedroom door.
"The bastard has a few good ideas."
Ring ring ring ring ring
"Waaaaahhhhhhhhhh!"
Both Uzumaki's sighed as the hope of 'playtime' was dashed. Ino pulled her ringing phone out of her pocket while Naruto headed back to the nursery to soothe their son back to sleep. The blonde woman cocked her head to the side as she stared at the unfamiliar number on her caller id. She accepted the call hesitantly, not many people had her number...
"Hello?" A breathless voice on the other end of the phone asked. "Did I call the right number? Hello?"
"This is Ino Uzumaki. Who is this?"
"Oh goody, I got it right!" The voice said cheerily. "I'm Mitsuki Saitama."
"Mitsuki Saitama?" Ino repeated as she walked down the hall in the direction of the staircase. She ran into so many women every day it was hard to keep all of their names straight. This one, in particular, wasn't ringing any bells.
"Yes. My husband is the primary diplomat from the Mizukage to the Hokage." Mitsuki clarified and Ino nodded her head even though she knew the woman couldn't see her. She made her way towards the living room and sank into one of the plush couches. "I know it's kind of sudden to call you like this but I just had to clear some things up. Today was an absolute trainwreck."
"Tell me about it." Ino mumbled sarcastically and the woman on the other end of the phone laughed.
"Well I know that Ayame and her followers can be a bit much but today they really crossed the line. My daughter is best friends with Ayame's oldest stepdaughter and she saw the whole thing go down with the garden."
Ino sat upright on the couch, her interest now peeked, and Mitsuki was not one to hold back any information. Apparently, Mitsuki's daughter Nana, was with Ayame's older stepchildren Oto and Nami when the flower bed had been destroyed. The children had apparently been digging in the flower bed on their own for most of the time during the playdate and were burying some of Ayame's jewelry into the dirt. They'd recruited to help of the toddlers as well since the only way to keep them from looking suspicious was to look like they were playing with the younger kids. It was only when one of the servants finally saw all of the children playing in the dirt that their plan was foiled.
According to Nana, Oto and Nami blamed their stepmother for ruining their father's first marriage and pulled little pranks like this all the time in hopes to foist Ayame out of their house. It wasn't working but they were only eight and nine years old so doing this kind of thing made sense to them. Ino couldn't help but feel furious as Mitsuki continued to talk. Ayame had essentially used Ito as a scapegoat to save face in front of all the other mothers. It wasn't her baby that was untrained but Ayame's stepchildren.
"I can't believe this!" Ino hissed.
"I know! I'm sure all the other moms who brought older kids have gotten some variation of what I just told you by now but I doubt that they will say anything."
"But it was obviously not Ito's fault when it happened. Everyone just stood by and let her accuse a baby."
"I know." Mitsuki sighed in agreement. "But Ayame holds a lot of influence of the other mothers and her husband Danzo is very powerful. Almost as powerful as the Hokage himself. Its been pretty toxic the last few years but no one really says anything. It's more peaceful this way."
"Peace my ass." Ino snorted.
Mitsuki laughed at her crude joke and continued to prattle on about some of the other mishaps that had befallen other mothers that Ayame deemed unworthy of association. Suddenly Ino was brought back to her previous conversation with Naruto. He didn't think she needed to subject herself to the likes of Ayame and perhaps he was right. She might be an outsider now but with a little more work she could gain her own sway among the other mothers. At least among those who didn't seem to agree fully with whatever Ayame did. There had to be a way to gain influence somehow.
"Hey Mitsuki," Ino started, interrupting Mitsuki mid-sentence. "How about we get together and have lunch sometime next week?"
"Oh, that would be nice!" Mitsuki squealed. "I know of this really good Italian place where they make the pasta in-house and-"
Mitsuki continued to prattle on excitedly but Ino couldn't give her words much focus. How could she when a certain aspiring Hokage had just peered his head around the corner? He grinned mischievously at her, his blue eyes bright with something that was undoubtedly fun and more than a bit naughty.
"Mitsuki...I'm going to have to call you back." Ino said distractedly, barely registering Mitsuki's enthusiastic farewell.
When she hung up the phone. Naruto confidently came around the corner wearing nothing but a smile. Ino's face immediately flushed red at his boldness but she couldn't look away. All she could do was pray that none of the servants walked in to see their master in such a state of undress.
"Ito is asleep again." He said, his voice husky and low as he approached the couch. "Your phone call is over."
He stopped walking and crouched down in front of her. His hands gripped the back of her knees and he pulled her legs forward so that they rested on his shoulders. His blue eyes never tore away from hers and it sent shivers down her spine.
"Let's play."
To be continued...
E is for Girlfriend
Itachi was...embarrassing at times, but even Sasuke had to admit that the man had a way with words. He had nearly all of the women in attendance hanging onto to his every word as though it were gold...