Chapter 83

5 Kage Summit

Naruto had arrived early with Shikamaru to set up for the Summit. He hadn't said much to Shikamaru as he worked along side him, but Shikamaru needed to make sure that Naruto had his head in the game for the last phase of his plan. When the Kages showed up, Naruto needed to be on point.

The Kages filtered in to the meeting place and Naruto greeted them half heartedly. When Hinata filtered in he did a double take and approached her.

"Hey Hinata, do you have a second?" He asked.

"Naruto…I'm glad you're here, I've been looking for you. I know the Summit is just starting but I need to talk to you."

Naruto remembered the advice grandma Tsunade gave him about being happy with what he had and saw what she was taking about. "She's right," he thought, "what matters is that we're together."

At that moment, Shikamaru walked up. "Naruto, Hinata, we're ready to get the summit underway. Can both of you please start the opening introductions?"

Naruto and Hinata locked eyes, what they both wanted to say would have to wait. Naruto put his arm on Hinata's back and led her with him to a chair in the front. Naruto waited for Shikamaru to motion him to stand. When he did, both of them stood up to face the Kages.

Hinata started by thanking the 5 Kages for coming and for their vision and cooperation during the last great ninja war. "We came to talk about the long standing rule forbidding marriage between the hidden villages. Many of you already know the reason for this meeting today, and we would like to enter into a discussion regarding this."

Then Naruto took over.

He was silent for a few seconds before he began his part. "It might appear that we're representing a hypothetical situation, but that isn't the case." He looked over at Hinata, her eyes wide with surprise. Shikamaru looked over at Temari with a worried look. "When two people love each other, and put their lives on the line to protect each other, even when they are from different villages, they should have the right to fall in love." He grabbed Hinata's hand as he continued speaking. "Shikamaru of the hidden Leaf and Temari of the hidden sand have been in love for several years, have fought together as comrades and the rules of our past are splitting them apart. Two heros who sacrificed for the united shinobi army, are forbidden to have the thing they want most." The Kages and the crowd looked back and forth between Shikamaru and Temari, on different sides of the room. Then, Shikamaru turned from where he stood and went to stand next to Temari, holding her hand. She gave him a weak smile.

The introductions were over and Shikamaru and Temari, as well as Naruto and Hinata sat down.

The Rikage looked over at Gaara, "Well, she's your sister, isn't she Kazekage?" he said pointing to Temari. "What do you think about all this?"

"I've given my blessing, Rikage." Gaara replied.

"Of course you have," the Rikage snickered. "You're always the first to try to set a direction, aren't you. If I didn't know better, I'd say the Sand and Leaf are trying to influence this whole conversation."

Mei piped in sarcastically, "Of course they are Rikage, you do understand that the shinobi involved are from those two villages, don't you?"

"I suppose you agree too?" He shot back at Mei.

"Who wouldn't want someone be with the person they love? I agree with Gaara, we are a different world now. I accepted that when I agreed to the united shinobi army."

He scoffed at her, clearly unimpressed, but was silenced.

Onoki threw in his two cents, "In my day we never would have considered a request like this in a million years." Then he paused and looked over at his granddaughter, and Naruto and Hinata looked at each other, they thought for sure they had convinced him. "But this isn't my day any more, this is the future, and it belongs to the next generation to decide. They have my support."

Kakashi stood up, "Are there any objections from the Leaf Village elders?" He looked over at Homaru and Koharu.

Koharu stood up "I have no objections Hokage," she said with a smile. Kakashi had never seen her smile before.

Homaru thought for sure that Koharu would object, and this now put the pressure on him. He had learned enough about Shikamaru while playing shogi and shooting the breeze with him to know that he was capable of making this choice for himself. He stood up as well, "Shikamaru, if this is what you want…" he waited and Shikamaru nodded his assent. "Then, I also have no objections," he announced and sat back down.

"Nor do I," Kakashi winced his eyes and called for a vote of the 5 Kages. The request passed 4 to 1.

One thing was certain, the leadership of the village hadn't agreed in a very long time until this decision, and this would be the first of many victories.

After the summit, Temari and Shikamaru came over to the elders and thanked them for their support. Koharu hugged Temari and congradulated her. Homaru looked over at Koharu, "do I even know you any more?" he asked her, noticing the change in her behavior.

Mei went up to the Rikage, "I was surprised that you held out your vote today, and disappointed."

He looked up at the sound of Mei's voice, he had been expecting this. "Why should you be? You know my stance on this, better than anyone."

"Ah, but I thought after that kiss last fall you might be persuaded to see things differently…" When he didn't reply she continued. "But, Kakashi seems to be twice the man you are, maybe I'll just seek him out instead…"

Kakashi hearing this grabbed Kurini's hand and steered her over to Mei to introduce her. "Mei, I'd like to introduce you to my wife, Kurini, and our son." Kakashi had the appearance of dodging a bullet.

"Married, that's great! Nice to meet you," she said and after a short introduction she informed her team that they were leaving. She was ranting on her way out of the village. "Everyone but me, everyone is married, come on AO, what's taking so long!"

"I'd marry you Mei," he said under his breath, but Mei heard it anyways.

"Make it a little more romantic, make me feel swept off my feet!" she called over to him.

He raised his arms in the air and called out to her "Mei, will you marry me?" with as much bravado as he could muster. She came running to him and he caught her in his arms, half wondering if she was joking or not. "Yes, I will!" She said as she smiled and kissed his cheek, something that Mei would never do.

He instantly dropped her and did the hand signs to break genjuitsu, only to find he wasn't in one.

"AO, DID YOU JUST DROP ME!" She yelled at him.

He picked her up and carried her out of the village, apologizing all the way. Most of the crowd just stared as the party from the hidden mist village left the scene.

Naruto laughed and looked over at Hinata, "She really is passionate about true love!" he squeezed her hand.

Shikamaru and Temari came over to Naruto and Hinata. "Thank you guys very much for your hard work, you pulled it off, and your speech was perfect." Shikamaru patted Naruto's shoulder while he talked to both of them.

"Are you going to ask Temari to marry you now?" He asked Shikamaru.

"Naw, not yet. I'll wait for the right moment. How about you guys?"

"Not this again," Naruto thought…

"Yes," Hinata replied as she looked over at Naruto. "Just waiting to be asked," she said as she smiled.

Naruto's face went blank and he couldn't believe what he heard. "You changed your mind? Was it because you felt pressured? Hinata, I can wait as long as you need me to." He replied.

"No, I just was trying to put my father's happiness ahead of my own, I didn't want him to feel like I was another loss in his life. He reminded me that the best gift he could have was of seeing me happy." She held his hands as she expressed herself.

Other people were looking at Naruto and Hinata and were overhearing the conversation, pretty soon everyone seemed to be watching them.

Naruto's eyes never left Hinata's. "Hinata Hyuga, you mean everything to me. Will you do me the honor of being my wife?" he asked in an soft voice.

"Yes, Naruto Uzamaki, I will be your wife!" she said as she pulled Naruto's neck down so she could kiss him. The crowd yelled out and the love birds were suddenly aware of the crowd watching them.

She stood on her tip toes and whispered in his ear, "lets go home."

They walked together hand in hand until they reached the road going out of the village. She realized that Naruto was taking her to her house. "I meant, our home Naruto."

He was taken aback, "What, do you mean? Are you moving in with me?"

"Yes," she laughed. She spent the hours the evening before moving her belongings and setting the house up to be a home.

When he got home, he carried her over the threshold. "I've always wanted to do that." He said.

"We still have to set a date Naruto, we aren't married yet!"

"Whoa, did you do all this?" He asked her, noticing that plants and the mix of his and her belongings throughout the apartment.

"Yeah, I did it last night when you didn't come home. I could see how lonely this place was, but I've changed all that.

"Yes, you have. You have no idea how much you have changed that for me." He bent down to kiss her, and this time, they waited a while before breaking apart again.

The End

Thank you everyone for sticking to this story to the end! Sorry it took so long to finish it!