It had been almost a year since the fourth shinobi war, and with Sasuke and Kabuto having retreated before the final moments, the two's separate yet equally confounding sniping at Konoha's moral, troops, and more recently, it's citizens had the village on edge. It was this very reason Ino and Sakura were out well past sundown with twin expressions of hunger. Kabuto's latest threat, and one they had taken to heart after fourteen people had perished in a single day, were certain hard to trace down poisons mixed into foods manufactured outside of the village. On their own they would pass through your body without a hitch, but when combined with other items, they would react and kill the person. It had been done is such a sneaky way Sakura and so many other medical personnel had, had no luck finding what two or three type of products that would produce the toxic combination. It had put a food boycott on many instant products, several more on quick meals all the way down to Naruto's beloved instant ramen. Most restaurants used a few of these ingredients themselves so food had become a shortage inside the walls of the village. In fact if it were not for small homemade gardens and fresh safely picked produce carefully guarded on route, the city would have fallen into chaos and panic. As it was however, price on safe food was sky rocketing, and supply was short and monitored. For two kunoichi who had never taken the time to learn to cook, this had meant unwanted dieting and fasting.

"We're gonna starve to death, Forehead." Ino commented holding her rebellious tummy. Sakura beside her nodded exhaustively.

"I haven't eaten so little since the first time I trained with Shishou and she beat the habit out of me." Ino nodded, having had a similar experience.

"Geez, with the food shortage even the restaurants have closed up early. How's a girl suppose to eat if they get the late shift!" Sakura gave a weak agreeing tone.

"Ah Ino, Sakura-chan! Hey." The two hungry girls paused and turned to find Sakura's teammate waving them down. Sakura's demeanor took a slightly more relaxed manor as she waved back.

"Hey Naruto." Sakura greeted once he walked close enough to them. Ino echoed the same moments later.

"What has you two out and about this time of night?" The two girls looked to one another but before they could come up with something to say Ino's stomach spoke out with a rumbling whine of protest. "Ah."

"P-pardon me!" Ino was mortified. Sakura sighed, feeling less embarrassed because it was Naruto, who would never hold something over someone... for long anyway.

"We got off work after the food shops closed and we haven't eaten all day. You wouldn't happen to know of somewhere we could buy some food or..." She trailed off thinking of the last time she or Ino had cooked. The stove still had black soot around it. She lost her train of thought when Naruto gave his victorious smirk and held up a russet sack filled to the brim with all manors of vegetables and what appeared to be rabbit.

"I have some stuff, and if you didn't mind you could always come over and I can cook for you." Ino without much reserve quickly nodded her accent. Sakura couldn't begrudge her as her own stomach gave a companion growl to the blonde female's.

"Sure. Thank you Naruto." Naruto merely smiled and started walking to his apartment, the two women following diligently him.

Linebreak

"I hope a stew is alright, I didn't bring enough for a big meal after all." He commented opening up his door leading into his apartment. They of course didn't mind, food was food.

What awaited them was not the normal dirty bachelor pad they would have assumed the man's home would be, but a neat, somewhat almost too orderly for Naruto's normal mannerisms. As he began pulling out and washing the items he had procured, the two girls curiously wandered about his spartan but well kept room. Sakura had been there often, yet had never taken the time to truly look around, usually there to kick her sloth of a teammate out of bed when he over slept. For the first time since she had first entered his apartment, all those years ago she truly noticed the condition of his furniture and items. A small book shelf holding his various scrolls and books was propped up on a small sliver of wood, keeping the item level, the scrolls themselves looked just as worn, yet had been carefully stacked .

Chop. Chop. Chop.

The simple rhythm of a knife cutting through the meat of a vegetable filled the comfortable silence between them all. Steady, even, calm. The sounds fit the image of the man before them as he was now, and brought a small blush to Ino's face as she watched him work. Gone was the jumpsuit top, leaving only a short sleeved t-shirt. Muscles in the man's arms brought a pleasant image to the blonde females mind that made her think of how such arms could feel around her. Sakura's thoughts in a way where far more pure, yet just as deep as her friends. The light from the stove beside him brought a unique and rather illumination that pronounced a rather rare sight. A real smile. Not the overly bright and just as fake squint of a grin that hid away his true feelings. His crystal blues down at his work as he carefully trimmed away the useless material from the ingredients with fastidious and deft slices that seemed more suited to a chef than a ninja, and most certainly not the most unpredictable ninja alive. But perhaps that was why Sakura wasn't surprised by it. It was the smile of true enjoyment he was showing that had her blushing at catching such a moment.

"Wow, this is delicious!" Naruto beamed at Ino's comment before turning a slightly nervous expression towards Sakura. A little put off by his unguarded expression she quickly hid her face by taking a sip from her bowl. The hot, rich flavors of the broth mixed with the minced vegetables and a bit of meat that just melted into her mouth. A moan of rapture came unbidden form her throat trying to climb it's way up past the ambrosia that was sliding down. She paused to breath and the smell of the stew filled her senses with a warm and heady feeling.

Naruto just went too far for me to enjoy anymore and RL has left me with no interest in trying to keep writing in this fandom. Therefore, this fiction is as finished by me as it every will be, and any one may continue should they wish. PM's are always welcome if you would like to know where I was heading with the story. Adoption papers are a go.