And here's Chapter 18. The BIGGEST chapter I've ever written. Also, for those who wanted it, Temari and Naruto finally do the horizontal mambo in this chapter. I'm sorry about the delay, but I'm still trying. At least this update came on the heels of the other faster than the others have. Anyway, Readers, Reviewers, Enjoy...I'm Moving On by Hank Snow.
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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
"I say kill him now and be done with it. The longer you let him live, the more he will struggle to destroy you all."
Tsunade sighed and cast weary eyes upon Gaara. The Kazekage had tried to impress upon her the importance of ridding the world of the youngest Uchiha ever since they had captured him. She knew it would be the best thing to do, but unlike the Kazekage, she had to think of what the Konoha council would want.
"Gaara, you know as well as I do that I can't just kill him. The Sharingan is a valuable weapon to the Village Hidden in the Leaves."
"And it's a weapon that hasn't been there for years if you don't count Kakashi. His crimes are many and his virtues few. Just kill him. I'll do it for you. Sabaku Kyuu. Sabaku Soso. He won't feel a thing. He'll be dead, I'll be happy, Naruto will have to worry about one less person wanting to kill him, and everybody wins."
"Gaara…"
The Kazekage put on a fierce face and his sand rose behind him. He was tired of arguing his point and not actually being heard. Jiraiya moved to stand beside Tsunade in case Gaara tried anything. The former jinchuuriki took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
"Tsunade, let us not talk as Kages and village leaders for the moment. Let us talk as normal human beings. Does the Uchiha deserve to die for his crimes?"
Tsunade bowed her head and closed her eyes.
"Yes."
"Does he deserve pity? Does he deserve to even make it back to Konoha alive?"
"No."
Gaara put on an exasperated face and glared at Tsunade.
"Then why in the seven Hells are you taking him back alive? Kill him now!"
"I can't! I can't just kill him! He has to stand trial!"
The redhead sat back in his chair and sighed while shaking his head.
"This is the difference between Konoha and the rest of the world. Criminals are enemies of the state and should be treated as such. When they break the law, they no longer have rights. When a murderer murders, he should be killed before he can kill again. When a traitor betrays, he shouldn't be let back in the country to stand trial so he can live another day to betray again. I stand firm in the belief that he should be killed."
Gaara stood and walked over to Tsunade. She tensed with every step he took and cringed when he put his hand on her shoulder. She looked up into his eyes and found his usually stoic face somewhat…troubled.
"I am sorry I ever put him into your custody Hokage-dono. I should have executed him while he was still in the custody of my ninjas. At least then, it would have been on my hands instead of yours."
"Gaara…"
He stopped her by raising his hand.
"What is done is done now I suppose. I'm retiring for the night Tsunade. I shall see you off tomorrow morning."
She nodded and watched as he left. She turned to Jiraiya as he helped her up and put an arm around her shoulder. She was grateful to him at times like these.
"He's right you know. We should have killed him on the spot. Letting him live like this is a huge mistake."
Jiraiya nodded and squeezed her a bit harder.
"I know. But unlike Suna, we do things differently in Konoha. Clans have a lot more say so and power. And sadly enough, the Uchiha clan has always been an important facet of Konoha. Even if they are traitors."
Tsunade nodded and allowed Jiraiya to lead her away. They were almost back to their hotel room when she stopped him.
"Let's go to the dungeons. I want to say something to him."
Jiraiya was not fond of the idea, but tagged along anyway. He couldn't very well let her go alone.
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Uchiha Sasuke was feeling very indignant at the moment. Shackled and chained like a common criminal, a blindfold placed over his precious eyes and warded with seals put on by the great Toad Sannin Jiraiya himself, he was feeling very put out. He hated to feel powerless and yet, here he sat, totally under the control and at the mercy of his captors. His teammates, if you could so call them that, were in other sectors of the dungeon. He chuckled mirthlessly. It seemed that Gaara was not so big a fool as to put them all together.
He heard the sound of the guards shuffling and the bolts on the door being moved. Was he being moved already? How long had he been in here? Sitting in the darkness, one couldn't tell time. The shuffle of the feet got closer until he heard the crunch of the pebbles underfoot. He looked up (not that it mattered) and sneered at whoever was before him.
"I know you're there. Why don't you reveal yourself? Afraid I might get you?"
A snort was his answer and the sneer left his face, to be replaced by a frown.
"Boy, I've met bigger boogeymen than you in street gangs. Afraid? You're the one who should be afraid."
"Hmph. Jiraiya. What does a one-armed old has-been such as yourself want with me?"
"I want nothing from you except for you to shut your mouth and pay attention."
Sasuke had not been reprimanded many times in his life. Even Orochimaru did not keep him on too tight a leash. His surprise quickly turned to anger.
"Who the hell do you think you are? I…"
Jiraiya shut the boy's mouth by backhanding him to the ground and then lifting him by his collar.
"Shut your mouth! I know who I am and I know who you are. You're in a precarious position now Uchiha and if I were you, I'd do everything I could to prolong my life. With all those suppressing seals I have on you, all it would take is a twist of the neck and you'd be dead. Hell, after all the suffering you've caused my student, I'm half tempted…"
"Jiraiya…that's enough."
The Toad Sennin scoffed and stood upright, letting go of Sasuke's shirt in the process. The boy coughed a bit and pulled himself back into a sitting position.
"So, even the great and powerful Hokage sees fit to visit me. I'm honored."
Tsunade scowled and bent over at the waist, her hands on her hips.
"Don't patronize me you little punk. I came here to tell you that I will do everything in my power to make sure you get the death penalty. It was pure luck that you survived that backlash from your attack. It should have fried your ass. You're lucky Sakura was able to patch you up as well as she did, although you'll have some scarring for life. Naruto came out without a scratch by the way."
"I don't care what that loser walked away with. I'll kill him all the same."
Tsunade clucked her tongue and stood upright again.
"See? That's why no one likes you kid. You make threats all the time and then wonder why you have no allies. You've just threatened to kill an ally of Konoha, in front of the Hokage no less. What kind of deal can you expect to strike to save your life?"
The smile on the raven-haired boy's face was sickening.
"I expect the council to give me a hero's welcome while Naruto gets exactly what he always has. Nothing. He'll be shunned while the people clamber for me to come back."
Tsunade sighed and shook her head as she motioned for Jiraiya to follow her. When she reached the door, she turned back and gave him some parting words.
"You'll soon find that things in Konoha have changed Sasuke. A few years can make all the difference in the public's perception on certain people."
Those words would bother him for quite some time.
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Temari groaned as the sun came in through the window and settled on her face. She was enjoying the warmth that Naruto gave off, especially since nights in the desert were so chilly. She nuzzled further into his neck and squinted her eyes, trying to block out the rays. It did no good since the sun refused to relinquish its gaze upon her.
With a sigh she sat up and reached across to the nightstand for her hairbands and quickly tied her hair into its usual four ponytailed state. She leaned back against the headboard and pulled the covers up over her knees as she watched Naruto sleep. It was relaxing listening to him snore softly and it never ceased to amaze her how peaceful he looked in the early morning.
She realized after a few minutes that today was the day they had to leave for Konoha and she gently shook his shoulder.
"Naruto, wake up. We have to get ready to leave soon."
He rolled over and pulled the covers up over his head.
"G'way. I don' wanna get up."
Temari giggled and shook his shoulder again. He would never be a morning person, of that she was sure.
"Naruto, come on. We have to go to Konoha remember?"
He sighed and rolled over, his blue eyes blinking up at her.
"Do we have to? Can't we just lay here together and maybe they'll forget we were supposed to go?"
"I doubt it. Now get up and get dressed. I have everything packed already but you have to make me breakfast."
She leaned down and pecked him on the lips before standing up and stretching, making sure he was watching as her shirt rode up over her buttocks. She grinned as his eyes fixated on the flesh peeking out of her panties and let the shirt fall back again.
"Maybe if you're a good boy on the trip I might let you see more when we get to Konoha. Now get up!"
He groaned and rolled out of bed, his bare feet hitting the floor. He stretched and she winced as she heard the bones popping back into place. He must have popped every bone in his body from the force of that jutsu he used. He flopped back onto the bed and huffed.
"This is gonna suck."
As she cinched the sash of her kimono, she watched as he swiped the seals one by one and felt the whip of the wind as he put the resistance seals back to use. A blast of air filled the room and whipped all his papers around as he sealed the ones on his legs again and she turned back to find him huffing and puffing on the bed.
"Damn. That hurts more each time I do it. Can you help me up?"
She grasped his hand and pulled him up, noticing the slight resistance he gave her. Naruto shook himself all over and stretched his limbs, getting used to the resistance the seals gave him again. When he was satisfied with his movement again, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her in for a kiss.
Temari melted into the kiss and stood on her tiptoes while he held her. She was actually quite glad for their trip to Konoha. At least there, she would have a few hours a day alone with him…she hoped.
She whined when he broke the kiss and tried to renew it but he held her back. Her eyes opened and she glared at him.
"You're the one who said we had to go Temari-chan."
She stuck her bottom lip out and smacked his arm hard before leaving out the door.
"Ass. Hurry up and make me breakfast. I'm hungry."
Naruto snickered and followed behind her.
"As you wish, dear."
"I want pancakes. Blueberry. And bacon."
He sighed and trudged off to the kitchen.
"Yes dear."
I want some bananas and peanut butter.
Temari looked down at her feet and blinked.
"Where did you come from?"
Your room. Since my spot on the Boss' bed was…occupied.
"Fine. The rat wants bananas."
Bimbo.
"Flea farm."
"Can we not do this this morning guys?"
No.
"No."
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All the Konoha ninjas waited at the gates for their final two guests. Gaara waited beside Tsunade with his arms crossed, still supremely unhappy that the Uchiha was being taken back to Konoha. He had told Tsunade that the rest of his team would not be released into Konoha's hands and would stay in Suna. He was still unsure of their fate. More than likely they'd be killed and their bodies studied for any secrets they could gleen from them.
The group hushed as Naruto and Temari walked up, chatting merrily with each other, Sanzoku draped around Naruto's neck. Temari had insisted upon a big breakfast and had not eaten until Naruto sat down with her and as such, they were a tad late arriving to the gates. When Naruto saw the bound and blindfolded Sasuke in the back of a wagon tied to a post so he couldn't move.
Naruto scowled as he walked up to Tsunade, all signs of happiness gone.
"What is he doing here?"
Tsunade sighed and turned to look at the slumped over Sasuke.
"He's going back to stand trial for his crimes Naruto."
The grimace did not leave his face as he walked past her to report to Gaara. She heard his mumble as he walked by though.
"…should have killed him when I had the chance…"
She sighed unhappily and made her way over to the rest of her ninjas. She didn't know if it would be a pleasant trip or not.
Naruto bowed to Gaara and smiled as he straightened up.
"I guess I'll be back sometime Gaara. I don't know how long this will take. Are you sure you're all right with Temari coming along with me?"
Gaara looked over Naruto's shoulder to where Temari was chatting with TenTen and sighed.
"She'd just follow you anyway against my orders. Besides, I can't very well let you go alone can I? You might decide not to come back. At least she'll drag you back even if you don't want to come home."
"I don't think my coming home will have to be a forced issue. I have a home to finish here after all. I'll see you soon Gaara."
Gaara took Naruto's offered hand and grasped it firmly.
"I know you will. And let no harm befall my sister Naruto or harm shall befall you."
Naruto quirked his eyebrow and smirked.
"Are you threatening me again, Kazekage-sama?"
Gaara grinned wickedly and narrowed his eyes.
"No, I'm promising you. Take care of her."
Naruto chuckled nervously and once Gaara let go of his hand, sprinted away toward where his girlfriend was. Gaara crossed his arms again and cut his eyes when he felt Kankurou walk up beside him.
"You tell him what would happen if Temari got hurt?"
"Yes."
"How'd he take it?"
"He ran and hid behind her."
Kankurou snickered and locked his gaze on the Uchiha in the wagon.
"He's going to be trouble you know. We shouldn't have turned him over to Konoha custody."
Gaara let out a deep breath and nodded.
"I know. But he is their rogue ninja, not ours. His fate is in their hands. I just hope to Kami that they do the right thing."
Kankurou watched as the group began to move out across the desert at a brisk pace, Lee pulling the wagon containing the prisoner.
"So do I."
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There had only been one incident on the trip back and Tsunade was grateful that Kami had answered her prayers of as few problems as possible. As the gates of Konoha came into view and the chuunins ran about to make everything presentable for her and her distinguished guests, she thought back to that first night they had stopped.
With Lee pulling the wagon containing Sasuke they had made good time on their way back. They stopped in a small clearing just off the road and set up a perimeter. Team Ten would be on guard duty the first night and the other teams would rotate until they reached home. Sasuke required at least two people to watch him at all times and Lee and Neji had volunteered the first night.
Tsunade had been happy throughout the evening. Naruto was being pleasant and wasn't sulking about going back home. Her smile slipped a little when she remembered that he didn't consider Konoha his home anymore, but it came back when he called her Baa-chan and she gave a halfhearted swipe at him. As long as he was smiling, she was fine.
Jiraiya sat beside her and they watched the boys play a round of poker. She itched to play, but decided against it. She really didn't want to put her infamous bad luck up against Naruto's ungodly good luck. She and Jiraiya opted instead to chuckle as one by one the rest were cleaned out by a hapless Naruto while Temari cheered him on.
She was thankful to Hinata for the girl's excellent cooking, having been dreading the usual camp fare. Hinata didn't have much to work with but the things she could do with a little rice, vegetables, and meat was wondorous. She watched as TenTen cautiously fed Sasuke while Lee and Neji stood at his side, glaring down at the boy. When the Uchiha was done, TenTen scuttled away and back to more comfortable ground with the rest of the group.
Temari was chatting with Hinata that she simply had to let Naruto cook for her and Hinata nodded happily. She informed Temari that they would be staying with her so they could see what she had done with Naruto's parents' house. This exclamation delighted Temari since she had always wanted to know more about his parents.
The camp hushed for a moment when Lee and Neji strapped metal cuffs to both theirs and Sasuke's wrists and stretched a chain between the cuffs so that Lee had Sasuke's right wrist bound to his left and Neji had his right wrist bound to Sasuke's left. Neji turned to the group and frowned.
"We're taking him to relieve himself. We'll return shortly."
Tsunade nodded and Neji nodded back before the veins around his eyes bulged and he led the way off into the bushes. Tsunade quietly made her way to Shino and put her hand on his shoulder. Shino did not turn around, but she caught the quirk of his eyebrow.
"Follow them. Make sure he doesn't try anything. If he begins to try to mold chakra, have your bugs drain him."
Shino nodded slightly and walked off into the shadows, disappearing quickly. Tsunade walked back to where Jiraiya was listening to Naruto and Iruka swap class stories and sat down beside him. The old hermit didn't look at her, instead speaking out the side of his mouth.
"You sent Shino?"
"Yes. He is the most suited for this. He is ruthless and won't hesitate to take the Uchiha down if he tries anything."
Jiraiya nodded and smiled.
"Let's hope he tries something then."
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Neji had led them nearly a quarter mile from camp and halted suddenly, Sasuke nearly bumping into him. They had refused to take the seals off his eyes, instead letting him stumble over the roots and potholes in the ground. With his Byakugan active, Neji had noticed Shino as soon as he appeared behind them but had said nothing, opting instead to keep walking as if nothing was awry.
He kept his eyes on Sasuke as he and Lee stood just a little off to the side. He cursed his all seeing eyes as the Uchiha unzipped his pants and began to relieve himself, but kept on target. His eyes widened when he saw the subtle flip as Sasuke began to make the signs for a Katon jutsu and he ran to the left calling out to Lee as he did.
"Lee! Run right!"
Lee grit his teeth and took off to the right. He didn't get far before the chain snapped him back around and he heard a loud popping noise followed by a scream.
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The party fell to a hush when the scream was heard and remained silent for several minutes. Shino emerged from the forest behind Tsunade and whispered in her ear. She nodded and it wasn't soon after that Neji and Lee appeared, dragging a screaming Sasuke behind them.
Tsunade looked over to Ino and thrust her head in the Uchiha's direction.
"See why he's screaming and fix it."
Ino nodded her head and walked over to where Sasuke lay groaning, leaning down next to him. She looked up at Lee and Neji, who stood stonyfaced.
"What happened?"
Lee was unapologetic in his response.
"He tried to perform a jutsu and I jerked his arm out of socket."
"Oh. Is that all? We can fix that no problem. Hold him."
Lee held Sasuke and braced himself while Ino grabbed his dislocated arm.
"All right, on the count of three. One…two…"
With a wrench, Ino put the arm back in place and winced when Sasuke screamed again. Once the pain dulled, he began to curse and yell. Ino moved away from him as Neji stepped forward again and hit a pressure point, knocking the boy out.
"I remember now why I didn't like him. It was his mouth and attitude. He reminds me of me years ago…except without the foul mouth."
A chuckle went through the camp and they tied Sasuke back to the post in the wagon. Tsunade closed her eyes and barely caught the whisper of Naruto as he leaned toward Temari.
"We should have killed him in Suna. I'm sorry I didn't stay awake to finish the job."
That had been quite a night but there were no more incidents of note the rest of the trip. When Sasuke woke up he was given food and drink and Neji promptly knocked him out again. It wasn't healthy but Tsunade didn't really care about her prisoner's health at the moment.
She sighed as she approached the gate and saw the council ready to greet her. She had hoped that they would be able to sneak in unseen but that was apparently a pipe dream now. Turning her head slightly to see if Naruto had noticed, she winced at the overly noticeable frown marring both his and Temari's features. This could be ugly.
The party stopped outside the gates and the council stepped forward with Koharu and Homura at the head. The two were showing their age now very clearly. Koharu had more wrinkles and her jowls now looked like a bulldog's and Homura leaned heavily on a cane. They smiled at Tsunade and bowed as low as they could.
"Hokage-sama, welcome back. We hope your trip was eventful."
Tsunade followed decorum and bowed back before she spoke.
"More than you can imagine. Uzumaki Naruto returned with us to speak with the council and we brought back one of our missing nin that we picked up in Suna."
Koharu gasped and took a step forward.
"Which one did you return?"
Tsunade called out over her shoulder.
"Lee! Remove the bag."
Lee swiftly pulled the black hood from Sasuke's head and the crowd gasped when they saw the young Uchiha. A murmur went through the crowd and Tsunade frowned. Sasuke's return was not supposed to overshadow Naruto's and she turned to find his face like stone. It was nearly impossible to read him but she could tell that he did not enjoy being ignored, as was evidenced by his walking through the gate with his arm laced in Temari's. Tsunade watched him walk and called out.
"Naruto, where are you going?"
He stopped for a moment and turned his head.
"I'm going to my safe haven when I was a child."
Homura coughed into his hand and tapped his cane on the ground.
"Namikaze-san…"
Naruto rounded on him and was in front of him in a second.
"Never say that name to me. You idiots took that name from me. My name is Uzumaki."
Homura frowned and leaned on his cane.
"Fine. Uzumaki-san then. We require your presence in the council room. Now."
Naruto turned his back on the older man and took Temari's arm again.
"I am not at the beck and call of this council. I am a Sunagakure ninja, my girlfriend and I have been on the road for days, and we are going to relax. You can call on us at a later date."
Homura tapped his cane on the ground again and a few chuunin stepped in front of Naruto with apologetic looks on their faces. One he did not recognize took a defensive stance and bowed his head.
"Uzumaki-san, please don't make us do this."
"THAT IS ENOUGH!"
The assembled ninjas turned to the voice to find an enraged Tsunade with an unamused group of ninjas behind her. The Hokage raised her hand and a group of ANBU landed beside her.
"Homura, we will have this meeting when I am ready. I am tired, as are my companions. The council is at my beck and call, not yours. I've let all of you have more say so than I should have for too long. ANBU, escort the Uchiha to the lowest levels of the dungeon and let no one in to see him that does not have the right authorization."
She smiled at Naruto and Temari and waved them on.
"You two enjoy yourselves. I'll send for you when I've arranged the meeting. Naruto, Temari, remember you'll be staying at the Namikaze mansion with Hinata. I'm sure you remember how to get there."
Naruto nodded and grinned at her before dragging Temari off. Tsunade turned around and waved the Konoha ninja away before facing the council with a frown.
"The rest of you are dismissed. I want to see the council in my office in an hour. We need to discuss your boundaries apparently."
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The two hadn't been walking very long when Sanzoku yawned and uncurled himself from Naruto's shoulders and hopped to the ground.
I'll just go catch a ride with Hinata-san to her house. I'll meet you all there.
Naruto nodded distractedly and Sanzoku leapt to Temari's shoulders, speaking in a hushed voice.
Watch him carefully. Make sure no one starts anything. We can't afford an incident here.
Temari nodded and watched as the red panda waddled off down a side street, before she heard the laughter of children and he came streaking back out and down another, with a gang of kids behind him. She laughed and let Naruto drag her off.
Temari watched Naruto carefully as they walked the streets to wherever they were going. It was eerie how the people treated him. In Suna, they could walk the streets and no one would bow or wave, even though they knew who they were. In Suna, Naruto and Temari were just a normal couple outside of missions and wanted to be treated like everyone else. The people of Suna respected that and even appreciated it. After all, no one likes a snob.
But the people of Konoha were treating Naruto like he was royalty and it was bothering him. She could tell because of the tightening of his arm around hers and the scowl that was ever deepening on his face. The only time he lightened up was when a young child came forward. He would smile and say a few kind words and send the child on its way. She asked him why he did that with children and he gave her a sad smile.
"Children should not pay for the sins of their parents."
She almost tackled him to the ground and kissed him right there. It was how he treated all children, anywhere and everywhere. It wasn't right to demonize a child because of something their parents did. It wasn't the kid's fault if their parents were bad people, it wasn't their fault if their parents did bad things, and it wasn't their blame to take if the parents wronged society.
That's what Suna had done to Gaara. That's what Konoha had done to Naruto. And neither would ever truly forgive their home village totally.
"Naruto, where are we going?"
He smiled at her and pulled her a little closer.
"We're going to my special place, a place I used to go when the weight of the world got too much for me."
"Let's get there quick then. These people are starting to creep me out."
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"It's beautiful. I can see why you came up here."
Naruto sighed and flopped down crosslegged on the ground, pulling Temari down into his lap as he wrapped his arms around her waist. The view of Konoha was dazzling as sunset washed over the village and gave the horizon and pink and purple glow. He rested his chin on her shoulder and sighed.
"The view isn't why I came up here. It was to talk to them."
"Them?"
"The Hokages."
Temari's mouth formed an 'o' and she nodded her head before sadly turning back to the front. Naruto smiled and kissed her neck, gaining a groan of contentment from her.
"You have to understand Temari-chan, I didn't have anyone for the first twelve years of my life. Even Gaara was never truly alone. Even if he hated everyone, he still had you guys. All I had were the Ichirakus, the Sandaime, and the Hokage monument."
She said nothing, just listening to him. Naruto never really talked much about his past and she couldn't blame him. But this would be good for both of them. She could support him and he could get things off his chest. When he squeezed her tighter, she laid her head on his shoulder.
"I would come up here and talk to the Hokages of the past about my troubles. I wouldn't get an answer, but every now and then, when I was really troubled, a warm wind would kick up and envelop me, almost like a hug. JiJi told me it was the past Hokages giving me comfort and I desperately believed that."
"It was almost like they could feel my pain. And I loved to come here when it rained and cry because no one could hear me…and the rain cascaded off the Hokage monument and it looked like they were crying with me. Especially my father…"
Temari nuzzled into him a bit more, extremely saddened by what he was telling her. His story was so similar to Gaara's…and yet so totally different.
"You have to understand that no one tried to kill me like they did Gaara. That would have meant that I was worthy of their attention. They ignored me instead. If I fell down when I was little and cried, they just walked around me. If I needed help in school, no one would teach me. If I was hungry, no one would sell food to me, except for the Ichirakus. That's why I grew to love ramen so much. It was a comfort to me."
He smiled and looked over the monument in the direction of his favorite restaurant.
"I don't think my being the container for the Kyuubi was any bother to them. It was more the fact that I inhaled food and they needed the money. If I didn't have enough to pay, they'd forward the bill to JiJi and he'd take care of it. To me, they were the nicest people in the world and it didn't matter who I was. They smiled at me."
Temari thought to herself that she would be sure to stop by and thank the Ichirakus for their kindness toward her boyfriend as a small smile graced her face.
"I know to most that JiJi didn't do much for me. But what little he did was a godsend. He gave me a roof over my head and clothing to wear. He made sure I didn't go hungry. And when he could, he stopped by to say hello. It wasn't much, but to me, who didn't know much kindness, it was heaven, those little short visits. All his attention was on me!"
Temari smiled as he stood both of them up and giggled when he brushed off the backside of her kimono. He was too considerate at times. Naruto eased an arm around her waist and walked them to the edge of the cliffs.
"But you know what Temari-chan? I wouldn't change my life at all. Not a thing."
She stared at him in disbelief and he pulled her around so that she was facing him.
"But…why?"
His answer was to lock his lips with hers and she melted into the kiss as their tongues danced around one another. A small tear escaped down her cheek and she wrapped her arms around him tighter. When they broke the kiss, she was flushed and panting slightly. He gave her a heartwarming smile and enveloped her in a hug.
"Because if I changed anything, I might not have met you Temari-chan. And then we wouldn't be together. You mean the world to me."
Temari's chest tightened and she leaned back so she could look into his eyes. The love for her that she found there was overwhelming and she buried her face in his chest.
"You're an idiot…but you're my idiot."
Naruto leaned her back and planted a kiss on her forehead before grinning and pulling her close again.
"Wanna try something fun I learned to do after I found out I was a wind type?"
Temari blinked and squeeked when his grip on her became ironclad. The grin on his face worried her.
"Naruto…what are you planning?"
His grin only widened as he kissed her again.
"Ever thought about flying Temari-chan?"
"What do you…"
Before she could finish what she was going to say, he flipped her into his arms bridal-style and crouched low, before leaping into the air. She felt the sensation of weightlessness as they reached his peak…and then the gutwrenching terror and thrill as they plummeted to earth.
"NARUTO! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING?"
His reply was to laugh heartily and she made a note in the back of her mind that if she lived through this, she was going to kill him. No, she couldn't kill him. Then who would bake delicious desserts for her? She'd break his legs instead.
The ground was coming up fast and Temari closed her eyes, dreading the inevitable. Her eyes opened to find them only a hundred feet from the ground and she squealed, shutting them tightly again. Only a couple more seconds…
When nearly ten seconds went by without the jarring feeling of Naruto landing on his feet or them splattering on the ground, she felt a soft breeze waft by her face and slowly opened her eyes once again. The ground was right below her, only three inches from her nose, while a cushion of air distorted her vision. She blinked and turned her head to find Naruto grinning like an idiot.
"Hee hee, gotcha!"
Her response was to pull her right arm back and slug him in the face as hard as she could, sending him flying away into the bushes and she landed hard on her stomach. With the adrenaline still running through her system and high on the thrill she stalked off into the bushes and found him quickly.
With a growl she leapt onto his stomach, straddling him as he lay on the ground and grabbed the collar of his shirt, hoisting him up so that they were nose to nose.
"You idiot! You unmitigated fool! What would have happened if you hadn't cast that jutsu at the last second?"
"But Tema…"
"Shut up! I swear I'd kill you if you weren't such a thrill to be around."
"What do…"
She silenced him by crashing her lips to his, the thrill of the ride she'd been on still coursing through her and making her need him at the moment. There was a growing heat in her belly as she attacked his lips.
Naruto was surprised at first but quickly gave in and allowed her to do as she wished. He slowly ran his hands up and down her sides, making her shiver with delight and then pressed her to him while his hands rested right above her round bottom.
Temari pulled back, panting, slightly disappointed that he refused to touch her in naughty places. She reached up to pull her kimono apart and was stopped by Naruto's hands. She gave him a pleading look and whined piteously.
"No Temari. Not here."
Tears came to her eyes. She needed release so badly it hurt.
"But I want it. I want it badly. I need it."
He wiped the tears away with his thumbs and drew her into a gentle kiss.
"Soon Temari-chan, soon. But not out in the woods."
She grabbed him by the collar again and shook him.
"Why not?"
He laughed and grabbed her hands, pulling her into a hug.
"Because I want our first time to be special."
She huffed and nuzzled into his chest, pouting the whole while.
"It would have been special. You'd be my first."
"And you'd be mine. Now let's go to where we'll be staying. I'll make you dinner and a cake."
She sniffed again and nodded as he helped her up. She noticed, however, that he did not say 'let's go home'. That brought a little happiness to her. He considered Suna home.
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Hinata was waiting for them as they walked through the door and greeted them cheerfully.
"Welcome home! I have dinner ready."
Naruto nodded but Temari caught the wince when Hinata said 'home'. She ignored it for the moment and looked around the room.
"This place is beautiful Hinata. What did you have to do to get it to look like this?"
"Just a little work. Everything you see was in the home already. The beautiful wooden wall panels, the hardwood floor, even the luxurious furniture. It was all here. I just had to do a little cleaning."
Temari nodded and grinned sheepishly when her stomach growled. Hinata giggled and motioned for them to follow her to the kitchen.
Naruto was surprised at the cleanliness of the place. It made him somewhat sad that this house that had belonged to him was in Konoha the whole time and he had never known of it until his final days. Hinata had done well in sprucing the place up.
Dinner was a simple affair. Hinata had insisted upon cooking and made a wonderful meal. Beef, chicken, fish, rice, and vegetables. Temari and Naruto had their fill and insisted on helping to clean up. When supper was finished and all the dishes put away, Hinata excused herself and said she was spending the night at the Hyuuga clanhouse. When asked why, she gave a small smile.
"I would imagine you two would like a little alone time. I'm sure you don't get much of it in Suna and I don't want to be a bother. I'll stay in the clan house until you leave."
The blondes started to protest but Hinata would hear none of it, insisting that she had to go. They watched as she walked away from the property and Naruto shut the door.
"Well, shall I show you around the house?"
Temari nodded her head and he led her down the hall. They stopped in the living room first and she admired the beauty of it, the simplicity and the elegance. The next stop was to look out the back door at the small training area and the rocks where the hotspring used to be. Hinata had told him that they simply had not had time to pipe any water into it yet, what with restoring the house itself, but that it was in the works.
The house was smaller than he remembered, but maybe that's because he was overwhelmed the first time he was there. His parents obviously had been frugal folks, not needing anything bigger than the small house. The bedrooms were all the same and they checked the vault to see if he had missed anything the last time. It was empty. Their final stop was the bathroom and Naruto admired the tile and the extra large tub when he heard the click of the door lock and turned to see Temari smiling at him sultrily.
"Why did you lock the door?"
"Because I'm going to take a bath…and you're taking one with me."
His throat tightened as she stepped toward him swinging her hips.
"But Temari-chan…"
"No. You stopped my fun earlier today. Now you're going to help wash me."
'And we'll see how long you can keep your hands off me when I'm presented to you.'
Naruto gulped and schucked his shirt, blushing as Temari turned around and looked over her shoulder.
"Undo my sash for me. I can't reach the bow."
With shaky hands he reached out and undid the bow slowly. Unbeknownst to him, Temari was trying to steady herself as well. Sure she was bold and she'd slept with him, but neither had seen the other totally nude before. She only hoped that she would be appealing to him. A gasp came from him as her kimono slid off her shoulders and to the floor, revealing her in all her glory. She subconsciously covered her breasts by crossing her arms when she heard him speak.
"You're beautiful."
She blushed and she just knew that her entire body was as red as a tomato. She slowly turned to face him and uncrossed her arms, trying to fight down her nervousness and get back some of her bravado.
"All right. You've seen me. Now drop your pants and help me prepare the bath."
Naruto didn't hear a word she said. He was too busy drinking in everything about the beauty in front of him. The soft patch of hair nestled between her legs, the way her breasts bounced slightly when she took a step, the roundness of her belly, the curve of her hips. His eyes wandered back up to her face and he blinked when he found her right in front of her. He blushed further when he felt the sensation of his pants sliding down his legs and his boxers following. Temari reached around and slapped him on the butt, making him jump slightly as she grinned.
"Get 'em off and help me make the bath. I'm not warning you again."
He nodded dumbly and followed the sight of her buttocks as she walked over to the tub and turned on the water before he walked to the cabinet and got out the soaps and some of Hinata's scented candles. He hoped this would appease her because he was nervous as hell.
Temari shook slightly as she ran the bathwater and it wasn't because of a chill in the air. She'd seen what he was packing and while he wasn't the biggest she'd ever heard of, he was no slouch either. She knew where this could lead to and she was hoping on that. After their makeout session earlier, she had had a dull fire in her belly all afternoon, like an itch that she couldn't scratch. She knew what she needed but she was nervous. What if she wasn't any good? What if he didn't like it? If she'd only known that the exact same thoughts were going through Naruto's head at the same time.
With the bathwater the right temperature, they climbed in and Naruto sat behind Temari as he washed her back. He could feel the tension rolling off both of them in waves and could feel her muscles tighten as he ran the washcloth over her bare back. He decided that maybe a massage would help both of them relax. He'd given her massages before and they seemed to relax both parties greatly. Without stopping his ministrations on her back, he reached around to the counter where he'd found a bottle of scented oil and popped the cap open with one hand.
Temari was trying to loosen herself up when she felt something cool land against her shoulders and the washcloth disappeared to be replaced by Naruto's bare hands. It took her a second to realize that he was massaging her and it felt really good. She rolled her head and sighed slightly, enjoying the familiar feeling.
"Naruto, what brought this on?"
"I just thought since we're both so nervous a massage might help us. It doesn't feel good?"
"No, it feels great. Mmmm, don't stop."
Temari leaned back into the feeling and felt herself begin to relax. Unfortunately, the more she relaxed, the more that heat in her belly came back until she couldn't help herself anymore. With halflidded eyes, she turned around in the tub and pressed herself against a surprised Naruto, smothering him with a kiss. The feeling of her nipples pressed against his chest and her warm tongue mashed against his was overloading his system.
In like fashion, Temari was having a bit of a problem herself. With the way she was leaned against him, his stiffness was rubbing against her bundle of nerves and every time she rocked, it sent shivers up her spine. She realized that if she didn't break the kiss soon, she was going to cum. With great reluctance she broke the kiss and the two faced each other, panting hard.
"Ok, my turn to wash your back. Turn around."
Naruto was glad to comply since he was close himself and it would help hide his throbbing member from Temari for the moment. When she began to scrub his back, he let out a sigh of relief and began to relax a little more. When he felt the cool globs of oil hit his shoulder he nearly melted as her talented fingers danced across his shoulders and upper back. He didn't feel her as she smirked and began to work her way down to his chest, so she could look over his shoulder.
Temari looked at his hardness with a sense of want and need. She couldn't remember wanting anything more in her life than she wanted Naruto at that moment. She rubbed her chest against his back a little harder and stifled a giggle when she felt him gasp and moan slightly. With a smile she crept further south and rubbed his stomach over his seal.
Naruto groaned when he felt her slender fingers rub the seal. It had always been a sensitive part of his body and he felt himself twitch as her hardened nipples pressed and rubbed along his back. If this kept up, they'd end up doing it for sure.His eyes snapped open when he felt those familiar digits wrap around his member and he looked to his right to see Temari's smirk.
"Temari-chan?"
"Shhh…you want this as much as I do. We've waited long enough to show each other our love."
"But are you sure about this?"
She captured his lips in a deep kiss and let go with a loud popping sound. She smiled when she felt him jerk a little in her hands and slowly slid up and down.
"I've never been more sure in all my life. Let's just have fun and relax."
She watched with fascination as he closed his eyes and moaned while she slid her hand up and down. She reached back and pulled the drain on the tub, letting the water out until it was just below his erection. Naruto didn't even notice when she slipped around in front of him, but he did notice when she licked the tip of his penis and his eyes sprang open as he looked down.
Temari looked up at him shyly but continued her pumping motion.
"I've…I've read about this in books and saw a movie once, so please…just try to enjoy and tell me if it feels good ok?"
Naruto was about to tell her that she didn't have to do that when Temari licked along the underside of his shaft before sliding her lips over the head and slowly slid downwards. Naruto grunted and fisted his hands in her hair, resisting the urge to thrust forward to get more of the wonderful feeling. Temari didn't have much talent but she made up for it in enthusiasm, licking and sucking all over him. It wasn't long before Naruto began to see spots in the corner of his vision and grabbed her hair a little more firmly.
"Temari-chan, I'm gonna…"
Her response was to grab onto his thighs and suck harder. Naruto grunted and spilled his seed into her mouth, breathing heavily as he looked down at Temari while she cleaned up any overspill.
"Temari-chan…"
Temari looked up as she stuck a finger in her mouth, cleaning up a little more when she found herself thrown back and landed in the water with a splash. She looked up over her stomach to find a redfaced Naruto between her legs.
"Now let me do you Temari-chan. Tell me if I'm doing it right ok?"
She was about to answer when he dove into her and her back arched up out of the water, her mouth open in a silent scream. It only took Naruto a few laps at her bundle of nerves before she came all over him, but he didn't know what had happened and kept going. The pressure that had been building up all day had compounded while she was sucking him and his insistent lapping sent her over the edge. She had no time to rest, however, as he continued licking and sucking and she began to tremble.
"Naruto…please…no more. I can't…"
He didn't hear her, too wrapped up in the heavenly scent and the fact that he was making her feel good. Temari writhed in blissful agony as more pressure built up in her loins as he nipped and sucked at her folds. With a few heavy, shaky pants, Temari screamed and grabbed his hair hard, shaking like a leaf in the wind.
Naruto had not been ready for the torrent that entered his mouth but gulped it down greedily anyway. It tasted distinctively of Temari and he could never get enough of her. He crawled up through her legs and held himself above her with his arms before kissing her deeply, the water making lapping noises against the side of the tub when they disturbed it.
Temari was caught off guard by the taste of her own juices, but relished the kiss nonetheless. There was only one more blockade and the two would be fullfledged lovers. She pushed Naruto away and smiled up at him.
"Let's go to the bedroom and continue this. I want to be comfortable when we make love."
Naruto nodded and drained the tub before helping an unsteady Temari to her feet and holding her while he toweled her off. She loved the feeling of the soft cloth against her now sensitive skin and squealed when he threw the towel aside and picked her up bridal-style.
They shared a passionate kiss, bumping into the walls on the way to the bedroom and collapsed onto the bed, still liplocked. Temari broke the kiss with a smacking sound and pushed him onto his back. He lay there confused as she straddled his waist.
"Temari-chan?"
She braced her hands against his stomach as she hovered over him. Her hands moved and glowed slightly before she placed them against her stomach and winced. She gave him a look of longing and spoke softly.
"I broke my hymen in training a long time ago, so we don't have to worry about that, but it's still supposed to hurt. I've read that the girl being on top gives her more control over the feeling so just lay there and let me get adjusted ok? You're pretty big so don't move."
He nodded and watched as she grabbed ahold of him with one hand and lowered herself gently. When she felt his head touch her lips she took a deep breath and began to sink. The splitting sensation was painful like they'd said and she bit her lip so hard she drew blood. She was thankful they'd done a little foreplay before hand as that had loosened her up quite a bit but it still wasn't enough. She gasped when a jolt of pain went through her and Naruto held her waist to keep her from going any lower.
"Does it hurt? Do you want to stop?"
"NO! I don't want to stop. The pain will go away. It's just there for the first few minutes. Just let me adjust slowly ok?"
He nodded and lay back again, wincing at the feeling of her tightness around him. He'd heard from Jiraiya that kunoichi especially have muscles that normal girls don't have and this was evidence of it. He heard her whimper as she slid lower still until he felt her skin come to rest on his, their hairs intermingling as she leaned over and kissed him again.
"It doesn't hurt so much now, but let me do all the work ok?"
Before he could reply she rose back off of him to the tip and then went back down, her pace ever increasing. After several moments of this, Naruto began to notice that her whimpers were replaced by pants of pleasure and her eyes were halflidded. He decided to be bold and when she came down he thrust upward. She squealed with delight and he sank back to the bed.
Temari looked down at him with lust filled eyes and growled.
"Again. Do it again."
He didn't need to be told twice and every time she came down he would go up. It wasn't long before they both were shaking with pleasure and Naruto sat up, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Temari-chan, I'm gonna cum!"
"Me too! Me too! Ooooohhh!"
They both released themselves at the same time and she slumped against him as he pulled the covers over them. They kissed again as she sleepily nuzzled her cheek against his chest.
"That felt so good Naruto. I've needed that for so long."
"It was good for me too Temari-chan. The best ever. You're my goddess."
She giggled and nestled up against him, yawning cutely.
"I'm not up for more right now flatterer, so you'll have to wait for tomorrow."
He chuckled and kissed the top of her head, holding her tight against him.
"Of course sweetie. Whatever you say."
"I love you Naruto."
"I love you too Temari."
They fell asleep in contentment, no longer just boyfriend and girlfriend but now lovers of a while new degree. Young love is such a precious thing and when two people who truly love one another make love, the feeling is multiplied and compounded that much more.
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Hinata had come into the house early the next morning and checked up on the lovebirds, wrinkling her nose at the smell and sighing as she saw the mess in the bathroom.
'I'm so glad I stayed at the clanhouse last night.'
She went about cleaning up the bathroom and then went downstairs to make breakfast.
Naruto woke up when he smelled bacon and looked down at the naked girl nestled into his side, smiling as he shook her awake.
"Temari, wake up. Hinata's cooking breakfast."
She sleepily wrapped her arms around him tighter and smiled in her sleep, speaking with a sleepy slur.
"If you want to try anal, we'll do it later. I don't have any lotion right now Naruto-kun."
He blushed and shook her harder, trying not to think about what her dream might be. She yawned and rubbed her eyes as she sat up. She stretched and he tried not to tackle her when her perky breasts bounced up and down.
"Mmmm, something smells good. Good morning honey."
"Morning to you too sweetie. Sleep well?"
"Best I've ever slept. Must've been the teddy bear I was hugging."
"I doubt that had anything to do with it. Come on and get dressed. Hinata's cooking breakfast."
"Can we get a quickie in?"
"No."
"You suck."
"Yeah, but you're better at it."
He barely dodged the pillow thrown at him.
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They got dressed quickly and padded to the kitchen where Hinata stood in an apron.
"Good morning you two. Did you sleep well?"
They nodded and she doled out a helping of oatmeal to them with bananas and nuts sprinkled in. The three chatted amicably until a knock was heard outside the door. Hinata answered it and took the letter from the messenger, closing the door behind her. She silently handed the letter to Naruto. He ripped it open and read quickly.
It was a summons to the council's chambers and he was to come immediately. He frowned and turned to Temari.
"What's it say?"
"It's a summons from the council. It says I am to come immediately and alone."
She frowned and he smiled at her.
"What? You didn't think I'd listen to them did you? You're coming with me."
She shot him a disbelieving glance and snatched the letter up, reading it quickly.
"But Naruto…it clearly states…"
"That I'm to come alone, yada yada yada. I'm not a Konoha ninja so I ain't doing jack squat they tell me to do. Now let's get decked out, full dress as ninjas of Sunagakure. We have a meeting to attend."
Temari smiled and nodded her head and Hinata watched as the two went back to prepare.
'Only back for a day and already causing trouble. It's like you never left Naruto-kun.'
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The council all looked up when the doors to their chamber were thrown open and two people walked in. They were quite a sight.
Temari was dressed in her finest black battle kimono, her headband around her neck, and her battle fan fastened securely in place. The scowl on her face screamed that she was not to be trifled with and several in the council room gulped at the fierce expression.
But it was the other blonde who intrigued them.
Naruto stood in the doorway in his beige pants and black button down shirt with a mesh, longsleeved undershirt on underneath. His black sandals had been shined to perfection and he was proudly wearing his Suna chuunin vest. His headband was tied to his right arm, while his hair hung limply. It was not his clothes that worried the council members though, it was the expression of pure disdain on his face that looked so out of place.
Perhaps they had made a mistake in calling him here. But it was too late for regrets.
Naruto and Temari strode to the spot before Tsunade and both bowed deeply. Tsunade smiled and nodded her head before turning to Homura.
"The floor is yours Homura-san. I hope you know what you're doing."
Homura frowned and stood up, leaning against his cane.
"Thank you Hokage-sama. Uzumaki Naruto. You were to come here alone."
Naruto frowned and stood with his back a little straighter.
"I brought a representative from Suna with me. She will listent to these proceedings and give me counsel if I need it."
"So you are saying you are incapable of independent thought?"
Naruto growled and fisted his hands.
"If this council would like to continue to have an audience with me, then it had best damn well watch its mouth! I didn't come to Konoha to be insulted. I have a class back home to teach and other duties that I must fulfill. I don't want to be here in the first place so say what you have to say and be done with it!"
Homura scowled and nodded his head. Tsunade had informed them ahead of time that they held no power over Naruto any longer and that if he so wanted, he could walk out of these proceedings. With a sigh and a nod, Temari was given a seat next to Naruto and all was quiet.
"Very well. Let this meeting come to order. The purpose here is to speak with Uzumaki Naruto about his status as a Konoha ninja and his duties as the son of a Hokage."
And there you have it. The longest chapter I've ever written for any of my stories. Let me know what you think and look for the next chapter of The Melt next. Have fun guys!