Yo...

There has been a little change in plans, the civil war arc that was supposed to end with this chapter, has been extended to 1 more chapter. That's all...

It's the end of the war, and the beginning of something much bigger. But before that, there are some fundamental aspects of this story whose time to develop has finally arrived.

Few of the questions related to the civil war arc are still left to be answered, hopefully they shall be explained in this chapter or in the upcoming arcs.

Enjoy the chapter...

Chapter 75

Confession

Mikasa stood all alone on the tall tower of the Blacklight base. The cool gusts of winds would occasionally flaunt her beautiful raven hair in the air, her eyes were currently fixed on the morning sun that was shining brightly in the sky.

Down in the training area, she could see many of her comrades talking with each other. They were laughing, joking...they looked so happy.

A small tear came in her eye as she looked at the picture that was resting in her hands, the picture of her with her two best friends. The only family she had in the world...

"I miss him too..." said a familiar voice,

She was just about to turn around in order to face the person, when two strong hands enwrapped her in a tight embrace as the warmth of the person's body calmed her troubled heart.

A soft, tender kiss on her cheek was enough to send tingling sensations through her chest...the mere touch of this person made her feel at home.

"The war's over..." said Naruto comfortingly, perhaps he was the only person in the world who understood Mikasa Ackerman.

Behind the mask of a tough, strong kunoichi was just a simple girl who craved to be loved. Something in which he had horribly failed, despite everything she had done for him.

"Naruto, I..." replied Mikasa but was silenced when he gently placed his finger on her lips.

"Let me speak, Mikasa. There are so many things I want to say to you, things that I could never say until now. Things that I was too scared to say and always kept on running from them..." said Naruto regretfully,

She slowly turned around and was now looking at him, and for the first time she saw a side of him which had vanished ever since the night of Shuri Castle. The night when he changed...

"I've been a terrible friend to you..." confessed Naruto,

"Don't say that..." said Mikasa quickly, while putting her hand on his cheek and caressing them affectionately.

"You have been good to me, guided me, fought for me, risked your life for me. And I am deeply grateful for everything that you have done for me, there is not a single thing that I wouldn't do to keep you safe and happy" said Naruto gratefully, making her smile a little.

"You have been there for me too..." replied Mikasa in a comforting voice, but he shook his head.

"No, I haven't. People think that I am invincible, that I am the savior who can protect them from everything. That I am the unbreakable shield that stands between them and the dark forces...but the truth is I'm weak. Despite being a ninja, despite being a Blacklight, I could never bear the pain of losing people I love, I still suffer from this pain everyday" said Naruto honestly,

"We're human, Naruto. The feelings of your heart are what separates you from people like Madara, despite the things you had to do...you're still a good person" explained Mikasa patiently, as he looked at her hesitantly.

"When we lost Armin, my entire world was shaken. You're the only one who understands what he was to me, he was like my real brother. A hero I looked up to, a person whom I promised to protect with my life...and when I failed, it destroyed me. I started hating myself, and started distancing myself from everything and everyone that could remind me of Armin..." said Naruto truthfully, and Mikasa started to understand the reason behind the changes in him.

"And I was one of them...wasn't I?" questioned Mikasa in a knowing manner,

"Yes, the more I looked at you...the more I couldn't forgive myself. Everyone kept saying Armin's death was not my fault, and it was not what I wanted to hear. I wanted someone to blame me, curse me, hurt me...just do something that could make me forget and destroy the hole in my heart" said Naruto in detail, as Mikasa understood who Naruto was referring to.

"Rangiku was that person..." said Mikasa in realization, getting a hesitant nod from Naruto.

"She was exactly what I needed to escape from reality. To escape from the pain in my heart, and as time passed I got to know her better, understood her better and before I knew it I was in love with her..." confessed Naruto, as a defeated look appeared in Mikasa's eye.

"So, it's true..." said Mikasa sadly,

For moments none of them said another word, Mikasa had averted her eyes from him and had clenched her fists tightly. Until...

"But I never stopped loving you..."

A look of surprise and shock came on Mikasa's face as she lifted her head and looked him in the eye. But the only thing she could see was...

The Truth

"It's true, and I know it sounds absurd after what I said about Rangiku...but the truth is I could never forget about you even when I was loving her, deep down in my heart the feelings which I have for you are real. Mikasa Ackerman, I truly love you with all my heart...every moment I spent with you was real for me. I truly started living my own life the day I met you, I got so messed up with the war and everything else that I failed to understand what you were to me...and I'm sorry for that" said Naruto affectionately, as tears started to form in her eyes.

"Why didn't you say this before? All this time, I thought that you didn't need me anymore, that I-"

"I'm truly sorry, Mikasa"

Those simple words combined with the regret in his voice was enough to stop her from firing questions to him. Instead she just let go, and rested her head on his chest. Kami, she hadn't even realized he was taller than her now...albeit a little.

As she silently laid her head on his chest, Naruto embraced her in a warm hug while deciding to unveil how he truly felt about her...

"I still remember the day we kissed each other. That was so..." said Naruto in a dreamy voice, making her blush a little.

"Intense?" asked Mikasa albeit a little shyly, making him smile.

"It was electrifying. It was one of the best things that ever occurred to me...something which shall always make me happy for every single day of my life." confessed Naruto happily, while she tightened her embrace.

Both of them just continued to enjoy the sweet moment, it was a dream come true for Mikasa. After all these years, and despite the twisted situation they were in she at least got to know that he loved her.

But...

"Naruto, I love you too. You don't know how much you mean to me...when you died, I almost lost the will to live. And now after everything that has happened- the war, the pain...I'm just tired..." said Mikasa honestly,

"I understand..." said Naruto patiently, as she shook her head.

"No, you don't. We don't know what our future is, how can we even make this love triangle work is something which my heart is still trying to accept, and I'll have an answer one day. But if there is one thing that I have learned from my past mistakes, is to never let your present be destroyed in the hopes of a better future. Nor should I hide what I truly desire..." explained Mikasa aggressively, and almost came near to Naruto's lips with her hot breath hitting his face making him feel something exciting...

"What do you really want, Mikasa?" asked Naruto honestly,

"You"

He answered by taking her into his arms, realizing then that a part of him did want this - had wanted it ever since that fateful day in the Valley of Hell. One hand held her close at the small of her back, while the other glided upward across the smooth curve of her spine and up, working its fingers into her dark raven hair. Naruto cradled her head to the side of his neck and felt warm tears moistening his skin as she returned the embrace, her arms wrapping tightly around his chest. "Thank you," she said in a muffled voice, quieting to nuzzle her lips against the hollow of his collarbone

Mikasa broke the sweet embrace only enough to kiss him, first gently and lingeringly, almost tentatively, and then more insistently, her lips parting to allow her tongue to coax his to meet it. Complying, he deepened the kiss, the hand in her hair holding her tightly to him as he stole the breath from her lungs

For a second they stopped kissing and looked each other straight in the eye...

"I want this..." requested Mikasa, as a conflicted look came on Naruto's face.

"You don't owe me anything, Mikasa" said Naruto comfortingly, while stroking a small lock of her hair that was shadowing her beautiful face.

"Please, Naruto. I don't care about the future...but right now this means everything to me" insisted Mikasa,

For the first time in years, she had asked something from him. In a way, she was right because none of them knew what the future had in store for them. Hell, he had already received two marriage proposals from the Uchiha and Yamanaka clans and he had no idea how to face such a big problem without disappointing any of those clans.

Minato had already started the process of making him the new clan head, saying he had "Step up to his new responsibilities".

So, even going home was not easy. With Madara out there, anything could happen any moment...and after what happened in that ambush, watching her die...

He didn't have the strength to go through something like that again, and he would be lying if he said that he was not in love with her. After the ambush, he had promised to say the truth to Mikasa and Rangiku, and not play with their feelings anymore. And after this, he would say the same truth to Rangiku before...

Letting them go...

He truly wished that this was not the choice, but it was the only one he had left. He couldn't play with their feelings anymore, or lie to them and even to himself. Naruto knew deep down that he could not choose between Mikasa and Rangiku. Both of them were important part of his soul that had saved him from falling into the abyss of darkness. Choosing between them would mean separating his heart into two pieces and only keeping one with himself.

And even if he did such a thing, neither him or the girl he chose would ever be truly happy, because his heart would also keep on beating for the one that he didn't choose and that would be unfair to all 3 of them. So he had to let them go...

It was quite ironic, he had achieved, respect, fame, power, status, money, strength...but he just couldn't get the most important thing in life.

Love

And that was the destiny of Naruto Namikaze, one which he had to follow...

But right now...

"Hang on" advised Naruto, and Mikasa smiled when he lifted her in his arms.

(Barracks: Lemon Warning)

Naruto and Mikasa teleported inside the small room, while continuing to kiss each other until Mikasa roughly removed his Blacklight T-shirt and taking the hint Naruto removed his pants and boxers before removing her Blacklight uniform leaving her completely naked.

He couldn't hold back any more and passionately kissed her on the lips.

She gasped for air, pushing him away briefly to pull the face mask that was hanging around his neck, letting it join its companions on the floor, so that nothing remained between her skin and his. Her hands explored the contours of his front, fingers splayed wide as they moved slowly down, from his collarbone, to mid-chest, and then to the slim muscles of his torso, as if wanting to commit to memory each ridge and line of him. Looking intently into his dark black eyes, her own a hot and sultry blue, Mikasa let her hands wander lower, gently stroking the hardening length of his shaft. He moaned, and she hungrily kissed his opened mouth.

Naruto pulled her closer with the hand at the small of her back while his right knee parted her legs, causing the hot wetness of her sex to press against the top of his thigh. Moaning into his mouth at the feeling, Mikasa slowly began to grind her hips on his leg, leaving her arousal wet on his skin. Naruto let his right hand drop from the nape of her neck, caressing the line of her back, to her flank, then upward to fondle her breast, his finger and thumb kneading an already hard, pink nipple.

"Naruto," she said insistently, breaking off the passionate kiss to stare into his dark colored eyes. He could hear the desire in her voice – see the wanton lust in her gaze – as she pressed against him, her hips never ceasing that slow gyration. He understood, and it was a struggle to walk with her to the bed, neither he nor she wanting to end the erotic crush of his body to hers.

When his shin hit the edge of the bed, Naruto let his hands slip to her hips, pushing her slightly away. "Lie down." She complied, if slowly, her head resting against the lush pillows near the headboard and her legs drawing up, turned shyly to one side. He didn't follow her immediately, instead waiting a moment to take in the sight of her – her pale skin, flushed with a tinge of red at the cheeks and upper chest, the curves of her breasts, rising and falling with each quick breath, and the lines of her legs as she shifted them nervously, her toes curving downward.

"Don't look at me like that," she said in a tone of abashed consternation, her eyes breaking off from his, cheeks reddening further. Naruto let out a soft laugh, moving now to join her on the bed. Once he had settled down, he propped up his head with one elbow, those dark black eyes regarding her as he lay on his side. She still hadn't turned back to look at him.

"I can't help but stare," he confessed with a soft murmur. "You're beautiful, Mikasa." His words only seemed to unsettle her further, and she crossed her arms, covering her breasts. Gently, he took hold of her wrist, bringing the palm of her hand to rest against his chest, letting her feel the quick, rhythmic beating of his heart. "I'm nervous, too." That admission prompted her at last to turn back to him, her blue eyes flickering with slight uncertainty. Naruto let go of her hand, but she held it still at his chest. His own reached slowly toward her cheek, tucking back a loose lock of raven hair that had fallen across her face.

Moving from his chest, Mikasa's fingers glided upward, slipping behind his neck to run through his thick, blonde hair. She let her body relax, her shoulders now lying even with the top of the bed. Naruto took her invitation, shifting himself to hover over her, his body propped up with one elbow to her right, and a knee between the two of hers. Tilting up her chin with his free hand, he bestowed a gentle kiss on her lips, reveling in their soft, liquid warmth. Though she trembled, slowly, that hesitance faded, the hand in his hair pulling him harder to her opened mouth. He cupped her breast, the flesh at the same time firm, yet yielding, and she gasped when his fingers found her nipple.

Naruto ended the kiss, the cast of his gaze hungry. Relishing the taste of her, he moved downward, to her neck and collarbone, his lips and tongue hot and wet, teeth nipping playfully at her skin. The crimson flush of her body seemed to deepen as he traveled lower, his tongue now licking the valley between her breasts. What his lips and teeth did to one nipple, his fingers did to the other, twisting and tweaking, Mikasa responding with hot, breathy moans. Judging by her sharp gasps, she especially seemed to like it when he took the hard nipple between his upper teeth and tongue, tugging and sucking wetly.

Lingering to tease the skin of her stomach, by her navel, Naruto's dark eyes studied her reactions, his ears listening intently to the sounds of her arousal. It was something he had learned in his spare time reading "Icha Icha" novels, this attention to one's partner – to the quickness of her breathing, to the blush of her skin, to the sensitivity of her body as he touched her. He could tell that she was nearly ready to accept him, but there was no need to rush. He wanted her to enjoy it, fully. He trailed kisses downward. "Mikasa," he murmured, looking up the contours of her to meet her eyes, "spread your legs."

Slowly she complied, blushing hotly and looking away. He shifted a bit, resting now on both elbows, one arm cradling her upper leg while the hand of the other stroked her inner thighs. Her sex was swollen red with arousal, already glistening, and she gasped when he slid a finger along its outer lips. She was very, very sensitive. Naruto stretched his neck forward, letting his nose nuzzle the soft flawless skin of her womanhood, while his breath fell hot and steady along her skin.

The sharp, indrawn breath she gave as he spread her outer lips was replaced with a long shudder of pleasure when he began to lick her soft, pink insides, feeling like hot, wet velvet against his tongue. He relished the taste of her – clean and subtle, slightly sour with just a hint of salt. Her entire body tightened when he took her clit into his mouth, her hand fixing almost painfully in his hair, remaining there for the duration of her climax. It surprised him – he had barely touched her, and she had already had her first release. Her grip in his hair loosened as she began to breathe again, and Naruto continued to lick and suck and nibble, her hips trembling with every movement of his tongue and teeth.

He was again surprised when he slid a finger inside her, gently at first. Naruto had thought she would be a virgin. He asked her as much, trying to keep the thread of jealousy out of his voice. "I am, but it... well... broke," she mumbled, biting her lower lip and blushing hotly, "...it was during training in the Valley of Hell." He nodded, the jealousy cooling a bit, as he returned to his work, moving the finger slowly inside her. Mikasa tried to bite back her moans, but her hips betrayed her rising desire, rocking to meet his hand with every in stroke.

Unable to wait any longer, her hands cupped the sides of his face, tilting his head up to look at her. "Naruto," she begged, the hot need clear in her voice and in her eyes, her lower lip trembling. He gave her one last, long kiss, his tongue invading the depths where his finger had been, causing her to shudder once more. Then he moved up the bed, sliding along her body, until his eyes looked down into hers. "I want you..." she said breathily, her unseen hand stroking the length of his throbbing erection. "Please…." The hand positioned the tip of him at her entrance, coating it with the oils of her arousal.

He kissed her when he entered her, drawing her gasp of breath into his own lungs. She felt exquisite, warm and wet, like a hot satin glove that pulsed rhythmically around him, coaxing him deeper inside her. Her legs wrapped about him, ankles locking, burying the length of him within her. Mikasa's blue eyes were wide as they stared upward into violet. He toyed with her lower lip, tugging it between his teeth. "Are you ready…?" he asked, kissing the corner of her mouth. She didn't reply in words, preferring instead to moan again as she ground her hips, as though trying to have him deeper inside her.

Slowly, he began to move, his hips backing out until only the tip of him remained in her, then sinking forward again, eliciting a sultry moan with each movement. As sensitive as she was, it wasn't long before she reached her climax, Mikasa not quite managing to stifle a sharp scream of pleasure. He gave her only a few moments to recover before beginning again, his member slicked with her juices, her hips now actively meeting his with each thrust.

Leaning down, Naruto kissed her neck, his movements falling into a quick, steady rhythm, one that pushed her over the edge time and time again. He gave her no respite, now, and nor did she seem to need it, as excited as she was. Her hands moved across his back, fingernails digging in sharply, dragging down in red streaks. "Naruto," she said in a hot murmur into his ear, "you can be… rougher… with me, if you want… I won't break..." she let her voice trail off. He bit her neck, causing her to breathe sharply, then licked the welt.

"All right," he replied, lifting his head up to look into her eyes. They were hot with lust, and Naruto watched intently as her tongue slipped out to moisten her lips. He sat up to kneel, his arms hooking her legs behind the knee, lifting her so that her buttocks were now off of the bed. And then he thrust with his hips and thighs, carrying enough momentum such that each time he invaded her again, her womanhood rammed hard against his, in a pendulous connection. Her screams of pleasure were loud and piercing, almost bestial.

To Mikasa, it was rapture. The waves of feeling seemed never ending, radiating throughout the entirety of her body whenever she climaxed, pulsing from her sex, down her legs, to her curled toes, then up again, gaining strength as they resonated within her. Drawn breaths came ragged and erratic, as if she had to struggle to breathe, so overwhelming were the sensations coursing through her. She had lost all track of time – it could have been minutes, or hours; there was just no way for her to tell.

Vaguely she realized that Naruto was shifting positions, laying her down on her side, now, and forcing her to draw up one leg. His forearm pressed up against the back of her lower thigh, just behind her knee, making sure that she couldn't straighten it. She did forget to breathe when he pushed the length of him inside her – she was thoroughly convinced now that he would split her open. The thought only made her climax that much harder. It was useless, now, to try to contain her screams – they tore through the air, unabashed in the raw, erotic pleasure that he gave her, his manhood strong and unyielding. Her hand squeezed his forearm, anchoring her to this world as the sensations threatened to drive her mad with bliss.

Naruto struggled to keep control as she jerked beneath him, shuddering, her fingers tight around his arm. He knew he couldn't last much longer. He withdrew, Mikasa letting slip a soft cry of disappointment, but soon he had her how he wanted her, laying down on her stomach, her legs together between his. Sitting back on her upper thighs, he let the slick shaft of his manhood move in the crevice of her buttocks as his hands kneaded the firm flesh. She had a very nice behind. Looking at him over her shoulder, she moaned, eyes glazed in ecstasy. "Please…." He complied, angling the tip downward and parting her silken folds once more. Gripping her cheeks tightly, he thrust, hard, the angle of this position drawing muffled screams from Mikasa as she buried her head in the pillows. Her legs kicked and jerked, her heels hitting his back as he pumped ruthlessly in and out of her, loving the feel of her firm buttocks against the front of his hips.

He was close, he knew. Pausing while still buried inside her, Naruto lowered his body down to rest on top of the back of hers. MIkasa turned her head, trying to look back at him, but he licked her earlobe, whispering softly. "Are you ready...?" She bit her lip, nodding.

Mikasa had never known that something could feel so good. When he had begun to move again, his chest flat atop her back, she had felt his hand slip beneath her, to her belly, then lower, his fingers seeking the hardened nub of her clit. He rubbed it mercilessly as he pounded her from behind, and to her, it felt like one continuous stream of climaxes, each orgasm stronger than the one that preceded it, until he finally let out a long moan, thrusting hard and deep inside her, staying lodged there as his essence erupted inside her belly. Feeling his satisfaction finally mixing with hers, she was pushed off of the edge of summit to which all her pleasure had been mounting, driving her mad with the enormity of that ecstasy. The scream was long and desperate, the release urgent and undeniable. Long after it had subsided, she still could not catch her breath, each gasp jarred by waves of pulsing, lingering pleasure.

When she had finally regained her senses, Mikasa realized that she lay on her side, Naruto close behind, she nestled into the curve of his body. She squeezed his arms, wrapped tight around her, and he nuzzled her hair in response. Taking a few deep breaths, Mikasa tried to steady her voice before working up the nerve to speak. "Naruto," she said hesitantly, still not turning to glance at him, "can I ask you something selfish?" He murmured a wordless assent, his lips lightly kissing the top of her shoulder.

Mikasa turned in his embrace, her face close to his. She looked into his dark black eyes, losing herself in his gaze. The words were soft, and shy, but she managed not to look away. "…Will you tell me that you love me once again?" She bit her lip. "Even if you've said it earlier…" she trailed off, looking down for a time before meeting his eyes once more, "…a girl likes to hear it."

Naruto stared at her for a moment, seeing the fragility in those eyes of so striking a blue. "I love you, Mikasa," he murmured at last, and she smiled, moving forward to kiss him. He met her halfway in that kiss, and in that instant, he knew that it had not been a lie.

"Thank you," she whispered contentedly, snuggling closer against him. He embraced her tighter, tucking her head into the curve of his throat, under his chin. Listening to her breathing become slow and even, he knew that she had succumbed to satisfied exhaustion. Closing his eyes, he tried to do the same, and soon enough, sleep had taken him.

Author's Notes: End of chapter.

So, the truth has finally come out. I hope now you realize why Mikasa dying in that ambush was so important, it was a wake up call for both of them...specially Naruto. As explained in this chapter, he had legitimate reasons for behaving the way he did...and after that one thing led to another, until he found Rangiku.

But Mikasa was always his first love, it is something which even he can't change...

She was his first friend, first crush, first kiss, and now...

The other 2 heroines are also equally important and will have their moments too, but it doesn't change the special connection which Naruto and Mikasa have between them. The other 2 pairings also have their own unique connection, and it will be revealed when the moment is right.

I also hope you enjoyed the lemon, and I had a lot of help in writing it. It probably is my best lemon until now in any of my stories...it also was not about sex, it was about the feelings which both of them had been ignoring till now.

This chapter also had some other elements that have taken place, like Naruto being made the new clan head and already receiving 2 marriage proposals.

He's already 15 and will be 16 soon, as such Minato has to make him ready to take up the responsibilities of his clan. There are many other things waiting for him back in Konoha...

And now that the love triangle has got a little complicated, things will sure get interesting. I wonder what will happen when Kushina steps in...

I know few of you don't like this Harem prospect, but it's just the way it is. I know Naruto's character better than any of you, and have to do what's best for him and this story. So I'd appreciate if you would stop bitching about the Harem, either accept it or leave it. The Harem had been announced since chapter 38, and we're almost nearing chapter 76...so I have given you enough time to make your choice. Sorry if it sounds harsh, but I'm tired of few people complaining about Harem.

So, basically this was a full chapter for NaruMika...and I agree it was long coming. The other 2 will have their own chapters in time, so for now hope all NaruMika fans loved this chapter.

Let me know your thoughts about this chapter...

Next chapter: Heroes of Konoha

Until Next Time,

Blackwolf501