A/N: So School just started up and it's been hell. I didn't think it I would be this busy but I do now have AP classes as well as an OnRamps class which is like taking high school and college at the same time. Not to mention National Honors society and community service. Plus piano class. It's been a lot so if I drop off the face of the earth I haven't abandon the story just don't got time... but anyways! Enjoy
Naruto laughed a little at Sasuke's and Kiba's fake gasps that were just a little to slow coming to be real. They were both so funny when they were trying to pretend they didn't now him. Naruto looked at the rest of his court with much clearer eyes now. That sheet tended to block his vision a little. Naruto to in all their face and stored every detail into his memory.
He decided that this time around he would be a little more involved with his court. After regretting not being truly connected to his last one until the end he made a vow to himself not to make the same mistake. He would talk more with them. Share more and involve them in his daily routines. And he would start be telling and showing them all today what it be like to be his court.
Usually he would just let the king spout his nonsense about how important it was and they had a duty to do blah blah blah. It was usually a long and drawn out speech. But this time Naruto would make it less about duty and more about being friends. Which honestly might be hard for some of them.
The others looked on the Kitsune with nothing but awe. They had all heard the legends of his other worldly beauty but to see it for your self... It kind of made them feel like they should still all be averting there eyes. None of them actually felt worthy to be even in the same room as him, Kiba included.
Naruto was about to open his mouth to address his court but then he remembered that the king was still in the room. He stared at the king for aw while contemplating on how to get him to leave without talking to him. He thought it was a little early to talk to one of his handmaidens because they hadn't even gotten use to his looks yet.
Naruto sighed realizing he would be talking to them soon anyways. Naruto looked at the to and tried to decided which one of them could handle him talking to them first. He was going to try the raven haired girl but she seem to near faint when all he did was look at her. Naruto gave his attention to the pink haired girl instead. She only seem to flinch a little at his gaze so he figured she would probably not pass out.
Naruto reached his hand out to her with a small smile offering it to her. Sakura blushed deep as the Kitsune acknowledge her. She could feel her heart pounding. She knew that her job entitled being really close to the Kitsune as a friend but she never thought she would be given permission to touch him. This was a marvelous day indeed! Things were looking up for her!
Sakura took the hand with her own smile. Naruto guided her up the few steps separating them and placed her at his side. Hinata felt herself become a little jealous at that. What did that pink haired girl have that she didn't! She wanted to touch the Kitsune's hand too! Hinata took a few breaths to calm herself. She was a handmaiden too. Which meant she would most likely get to touch him eventually. It was okay if she wasn't the first.
Naruto leaned over to Sakura's ear using his hand to block what he was saying from the king. Sakura leaned in and felt herself blush even deeper at hearing his voice. "Tell the king to leave." that small sentence was enough to make Sakura want to hear more. His voice was like a thousand angels singing. It was the most beautiful thing Sakura had ever heard. If Sakura didn't already love Sasuke she would fall for the Kitsune right then and there.
Sakura just kind of stood there for a while hoping the Kitsune would talk again but when all he did was lay his hand on her back and gesture for her to voice what he said she figured she wouldn't get to hear it again for a while. She was now much more thankful for this job. If she got to hear the Kitsune whisper in her ear like that for the remainder of most her life then she would be content with just that.
Sakura just realized that she would probably be competing a lot with the other handmaiden on who the Kitsune would talk to most. So she straightened up to clearly voice what he had just said. If she wanted to do this more often she had to make sure her first time was perfectly done. She turned to the king and got in a half bow standing before talking.
Kitsune's order or not it's rude for someone below the King to tell him to leave. "My King, the Kitsune wishes for your depatcher so that he can address us." Sakura with as much respect as she could put in her voice. The King eyes widen in surprise with that. But he didn't question the Kitsune's wishes and made quick haste to leave. Naruto kind of wanted to chuckle at that. No one followed his wishes faster then the king. Though Naruto suspected that it was because he didn't want Naruto to go on a rampage through the city like he use to do.
Of course Naruto would never do that again... but the king didn't need to know that. Once the king was gone. Naruto took Sakura's hand again to help her down and back in line with the rest of his court. When she was back in place Naruto gave the biggest, friendliest, most toothy smile he could. Which only made him look even more beautiful.
Hinata felt her hand twitch wanting to cover her eyes in respect. She never guessed it would be so difficult to just look at him. Though doing so did go against every thing she was ever taught as a child like all the citizens of the world not just their kingdom. "Now that he's gone let me tell you about what were going to be doing today." Naruto said casually catching them all off guard even Sasuke. After how Naruto treated his last court Sasuke didn't expect him to talk this much.
Naruto found all their shocked expressions very amusing, especially Sasuke's. He was so cute when he was surprise. But Naruto made sure not to show this amusement. He didn't want to give them any reason to feel inferior to him. He wasn't to be their friend not just their job. "I want to show you all where we will spend most of our time during the day. As you know I don't leave the castle often for obvious reasons. But the king has ensured that I have all that I need here." Naruto continued he noticed they were all paying very close attention to everything he was saying. Like if they missed anything it would result in failer.
Naruto kept talking ignoring the mental notes they seem to be making. "First I will show you to our floor. It is where all your rooms are as well as mine and the Shukaku when he comes to visit." as Naruto said that he couldn't help but feel his spirits go down a little. It had been about a year since Gaara left in search of the rest of their pack and no leads had come up yet.
Gaara tended to send very short reports every month by letter. Even when he's writing Gaara never has much to say so they generally never exceeded half a page. But even though there short Naruto always enjoys getting word from his friend. He did miss him deeply. Which is why he is looking forward for the next couple of days Gaara had written in his last letter that he would be coming to visit soon. Naruto noticing his thoughts were getting off track continued with his break down of the day.
"After I show you were your rooms will be and you've dropped off your things. I will show you to my in door garden where I keep my foxes. Just so you know there are currently four now not just three. We never made the officially announcement of the new one. You will be introduce to them all when we get there. Afterwards I will show you to the general area of the castle woods where my secret hut is." Naruto said referring to his and Sasuke's secret tree house they built themselves in the castle woods.
After having a couple of dates there they decided to put up something more permanent there that they could always meet at. Everyone knew that the Kitsune likes to wander the woods alone from time to time and suspected that he has some place to stay when he does. Problem is no one can ever find it. But that was because Naruto put a spell on it were only those he allows to find it can. That being only himself, Sasuke, Kiba, and Gaara.
Naruto was reluctant at first to let Kiba and Gaara know where his and Sasuke's private place was but Kiba and Gaara were eventually allowed to know just incase of emergencies and they needed to be found fast. Naruto was even considering should he get close enough t him that he would eventually allow his knew court to know where it is too.
Naruto let himself come back to reality and continue talking. he really needed to get a handle on his day dreaming. Well he did spend years doing it while he was waiting for Sasuke. Damn it he's doing it again. "I won't show you where my hut is exactly, but I'll show you the general area you can be and call out to me. It will be a distance that I can hear you clearly. After I of that it will be getting dark and I will need the help of my new handmaidens to get ready for bed." Naruto said looking at an excited Sakura and a blushing Hinata.
He didn't actually need their help to get ready but it was a nice bonding time for him and his previous handmaidens he hoped it would be the same for his knew ones. When Naruto was finish he asked "Does anyone have any questions?". Naruto wasn't surprise when one step up. It was the female priests Naruto hadn't caught her name yet... actually he hadn't asked any of their names. He'd have to do that later.
Temari raised her hand unsurely. She wasn't really sure how to address the Kitsune. She like everyone else had always adored him as this unreachable godly figure and this belief had only been strengthen upon the sight of him, but despite his all powering aura there was something very welcoming and layed back about him. He was just so... down to earth.
"Yes umm... how will that take so long it will be dark?" She asked the Kitsune had only mention a few things and it didn't really seem like such a short tour would take all day. Naruto seem confused by her question until he realize what she meant. He gave a gentle smile before answering. "Well..." Naruto paused waiting for to give her name. "Temari" She said quickly. "Well Temari we aren't just going to go to these places were going to play." Naruto said with a very child like smile of excitement.
Sasuke almost swooned it was so adorable. But everyone else didn't seem to share his thoughts they looked to in shocked by what he said. The Kitsune the most dignified, strong, supreme, all powerful being want to... play with them? That didn't make since at all! If there was anyone he would ever play with at all it would be another being like himself. Not such lowly beings as them.
"W..what?" Naruto was surprise to hear that come to his pretty eyed handmaiden. She had been so shy and quite this whole time that he didn't expect her to speak all day. But it made him happy all the same. He turn to her with a slightly wider smile locking eyes with her because he wanted to let her know he was happy she spoke. But his smile only seem to intimidate her because she quickly lowered her head and put a hand over her mouth. As if berating herself for speaking.
Naruto pouted. Was he really that scary? He didn't get why she didn't like him. If only Naruto knew that Hinata was fighting down her sudden urge to run into his arms and hug him while gushing over that fact he smile at her. She turned her head away a bit to hide her blush that was starting to take over her whole face.
"Well you didn't think we were just going to go and not do anything. This is a day for me to get to know all of you. And I look forward to it very much. If were going to be spending so much time together I would very much like to be your friend. So tell me will all of you spend this day with me and be my friend?" Naruto said with a wide grin. And in that moment everyone in his court thought the same thing.
"Who could say no to that face."