DISCLAIMER: I own nothing from the Naruto universe but I do have an imagination of my own. As mentioned on the main/tags page, I got inspiration from the story ARVUM, but have changed some things and expanded on it a lot. I desperately tried to get permission to simply continue that story, etc., but received no responses to my inquiries, sadly. (Just want to give credit where credit is due!)

Thinking

Emphasis

Biju, etc. speaking

Biju, etc. thinking

"You two get out of here. I need to - do anything else," the leader groaned. He had seen Naruto pouting about his order to Hatake to keep his hands off her, and really wanted to scream at her father. For a moment he could see his village soon filled with little silver-headed nuisances if things continued as they were about to - but he quickly banished the disturbing thought from his mind.

I'm too old to deal with this shit...

Shikamaru sat laughing out loud at his little sister figure. "Honestly, Naruto, if something can go wrong, it will go wrong when you're involved." He wiped an imaginary tear from his eye.

Naruto pouted at him. "Shut up, Lazy! And it's not funny!" the blonde replied, feeling her face burn. "I mean, why the hell didn't you remind me about that bastard, Mizuki? And you should watch out! As hilarious as you might think it is for me to be with Kakashi, you'd better be on the lookout for Temari-chan!"

"Yeah," the Nara said sheepishly, scratching at his hair. He then began chuckling again, "It's just that it's so hard imagining you putting the moves on the copy-nin!" He burst out in more chuckles.

"Shut up! It's not like I meant to do it." Naruto replied and then groaned, "And it's not like I succeeded…" There was more laughter at her expense: the jerk.

"I can't even imagine it - and then the Hokage!" Shikamaru's laughter eventually settled down and he became serious. "So they're seriously making you move out?" He enjoyed living with Naru; she was his best friend, confidant, and family now. Naruto nodded, looking anxious, and he let out an odd sound, that echoed the worry in his heart. "When is this going to happen?"

"I'm not sure… I don't even remember what JiJi said - there was so much that happened." Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "We're going to see the place tomorrow, though. You know, I'm not even sure which place we're going to," Naruto said with her finger tapping her lips. Shikamaru groaned out loud at this. "Oi! What about leaving me in the dark about Mizuki!"

"Leave it to you to not get complete information - and with Mizuki, I would have guessed you'd remember, considering what you said… Plus - Kami, I hate to say it - but I never knew exactly what the guy did, or the way you even passed in the first place," Shika replied. "I knew something was off about the guy this morning, but before that, he seemed fine in class. He and Iruka-sense seemed like really good friends, really."

"Yeah, I think they were best friends before," Naruto said sadly. I'm sure it will really hurt Iruka-sensei to learn about his betrayal. She had earlier told Shikamaru about what happened with the forbidden scroll incident before the jerk began laughing at her attempt at seduction. "And don't give me a hard time about it. I mean with all the training plus studying that your dad makes us do?! I haven't seen the bastard joke of a sensei in years." She paused, considering the day's events. "At least this time Iruka-sensei didn't get hurt. Shit, I hope the Hokage will tell him; I'd feel awful letting him know about his friend, myself."

Shikamaru nodded and laid back down to stare at the stars. "I can't imagine Hokage-sama putting that responsibility on you." He paused for a moment, thinking. "You know, we'll have to figure out something to continue communicating our progress to each other regularly. I thought we'd have no problem except on missions that lasted more than a night or whatever, but if you're not going to be living here…" He didn't like the idea at all. Plus I'm not sure how to feel about her living with her old crush, that perverted Jonin sensei.

"Right." Naruto bobbed her head, frowning in concentration. "Okay, I'll think about it but it seems like a perfect opportunity to make a seal to deal with it?" She wasn't sure how to write out something like that immediately, but Shikamaru often had ideas about making these kinds of things work, even if he didn't have the technical skills in fuiinjutsu to put things into practice as she did. They were a good team in making their ideas come to fruition, and this was a priority. Naruto had faith that, together as always, they'd get it done.

Shikamaru agreed with her thoughts but needed to consider all of the elements needed to make a seal work as they intended. She was really adept at the art; it was supposedly in her blood. Considering how naturally it came to her - and how hard she had to work at nearly everything else - it only made sense. As they stared up at the stars from the roof of their home, he idly wondered if she would've been even more proficient with fuuinjutsu had she been a full-blooded Uzumaki. He supposed if that was the case, she probably wouldn't have some of her other gifts, had it not been for her Namikaze genes. After all, the Yondaime's influence had to be part of the reason she'd always had her unnatural speed, even without chakra. It made sense.

"Oi?" Naruto waved her hand in front of Shikamaru's face. "All that thinking you're doing is giving me a headache and wasting my time."

"Troublesome blonde. I'm ready to go to sleep anyway," he replied, ignoring her complaint about how that wasn't a surprise. They both jumped down from the roof and made their way through the house after taking off their sandals.

Naruto headed to her room down the hall. "Goodnight, Shika."

Shikamaru grinned and leaned into her room after a beat. "Naruto Uzumaki, seductress to the stars." He barked out a laugh when she threw a pillow at him (and missed) with an intense blush that covered her entire head and neck. "Bleh, makes me want to puke."

"Shut it, bastard!" She couldn't even look at the idiot. Idiot genius. She groaned after he left the room, hearing him tossing a very sarcastic sounding "Goodnight, Naru-chan," towards her. So cheeky! I'll get him for that!

Surrounded by sarcastic geniuses: I'm going to miss living here.

The Sandaime led Kakashi and Naruto up the Hokage mountain towards their new home. Naruto spent a lot of time thinking on her father's head on the mountain in both lives and was pretty sure that there wasn't any place to live up here. She remained quiet but occasionally looked up at her husband ("Husband!" She internally winced.) The masked man looked like he always did: slouched and uncaring, but she could feel the nervousness rolling off of him.

Near the top of the mountain, the Hokage turned and led them through the forest. It didn't have a path running through it and Naruto saw that the trees were becoming even denser. Fortunately, that led to a small clearing of sorts with only short grass or moss that cushioned their feet. She couldn't imagine where they were going, especially when the Hokage stopped. She was shocked when the man bloodied his palm with a kunai and activated a seal that she hadn't detected - hell, she couldn't even see it before it activated!

Now before them was a large, open pathway. What met their eyes even caused Kakashi to gasp. A huge estate, looking guarded by two large mastheads with what was obviously a sculpted Gamabunta on one side of the path, and Gamaken on the other, leading into the estate. Both looked exactly as she remembered: Bunta holding his giant sword, which was pointed down into his masthead, while Ken was holding his shield in front of his chest on his own. Tears began to form in Naruto's eyes. I miss them so much!

"It is indeed beautiful, ne Naruto-chan?" The Sandaime asked, mistaking what made her tear up.

"Hai," she sniffed, trying to hold the tears back so they wouldn't fall down her face. She looked at Kakashi and realized he was in awe, too. His mouth was visibly shutting behind his mask. Somehow his astonishment made her feel better, at least until he looked towards the Gamabunta sculpture and winced. She didn't understand the reaction.

"Brat. He's probably remembering when that damn amphibian jumped down on me with your moronic sire after I was released from your mother." An "oh," was his only response. Kurama let out a huff of hot air. He really hated it when the kit was sad or emotional like this: it affected his damnable cage.

He hated even more that he was the cause of it. She read him well after all these years and knew that she could easily detect his own feelings. Although she didn't say anything more to him, surely she knew that he regretted his actions. If only I could remember what happened after...

"It's all right Kurama." She paused and looked up at the giant fox in her mindscape. "It's not your fault… And the fact that we can't remember is no doubt mine," Naruto said sadly.

"Never say that, kit. For one, what would be your motivation? And two, it doesn't even make sense. We'll figure it out one day." Naruto could only nod in agreement with her partner, although she deeply felt the loss. I still need to talk her out of partnering up with those Kami-damned amphibians. Seeing them again, even though they were merely sculptures, made him feel queasy.

Inside the massive estate - well, it was massive by Naruto's standards - the couple toured the home, being led by the Sandaime. It was unbelievable for her. Truly! Some of it didn't even make sense: the kitchen was so big and modern, she thought, especially considering what had to be the age of the home. There were so many bedrooms, each with an en-suite bathroom, plus more well-equipped, pretty, rooms for washing up and such downstairs. The home had a basement, a training ground behind it, a huge office, and what was obviously intended to be a library. It was a little dusty but didn't even have the accumulation of it that she remembered her old apartment had when she left for nearly three years with the super pervert. Naruto continued to shake her head at her thoughts and was in awe that this would be her home - the place where she was to raise her - yikes - children. She took in a deep breath at the frightening thought, trying to keep herself together.

Kakashi? He was in disbelief. He never expected to live anywhere aside from the apartment that he'd been living in for a decade or more. Standing in what was supposed to be his sensei's home, he tried to keep his thoughts and reactions at bay. Some things, though, couldn't escape his mind. If they'd lived, I probably would have lived with them as a "guard" with Naruto as my little sister. He gulped down the large lump in his throat. Now she's my wife: Kami-sama.

As he toured the home silently, he realized that all of the rooms were meant not only for guests but for a large family: his family now. That thought made him dizzy. Never in his lifetime did he intend to have a spouse, let alone… He had to close his eyes as an unknown emotion swept through him, heavy and raw. Kakashi couldn't even think the word "children." It was just too much!

Yes, he'd fretted over the council trying to force a wife on him at some point simply to continue his clan. He supposed it was his duty to the village and his heritage, after all. He had also guessed that he would tell them to go to hell when that time came! Yet, here he was, married…

Granted, she was a beautiful little thing, and she seemed kind, too. It could be worse, he supposed. The guilt, though, overwhelmed him. What would sensei say? Kakashi hadn't even managed to force himself to go to the Memorial Stone since the day he married Naruto - and after what nearly happened last night… Kakashi groaned out loud, getting the girl's attention. He gave her a smile, and damnit, she looked at him with concern. Continuing outside the house, he took in the impressive training ground. Okay, this I can work with. He tried to clear his head but wished he could go speak with Obito and Rin. He could only imagine their reactions.

He sat down at the end of the porch and stared. Knowing Obito, the idiot would probably point at him and laugh, then call him a "perverted bastard" - along with worse names he didn't even want to think of as he made fun of him. What would Rin think of all this? Hopefully, she was with Obito and happy now. He shook his head. No telling how things like that work in the afterlife... Actually, he could picture her being understanding of what he'd done, like she always was, and looking at him with concern and a degree of amusement. She and Obito would most likely chortle at his situation, then…

Shit! Obito would no doubt go get Minato-sensei and lie to him about what he was doing/ had been doing with his daughter! Kakashi closed his eyes and pictured his death at the hands of the Yellow Flash: unusually for the man, he probably would NOT make it quick. And if Kushina-nee found out? Kakashi again internally groaned. He'd probably get brought back to life after being killed by his sensei and chained to death! He was brought out of his thoughts when a hand gently touched his arm.

"You all right?" Naruto asked gently.

Too gently, he didn't deserve it. She sat down beside him and he noticed that his leader was no longer with him. "JiJi," she blushed, "I mean, the Hokage, decided to leave us for a bit. Don't worry, he's still in the house."

Was she reading him so easily? Was he really so distracted that he let his mask down? His figurative mask, meaning his cover. Pull down his literal mask? Kami! They were nowhere near doing anything like that! No one had seen his face since he was 3 or 4! Kakashi smiled down at her, making sure to return to that disinterested, laid-back air that everyone saw in him.

"It's okay," she tried to reassure him. "I can only imagine… I don't want to assume, I mean." She scratched the back of her head, worried and embarrassed as she tried to search for what to say.

She's still reading me? "Nothing to worry about Naruto-chan," Kakashi attempted to easily reply.

Naruto let out a deep breath. "You know, we're in this together... I can only imagine - shit, I just said that, didn't I? Damn." She paused, shaking her head and looking straight ahead into the forest beyond their backyard and training area. "I mean… I know how I feel, and I can only imagine that you might feel really awkward or worse about this, too. Sorry if I presume too much." There was a fairly long period of silence following her words.

"Ne, Naruto-chan, don't worry so much. You'll get wrinkles," he responded, trying to make her feel less anxious. Naru's expression went from worried to maybe amused?

"Is that right? Well, gods help me: I don't want to look like JiJi." He stifled a snort at that. "What about yesterday then? Weren't you the one that said no honorifics?! Calling me Naruto-chan all the time… You can just call me Naruto, you know, or even... Naru."

Cue blush.

"How about Naruto-hime? Or just Princess?"

She looked at him, aghast. "No! I'm not a... princess!"

"Oh yes, you are, in every sense of the word. " He almost wanted to laugh at the screwed up, outraged look on her pretty face. "Considering who your parents are, you're a double princess," Kakashi replied with some amusement. At least teasing his... manor-touring partner took his mind off how his life was radically changing.

Naruto narrowed her eyes at her former Jonin sensei.

She didn't realize that she growled at him, literally. Teasing masked bastard, she thought. "That doesn't even make sense: 'double princess…'" She crossed her arms under her chest and pouted. "And if was ever a princess, then I'd be an awesome warrior princess! Yeah, that sounds pretty cool," she continued, her lips twitching upward until she blanched a little, then blushed. "I'll totally allow you to call me that, though never in public," she frowned and shivered.

It's like she's an open book! Her expressions were quite amusing.

"Maa, maa, oh great warrior Princess, Naruto-hime," Kakashi began, She punched him - not too hard, but hard enough to shut him up. "Mou, the princess is so mean."

Naruto felt her face heat up so badly, she could only imagine steam blowing out her ears. It was actually hard for her to hear her surroundings in fact! He had pulled that "Mou, Naruto's so mean" card too many times to count in her past life. But to call her "princess?" He'd never done that! She did the only thing she could think to do and pushed him over sideways.

The Sandaime watched them from a window inside the back of the estate, bemused at their actions. As much as the situation they had been placed in bothered him, he was relieved at seeing the heavy and rather depressing air lighten up between the couple. "Minato-kun, forgive this old man," he said with a heavy sigh. "This wasn't the way I planned to force 'your kids' together."

Watching the newly married Hatakes continuing their conversation and no doubt Kakashi's teasing considering Naruto's reactions, (he knew that Kakashi taunted his subordinates mercilessly, after all,) the elderly man looked up at the sky. "Maybe this is even what you would want. Well, eventually... He's a better choice than anyone else for your little girl, ne? Kami, I hope you'll agree with that." The village leader shook his head and began descending the stairs of the home that should've been his successor's. His last silent prayer on the matter was to not get killed or what have you - and dragged off to the Shinigami by a furious Yondaime. If that happened his wife would be angry at both men!

And you don't want to mess with Biwako, he thought fondly.