Chapter 48: A Growing Foreshadow

"I wish you kids would stay longer but we understand a shinobi's life never ends." Riku said as Meeka stood beside him holding baby Yuna.

"We promise to come back and visit." I said with a thumb up as she nodded looking towards Shino saying, "I'm glad I got to meet the boy Yuna talked about, please don't be a stranger either."

"Of course." Shino said as we all waved beginning to walk back to the village making me sigh lightly hearing Shino say, "So you used to talk about me?"

Laughing I rubbed the back of my head saying, "It was back when you weren't very nice to me… she's actually the one who helped me decide to look at your perspective with bugs."

"Yea she was talking about you a lot on that mission apparently." Kiba said as Shino stopped turning towards him saying, "You knew and never told me?"

"Crap..." Kiba mumbled as he hoped on Akamaru running in the direction of the Leaf village laughing while watching Shino's bugs chase him.

I put my arm around Shino laughing, "It doesn't matter anymore, no use dwindling on the past we got a future to think about."

He relaxed against my touch putting his hands in his pockets saying, "Yes, I suppose you're right."

"Oi Shino call your bugs off!" I heard Kiba yell seeing a small smirk hidden under his hood replying quietly, "But Kiba doesn't need to know that."

"You're pregnant?!" I exclaimed alongside Ren, Reno and Kiba staring towards Kurenai who smiled warmly towards us.

"Well yes, I've been trying to hide it but since I haven't been on missions lately, I should tell you all the truth." she said as Ren hugged her tightly saying loudly, "I shall be the greatest uncle ever!"

"I'm so happy for you and Asuma-sensei." Hinata said softly as Kiba barked saying, "Man first Meeka now you… soon you're going to be having Shino's baby Yuna."

"That's not going to happen!" Shino and I both yelled glaring towards him as he flinched hiding behind Reno who shook his head saying, "Hey I'm a looker I could find a nice lady or even Hinata could."

Watching Hinata begin to turn a deep red knowing she was thinking about Naruto I put my arm around her so she wouldn't fall saying, "Enough about baby talk we should be celebrating with Kurenai-sensei."

"Of course, we should all go out with Asuma and his team too." Ren-sensei said clapping his hands seeing Kurenai smile nodding.

I squished myself between Reno and Shino as we got a huge table that included Kiba, Hinata, Kurenai, Ren, Asuma, Shikamaru, Ino, Choji, and Hayner. Right away Choji began chowing down hearing the light chatter between everyone smiling at all the happy faces.

"So how is training going with Kakashi?" Ino asked me suddenly as I smiled replying, "Pretty good so far but he's currently working with Naruto sadly. He said he's planning on teaching me something new next time we got together."

"I'll bet he's easier to train with than Tsunade, Sakura told me about how brutal their training was." Ino said while Kiba replied, "It seemed to pay off since she helped defeat an Akatsuki member."

"There are plenty more members for us to take down." Ino said confidently as Shikamaru sighed saying quietly, "What a drag that will be..."

"In the meantime, we should enjoy the good things." I said clapping as Reno pumped his fist saying, "Exactly!"

"You both are too optimistic sometimes..." Hayner said stoically hearing Shino say beside me, "That makes two of us."

I nudged him saying in a hushed tone replying, "Admit it you enjoy it."

He stayed quiet but I saw him turn his head slightly towards me counting that as a yes raising a toast to Asuma and Kurenai.

Breaking apart from the group it was down to Shino and me as he walked me towards my apartment enjoying the quiet night. I began thinking about Asuma and Kurenai, they were a very sweet couple, Kakashi had told me once that Asuma had a crush on her since they were in the academy. Of course, Ren-sensei and Anko were my default favorite couple but I was a bit biased.

"Hey Yuna..." I heard from Shino tilting my head at him saying "Hmm?"

"Do you think you'll ever get married?" he asked stopping short for a second feeling my cheeks heat up in embarrassment saying, "Eh where did that question come from?"

"I was simply curious." he said looking ahead again saying honestly, "I think I'd like to be one day though to be honest I haven't given it much thought..."

"I see." he said as I stopped putting my hand on my hip saying, "What about you?"

He stopped not looking in my direction stuffing his hands deeper in his pockets saying, "Perhaps."

Smiling at his back I jogged over to catch up to him linking my arm around his saying cheerfully, "Well in the meantime we shall look out for one another until we find someone."

"Sounds like a plan." he said as I instinctively moved closer to him trying to hide a frown, maybe I wanted to be his someone.

Reaching my apartment, I smiled towards him saying, "Thank you for walking me home even if you didn't have to."

"It wasn't a problem, it's on my way." he said making me nod as I said, "Well I hope your mission tomorrow goes well and we shall go bug hunting when you get back."

"Perhaps you'd like to come over to have dinner with my father and I." he said making me freeze up saying, "I… what?"

"He's been persistent about wanting to meet you officially lately, but you can say no." he said while I clapped replying, "I remember meeting him briefly during the Chunin exam attack but you're right I didn't really meet him… it will be interesting to see where you get your personality from."

"Should have known you'd agree..." he said making me frown replying, "Do you not want me too, you can tell him I said no if so."

"No, it's fine… it's just he's the leader of our clan and one day that responsibility will fall to me… this is his way of looking out for potential future clan members." he said making my eyes widened replying, "Oh right… that makes sense, I guess. Well, if it will help, I'll just make sure he knows we are just friends that way you're not feeling uncomfortable."

"That would make things easier… thank you Yuna." he said while I nodded replying, "Of course, just let me know when you get back from your mission when to set it up."

"I will, goodnight." he said beginning to walk away while I entered my apartment leaning against the door with a frown, "I sense it will be uncomfortable either way..."

Hearing some glass break I looked up seeing one of my pictures had fallen by the wind going to grab it. Looking at the picture I frowned seeing it was of my team and Kurenai's team together seeing the crack run through it separating our teams.

"Well, this is a bad sign."

I decided to put out a few chapters since I haven't posted in a while, I'll be starting to go more towards the main story of Naruto and less filler stuff.