Chapter 29 The Helping Hand
Around noon, after everyone got dressed and less aroused, Naruto and Sakura left the apartment while Ino, Hinata, and Sahino went to work sprucing the place to make it less of a bachelor pad.
"We're finally doing it." Sakura said happily, holding onto her teammate's arm while somewhat leaning against him as they walked down the street.
"Would you prefer we saved this for later tonight?" Naruto asked.
"I don't mind starting now, besides it's not like we have a deadline for how long a date can last. The only real question is where I go after it's over."
Naruto looked around, wondering if anyone was looking at them. Not that he was embarrassed or anything, hell he was tempted to shout from atop the hokage monument that he had four girlfriends, but he knew that would have consequences he was better off without. But he also knew him being with a girl in public like this was bound to be noticed. Especially if that girl was Sakura Haruno of all people, that would have to be noticed by someone. He just wondered who would be the first to do something about it, and what they would do when they did.
"For now, I'm hungry and we skipped breakfast. How about we stop by Ichiraku?" Sakura offered.
Naruto blinked and looked at the pinkette. "Really? I would have thought you would insist on anywhere else."
"We have all day, besides I kind of want to make up for that time before Sasuke left us. And let's be honest, we both know Hinata and Ino will make the same offer when it's their turn. Maybe it's a 'dating Naruto Uzumaki' rite of passage."
"Alright, though whatever we do next will be whatever you want."
With that, the two headed over to Naruto's favorite restaurant.
"Gotta say, it's nice that Naruto isn't too dirty." Ino said as she gathered a couple of dirty clothes Naruto had in his apartment. His building had a public laundry room but she got the impression that it wasn't the best, so she intended to go ahead and have them cleaned back at her place. Fortunately there weren't many, but she threw in a couple of supposedly clean ones just to be sure.
"Yeah, I knew he didn't exactly live in squalor, but he is a teenage boy living alone. Even I feared he might have been a little lax on the upkeep." Hinata replied, wiping the wooden furniture with a rag.
"What about the other boys you know?" Sahino asked, tidying up the kitchen.
"There are no messy people in the Hyuuga clan. No one would allow it." Hinata clarified.
"What about your teammates?" Ino asked.
"I wouldn't know, I've never been invited over to their homes."
Ino stopped and looked at her friend in surprise. "Really? Kiba and Shino never offered?"
Hinata shook her head. "No, Kiba acts fearless but he's easily embarrassed, so I think he's afraid of what his family would say about him. And Shino's just not that social. I don't think he's ever spent any time with someone he wasn't legally required to."
"Huh. No wonder you've never been interested in either of them."
"What about you Ino? Have you seen your teammate's homes? How clean are they?"
The platinum blonde shrugged. "Yeah I've been over to their houses, our clans intermingle all the time. Both Shikamaru and Chouji tend to keep things clean, but they both have their mothers to help out. Honestly I think Shikamaru's too lazy to make a mess, and Chouji wouldn't risk making any place too dirty to eat in."
"And have you ever been interested in them?" Sahino asked.
Ino fidgeted for a moment. "Maybe, years ago after I started getting over Sasuke. Shikamaru was a no for me, I could tell he was more interested in that girl from Suna even if he didn't want to admit it. I tried Chouji, even had my first kiss with him, but we very quickly ran out of things to talk about. Say what you will about Naruto, he's certainly never boring."
"No, that he is not." Sahino claimed with a perverse giggle.
"By the way Sahino, how was he? I mean, I have the memory, but looking back it's like watching a video. I don't remember actually feeling anything." Ino asked.
Hinata paused. "Now that you mention it, me too. It's like..."
"Hentai without being able to use it?" Ino finished.
Hinata blushed deeply. "N-not the phrasing I would have used, but yes."
Sahino put away some dishes and came into the same room as the other two, still smirking. She had to admit she felt a strange sense of superiority right now, she was the experienced one who the curious virgins were looking up to and wanting to learn from. "I could tell you, but maybe I want something from you first."
"Seriously?" Ino asked. "We brought you to life, isn't that enough?"
"Did you ask to be born?" Sahino asked back.
Ino looked frustrated, but kept her mouth shut.
"What do you want?"
"I want to see you two kiss each other."
Both Ino and Hinata went red. "Seriously?"
"Yep. I'm still figuring myself out so I don't know if kissing either of you will be something I'd enjoy. But this harem is for all of us to bond together, so the two of you should do some bonding. Am I wrong?"
The two clan heiresses looked at each other, both red-faced and feeling a little put on the spot.
"I don't want to ruin our friendship." Hinata admitted.
"You're sharing a boy, aren't you already risking that?" Sahino asked.
"It's okay Hinata." Ino spoke up. "I know that the thought of kissing me grosses you out."
Hinata blinked. "What?"
"I mean, I'm not Naruto, so why would you want to kiss me? I'm just someone you have to share him with."
Hinata frowned and came over to her friend, grabbing her upper arms. "Is that what you think Ino? I don't have to share Naruto-kun with anyone. Naruto-kun isn't mine to share. You have as much right to find love with him as I do. Besides, you're one of my friends. I'm glad that you're giving Naruto-kun a chance. You both deserve happiness and I'm glad to be a part of it."
Ino was surprised but then smiled and pulled the white-eyed girl into a hug, who returned it. "Thank you Hinata. You're a good friend. I was afraid that you would hate having to let Naruto be with other girls, even me."
"I have to admit I wasn't too fond of the idea, but everyone does seem happier this way. Except regarding the whole strike business, but that's a different subject."
Neither said anything after that, and it didn't take long for the two to realize they were still hugging. There was a brief moment of feeling flustered for the both of them, but it passed quickly. Then they both looked at each other and Ino went for it, bringing her lips to Hinata's. Hinata was surprised, but decided to go ahead and go along with it.
Sahino watched with a smile, not really aroused yet but they were just starting. She wanted to see how far they'd take it.
Ino mentally smiled as her lips wrestled against the Hyuuga heiress's own. Hinata felt softer than Sakura, both in body and in mouth. Hinata's hands, which could be considered a lethal weapon comparable to Sakura's own fists, were welcome on her body, making her feel safe and wanted. Knowing that her friend would be unlikely to push anything right now, Ino decided to take one of Hinata's hands and place it on her own breast. Hinata took hold of the mammary and rubbed it before she really knew what she was doing, provoking a moan from her friend.
Hinata was surprised by this experience, giving her last one with Sakura. Ino wasn't bad per say, but she was no Naruto. However, her blonde hair, blue eyes, and even the ponytail helped convey the idea that she was essentially kissing Naruto's female form, an idea Hinata was not against at all. Telling herself this was no different than kissing Naruto's sexy jutsu form made her enjoy it more, though she was snapped from her thoughts when she felt her hand on Ino's boob. Personally, Hinata had thought that breasts were kind of overrated, but that was given her experience with her own. But Ino wanted her bosom to be enjoyed, so Hinata was going to indulge her.
Ino felt Hinata's other hand cusp her other breast, prompting her to make a sound that wasn't exactly a squeal but did in fact emphasize her pleasure. Ino took pride in her chest, glad to be past her A-cup angst, and she wanted them to be appreciated by her lover. Be they man or woman. So she moved her hands around Hinata's own and began to unbutton her top.
"Whoa, better slow down there girls. Unless you want me to watch." Sahino interjected.
The moment ruined, Ino and Hinata separated and looked away from each other. Ino grinned and straightened her shirt while Hinata blushed like when Naruto had spotted her by the waterfall years ago. Sahino walked into the kitchen for a moment.
"You're a great kisser Hinata." Ino said to make her friend feel better.
"Uh... thanks? You're at least better than Sakura." Hinata replied, not sure what to say or feel right now.
"Maybe you just have a thing for blondes." Sahino quipped, coming out with a frosted cake on a plate.
"Where did you get that?" Ino asked.
"Naruto-kun made it yesterday. I think he was making it for the three of you before I showed up and everything else happened." She said, setting it down on the coffee table. "I don't think he'd mind if we had a slice without him."
"It sure looked good." Hinata said, coming up while Sahino began cutting the cake.
Ino shrugged and joined them. "Oh why not? One's not going to hurt me."
Each girl took a slice, finding it to be a simple vanilla cake with no real flair. Each took a bite and froze for a moment.
"Wow, this is really good." Hinata praised.
"I feel like I should be paying for this." Sahino noted.
"This is going to go right to my thighs, but it's worth it." Ino added.
"Speaking of thighs, when Naruto-kun and I started with the foreplay-" Sahino started.
"Wait, just like that?" Ino asked, expecting her to take a moment before getting into the details.
Sahino shrugged. "Why not? Anyway, I started by taking him in my mouth, thinking it might be similar to a popsicle or hotdog. Trust me, I was so wrong."
Ino and Hinata sat down, giving the fusion girl their complete attention. Well, that and their dessert.
"Hi Naruto, hello Sakura. What brings you here?" Ayame greeted.
"Isn't it obvious? We're in the mood for pizza." Sakura joked.
Ayame laughed sarcastically. "So what can I get for you?"
"I'll go for the teriyaki beef this time." Naruto ordered.
"And I'll have one of the low fat ones." Sakura added, then turned to Naruto. "Remember those food nin from years ago?"
"Oh yeah. They kidnapped Ayame and challenged us to make some gourmet ramen to get her back and it led to this place installing the low fat ramen."
Ayame groaned. "Don't remind me. I don't know what was worse, the kidnapping or all the weight I gained back then."
"At least you got rid of it. You look nice. Probably really sexy under those robes." Sakura praised.
Ayame looked quite awkward and silently went into the back.
"Why did you say that to her?" Naruto asked.
"She was feeling bad about her body. I thought she'd appreciate the compliment."
Naruto didn't look convinced. "Sounded more like you made her uncomfortable. I mean, I sure didn't like it when Sai wouldn't stop commenting on my body."
Sakura looked a little ashamed now, seeing how her words could have had a similar effect. "I'll apologize."
Naruto took ahold of her hand to make her feel reassured. She smiled and leaned into him, resulting in him putting his arm around her.
"Hey Sakura-chan, can I ask you something?"
"Anything?"
"What are your feelings towards Lee?"
Sakura blinked and moved away so she could look into her teammate's eyes. "Lee? Why do you want to know?"
"I mean, this all started because you had unresolved feelings towards me right? Are you sure you don't have that same problem with Lee? Or any other boy?"
Sakura smiled and shook her head. "No, I figured that one out long ago. Lee's a good guy, but right now he's too co-dependent on Gai-sensei for a relationship. Respect is one thing, but frankly dating Lee would be no different than dating Gai-sensei. Imagine if I copied Tsunade-shishou as much as Lee copies Gai-sensei, would you still be as attracted to me as you are now?"
Naruto looked annoyed and stared at the counter. "Given how I feel about her now, I'd rather not think about that."
"Oh, sorry." Sakura said, rubbing his back. "Though I wouldn't mind having her figure at least."
"There's nothing wrong with your body Sakura. You're beautiful the way you are."
Sakura smiled and kissed him. "Keep that up and you'll get my body all to yourself tonight."
"Hey Naruto." Teuchi greeted as he came out from the back, followed by Ayame. Naruto stiffened a little but Sakura made no attempt to move from him. "I'm glad you're here, I've been working on something for you."
"Something for me? Like what? A new recipe?"
Teuchi chuckled and shook his head. "No, not like that. You see, when you were growing up I was afraid that you wouldn't be able to become a ninja. Not that I never believed in you, but I was concerned that the system had no intention of being fair and letting you achieve your goal. I was glad to be proven wrong, but I was then afraid that someday you would be... unable to continue the job."
Naruto wasn't sure how to feel about this. On the one hand, it did bother him to hear someone he confided in say he had prepared for Naruto to fail. On the other hand, he was glad that someone had cared enough to give him a safety net. Naruto had to admit he wasn't the best at considering what would happen if his Plan A didn't work, his usual response being to wing it until he won.
"So while you're on strike, you still need a way to make money. Through my connections and a lot of planning in advance, I have a way for you to support yourself."
Teuchi then reached into his pocket and took out a folded piece of paper, which he handed to the whiskered blonde. Naruto unfolded it and read it with Sakura doing the same.
"What is this?"
"It looks like the deed to a building Naruto-kun." Sakura explained.
Teuchi nodded. "It is, a building in this area that is currently vacant and unused, but equipped to become a business. More specifically, a restaurant. And it comes with its own living quarters."
Naruto blinked and looked at the ramen chef. "You... you're giving me a restaurant?"
"It will make sure you keep making money and gives you a home that you can never be evicted from. And when the strike ends, you can still own the business and make some money on the side."
"Wow Naruto-kun, this will really be helpful." Sakura exclaimed.
Naruto however looked unconvinced. "Would anyone eat at a place I own? I mean, I've gotten better at cooking, but I'm not sure I could make a living off of it. And won't most people think that I'm poisoning them in some way?"
"I recommend that for the first few months that you remain anonymous, to build up a clientele first. After people grow to like it, it won't matter too much who owns it. Besides, it's not like you have to be the only employee there." Teuchi pointed out.
"Though having shadow clones would be incredibly cost-effective." Ayame added.
"I... I don't know what to say, except thank you." Naruto confessed.
"How good are you at making stuff other than ramen?" Sakura asked.
"I was baking a cake yesterday for you and the others using some tricks I learned."
"Tricks?" Sakura asked, confused.
Naruto nodded. "Ero-sennin didn't teach me much, but he did make me work on keeping myself fed and healthy. But he taught me something useful. A jutsu used specifically in food prep. I think those food nin we dealt with years ago might have used it too."
"Oh yeah, I remember those guys." Ayame thought, remembering the experience for more than one reason.
"Anyway, I know this jutsu that gets rid of the fatty stuff but doesn't change the taste. Leaves the important nutrients and other stuff, but gets rid of the unhealthy parts and leaves it tasting perfectly normal. Ero-sennin said it also removes any poisons in the ingredients, which is probably where it came from in the first place. But it works in pretty much everything. Everything I can make at least."
"Wait, you're saying you know how to make fat-free food that tastes as good as the normal version?" Teuchi asked, with Sakura and Ayame looking on with wide eyes.
Naruto nodded. "Breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, and of course ramen. Pretty much anything that requires heat, nothing raw or meant to be eaten cold, like ice cream."
Sakura and Ayame glanced at each other for a moment, both thinking the same thing.
Teuchi leaned back and laughed. "Damn, I think I just created my own worst competition."
"I'm not really that good at it." Naruto countered with a shrug.
"Think it over, at least check out if you want to move into the residence. If nothing else it will be rent-free. And it's not like you can't change it into something other than a restaurant." Teuchi insisted.
"Let's talk it over with the others Naruto-kun. I'm sure they'd like to hear about this. And we'll all want a demonstration of this jutsu." Sakura offered.
Naruto nodded. "Sounds good." He then made a clone that he sent away.
"What was that?" Sakura asked.
"If I'm getting a new apartment, it's only fair to let the others know so they don't do too much in the old place."
"Good. Now, let's get back to that ramen you ordered. Then I'll show you the new place." Teuchi added before he and Ayame went into the kitchen.
Tsunade knocked on a door, and after a bit Hinata opened. Tsunade quickly looked confused while Hinata looked bothered.
"Hinata? Why are you in Naruto's place?"
Jiraiya grinned. "About time my student gets laid!"
Tsunade was so tempted to smack her former teammate, but she had to withhold herself.
Ino came up to the door too. "What do you want? Naruto's not here."
"Then why are the two of you here?"
"Frankly that's none of your business. What do you want with Naruto?" Ino asked back defensively.
Hinata looked back into the apartment, seeing no signs of Sahino. Hopefully the fusion girl was keeping herself out of sight, explaining her right now would not be the best idea.
"Listen, I get that you're unhappy with me, but I have something to offer Naruto. So I need to speak to him and hash out the details."
"Hold on just a moment." Jiraiya interjected. "The two of you, are you sleeping with Naruto?"
"Jiraiya...!" Tsunade hissed, clenching a fist.
"I swear this is important Tsunade. These two could hurt Naruto if they are."
"How?" Both Hinata and Ino asked. Even Tsunade looked a little curious, albeit still angry.
"I say this not as a super pervert or a story writer, but as Naruto's teacher. If my student is getting into a relationship with more than one girl, then any plans we have to help him will be meaningless."
"Explain now." Tsunade demanded.
"Let's find Naruto, that way there's no chance of misinterpretation."
"What's going on?" Naruto's shadow clone said, walking up to the apartment.
"Kid, we need to talk."