Opening the Door
They started their training early in the morning, Sakura wanted to continue using the overlook of the river so she challenged Naruto to a race around the Hokage Mountain to their new personal training ground. With as little sleep as Naruto had last night, it wasn't a surprise that he didn't win. It was close, but Sakura showed him what hard work and dedication could do, plus a little help from the fox chakra she had been feeding off of but he didn't need to know that, at least not yet.
"Wow, Sakura, I didn't know you were so fast," said Naruto grinning across the field at her. She was in her newest outfit, a skin-tight teal outfit with her midriff bare showing off her abs. Her bare shoulders, well-defined, hinted at the power and strength she had developed. Sinewy muscles rippled beneath taut skin, a testament to the rigorous training she had undergone with Lee and Mighty Guy.
Jiraiya strolled onto the training grounds, his presence immediately catching the attention of Naruto and Sakura. "Well, well, if it isn't my favorite troublemakers," he greeted them with a smirk, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "Naruto, still stirring up trouble at the clubs?" His gaze then shifted to Sakura, assessing her with a knowing look to see if his spies had told him the truth about Naruto's little adventure and her reaction. "And Sakura, looks like you're ready to take on the world."
He scanned over her athletic form and the teal skin-tight outfit she was wearing, it was clear to his trained eye that she was trying her best to keep Naruto interested. She was young, fit, and thin, too thin for his taste but she still had her feminine charms.
Naruto grinned at his sensei's arrival. "Jiraiya Sensei, what are you doing here?" he asked, eager for a break from their training as he wasn't looking forward to getting beat into the ground again.
Jiraiya let out a laugh, his tone casual yet carrying a subtle suggestion. "Just thought I'd check in on my favorite students and see how you're progressing," he replied. After having the Hokage yell at him for an hour last night about spending too much time doing his research and not taking care of his godson's training he decided to show up and see what Naruto was up to, knowing full well that the Hokage would put him through a wall if he didn't.
"Wow that's great, what do you want us to work on?" said Naruto waving over Sakura who had stayed away from the legendary Sannin thinking he would be mad at her for what she said yesterday, and men in her world were violent when they were mad.
"Lord Jiraiya," said Sakura with a bow as she came up behind Naruto keeping him between her and Jiraiya
"I know you trained with Guy and his clone of a student, I want you to show me what you learned," said Jiraiya looking Sakura in the eye until she turned away.
"How?" she asked, wondering where he was taking this, she didn't trust this old pervert one little bit.
"Why don't you warm up and then you can spare with Naruto," said Jiraiya with a sparkle in his eye as if daring her to do something.
Walking off to stand under one of the larger trees near the one she had smashed to the ground the other day as if to prove a point, Sakura started her warm-up routine with focused precision, her movements fluid as she stared at Naruto working to keep his attention on her the whole time. She stretched her arms overhead, feeling the satisfying pull of her muscles as they loosened. Moved to lean over to one side and the next each stretching and flexing to display her agility, and to show her rigorous training with Guy.
Starting with gentle neck rolls, Sakura worked her way down, stretching her shoulders and back with controlled movements. Her legs followed suit, executing deep lunges and dynamic stretches to prepare her muscles for the spar ahead. Then lifting one leg high over her head, she paused and held her pose until she was sure Naruto's mind stopped working then doing the same to the other leg she gracefully folded her body over until her shoulders seemed to defy logic as they slid effortlessly behind her knees. With astonishing flexibility, her spine curves and twists in ways that seem impossible, creating a mind-blowing sight.
All the while the fabric of her form-fitting outfit hugged her curves, accentuating every line and contour of her toned physique. Sweat glistened on her forehead as she stood straight before she ran up a tree to once again hang upside down doing head to knee bends yelling out her count.
"She may break you but what a way to go," said Jiraiya, a drop of blood falling from his nose. "God that outfit doesn't leave much to the imagination does it?", he said to Naruto who was staring up at Sakura by his side.
"You have no idea, the worst part is she walks around the apartment in almost nothing, I didn't get any sleep last night," said Naruto
Jiraiya is shocked by Naruto's comment and looking down at the blonde says "Why would that be a bad thing? You do like girls don't you?"
"Huh, ya I like girls," said Naruto not taking his eyes off Sakura, he didn't really get why Jiraiya would ask that anyway, doesn't everyone like girls? " but I told her she had to move out and now she wants to go look for a bigger place for us," he added, still staring up at Sakura as she hit number 400 and kept going.
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Move out? Why?"
Naruto scratched the back of his head, feeling a pang of guilt. "Well, you know how Iruka-sensei thinks you should be married before living together and stuff. So, I thought I should follow his advice."
Jiraiya suppressed a laugh. "Are you serious, Naruto? Iruka has never even had a girlfriend! You can't just base your decisions on his outdated notions of romance."
Taking his eyes off Sakura as she hit 500 and dropped to the ground, "Screw what Iruka-sensei said," Jiraiya cut in bluntly. "You can't let someone else's ideas dictate your happiness, especially when it comes to matters like this."
Naruto's brow furrowed in confusion. "But I thought..."
"Forget what you thought," Jiraiya interrupted, leaning in earnestly. "Life's too short, especially for shinobi like us. We face danger every day, and any mission could be our last. You have to live your life in a way that makes you happy, Naruto. Don't let someone else's rules dictate your happiness." Jiraiya regretted many things in his life but his not taking a chance with Tsunade was top of the list.
Naruto responded, "I just thought I was being responsible, you know? Following the rules and all like Iruka-sensei said."
Jiraiya leaned in, his tone serious. "Being responsible doesn't mean sacrificing your happiness, kid. If Sakura makes you happy and you want her around, then you should let her stay. Life's too short to worry about what other people think."
Naruto nodded slowly, the gears in his mind turning. "You're right, sensei. I need to talk to Sakura and sort things out."
Jiraiya grinned, clapping Naruto on the back. "That's the spirit! Now go over there and try to win your sparring match with her, no holding back!" With a not-so-gentle push, Naruto went flying toward Sakura, who straight-armed him in the chest with a loud thud knocking him on his back.
As Naruto regained his footing, he flashed Sakura a determined grin. "Ready to go a few rounds, Sakura?"
Sakura grinned back, adopting a defensive stance. "Always, Naruto. Don't hold back now."
With a nod, Naruto charged forward, his movements fluid and precise. Sakura met his attacks head-on, her reflexes lightning-fast as she deflected his strikes with ease. The two exchanged blows in a flurry of kicks and punches, each one calculated and powerful.
Despite Naruto's relentless assault, Sakura held her ground, countering his moves with skillful precision. Their sparring match was intense, the air crackling with energy as they pushed each other to their limits.
As the dust settled, both Naruto and Sakura stood panting, their faces flushed with exertion. It was a close match, as Jiraiya walked over.
"Nice show, looks like you two are evenly matched," said Jiraiya as he walked up to Naruto and slapped him on the back of the head, "Now do it again and stop holding back." His command shocked Sakura who was ready to jump to Naruto's defense until she spotted that little grin on Naruto's face that told her he had been holding back.
"You bastard, how dare you hold back," she yelled at him, "Now come on!" with that she went to kick him between the legs but having survived that attack once before he wasn't going to let that happen again, ever.
Naruto's grin widened as he sensed Sakura's frustration. Without a word, he launched into action, his movements quicker now and more precise. Each strike he delivered was calculated, and powerful, showing the extent of his true strength. Sakura fought back fiercely, but it was clear that Naruto had the upper hand from the beginning. Without her righteous fury to give her an added boost she didn't have a chance.
With a swift dodge, Naruto evaded Sakura's attacks, effortlessly countering with his own strikes. Sakura's moves became more frantic as she struggled to keep up with Naruto's almost random attacks. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't land a single blow on him.
As the spar continued, Sakura's frustration grew, her movements becoming more erratic as anger clouded her judgment. Naruto, on the other hand, remained calm and focused, his confidence apparent in every move he made. With one final, decisive strike, Naruto brought Sakura to the ground, landing on top of her and pinning her arms over her head with ease.
Breathless and defeated, Sakura lay beneath Naruto's firm grip, a torrent of emotions swirling within her. Despite her loss, there was an unexpected sensation coursing through her veins. It wasn't just admiration or even the fox chakra that filled her mind and body; there was something more primal, more intense as part of her kekkei genkai flared up. She wanted him to hurt her to control her, that was the only way she knew how to live, to love even, if he kissed her now she would lose her mind.
As she gazed up at Naruto, his strength and prowess undeniable, Sakura felt a primal longing as she licked her lips hoping he would do something. His victory had left her breathless, yet unlike others in her life, Naruto hadn't hurt her to dominate her, he hadn't had to cause her pain and suffering to win, and more than anything else this had ignited something deep within her as she wiggled on the ground beneath him.
"Damn it, Naruto," she muttered, her voice a little deeper than normal a mixture of defeat and something else entirely. "You're too damn strong." Looking down at her as she licked her lips, his chest beat like a drum.
Her words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken desire, as Sakura did her best to deal with the unfamiliar sensations stirring within her, the pain in her arms as he held them tight the only thing making this real.
Not knowing what was going on, Naruto stood up and extended a hand to Sakura, his grin unwavering. "You put up a good fight, Sakura," he said, his tone filled with genuine admiration. "But next time, don't hold back. I won't either."
As Sakura accepted his hand and pulled herself up, a subtle shift occurred between them. They both sensed it, a change in the air that left them unsure of what to make of it or where it might lead.
With lingering uncertainty clouding their thoughts, they exchanged a brief look, silently acknowledging the unspoken tension that hung between them.
The tableau between them was broken by a giggling Jiraiya, furiously writing in his notebook. Ideas and storylines flowed from him onto the paper as he eagerly awaited the interaction between the two young, and in his mind, star-crossed lovers. They would be the centerpiece of his newest book, and he couldn't write it fast enough as the ideas poured out.
As Naruto pulled Sakura to her feet they couldn't help but wonder what kind of perverted story Jiraiya was concocting in his mind. Little did they know, their moments together would soon become the centerpiece of his newest Icha Icha novel, immortalizing their unspoken desires for all time.
In the depths of Jiraiya's imagination, a new tale began to take shape, one that would captivate readers with its blend of forbidden desires and unstoppable passion. He would call it "Icha Icha Cursed Bloodlines," a title that promised intrigue and scandal in equal measure.
The story revolves around a lust-filled heroine, blessed with a powerful kekkei genkai that ignited her every desire and cursed her to endless depravity. With each encounter, she would be consumed by the flames of her own lust, unable to resist the pull of her insatiable cravings.
But amidst the chaos of her existence, a lone figure would emerge, a man whose bloodline held the key to unlocking her true potential. He would be the one to conquer her, to subjugate her to his will and bend her to his every desire.
As Jiraiya scribbled feverishly in his notebook, the characters of his novel began to take on a life of their own, their desires intertwining in a web of passion and intrigue. And at the heart of it all would be the undeniable chemistry between the heroine and her mysterious counterpart, a bond that would ignite the pages of "Icha Icha Cursed Bloodlines" with unbridled intensity.
"Jiraiya, are you OK, you know you're bleeding, right," said Naruto as endless drops of blood dripped onto the ground from Jiraiya's nose as he wrote.
Not getting a response from him Sakura stomped over to look at what he was writing, seeing her name over and over again she backed up and kicked him in the ass sending him flying over Nauto's head to land in a heap. "You're here to train us, you pervert, now train us.", she yelled at his crumpled form.
Leaping to his feet as if nothing had happened, Jiraiya casually tucked away his notebook and walked back toward the pair. "Now, Mighty Guy is undeniably a great shinobi, one of our best. But certain aspects of his style may not be the best fit for someone with your, shall we say, unique figure," he remarked to Sakura, leading her aside while simultaneously creating a shadow clone to talk to Naruto.
"Ah, my boy, it appears your stance could use a bit of refinement," Jiraiya remarked to Naruto, his tone filled with mischief. "Ebisu is a great sensei for the basics and he laid a solid foundation for you to work with, but now it's time to introduce you to some techniques better suited to your... unpredictable nature." With a flourish, Jiraiya launched into an intensive training session, imparting wisdom and techniques that surpassed months of previous instruction under Kakashi's team-building exercises.
….
Later that night the pair of worn-out Genin found their way to Ichiraku Ramen too tired to think about anything else but food they sat on two stools on the end of the counter. Naruto just pointed at the "Naruto Special" on the board before dropping his head onto the counter, Sakura just nodded her head to Ayame before joining Naruto in his nap.
"What are you two losers doing? Sleeping in public now." said a voice from the street.
Using what little strength he had Naruto turned around to see who it was, only to find an unknown chunin standing there with his hands on his hips with what could only be called a smirk on his face.
"I don't have time to play right now," said Naruto turning his back to the shinobi
"I told you to not waste your time with them," said a voice Naruto and Sakura knew as if from a dream or more like a nightmare.
"What do you want, Sasuke?" spit out Sakura before Naruto had a chance to say anything, now was her chance to show Naruto what she really thought of the 'Bastard' as she now thought of him.
Seeing a third Chunin join him Sakura figured this was Sasuke's new team. Too tired to care and too angry to turn back she just stared at them hoping they would just walk away.
"So this was your team? I can't believe you survived the exams." said the newest member of Sasuke's team
"Hummp" was all Sasuke said in his standard Uchiha grunt.
"If it wasn't for us Sasuke would be dead in the forest feeding the worms," said Sakura
"We made it as a team, Sasuke don't you remember?" said Naruto still hoping that his friend was still behind those black eyes.
"Let's go, we have a mission, a C-rank mission to get to." said the first Chunin as if rubbing it in their face.
"Remember to look out for those Ice users Sasuke!" yelled out Sakura knowing that would get under his skin.
"God, can you believe that? What do you think that bastard has been telling them?" asked Sakura turning back to the counter and the hot steaming bowl of ramen that awaited her.
Naruto was still looking down the street at where Sasake and his team had turned before joining Sakura at the counter. "He should be with us, team seven was supposed to stay together.", he said, picking up his chopsticks and diving into his noodles with abandon.
Pausing in her meal Sakura said, "Almost no teams stay together, only Ino's teams have that kind of connection."
"I know, Ino said it was a bond with Choji and Shikamaru families," said Naruto between noodles, now that the food of the gods was filling the void he could think again.
"So…. Ino told you a lot huh?" said Sakura not knowing if she wanted to know but curiosity and maybe a little jealousy forced her to ask.
"Ya, we talked a lot, well mostly Ino at first, she told me everything about her family, and her team." said Naruto then with a little laugh added, "And a lot about the villages, you know Ino knows everyone and everything that is going on in the village?"
"Oh come on, she doesn't know everything," said Sakura
"Hey, Ayame!" yelled out Naruto getting the young girl's attention, "You still dating that son of a fishmonger?" As the words came out of his mouth Ayame moved with the speed of a shinobi leaping over the counter and covering his mouth while at the same time looking over her shoulder at her father stirring a steaming pot of noodles.
"Not another word, you hear me or I swear you will never eat another bowl of ramen." said the blushing girl.
"See, and that isn't all of it," said Naruto as soon as Ayame moved back to her side of the counter. "Ino said it was her family's curse, they hear people's thoughts if they are emotional enough, stuff like love and hate, you know, strong emotions."
Fear filled Sakura at the very idea, she had spent so much time with Ino before her father forced 'The Plan' onto her, what did she learn?
"What did Ino say about me?" asked Sakura in the most innocent voice she could muster.
Naruto returned to his bowl drinking it all down before waving for another and then said, "Nothing, no really" he said seeing the look on Sakura's face. "She said that your mind has a stone wall around it or something."
'It must be part of the bloodline' thought Sakura feeling safe and almost glad for her bloodline, almost.
"What else did you talk about?" asked Sakura now that she had Naruto on the subject she might as well get all the information she could.
"You know, training and stuff, and shopping, she really likes shopping but after that she let me talk, you know, she seemed really interested in how I did my pranks," said Naruto diving into his next bowl, Sakura had lost count not that she counted.
"Why would she be interested in your stupid pranks? Wondered Sakura out loud.
"She said they made her laugh," grumbled Naruto, focusing more on his newest bowl of Raman than Sakura. She always put him down when he talked about pranking people, why didn't she see the fun in a little mostly harmless fun?
As the silence grew between them Sakura wondered what happened, she had more questions but Naruto seemed to be totally focused on his ramen and didn't seem to want to talk.
Looking around, she locked eyes with Ayame, who waved her over to the side of the ramen shop. Ayame walked out of the side door and stomped up to Sakura. With a practiced swing, she hit her over the head with a large wooden cooking spoon.
"If you weren't Naruto's girlfriend, I would kick you out. How can you treat him like that?" growled Ayame, knowing she was protected by her womanly righteous fury.
"What was that for?" said Sakura, rubbing her head, understanding that she was in the wrong.
"What? What do you think?" Ayame almost yelled, with her hands on her hips. She looked like an overprotective older sister.
"I don't know," said Sakura, still rubbing her head. The spoon must be made of something special to hurt that much.
"God, you shinobi are so thick sometimes. Naruto used to sit right there with that blonde girl and talk for hours! You hear me? HOURS! And it only took you 2 minutes to shoot him down and shut him up. Now, think about that, pinky, because next time I may tell him that blonds are more fun. Now think about it," done with her lecture, Ayame hit Sakura one more time for good measure. With a resounding thud of wood on bone, she turned and walked back into the shop.
Walking back to the front of the Ramen Shop, Sakura continued rubbing the top of her head as she sat down next to Naruto and his tower of bowls. Leaning over, she bumped his shoulder to get his attention, and as he looked over, she did her best to give him a happy, carefree smile.
"Sorry," she said, simply getting a puzzled reaction out of him.
"Sorry? Sorry for what?" he responded, putting down his chopsticks.
"I didn't mean to cut you off, I… I just couldn't see someone like Ino interested in doing a prank, she seems so prissy," said Sakura, trying to avoid using the word 'bitch' no matter how much she wanted to.
"But you said they were stupid, not Ino," pointed out Naruto, trying his best to avoid a fight, but she had said it and he heard her.
"Naruto, please, I said I was sorry. Your pranks aren't stupid, they are innovative," she said, smiling at finding the right word.
"So…. You want to hear about how I was able to replace all of Mizuki Sensei's underwear with underwear made from tape? It took him days to get them off," laughed Naruto, remembering the sight of a grown man trying to pull industrial tape off his hairy ass. He didn't want to think about how he was able to remove them from around his other parts.
"That was YOU?" said Sakura, remembering the screaming from the men's locker room before training.
"Yeah, it was great… So the hard part was finding the tape down at one of the warehouses," started Naruto. As Sakura listened, he wove a story of adventure and daring that she doubted any Jonin would be able to pull off.
….
After spending hours telling stories of his adventures, they walked back to the little apartment, noticing that all the graffiti was gone from the door and wall, hidden by a fresh coat of paint. Naruto rubbed the back of his head and checked the side of the building to make sure they were in the right space, while Sakura grinned at him as if hiding a great secret.
"So…. What do you think, better?" she asked, unable to hold herself back anymore.
"You did this?" asked Naruto, wondering how she had been with him all day.
"No, I had the landlord do it. You would be surprised what a few words can do," she said, not telling him that those words involved threats to the man's whole family if it wasn't done. But what Naruto didn't know didn't hurt him, was her philosophy.
"That's great Sakura," said Naruto, fishing out his key and using it in what he learned was a new lock that even worked on the first try.
Walking in he tossed his jacket over the nearest chair, missing by a mile but who cared as he dropped onto the sofa grinning.
"I don't know about you, but after today all I can think about is sleep," said Sakura, kicking off her sandals next to his jacket.
"Yeah, me too," he said, resting his head back.
"Why don't you take a shower first, and I will get the sofa ready," was Sakura's quick reply as she stood in front of him.
Pulling his head back up, he looked at her. "You know, we forgot to look for a new place."
"I know, but we can do that any day," she said, hoping that the new paint job and a couple of other things she had "asked" to be done would make him forget about it. That inner part of her, the part that she repressed every second of the day, was whispering to her to stay close to Naruto, as close as she could, or there would be hell to pay.
"We can do it tomorrow, dattebayo," said Naruto, still not moving.
"So, go take a shower," she said, knowing that he wouldn't move until she was blunt about what she wanted.
"But you said girls always go first, so…," said Naruto.
"Not today. Now, go go go go," she shooed him off the sofa until she could hear water running.
As soon as Naruto closed the bathroom door, Sakura's movements became a flurry of activity. She darted around the room, her hands moving swiftly to gather everything off the floor and put them away. She felt a need to please, to make things just right, she would not make the same mistake again.
She arranged their belongings, not content with just putting things away, she also cleaned up the dirt and debris they had tracked into the house. Each sweep of the broom and wipe of the cloth was executed with care as if each speck of dust held the key to Naruto's happiness and her staying with him.
Despite her efforts, an underlying sense of anxiety permeated Sakura's thoughts. It felt like her father's hot breath was breathing down her neck telling her she was no good. The top of her head still sore reminded her that she was to blame for everything and she had to make it right. 'It's all your fault' screamed her inner voice sounding like her mother on a bad day.
"Sakura? What are you doing under there?" asked Naruto as he came out of the bathroom in his sleeping pants, shirt, and that silly hat he liked to wear. Now that he had "The Talk" he took extra care around Sakura as if she would be offended at the sight of his body.
Sakura was under the little kitchen table scrubbing at a food stain that had been there for years. Her focus was so great she didn't even hear the door open until Naruto said something.
"Nothing!" she almost yelled getting to her feet and hiding the cloth behind her back with a smile Naruto knew was as fake as his own on most days.
Thinking about it, Naruto decided that it wasn't worth the effort to keep asking and walked over to his bed and sat down, "I am going to bed, so do whatever you want." with that he dropped on the bed and rolled over turning his back to her.
Sakura stood still for a moment, the rag slipping from her hand and landing with a soft plop in the sink. Without another word, she turned and gathered her belongings, retreating to the solitude of the bathroom. As the sound of rushing water filled the room, she stepped into the shower, seeking safety from the fear raging within her.
With each drop of water cascading down her back, Sakura felt the weight of her memories pressing down on her. Her father's hands on her, her mother's harsh words, and all the pain they had caused her flooded her mind. She scrubbed at her hair furiously, as if trying to wash away the haunting images that plagued her mind. Yet no amount of scrubbing could erase the scars left by her past, the scars that lingered long after the wounds on her body had healed.
As the steam enveloped her, Sakura leaned against the tiled wall, her tears mingling with the water streaming down her face. The fear of losing this, her only safety in this world overwhelmed her. In the midst of her despair, a voice whispered in the depths of her mind, reminding her of the harsh realities of the shinobi world. It was a reminder that her whole life had been a battlefield, a never-ending mission filled with trauma and danger, it was the life she had been forced into and she had no other.
Summoning her strength, Sakura took a deep breath, allowing the rush of water to drown out the noise of her cries of fear and insecurities. Seeing what to do, she turned off the hot water, letting the shock of the cold cascade over her, jolting her out of her self-imposed despair.
As she dried herself off and prepared for bed, Sakura couldn't shake the feeling of uncertainty that lingered in the air. Yet there was a glimmer of hope, a silent determination to change the course of her destiny, lest she succumb to the darkness that threatened to consume her.
'Things are going to change, they have to or I will not survive 'she thought as she dried herself to get ready for bed.
As she emerged from the bathroom, clad only in a pair of panties and the towel around her shoulders, she found Naruto sound asleep, oblivious to her presence. She had hoped to "Surprise" him by walking out of the bathroom but like many of her plans, it failed once again.
Sakura quietly made her way to her things, retrieving her favorite little red nightgown. Slipping it on over her head, she felt a sense of calm wash over her, as if the soft fabric offered a shield against the uncertainties that lay ahead.
Turning off the small lamp beside the sofa, Sakura crawled under the covers, the warmth of the sheets enveloping her like a comforting embrace. Tomorrow would be a new day, a fresh start. She was determined to be whatever Naruto needed her to be, to show him that she could change, and evolve, for the better.
With that thought echoing in her mind, Sakura closed her eyes, her breathing slowing as she drifted off into a restless sleep.
….
The following days turned into weeks as they fell into a familiar rhythm, with Jiraiya driving them relentlessly to push their limits. His teaching style was a unique blend of humor, harshness, and unabashed perversion, yet amidst the teasing comments and endless writing in his little book, they learned many useful jutsu. His knowledge seemed endless, and under his guidance, Sakura and Naruto honed their individual skills while also mastering the art of combination jutsu. The one time Jiraiya explained to Naruto and Sakura how to do a combination jutsu with her fire and his wind made for some of the funniest and biggest fireballs they had ever seen. Lucky for them it was over the cliff face and the civilians below thought it was a show and started clapping.
Despite their initial plans to find a new apartment, the search was repeatedly put off. Exhausted from their training sessions, they found themselves with neither the energy nor the time to run around the village, especially after dark. Surprisingly, Naruto didn't mind the delay, as Sakura had transformed into a caring and supportive girlfriend, willing to listen to him ramble on about anything and everything sometimes into the early hours of the morning. What began as skepticism that she was playing some trick gradually gave way to acceptance, and before long, it became their norm.
Today started much like any other, with Jiraiya's relentless drills and his lecherous comments about Sakura's newest workout outfit. Today she had worn a new black and white outfit with stripes running down her sides. It was made for maximum flexibility and was skin tight leaving her midriff and shoulders bare once again. Naruto had stared at her this morning for a full minute when she walked about the room. He had almost gotten used to her walking out in almost nothing but a towel and a smile but this hid more but covered less than anything she had worn so far. He may have learned what to do but still had no idea when or even if she was interested. He never had that problem with Ino or even her cousins as they just took charge, he had decided that if Sakura didn't make a move then she must not be interested.
This morning when he froze staring at her, she smiled and acknowledged she had the effect she was looking for only to head off to training when he didn't make a move. However, their routine was interrupted this morning when an ANBU operative appeared in their mountainside training field, delivering a message that prompted Jiraiya to abruptly end the session and rush off to meet with the Hokage.
"Why don't you take the rest of the day off!" he yelled right before following the Anbu off the side of the cliff.
"Hey Naruto, I'll race you to the main gate!" yelled out Sakura laughing as she sprinted off leaving Naruto in the dust.
Walking into the village after racing down and around the mountain Sakura looped her arm in Naruto's as they walked through the main gate resting her head on his shoulder. Today was her chance to do a little more flirting and less punching. All the teasing hadn't worked on him so far and she was thinking that she would have to be more aggressive if this was going to progress beyond this strange almost but not dating relationship they had.
"Don't say ramen, it's still too early," she said, cutting him off as he raised his hand to point down the street
"OK, Sakura, what's the plan then?" he asked as he was just going to say let's get Ramen for a snack before lunch.
"Now that we have a little time let's go see if there are any apartments we can look at, you know they have rebuilt most of the buildings that were damaged in the invasion some may have opened up.", she said, pulling him to a side street that leads to a different part of the village. It was an upscale district for Jonin that had families or young merchants who wanted to start on their own.
As they walked down the street Sakura was telling Naruto about what type of place would work best for both of them. She had put a lot of thought into it and to her mind a one bedroom with another room for a living space with a separate kitchen was all they needed. Getting all new furniture was a must and a bed big enough for two.
As she listed out her requirements Naruto nodded his agreement knowing that any place they found available would reject him anyway so why disagree with her? She had somehow convinced his landlord to paint the door, fix the lock, and repair the stairs but he doubted she would have such luck with a more high-end apartment building's landlord.
She looked at him out of the corner of her eye seeing he had missed her comment about a bigger bed for two. She had continued to sleep on the sofa but that was getting old. She was ready to take this, whatever this was, to the next level even if he avoided looking at her when she was teasing him.
"Naruto! Look, let's start over there," she said pointing at a sign saying for rent. The building was a row of shops with two floors over them that looked like apartments.
"I don't know Sakura, that looks expensive," he said as she pulled him along. They had to ask a few shop owns to find the landlord but as they knotted on the door it swung open.
"Yes, what is it?" asked the gruff old man at the door.
"Can we see the apartment?" asked Sakura pointing back at the sign near the street.
The old man looked them over, her in her skin-tight outfit with bright pink hair and him all in black wearing a jacket in the summer heat, they looked like shinobi and he wasn't sure he needed more of them in his building.
"I guess, but just so you know, I require three months' rent upfront for Shinobi," he said, going back into his place to get the keys.
As they walked around to the back side where the stairs to the upper floor were, Naruto looked around. It was clean, neat, and didn't smell— that alone put it head and shoulders over his place. He was still wondering why the old man hadn't said anything about who he was.
They stopped at the second floor and walked over to one of the doors. It looked like there were four units on this floor, each with a plain, unmarked door. Not even a number marked the door, to their surprise.
"This is the only unit I have right now. It's kind of on the small end, but it doesn't look like you two have any kids, so that should be fine." With that, the landlord opened the door, and they all walked in.
'This was small?' thought Naruto, looking around. The first room, which he assumed was a living room, looked bigger than his whole apartment, and the kitchen off to the side was partly hidden by a wall. The hallway they walked down took them to a bedroom and a bathroom with a tub! A tub in an apartment? That was something he had never dreamed of as he wandered into the only bedroom, which was once again as large as his current living space, with a closet that took up half the wall.
"Why are there no windows?" asked Sakura, thinking of the heat despite the room not feeling particularly warm, even though it had been closed up.
"Well, the old tenant was a little, shall we say, paranoid, and he built over them," said the old man, scratching his chin.
"Thank you for showing us," said Sakura as she walked to the door. The size was perfect, but she couldn't see herself living in a box with only one exit.
Back on the street, she found Naruto's arm and hugged it to her, while he looked down at her with a puzzled expression.
"What now, Sakura?" he asked, thinking she had a plan. She always seemed to have a plan, even if she never said it out loud.
"We keep looking. Come on, we have a lot of time," she said, letting go of his arm but still holding his hand as she rushed along the street.
….
The next apartment they visited was located in a slightly more run-down area of the village, with narrow streets and buildings crowded closely together. Sakura spotted the "For Rent" sign above a small, shabby-looking building tucked between two larger structures.
"This one might be nice," she suggested optimistically, tugging Naruto toward the entrance. Inside, the landlord, a middle-aged woman with a stern expression, eyed them suspiciously as they approached.
"We're here to see the apartment for rent," Sakura said, trying to sound confident despite the woman's intimidating glare.
The landlord grunted in acknowledgment and led them up a creaky staircase to the second floor. The apartment door was adorned with peeling paint, and the hallway smelled faintly of blood.
Entering the apartment, Naruto's heart sank. The living space was cramped, with barely enough room to move around. The kitchenette was little more than a glorified closet, and the bedroom was hardly larger than a walk-in closet. It was smaller than his apartment.
"It's... cozy," Sakura remarked diplomatically, but her disappointment was evident in her voice. The landlord seemed unfazed, already heading for the door. She knew someone would take it at some point they always did.
As they made their way back to the street, Naruto sighed heavily. "I don't think I could even fit my bed in there," he muttered.
"I know, it was smaller than your place," said Sakura, still not believing that something like that was for rent in the village.
Sakura squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Come on, we'll find something better," she said determinedly, though her optimism was starting to wear thin.
The third apartment they visited was a complete disaster. The building was dilapidated, with crumbling walls and a leaky roof. Inside, the smell of mold was overpowering, and the floors creaked ominously beneath their feet.
"It's like a haunted house," Naruto whispered to Sakura as they exchanged uneasy glances.
The landlord, a sketchy-looking man with a greasy comb-over, tried to convince them that the apartment had "character," but neither Naruto nor Sakura were buying it. They made a hasty retreat, eager to escape the decrepit building.
By the time they reached the fourth apartment, Sakura's patience was at the breaking point. This time, the landlord was nowhere to be found, and they had to wait impatiently outside for nearly half an hour before he finally showed up.
The apartment itself was decent enough, but the landlord's abrasive personality left much to be desired. He seemed more interested in complaining about his other tenants than actually showing them the apartment. His comments about demons and foxes along with his outright hatred for shinobi made them want to leave before they entered the apartment.
"I think we've seen enough," Sakura said through gritted teeth as they made their way back to the street. "Let's just keep looking," she added as Naruto caught up to her as she power walked down the street with people jumping out of her way.
Their fifth and they hopped final stop of the day proved to be just as disappointing as the rest. The apartment was spacious and well-maintained, but it was located right next to the main gate of the village, with constant noise and foot traffic disrupting the peace and quiet.
"This won't work," Sakura declared firmly as they stepped back onto the street. "We need to keep looking, it's too dangerous to be this close to the main gate."
Naruto nodded in agreement, feeling defeated. As they walked away from yet another failed apartment, he couldn't help but feel frustration at the waist of time. It was late afternoon and they still hadn't stopped for Ramen yet.
As they trudged through the bustling streets of the village, Naruto's stomach made noises that everyone but Sakura could hear. Sakura was deep in her own thoughts, her enthusiasm was gone with each disappointing apartment they encountered and her anger grew. But just when it seemed like they had exhausted all their options, Naruto spotted a sleek, modern building nestled among the more traditional structures of the village with a small for rent sign by the door.
"Hey, Sakura, look at that!" Naruto exclaimed, pointing excitedly at the imposing structure. "That place looks fancy!"
Sakura followed his gaze and couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope ignite within her. The building stood tall and imposing, with gleaming glass windows and a grand entrance that oozed luxury.
"Let's check it out," she said, with newfound determination. They made their way to the entrance, their hope growing with each step.
Inside, they were greeted by a polished reception area adorned with plush furnishings and elegant décor. The air was infused with the scent of fresh flowers, and soft music played in the background, creating an atmosphere of sophistication and refinement.
A friendly receptionist greeted them with a warm smile. "Welcome to the Grand Terrace Apartments. How can I assist you today?"
"We're interested in renting an apartment," Sakura replied, unable to hide the excitement in her voice.
The receptionist nodded and led them on a tour of the building, showcasing all the amenities it had to offer. There was a state-of-the-art gym, a sparkling swimming pool, and even a rooftop terrace with breathtaking views of the village below.
As they explored the luxurious apartments, Naruto and Sakura couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. The living spaces were spacious and elegantly furnished, with modern appliances and sleek finishes that spoke of refined taste and opulence.
"This is amazing," Naruto breathed, his eyes wide with wonder.
Sakura couldn't agree more. For the first time that day, she allowed herself to envision a future in which they could call this place home. But as they delved deeper into the details, they soon realized that luxury came at a steep price.
"The rent is how much?" Sakura gasped, her heart sinking as the receptionist revealed the exorbitant monthly cost.
Naruto's shoulders slumped, disappointment etched on his face. As much as they both longed for the comfort and convenience of the Grand Terrace Apartments, it was clear that it was beyond their means. They would both have to be Jonin to afford even the smallest of the apartments in this building.
With disappointment, they thanked the receptionist and made their way back onto the street. The sun was beginning to set, casting a golden glow over the village as they walked side by side in silence.
As they headed home, Naruto said "Now can we go get Ramen?", it was clear he was at the end of his rope and wanted to just eat and go home.
As they were about to leave the Grand Terrace Apartments, the sounds of pain-filled cries echoed down the hallways. Naruto and Sakura exchanged a look before following the source of the screams.
Rounding a corner, they came upon a scene that sent a chill down their spines. A group of police officers stood outside one of the apartment doors, while a distraught woman clung to one of them, her cries echoing through the hallway.
"What's going on?" Naruto asked, his voice tinged with worry.
One of the officers turned to face them, his expression grave. "We found two Chunin dead in Training Ground 7," he explained tersely. "We just informed one of the families."
"Dead? But how are we under attack again?" asked Sakura thinking the sound had returned or something worse
"No, but they both had been killed with a Chidori and there are only two people in the village who know that Jutsu and Kakashi Hatake has not reported back from his mission," said the officer, turning to leave.
As the police officers departed, Naruto and Sakura exchanged horrified looks, their sensei would never do such a thing, and that leaves only one other person. The reality of what may have happened hit them like a ton of bricks. In the blink of an eye, they turned to each other and with a nod ran out of the building.
"Naruto? Where are you going?" asked Sakura as Naruto ran up the side of the building and started using the rooftops as his private road.
"Hokage's Tower, I got a bad feeling about this.", he said as soon as Sakura reached his side.
All thoughts of apartments and the cost of rent were gone in a flash as he pushed himself to go faster leaving Sakura struggling to keep up until he landed at the base of the tower and ran up the stairs taking 2 or 3 steps at a time.
Bursting into the Hokage's office, the door slamming against the wall as he shoved it out of his way, all eyes turned to him as he stood panting in the open doorway. He spotted Jiraya and the Hokage standing around a table with another three Jonin. The Jonin Commander was off to the side by the window looking out over the village deep in thought.
"Naruto you little brat what do you think you're doing coming into my office like that?" yelled out Tsunade looking for something to throw at the little shit that dared kick her door open. Jiraiya handed her a stone paperweight they had been using to keep the map down on the table. Taking the offered Toad status she threw it at Naruto who ducked out of the way. Unfortunately, Sakura wasn't expecting it and took the full blow to the gut, sending her out of the room.
Naruto spared a second looking back to see Saura was getting back up, a little slow but she was moving as he stormed over to the table and the gathered elders.
"What is going on Baa-chan," yelled out Naruto as he looked down at the map of the village and the surrounding forest
"Naruto, this is not your business, now go home," said Jiraiya knowing as the words came out of his mouth Naruto wouldn't listen.
"Tell me what is going on Baa-chan," said Naruto once again challenging the Hokage only inches from her face.
"The Uchiha boy murdered his teammates and ran out of the village," said Shikaku, the Jonin commander, returning from the window after studying the clouds.
"That can't be true. Sasuke would never do that!" Naruto yelled out again as if the volume of his voice would make it true.
"Naruto, please. One of the chunin was still alive when we found them. He said Sasuke did it after they told him to stop using the Sharingan to copy their jutsu," said the only Anbu in the room. Naruto looked up and noticed it was the same Anbu who showed him how to use wind chakra.
He looked around, checking everyone in the room, and not a single person had any doubt that Sasuke had killed his teammates.
"What are you going to do about it then?" asked Sakura as she gave the Hokage an evil eye for hitting her with that toad status, only glaring at Jiraiya for starting it.
"If he had stayed in the village there would be a trial and a judge and jury would hand out justice but once he ran he made himself a Missing-nin," said Shikaku
"Missing-nin?" said Naruto as if not understanding the meaning.
"It's a kill-on-sight order for all shinobi of the leaf." Said Sakura as bluntly as she could so Naruto wouldn't be able to misunderstand the way he did when he didn't like what he was hearing.
"Will you be sending a hunter-killer team after him?" she asked, getting a stunned look from Naruto who once again showed he hadn't paid attention at the academy.
"This is all too troublesome, we are too short-handed to send a team to capture him, that curse seal makes him too strong," said Shikamaru from the shadows of the room, they hadn't even noticed him there as was his plan.
"Yes, and that is why I asked you here, to take a team of Chunin out to track Sasuke, we need to know where he is going before we send a team out to deal with him," said Tsunade laying out the mission they had been talking about before Naruto burst into the room.
"I found signs outside the wall that he joined up with four others, I detected chakra similar to his curse mark," said the Anbu
"Four others, do you think he is going to the sound village to find Orochimaru," said Jiraiya looking over to his old teammate.
"He has been after those cursed eyes for years, with Sasuke being the last one he could hope to control. I wouldn't doubt he is running to his new master." the Hokage said, shaking her head at the foolishness of the young.
"Wait, wait, wait, what do you mean a hunter-killer team, we are going to catch him and bring him back, I am sure he didn't mean to do it," said Naruto not wanting to lose a friend, even when it was a one-sided friendship.
"Naruto, don't be so troublesome. Nobody shoves a Chidori into somebody by accident," said Shikamaru, his tone laced with a hint of frustration.
"But Sasuke is my friend! He would never do that!" Naruto's voice rang out, filled with disbelief and denial.
"Naruto, please. Sasuke was never your friend. Just because he was forced to be on our team doesn't make him a friend," Sakura interjected, attempting to reason with Naruto, who seemed unwilling to accept the truth.
"How can you say that? You chased him all those years at the academy, and then later when we were training, you said you loved him," Naruto turned on Sakura, his voice rising with emotion.
"Damn it, Naruto! I told you I was being 'told' to do that. You know that!" Sakura's retort was sharp, with a hint of vulnerability underlying her frustration.
"No! Love and friendship are forever. You can't just stop like that," Naruto's voice quivered slightly as he revealed his deepest fear to the room— the fear of losing one of the few connections he had with people.
"Don't let your feelings cloud your judgment. People change, people do bad things for bad reasons. Sasuke has chosen this path and now he has to face the consequences," said Shikaku, attempting to apply logic to the most illogical person in the village.
"Face the consequences? Pay with his life, we can't do that!" yelled Naruto, letting his emotions take control.
"Naruto, remember what we saw at that apartment building, those people crying over their dead son? That was Sasuke's teammate. He killed him. He had a family. Can't you see that?" said Sakura, attempting to hold Naruto's hand, but he brushed her off.
Everyone in the room could see the conflict in Naruto as he tried to justify saving Sasuke, even though he hated the idea that two people were now dead. Didn't friendship mean anything? Didn't love mean something more? Could one act, no matter how bad, take it all away? This was too much for him to bear. Sasuke was a friend, more than anyone knows. They had talked, they had interacted to the point that Sasuke had opened up to him. Was that not friendship?
"Naruto, take a breath, calm down. You are not going on this mission," said Tsunade, seeing that Naruto had all the signs of having a panic attack.
Snapping his head to look at her, an idea formed in his mind, and he blurted it out, "Baa-chan, you can't. He's the last of his clan. The village needs him to restore his clan."
'That cursed clan that killed all of my family. No, I think it's time for them all to join their ancestors,' she thought.
"I am the last of my clan. Once I am gone, there will be no more Senju. My clan founded this village, but you don't see the villagers crying out for the Senju to be saved. Naruto, the Uchiha manipulated the villagers so much that no one noticed they never went on missions while my clan died out. They planned to take over the village for generations," the Hokage said, stating the obvious facts that everyone in the room understood. The Uchiha had gone mad with inbreeding, and the Third knew they had to be stopped.
"But they said I was part Senju," he said out loud. After the revelation at the bank, he had wanted to ask her about it but never had the chance.
"Yes, I know. And you are part of at least three others. Many in the village have some part of Senju's blood. My clan didn't stop its members from leaving the clan like the Uchiha or the Hyuga. It's part of the reason so many of our shinobi are so powerful, but a clan is not made up of people so distantly related that they don't even know each other," the look on her face made it clear to the room how sad talking about this really was. She was the last, and due to her age, there was nothing she could do about it.
"But everyone says…," started Naruto before getting cut off.
"Enough. The village has survived without the Uchiha for nearly 10 years. We can continue without them," said the ANBU agent, silencing the room. It was clear he had lost someone close to him because of the Uchiha, or maybe it was a Uchiha. A secret he was going to take with him to his grave.
"Go home. We need to finish the mission planning," said Jiraiya. This had gone on for too long, and he was ready to slap a seal on Naruto and carry him home.
The look of betrayal was evident on Naruto's face as he snapped his mouth shut and walked out of the room, the pain and conflict plain for all to see. Sakura gave a quick bow to the room and ran after him. She didn't know what to say, but a feeling that she needed to stay by his side overwhelmed her.
Out in the street, Sakura noticed even for Naruto's normally winding path to his apartment they were not going in the right direction.
"Naruto, wait up!" she yelled out, running to catch up to him. "Where are you going?"
"Out," was his only word as he increased his pace.
"Out? What do you mean, out? Out where?" asked Sakura, matching him step for step.
"Where do you think? I have to find Sasuke first before they kill him. Maybe I can get him to come back. He may end up in prison, but that's still better than dead," yelled out Naruto, turning on Sakura with a fierce look in his eyes she had never seen before.
"What?! No, you can't. They could declare you a missing-nin or worse," said Sakura, grabbing his arm and pulling him to a stop.
Near the edge of the village, on an unnamed street, they locked eyes, and Naruto made a decision he knew he would later regret. "Sakura, I order you to let go and go back to the apartment."
Due to Sakura's bloodline jutsu, Naruto knew she had to obey a direct order. He had avoided using it for weeks and weeks. He knew it wasn't right, but if he had to choose between Sasuke dying and Sakura being pissed off at him, he was going to pick Sasuke.
Sakura's face went blank as she fought for a moment then without even a goodbye she turned and stiffly walked away. As soon as she was out of sight Naruto broke into a full-on run, he knew all the tricks on how to avoid being seen, and using all of his ninja training alone with everything he learned doing pranks he was outside the walls of the village before Sakura had made it halfway to the apartment.
…
Hope you are ready for the showdown, I tell you that I am.