Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Facilitating Between Heaven and Hell	By : ChaCha92 Category: Naruto AU/AR > Het - Male/Female Views: 6098 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Don't own anything in the Naruto universe. Some dude in Japan does. Make no money on my stories either.

Chapter List
- 10
- 11
- 12
The next two weeks sprint by in a blur. They aren't frantic thanks to Yoshino's help and organization skills, cementing Naruto's eternal respect and gratitude for the woman. She definitely doesn't regret for a moment asking the Nara clan matron for her help in planning the wedding.
Lingering in the Nara kitchen over tea and enjoying a rare midmorning lull in activity, Naruto muses on how much the older woman tends to nag her. Mostly about eating enough, getting enough rest and not overdoing it.
However, the redhead finds she doesn't really mind. Inwardly she admits that as much as she likes to gripe about her oversized flock of mother hens it's nice to be worried after and fussed over than getting ignored or yelled at.
Sighing into the brightly lit kitchen from the morning sun filtering in through the windows she slowly works through her tea. She feels like she's constantly going from dawn to dusk as her April wedding date draws closer. She's grateful Ibiki has been able to mostly work half days now to help her out. It keeps her from feeling overwhelmed.
Draining her cup, Naruto rises from her seat and proceeds to clean up. When she finishes, she heads to her room to grab a light jacket and heads out.
Strolling back into the village she pulls her jacket tighter against the sharp chill still lingering in the air, trying to keep her mind clear in order to simply enjoy the walk. Her thoughts erratically shift from the wedding to everything directly and indirectly related.
Looking up when approaching a teahouse, she smiles when she sees Ibiki out front waiting for her.
"You managed to sneak out a little early," she comments when she's close enough.
Instead of answering, he simply pulls her into his arms to kiss his greeting. Minutes later when the need for air forces them apart, he finally answers.
"I emphasized to the others how terrible it'd be for them if I was late to meet you because of something stupid," he smirks. "As usual, self-preservation instincts kicked in and my people made sure not to delay me with inane details."
Naruto laughs as he leads her inside. Once seated and they place their orders the two chat while waiting for their lunch.
Despite outward appearances, Ibiki notices her tension. He surreptitiously observes her until their food arrives and they begin eating.
"You're tense again," he finally states, causing her to gape at him in surprise. Ignoring her expression he adds, "You've been getting tense a lot more often lately. Your nerves about the wedding are increasing, not abating."
Naruto's surprise drops into a nervous laugh. "Can't get nothing past you, can I?"
Seeing he's not laughing at her feeble joke, her expression morphs into embarrassment as she avoids his gaze.
"Everything's set to go. Yeah, there are some minor details to deal with as decorations and shit comes in, but Yoshino did all the work."
"Yet you can't help but continue growing more nervous," he astutely points out.
Groaning, Naruto rests her elbows on the table and buries her face in her hands.
"This is so annoying! We've spent so much time talking about getting married. There's no reason to be getting nervous about all this shit again!"
Wiping his mouth with napkin before setting it aside, he reaches across the table to pull her hands away from her face, forcing her to look at him.
"We can risk Yoshino's wrath and still call off the wedding." Naruto can't resist smiling a little at his joke as he continues. "There's no rush to get married now. We can do it later."
"No," she shakes her head. "It's not about the ceremony."
Pulling her hands back she drops them in her lap and blows out a frustrated breath as she gazes out the nearest window to collect her thoughts.
"I'm really more worried about fucking things up," she explains in a low voice. Her gaze drifts back to lock back onto his. "This is going to be the first time I have a family. I don't want to screw it up or have something else come in and screw it up because of me."
Ibiki gives her a few moments while she gets lost in her thoughts. He knows she's tacitly referring more to Sasuke than anything else, but decides to leave it alone for now. She kept her word and continues counseling with Inoichi. That's enough for him.
Both resume eating in silence. Since she doesn't want to cancel the wedding, Ibiki muses it might be time for some more direct reassurance. He knows it has to be something that'll firmly convince her that she isn't alone in this since she's part of his family now.
He finally breaks the silence asking, "Are you still meeting Hinata after lunch?"
Seizing on the topic change, Naruto replies, "Yeah. She wants to go shopping. I think she wanted to get some accessories for her kimono or something."
"Don't forget you wanted to get a new pair of sandals to wear with your kimono," he reminds her.
"Oh, yeah. Thanks. I forgot."
They continue chatting the rest of the way through lunch, avoiding any further discussion of Naruto's fears.
After lunch they're exiting the teashop when he asks, "Have you determined where you're going to stay for my clan tradition I asked you about?"
"That's the one where we don't see each other at all during the week leading up to the wedding, right?" she asks, frowning in thought.
"Yes," he replies as they stop to wait in front of the teahouse for Hinata.
"Honestly, no," she finally admits. "I'm leaning toward staying with Kakashi and Iruka because anywhere else the guest room I stay in is more isolated. I never know when I'll have a nightmare." Smiling softly she adds, "The tradition is simple enough, but it's been a lot easier sleeping together than apart and you won't be there to help me out of a nightmare like you usually do."
Hinata approaches and the couple break off their discussion to greet her.
Returning their greeting, she asks, "I didn't mean to overhear, but what tradition are you worried about, Naruto?"
"My clan has a tradition where the bride and groom don't see each other at all during the week leading up to the wedding ceremony," Ibiki explains. "Naruto is correct as whenever she stays at the Hyuga or Nara compound she's a little more isolated."
"I can probably stay with Kakashi and Iruka, but they're really busy too. They'd be closer to help me out of a nightmare, but I don't want to burden them anymore than I have already," Naruto explains.
Hinata considers it before suggesting, "Why don't you stay at the Hyuga compound, Naruto? Instead of being alone in a guest room you can stay with me in my room, that way you aren't alone."
"I don't want to impose on you, Hinata," Naruto protests.
A fond smile graces Hinata's lips.
"It's not much of an imposition. You simply sleep better with another presence in the room, which is why you and Ibiki often stayed with the Nara clan instead of with mine because of the restriction on unmarried couples sharing a room. You'll also have the freedom to enjoy the private gardens to calm your nerves."
Naruto falls silent in consideration. After a few moments, Ibiki adds his thoughts on the matter.
"Iruka and Kakashi would fuss and stress over you instead of giving you the space necessary to calm your nerves. Plus, you won't be able to go out and move as freely as you would at the Hyuga compound."
"It's the best option, isn't it?" Naruto sighs heavily.
"It is," Ibiki reassures her.
"Thanks, Hinata. I accept," Naruto tells the brunette with a smile.
"You're welcome, Naruto," Hinata smiles in return.
"On that note I better get back to work," Ibiki states, stepping closer to kiss Naruto again before leaving the two women alone.
"I hope you didn't feel pressured into accepting my invitation," Hinata states as they start walking up the street.
"I don't, Hinata," Naruto assures her. "I've been feeling pressure from a lot of other things, just not that." Sighing heavily, she continues, "Ibiki's asked for so little during this entire wedding insanity. I can't deny him this 'cause I know the tradition means a great deal to him."
"It's an interesting tradition. I don't think any other clan does it. Mine doesn't," Hinata muses.
"Yeah, I think you're right," Naruto nods. "He said his clan believed the brief separation strengthens the marriage when the bride and groom are reunited for the ceremony. It was proof to the rest of the clan, and the world, they're committed to each other since they made the effort to arrive for the ceremony and not abandon one another for someone else."
"That's a fairly romantic sentiment," Hinata comments as they stroll past various shops.
Naruto shrugs.
"It's definitely an easier tradition to follow than the dog and pony show that's the actual ceremony."
"It's not so bad," Hinata playfully scolds with a laugh. "Besides, you only intend to get married once, so consider it a one time event you have to endure."
"True," Naruto reluctantly agrees.
Both stop dead in their tracks as Sakura emerges from a shop a few yards ahead of them. The smile she had on her face from bidding the shopkeeper inside goodbye drops off into shock at coming face to face with Naruto.
The uneasy silence stretches out as Hinata's eyes flick uncertainly between them. No one is sure how to act without appearing rude.
Sakura surprises them by being the first to speak. "Afternoon, Naruto and Hinata."
Recovering first, Hinata returns the greeting. "Afternoon, Sakura."
"Oh, yeah, um, hey, Sakura," Naruto greets with a nervous wave.
Silence stretches out again before Sakura awkwardly states, "Congratulations on being pregnant and getting married, Naruto."
Naruto gapes in surprise before coming to her senses enough to uneasily reply, "Thanks, Sakura."
"Well," Sakura states after a few more uncomfortable moments. "I better get going. See you around."
With a slight wave she walks off leaving Hinata and Naruto alone.
"Are you okay, Naruto?" Hinata asks when the redhead continues staring after Sakura in silence.
Twitching slightly in awareness, Naruto turns back to her friend with a reassuring smile.
"Yeah. That was a shock, though."
"Sakura has always gone out of her way to avoid you for the past few years," Hinata muses thoughtfully.
Naruto nods.
"I'm kinda surprised she didn't just turn and walk away without a word this time." After a few thoughtful moments, she quietly asks, "Is it possible for us to reconcile after all this time?"
Hinata isn't sure what to say at first.
"If Sakura wants to, she'll have to put forth the effort. It was her actions and attitude that caused the rift in the first place."
Processing her words, a grateful smile spreads across Naruto's face before she hugs Hinata.
"Thanks for saying that."
"It's the truth," Hinata reassures her. Pulling back she suggests, "Let's not dwell on the past or worry about the future. Whatever is going to happen, will. Let's go enjoy a nice afternoon together."
"Okay," Naruto agrees, but Sakura doesn't stray far from her thoughts.
Soon there's only another week remaining until the ceremony and it's the last night Naruto and Ibiki can spend together before following the Morino clan tradition. Despite all assurances she can't help her surging and ebbing anxiety.
She remains lost in thought all through dinner at his apartment. He doesn't push her into talking, trusting that when she's ready she'll open up. He's aware her thoughts are on many things, most notably her departure in the morning for the Hyuga compound for the traditional separation. He understands it's hard for her since she's gotten so used to being with him than without.
After they finish cleaning up, she finally starts talking again, broaching the safe topic of their home renovation.
"Yamato says everything is ready for us to move in," she explains as they settle together on the sofa. "Even better, the last two scrolls containing my shit finally turned up!" she declares excitedly.
"Really? You were very upset to learn they were still missing. Where were they?" he asks, cocking his head in curiosity.
"Again, mixed in with Sai's art scrolls," she explains tersely. "I have no fucking idea how he could've missed them when all the others turned up."
Ibiki can't resist smiling and jokes, "Guess you're still not going to have to follow through with your threat and make anyone one of my guests in near future."
"Shuddup," she sullenly pouts. "Those scrolls shouldn't have been lost in the first place."
"Sai probably stuck them in his pouch so they wouldn't get lost in the move," Ibiki reasons, pulling her to lean into his arms. "It was pretty chaotic."
"He's a ninja, he's not supposed to have a sucky memory," she protests.
"The important thing is they turned up in time for us to move in," he soothes. "Granted most of our things are already settled into the house, so what's left is what we're currently using except for what we plan on giving away, like this sofa."
"I like it better that we're moving in on our wedding night," Naruto states, calming a little. "I think if we moved in before I would've been a hell of a lot more nervous, y'know, adjusting to living in a new place and getting married and everything."
"I think it's more fitting," he concedes. "It's symbolic of us starting our new life together."
"That's a rather poetic sentiment," Naruto arches a brow up at him.
Giving her a flat look, he retorts, "I wouldn't describe that as being poetic, but I'm not just about torture and interrogation either."
"Could've fooled me," Naruto quips, earning her a jab in the ribs that gets her laughing. "Stop that!" she demands irritably though her fading giggles.
"I can't help it if you're ticklish," he grins while moving his hand closer to strike again.
Slapping his hand away in annoyance, she continues, "It was nice of Ero-sennin to offer to pay for the honeymoon suite at the inn closest to the tower as a wedding present, but I'm glad we didn't accept."
"It's too public," Ibiki reasons.
"Yeah, definitely. Despite Baa-chan and everyone's promise of protection, I still couldn't get comfortable with the idea," Naruto explains almost apologetically. "Sure by now everyone knows about my true parentage, the pregnancy and our engagement, but I still get the occasional scowl, glare and angry mutterings."
"Who?" he demands, tensing up.
"Not telling," she replies calmly, meeting his hard gaze. "It's nothing new and they're not worth it."
"It's worth it to me," he growls.
"Drop it," she wearily orders. Ignoring his glare she continues, "It's a lot better than it used to be, but I'm more vulnerable the further along my pregnancy gets. I just don't feel comfortable staying in a hotel on our wedding night."
"I will find out who's giving you shit," he mutters with a growl.
"You've got better things to worry about than idiots," she waves off. "Aside from that, truly, finally and absolutely everything is settled for the wedding."
"Not quite," Ibiki states.
"Huh? Everything that's been ordered has arrived or is confirmed to arrive this week. What else is there?"
"I haven't given you anything."
"Huh?" she repeats, her brow creasing in confusion. "My birthday isn't anytime soon, nor is it New Years. 'Sides, we haven't been together long enough for that to be an issue."
"This has nothing to do with any of those events," he shakes his head. "There's another Morino clan tradition I completely forgot about."
Reaching into a pocket, he pulls out a red velvet box and hands it to her, causing her to straighten out of his embrace.
The closed box sits innocently in Naruto's hand as she stares down at it. Swallowing thickly she hesitantly opens it. Apprehension melts away into curiosity as nimble fingers pluck out a strangely shaped object from the satin lining that looks like a sort of charm.
If flattened out it would be an elliptical rounded shape, but it was curled into an incomplete tube about five centimeters long. At one end of the tube two holes were bored opposite to each other in the walls, allowing a chain or cord to be threaded through. The open, irregularly shaped seam could either be worn against the body or away, but the gap is just wide enough to see inside.
She isn't sure if it's a piece of rock or wood because the swirling, layered grain could pass for either. If it's rock, it must've come from a volcano because it looks like it had melted into such a twisted shape. If it's wood, it must've come from a really old, gnarled tree.
Placing it back on the satin she looks up at Ibiki in confusion.
"That is a piece of wood from a tree that stood outside the front door of the first Morino clan home in Konoha," he explains. "One of the ways the Shodai Hokage wished to celebrate the village founding was to gift every family with a tree. It symbolized they were all branches on the great tree of Konoha. Years later the tree was struck by lightning and split right down the middle. Not wishing to lose the tree forever, my grandfather carved what was left to make a variety of ornaments and passed them out to his family. He wished for us to still be united through the tree and reminded of our connection to Konoha." Pausing he points at the cylinder nestled in the box in her hand. "What you have is one of the last surviving pieces that came from the heart of the tree."
Naruto stares in questioning shock.
Ignoring her expression, Ibiki takes the box out of her hands. Leaning forward he unties the necklace of the Shodai's crystal hanging around her neck.
Still reeling at what he's doing, Naruto is incapable of voicing the questions clouding her mind.
He briefly studies the amulet in the box and the crystal on the chord. Deciding to try something he slides the crystal off the silk cord and nestles it into the gnarled wood, arching a brow at the fact they fit perfectly.
The hole in the crystal lines up perfectly with the holes in the wood. Within moments he reassembles the necklace on the cord and leans forward to retie it around her neck.
Naruto throws up her hands, protesting, "I can't accept it! It belongs to your clan!"
With the ends of the silk chord still clasped in his hands, he grasps her hands, leaving the crystal dangling on the cord between them and stares deeply into her eyes.
"You're part of my clan now. It is tradition for the eldest son to give it to the one he pledges his life to. Like my father did to my mother. Now you're the one I've sworn to protect with my life, so I choose to give it to you."
Taking advantage of her shock he releases her hands to tie the necklace around her neck.
Struggling to comprehend, she reaches down to lift the newly joined pieces up to see them more closely. The dark wood with the light grain accents the blue crystal beautifully.
With a crooked finger Ibiki then lifts her chin up to meet his eyes.
"I know it'll take you time to accept it, but you're no longer alone. You have a family now."
Naruto blames the tears spilling from her eyes on the hormones as he leans in to kiss her deeply. She doesn't resist when he gathers her into his arms and carries her into their bedroom to enjoy their last night together as an engaged couple.
Easing her onto her feet he wastes no time helping divest her of all her clothes. Loosening her pants he kneels to tug them off down to her ankles with her panties. When she steps clear he reaches for the hem of her blouse and with her help, pulls it up over her head before wrapping his arms around her waist to draw her up against him for a lusty kiss.
While she's distracted, his hands reach for the clasp of her bra. Releasing it, he tugs it free from between their bodies. Tightening his arms around her, he pulls her naked form flush against him.
Breaking off the kiss, Naruto smirks deviously at his confused expression watching it morph to dawning realization when he feels her nimble fingers loosening his fly and hooking onto the waistband of his briefs to push them with his pants down his hips. His eyes slide shut with a satisfied sigh when she firmly grasps his aching length. When her lips tenderly brush up against his, he eagerly deepens it. She continues stroking him while his experienced hands roam her body.
Ibiki's eyes open when she pulls away again to smile while dropping to her knees in front of him. He watches her divert her eyes to gaze to his stiff member still cradled in one hand as it hovers in front of her face. Extending her tongue, she leans in to drag it from the base underneath his entire length to the crown. Opening her mouth she envelopes the head with her lips.
Dropping his head forward, Ibiki briefly closes his eyes with a low groan before lustfully watching her gently sucking while simultaneously massaging his tip with her tongue. Reaching out he pulls out her hair tie then digs both hands into fiery strands.
Continuing to work his crown, Naruto wraps her thumb and forefinger around his shaft and firmly drags up his length to her mouth before twisting around the column in a corkscrew motion on the way down. Meanwhile, her left attentively caresses and cradles his balls.
Clenching her hair Ibiki gently, but firmly pulls Naruto to her feet with an annoyed grunt before ravishing her mouth with his. Inwardly he smiles at the tugging and fussing of her hands at the buttons of his shirt. Straightening up, he smirks at her arched brow. Without prompting he helps unfasten the buttons. Her hands surge forward with her body, gliding under the shirt along his skin and pressing herself up against him to engage in another lusty kiss. He resumes exploring her skin with his hands, paying special attention to her firm ass, squeezing and kneading when not digging along her crease or gently invading her anus.
Naruto drops a hand to his cock, resuming her pleasurable torture of caressing and tugging. She lets him guide her over to the bed where he leans her back to ease her onto the mattress before dragging her to the center.
Breaking off their kiss again, he rolls her onto her side with her back facing him and her legs bent together. Swiftly he divests himself of the rest of his clothes. She partially twists onto her back in annoyance, but he stops her by holding her hip in place and leans down to reengage her in a kiss. Reaching out he caresses and plays with her breasts with his right hand while lounging on his elbow.
Abandoning her breasts, he caresses a path back to her ass while alternating between kissing her mouth and suckling her nearest breast. From this partially twisted position, Naruto can't do much except caress up and down his supporting arm.
Sliding his fingers up her crack to her clit, he spends some time playing with her, pinching and pulling before invading her slick entrance. Setting a deliberately slow, but steady pace, he inserts his middle finger. Before long he adds his index. Gradually he keeps adding fingers before he's carefully thrusting four fingers in her.
A low growl in the back of her throat expresses her displeasure when he draws his hand away and drags his slick fingers the short distance to her asshole. He rims the edge then presses on the opening several times. Then repeating the same invasion with his fingers he inserts his middle finger, causing her to gasp in surprise before he reclaims her mouth again while massaging her inner walls. Gradually adding fingers again, he's thrusting four rhythmically in and out of her anus until he pulls completely clear of her. Forming his thumb and remaining fingers together into a crude wedge he pushes into her.
"What, wait!" Naruto gasps out, reaching for his wrist to try stopping him.
Pulling free, he frames her face in his hands to kiss her breathless. When he breaks off, his heated gaze bores into dazed blues.
"Trust me," he whispers. "I'm not going to hurt you. I just need you to relax so you can enjoy it more."
Naruto fearfully searches his eyes until he leans down to kiss her again. She grunts and arches up slightly when she feels his hand pressing into her anus again, but Ibiki keeps his mouth firmly latched onto hers, distracting her with his tongue while successfully inserting his hand up to his wrist.
"Shit!" Naruto gasps when she manages to break free of his mouth. "Is your hand up my ass?" she breathlessly asks while reaching back to feel him buried in her.
His only answer is a devious leer and a forceful thrust that causes her to cry out while squeezing her eyes closed in pleasure. Straightening up into a sitting position, Ibiki continues fisting her, thrusting and twisting his hand inside while his free hand explores her writhing body. Sometimes he reaches over to play with her clit or finger her other hole or he massages and plays with her breasts.
Minutes later she whimpers in loss when he pulls his hand clear. She feels one of his hands on her hip, holding her in place before feeling his left hand easing into her. A soft, satisfied moan plays across her lips as his thrusting resumes before turning into a surprised cry when he forcefully rams his cock into her pussy.
"Play with your breasts," Ibiki breathlessly orders.
While staggering the rhythmic thrusts of his hand and cock, alternating between long and short strokes he watches her comply. Adjusting again where she's twisted and her both her shoulders touch the mattress, she reaches up with both hands to knead her breasts or tug on her nipples. With his remaining hand he rewards her by reaching down to caress and finger her clit and the exposed flesh around his invading hand and cock.
Naruto arches and keens at the exquisite torture before succumbing to her pleasure with a broken scream. Riding out her orgasm, she becomes boneless while gushing out, making their joining more slippery and noisy.
"That's it," Ibiki huskily intones, increasing his pace.
For several more torturous minutes Ibiki drives hard into her towards his own completion, pacing himself enough to draw a loud moan from her second release before finally crying out with his own orgasm. Naruto continues weakly moaning and keening while Ibiki breathes heavily and gradually slows his thrusts to a complete stop.
Their heavy, panting breaths fill the room. Ibiki opens hooded eyes to gaze at his redheaded fiancée still partially twisted beneath him, lying with her eyes closed.
He memorizes the erotic sight. The Shodai's necklace nestled in the wood ornament rests sensuously between her heaving breasts. His left hand remains buried to the wrist in her ass and his cock buried up to his balls in her womb.
He briefly considers firing up another round of fucking. The sight of her like this is seriously turning him on, but decides to let her rest. He may have the stamina, but doesn't want to risk her health for his libido. Plus, they have all night.
Removing his right hand from her clit, he steadies her hip and draws his left out of her ass, causing her to softly moan. He easily slips his semi-hard penis from her slick folds. Getting off the bed, he steps over to the dresser and grabs a chenille throw blanket. Returning to the bed, he eases down next to a drowsy Naruto and reaches out to coax her into shifting to face him. Once she's nestled comfortably against him, her limbs entangling his, he adjusts the throw over them.
When he's finished, he notices Naruto gazing up at him with a tender smile. Returning her smile, he leans in to kiss her deeply.
"Get some rest," he suggests.
"Yeah," Naruto sleepily nods. "I wanna go again tonight. A week is a long time to be without you."
"Indeed," he agrees, pressing a kiss to her forehead as she drifts off before following suit himself.
"Naruto!"
With the dirty dish from her latest snack in hand, the redhead stops and turns around to see who's calling her. She smiles to see Hanabi walking up to her.
"Hey, Hanabi. What's up?"
"I was wondering if you feel like enjoying a massage and then joining Hinata and I for a soak in the hot spring?" Hanabi asks, reaching to tug the dish out of Naruto's hand.
"Hey, leave that alone," Naruto protests with a scowl as she tugs back on the plate. "I'm the one eating you guys out of house and home, I can buss my own dishes."
"You're a guest and I'm not going to have my big sister and father scolding me for not treating you right," Hanabi pithily replies, yanking back on the plate.
"Spare me that 'guest' bullshit," Naruto growls tugging back on the plate again. "I'm pregnant, not an invalid. I can manage to wash and put away my own dish."
Hanabi rolls her pale eyes and tugs back.
"We get it that you're all independent and the big, bad, tough ninja. Whatever. You need to learn to relax and allow yourself to be pampered once in awhile."
"Hey, I know how to relax!" Naruto seethes, tugging again on the plate.
"Just shut up and let go!" Hanabi snaps, pulling back.
"What's going on here?"
Neji's voice behind Naruto startles her into releasing the plate.
"Yes! Thanks, cousin!" Hanabi declares victoriously while moving past Neji and Naruto into a side passage. "Miho is in the west wing in the massage room near the onsen if you want that massage before joining Hinata and I for a soak, Naruto!"
"Brat!" Naruto calls after Hanabi who only pauses to turn around and stick her tongue out before disappearing around a corner.
"You both realize that you're long past acting like five-year-olds, right?" Neji asks with an arched brow.
"Hey, she started it!" Naruto snaps, pointing in the direction Hanabi went. "I was just trying to clean up after my own mess when she started pulling all this 'you're a guest' bullshit."
Rolling his eyes, Neji attempts to reason with the annoyed redhead.
"It's admirable you are willing to clean up after yourself instead of abusing our hospitality, but Hanabi is correct. You are a guest and should allow us to express some of that hospitality."
"Who's side are you on?" Naruto scowls.
"No one's," he replies easily while calmly meeting her annoyed glare. "However, you made the choice to accept Hinata's invitation to stay here for the entire week. Since it was a formal invitation and not merely an 'overnight sleepover with the girls', you are formally a guest. As such, it stands to reason that it's the polite thing for you to do to accept the hospitality we are extending to you. Otherwise you might appear rude."
Naruto's brow furrows deeper with her scowl as she bites out, "That's playing dirty."
"It's the truth," Neji shrugs. "Now do you wish to continue debating this issue? Because I don't mind. I have no other pressing matters to attend to, or do you wish to gracefully accept defeat and enjoy our hospitality?"
"You really are an asshole sometimes, you know that right?" she asks, giving him a flat look.
"I merely consider that personality flaw another weapon in my arsenal," he states, his lips quirking slightly in amusement.
"Fine! I'll let you guys show off that infamous Hyuga hospitality," she mocks poutily. "But I don't have to like it!"
"Spoken like a truly gracious guest," Neji quips, causing her to growl and stalk off.
Despite her protests, Naruto really enjoys the massage. Since she's starting to show, Miho insists on not having her lay on her stomach. Naruto follows the Hyuga's instructions and keeps shifting into various positions from lying on her sides to sitting up. With a light touch of chakra, Miho spends the next hour with her deft hands working out the kinks and knots in Naruto's back and legs before focusing on a deep tissue massage to improve circulation and reduce swelling.
With her muscles feeling like the consistency of jelly, Naruto dresses in a yukata.
"Since Hinata-sama and Hanabi-sama wished for you to join them in the hot spring, I suggested they meet you in the healing mineral bath," the older woman explains while Naruto dresses. "The waters are blended at a lower temperature than the other pools because it has a higher mineral content to aid in healing muscle injuries and pain. I've already checked with our medics and they agreed that pool would be safe and beneficial for you to immerse yourself in."
"Great because it would suck to only be able to soak my legs while the others soak."
"As long as the temperatures aren't too high, it's perfectly safe for you," Miho replies.
"And thanks for the massage, Miho. I forgot what it felt like not to have my body all out of whack," Naruto quips.
"Anytime," Miho laughs. "While you're staying with us just come back everyday so you can benefit from the massage. I recommend coming after you soak in the hot springs as you'll benefit even more from both."
"Okay, I'll try that next," Naruto replies before exiting to head to meet up with Hinata and the brat.
She heads into the bathing room first. Taking her time, she lathers up her body before taking a loofah sponge and gently scrubbing her skin. After rinsing off she washes her hair, making sure to rinse off all the soap. When finished, she dries off to ward off any chill and slides into a pair of bathing sandals while wrapping the towel around her.
Entering the bathing area she pads down the hallway to the indoor pool. Most of the onsen pools in the compound are outdoors, but since this one is designated for healing it is indoors.
Large frosted windows dominate the ceiling and high walls overhead. The pool is brightly lit by the diffused afternoon sunlight pouring in. The exterior doors are open to provide a nice view of one of the many meditation gardens littering the compound.
She's not surprised to see both sisters already soaking in the water of the dark cypress wood lined pool.
"Hey, Hinata," she greets cheerfully. Her flat voice matches the look she gives Hanabi and the single word greeting of, "Brat."
"Takes one to know one," the younger girl murmurs without opening her eyes.
The sound of a clearing throat next to her prompts Hanabi to open her eyes and meet the admonishing look Hinata levies at her.
Straightening up a little, Hanabi adds, "Feeling better after your massage with Miho, Naruto?"
"Loads," the redhead smugly replies as she steps up to the waters edge. Glancing over at Hinata, she recoils slightly at the admonishing look now being thrown her way. She hastily adds, "Thanks for setting that up, Hanabi."
"You're welcome," Hanabi promptly replies after throwing a wary glance at Hinata.
Both learned a long time ago not to cross Hinata or she'd make them suffer for it. The gentle girl never yelled or became violent, but her methods are subtle and cruelly effective.
Naruto removes her towel. Folding it up she sets it off to the side of the pool.
"You're showing!" Hanabi declares excitedly.
"I've been showing for over a month. It just hasn't been visible through my clothes, yet," Naruto explains, rubbing a hand over her belly.
Hanabi and Hinata get out of the water and step over.
"May I touch your belly, Naruto?" Hinata asks.
"Yeah, sure," the redhead grins as the two sisters gently touch her belly.
"Are you feeling a lot of movement?" Hanabi asks.
"Lately I have," Naruto admits. "When I first started showing I couldn't tell the difference from all the gas."
Hanabi and Hinata chuckle as another voice attracts their attention.
"Tsk, tsk. Molesting a Hokage's kid is very unbecoming of a Hyuga."
The three turn to see Temari grinning at them.
"Temari!" Naruto cries in surprise before engulfing the blonde in a hug.
"Only a Suna nin would go right to the gutter like that," Hanabi huffs, reentering the water again.
"Hanabi," Hinata gently admonishes as she joins her sister. "Be nice. She's a guest too."
"When did you get in?" Naruto asks, ignoring them. "And where is Gaara and Kankuro?"
"Why don't we get in the water first," Temari suggests, removing her towel and setting it off to the side.
"Sure," Naruto agrees. She sighs heavily in relief as she steps down into the water and submerges her body up to her chin.
"I keep telling Kankuro that there are at least some worthwhile aspects of Konoha. He just has to look really hard for them," Temari states conversationally after following suit and submerging her body in the water.
Knowing the jab is aimed at her, Hanabi growls at the blonde who has her eyes closed and is pointedly ignoring her. She is quickly silenced by her sister's warning look.
"Play nice, Blondie," Naruto warns. "You aren't getting into another pissing match with Hanabi. If you do, you'll have to deal with Hiashi."
"Like I'm scared of him," Temari waves off.
"Okay, then, if not him, Hinata. 'Nuff said."
Temari opens her eyes to give Naruto a sardonic look when she catches sight of Hinata glaring at her. She can't help shuddering at the cold look in the Hyuga's eyes and decides to enjoy soaking in the waters instead.
"Wise choice, my friend," Naruto intones.
"Shuddup," Temari retorts.
"Anyways," Naruto begins, changing the subject. "What brought you into the village so early and where are your brothers? The Hyuga don't care if different genders soak together, they just don't want unmarried couples shacking up together."
"Nice and crassly put, Red," Temari quips. Without opening her eyes she can feel Naruto glaring at her, but without caring she continues. "We just got in today. Hiashi-sama invited us to come early for the wedding and stay as a surprise to you and a distraction from your nerves." Feeling the redhead's rising indignant intent she cuts her off, "Don't bother denying it. The big day is almost here and I know you're crawling out of your skin."
"Great, not only are you able to destroy your opponents with that sissy fan of yours, but you're a closet psychologist," Naruto replies sarcastically, earning a laugh from Hanabi.
"Naturally," Temari drawls, looking over at her. "You've met my brothers."
"You win," Naruto quips.
"Anyway, the reason they aren't here enjoying this lovely onsen is because I roped Gaara into punishing Kankuro for being a pervert."
"Kankuro is always a pervert. So what'd he do this time to earn your ire over what's usually second nature to him?" Naruto asks.
"We barely get shown are rooms here and haven't even unpacked and he gets overly excited at the prospect of joining us for a soak in the onsen," Temari explains. "He says he's going to be the envy of the ninja world at being able to see both Hyuga heiresses and the Fourth Hokage's daughter buck naked. Then on top of that he says you were already stacked nicely, so you must be a real knockout because of the pregnancy."
Despite the immediate surge in the killing intent surrounding her, Temari closes her eyes and waves a dismissive hand in the air.
"Ladies, please, don't worry about it. Despite everything Gaara has grown into a true gentleman and that sort of thing never sits well with him. Plus, I wasn't too happy with Kankuro being an ass right out the gate like that. We just barely got here. So I strongly suggested to Gaara that maybe Kankuro needed a spar to use up all that excess energy. Needless to say, Gaara thought it was a great idea and is currently borrowing one of the nearby training grounds with Kankuro."
"I knew I liked Gaara for a reason," Hanabi comments.
"Did you have a good trip, Temari?" Hinata asks.
"Yes, we did. I already thanked your father, but I still want to thank you both for inviting us to come before the wedding and stay here," Temari opens her eyes to sincerely state.
"You're welcome," Hinata smiles.
"It's great that you could come so early," Hanabi adds. "It was nee-chan's idea and she suggested it to father. She figured it'd be Naruto's only opportunity to see you and your brothers before the ceremony."
"It's definitely a nice surprise. Thanks, Hinata," Naruto smiles over at her friend.
"I thought their presence would serve as a good, additional distraction, Naruto," Hinata explains, returning her smile.
"Yeah, plus I can tell them myself what happened with Sasuke," Naruto quietly states. "You didn't tell them, did you?" she worriedly asks Temari.
"No. I knew that'd be something you'd want to tell them yourself."
"Thanks," Naruto replies gratefully.
"No problem, Red," Temari waves it off. "But if you're not up to telling them about the Uchiha bastard and the miscarriage I can still tell them for you."
Naruto considers it for a few moments before shaking her head.
"It's tempting, but I regret not telling everyone when I announced my pregnancy and engagement to Ibiki. I want to tell Gaara and Kankuro myself."
"I'll be there when you do because Gaara's probably going to become psycho again once he hears what happened," Temari points out.
"We'll tell them tonight so we can get it over with and he'll have the next five days to calm down before the wedding," Naruto nods determinedly.
"Deal. Now enough serious shit," Temari declares, changing the subject. "Spill all the details about the wedding and everything I've missed since the bachelor and bachelorette parties."
Naruto laughs and obliges, knowing there are a lot of things Hinata and Hanabi don't know about despite being around her more.
Later that night Naruto joins the Sand Siblings in their bungalow. She's glad they weren't provided rooms in the main house, as is typical of most Hyuga guests. As honorable guests they got the three bedroom, two bath bungalow.
Gaara warmly receives her when she arrives and he immediately ushers her inside. After exchanging greetings and hugs, she naturally raids the fully stocked kitchen much to the sibling's amusement.
"Sheesh, Naruto, you'd think they were starving you," Kankuro comments in amazement at watching her pull out a motley assortment of items from the fridge.
Gaara and Temari sit down at the small kitchen table while Kankuro remains standing near the counter island in the middle of the room.
"It's called being pregnant, something you should know about since you're obviously aware of certain symptoms, you pervert," Naruto retorts while constructing her sandwich.
"Crap, Temari told you about my joke earlier, huh?" he asks, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.
"A joke is something like, 'Three Suna nins walk into a bar.' You were being a perverted ass," she tersely replies while slicing a tomato. "Besides, it wasn't hard to miss you and Gaara when only Temari makes an appearance in the onsen."
"Don't rub it in, Naruto," Kankuro grouses while easing into a stool at the island counter. "I missed out on the chance to enjoy some of the famous Hyuga hospitality."
"But you had such a good workout with Gaara," the redhead drawls sarcastically while cutting her completed sandwich into quarters. "And if you continue being so appreciative of that Hyuga hospitality, I'm sure Hiashi and Neji would be more than happy to bestow even more on you. If not, Hinata will definitely cover anything they miss."
The older brunet shudders before sullenly replying, "No thanks."
Temari laughs at her younger brother.
"You really need to keep a lid on that mouth of yours, Kankuro. It'll save you a great deal of trouble."
"Shut it," he snaps at his sister. Turning back to Naruto, he states, "You have no idea how shocked we were to hear about your pregnancy and engagement. And to Ibiki of all people! Man, I thought he was pretty scary for a Konoha nin when I saw him during that first chuunin exam."
"You'll earn points with Ibiki for that comment alone," Temari quips.
"Hey, you aren't going to sit there and deny it," he retorts. "Just looking at him you could tell he wasn't someone you wanted to fuck with."
"I'm not denying it," the blonde smirks back. "Until I saw him, I thought most Konoha nins were pretty boy pansies and wondered how in the hell they managed to win the war."
"Even beautiful flowers can be poisonous," Gaara quietly points out.
"Yeah," Naruto softly agrees before trying to lighten her mood by sticking her tongue at the two older nins who merely roll their eyes at her.
Having finished eating, she cleans up her mess. Gaara caught her tone, but chooses to wait for her to explain when she's ready.
"Anyway, how did you end up hooking up with Ibiki, Naruto? Even in Suna, the nins working T&I aren't the most sociable bunch."
"True," Naruto laughs as she washes the dishes while Temari dries them and puts them away for her. "And Ibiki and I didn't exactly run in the same circles, either, so it's not like we worked around, much less saw, each other all that much. C'mon, let's head into the living room and I'll tell you more."
It isn't long before the four young adults move out of the kitchen and into the living room. Kankuro commandeers one armchair while Temari settles on another one nearby, leaving the sofa to Naruto and Gaara.
"Anyways, Ibiki and I knew each other over the years outside of the chuunin exams," she continues. "Whenever something happened that involved me, he usually got called to investigate the incident."
"Incident?" Kankuro asks, cocking his head slightly in curiosity. "What do you mean? And it sounds like a regular occurrence."
Naruto shifts uncomfortably, feeling the weight of Gaara's gaze before reluctantly admitting, "Ever since I was a kid some villagers would occasionally get in the mood to punish the fox demon. Sometimes it was vandalism to my apartment."
"I take it sometimes they were physical attacks instead?" Temari astutely asks, eyeing the redhead.
Naruto nods, adding, "Ibiki always investigated each incident, so I was familiar with him by the time we took that first chuunin exam. Still, we rarely talked any other time."
"You're making it harder for me to believe you're actually marrying this guy instead of setting everyone up for a major prank," Kankuro arches a brow at her.
"I'd have everyone out for my blood if this had been a prank," Naruto sighs wearily, rolling her eyes. "It'd be a hell of a lot easier if it were. Anyway, since this is Baa-chan's tenth year as Hokage and the official celebration is guaranteed to be a total bore-fest, Iruka, Shizune and Ebisu got together and decided to turn the New Years party into an unofficial celebration. Iruka and Kakashi kept badgering me until I finally agreed to go."
"Wait a sec," Temari frowns, since Naruto didn't mention this during her last visit. "You're the life of the party. Why in the hell would they have to badger you?"
Again, Naruto looks uncomfortable before explaining.
"I don't like going to parties where there's lots of booze. It tends to lower inhibitions and make people think punishing or killing the Kyuubi is a good idea, even if they've been friendly toward me up to that point."
"Are you saying they let these assholes hurt you when you were a kid?" Kankuro asks with a frown.
"Jiji would punish them, but it was always after the fact. It deterred a lot of people, just not everyone," Naruto smiles softly. "Anyway, Iruka and Kakashi convinced me to go and I enjoyed myself. When it was time to go home we started arguing because they were insisting on going out of their way to walk me home. Ibiki stepped in and offered to escort me, which made them happy."
"Obviously not you," Temari smirks knowingly at seeing the irritation on her face.
"You have no idea," Naruto grouses, rolling her eyes to the ceiling. "When we got to my place, I invited Ibiki inside for some tea. We started talking and one thing led to another and we ended up sleeping together."
"What do you mean, 'one thing led to another'?" Kankuro muses thoughtfully.
He grunts as he ends up in an awkward heap on the floor because Gaara used his sand to flip the armchair backwards.
"Thanks, Gaara," Naruto grins.
"Anytime," he nods before scowling at his brother.
Ignoring Kankuro's muttered curses as he rights the chair and replaces the cushions before sitting down, Naruto continues.
"Ibiki and I talked the next morning and agreed we were attracted to each other, so we decided to test the waters out and go on the occasional date. What we hadn't planned on was me getting pregnant."
"Hey, Red, there's a couple of wonderful inventions to prevent such a thing. One is called the 'pill' and the other a condom," Temari helpfully points out.
"Hey, Blondie, I can't take the 'pill' 'cause thanks to the fox it's toxic to me and Ibiki and I hadn't dated much over the years prior to hooking up that we both forgot about condoms," Naruto retorts just as helpfully.
"Birth control is toxic to you?" Kankuro asks, his earlier irritation already forgotten.
"Having the fox in me made my system become a bit like an animal's where a lot of the medications everyone normally takes is toxic to me and could kill me like it would an animal," Naruto explains.
"Must really suck when you get a headache," Temari muses.
"You have no idea," Naruto mutters dryly. Speaking normally, she adds, "Well, it wasn't long before it turned out I was pregnant, which really freaked me out."
"Because you have the Kyuubi in you," Kankuro nods knowingly.
"If only it were that simple," Naruto smiles again softly. "Once I told Ibiki about being pregnant with his baby he convinced me to marry him so I'd have the protection of his family name. That was the easy part. The hard part was finding out I was pregnant 'cause it dredged up a lot of really bad shit for me."
The three siblings watch Naruto in concern as she pauses for a few moments. Gaara and Kankuro suspect she's got more to share, but Temari already knows what's coming next.
Closing her eyes briefly, Naruto takes a deep breath.
"I know it freaked you guys out when I tried killing myself. It freaked nearly everyone out. You guys all thought it was because I was upset at failing to bring Sasuke back and all the bullshit Sakura was dumping on me for it. Everyone was wrong. Nothing that stupid would make me do that."
She trails off again, getting lost in her memories before taking another deep breath.
"Everyone knows about Orochimaru capturing me. What no one knew was why. He and Sasuke worked out a deal. He'd capture me so Sasuke could restart his clan, giving him another body to transfer to later. Since I wasn't a willing participant, Sasuke…" she breaks off, taking a few, deep, slow breaths before continuing in a hoarse whisper, "raped me."
"I tried reasoning with him," she continues softly. "I threatened him. I even begged him to stop. He wouldn't. He kept going, sometimes a few times a day just to make sure I'd end up pregnant." Naruto pauses again to compose herself, but isn't able to stop the tears spilling over her cheeks. "When Sasuke and Orochimaru let me be rescued I couldn't tell anyone. They had done that good a job screwing with my head, making me think the baby would be taken away and raised as a weapon. Then the fox got tired of me being indecisive on keeping the baby when it said to abort it. So it decided for me and caused a miscarriage."
"I was so mad at the fox for doing that," she continues angrily after another lengthy pause. "First my best friend and teammate rapes me, then my other teammate kept hounding me to keep my promise to bring Sasuke back, plus I was feeling like a shitty failure because I couldn't stop him from doing that to me. Didn't help the mangy asshole was smug about it and thought it was doing me a favor because I was clearly too stupid to decide things for myself. So I did the only thing I knew would punish the fox, which was to kill myself."
"Even after all that, I still couldn't tell anyone what happened," Naruto continues sadly. "So it all came rushing back when I found out I was pregnant again and couldn't keep it to myself anymore."
Naruto trails off to let them absorb her story.
"That fucking Uchiha bastard," Kankuro growls after a few minutes, clenching his fists on the armrests. "I'm going to test out the latest modifications to my puppets on his sorry ass! Then I'm going to cut off his dick and turn it into a pen!"
"Kankuro!" Temari hisses.
"What?" he demands irritably.
When he looks at her, she jerks her head toward the sofa. His gaze drifts over and he loses some of his anger at seeing Gaara holding Naruto tight. A light touch on his shoulder causes him to look to his left and see his sister now standing next to his chair. With the same hand she gestures for him to follow and leave the two alone.
Nodding, he silently rises to his feet and follows her out of the room.
"I understand why you didn't say anything," Gaara quietly states minutes later. "The deeper your pain, the less likely you are to ever mention it. We're both long used to not trusting others since chances were always good they'd betray us, but the most painful and damaging betrayals are from those we dared to trust and love."
He adjusts his grip when he feels her shudder and a strangled sob escapes.
"There is no comprehending why they betray us like that," he continues after letting her cry for a few minutes. "We have to accept it was a choice they made and not anything we did because nothing justifies their actions."
"But I should've…" Naruto begins hoarsely protesting into his chest.
"No, you couldn't," Gaara insists. "It's likely anything you did differently would still result in the same outcome. Sasuke intended to do that to you and even had help. What you should do is stop blaming yourself."
Several more minutes pass until Gaara speaks again.
"I understand why you tried killing yourself. I don't like it, but I don't blame you for making that choice. You taught me it's okay to take the risk of caring for others and forming bonds. Even when things don't go as I'd like, I have people I know I can count on, just as you have me and others to rely on should you ever find yourself confronting difficult situations like that again."
It takes some effort for Naruto to pull herself together. Pulling back slightly to straighten up, she manages a small smile.
"I'm sorry for forgetting all that, but I promise not to forget or try killing myself ever again."
"I hope not," Gaara replies, offering one of his small smiles. "I'd hate to lose my teacher and inspiration." As Naruto blushes in embarrassment, he drops a hand to her stomach. "You're doing what I thought was impossible for our kind."
She places a hand over his.
"Not impossible, but incredibly scary," she admits reluctantly. "I don't know if I can do this. I'm scared of fucking up. I don't know a damn thing about being in a family. And if I don't fuck it up, what about the Akatsuki? What about Sasuke? He did what he did to restart his clan and intended to come back and claim me later. If I can't protect myself from them, how can I protect my family?"
Gaara studies the worried redhead before pulling her back into a hug.
"You do what you always do, follow your nindo and don't give up."
He feels her stiffen in surprise before she fiercely returns his hug.
"Thanks, Gaara," she softly whispers.
"You're welcome, Naruto," he replies. Loosening his grip, it's his turn to pull back. "Stay here with us tonight. It's short walk back to the main house, but I'd like it if you'd stay. Kankuro can give you his room."
"You're going to have him bunk with you?"
"Hardly," Gaara uncharacteristically snorts. "He can sleep on the sofa."
Naruto can't help laughing, which prompts Gaara to smile again in relief.
"I can bunk with Temari," she smiles, shaking her head.
"You're being too nice," he shrugs.
"That'll last until he fucks up and pisses me off."
"Which should be the next time he opens his mouth."
The two share a laugh and continue talking late into the night.
The remainder of the week passes quickly for Naruto, but far less stressfully than it would otherwise had it not been for the Sand Siblings and Hinata and her family.
Naruto enjoys spending the time with Gaara, Kankuro and Temari as they talk about all the different things going on in each other's lives. They do their best to distract her from her fast approaching wedding day. Having Yoshino be her wedding planner meant she would supervise the actual set up for the ceremony and reception since Naruto had taken care of placing the orders and monitoring everything up to that point.
Kankuro's antics in particular serve as an excellent distraction, but since learning about what Sasuke did, he cut back significantly on acting perverted. He deliberately annoys her in other ways, but doesn't want to make her uncomfortable by somehow referencing or reminding her of what that little bastard did.
Upon waking up, the realization her wedding day has just arrived freaks Naruto out enough where she can barely function. Hinata and Hanabi patiently guide her through the morning since she can't even remember where the bathroom is. By mid morning, she recovers her senses somewhat, but is still jittery and flustered despite everyone's reassurances.
At Hanabi's suggestion, Temari drags Naruto the onsen and is pleasantly surprised to find Gaara waiting for them.
When the trio settles in the water, Naruto asks, "Where's Kankuro?"
"He wisely decided not to risk temptation and went to oversee the laying out of our kimonos," Gaara explains.
Naruto slouches down so the water is up to her chin as she blows out a harsh breath, violently disturbing the smooth surface.
"I can't believe I'm getting married this afternoon. It feels so surreal."
"Stop stressing about it, Red," Temari sighs in frustration. "You've thought long and hard about it and accepted the pros greatly outweighed the cons." Meeting Naruto's skeptical gaze she reassures, "You're not making a mistake."
"If you are that uncomfortable with getting married, Naruto, you can still call it off," Gaara points out, causing both startled women to look over at him. Calmly meeting their gazes, he adds, "Too much stress is bad for you and the baby. Canceling would upset a lot of people, but your health comes first."
"I'm not going to be any less stressed later," Naruto grouses sullenly. "Maybe it's having to do the formal ceremony and invite people I don't even know because protocol demands it. I think if Ibiki and I had our way and just signed the papers in Baa-chan's office I'd be spending time getting used to the idea of already being married instead of freaking out over getting married."
"Can't argue with you on that one," Temari agrees. "I think if my brothers or I were to get engaged we'd have to do the same thing."
"Elope. Trust me, it's way easier," Naruto nods, straightening to sit normally in the water while Temari laughs.
"It might be worth the stress as it'll make your wedding day that much more memorable than it would've been had you simply eloped or signed a certificate in Tsunade-sama's office," Gaara smiles at her.
"I guess," Naruto grouses sullenly.
"Boy, if you're this nervous about your wedding day, you're going to be a total basket case when it comes time to deliver the baby," Temari quips.
She laughs at the glare Naruto gives her before the redhead splashes her with water. Temari immediately returns the favor and it quickly degenerates into an all out splash war.
Gaara attempts to remain neutral by moving to the far side of the pool until both kunoichi notice and share identical looks of mischief before ganging up on him. He quickly proves he's not pushover in a splash war, causing a big mess but providing a much needed and amusing distraction for Naruto.
After her not quite serene, but at least, relaxing soak, Naruto and Temari visit Miho for a massage. Miho's deft hands do a great job easing Naruto's tension further while an assistant handles Temari's massage on a neighboring table. They avoid discussing the wedding, which gives Naruto the chance to let her mind go blissfully blank for a change.
Feeling wonderfully shapeless and gelatinous, Naruto makes a beeline to the kitchens for an early lunch. Amused, Temari trails behind and joins her as they chat with the kitchen staff. Afterward, the two head off to Hinata's rooms after being told Ino has arrived.
"Hey, guys," Naruto greets as they enter the room.
Naturally Hanabi and Hinata are sitting there with Ino, but Naruto is surprised to see Tenten there.
Seeing the confusion in Naruto's eyes, Tenten explains, "I decided to tag along and watch Ino do her magic on your hair since you're not wearing the traditional headpieces."
Naruto nods in acceptance while easing into a chair situated in the middle of the floor so Ino can access her hair easier, while Temari settles next to the others on the nearby sitting pillows.
"I'd think you'd be supportive of the fact Naruto is ignoring that old tradition, that it might be too sexist," Temari teases Tenten. "After all, righting sexist wrongs is right up your alley since you and Hana made sure Naruto got a stripper before showcasing your own bump and grind at the boys' party later on."
Tenten glares and turns a deep red at Temari's dig, causing Naruto and the others to bust up laughing.
"You're never going to live that down, Tenten," Ino smirks as she combs out Naruto's hair.
"Hey, I said I was sorry about all that!" Tenten huffs.
"Especially after the lecture Yoshino gave you two," Temari grins.
"That's going to be hard to live down for a long time," Hanabi points out, causing Tenten to shift her glare onto her.
"Did you bring your kimonos and give them to Ai?" Hinata asks Tenten and Ino.
"Nice save," Naruto mutters.
"Sister is an expert at that," Hanabi nods.
Tenten and Ino confirm they brought their kimono and then fall into chatting with the others as Ino works on Naruto's hair, pinning sections down in a seemingly haphazard pattern. Naruto had no idea what it looked like, but she's sure her hair is looking pretty crazy.
"Damn, Naruto, your hair has not only gotten longer, but thicker!" Ino declares, not even trying to hide her jealously.
"It didn't used to be past her shoulders, did it?" Tenten asks.
"No, she always kept it right at or above," Hanabi answers.
"It does look like the pregnancy hormones were a bonus for your hair, Naruto," Hinata agrees.
"I'd gladly give it up if it means not getting swollen ankles anymore," Naruto rolls her eyes, prompting everyone to laugh.
Their banter eventually turned rather loud and raucous, serving as an excellent distraction for Naruto from her nerves.
"Owww!" she yelps in pain when Ino accidentally yanks hard on her hair. "Leave me some hair at least," she grouses, rubbing the sore spot while twisting around to level a murderous glare over her shoulder.
"It's not my fault, you suddenly moved," the blonde retorts, attempting to deflect the blame.
"No she didn't," Tenten points out.
"Yes, she did!" Ino insists defensively.
"Ino, you're dealing with a pregnant kunoichi with raging hormones," Temari reasons. "Do you really want to piss her off?"
Ino opens her mouth to answer before glancing down at the cold look Naruto is giving her before shivering and muttering a succinct, "No."
The other girls chuckle or grin knowingly as she continues working on Naruto's hair.
A few minutes later they're all blown away at the results when Ino announces she's done and hands Naruto a mirror so she can see herself while holding up another so she can see the back of her head.
"Since you didn't want an extravagant style you need something to compliment the kimono," Ino explains to Naruto as she studies her hair in amazement. "As you can see, I pulled back most of your hair into a simple bun on top of your head toward the back, making sure to leave some strands on both sides so I could braid them into a sort of crown. You can't see the ends because I carefully tucked them in. I left some strands loose at your temples so I could curl them and your bangs into spiral cascades to frame your face."
"Nice touch with the flowers, Ino," Temari compliments appreciatively.
"Thanks," Ino grins. "I thought they'd be a nice touch and the fresh white flowers stand out beautifully against Naruto's hair. I didn't want it to look like she sprouted a garden on her head, so I used just enough teacup roses, miniature lilies and baby's breath to accent the braid."
"How did you think up that style?" Hanabi asks in awe.
"Not that it'll surprise anyone, but I used to dream of my wedding day when I was little. There was always something that inspired me, so I came up with several different styles. I thought this one works best for Naruto since she didn't want to look like a parade float."
Everyone laughs as Naruto stands and hugs Ino.
"Thanks, Ino," Naruto whispers as Ino returns the hug.
"Anytime," the blonde replies softly before pulling back to grin. "Why don't you get something to eat since I heard your stomach gurgling?"
Tenten and Temari chuckle knowingly while Hinata and Hanabi grin at Ino's crack.
"Good idea," Naruto replies, unperturbed. "Judging by the look in their eyes," she gestures at the others, "you're going to be doing all their hair and wishing you were snacking with me."
Ino scowls and Naruto grins as true to her word Hanabi muses, "That does sound like a good idea. Could you please do mine?"
Leaving them to their own devices, Naruto heads straight for the kitchens. After a quick snack she then heads off to another part of the main house to get dressed in her kimono.
"Hey, Rin and Ai," Naruto greets the two older Hyuuga women. "Hiashi said he'd ask you two to help me get dressed into my kimono."
"Afternoon, Naruto," Rin, the oldest of the two answers. "That's correct. We'll also be helping anyone else who is leaving from here to attend your wedding and reception."
"As you can see we've got the kimono all ready for everyone," Ai gestures around the room at various kimono hanging from hooks all over.
"I'm sorry to inconvenience you guys," Naruto apologizes in embarrassment. "It's gotta be a pain having to get everyone into these things."
"Not at all," Rin reassures her as she pulls out the kimono Naruto will wear. "It's daunting the first few times, but we've been doing this for years, so it doesn't take us long to get anyone into a kimono."
"Please undress so we can get the undergarments on you, Naruto," Ai requests, bringing over the obi and other accessories Naruto will need.
Nodding, Naruto complies, watching as they lay out the silver kimono Koharu and Homura gave her. They may not have been her biggest fans when she was growing up, but she doesn't want to dwell on the bitterness when they did sincerely apologize. She had told Ibiki she feels wearing the kimono is a start to mending fences and since she still dreams of becoming Hokage they all need to be on the same team if they're going to be any good to Konoha.
When Naruto is stripped down to her bra and panties, Ai notices her belly, asking, "May I touch your stomach?"
"Sure, you both can," Naruto smiles.
"Have you felt the baby kicking?" Rin asks.
"Lately I have. When I started showing last month I really couldn't tell if it was a kick or gas," she laughs.
"Enjoy the light kicks now," Rin smiles knowingly, returning to her task. "They only get harder and more painful later."
"I've heard," Naruto groans. "And I'm not looking forward to it."
The two Hyuga share a laugh with her as they continue working.
"Since you're not that big yet, your belly won't be visible through all the layers of the kimono," Ai states.
"That's why we pushed for the wedding now instead of later, otherwise I'd have waited until after I had given birth. I really didn't want to waddle down the aisle," Naruto jokes as they all laugh again.
"Even though kimono are adjustable, I don't blame you," Rin smiles reassuringly.
It's not long before they're finished and the two Hyuga standby and watch as Naruto checks herself in the three way mirror.
"You look stunning," Rin nods in appreciation. "Very much like a princess."
"The hairstyle Ino-san did for you as well is the perfect compliment," Ai echoes.
Naruto can't help blushing before hugging each woman in turn.
"Thanks for helping me get dressed."
"You're welcome," Rin smiles and bows as Ai follows suit.
Straightening up, Ai suggests, "Let's get you into the haori to help keep the kimono clean."
Once they help Naruto shrug into the haori they turn her loose and prepare for the next wedding participant.
- 10
- 11
- 12
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