Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

ᗰOᑎᔕTEᖇ	By : Sessakag Category: Naruto > Het - Male/Female > Naruto/Hinata Views: 44706 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 54
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- 56
Chapter Fifty-Five
The Final Entry

June 14, 2010

Here she was.
Bright and early.
Heart racing.
Pulse thrumming, stomach queasy.
She had stalled long enough, this was the forth time she’d marched down to her best friend’s apartment only to get cold feet each and every time. There wasn’t going to be fifth. She was doing this today. After talking with Naruto, getting his perspective on friend’s that committed heinous acts, the pinkette had had no choice but to confront her own cowardice.
That’s what her stalling was.
Pure cowardice.
She had to accept the truth, Ino wasn’t at fault.
Ino had held the blade, Ino had delivered each killing blow but…Ino wasn’t responsible for that poor child’s death.
The Otsutsuki were.
She wanted someone to take responsibility for it, she wanted justice for that innocent little girl, but Ino wasn’t the culprit. She was the convenient scapegoat Sakura’s emotional mind was fighting to blame, logic be damned. It wasn’t unreasonable, she knew that; what human being wouldn’t be traumatized by that horrendous scene, what human wouldn’t feel apprehensive towards the aggressor in that violent act? Being a shinobi, you trained for the horrors this world had to offer, yet underneath that steel armor lay a human heart.
But…
It was time to put that armor back on and pull her rooted feet from the muck that held her still.
She had to move forward.
Ino needed her support, but she needed the Yamanaka’s support too.
With that hardened resolve beating in her chest, Sakura chugged her coffee, dressed for the day, and marched to the apartment she dreaded most.
Now she was here, ready to face her demons.
She refused to bitch out again.
And if she was ever going to get dogged, well meaning, blonde haired, big hearted teammate off her case, she had to start making strides to tackle this roadblock between her and peace.
Knees shaky, spine straight, Sakura rapped on a familiar door. She swallowed as she waited, willing the incessant urge to vomit pass before her knock was answered.
No such luck.
However, her frozen lungs could finally exhale the breath she’d been holding as Sai opened the door.
He paused, eyes weary, assessing.
He knew what his girlfriend had done in his absence…of course he knew. She didn’t know for sure what his actual position was, but she knew, whatever it was, very little light reached it. He worked within the shadows. Ino’s dark deed was destined to cross his awareness. Agonizing as she had over what happened, she could only imagine Sai’s heartache.
Her tense shoulders relaxed, her panicked gaze softening with sympathy.
“I’m here to make peace with it,” she admitted quietly, “I’m not here to hurt her.”
“I know,” he replied, his own tone soft with something else.
“How…how are you?”
She had to ask. Her normally emotionally stunted friend seemed moments from cracking beneath the turmoil she saw in his dark eyes.
“About what you’d expect.”
Torn up inside.
Guilt ridden.
Heartbroken for the blonde that had no idea what she had been forced to do.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, taking his clammy palm in her own.
“Me too,” he replied, giving her own cold hand a squeeze.
“Sakura?”
The two friends dropped their brief, sympathetic grip, only to find furrowed blonde brows and enigmatic baby blues bouncing between the two, their separated hands and back again. Pulse pounding, throat dry and scratchy, dizziness lapping at her vision, Sakura met her gaze.
“There a reason you’re holding my fiancé’s hand,” Ino questioned, crossing slim arms beneath her breasts.
Sakura wasn’t sure what had her mouth agape, finally coming face to face with her best friend or the title with which she referred to Sai.
“Fiancé?!” her brain decided for her.
Sure enough, Ino raised a hand, showing her the twinkling diamond.
“That answers your question, now answer mine.”
“She was merely offering comfort, gorgeous,” expalined hubby to be, moving to wrap an arm around the expectant woman, “I spoke to her about your condition, she was one of the first people to see me when I returned to the village.”
Understanding bloomed on the kunoichi’s face, smoothing the wrinkle in her forehead.
“My poor artist,” she sighed, giving his pale cheek a caresses, “you were pretty upset weren’t you.”
He didn’t have to answer. The look on his face told a story words alone couldn’t expressed. As the two spoke in the way only those in love could, Sakura took a moment to process…everything.
Ino…she…
She looked like Ino. It was surprising to her and she couldn’t understand why it was. Had she expected the other woman to grow horns, for her beautiful visage into that of a demon?
Neither had happened.
She was just…plain old Ino.
No blood on her hands.
No evil in her eyes.
No malice in her radiant form.
Just…plain Ino.
“Are you okay, Sakura? You look really pale.”
Snapped from her quiet musing, Sakura focused on the woman before her.
“I’m…”
She raised a fist to her lips, taking a moment to clear the affective frog in her throat. Wiping sweaty palms on her pants, she tried again, “I’m…alright I just…I’ve been really stressed out and…worried about you. I’m sorry I haven’t been around, I-”
Unease slid over her skin as Ino reached out for her hand. The fact that Ino’s own gaze reflected the pinkette’s discomfort was not lost on the medical nin. Sakura swallowed. The moisture between their grip wasn’t blood…it was nothing more than sweat.
It wasn’t blood…
“I get it,” Ino said, snapping her from her silent panic, “things have been crazy lately. If it wasn’t something really important, I know you would’ve been here sooner.”
Their eyes met, distress hovering from one woman to the other. Sakura wondered if she looked as tired, as listless and ill at ease as Ino did.
Probably worse.
“it’s alright forehead,” she joked without much humor, “I’m…not exactly back to my old self considering…you know, but I’m getting there.”
Their hands dropped.
A mutual decision by both uncomfortable parties.
Sakura knew why the Yamanaka struggled with physical contact. The fodder had spent a long time caressing, gnawing, rending her flesh.
She prayed, however, Ino never discovered the source of hers.
Tears welled.
“I missed you, Ino…”
“I missed you too,” came the teary reply, “next time you drop off the map like that, you better leave me a note at least.”
Turning somber, the blonde lost her own fight against the liquid emotion in her eyes.
“Shit fucked up, Sakura…real fucked up. We need each other now more than ever, all of us. We have to be there for each other, to support each other,” she declared as fat tears traced her cheeks, “I can’t even give you a fucking hug even though I want to and it sucks. All of this sucks, but, as long as I have you and everyone else, I’ll learn how to hug again without feeling like my skin is crawling, so don’t…don’t just leave me hanging like that if you can help it…okay?”
“Shit really is fucked up, because for once in your life, you’re actually right, Ino-pig,” she sniffled, “world must be coming to an end.”
“Pft, you’re delusional, billboard brow, I’m always right, this is nothing new! Tell her honey,” the blonde prompted with a swing of her hair and a sassy hand to her hip.
“Of course you are, gorgeous.”
“Hardly an impartial opinion Ino.”
“Sai’s as impartial as anyone can be! Tell her honey.”
“Of course I am, gorgeous.”
“You heard him, I’m always right and he’s alway impartial. Now, you gonna get in here or did you already forget that I got proposed to. Let’s go, coffee’s still hot.”
That said, Ino turned and led the way to the kitchen. A ghosting smile crossing his lips as he met her gaze, Sai sent her silent encouragement before following his fiancée. Sakura shook her head, wiping moisture from her eyes as she stepped inside and closed the door behind her.
xxxxxx
He awoke to lush lips lovingly smooching his own. A small tongue twined his own, the sharp scent of mint filled his taste buds. Her reached for the affectionate woman leaning over him, wrapping his arms around her body, he pulled her flush to him. The most amazing breasts in the world mashed his chest, their warmth and softness banishing his drowsiness.
His eyes opened
“Good morning, Naruto-kun.”
“Morning Princess,” he replied, sighing as she ran gentle fingers through his hair.
She tugged a bit at his locks.
“Time for another haircut, ne, Naruto-kun?”
“If you don’t mind,” he grinned.
Of course she didn’t. She never did. After dragging himself from bed, running himself through the shower and sharing a nice breakfast with his lover, Naruto found himself out on the patio, a barber cloth wrapped around his shoulders. The afternoon breeze blew gently across his skin, the rays sun warm and bright. Settled between her thighs, the soft snip of sizers filling the peaceful quiet, Naruto closed his eyes, basking in the serenity of the moment.
Who knew a hair cut could be so tranquil and intimate.
“All done,” she announced several minutes later, whipping the cloth from his shoulders, sending sheered blonde locks to the cement below.
He turned, pulling himself up into a squat and fixing the full brunt of his blue focus on the woman staring dreamily at him. His lips spread, stretching into a cocky grin that was all vulpine smugness. He knew the effect a freshly trimmed Naruto had on Hinata Hyuuga. Like a mortal woman gazing upon Adonis, his cute wife-to-be was hypnotized. Struck as though hit by ten thousand lightening bolts. As much as it threw him for a loop, as much as past trauma and humility tried to convince him no woman could ever look at him with love and desire, let alone tolerance, Hinata proved his insecurities big fat liars. As her spellbound gaze moved from freshly cut locks, fiercely shining azure regard, dark triple lined whiskers accentuating the predatory curvature of his lips, one look at her face would be enough to convince a nonbeliever that Hinata Hyuuga was beholding a God amongst men.
“Hinata,” he husked deeply, using that voice, the one she usually heard puffed against her ear, its raspy baritone syllables matching the rheumatic thrusts between her thighs, “how do I look?”
Hot arousal filled her pretty cheeks, lilac melding into wanton quicksilver. He leaned forward, lapping gently parted lips, tasting, savoring the sweet flavor of mutual desire. Unable, unwilling to restrain himself, he moved in for a second serving, lingering this time, relishing the heady, overwhelming sapidity of kissing his Princess.
A wholly fulfilling delicacy who’s consumption belong solely to him.
He let her breathe precious moments later, content to greedily observe her struggle to piece together her scattered senses. Shinny lips spreading, flashing pearly whites in the process, Naruto dipped his head, catching her dazed eyes with his own, creating another crux, another hurtle in her battle for coherence.
“Mesmerizing…” came his whispered answer
He grinned, kissing her again for being just as captivating as she found him.
Reaching out, he tucked a silky strand behind her ear, his amusement shifting into tenderness, “so what are we gonna do to celebrate today?”
“Whatever you want, Naruto-kun,” she hummed dreamily.
Masculine pleasure thrummed through his body, blazing satisfaction that infatuation and enthrallment was a two way street between them, their addiction to one anther, their narcotized love blatantly, unabashedly publicized to not just the two lovers but those that shared even a fleeting glance in their direction. He wasn’t one indulge in preening pride over his attractiveness to the opposite sex, but his ability to turn this dark haired beauty inside out, his power to turn her world upside with a single up turn of his lips, to leave her a babbling mess of devout worship was a potent stroke to his ego he shamelessly, gluttonously indulged.
He chuckled, tracing her bottom lip with a calloused thumb, “anything I want?” he hummed, eyes darkening, “I’ll take you up on that tonight, dattebayo, but we still have at least another twelve hours to kill. You wanted to plan it this time around, remember?”
“Plan?” she echoed, confusion furrowing her brow a beat before comprehension took its place.
Awakened from her reverie, she gave him a smile, her eyes bright and shiny, still holding hints of lust, quickly becoming flooded with excitement.
“A movie,” she chirped.
He blinked. Somehow he hadn’t expected something so simple…so normal. Perhaps it was the shinobi lifestyle they lived, the constant back and forth between fighting and training that interfered with any claim to an ordinary relationship that a civilian couple surely held.
“A movie?” he repeated, surprise bleeding into his tone.
“Did…did you not want to…?”
“No, it’s not that, just threw me off I guess,” he admitted offhandedly.
“I know…but I wanted to do something…” she searched for the correct word, “normal?”
He raised a brow.
“You know its getting really scary how you read my mind like you can hear my thoughts,” he told her, “as cute as you are, you’re starting to give me the creeps.”
She giggled, amusement lighting her enchanting amethyst gaze.
“Well then,” she cooed, “fair is fair, read my mind. What are we doing after the movie?"
“Hmmm…fucking like rabbits till you’re walking funny tomorrow?”
“N-Naruto-kun!” she sputtered, face radiating heat, “n-not that!”
He laughed, watching the emotions playing across her pretty face as she replayed each instance she recalled limping down the street following a nights passion. Her most recent memory stemming fight nights ago when he’d been hit with an insatiable episode mid fucking.
“Not…right after the movie…later tonight…” she promised, effectively ending his chortling mid trill.
Nostril flared, perverted hands sliding along bare thighs beneath his shirt turned dress on her petite form, he leered, ready to forgo the movie and skip right to indulging in a filthy, strenuous, sexual binging stint that would put most pornos to shame, a raunchy love session nasty enough to give his poor pink haired nightmares despite being several miles from their carnal heavy abode.
“W-wait!” she tittered, knowing without reading his thoughts how deep his mind had traversed into the proverbial gutter, “that’s not all I have planned!”
He gave her an expectant look; warning her silently that twenty-four hour copulation was still in play. His attention nowhere near subverted.
“In the spirit of ordinary, I wouldn’t mind kicking your butt in our favorite fighting game again, it’s been a while,” she taunted.
His eyes narrowed, trademark competitive streak, a well known character trait of his as well known as the whiskers on his cheek, the orange he downed daily, roaring to the forefront.
No the fuck she didn’t just-
He scowled without heat, pulse galloping as met her teasing eyes. His fierceness cleared a moment later, obscene confidence oozing in its place.
“Oh I get it, you must have bumped your head in the shower this morning,” he concluded with a decided nod along with a condescending pat to her dark head, “my poor baby, you’re all confused and delusional, ‘ttebayo. Don’t worry, I’ll refresh your memory. You’ll be back to calling me daddy in no time.”
Her trilling hilarity was obscenely loud, bringing music to the quiet Konoha morning and a devilish grin to his lips.
“Your memory is faultier than mine,” she declared with a cute snorting laugh, “I see our last gaming confrontation left you too traumatized to recall the event with even rudimentary accuracy.”
She pecked his forehead, a wicked smile gracing her lips as she pulled back.
“My poor handsome, Naruto-kun, pride isn’t everything,” she told him sympathetically, finishing her softly spoken jab with an Eskimo kiss, “its alright to concede to your betters.”
His brow twitched.
“You are really askin’ for it Princess.”
“In more ways than one, Naruto-kun.”
And if that innuendo wasn’t enough to divert every drop of blood from his brain to his groin, the not so subtle glide of her tongue over both his lips was certainly the deciding factor. Before he could jump start his reeling brain, or pounce on the shameless tease that was his fiancée, the snap of a camera roused his flagging ability to think. Frilly pink camera held out in both hands, she gave him a deliriously happy, abundantly goofy grin, so very proud of her sneaky little immortalizing of this hot and heavy exchange. She looked so much like him in that moment, sly and impishly mischievous, cheesing like the cat that ate the canary.
He was so far beyond his ‘Hinata is too damn cute for my sanity’ limit he couldn’t stop himself even if he were so inclined. He dove for her, ready to toss her over his shoulder and spend the remaining week rocking their overwrought bedsprings hard enough to finally snap the groaning metal.
An adorably petite foot pressed ever so firmly to the center of his heaving chest stopped him.
“Now what?” he complained, a complaint that fled his horny mind immediately as his gaze veered off to the hidden treasure slightly revealed by her raised leg, “cuz I’m about to explode, in more ways than one, dattebayo!”
She had effectively, efficiently riled him up, the only barrier to him surrendering to his hedonistic urge to bend her over the stainless steel balustrades of their balcony being the attention her screams would garner. While they were high enough not to be seen by most, visibility was nowhere close to impossible. God forbid he give Konoha’s citizens a window into their voracious, downright sinful sex life, it’d be all over the tabloids and spread worldwide well before he had a chance to blow his load.
“I want to go dancing after our game.”
The words snapped him back to the here and now. She sounded a touch breathless. Her foot moved, climbing his shoulder, spreading her thighs in the process and feeding him an unimpeded personal peepshow.
“Please, Naruto-kun?”
Her throaty plea sent goosebumps racing over his flesh.
“Only if you dance for me later,” he muttered to the glistening pussy calling his name.
She wouldn’t let him have a single taste after their heated conversation. Not one lick, absolutely rejected a quickie, and wouldn’t even indulge him a quick fondling. He was fairly panting on the way to the theater, though the movie choice stifled quite a bit of wind in his perverted sail. He gave his woman an exasperated sigh, though secretly, he found her desire to see a film inspired by his heroics so unbearably cute and flattering.
She was worse than Sanzo.
The only reason he knew about his media endeavors was his biggest, most important fangirl gushing about the newest multi-media attached to his name as he kissed her animated lips, grunting with disinterest at the content but revealing in the lilt of her voice.
His passion shifted once more as the pair went head to head over joysticks. Clearly, he was a bit…rusty, because there was no way she had handed him his ass that easily without him, a; being so out of practice it made his Princess appear one hundred times better than him or b; the deity of luck and good fortune personally guiding her fingers over the buttons.
Suffice to say, he didn’t get called daddy at any point that day.
He was far from discouraged.
Dancing was a heart pounding, exciting highlight. They spent hours moving their bodies in tandem to pulsating bass, working up a sweat as they tore up the dance floor. Onlookers, paparazzi and flashing cameras forgotten as they lost themselves.
Now…
Now he held her flush to his body as their hearts calmed.
The music mellowed, smooth, graceful arms circled his neck, small delicate hands capable of dictating the greatest ecstasy or deadliest pain coasted across his broad shoulders, tantalizingly skimming the heavily muscled planes constructing the strength of his back.
He whispered sweet nothings as they swayed to the lulling beat.
Making her laugh with inside jokes and jovial tales from his youth he’d not yet gotten a chance to tell her.
Her joyous mirth reverberated throughout the dance floor, reaching his ears over the music, inspiring peace and serenity in the smitten man as one would find listening to the ringing of a thousand wind chime swaying on a gentle breeze. As he gazed into her dazzling eyes, he knew he would never love anyone as much as he loved her.
Never.
No matter what iteration of him lived on when faded from the world of the living, or when he stepped into the world of the dead to rest, his adoration, his love that encompassed more than the actual word, for her would remain eternal.
Nothing and no one would ever change.
Nothing.
And as her eyes grew misty, he knew she felt the same.
“Happy anniversary, Naruto-kun.”
Far too emotional to speak, he placed his lips to hers, tasting tears, unsure if they belonged to him or to her.
xxxxxx
Catalyst…
Shino stood frozen.
There was being before him. Watching him, assessing him, reading and studying the many threads that composed his very soul. It was painful, his gaze. Blistering with heat yet bitterly biting like a raging blizzard.
Lava churned in his stomach.
Hands twitching, jaw clamped hard enough to shatter diamond, Shino fought the impulses tightening his muscles, the urge to claw at his scorching abdomen a near mindless compulsion.
The agonizing churn. The stabbing pinpricks of tiny little feet.
Twining his intestines, shoving his internal organs in violent jerks and pulls the very pain that threatened his sanity.
He dared not move.
Not with him watching. Not if it meant taking his gaze from the only safe place his eyes could rest. At the hem of this beings silken robs. He couldn’t turn his gaze to the pulsating lights lining this creature’s pale skin, couldn’t view the ethereal symmetry that graced his visage without wanting to tear his head from his shoulders, nor could he meet the hollowed eyes that refused to be named a color. The brain rotting torture of meeting those orbs, of touching his oculus to those alien features far exceeded the torment screaming inside his body.
His insides heaved, insistent squirming sucking air from his lungs.
Copper filled his mouth, hot liquid trickled from his ears, a similar ooze left his nose in small rivulets.
He dared not move.
If he moved, if the took his blurred gaze from those billowing silks, he would move.
Toju-sama would tear him to pieces…again…
He’d rip apart his body, his essence, the core of him that made him Shino…
His brows furrowed, panic thrummed in his veins. He strained, chasing the elusive information with everything he had.
It came to him.
Slamming his psyche in a painful torrent.
Aburame…Shino Aburame…Shino Aburame…Shino Aburame…catalyst.
He blinked.
That heady scent, laden with power, radiating madness joined the bloody scent in his nose.
Toju-sama had moved…
He awoke screaming within the darkness of his bedroom. Flailing and thrashing, digging harsh groves along his scorching throat. His insides convulsed, roiling before launching into excruciating convulsions as though being run through the blades of a high powered blender. Hard hands gripped his shoulders, his father’s voice filled his ears, the familiar bite of a needle stung his arm.
The world spun away.
Darkness dotted his sightless gaze, sensation left his body.
He could hear the fading pounding of his pulse.
Any yet that silky, inhumane chat refused to be silenced.
Catalyst…catalyst…catalyst…
You are her catalyst…
You must start the process…
xxxxxx
June 15, 2010

‘Still out of it, huh Princess?’ he gloated silently as he ran coveting hands along the dip in her spine, the deliciously curved buttocks kissed by the sun peaking between the curtains.
Sprawled in graceful heap comprised of deliciously snowy skin marred with love bites and palm prints, long silky hair every shade of a nights sky spread across her lush form and wrinkled sheets, her angelic features serene and tranquil, Hinata Hyuuga resided in a deep slumber reserved only for women pushed beyond their carnal limits, given a brief interlude before being pushed beyond even those limits.
And here he thought he had gone overboard a few nights ago.
He’d absolutely lost his mind last night.
Though, he hadn’t been alone in his carnal madness. His stinging back, decorated in red scratch marks, the fresh bites to his shoulder would attest to that.
He chuckled as he rose, sliding the covers over her naked form as he trudged to the bathroom.
He had a mission with his team this afternoon.
After he checked to make sure she hadn’t yanked every tawny strand from his head last night, he’d brush his teeth, grab a shower and get ready for the day.
Before meeting his team, however, he’d make a stop.
Two hours later, he stood waiting for a response to his knock.
The door opened and a man filled the open portal.
Not who he was expecting, but Naruto wasn’t surprised. There was always someone at Shino’s house now days.
“How’s he doing, dattebayo?”
“Mendōkusei, you too?”
Lifting a single blonde brow, Naruto stepped inside as his friend moved aside to let him in.
“His dad says he had an episode this last night, but he seems okay now,” Shikamaru informed him, answering his initial question.
His lips turned down, “another nightmare?”
“Yeah.”
Completely empathetic considering he himself had his own nighttime demons, Naruto gave a small sigh. Shino was going through a hell of a recovery right now, the fact that his misery laden waking hours carried over into the night bothered him. Even more so considering Shino had no idea what the hell was causing them, or what the fuck they were even about.
Terror, overwhelming terror was the only constant his disturbingly blank mind could recall when he awoke screaming, fighting, clawing at his skin as though he, like the Jinchuuriki, battled the fodder in his unconscious mind.
It had to be incredibly frustrating to never gain a moment’s peace.
Shikamaru’s comment made sense as he entered his friend’s living room. Every male counterpart in their social group was current in attendance.
His blue gaze paused on one in particular.
Kiba gave him an enigmatic look as the blonde greeted the group at large. Taking a seat in an empty recliner, the jonin enfolded himself in the conversation his arrival had placed on pause. Tension was low, discomfort fairly nonexistent despite two men loving the same woman in attendance. They even talked to each other, though kept it sparse. All was well…
At least, until Shino spoke up during a lull in the lighthearted banter.
“Naruto, congratulations on your engagement,” Shino said, turning dark eyes to the groom, “despite my current situation, I am truly happy to hear that you two will finally wed. Why? Because Hinata has waited her whole life for this dream to come to fruition. Your dream is become Hokage, her dream has always been to become your wife. After so many years of waiting, I am…elated that she is finally set to fulfill her heart’s deepest desire. I only regret that I have not been well enough to actively participate in the union festivities and planning since my return.”
Shit got real quiet long enough for the former shinobi to give a cursory glance around.
Naruto pressed through the strain.
Giving the other man a thankful, compassionate smile, Naruto shook his head, “don’t sweat it Shino. Hinata and I, we understand. We knew you were happy about our wedding, even if you never said anything to either of us. You’re…dealing with a lot right now. You don’t have to do anything for us but recover and show up to the biggest park in Konoha on August 1st, dattebayo.”
Shino shook his head.
“I wish to participate as much as I am able. Why? Because whether I participate or sit along the sidelines, my injuries will remain remain with me after your marriage. I cannot say how far I will go on this…new path I walk, but one day, when I gaze back upon this time, I do not wish it to be filled with naught but uselessness…misery and depression,” he told the group of men, his gaze fixated on the hands in his lap, “I wish to reach for whatever happiness I can grasp until I no longer have to search so desperately to find it.”
Discomfort be damned, Naruto was all for moving forward.
“Sure Shino, I mean, there’s still a few things I gotta do on my end. Tux design still needs to be picked out, you’re gonna need to get measured and what not by the tailor we’re using. Oh, and we put off my bachelor party for you. You missed the engagement party and I really didn’t want you to miss out this too,” he gave a bashful rub to the hair at his nape, fixing his face in what he hoped was a sincere, placating grin, “I figured if you at least got to join the bachelor party, you could uh, let the engagement party slide, ‘ttebayo.”
Unfortunately and fortunately, Shino was still Shino.
“Despite my injuries, I am still angry.”
“Really Shino?!” the blonde sputtered.
Serious dark eyes told him in no uncertain terms; yeah I’m still that petty.
Naruto sighed, pout in place. Well, he’d rather being on the receiving end of this hissy fit than not. If nothing else it was signs that Shino was steadily climbing towards healing.
“Gotta head out, team’s gotta mission today,” Naruto sighed, “Hinata’ll be by later on today. She was planning on packing some food and having lunch with you this afternoon.”
“Then I will await her arrival. Thank you for stopping by, Naruto.”
“No problem,” he grinned, “see you guys later.”
He gave a two fingered salute as he took his leave.
“You sure about this?”
He turned, unsurprised to see Shikamaru had followed him.
“Yeah.”
“Make sure you mean that, last thing we need is a repeat of what happened at Choji’s.”
“I’m not lookin to fight with him again.”
“Just cause you’re not looking doesn’t mean it can’t happen. He says some wild shit like that again, you telling me you’re just gonna let it slide?”
“No,” he admitted calmly, “but my first response mostly likely won’t be a fist to the face. We might have words and if it goes to shit after that then, hell, at least I tried. I wanna enjoy this, ya know? I want Shino to have a good time. For at least a little while, I wanna hang out with my best buds, get wasted and forget about shit. The Otsutsuki, the fuckin beef with Kiba, Shino’s condition. And I want him to forget too. I want him to be able to take a goddamn break from his pain and stress he has to deal with day after day, dattebayo.”
“I get that, we all want that, but still…”
“That’s exactly it, we all want that for him. Kiba more so than anybody else. They’re teammates. Best friends. I know he’ll go the extra mile to make sure this goes smoothly. I can keep my temper in check, like I said, I’m not looking for a fight with him. I know how to put our issue on the back burner and focus on enjoying the party. It’ll probably be awkward as fuck for a little while, but its nothing we can’t deal with for the sake of having a good time as friends,” he explained, “and just because we’re in the middle of a fight doesn’t mean we’re not friends. We are. We’re two friends that feel the same way about the same woman and need to come to some kinda understanding about it. That’s it. I don’t hate him and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t hate me. I think we can handle one evening breathing the same air. We can’t keep avoiding the issue anyway.”
“You gonna talk to him before the party? About his feelings for Hinata?”
He shook his head.
“No, after. He’s most likely not gonna like what I have to say, and I’d rather not have the negative energy at my bachelor party. We probably would end up in another fight if I have that conversation with him beforehand.”
In fact, he knew for certain Kiba wasn’t gonna like it, and to be honest, he didn’t give a shit. He’d made up his mind about how he was going to resolve the issue, at least from his end. Kiba could either go along with it or do his own thing, no matter what he decided, Naruto was resolute in his decision and he wasn’t going to allow anyone or anything change his mind.
xxxxxx
“Kiba.”
The feral man frowned, turning his gaze to the open window. He knew that tone, he knew what was coming and he really didn’t wanna talk about it. Hell, they’d had this conversation before, years ago sure, but did they really need to have it again?
Hours following the impromptu get together, Shino had asked the Inuzuka to escort him back to his room.
Kiba knew from the glances he had bounced between him and Naruto while discussing the goddamn wedding again, that the Aburame had put the pieces together.
That he’d intercepted the subtle tension hidden below pleasant banter.
“Leave it alone, Shino. I don’t wanna get into and it, and it doesn’t matter now anyway.”
“You still love her.”
Cheeks blazing, jaw tight, the Inuzuka resisted the urge to plug his ears.
Shino was not to deterred.
“Naruto-”
“Knows already, we had a fight over it weeks ago and haven’t talked about it since then,” crossing his arms with more aggression than warranted, Kiba glared at the chirping birds fluttering by, “there’s really nothing to talk about. They’re getting married. Never had a chance anyway.”
“Did you tell her?”
“Fuck no.”
“Why?”
“You know why. You know what she’s like. You know how she’s gonna feel about it.”
Kiba sighed, rubbing the tension in his neck.
“She’s gonna…be upset. Looking at me with guilt and pity, acting all stiff and uncomfortable when we’re near each other. I don’t want shit to be awkward between us. What would be the point? She’s not leaving him for me, that’d be like leaving the love of your life for your fucking brother, and…Tamaki…”
His feelings for her were…complicated to say the least.
He loved her. No doubt in his mind or heart, he did love her…but his heart didn’t solely belong to her and it absolutely should have.
“Hinata and I…we’re friends, close friends, that’ll be enough for me, I just need time. I can’t…be with her the way I’ve always wanted, I know that, friendship is all I’m gonna get. You can’t expect me to put even that at risk by opening my big fucking mouth about feelings that should’ve died a long time ago,” his face turned sour, “saw first hand how that turns out the night me and Naruto went at it. I’d rather take this to my grave and let her live her dream.”
“That’s not a solution. Why? Because you need closure, Kiba.”
“Already got closure. She’s loved him since she was fucking six. He’s crazy about her now. They’re getting married in less than two months. Nothing’s gonna change that. End of story, that’s my closure.”
“That’s not closure. If that were the end of the story, if you truly felt their union was closure for you, the fight between you and Naruto would not have occurred. Their nuptials would not bring you pain and regret.”
Pinching the bridge of his nose, the feral man made a concerted effort not to lose his temper.
He wasn’t mad at Shino.
Nothing he said was anything short of the truth.
Its just…he didn’t want to fucking hear it. He wanted to play blind, dumb and deaf to the reality of his unenviable situation. To run from his personal hell for as long as possible. If he didn’t talk about it, if he didn’t think about it, if he didn’t have it laid bare before his eyes maybe he could go back to pretending that the love he felt for his friend was completely platonic.
“We both know her, Kiba. Hinata would understand and any discomfort she felt would not stop her from retaining the deep friendship you two share. You know this. Is it truly her reaction you fear, or the certain rejection you face?”
He swallowed the lump in his throat, stubbornness, heartache holding his mouth shut.
“Kiba-”
“You know the answer already, why ask me?”
“Because you need to come to terms with the real reason you’ve decided not to tell her.”
He lapsed into agitated silence.
“It will hurt you to finally be rejected…but you need to hear her say the words you dread. Confess to her. Allow the feelings that have festered for years finally be removed from your heart. Avoiding this will only ensure this cycle of heartache continues. Your pain will not lessen following their marriage. Why? Because the next hardship you will face is Hinata announcing the impending birth of their first child.”
Shit…
He hadn’t thought…
“Judging by their intimately, I expect such an announcement to come sooner rather than later.”
They were quiet for a long time following that brutal truth.
“I can’t do it, Shino,” Kiba muttered into the pregnant pause, “Look, don’t worry about it alright? I’ll be fine, I just…need to get my shit together. I’ll talk to Naruto, make sure we’re cool and just put this crap behind us.”
That’s all they needed to do to be honest.
Ignore the whole situation.
Move on and forget this ever happened.
xxxxxx
Hinata hummed quietly as she walked the streets of Konoha. Food containers in hand, her pale checks blazing, the fairly glowing young woman tried valiantly to minimize the limp in her normally graceful gait.
Naruto-kun had all but devoured her last night.
Consumed her ways she’d never been consumed before. In ways that should definitely be illegal. Though, if such a law passed, she’d find herself behind bars right alongside her unrepentant husband-to-be, her own regret for finding herself on the wrong side of justice severely absent. Given the chance, upon release she’d re-offend over and over and over again.
Lying beneath the man she loved more than life, getting plowed into oblivion was an addiction she was willing to serve a life sentence for. Hoping her face wasn’t as red as it felt, Hinata shut down the pathway her mind had wander, electing to focus on walking like she hadn’t passed the night, and morning, buried in ecstasy with her ankles pressed to her ears.
Her blush deepened.
Good lord she was shameless.
She hadn’t even thought to heal the ache his rough loving had created, the pervert she hid from the outside world instead revealed in the echo he’d left between her thighs. She enjoyed remembering he’d had his lascivious way with her every time it throbbed.
That he’d plied and dominated her body with his own as he and only he could.
Call her what you will, but she absolutely loved her morning after twinges.
Composing herself well before she arrived at her destination, Hinata made sure her demure, long sleeved, knee high, burgundy dress covered all the important parts. Her neck was a lost cause, though he’d taken it easy on the graceful column of skin, favoring the hidden flesh down below. As long as she didn’t move carelessly, the hickeys littering her inner thigh would never see daylight.
The nurse let her in, giving her updates on his condition as she was ushered through the house and up to his room.
“Shino-kun, how are you?” she asked as the door closed behind them.
His face was strained, shadows beneath his eyes, even so, there was a softness to his expression, a quiet pleasantness that she was here to share his company for a while.
“Better than I’ve been all day. Why? Because you’re here.”
Sitting her basket of homemade goodies on the floor, Hinata gave her long time friend an equally tender smile as she took a seat in the chair pulled up to his bedside. Reaching out for his hand, Konoha’s Princess held it between hers.
“How’s treatment?”
“Positive, exceeding expectations.”
“Can I…?”
He nodded.
He never told her no, and she knew, he wouldn’t mind if she didn’t even ask before she checked, however, utilizing the Byakugan required tack, etiquette…
Violating the privacy of others was more than frowned upon, within and outside the Hyuuga clan.
Focusing chakra to her eyes, Hinata traced his shred chakra network eagerly, searching for any and all improvements in his flow. A smile curved her lips as she surveyed the nodes and tubbing. Circulation was definitely better, and if this was the effects of a few weeks with the experimental medication, she was more than optimistic for the future.
“It’s working, Shino-kun,” she exclaimed excitedly as the veins around her eyes faded, “your flow is stable and fluid. Its truly working. I’m so glad you’re doing better.”
Giving his hand a muted squeeze, she willed him to believe in better days along with her and to her surprise and unending happiness, she saw it in his dark eyes.
She reached for the basket in a desperate attempt not to bawl her eyes out.
“I made you a salad and brought you some melon,” she enthused as she straightened and presented the container, “are you hungry?”
His lips moved…but no words reached her ears. Dark brows creasing, Hinata leaned forward, curious lilac meeting pitch black.
He was speaking but she couldn’t hear him.
Her eardrums vibrated…
Her skin tingled…
His mouth snapped open.
The air moved between them…
Her lips parted…and the taste of power slid between them, its potent taste sliding over her tongue.
xxxxxx
“You spent a lot of time with Hanabi,” Naruto noted slyly as he led his team through the gates, “seemed like you two were having a good time all by yourselves.”
“I noticed too, sensei,” Tani cooed, “they were together the whole time. He didn’t even wanna play party games since it split us all up. I think he’s gotta crush on Hanabi.”
Seinosuke raised an amused brow at his teammate.
“I-It’s not like that! M-me and Hanabi just have a-a lot in common!” Sanzo sputtered.
Naruto raised a brow at that.
First he was hearing of common ground that was so interesting it joined them together at the hip. Sure they had the generic interests associated with their generation and of course, their shinobi aspirations, but the two had never talked at length like they had at that birthday party. Tani wasn’t exaggerating. Those two, they’d been fairly glued to each other, and whatever was being discussed, it seemed, well, heavy. Laughter and smiles were few and far between, but their ease and connection had been palatable. Naruto was pretty sure he knew what prompted that sudden, seemingly random linkage.
Two teens with father issues.
Wasn’t hard to figure out.
“You’ve know Hanabi almost as long as you’ve known Naruto-sensei and never acted like that before! It was like she was the only person at the party. You barely hung out with me and Seinosuke.”
The half shaven teen’s face began a slow ripening, replicating the different hues between gentle blush and scorching scarlet as Tani continue to bump gums about her teammate and the younger Hyuuga.
“It got worse and worse as the party went on, sensei! We tried to get him to do stuff with us but he was all like; Hanabi wanna go do this, Hanabi wanna do that?” the young girl continued, her lovey dovey voice sounding nothing like Sanzo, not that she seemed to be trying all that hard to imitate her flustered friend, “and when the party was over, he just stood there watching her leave, his face all sappy and sad like a lost puppy!”
A snort and a trilling pearl of laughter followed the comment.
Though he held back a chuckled himself, Naruto knew what was coming next. Quick as a cobra, he snagged the scruff of the short tempered teen mid lunge, not missing a beat as he continued down the dirt path, his second oldest student suspended in air. Unintimidated by the hostile display, seeing as her sensei had the boy dangling several inches above ground, the green haired terror stuck her tongue out at the angry boy screaming obscenities and promising violence.
“Why so hostile Sanzieeee, I think its really sweet! At least now you’re crushing on a Hyuuga your own age,” she teased, “not sure if you’ve got any more chance with Hanabi than you have with Hinata-san considering you’re well, you, but hey, stranger things have happened!”
“Alright Tani, enough, dattebayo.”
“Let me at her, sensei!
“Relax, Sanzo,” he said, “we’re outside the gates, you know the rules.”
“You always take her side, sensei!” Sanzo pouted.
Naruto sighed, “I’m not taking sides.”
“Then how come I’m always the one getting held by the collar then?!”
“Because you’re always let your fists do the talking. Besides, shouldn’t hit girls,” chiding azure orbs cut to Tani, “even when they’re doing their best to get a reaction outta you.”
The girl in question flushed, easily chastened by her hero’s words.
“Sorry, sensei.”
With another exasperated sigh and a shake of his blonde head, Naruto stopped, halting the group. Setting Sanzo on his feet within arms reach of his teammate, he gave the girl an expectant look. Petulance curved her little lips downward, but her teacher’s steady gaze remained unwavering.
“Sorry Sanzo,” she mumbled.
With a pompous scruff, Sanzo crossed his arms before rolling his emerald eyes. His bratty way of accepting the apology. Normally, Naruto couldn’t find it in him to scold the boy. Tani was touching a sore spot she didn’t even realize was tender.
xxxxxx
June 18, 2010
‘We cannot kill him.
Death refuses to embrace him.
Even he, the accursed one, the harbinger of our doom, cannot destroy Cyilo. Suppression is the only choice left to us. He can confine our creator. He can bind Cyilo to the dead dimension. The seal will subdue him for some time. But he will weaken once the deed has been done, he will hunger for essence. He will seek us out, those of the branch, and consume us to replace the power it will cost him to seal away that abominable monster.
Before he is finished, we must flee. The main will oppose us, they will attempt to corral and hold us while he is occupied, but we will not go quietly to slaughter.
We will escape.
We will be free.
They cannot afford to be reckless.
The battle with Cyilo is not over. As long as his presence remains within this realm, it will never end. I do not believe Cyilo will ever cease to exist, we can hold him None amongst us can truly eradicate his stain upon the universe. He is a being for which time, space, reality itself, holds no power. We are mere shadows, faded renditions of a force our minds can scarcely fathom.
I am not fool enough to believe his sealing will save our miserable clan.
Cyilo will one day break free.
We live on borrowed time.’
Naruto shifted in his seat.
Those last words were…sinister; a dark promise of an apocalyptic future seemingly directed at the earthlings reading this creature’s terrified proclamation.
“That is the final entry. We’ve translated everything available to us. If these accountings are true and accurate, then this provides us with a rough estimate about the scope and scale of the threat we currently face,” Kakashi said as Shikamaru finished reading, “two factions that we know of, main versus branch, both comprised of beings not limited only to the Otsutsuki. The Otsutsuki themselves are extremely vulnerable due to their compromised chakra network and thus have taken to planting miniature Shinju to replenish and expand their power. They are here on earth, we assume at the very least, to pick up where Kaguya left off. Despite the infighting, neither faction is exempt from the necessity of chakra fruit. They will try and convert us all into food. Its merely a matter of which side will survive long enough to enact that plan first. No matter which side succeeds, they are and will remain our enemy. Fighting a war while suffering the effects of their ‘wasting’ disease, we’ve come to the conclusion that one side created the jubokko to function as soldiers in lieu of fighting personally.”
A light bulb went off in his head.
That made so much sense.
The experiment, the mass mutation of humans below ground,
“We cannot be sure which side, however. The branch held an alliance to the Akechi clan, hence the reason Kabuto’s brother, Takahiro, knew so much about the Shinju enough to create a augmentation serum from its fruit, not to mention how he acquired seeds at all. Unfortunately, that is not enough evidence to attribute the jubokko to one side or the other. The Akechi were attacked years ago, completely wiped out but for the twins, we are most certain the main were the perpetrators in that case, however, at some point Takahiro planned to use his knowledge and seeds for the benefit of the Village Hidden in Darkness. That ambition was antithesis to both Otsutsuki parties. Upon learning of his plans, either side would have acted upon the information leading to the results we uncovered at site 9. We presume the encounters with the jubokko across each nation were primarily feeding runs, however a few of the clashes were means of measuring their competency and strength. As a consequence of their weakened state, they cannot risk revealing themselves to us, but their jubokko soldiers can and having proved effective against shinobi, and leading up to their abrupt cease fire, they were evolving, becoming stronger. Fortunately for us, so were we. Repelling their little tests was taxing for a number of shinobi across all nations, but it was successful. A step in the right direction, but not our main concern. Full fledged Otsutsuki at large is the true crux of this situation. The reverse is also true for the Otsutsuki. As strong and capable as our shinobi are, nearly every active and inactive ninja would prove no match for these beings, even as they are now, that is an irrefutable truth. As it stands, Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha pose the greatest threat to their existence. Which brings me to the next point on the agenda.”
Dark eyes fixated on the blonde half of the tag team duo.
“Fuinjutsu, you’re going to need to expand your knowledge and use of it, Naruto.”
He’d seen the word written on the white board when he and his lover entered thirty-five minutes ago and wondered where it fit inside this briefing.
Now he had his answer.
Meeting the steady gaze of the Hokage, Naruto raised a single brow.
Expand his knowledge and use? Besides the Torri seal and Jiton Rasengan, he didn’t really know shit about fuuinjutsu.
‘You say that like I have even the foggiest clue about sealing, Kakashi-sensei,’ the Uzumaki commented silently.
“Without the aid of Hagoromo,” the former Anbu Captain continued, “defeating Kaguya would never have happened and yet her defeat ended not in eradication as we had hoped, but in a resealing. Fuinjutsu is all that stood between the world and a lifetime wasting away inside a never ending dream. It was critically instrumental. Monumental, not only for us, but apparently, the Otsutsuki as well. Cyilo was their Kaguya and met with the same fate. Sealing powerful beings is not a permanent solution, but right now, its all we have to work with. Having heavy hitters such as yourself mastering fuinjutsu is vital. Sasuke has already been instructed to focus on the sealing capabilities of his Rinnegan’s Chibaku Tensei until he is able to return to Konoha. Upon his arrival, he will be assigned the same training subject material as you. You two no longer have the ability to perform the Rikudō Chibaku Tensei, however, that does not mean we cannot find another means of replicating the results. If we are unable to take down the strongest amongst the Otsutsuki, which, so far has proven the case, we will have to continue to follow our predecessors and seal them instead.”
How the hell they were gonna do that, Naruto had no earthly idea.
Old Man Six Paths was a God amongst shinobi, he may have awakened the Jinchuuriki’s access to Rikudō Sennin Mōdo but Naruto was no Hagoromo. He’d bust his ass to do what needed to be done, he hadn’t gotten this far by giving up, it was just…the gap in power was incredibly daunting.
“You will have full access to every fuuinjutsu scroll left behind by every Hokage, previous and current, that we have to offer, as well as those recovered from the remnants of Uzushiogakure.”
His pulse quickened.
He didn’t know much about his ancestral homeland, yet every time he heard anything about it a thread of excitement swept his veins.
“I’ve also sent word for Orochimaru to return,” Kakashi informed him, ignoring the sour look on his former student’s vulpine face, “his knowledge is invaluable and more than necessary.”
Mention of that snake turned his lips downward. First Sakura-chan had to rub elbows with that waste of space, now him.
“Naruto, you are an Uzumaki, a clan renowned for it formidable fuinjutsu, you are the son of Minato and Kushina, inheritor of Rikudō Sennin Mōdo from Hagoromo himself, you have the bloodline, chakra reserves, battle prowess and guts needed to execute the powerful seals we need, there is no better pupil of fuinjutsu than you,” the Rokudaime intoned, unable to separate the glowing pride from his words, “I have the utmost faith in you. It may seem unlikely to you right now, however, there are already signs of your potential. Your Torri seal, it bears a great resemblance to Hashirama’s Myōjinmon, the fact that you were able to create such a seal and subdue Kurama with no formal training in fuinjutsu is a testament to your innate ability. There may come a time where we are confronted by Cyilo himself, in fact, the likelihood is quite hight considering current circumstances, we need every tool at our disposal when that fateful encounter occurs.”
Ominous words.
Anxiety, his most persistent, unwanted companion settled over his skin.
Hinata’s small hand, thrumming with strength and love grounded the quietly apprehensive Jinchuuriki. Wrapping his hand tightly around hers, he reached for calm and found it. He wasn’t worried for himself, he was worried about creating more Neji’s trying to fight those fuckin aliens.
The Hokage turned his gaze to the blonde’s support system, heightening his unease despite their connected hands.
“Hinata, you are a close descendant of the Otsutsuki clan, you yourself have been passed the chakra of Hagoromo’s twin, Hamura. You have impeccable chakra control, as well as some experience in fuinjutsu, we are still learning the depths and abilities of your transfer from Hamura but I believe you’ve yet to tap into the full extent of that power. With your proximity to Naruto, it is not only wise but convenient to have you two learn together and assist each other, the more shinobi with the ability to seal the better,” he said, “from what we can garner, not all Otsutsuki are as formidable as Kaguya, so it stands to reason that those of us not on par with Sasuke and Naruto can still provide opposition against lower level Otsutsuki. If eradication of the weaker Otsutsuki is not possible, we can again rely on containment as was done in Kaguya’s case. You are already capable of taking down jubokko with minimal effort, and with each training session, Naruto is forced to increase the power utilized against you. You are gradually growing stronger, you have yet to reach your full potential. I want you to focus on discovering those untapped facets. Your work, however, will be two pronged. With the Hyuuga rotation no longer needed and disbanded, you’ll have more time on your hands. When Naruto is in the village and is not occupied with his team, that is the time for you two to work on fuinjutsu together, study and apply your knowledge. When is he away or with his team, not only do we need sealers, we also need healers. I will have a subordinate trained by Sakura to assist you. Of course, you are free to study and train either directive outside those required time frames, but at bare minimum, I need you to keep to this format.”
“Understood, Hokage-sama.”
From there, the meeting continued, touching on each bullet point lining the board. Once it was over, he rose, lover in tow.
“Naruto, Hinata, stay a moment.”
The room cleared swiftly, leaving the two indicated occupants.
“Your wedding date is approaching and despite the happenings beyond Konoha’s walls, I assume you two have no plans to delay your nuptials?”
“No,” he answered resolutely, “we hope everyone can come and enjoy themselves, but even if that isn’t possible, Hinata and I will be married August 1st, dattebayo.”
Blue orbs burning, he gave her hand a squeezed.
“After everything we’ve heard here today, we’re even more determined to be wed, Hokage-sama,” his fiancée declared.
Kakashi nodded, “I understand, and even with preparations for another war, we’ve met no opposition to the event logistic wise. Those that have been invite plan to attend, however, I haven’t seen a request of leave for a honeymoon, or where you plan to spend it.”
Yellow brows disappeared beneath his headband.
“I didn’t even think about that, dattebayo.”
“Father planned a trip for us, its supposed to be a surprise but I thought he would have cleared it with you by now.”
“I haven’t received a request,” the Hokage negated, “that not withstanding, I wanted to inform you both that I can’t promise if I’ll be able to give you two permission to leave Hi no Kuni, or that you’ll be able to take the full length requested but please be sure to inform your father I am awaiting the information from him. The sooner I have that information, the sooner I can approve or amend the request.”
“I apologize for the delay, Hokage-sama, I will speak to father as soon as possible.”
“No worries.”
They left shortly after, walking hand and hand down the quiet halls.
“Guess your dad forgot about the honeymoon plans.”
Hinata shook her heard, worry frowning between her brows.
“Strange…it’s not like father to forget something like that. He’s very punctual, about everything. As he’s drilled into us, if you on time you’re late, if you’re early you’re on time.”
“Sounds like something he’d say,” Naruto muttered, unimpressed, “well, we can go by the compound before we go home and stress about this week’s meeting, dattebayo.”
xxxxxx
June 20, 2010
Moving leisurely along a cheerful a familiar green path, Naruto ducked a low hanging branch as he made his way to the duo lounging at the rives edge.
Akamaru acknowledged him first.
His excited bark filled the clearing as he gained his feet and barreled towards the blonde. He had just enough time to pull his hands from his hoodie, catching the dirty paws threatening the cleanliness of his gray hoodie and bright orange cargo pants.
“Hey there, Akamaru,” he chuckled, blue eyes gleaming with amusement as his big tail wagged like a pendulum.
Standing on his hind legs, his swishing tail sent his entire body swaying with each swing. Setting his filthy paws back on the ground, Naruto gave the overgrown canine an ear scratch and a head rub, before turning his attention to the man that hadn’t welcomed him. Lying prone, arms folded behind his head, Kiba stared mutinously at the drifting clouds. Naruto sighed, rolling his eyes skyward as he moved towards the sulking man.
He took a seat more than arms length away, watched the tranquil water currents a few moments before speaking.
“I’m not sorry I hit you.”
“I’m not sorry I hit you either,” the feral man replied.
“Didn’t expect you to be, dattebayo. Anyway, pretty sure you know why I’m here.”
His bachelor party later tonight.
“You don’t have to come if you don’t want to. If its gonna be too hard, then I understand. It’ll suck not having you there, but I can deal with it.”
“Deal with it? Wouldn’t that make shit easier for you?”
“No. We’re still friends aren’t we?”
“Obviously.”
“Then why the hell would it be easier not having you there? Being mad at you doesn’t mean I don’t wanna have you celebrate with me. I just wanna make sure you’re cool with it. I’m not worried shit’ll end the way it did at Choji’s since Shino’s gonna be there. Neither one of us wanna stress him out with drama. I came to make sure you were cool with coming despite our…differences.”
“I’m fine with going. Despite how I feel I really am…happy for both of you. I can put this shit to the side for one night if you can. Even if Shino wasn’t going to be there I didn’t plan on saying or doing anything stupid this time, and I’m not gonna be a buzz kill either. Can’t say I’ll be my usual self without a drink or two, but I’m a big boy, I know how to control myself,” his lips frowned, “most of the time.”
If not for that caveat at the end, the blonde smart ass would’ve pointed out every instance he could recall that proved that statement false, including the drunken admission that put them on this awkward path to nowhere.
“Good enough for me,” he said instead, “truce. After the party though, we gotta talk. Came to a decision as to how I wanna handle my side of this situation, dattebayo.”
For the first time since he arrived, Kiba looked over at him.
“What do you mean by that?”
Naruto shook his head, “rather not get into it right now. Let’s enjoy the party and talk after.”
“Gonna assume its something that’s gonna piss me off, huh?”
“Most likely.”
“Then yeah, save if for the after party,” Kiba agreed, “that it?”
Naruto stood.
“Yep,” he replied, dusting himself off.
And that was it.
He gave Akamaru a goodbye scratch as the huge hound whined about the tension between the two humans, before heading back the way he came.
xxxxxx
“You sure you don’t want me to sleep in the bed with you?”
Ino rolled her eyes.
“I’m a big girl, I can handle sleeping by myself,” she blustered before giving a defeated exhale between her plush lips, “and maybe I kinda…don’t like being touched even more when I sleep…”
She could handle lying next to Sai, as long as he didn’t touch her while she slept, luckily for her, her fiancé slept like a rock. He never moved, never turned. Whatever position he fell asleep in was the position he woke up in. Tonight though, her lover was at Naruto’s bachelor party, there was no telling what time Sai would be home and thus, Sakura was on babysit Ino duty until he got home.
Understanding lighting her emerald eyes, Sakura nodded.
“Alright, then I’ll be on the couch if you change your mind.”
The pinkette looked around the room, pausing on the two perpendicular outlets with night lights plugged in.
“Sure that’s enough light for you?” she worried.
“It’s enough,” the Yamanaka assured her, “they keep the corners lit. Dark corners bother me the most, and with the hall light, I’ll feel as safe as a five year old afraid of the dark would.”
Sakura paled.
She looked…horrified. Sick even.
“Sakura? You okay?”
“I…I think that uh…curry may have been too spicy after all…my stomach is hurting. I think I’ll go lay down now. If you need anything, just call me and I’ll come running.”
Never one to miss an opportunity to tease, the blonde gave her friend a mischievous grin.
“I have some tablets for indigestion in the medicine cabinet if you need it, although,” Ino chuckled, “you probably just need to…you know. Air freshener’s on the top shelf above the toilet. Try not to melt the porcelain.”
“You’re disgusting Ino-pig,” the other woman huffed, disgust joining the discomfort on her face.
“All I’m trying to do is help my gassy best friend and this is the thanks I get,” the blonde gripped without heat, “I’m going to bed, hopefully you’ll be in a better mood in the morning, you know, after you take a-”
“Good night, Ino!”
The Yamanaka snickered as her friend stomped down the brightly lit hallway…
The sound of something heavy crashing to the floor woke her in the dead of night. Heart pounding, Ino shot up and reached for the bedside light. She pulled the chain with shaky hands. Wide eyed, the panicked woman swept her bedroom, checking every corner, eternally grateful her high powered night lights banished any shadows that would have taken residence had it not been for those compact square.
Nothing was out of place.
Nothing pointed her to the source.
Anxiety twisted her insides.
She turned scared eyes to her open bedroom door, searching the flooding light illuminating the hallway.
“Sakura?” she called, a slight tremor in her voice.
Silence greeted her.
‘Okay…calm down Ino. Remember what Sai told you. Take a breath. Ground yourself. Separate fact from fiction. You know how these things work. Get a grip!’
Sucking in a quick breath, Ino gave the back of her hand several pinches, focusing intently on the small pain, using it to orient herself firmly in reality. As far as she knew, she was awake.
Awake and in her right mind.
Something had fallen and woken her.
Nothing sinister was happening.
‘That’s the reasonable explanation, that’s the likely explanation. I…I just need to go check and prove that to myself. I’m not gonna be able to sleep until I do. Sakura’s here. If something was happening she’d be come rushing in her to tell me, and if I’m…freaking out, I’d already be sedated. You’re not hallucinating, you’re not delusional. This is real…’
Swallowing sickly, Ino wrapped herself in false confidence and slid out of bed. The cold hardwood brought a chill to her spine. Steeling herself, she wandered out into the living room, fighting dizziness as she peered into the darkened space. Sakura was on the couch, fast asleep, wrapped snuggly in a thick blanket. She looked around, reluctantly stepping further into the wide room.
The coffee table was slightly skewed.
“I kicked the table on accident.”
Ino nearly jumped out of her skin as the drowsy words filled her ears. She turned terrified eyes to the bundle on the couch. Her eyes were closed, but the pinkette let lose a wide yawn.
“Sorry about that.”
“Jeez, billboard brow, you nearly gave me a goddamn heart attack! Learn how to sleep without knocking shit around will ya?”
“Noted…”
Turning, the relived Yamanaka trudged back to her bedroom. While her heart began to slow, Ino released a relived breath for several different reasons, the most important being; the benign nature of the noise, and the fact that she was indeed in her right mind. Her ‘reality check’ steps had worked. Maybe she was still a basket case but, at the very least, she was a basket case that refused to remain one.
Calm, composed and tired, she climbed back into bed, fumbled with the covers before settling.
She turned to the bedside lamp, reaching out to the drawstring and froze.
Listless honey brown eyes stared back at her.
There was a child in the room with her. A little girl with tight chestnut curls, so bouncy and playful, shiny beneath the light. She was so cute in her pretty pink dress…
Though her hallowed eyes held a stare that whispered at horrors no human could fathom…
Her translucent skin…too pale for a living being…
It was like…staring at a corpse. An animated cadaver that had no earthly idea it no longer held life. Ino willed herself to look away, to force her locked muscles to move, to prompt her stuttering brain to explain to her why she should be scared, why it was alarming that this child was in her room gripping the drawstring attached to her bedside lamp.
Her thin arm tensed…
Ino heard a familiar click…
The light went out.
xxxxxx
Moving right along as I’m slightly behind in my outline, lol. I get stuck in fluff and smut sometimes. Thanks all for reading! I would have had this chapter out sooner but I’ve had some really bad cramping in my wrists and the posterior of my forearms, so I’ve been trying to give them longer rests.
I know you guys probably wanted me to go in detail on their anniversary but like I said, I’m behind and unfortunately, I can’t stop on every little detail as much as I wanna, I’ll have to save that for the slice of life blank period-Boruto fanfic I’ll post at some point. Sorry guys, gotta get back to the meat of the story.
Let me know your thoughts! Review, review, review!
Laters
Sessakag~
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