Naruto Fan Fiction / Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Never Too Late ❯ Vixen's Wish ( Chapter 3 )

Ichigo took a bit of rice as he vaguely listened to his dad and the old pervert talk. Who knew that his dad was into porn novels? He glanced up at Naruto as he finger flicked another piece of bread at his perverted friend. If he wanted to stop the man, why did he bring him over? Ichigo shrugged and decided to help the blonde by chucking a clump of rice toward his own father. Out of the corner of his eye, Karin grinned and Yuzu giggled.

 

“Stop talking about perverted things at the table.” Ichigo said as he continued to eat his rice.

 

Jiraiya gasped in mock shock. “Perverted things? My boy, my books are pure gold! They are romantic love novels that have a very complicated plot.”

 

“That's why they all end with erotic hot sex?” Karin raised an eyebrow causing Naruto and Ichigo choked on their food as they tried to hide their laughter.

 

“Karin!” Isshin gaped.

 

“What?” She asked innocently.

 

Naruto grinned and elbow Jiraiya lightly before signing to him. <i>`I don't think Ichigo is the only one who has the Uzumaki blood in them.' </i>

 

“That he doesn't…” Jiraiya whispered back as he watched the family. “That he doesn't…” He smiled as the two siblings were complaining about their father being a perverted old man. Jiraiya eyes were suddenly drawn to the youngest though. Jiraiya's eyes narrowed as he reached out his senses toward her. There was something about her that pulled at Jiraiya's senses.

 

“Aw! Karin, Ichigo! That's no way to treat your father!” Isshin whined. Both siblings glared at him before chucking more food at him.

 

“It is when he's being a perverted old man!” Karin said as she went back to eating.

 

Naruto scratched his head as he typed on his phone. <i> `Sorry Karin, it's my fault. I thought Jiraiya would behave.' </i> He showed it to the kids and gave a small smile.

 

“It's not your fault Naruto,” Ichigo said. “It's not like anyone knew dad read those kinds of books.”

 

“Yea Naruto-nii!” Yuzu said with a bright smile. “But it's amazing that you know a famous person!”

 

<i>`I know many of famous people Yuzu. You know Gaara Sabaku?' </i> Naruto typed.

 

“You mean that rich CEO that recently moved here?” Karin asked with her chopstick still in her mouth. “You know him?”

 

<i>`He's a long time friend. His sister helps me with some of my own projects.' </i> Naruto explained.

 

“At least knowing a CEO is better than knowing a perverted old writer of sex novels.” Ichigo said as he reached over to get some more fish.

 

Jiraiya, who had been trying to figure out why Yuzu's aura was captivating his senses, snapped his attention back to Ichigo with a glare. “Hey! They are very complicated love stories.”

 

“Whatever…” The orange haired teen replied.

 

“Complicated love stories are just a fancy way of saying smut novels.” Karin said as she took another bite of rice.

 

“I give up!” Jiraiya said exasperated.

 

Naruto smiled at Jiraiya and looked around the table at the family he had now. Yep, there was no way the younger Sannin would be able to win. Not against Ichigo and Karin anyway. Naruto shook his head a bit and continued eating his meal. The two siblings continued to bicker and make smart comments to the two older men. Young Yuzu would cut in to calm the ruckus down every so often. Naruto smiled as he watched as Isshin and Ichigo stood up while arguing. This was home, this was his new family.

 

Jiraiya glanced at Naruto and smiled sadly. He knew what the blonde was thinking about and he knew what this meant. Naruto, who had tried in the generations before not to get attached to his family or friends reincarnations, had gotten attached to this family. But Jiraiya knew the truth. The blonde would live on while everyone around him died. Naruto's happiness was never eternal, only fleeting. It was only a matter of time before this happiness disappears or goes down hill.

 

---

 

Naruto watched as Jiraiya hugged Yuzu and gave Karin a little noogie. He smiled and waved to Isshin and Ichigo signaling that he'll be back later. Jiraiya bowed and thanked Isshin before joining Naruto as he walked away. Jiraiya glanced at Naruto as the blonde walked beside him. He didn't want to pop the bubble for his god-child but he knew he could not lie to him.

 

“You've gotten too close to this family.” He said. The blonde continued walking, but Jiraiya knew he was listening. “You're even living with them now. You've never done that before.” He explained. “Naruto…you don't have the same lifespan as humans anymore!” Jiraiya grabbed Naruto's arm stopping him from walking on. “You are making a mistake Naruto! This will bring more hurt than watching us die each generation!” Jiraiya knew the blonde understood what he was saying.

 

<i>`You think I don't know that?' </i> Naruto signed with one handed. <i>`But I owe Masaki more than any of my other descendants. Kyuubi's blood is in Ichigo. I will protect him to the best of my abilities.' </i>

 

“Kyuubi's….Kyuubi considers Ichigo his pup now doesn't he?” Jiraiya asked.

 

<i>`Of course I do!' </i> Kyuubi replied in Naruto's mind. <i> `Our blood runs stronger in Ichigo any other descendant before.' </i>

 

<i>`He does…' </i> Naruto said looking at Jiraiya.

 

The white haired man growled in frustration. “Naruto! You both are idiots! How can you get so involved in one family like this! What is so special about this one than the thousands before it?” Jiraiya shouted at Naruto. “Just because this boy has your blood doesn't mean he will live as long as you!”

 

The blonde froze as Jiraiya finished talking. The other man also stilled at the end of his own sentence. “Naruto…I didn't mean…”

 

Hands moved into action in a slow precise movement. <i> `So…that's what this is about.' </i> Naruto said. <i> `You think that I want to prolong Ichigo's life just so I am not alone anymore?' </i> Jiraiya stepped back as Naruto's blue eyes turned icy. <i> `Perhaps I was…' </i> Naruto's eyes narrowed at him. <i> `Perhaps I am tired of being lonely all the time, but don't you dare think I would jeopardize anyone's humanity for my own convenience!' </i> An inhuman growl echoed around Jiraiya causing him to shiver. <i> `I am not that selfish nor would I curse anyone I love to live a life that I have. To live centuries without a true friend or loved one. To constantly watch generation after generation of the people from the village you knew as home, the people you grew up with, die while you live on. You have no idea what it is like, so don't you dare think for a moment I would press this burden on someone just because I get attached to one family. I am not that conceded!' </i> There was another inhuman growl that raised an octave at the word.

 

“Naruto, that's not what I meant and you know it!” Jiraiya defended. “I'm just concerned for you.”

 

<i>`Well keep your pity to yourself!' </i>Naruto signed angrily. He turned away from Jiraiya filled with anger. How dare that old pervert even suggest….Naruto growled again.

 

“Naruto wait!” Jiraiya called out as he watched the blonde take two steps forward. He tried to reach out toward the man, but Naruto jumped into the air and disappeared in a poof of smoke. “Damn it.” Jiraiya cursed running a hand through his hair. “Great job Jiraiya, you're a royal screw up.” Sighing he slouched a bit. “No point in going after him. If a ninja like him doesn't want to be found, I won't be able to find him.” Not yet anyway…Jiraiya thought as he headed toward his apartment alone.

 

---

 

Asuma grumbled as he let some people into the club. Tonight seemed to be one of those nights where all the assholes are coming out. He had to kick out seven guys already and they just opened two hours ago. He began to wonder why he took this job anyway.

 

“Sarutobi-kun?” A gentle female voice called from the door behind him. Asuma spit out the cigarette he had in his mouth and turned to the woman who called him. At the door a black haired woman stood with a steaming cup of tea in her hands. Her red kimono with golden magnolia print hung off her shoulders a bit letting her long black hair caress her milky skin. In her hair was a red comb with a few small flowers accented the dark waves. Her lips were red and her eyes outlined with black kohl, both of which were dark contrasts against her pale skin. She stood regally in red flats looking at him expectantly. “Would you like some tea?”

 

<i>`Now I remember…' </i> He thought as he smiled. “Thanks Yuuhi-san.” He said taking the cup of tea. “And please call me Asuma.”

 

The woman smiled gently before nodding. “Only if you call me Kurenai.”

 

“As the lady wishes…” Asuma grinned causing Kurenai to blush a bit.

 

“Flattery will get you little Asuma-kun.” Kurenai said as she turned and walked away, a smile settled on her lips.

 

“Can't stop a guy from trying Kurenai-san,” Asuma watched as her hips swayed side to side as she walked away. <i> `I love this job…' </i>He thought as he turned back to his post sipping his tea. </i> `Yep…definitely love this job.' </i>

 

An hour later, Asuma frowned as a familiar blonde came toward him glaring at the ground. He quickly silenced the complaints in the line about the blonde cutting in front with a swift glare before turning to the man, who had reached him.

 

“Namikaze-san?” He questioned quietly. The blonde didn't even acknowledge Asuma as he stormed past him. Sensing something wrong, Asuma called one of the other bouncers to his post and quickly went to find Kurenai.

 

Naruto ignored the angered shouts of customers as he cut ahead of the line. He ignored Asuma as he breezed his way through the door. Damn Jiraiya! He fumed as he made his way to his private room. All employees as well as customers scurried out of his way as stormed to the back room. Only that pervert would push his buttons about getting attached to the Kurosaki family.

 

He opened the rice paper door and slammed it closed, not noticing it jumped half way open. He could hear the jeers of the other customers questioning what was going on but he didn't care. Naruto stood in the large traditional Japanese style room and immediately threw any and all his shuriken and kunai into the opposite wall in anger. His jacket flew off as he spun around and kicked the sitting pillows away from him. The small tea table by door leading out to the private garden sailed through said doors landing on the stone path before the patio. Centuries of anger that he and Kyuubi had pent up began to unravel and push through his barriers that he erected long ago to stay sane. He tore the room apart. His anger, his pain emerged and let itself out in a violent way. He didn't even noticed his lover's hitae-ate fall off his neck in his rampage.

 

Across the hall, a group of men in their late twenties stopped celebrating to listen to what was happening across the hall.

 

“Damn…someone's having a good time.” A chestnut haired man said as he took his toothpick out of his mouth as a pretty blonde haired girl poured him some more sake. “Sounds wild.”

 

“Genma, is sex all you ever think about?” A brunette man, with a scar over his nose asked.

 

“Only with you Ruka-chan,” Genma murmured leaning forward toward the other man. The brunette turned red and leaned away from Genma causing the blonde to laugh. “Aw see, even Ino-san thinks you're cute.”

 

“Not as cute as you Gen-kun.” Ino said as she smoothed out her short light blue kimono.

 

“You are too kind Ino-san!” Genma laughed. “If only Hinata-san would speak up more like you.”

 

The violet haired girl blushed as poured tea for the third member of the party. She wore a traditional white kimono with cranes and traditional scenery embroidered into it. The man she served smiled.

 

“Maa, Maa…Hinata-san, Genma is just giving you a compliment. No need to get riled up.” He said in a soft voice.

 

Hinata looked up at the man and smiled. “Thank you Noroshi-san.” She bowed to the man. Looking up, she smiled brightly at the man. Noroshi Hiken was not a regular, but when he came in, he always kind to her. Tonight he was dressed in a pair of black jeans that clung to his legs and a tight dark blue turtle neck shirt that showed off his muscles. Hinata's pale lavender eyes went to Hiken's long eye patch. It dipped down and covered his left eye and half of his cheek. She heard that he was in a horrible accident when he was younger and it left his left eye scarred. Whatever the reason he never took his patch off in front of people, or so Genma said one night.

 

“Ne, Kakashi,” Genma said calling Hiken by the nickname only the man's close friends knew. “How come you get all the prettiest girls to act so cool around you?” He asked with a slight slur.

 

Hinata blushed at the comment causing Kakashi to laugh. “Perhaps I am just that good.” He said before a loud crashed interrupted them from the room across the hall. “What the hell is going on over there?”

 

“Just ignore it, Kurenai-sama will take care of it.” Ino said with a snort.

 

“But Ino…” Hinata frowned as she looked at the blonde, who was pouring Iruka some more sake. “That's Namikaze-sama's private room.” That quiet comment made Ino freeze and look up at Hinata.

 

“Namikaze-sama?” Iruka questioned as the blonde sat back with a frown. “Who is she?”

 

“Iie,” Hinata shook her head. “Namikaze-sama is a he. He is the one who owns Vixen's Wish.”

 

“He's your boss?” Kakashi asked glancing at the door. “Sounds like a violent boss.”

 

Ino sighed. “Something must have happened.”

 

“Why do you say that?” Iruka asked.

 

“Because Namikaze is a gentleman.” Genma said as he listened to the ruckus across the hall. “In all my time coming here, I've only seen the man a few times but everyone in this establishment praises him like a god.”

 

Ino looked at Genma with disappointment. “You should know Genma-kun, you've been here longer than your two friends.”

 

“Hai, hai…” The chestnut haired man waved her off and poured some more sake. Iruka raised an eyebrow and looked at Ino.

 

But it was Hinata, who spoke. “Most people, who come here, think this is a modern geisha house, one where you pay for sex. That's not the case here.” She said as she looked down at a random spot on the tatami floor. “Namikaze-sama is a kind man. He has laws that are firmly held up. If you enter his domain and break those laws, he will deal with you as he sees fit. If we are harassed or have a problem, Namikaze-sama does everything he can to alleviate it.” Hinata smiled and closed her eyes in happiness. “My cousin Neji, fell into a coma a little over a year ago, and though he thinks I don't know, Namikaze-sama takes care of my cousin's medical bill. On occasion I've seen him at hospital talking with the doctors about Neji's treatment as well.” Tears fell from her eyes. “He's been so good to us…to me. It is as though he is watching over us.”

 

“Like a guardian angel?” Iruka asked.

 

Ino nodded. “I was having financial problems with school. My family's flower shop was on the verge of closing and my home on foreclosure when he saw me one day with Hinata.” She grinned. “Hinata assured me that Namikaze-san was a nice man and made me explain my problem to him. The next day, he appeared at the flower shop to talk with my parents. He made a deal with them. As long as we supply him with the floral decorations for Vixen's Wish, he would sponsor the shop. Normal deals like that, the owner wants something out of it, but Namikaze-san just pays us. He never forced us to do anything we didn't want to. As thanks, I asked to be able to work here with Hinata, but even now he is giving me a separate pay from that the flower shop.”

 

Genma leaned back. “Medical bills, shop and house payments, pay checks, and school fees…this guy must be loaded. And he asks nothing in return?”

 

Hinata shakes her head as she finished rubbing her eyes. “Nothing at all, he is the most selfless person I know.”

 

“Sounds too good to be true…” Kakashi said.

 

Behind him the rice-paper door slid open hastily. Kurenai stood with a deep frown as her red eyes darted from each man in the room to her employees.

 

“Kurenai-sama?” Hinata and Ino questioned at the same time.

 

“Excuse me gentlemen, but I need the ladies.” She said quickly. Her eyes went to Ino. “Ino, get Ten-ten and Temari then come back to me. Hinata, I need you to get some warm sake that Namikaze-san has in the personal vault.”

 

Both girls stood, Ino flying out the door in her haste, but Hinata stayed beside Kakashi. “Is Namikaze-san alright?” She asked her voice rising in pitch in her panic.

 

Kurenai's lips thinned. “He's torn his room apart in a fit of rage, I need you to have the sake ready for when Asuma and I enter the room.”

 

“H-hai!” Hinata turned to the party of three and bowed. “Sorry, but excuse us.” She murmured before lifting a bit of her kimono and rushing out with Kurenai.

 

Kakashi turned and looked at Genma and Iruka. “Well then…”

 

“Look it seems that the man forgot to close his door.” Genma said as he stalked over to their open door to look through.

 

“Genma don't peek!” Iruka squawked.

 

“Shut up!” Genma hissed. He turned and pointed at the blonde staring at something on the floor. “See the blonde Kakashi? That's him, that the owner.”

 

Kakashi's black eye turned to stare at the man, inside the other room. He frowned as he saw droplets of what he suspected to be tears fall off the man's cheeks. Kakashi couldn't see the man's eyes due to his blonde hair blocking them, but he could see the blonde's body shake. His eye quickly scanned what he could see of the room. Namikaze-san must have been really mad to have done that much damage in such a short amount of time. He watched blonde man drop to his knees and curled over, as though trying to tuck himself as he sobbed. Kakashi pushed down the urge to go comfort a man he never met as the whines of grief met his ears.

 

<i>`Naruto! Stop this now!' </i> Kyuubi roared inside him. <i> `What would Kakashi say about this!' </i>

Tears streamed down Naruto's face as he froze at the mention of his lover's name. Looking down, Naruto stared at his lover's hitae-ate that he's worn for centuries. Kakashi. The one man he truly loved more than the breath he breathed now. Kakashi wanted him to live. He knew it when the silver-haired man breathed his last breath into Naruto centuries ago when Konoha died. The blonde could still feel the frozen fingers of his lover on his face. He remembered them dropping away, lifeless and dead after he asked for a kiss. When he burned the bodies of everyone who died, Kakashi was the last one. Naruto remembered watching as the flames of the pyre consumed his lover's body, burnt flesh and hair rising up into the air of Konoha teasing him, haunting him.

 

Dropping to his knees, Naruto leaned forward, letting his forehead rest against the tatami mats as he sobbed. He couldn't shout his grief that rose up because of the old memories, but he could do something else. He let out a low whine of grief as he cried. Memories of when his lover was alive assaulted him without mercy causing him to whine more and more. <i> `Why! After centuries, why is the pain back now!' </i> He shouted in his mind.

 

Kyuubi didn't answer. He only tried to consol Naruto by wrapping the boy's mental self in one of his nine tails.

 

Naruto didn't hear his door open wider as he gripped the fallen hitae-ate to his chest. Nor did he move when men rushed around the room setting the table back into the room and cleaning up the feathers from the damaged pillows. The door and the damaged wall would be dealt with later. He stayed in his curled position even as he heard Kurenai call out to him.

 

“Namikaze-kun,” She stepped forward kneeling down beside the man. She rested a hand on his tense shoulders as she spoke softly. “Hinata-chan is here with some of your favorite sake, Namikaze-kun, all the girls are.”

 

This caused the blonde to turn his head a bit to look past Kurenai. Asuma stood at the door, while all the reincarnations of the females he once knew stood before him. Hinata stood next to Ino with a concerned look at her face. Beside the blonde haired girl, Ten-Ten stood in her traditional pink and white dove kimono, her hair pulled back into one bun instead of her normal two. She looked a bit shocked and frightened. Lastly, Temari stood in her purple kimono with red floral designs. Her kimono had splits up each side, setting her different from the others, more mature. Her hair style was the same and she held a fan in her hand as she looked down at Naruto with a bit of sympathy and concern.

 

“Ne, Namikaze-sama, let us all have sake like we use to.” Ino said with a grin.

 

Ten-Ten snorted and raised her tray of tea. “Sake is for Namikaze-sama, we have tea.”

 

“Party pooper,” Ino pouted.

 

Naruto sat up a bit more looking at the girls. Kurenai smiled and took out a handkerchief and wiped Naruto's face. “Such a mess you made, be glad we don't mind cleaning up after you.” The blonde blinked and gawked at Kurenai as she winked at him.

 

<i>`What about your customers?' </i> Naruto signed.

 

“First off, they are your customers too and secondly, if they leave oh well. We can get new customers.” Kurenai smiled as she helped Naruto stand. The girls behind her smiled as Naruto laughed a bit.

 

“Alright it's party time!” Ino cheered pumping her arm in the air.

 

Asuma smiled as Naruto glanced at him and Kurenai. “We'll take care of everything, don't worry Boss.” He winked.

 

The blonde made an extra swipe as his eyes, pushing all the memories of the past couple centuries back into their barriers. Though those barrier were made of shatter glass, it was better that nothing.

 

<i>`As Ino said…let the festivities begin.' </i> Naruto signed, knowing that if he said sorry, the girls would reprimand him. Temari and Ino grinned as the ladies set the table.

 

Kakashi watched as the girls fluttered around the room setting everything up. His eye shifted to the blonde man. The blonde was leaning his back against the wall with his hand in his bangs covering his eyes. His heart ached as he watched the distressed man hide away the rest of his fractured nerves behind those amazing fragile blue eyes. Kakashi knew that he could get lost in those brilliant eyes.

 

“It's sad…” Iruka murmured.

 

“What is?” Kakashi asked pulling his gaze away from the blonde to his brunette friend.

 

“To have so much anger and pain…” The man whispered as he took a sip of his tea. “From the looks of it, he's dropping a tattered and torn curtain over his emotions, one that has been beaten to death.”

 

Genma sighed and sat back against the wall. “A man like that must have been through hell quite a few times.”

 

“Hm…” Kakashi turned to see the Hinata talking with the blonde. “I guess its true then…some people's pasts are better left buried in mystery.”

 

As if hearing his sentence, the woman known as Temari appeared in front of the door blocking their view of the blonde. She glared down at them. Kakashi and Iruka blinked as the blonde haired woman hissed at them.

 

“I suggest you forget what you saw.” She spoke.

 

“You can't honestly think we would.” Genma said casually. “There is obviously something wrong with that man, he needs to go to the hospital.”

 

Temari's dark blue eyes narrowed further. “You don't know the full story of his life, you don't understand him.”

 

“And you do?” Kakashi asked.

 

Temari looked at Kakashi and raised an eyebrow at the man. “I know enough more than most. Only four…no three people know the true story.”

 

“You said four…” Iruka said with a frown. “What happened to that person?”

 

Temari glanced back to the other room to see Ten-Ten and Hinata talking with Naruto. “She died.” She murmured before turning back to Genma with a glare. “Now, you will leave him alone Genma or I will be sure that my brother hears of this.”

 

“Eh!?” Genma said in shock. “He knows Gaara-sama?”

 

“Nii-san and Namikaze-sama are old friends. It wouldn't be wise to upset one for you would have to deal with the other.” Temari said as she bowed. “Goodnight gentlemen.” She closed the door properly as she left.

 

“Genma, what did she mean?” Iruka asked his friend.

 

“I work for Sabaku Enterprises, and Temari is the CEO's older sister.” Genma groaned putting a hand to his eyes.

 

“Sucks to be you…” The scarred nose man said with a grin.

 

Kakashi leaned back against the wall as the two started to bicker. The blonde haired woman seemed serious about her threat and he began to wonder what was so special about this man. Not only had he charmed the ladies and Genma's boss, but he seemed to have charmed Kakashi himself. Crossing his arms over his stomach, Kakashi shivered as he thought about those haunted blue eyes. They were aged eyes that held an eternal sadness that Kakashi knew wouldn't lift. He also knew that the curl of Namikaze's lips wasn't a smile…not a real one anyway. It was a forced one, one made from the necessity of making people around him feel calm and happy even when he wasn't. He knew this technique very well, he used it quite often.

 

His mind nudged him as he thought more about the blonde man. Kakashi gave a small smile as a human trait he had, that he thought had long died rose up again. Curiosity. That alone made Kakashi plan about finding out all he could about Namikaze, the mysterious owner of Vixen's Wish.

 

---

 

Naruto smiled as Hinata, Ten-ten and Ino performed their dance for him. He had relaxed against the doorframe that led out to the private garden. He lifted the sake cup to his lips and slowly drank the liquid letting the warmth slid down the back of his throat. His breakdown was over and he was surviving through the fracture of sanity he had. He could feel Temari's dark blue eyes on him as she drank some sake too.

 

“What happened?” She asked quietly watching the younger girls do their dance.

 

<i>`A momentary spur of insanity,' </i>Naruto signed in a more complex version of sign language so the other girls wouldn't understand.

 

Temari looked at him, but didn't say a word knowing that if Naruto wasn't going to tell her straight forward, he wouldn't tell her at all. “Nii-san wishes you would visit him more often.”

 

<i>`I told Gaara already, I am busy watching over everyone.' </i>The blonde man replied.

 

“Considering we all have been reincarnated here in Karakura, I would think it would be easy to use to Hiraishin to pop over to see him.” Temari said raising an eyebrow.

 

<i>`Temari…' </i>Naruto growled a bit.

 

“Fine, fine…” Temari said as she drank her sake. “Just try to visit him soon.”

 

Naruto nodded and finished his cup of sake, before pouring another one. He looked up as the three younger girls laughed and came over to him to drink some tea. He watched Ino sneak some of his sake into her tea and smiled at her as she winked at him.

 

“So Namikaze-sama, forgive me for asking, but what happened?” Ten-ten asked as she set down her tea.

 

Naruto looked at the young woman and put his cup down to sign to her. <i> `A friend decided to dredge up some past memories that were better left buried.' </i>

 

“I see,” Ten-ten replied.

 

Hinata looked at Naruto and gave a gentle smile. “Did you visit Neji-kun today?” When the blonde nodded, Hinata got a bit excited. She hasn't been to see her cousin in a while. “How is he?”

 

<i> `He's fine and stable.' </i> Naruto answered. <i> `Itachi came in as I was leaving for his visit.' </i>

 

“Oh…” Hinata put a hand to her lips. “How is Itachi-kun?”

 

<i> `He's holding up fine Hinata-chan.' </i>Naruto smiled and put a hand on the girl's head, caressing it. <i> `Perhaps we should visit him soon.' </i>

 

“I would like that.” She replied. Naruto nodded and turned to Ino to see a light blush on the young blonde's cheeks.

 

“INO!” Ten-ten gasped as she took away the girl's tea cup. She sniffed the tea and passed it to Naruto. “You put sake in here!”

 

“Th-thas because you wouldn't `et meh drink sake…” Ino answered with a slur.

 

“Oh dear…” Hinata hand was place on her cheek as she watched Ten-ten take the blonde out the bathroom's to sober her up. The pale eyed girl blinked and looked at Naruto, who held a small smile. “You let her…”

 

<i> `I don't know what you are talking about…' </i>

 

“Oh come off it,” Temari said as she herself had a slight blush. “You ALWAYS know.”

 

Naruto's chest rumbled with laughter as Hinata fretted over Temari, who was more than a bit tipsy.

 

“I fine!” Temari said as she laid her head against Naruto's shoulder. “I need to rest a bit…”

 

“Temari…” Hinata was cut off when she saw the relaxed man put an arm around Temari bring her close to his body. “Namikaze-sama…”

 

<i> `Its okay.' </i> He answered as he patted the space in front of him with his foot. <i> `Come, tell me how school is going.' </i>

 

Hinata smiled again and nodded as she moved closer to the man. She poured him more sake and herself more tea, before speaking about her education. Hinata was trying to become an herbalist or an apothecary. She was going to be a doctor or nurse, but for some reason the thought of being in the hospital bothered her immensely. So she decided for the next best thing. Either way, she will be able to have her own shop or even base her business from her own home. So Hinata felt she won either way.

 

When Naruto heard about Hinata's aversion of hospitals he knew the real reason. Back in Konoha, Hinata had died in the hospital trying to protect the wounded. It was a gruesome scene to stumble upon. A once white room was drench with her blood. It was the nursery and all the infants' bodies were scattered around the room. Her body lying was on the ground untouched by the blood, except for a small trail out of her mouth. Naruto didn't understand how her blood escaped her without evidence, but then again he didn't want to know. He made sure that Hinata was burned wearing a beautiful white dress because he believed she was an angel for trying to save those children.

 

Naruto smiled as he held Temari close to him and listened to Hinata. This was his life now. Remembering the past while living in the present. It was a curse and a gift. To see how his friends lived in present time, to watch them grow without the training of a ninja, to see them have a real childhood instead of going on dangerous missions. This was his life and even if might dislike it.

 

He loved it.

 

 

How you like? This is getting more interesting yea? I seriously got idea to integrate Bleach in here more. I mean I know I've been stickin' to Naruto, but yea. Bleach!

 

Anyway some angst among happy times.

 

This is unbetaed…so if there are mistake or something doesn't make sense, please tell me.