At The Hyuuga Compound)
Hanabi was in the training dojo alone training in Drunken Jyuuken. She was feigning drunkenness while appearing to be stumbling around the training floor with a misleading show of loss of balance as she was throwing Jyuuken punches and kicks at her imaginary targets. She had a mischievous smile on her face with a blush clear on her cheeks while purposefully talking with slurs and mispronounced words.
"Naru-chan!" Hanabi said with a most childish tone while looking like she was about to trip on the floor, "W-Watch mee pray ninja wit stupid looking Kumo ninjao."
With her mind in the spirit of her training, Hanabi visualized herself in fierce combat with her enemies while moving, ducking and seemingly looking like she was go to fall flat on her face, moving out of the way of imaginary attacks and falling on her back, throwing punches kicks of various types and Jyuuken strikes in a most deceptive appearance of drunkenness. During her performance, she would reach for another bottle of water pretending it was sake or another kind of alcohol and sloppily gulp it with some of it spilling over her shirt and pants. While drinking, she again acted drunk and resumed her Drunken Jyuuken boxing.
"Ca…a-Caaamonn eeebuuribadi," Hanabi slurred with a teasing tone, "Mu…st nut be weak. Naru-chan wants me…as hiz tuff firekuwakaa."
Hanabi seemingly stumbled forward and swirled around while visualizing her enemies trying and failing to land blows and hits on her as she danced around them and dodged their attacks. Her drunken Jyuuken dance continued for another fifteen minutes when she decided to call it in for the rest of afternoon. Looking at her clothes, she saw that she was partially soak but blushed for real when some of the water wet the front of her pants giving the impression that she wet herself.
"I'm happy Naruto-kun isn't here to see this," Hanabi said to herself, "He'd never let me hear the end of this. Speaking of Naruto-kun, I wonder if he'll stop by and come see me tonight. I'm sure he'd be proud of my progress in mastering Drunken Jyuuken."
Hanabi smiled brightly at the thought of receiving Naruto's approval in her new training. But that happy moment was interrupted by a drafted that reminded her that she was still wet and in need of cleaning herself up.
'Well if Naruto does stop by to check up on me, no harm can come out of my cleaning myself up first,' Hanabi thought before leaving the dojo, she quickly made her way to her room before anyone could notice her sloppy and disheveled appearance and start asking questions. Finally reaching her room, she went in and closed the door behind her before undressing herself nude. Grabbing her bath robe, she placed it on and tied it close covering her body. Grabbing another towel, she held it in her hands and exited her room for the bathroom. Upon her arrival, Hinata was just coming out wearing her bathrobe and it was quite clear that she was shivering.
"Why are you shaking like that onee-sama?" Hanabi asked with a confused look on her face.
"I needed to cool down," Hinata replied, "The temperature was way too hot for me."
"Onee-sama we had a beautiful weather all day today," Hanabi pointed out, "I know of no undesirable heat wave that you speak of."
"I needed to cool myself down Hanabi!" Hinata insisted, "That's all there is to it! Now, if you'll please excuse me!"
Hinata walked passed Hanabi and continued on her way to her room, leaving a perplexed Hanabi by the bathroom door.
"What was that all about?" Hanabi asked herself.
Meanwhile…
'I'm sorry Hanabi. I promise I'll apologize properly to you later,' Hinata thought to herself as she entered her room and closed her door before locking it. While inside she got herself ready so she could meet up with Naruto as planned.
(Later That Night; At The Uchiha District)
Naruto was making his way back to Sasuke's house as scheduled. Before long he was stranding in front of Sasuke's door and knocked loud enough to be heard. A few moments later, the door opened revealing Sasuke standing at the door facing Naruto.
"Hello Sasuke," Naruto greeted, "Nice to see that you didn't greet me naked like last night. If you weren't straight, I'd have been concerned."
"Enough jokes Naruto," Sasuke retorted before allowing him inside his house for the very first time. Sasuke then closed and locked the door and guided Naruto to the living room where Tayuya, dressed in a gray short pants and brown orange t-shirt, was sitting and waiting while drinking warm tea at the table she was sitting in front of. Sasuke went and sat next to her before gesturing to Naruto to come sit in front of them at the table. Naruto went and did as requested. Sasuke poured himself some tea and then poured some for Naruto who accepted the cup.
"This is the first time you ever treated me with such hospitality Sasuke," Naruto commented, "I must confessed you've changed a lot."
"I know," Sasuke said, "But you're still a dobe."
"Nice to see some things haven't changed between us…Numb Nuts," Naruto remarked.
"Hey!" Tayuya said, "I'm the only one who can call him that!"
"Understandable," Naruto shrugged, "I can relate," Naruto's demeanor then changed to a more level-headed one as he continued, "But seriously, why do you both start from the beginning. Tell me, how did you both meet seeing how I never seen her before in Konoha until yesterday."
Sasuke and Tayuya, having no other choice, went and explained everything to Naruto. They held nothing back and told him their entire story. Tayuya was still worried, but before Naruto arrived Sasuke again reassured her that they could trust Naruto's judgment after he hears their story.
Naruto quietly listened to their explanation carefully and asked questions only when necessary to clear up what misunderstandings he had. As he was listening to their story, he started seeing how and why Sasuke improved dramatically and changed so much and why he in time decided to stop pursuing Hinata and move on to Tayuya. When he asked them at what point them became intimate, Tayuya revealed that it was Sasuke who made the first move and seduced her into making love with him. On hearing that, Naruto wasn't at all surprised since he knew how bold and brazen Sasuke could get when there was something he truly seeks to have.
"That's quite the story you two have," Naruto commented after contemplating on what he heard, "You both truly had influential impacts on each other's lives."
"We had an understand of each other's pains, life experiences and goals," Sasuke admitted, "Plus she's a strong kunoichi."
"I can see that from what you told me," Naruto remarked, "I must confess that in some ways, we ought to thank Orochimaru. What he did actually benefited all three of us."
"Care to elaborate?" Sasuke asked.
"Had it not been for Orochimaru sending Tayuya to you," Naruto clarified, "you'd still be pining and trying to steal Hinata from me at the dangerous risk of your reputation, safety and career as a Konoha ninja. Him sending Tayuya here to teach, train and discipline you into getting your act together shaped and molded you into the ninja that I now respect. And now look at you, you've become a Chuunin that Kakashi and the Hokage respect and is proud of. You've accomplished a lot in a short amount of time because of Tayuya. I can see why you fell for her and seek to protect her."
"It's funny how you put things into perspective Naruto," Sasuke said, "I do love and care for Tayuya and we want to stay together. But her being a former member of the Sound Four who's still under Orochimaru's authority makes things complicated for the both of us. For now Orochimaru hasn't sent anyone here to inquire of her about her progress in getting me into defecting from Konoha for Otogakure.
"But sooner or later, we're certain that Orochimaru will take action to force Tayuya into getting me to leave Konoha and travel with her back to Orogakure to complete my training with the Cursed Seal. It's not known by either Tayuya or myself why Orochimaru is so interested getting me to become stronger."
"Orochimaru isn't one to do something without a reason," Naruto noted, "I know that whatever reason he has for wanting you to travel to Otogaukure can't be for a good purpose as I doubt completing your training under his direct tutelage is his primary motive."
"Now that you know the truth Naruto," Sasuke asked, "What will you do now with it?"
Naruto looked back at Sasuke and Tayuya and saw that they were waiting for his reply. He sat there quietly as he deliberating on what was the best course of action to take. After thinking for a few more minutes, Naruto said, "For now, we'll keep Tayuya's existence in the village to ourselves. If we announce her presence now to the Hokage, Orochimaru will retaliate against her directly for failing her mission. I'm sure I can find a way to use this situation to our advantage."
"How?" Sasuke asked.
"I don't know yet," Naruto said, "But I'll think of something before Orochimaru does something to compromise you both. Do you both trust me on that?"
"Do we truly have choice in this?" Sasuke asked, "You're known and feared by both civilians and ninja for learning things about them they don't want others to know and using that to blackmail them into doing what you want them to do."
"While that's true however, I'd rather not blackmail either of you," Naruto revealed, "You're my teammate Sasuke and I want you to consider me your friend and ally, not your enemy, and I can't establish that through blackmail. I would prefer you both trust me instead and agree to wait until I come up with something that we can work with. Can this be done?"
"So far I don't see a reason for us not to trust you," Sasuke admitted.
"Great," Naruto said with a smile, "And now that this agreement has been established between us, I think it would be best if I take my leave now. I still have another important matter to take care of."
Naruto stood up and said, "I'll be out of town for a mission tomorrow morning. I don't know how long I'll be out but hopefully by the time I return I'll have come up with something, unless either do so before me. Either way, I'm certain we can work it out. Enjoy the rest of your night."
Naruto teleported from the room via Shunshin no Jutsu, leaving Sasuke alone with Tayuya.
"Your friend could have ratted us out but he didn't," Tayuya acknowledged, "If anything he would in his rights to report the both of us to the Hokage and yet he chose instead to find a way to help us."
"I don't know what Naruto has in mind or what he'll think of," Sasuke said, "But knowing Naruto and the way he works, I'm confident that things will work out. He has ways of pulling off what others considers the impossible."
"You sound so sure of him Numb Nuts," Tayuya remarked.
"He freed the Yondaime from the Shinigami and had him wipe out Orochimaru's joint Suna-Oto force," Sasuke reminded, "What's not to be sure of?"
"Point taken," Tayuya replied.
(Meanwhile At The Hokage Monument)
Hinata was alone waiting patiently for Naruto's arrival. As she waited, she couldn't help but wonder what Naruto had to talk with her about. All she knew was that it was very serious and not something to take lightly in any way. She then thought about the way Naruto passionately made out with her while inside the Hokage Tower. When she recalled how Naruto groped and pressed his arousal against her crotch, she blushed deeply and had to control her desire and lust for more of what Naruto did.
However Hinata's private recollection of the earlier events were put on hold when she heard someone approaching her location. She looked to see that it was Naruto walking over to her.
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata called out happily as she ran over to him and embraced him in a kiss. Naruto returned the kiss with the same amount of enthusiasm before pulling his lips away.
"Happy to see you too my Moon Spring Rabbit," Naruto greeted, "I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."
"No," Hinata assured, "I've only waited here only two hours."
"Say what?" Naruto asked quizzically before Hinata giggled after seeing the look on his face.
"I'm only kidding Naruto-kun," Hinata giggled, "I've been here no longer then eleven minutes. But I would have still waited for you even if it was two hours that went by."
"I never want to take your love, devotion and loyalty for granted Hinata-chan," Naruto said, "That's why I called you out here to talk to you seriously about what happened earlier in that private meeting with Jiisan. And before you react, I ask that you please listen and hear me out first as I tell you everything."
Hinata agreed as Naruto pulled away out of her embraced and stepped away a few feet from her as he faced the lit up village under the full moon.
"This started entire story starts back to the day of the Chuunin Exams Finals less than an hour after the invasion started…"
Hinata listened quietly as Naruto explained everything to her without hiding anything as she was able to picture everything Naruto was telling her and how things played out the way they did. When Naruto got the part regarding why Shion wanted a meeting with Naruto with Hiruzen presiding over it, Hinata took several deep breaths to calm herself down as feelings of shock, disbelief, anger and jealousy were rising up from within her being. But from what she saw while listening to Naruto's explanation, Naruto did absolutely nothing to woo Shion nor did he flirt with her once and still Shion fell for him because of the influential impact he had on her life and because of their very similar life experiences. Hinata was even more shocked when she learned for what purpose why Shion wants to give Naruto two daughters and the results such conceptions would have on the Uzumaki clan and how both Konoha and Oni no Kuni would be affected by it.
After another seven minutes…
"And that leads us to where we are now," Naruto concluded as he saw the speechless look on Hinata's face. The Hyuuga heiress quietly took in everything Naruto told her and was finding it hard to believe. Though Shion wasn't asking for an arranged marriage between herself and Naruto however, what she was offering Naruto's clan entailed far more than Hinata expected.
Naruto didn't say anything further as he waited for Hinata's reply and reaction. He knew that for her, hearing what he said wasn't easy and he knew that whatever negative reaction she would have against him would be understandable since this would affect their relationship.
"First off Naruto-kun," Hinata started off, "Thank you for being honest and straightforward with me. I know it must have been very hard to tell me all this as you felt that I as your girlfriend had the right to know. You could have easily decided on your own what you could have done after hearing what the priestess was proposing to you but out of your love and respect for me you didn't. You truly do love me Naruto-kun and I see that you're afraid of losing me because of this position you're in. That explains why you made out with me so sensually."
Naruto scratched the back of his head and said, "Sorry about that. I just lost control and wanted to assure my love and want for you, though doing what I did so openly like that was inappropriate."
"As shocking as it was," Hinata blushed and continued, "I did enjoy it."
Naruto chuckled lightly after hearing Hinata's confession.
"I see now why you're so troubled by this Naruto-kun," Hinata said, "What this priestess is offering your clan isn't a matter you can simply give a yes or no reply to as it'll determine the future relations and ties between your clan and her entire country which will ultimately affect all of Konoha. But you're mainly concerned about how it'll affect me and if I'll hate you for whatever decision you make."
Naruto sighed, giving Hinata the confirmation that her assessments were correct. Quietly, Hinata went over to Naruto and embraced him tightly as she buried her face in his neck.
"…as ninja of Konoha, though we will do things worthwhile that we'll like to remember and talk about, we will also do a number of things we won't be proud of…," Hinata quoted, "To be a ninja is to accept a hard life while making sacrifices, sometimes at personal cost."
"I can't believe you choose now to remember and quote my very words and use them on me," Naruto remarked.
"Everything always comes back in full circle Naruto-kun and what I quoted was a hard lesson you taught me back then," Hinata replied lowly but loudly for Naruto to hear, "I know I have no say in your decision Naruto-kun…but I assure you, no matter what you decide to do, I will still love you and support you. You've always been there for me especially when it mattered most and never once did you betray me. You never gave me a reason to doubt you; even with what Shion the Priestess is proposing to you, you still keep me first in your eyes and your heart and for that, my love and confidence in you is even stronger now than before."
Naruto held Hinata where she was as they remained there quietly for a brief moment.
"No matter what happens Naruto-kun," Hinata promised, "I'll stand by your side."
Hinata looked up and captured his lips with hers as she grabbed and pulled him down to the grassy ground with her. Naruto found himself lip-locked with Hinata with his body resting completely on top of hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist pulling him closer to her. She held him tighter as he moved his hands and caressed her rear and body under her shirt while pressing and grinding his erection in his pants against her crotch, causing her to start moaning into his mouth.
As the couple was deeply engaged in their passionate sensual make-out session under the stars and moonlight, a third party who was spying and ease dropping on them from the shadows behind the trees turned away quickly with a dark blush too hard to hide after how intense things got between Hinata and Naruto. The figure made a quiet and quick exit, vanishing back into the darkness of the trees having seen and heard too much…
A whole lot is happening and still more is to happen. As Naruto and Hinata confirm their love and affections for each other, an unknown figure was watching and listening to them the entire time. Who was this unknown third party and what will this person do with what was seen and heard? Will Naruto accept Shion's offer or will he turn it down along with all the powers and possibilities it could give to the Uzumaki clan?
What plan will Naruto come up with in regards to Sasuke and Tayuya? What will Naruto do with the information Itachi gave him about the Akatsuki and will Naruto find out through Itachi who the impostor "Uchiha Madara" really is? And what will happen when Naruto, Hinata, Karin and Jiraiya set out to find and bring back Tsunade?
Find out next time.