The Prisoner of the Leaf

Chapter 26: Sages:

Naruto woke up the next morning, yawning loudly as he heard the slight sizzling noise coming from his kitchen and began to walk out from his room slowly to see who it was which was when he saw Konan stood happily cooking for him; it would be the first meal he's had for real in a while since he lived off of ramen- Naruto quietly sat at the table and didn't know what to say to start a conversation;

Konan: " you're planning on leaving the village again to go try obtain sage mode huh? "

Naruto: " Uh yeah how'd ya know? "

Konan: " Figured since Jiraiya unfortunately passed away at the hands of some strong enemies... "

Naruto: " Yeah I need to beat them... "

Konan: " Don't worry, I'll help "

Naruto nodded and smiled as Konan placed the food on the table- it was a simple breakfast with toast and bacon with egg but atleast it wasn't ramen. The two were quiet and didn't know how to talk to eachother; it began getting quiet until Naruto put his plate down and sighed, looking at Konan with a serious expression in which he responded by putting his unfinished food down and facing the blond so the issue could be addressed that he knew Naruto wanted to get off his chest.

Naruto: " I think I might like you "

Konan: " In what way? "

Naruto: " The same way Ino does "

Konan: " Ok, Thank you for telling me, I assume you know my answer "

Naruto: " Yeah you'll say no right? "

Konan: " Yeah, there's nothing wrong with the way you feel but unfortunately I don't feel that way and I only love Ino so I have to refuse. I'm sure you'll get over me and you might find someone else out there for you "

Naruto: " What if you're the only guy I like? "

Konan: " Do you still like girls? "

Naruto: " Yeah? "

Konan: " Then nothing will have changed, you'll still only like girls since the one guy you do like is out of reach but if there's other guys you like then that's just fine aswell "

Naruto nodded, he thanked Konan for the meal but asked him to leave his house once he was done eating so that the blond could prepare for his trip out of the village, Konan agreed and headed out of the apartments and towards Ino's house to pay her a visit after the death of her sensei Asuma.

When Konan entered the Yamanaka household he immeditetly noticed the eerie silence that filled the rooms more than the loud shouting use to, no one was in the living room or kitchen and soon Konan began to worry as he headed up the stairs slowly and quietly before making it to the top- he saw Ino's mom and dad sat in front of her door trying to convince her to come out and speak to them.

Inojin: " Oh Konan thank god you're here soldier, head inside! "

Konan: " Uh ok? "

Konan didn't have much time to learn what was going on, he was quickly shoved into the room as he clutched the bag he was carrying and had to quickly dodge as a kunai was thrown by Ino who didn't expect to see him, she looked like she was about to apologise but quickly turned away and burried her head into her pillow; she seemed both mad and upset so Konan set the bag by her bed and sat beside her as she ignored him. Konan sat there for about an hour not realising Ino had fallen asleep, she woke up soon after and sat up- shocked he was still there.

Ino: " why haven't you left yet?... "

Konan: " Well you looked upset but at the same time you appeared to not want to talk, I wasn't gonna try force you into talking so I thought I'd wait "

Ino: " You big soft idiot... why are you here anyway? "

Konan: " Like I said, you're upset... I bought you some snacks and some stuff to make you feel better "

Konan grabbed his bag, he emptied it as he had a ton of snacks for her aswell as a lot of fashion based stuff he didn't understand but knew she liked, she laughed out of amusement as his effort and hugged him as a thank you, she still wasn't ready to talk and Konan was fine with that- he sat with her and acted how they normally would until she felt better, after about two hours she seemed ready to talk but Konan didn't ask- she'd talk when she wanted to.

Ino: " I'm ready to talk now "

Konan: " 100%? "

Ino: " 90% "

Konan: " Wanna wait longer? "

Ino: " Nah I'll talk, I'll forget otherwise "

Konan: " If you're sure.. so tell me, what's got you down... I'll listen "

Ino: " I think you know the obvious, Asuma sensei obviously was killed but it's not just grief- I feel mad! I feel pissed off because although it was his job it didn't seem right that he died "

Konan: " Why not? "

Ino: " I don't know... I knew he would but, he was a great man and had so much going for him; a wife and child were waiting for him, he had a team to brag about, he also bragged about you since you were like a badass younger brother he always wanted, I regret not being there to help him... "

Konan: " I regret not being there at all.. "

Ino: " You do? You barely knew the guy tho "

Konan: " I know that's why I regret not being there, I should have gotten to know him but wanna know why I'm not grieving? "

Ino: " You didn't know him? "

Konan: " Exactly, I have regrets but I didn't know who he was so I can't grieve him even though I should, You grieve him because you know him- you knew who he was so now you grieve because you're the only thing carrying his memory but instead how about this, you continue his memory. Make more stories for him to brag about on the other side, make him point from heaven and annoy the other people there with how much he brags about you- make those who don't know him regret not meeting him "

Ino: " That sounds like a wonderful idea... I'll make everyone know who he is! "

Konan: " That's my girlfriend! "

She blushed when he said that, covering her face in his chest as she pretended to punch him gently- she laughed slightly and hugged him tight before falling asleep in his arms, he brushed her hair from her face and lay down with her on top of him, pulling the blankets over her gently as she began to mutter tiredly.

Ino: " Thank you.... Jashin... "