Secrets of the Kitsune

Chapter 12

Sasuke almost skipped home from the sheer happiness he was feeling. Naruto feels the same. She felt the same way I did! Sasuke thought, a small grin on his face. "What the." Shikamaru said when the Uchiha passed him with a weird look on his face. "That fool looks like he is in love." Temari commented, looking at Sasuke's back. Shikamaru looked at her for an explanation, Temari sighed and brushed away a stray hair from Shikamaru's face. "That's the face you made when I said I love you." Shikamaru frowned as he thought about it before he realized it was probably true. Shikamaru smiled and pulled Temari closer. "I honestly love you so much." Shikamaru muttered, making Temari blush. She pulled him into a headlock. "You're such an idiot." She growled playfully, a grin on her lips.
"I am. But I am your idiot!" Shikamaru said, laughing as he stuck a hand up to show the promise ring. He bought a set of rings for them as an anniversary present.

"What rainbow did you eat?" Itachi asked, when he got home from a mission to see Sasuke sitting there with a lovestruck look on his face. Sasuke turned to his brother, grinning. Itachi smiled as it reminded him of when Sasuke was younger. The little boy would always be grinning or smiling or laughing. "Naruto going to be okay."
"And?" Itachi asked, knowing there is more than that that will make Sasuke look like he was in his own fantasy world. Sasuke sighed. Why does his brother have to be so sharp about everything? "Naruto said she felt the same way." Itachi smiled at that. Finally! They are together. "She did?!" Mikoto exclaimed from the kitchen, sticking her head out from behind the wall. Sasuke nodded and Mikoto's grin grew wider and wider. "When are you bringing her home?!" Mikoto asked excitedly,
"What? Uh.... Uhhhh. I don't know?" Sasuke said uncertainly, making Mikoto laugh.
"I'm just teasing. But we do want to see her in person someday." Mikoto said, nodding her head at Itachi who agreed with their mother. "When is Naruto getting discharged?" Itachi asked, digging through the pantry for food.
"I don't know. I'll go check when I visit Naruto again tomorrow." Sasuke said, he planned on getting some training done tomorrow morning before he went to look for Naruto.

"Happy birthday Naruto." Sasuke said as he entered, brushing a kiss on Naruto's brow. Naruto gave him a small smile as she took the bento he bought from home. He then held out a scroll, "your birthday present." Sasuke explained as Naruto unrolled it. She knows he isn't one to give jewelry and she isn't the type that likes jewelry to begin with, she smiled at how thoughtful the present is. He had given Naruto some new jutsus try and master. "When can you be discharged, Naruto?" Sasuke asked, sitting on the bed. Naruto shrugged, Tsunade hasn't told her.
"I haven't really had the chance to taste home cooked food until now..." Naruto said softly, looking at the delicious yet simple meal. Mikoto cooked up some fish and vegetables, with a big helping of rice. Sasuke had also brought along a thermos of piping hot miso soup to go along with the bento. "How was training?" Naruto asked, taking a bite of the fish with her rice. Sasuke looked at her, surprised that she could tell that he was training before; he did take a shower after all! "You are favoring your left leg." Naruto answered his unspoken question before she laid a hand on the injured leg and Sasuke felt instant relief from the dull throbbing pain. "All healed!" Naruto said, proud of herself. She had been reading some medical scrolls that Tsunade brought in to occupy the blond. "You should've been the team medic instead." Sasuke said, flicking the blonde's nose. "Your chakra feels so nice and warm, unlike Sakura's. She also likes to rush the healing." Sasuke said with a sigh when he remembered their pink haired teammate rushing the healing of Naruto and screwing up, causing Naruto a longer time to heal. Tsunade refused to take Sakura as her apprentice as Sakura's only focused on one person and ignoring the others. She may have precise chakra control to be a medic but she does not have the mindset of a medic
"Well I mean, she does have better chakra control than I do." Sasuke stared at her incredulously. Naruto raised an eyebrow at him, wondering what he was staring for. "You must be joking, she has so little chakra to control of course her chakra control is 'good'. But you! you have so much chakra but yet you have enough control to even perform medical ninjutsu, that is very impressive already." Naruto sighed and nodded, she didn't have any more arguments. Sasuke smiled, pleased that he won the argument. "Do you want me to ask Tsunade-sama if you can be discharged today?" Naruto frowned, looking out the window and remembering what today was. She shook her head and Sasuke frowned; Naruto hates the hospital though.
"Is there a reason why not?" Sasuke asked, tilting Naruto's head up to make her meet his eyes. Her lips formed a slight pout like she was about to cry. "Do you know what today is?" Sasuke looked at her a little longer, wondering what she could be talking about. Today is her birthday I know that, but that can't be the reason. He looked out the window to see the set up for the Kyuubi festival later that night. A look of realization dawned his face. "The beatings get worse and worse each year..." Naruto muttered, rubbing her arms that were littered with scars; scars Sasuke never saw as Naruto was always wearing a jacket, scars that looks like she inflicted on herself and some other scars that must have been inflicted on her by those bastards that like to attack her. Sasuke gripped Naruto by the shoulders, she tried to pull away but Sasuke held her firmly. "I will be by your side from now on, I will protect you."
"It's no use, Sasuke. They-"
"Since when does our unpredictable and unstoppable blonde give up?" Sasuke asked, shaking her. Naruto sighed again, she has been doing that a lot recently. "I have given up trying to stop them a long time ago." Sasuke flinched, this dejected tone was making him sad. He knew that the Naruto in front of other people is a facade but this still makes his heart pang. "Fine then! I will still be your protector. You may think it will never work out but I think we can get through this together." Sasuke said, interlocking Naruto's hand with his and pulling her closer to kiss her. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips and kissed his way gingerly to her cheek, then her jaw and down to her neck. Naruto let out a small noise of appreciation as Sasuke nibbled at the sensitive skin. He sucked on the skin a little, testing to see if Naruto wants it. The blonde didn't push him away, she kept her hands clutching onto his shirt. You're going to be okay, Naruto. I will be here for you.