Spiraling

Chapter 23

Naruto hummed quietly as he sat in his mother's office stamping papers while she went out to send a message to Jiraiya to hurry back. The door opened and it was Sakura and Ino he had orders to give them a specific mission so he did but they didn't seem content to just leave without a word.

"What did you say to Shikamaru?" Ino asked hotly.

"I said nothing, he just told me he's in a hot seat and I gave advice." Naruto said not even looking up from the work he was doing. 

"And I'm asking what did you say to him." Ino gritted her teeth, Sakura placed a hang on her shoulder snapping her out of her rage for a moment.

"I told him that friends who dangle the bond you share aren't friends. They're manipulators intent on controlling you." Naruto was lying about the last sentence but who wouldn't want to rile up a bitch. Ino really pissed him off and he was literally contemplating if he could break her mind just to have her choke on his cock. 

"Why you!" Sakura yelled pulling back her fist and aimed for her face. Naruto smirked and stopped it. 

"You pale in comparison to my mother in terms of strength." He rolled his eyes as he tightened his hold on her hand. He dragged his eyes over her body and made some notes. "Why the fuck did the Uchiha pick you when the females in his clan are so much better. You have no assets not even a curvy waist which is pretty sad. And your forehead is very unsettling. Did Sasuke kiss it when you were kids and that inflated you to show it off more?" 

Sakura turned red and pulled back. Naruto rolled his shoulders and got back to work.

"Naruto I know Shikamaru's blinded by love but your not fooling me." Ino said determined. "I already know what Shikamaru's going to do but that won't stop me from figuring you out." Naruto looked up at her with a blank face and let out a small chuckle.

"You know, you guys are fun to drag around. I'm pretty sure Shikamaru told you this but I'll say it again. I don't like you guys and whatever I don't like usually never stays around." Naruto said with a innocent smile. It caught them off guard, he looked like a sun shined little kid. It was what he wanted them to see, have it imprinted in their head. Because decisions, choices  and actions are all emotionally driven. Provoke it in the right way and you'll get the desired result.

He opened his eyes and saw bright blushes on both their cheeks. He pretended not to see and headed back to work. They left silently with wild beating hearts leaving behind a satisfied Naruto. "I have yet to see a powerful, self assured kunoichi that isn't my mother. Are all kunoichi swooned by a pretty face?" Naruto said smirking to himself. "If that's the case then can you wrong me for stroking your piano strings."

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Jiraiya climbed out of Gamabunta's mouth since they just arrived back from the Village Hidden In The Rain. The Akatsuki was back and had a lot of new players in the mix. A mix of an old and new generation of rouge ninja. They have already set out to round up the blessed Uzumaki children or adults who have a second chakra network but why is a different mystery. He sighed and jumped up onto the roof top and looked directly to the Hokage's tower where he sensed his god child.

'I vowed on Minato's and Kushina's grave that I would never let any harm come to him. He turned into a slight asshole to other people but he's still a shining kid in my eyes and that is enough.' Jiraiya thought fondly before heading over and opening the window.

"Dad your back." Naruto smiled as he got up to hug the old man.

"And ready to get to work." He said seriously pulling back. "Kurama was right they are rounding up the blessed Uzumaki, their fox counterparts were found dead near the scene."

"They're determined I'll give them that but why?" Naruto said to himself, sure they had a second chakra network that was raw kitsune chakra but all it did was increase primal instincts and gave a good damage boost in their attacks. 

When the Uzumaki clan got separated after the attack which nearly wiped them out Kushina was the daughter of the princess whose mother was the Head. Naruto didn't know their names because it was painful for mom to talk about when she was explaining his heritage but the main thing was that as the head of the clan you had the head of the kitsune clan as your counterpart. An equal partnership and the offspring of the head was passed along to the offspring of the Uzumaki head. Even with laying it out in his head again Naruto couldn't see why the Akatsuki wanted them.

Kurama came through the vents looking all cute with his headband. Naruto outstretched his arm and he latched on with his tails. Kurama was the embodiment of the last gift his mother ever gave him and he'll be damned if he allowed the Akatsuki to kill him. "I wish you could grow up faster so you can talk. But sadly your still a baby, a cute baby but still a baby." Kurama understood him and licked his cheek. Naruto smiled and stroked his head in response.

Jiraiya watched them closely as if he were fitting puzzle pieces together, then a clue almost smacked him in the face. 'If things had worked out for the Uzumaki clan and Kushina still somehow ended up marrying Minato that means when the time came Naruto would be the head of the clan. He would have to have the head of the kitsune as his counterpart. But where is he?'

"Naruto did your mother leave any scrolls relating to the Uzumaki Clan?" He asked urgently.

"Yeah tons, when she escaped her mother gave her them." He looked off in the distance remembering the room he had in his penthouse dedicated to the remaining pieces of family possessions he had. He hated going in there, every time he stepped in he felt like he was six years old. The dread that would build anytime he went in there was heart crushing. "They're at home. In the room."

Jiraiya grasped his shoulders bringing him back to reality. "It's okay Naruto I just need you to read about what took place between your grandmother and the head of kitsune." Naruto nodded still a bit dazed. Lady Tsunade came through the door along with a nervous Shikamaru. Naruto smiled and took the shy Nara's hand.

"Dad this is Shikamaru, my boyfriend." Naruto said proudly. Shikamaru was taken aback but was soon distracted by Kurama who pounced on him.

"Hey little one, I haven't seen you for a long time." He said holding him gently, whilst he talked to the fox Naruto watched him smiling. Jiraiya soon gained a perverted look on his face and latched a hand onto one of Shikamaru's pecs. Shikamaru turned red and froze in shock, Naruto tilted his head and Baa-chan slapped the old man over his head. 

"Get your hands off of him!" Tsunade growled pulling the still stunned Shikamaru to her side. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, it's his way of saying welcome to the family." He nodded numbly as he ran his fingers through the soft fur. In all honesty he wasn't expecting to be touched like that by anyone other than Naruto.

"It's like he has tits the way they're so soft." Jiraiya groaned as he sat up off the ground which he kissed with much love thanks to his long time friend. Naruto grinned.

"I know right they're better than any woman's I've ever felt." He said proudly, Shikamaru buried his face in Kurama's fur as the fox brushed all nine tails across his shoulder. 

'I feel for the boy.' Kurama thought to himself.