Forever

I'm so sorry for the hiatus, but things got a little out of hand here. I've been spending quite a bit of time at MD Anderson for many months now, and I finally think I'm almost recovered, and I'm in remission! Yea!!! No pity please, I get enough of it here, just be happy for me because I got brand new implants (paid for by insurance!)and my husband is very happy ;) I would rather you all be mad at me because I took so long to post. My only major irritation right now is that I can never work in my garden again without gloves, and I hate gloves, but the doc said no so I'm stuck wearing ugly lime green leather things on my hands when I go out to get my yard ready for spring.

I hope everyone enjoys the chapter, and there will be more to come soon, but not every day, more like every few days, I'm still tired a lot. Let me know what you think, I love feedback and it makes me feel better.


Chapter 9

They ate standing at the kitchen counter. The conversation was light and playful, and by the time they were done they’d finished off a whole bottle of Sake. Naruto cleaned up after they finished and Shino watched with lustful eyes that made Naruto squirm as he wiped the counter down. He fished around in the cabinet for another bottle of Sake and refilled their cups. They drank in silence and he was reminded of the first day they met. It was still fairly early in the evening, and Naruto had no desire to go to bed since it would inevitably lead to other things so he decided they should go out. With a change of scenery he hoped they could talk a little. Naruto needed to make sure Shino didn’t let himself fall back into being a stand in. He wanted the man to be himself.

Shino was amenable to the suggestion, though he looked insecure when he thought Naruto had looked away. Naruto stumbled into his clothes, and cursed his initially low tolerance to Sake, but enjoyed the playful pushing and shoving it caused when he fell into Shino while trying to pull his pants on. They laughed together as they walked down the street toward the market district. There were people milling around the booths eating and enjoying the evening. Naruto pulled Shino into a bar, and sat them down at a table against the wall. He ordered warm Sake and Dango, and held Shino’s hand across the table as they waited. Shino blushed beautifully, just as Naruto knew he would, but he didn’t pull away, which was a new experience and well received. Naruto wanted so badly to talk to Shino, but neither seemed to know where to start or what to say. They sat in silence surrounded by the laughter and loud voices of the room, both wishing they could think of something to break the ice.

They drank themselves drunk. It was several hours later and though the bar was still filled with people, Naruto knew it was time to take Shino home. They went through four bottles of Sake and two plates of Dango. Stuffed and buzzing they paid and stumbled out into the street. Naruto didn’t want anyone to see them because at this point they were giggling like school girls at the slightest provocation, and tripping over their own feet. Naruto was able to think clearly enough to pull them into the shadows as they made their way back, but miscalculated slightly as he found himself against the side wall of some shop, Shino pressed firmly against him and sucking hard on his neck. He’d have a mark from that for at least a few hours, he thought before all coherency left him. They groped clumsily against each other and rutted like inexperienced teenagers. Naruto moaned as Shino rubbed their erections together, and even through their clothes it was amazing. It was over embarrassingly quickly, and they were back to giggling again which Naruto was determined to forget happened before morning.

Miraculously they found Shino’s apartment without causing too much of a disturbance, and Naruto pulled Shino to the bathroom. They shared long sloppy kisses while they cleaned each other at the sink with too cold wash rags. The bed was calling to them and they made it there… eventually. Naruto finished undressing Shino and himself and they held each other close under the covers. Through the dark Naruto could see Shino’s eyes glazed with alcohol and confusion. The barest brush of fingers across his face was all it took, and Naruto’s body was alight with heat, but the next moment was filled with heavy snores. Shino was passed out next to him, eyes closed, and face relaxed. It was peaceful, and Naruto spent a long time that night just looking at his face, before he could hold out no longer. Sleep carried him away to dreams of forgiveness and redemption.

ooOOoo

Naruto woke to the sound of tapping on the door. He was alone in the bed, but the usual noises of the morning after a drunken binge were evident behind the door in the bathroom. Shino was sick, but no more so than he should have been after a night of drinking so Naruto pulled his pants on and shuffled, bleary eyed toward the door. Nodoka was standing on the other side wearing a scowl that could melt ice. Naruto ushered him inside and pushed the door shut hoping that he’d be given a chance to wake up fully before the lecture began.

His luck seemed to have run out.

“What are you doing here? Didn’t you do enough damage the first time? I never thought you’d be cruel enough to do this to him again. He’s been through enough and I think you should leave.”

They stood staring at each other for a long moment, neither man acknowledging the heaving sounds coming from the bathroom as they continued their battle of wills.

“Are you done?” Naruto asked, barely holding his temper in check. The last thing he wanted was to send Nodoka further into his protective mother hen mode, but he had never been good at dealing with lectures or being told to do something he didn’t want to do.

Nodoka just crossed his arms over his chest and glared harder, his eyes burning red as the tomes spun slowly, showing how very angry he truly was.

Naruto could only sigh, and allowed the tension to run out of him. He hadn’t imagined a confrontation like this, but he was inwardly happy to know that Shino’s pain hadn’t gone unnoticed. “I have dealt with my demons, and I’ve decided that it was a mistake to leave him. I know I hurt him, but it wasn’t as if I left unscathed. Seeing him dying like that made me irrational, but it won’t happen again. I will stay with him as long as he will have me, but the choice is his alone. Not you or anyone else will interfere.”

The tension seemed to ease out of the room as they sized each other up, and the red faded to black in Nodoka’s eyes. There was some shifting and more sickening sounds from the bathroom and both men turned their attention to the closed door.

“What’s going on?”

Naruto just hung his head and felt a little guilty for getting Shino so drunk, knowing that he would suffer from a hangover that Naruto just couldn’t sympathize with, but they’d needed to open up to each other even if the words hadn’t come, and Naruto felt like it had been worth it. He wasn’t so sure that Shino would think so though, and he didn’t want the other man to know that he was the only one suffering.

“We got a little drunk last night. I don’t get hangovers… I don’t get sick at all so he’s suffering the morning after.” Naruto didn’t meet the Hokage’s eyes this time and held on to his chagrin, hoping it would convince Nodoka he was properly contrite.

“Well I guess he won’t be able to go on the mission I came to give him. I needed him specifically for this one because of his tracking skills, and came this morning because he didn’t show up at the mission desk. I made him take a few days off, but he’s been so depressed that he hasn’t really wanted to take them so I figured when this one landed on my desk he’d be there to take it.”

Naruto could see the Hokage’s distress though he was hiding it fairly well. It was obviously an important mission so Naruto said the first thing that came to mind. “I’ll take it. I’ve got a great nose… Kyuubi and all… I could take a look and tell you what I think.”

He was being sized up again and he didn’t like it. He’d thought at this point that everyone in the village knew what he was capable of, but maybe they were still thinking all those stories about him were exaggerated. He had tried so hard during his time here to not be too rambunctious in order to keep the locals from freaking out, but maybe he’d been too conservative. Maybe they needed to see him in action, just to be aware of what he was capable of.

“It’s a very difficult mission Naruto, and you haven’t been a shinobi for a very long time…”

Naruto sent his own glare back at the Hokage, full force. “I never stopped being a shinobi. I don’t think you quite understand what I am.”

“I know what you are Naruto. You are the Kyuubi vessel and a master of the elements. I’m not saying you aren’t a capable shinobi, I’m just saying it’s been a long time since you’ve been on a mission. You may be a little out of practice. After all, no one’s seen you spar even one time since you’ve been back…”

Naruto stepped forward, feeling his pride was on the line he did the only thing he could do. “Is that a challenge Hokage Sama?”

There was a flash of fear for a fraction of a second in those dark eyes, before blank clarity returned. “I don’t think that will be necessary. If you really want the mission then come by my office in an hour to be briefed.”

Naruto only nodded his ascent. He’d take the mission and let Shino have those few days off to rest and recover from their binge among other things.

Before the door was even shut behind the Hokage, Naruto was moving toward the bathroom. It was silent now, and Naruto hoped that was a good sign. He knocked tentatively on the door before sliding it open slowly. Shino was sitting on the floor by the toilet with his hands wrapped around his head. There was a bottle of pain reliever and a half empty glass of water on the floor beside him.

Naruto spoke softly, not wanting to jar his already pained lover. “I’m going to get dressed. Nodoka wants me to take a mission. It will give you a few days to rest.”

Shino looked up with bloodshot eyes, and glared. “You’re looking very chipper this morning Naruto. Did I miss something?”

Naruto sighed and sat down beside Shino on the floor. “I don’t get hangovers. I didn’t used to be able to get drunk either, but my internal guest has decided, in his great benevolence, that I am allowed a little fun every once in a while. I honestly didn’t even think about what would happen to you because it’s never happened to me. I’m sorry you feel bad, but I think we had fun last night.”

Shino smiled through the pain and let one hand fall from his head to rest on top of Naruto’s thigh. “Yeah… it was fun, and even if it hadn’t been, it would still have been worth it because I was with you.”

Naruto smiled back at him and threaded his fingers in Shino’s hand. He leaned in and kissed Shino on the forehead before rising off the floor. “I need to get changed so I’ll see you when I get back.”

Shino nodded, and Naruto left him sitting on the floor of the bathroom. His room at the Hokage Tower wasn’t as warm and inviting as it had been before. He shifted his things around looking for his Sage Robe he’d had made and his black body suit. He slipped on an orange t-shirt before sliding into the body suit. He loved how well it fit him and how it allowed him to move easily. The fabric was a kind he’d never seen before, and he was glad to find that there were new things for him to discover. His robe was the best part of his new clothes. He’d gone back to the original black trim, but he’d had the main color changed to his signature orange.

When he was fully dressed he left his rooms and made his way to Nodoka’s office.

ooOOoo

“That didn’t take you long…” Nodoka said as Naruto entered his office after only half an hour.

“I was anxious to get out since Shino was less than happy about my lack of headache and nausea. He’ll be alright though, the time off should do him good.”

Nodoka nodded and flipped the file closed on his desk and handed it across to Naruto. He sat down and flipped through it taking in the details that he needed to know how to prepare. A band of chakra users were traveling through the sand. They weren’t doing anything wrong that anyone had reported, but several towns were concerned that they might start. From the report there were eleven in the group known to use chakra, and they weren’t moving to far or too fast to be a problem so all Naruto had to do was track them long enough to get an idea what they were after and then report back. It was a job that would require constant attention, so sleep would be hard to come by, but that wasn’t likely to be a problem.

“I won’t be able to leave for a few hours. I have to shop for clothes that won’t draw attention.”

Nodoka nodded and smiled. “You draw attention no matter what, but something more subtle is probably better than flashy sage robes and shinobi attire.”

“Maybe I should just wear Hokage robes…” Nodoka laughed then. He hated that Naruto was so easy to like, but it made it a little easier to see what Sasuke and Shino saw in him. “I’m sure they would be much more subtle than the orange you seem so determined to wear. Get out of here before I assign you to these rogues longer. A week should be more than enough for you to get what we need. Just be careful. I don’t want you to kill them or even let them know they’ve been watched unless it’s completely necessary. If they aren’t hostile or criminals then bring them back. We could always use more talent.”

Naruto made his way back to his room to pack. Afterward he went down to the market and bought inconspicuous clothing which felt odd to him, but necessary. He was out of the village and on his way without running into Shino, and he was thankful. He knew Shino would be irritated at him for leaving so abruptly and without him, but he really did need the time to rest.


Thank you for reading, leave feedback if you liked it ;)