Behind Innocent Eyes

The Realization

"Wake them up." Hiruzen said, sounding serious, but he just couldn't help but look a bit amused when Naruto chose to wake everyone up by carefully leaning down and kissing Shino.

As a result Shino mewled in his sleep and his insects started crawling everywhere. Just after the insect user's eyes snapped open and he realized he wasn't in a dream, so did the rest of team 8. The itching from bugs crawling across their skin made Kurenai, Kiba, Hinata and Akamaru quickly wake up.

"Dammit, Shino! Why do your bugs only bite me?!" Kiba yelped as he shook the bugs off while the rest of team 8 didn't seem bothered as they yawned.

Shino sighed as Naruto helped him up, "My insects clearly don't always follow my orders. They follow my emotions just as much." He said calmly and silently ordered his bugs back to him. "They also don't like you because of that prank of yours."

"What pra-" Kiba's jaw dropped clearly remembering what prank his teammate meant. "That was years ago!" Kiba whined, but Akamaru was obviously not tolerating it today and the big dog grabbed Kiba by the butt of his pants. With some excellent maneuvering the dog plopped Kiba onto the couch where Hinata was. Akamaru immediately let go, got off the couch and sat on Kiba's feet so the Inuzuka couldn't get away.

"Technically yes, but we only recently realized it was you, not Naruto, remember? My insects can hold grudges and I can't really control that."Shino said before looking up at Naruto and then to the hokage. "What's going on, hokage-sama?"

Kurenai nodded as she joined two of her genin on the couch, "Yes. Please tell us." She said, noticing that Shino seemed to stay standing close to Naruto and the two other people who were there. Those people were the hokage's grandson and a pretty red haired guy she didn't recognize.

Hiruzen chuckled, "Very well." He said and seemed to pause as wondering how to start. "First, this is Kurama, one of Naruto's boyfriends." Hiruzen said casually as he pointed to the redhead in the room and ignored the blushes on Konohamaru and Shino's faces. "As for why you're here, let's start with the least interesting secret. Back when the nine tailed fox was forced to attack the village by an unknown Uchiha ... and yes that is exactly what happened." He said making it very clear that the demon didn't attack on his own volition.

Hinata's eyes widened, "The demon was controlled in both attacks?" She asked, remembering what the history books said about Madara controlling the demon in the first attack on Konoha. Even Kurenai looked surprised by that little tidbit.

The hokage nodded, "Yes and, discounting the much bigger death toll, it's exactly like the first time. Neither time the fox could be stopped and had to be sealed away into a person. Naruto had the nine tails sealed in him right after the demon was removed from his mother who was the vessel before him. Giving birth weakens the seal and the unknown Uchiha took advantage before Naruto's father could get the seal stabilized." He said and fell silent to let that part sink in.

Instead of taking this moment seriously Kiba saw Shino's hand take hold of Naruto's hand and his eyes widened, "Oh! You have a crush on Naruto!" Kiba exclaimed while pointing at Shino who instantly blushed. "That explains why you've been acting weird. It all makes sense now!"

Hinata chuckled sheepishly as Kurenai face palmed, "I don't think that's the point, Kiba."

Kiba shrugged, "I get what the hokage said. Naruto is the demon vessel for the nine tailed fox, but that was more interesting." He said bluntly while pointing at the insect user's hand, which was holding Naruto's hand.

"You're almost correct. There's a great deal more." Hiruzen said so seriously that even Kiba was paying attention again. "During Hinata's poking around she noticed a small part of the villagers' cruelty. I will skip the details and just sum it up. Naruto suffered greatly. He has gone through hell throughout his life. After one especially bad incident when he was 7-"