"Marry me." Tobirama tried again as Naruto walked away from him.
Naruto glanced back over at the Nidaime; making her way back to the Hokage tower. "No."
"At least give me a reason, Naruto." Tobirama requested as he ignored how people were following after them wanting to here why Naruto rejected him.
"Oh? I didn't realise I need a reason to reject a marriage proposal." Naruto hummed in thought. She spun on her feet and stop. Catching the Nidaime off guard as he stumbled over his feet and caught his balance. The rest of the followers stopping too. "Now is not the time to ask that question, I guess. Anyway, there are things I want to settle before I even think about marriage. Yes, I love you, Tobi, but, no will always be my answer till I've done a few things." She looked to the west before briefly glancing at Tobirama. "All I ask is for you to wait for me, Tobi. Then you can ask."
"Naruto, I've been waiting for 50 years." Tobirama replied as he took a step forward. "What is it that you have to do? I can help. I am your partner, am I not?"
Naruto answered with a nod. "Yeah, but there are things I need to do on my own. Dattebayo. You're a Hokage. You gotta understand that there are things that one has to do alone and about private matters."
Tobirama nodded. "I understand that, but, Naruto, how long do you plan on making me wait? I don't want to spend another minute without you by my side."
"Trust me." This was all Naruto said as she turned her back again and continued her walk to the Hokage's office. Entering the room and saw that everybody was still there and moved over to Tsunade. "Ne, Baa-chan. Can I get all those scrolls now?"
Tsunade's eyes widen. "Scrolls? Naruto, are you sure? I mean, what about Granduncle?"
"He'll be fine." Naruto voiced and held out her hand. "I'll need my mask for this, Baa-chan."
Tsunade nodded and flipped through a few handsigns with a porcelain cheetah mask appearing in her hand with a storage scroll. "I want a full report and a team to go with you, Naruto."
Sarutobi leaned over Naruto's shoulder and chuckled. "It still looks new. Just like that day I gave it to you, Naru-chan."
"Huh?" Minato and Kushina blinked as they looked to the mask in Naruto's hand. The former saying as he pointed to the mask. "Isn't that...that an ANBU mask?"
Hiruzen looked over to his successor. "Indeed it is."
"Why does my baby have an ANBU mask?" Kushina asked.
Naruto looked to Tsunade and Hiruzen with a raised brow. "You know when I thought they knew about the past, I thought you guys told Kaa-chan and Tou-chan what I've done in the village." She looked to her parents with a sheepish smile. "It's not what you think though. I don't do assassination or anything like that. I gather information for the village and Jiji chose a cheetah mask so it's not that obvious that it's me. Baa-chan actually put me in the hospital for a week once she found out and Ero-Sennin nagged my ear off all that time I trained with him." The two Sannin nodded as the Sandaime looked slightly guilty.
"Don't get me wrong, Minato, Kushina. Your daughter has the best stealth abilities in the village that she can out run the elites in neon orange and paint the Hokage monument in broad daylight without anybody noticing." Hiruzen defended as Naruto, in a flash, was in her ANBU gear with her mask on her hip.
"Kaa-chan. Tou-chan." Naruto called to her parents with a grin. "I'll be back, I promise. So I need you guys to watch over Tobirama. He's a bit lost since I said no to his marriage proposal..."
3
2
1
"EEEHHH?!" the room hollered as Kushina and Mito just laughed.
Tsunade sighed as she snapped her fingers. Suddenly a large pile of scrolls appeared at Naruto's feet and said to the blonde. "Don't keep my Granduncle waiting, Naruto. Hurry and get rid of all of those."
Hashirama picked up a scroll and read over the contents. Spluttering as he read it with Minato who was in the same state as him. Kushina reading one and understood what Naruto was doing. Looking over to her daughter and nodded. "Go, Naruto. We'll keep your man off the markets and then Minato and I can get acquainted with our future son-in-law..." Kushina mulled over her words. "That's...really weird to say aloud." Tossing over the scroll as Naruto sealed everything into a large one and placed it on her back.
Naruto hugged her parents tightly. "Tou-chan...Kaa-chan...I love you guys. Thanks for everything." Pulling back with a grin with them matching hers. Slipping on her cheetah mask with her hair turning a light brown and her eyes turning a faded green. Nodding to everybody and disappeared with the wind.
Just then, Tobirama entered the room with confusion written all over his face. "I...where did Naruto go?" he questioned. He thought he sensed her in this room.
Everybody glanced to one another before Minato stepped forward with a dangerously polite smile. "That's not important right now. A little fox just told me that you plan to marry my precious and only daughter." Patting Tobirama's shoulder roughly. Not caring at the moment that he was threatening the Nidaime Hokage. This was his baby he was talking about. "I think it's time we had a talk."
Tobirama's eyes harden as they clashed with sturdy blue. The tension between the two thick as he folded his arms and ignored the pain on his shoulder. "Yes, I believe it is time we had a talk. Man to man. If you get what I mean?"
"Oh dear." Hashirama chuckled nervously.
ANBU Naruto:
Naruto landed soundlessly behind her partner and quietly pulled out her katana. Slashing forward, only for them to grab the blade between two palms. "We have a mission." Naruto voiced in a void tone.
"At least talk to me normally, Kit. That voice is pissing me off." Kurama tsked as he was in the Namikaze house reading a book. Kushina and Minato had allowed him to live with them and suggested that he should pass as an Uzumaki if anybody outside of the village asked.
Naruto sheathed her katana and stood up straight. Bringing emotion back to her voice as she said. "We're going now. We can't waste any more time."
Kurama looked to the large scroll on Naruto's back and smirked. "Tying up loose ends, huh? You're pretty serious about this boy."
"Of course I am." Naruto nodded. "I've never cared for anybody like Tobirama before. I want a future with him and to do that, I have to clean my shit up. He'll be mad that I've made him wait, but I'll explain everything to him later." She tapped the side of the scroll and got a smaller one form within it. "First place is..." opening the scroll and read the contents. "The Fang Country."
Kurama smirked. "Well what are we waiting for? Let's go." Grabbing the storage scroll that Naruto tossed at him and raised a brow at her for details.
"ANBU uniform. At least look the part. Makes things easier to handle." Naruto answered. "Baa-chan said I need a team and you're all I need for this."
Kurama got changed in an instant. "How do I look?" he teased her.
"Handsome as always." Naruto snorted. "You know you kinda act like an older brother. I like it, Dattebayo." Naruto quickly dashing off when Kurama tried to hit her.
Kurama followed after Naruto and through the forest. They had to be quick and efficient with this job. Even if Naruto was just released from the hospital today, Kurama wouldn't stop her from doing this. This was important for her to do and he would be there for her to help whenever. Maybe they could stop by Matatabi's place quickly.
"Sure, why not?" Naruto voiced up ahead. "I've always wanted to see what Matatabi looked like in her human form." Ignoring Kurama's denials about wanting to see the two-tailed hell cat. They did share a mind and sometimes Kurama forgot to place up a wall with his thoughts.
4 hours later: Fang Country
Naruto and Kurama made it to the Fang Country. More importantly, into the Daimyō's palace and in the lavish dining area where the Daimyō, his wife and son were eating dinner. Naruto and Kurama landed silently before the family with Kurama setting up a barrier to stop the guards from interfering. Naruto tossing over the scroll that she had to the Prince.
Naruto stood up to her full height and said. "I have come with news." Pulling her mask off as her hair returned to its original colour as well as her eyes. Her eyes were piercing and commanded absolute attention. "I have come to respond to your request, Prince-sama and I have to say that I must deny your request for my hand in marriage."
"WHAT?!" the Prince slammed his hands down on the table in outrage. "Was my offer not good enough for you and your village?" he demanded.
Naruto silenced him with her stare. "I do not care for your offer nor do I appreciate being yelled at. You are not the only one who has requested my hand in marriage and you will not be the only one I shall reject. No matter what you offer me or my village, my answer will always be no for you. I'm sorry, but I will not marry you, Prince-sama." She bowed towards the Daimyō. "I must apologise for ruining your dinner, but I am in a rush."
The Daimyō held up his hand to silence his son and looked at Naruto carefully. "There is no need to apologise for being in love, my dear. Coming in person to turn down my son's offer is more than enough. You must be busy, my dear. You may leave."
Naruto looked at the Daimyō with a nod. Slipping her mask back on and left in the wind with Kurama. "Next is the land of rice." Naruto voiced over to Kurama.
Kurama groaned. "How many marriage proposals did you even get?"
Naruto was silent.
"Well?" he pushed her as they headed towards their next destination.
"It's best if you don't know the number." Naruto muttered. "Trust me. Not even you, the Kyūbi, would want to know."
3 days later: Konoha's shinobi library
Naruto and Kurama were dead tired as they had travelled for days without rest. Denying every request, going through every outbursts, questions, demands and forceful suitors. They were in a private area as they looked over the remaining scrolls.
"Shit. There are still heaps." Kurama cursed. "Even when we used clones."
Naruto was rubbing her throbbing forehead as they were in fresh ANBU gear. "We'll be done at the end of the week, Kurama. Just hang in there. Didn't we see Matatabi just the other day? You guys were going at it for hours! Hours that could've been used getting rid of these damn proposals!" Naruto hollered at her Jinchuriki.
Kurama didn't feel or look guilty at all. Matatabi was as wild as ever. "The end of the week in in 2 days, kit. Do you really think we'll get rid of this pile by then? Even with clones? Heck! I've even stopped counting how many proposals there were when we hit 37!" Kurama was frustrated at his container.
They were both frustrated. "I have to do this. All in person or in clone. I need to see and feel that I'm clearing my mess up."
"Maybe if you didn't act like a ditz, this wouldn't be happening." Kurama grumbled and only got whacked over the head by Naruto. He only pouted. Noticing that he was getting soft around Naruto and was indeed, acting like an older brother to her. "Who knew I would be reduced to helping my Jinchuriki rejected proposals." He muttered under his breath.
Naruto rolled her eyes. "Please. I think being in this uniform has given me chaffing." Leaning on the table with a groan. "Argh this sucks big time. I just want to cry."
Kurama bopped Naruto on the head. "Start crying and I won't help ya, Kit. Let's just go and give big-breasts the list of completed rejections."
Naruto got up and grabbed a hold of Kurama. Quickly flashing them into Tsunade's office, yet both of them collapsed on the floor in utter defeat. Naruto holding up a piece of paper that Tsunade grabbed.
The Godaime read over the paper quickly. "Good, good. You've gotten ¾ of the scrolls done quickly. Take a break for now, Naruto."
"No..." Naruto stubbornly refused as she pushed herself to sit up. Kurama long gone to sleep within the seal. "I have to finish this as soon as possible, Baa-chan. No more fooling around. I've gotta clean my mess up."
Tsunade sighed and knelt before Naruto. "Why, Naruto? Why are you forcing yourself to finish this so quickly?"
Naruto looked away with redden cheeks as she whispered her answer to her Baa-chan. "I want to be able to stand next to Tobirama without any blocks, Baa-chan. Our time difference still separates us and sometimes I get confused whenever he talks. I want to be beside him without doubting myself. That's why first, I must personally or in clone reject these marriage proposals."
Tsunade smiled. "And what's the second, Naruto?"
Naruto looked to Tsunade. "Acceptance. By my family, friends. I would like to ask you, Mito-ba-chan and Hashirama for permission to be with Tobirama and your complete trust to be with him. I'm serious about Tobirama, Baa-chan. I won't ever give up on him or stop trying to make him happy and show him what he's worth to me. Tobirama makes me feel complete." She declared.
Tsunade's eyes softened further and placed her hand on Naruto's shoulder. "I believe that you have a third." Naruto sounded like the dominant partner in the relationship with the way she was speaking. Tsunade found it...refreshing.
Naruto nodded. "I would like to know Tobirama further and I want for him to know about me too. I would like to tell him about the bad and see if he still wants to stay with me even though he knows this. This is a serious thing for me, Baa-chan. A Jinchuriki mates for life and I want to see, to know, to feel that Tobirama is really the one. I know and feel that I love him, but forever is a long time, Baa-chan."
"It definitely is, Naruto and I want for you to take your time with this." Tsunade offered a few words of wisdom. "I've run diagnostics on the revived Edo-Tensei and found out that Ji-chan and Baa-chan are in their late 40's. Sarutobi-sensei is at least 10 years younger. Minato and Kushina are a few years older than Kakashi and as for Tobirama...well this may be a shock, but Granduncle is in his mid20's. The same age when he first met you, Naruto." she smiled gently and brushed Naruto's bangs out of her eyes. "It's weird, but your parents and I are older than Granduncle."
"Oh?" Naruto's eyes widen before she bursted out laughing. "This is so weird and fucked up."
Tsunade chuckled and helped Naruto to her feet. "I know. It's like Granduncle and you were meant to be together from the moment you two meet. Fate works in mysterious ways."
"So...if fate works in mysterious ways, are you finally going to Mac on Ero-Sennin's face?" wiggling her brow in a suggestive manner.
Tsunade rolled her eyes as she whacked Naruto over the head. "You're a week too late with that, brat." She winked at the gapping blonde. Hearing a knock at the door. "Enter." Allowing Naruto to think of what she just said...or not, judging by her guest...or guests.
"Naruto..."
Naruto snapped out of her musing as she looked over to the door with a lost look on her face. "Huh?" her eyes slowly focusing as she saw the Senju brothers, Hashirama and Tobirama. "Oh?" She looked to Tsunade whom only shrugged her shoulder and gestured for her to deal-with-it. Naruto rubbed her pulsing temples and took a seat on the couch. She was still in her ANBU gear and bet Tsunade knew these two were coming.
Hashirama saw that his brother froze and nudged the man into the room.
Tobirama caught his balance and walked over to Naruto. She looked different in her uniform and knelt before her. "Naruto...can you look at me?" he whispered in almost a plea.
Naruto did and saw the tiredness and relief in his eyes. She sighed. "Baka, you should be sleeping. You look like shit." Pushing past him and left the office suddenly.
Tobirama looked to Tsunade for help. The Godaime held a mysterious smile. "Sometimes a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do." She patted Tobirama's back. "Give Naruto some time and you'll see, Granduncle. Give her...2 days maximum and she'll talk."
"She's in ANBU?" Tobirama muttered and ran his fingers through his unruly hair. He couldn't sleep properly not knowing where and what Naruto was doing. All he wanted to do was hold her.
"Ever since she was 8." Tsunade answered. "Naruto has talents that she has hidden for safety reasons. Believe or not, the reason she's in her ANBU gear right now is for you. Naruto hasn't worn her ANBU gear since she was 12 and left that life behind her. She's been a genin ever since."
"Why though? Why ANBU for me?" Tobirama pressed for answers.
Hashirama stepped up. "Time will tell, brother."
Suna: Naruto
"Common Gaara! I used a lot of chakra to get here and not travel for three days." Naruto whined to the Kazekage. She was in his office and was glad that Kurama was willing to lend her that large amount of chakra to flash to Suna. "You're one of my best friends, Gaara. I want to hear your thoughts on everything."
Gaara sighed. Gesturing for Naruto to sit down and replied. "I'm going to ask you, Naruto Uzumaki, in the end, does my opinion count?"
"No." Naruto said immediately. "But I do want to hear your thoughts. You don't overact like everyone in Konoha. I want to know what you think."
Gaara leaned back in his chair as he smoothed out. "Only your happiness, Naruto Uzumaki." He closed his eyes. "If you are happy with the Nidaime, then I will not oppose this relationship. He is a man of honour and I can see in your eyes that he makes you happy." He opened his teal eyes filled with seriousness. "But...if he makes you cry in a bad way, even pooling at the eyes, I will cause harm to him. Even if he is the Nidaime and an ally of the Sand." He saw her grin widely and melted under her radiance. "Now tell me, what are you really doing here?"
"Everybody is on my back in Konoha right now." Naruto sighed as she leaned back in the chair. "Ino, Sakura, Tenten and Hinata are nagging about my relationship and the guys are no good too with their teasing. You know about the proposals and Kurama and I have sent out dozen of clones to suss them out and then I have to return to a quite possible mad Tobirama and I need some air to clear my head. Suna's winds are calming, Dattebayo."
Gaara smirked. "Indeed they are. You can stay the night. Go home afterwards and clear that man's mind, Naruto. There can only be so much time before another tries to stake a claim on Nidaime-sama." His eyes widened in surprise when Naruto growled dangerously as her eyes flashed vermillion red. Gaara smirked. "Though I would be sorry for the woman that tries to make that move."
Naruto snarled. "As soon as that last proposal is gone, I'll be touching Konoha's gates. You better pray that nobody is touching him when I get home, Gaara. Foxes get extremely territorial and aggressive to what is theirs."
"Oh? And the Nidaime is yours?" Gaara teased and made her blush.
"Oh how much I wanna smack you right now, Gaara Sabaku." Naruto muttered as she reeled in her possessiveness.