40 Chapter 40:

A/N:

Due to the general consensus and reevaluation, I have modified chapters 28-39 to change the functions of the clone to that of a hommunculi-like creature instead of a human being-including having no libido.

That being said, I got a bit too excited with the wave arc and stretched it for too long. Thanks for your patience. I will try to pick things up and speed up the pace a bit, though not in sacrifice of story development.

Hope you all have a good day!

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"So it's a condition you can't control…" Haku said, seeming to be more calm now that Naruto explained his Hagoromo Lust. "I see…and you didn't inform me of this because you find it embarrassing."

Naruto blushed but nodded. "Y–yeah…"

Haku smiled at him. "You can trust me with such things, Naruto-sama. Though…All your training breaks with Tsunami–san…they weren't to do with your condition was it?"

Naruto blushed harder. "Actually…I sort of have…magic fluids."

Kushina burst out laughing from beside them, unable to hold herself back any longer. "This is the funniest situation I've ever watched before my eyes, ever!"

"Mom…" Naruto muttered like he was on his last breath before turning into a corpse.

Haku just tilted her head quizzically. "Magic…fluids? You mean to tell me that your seed has properties that are considered…magical?"

"Well, it sort of expands a person's chakra upon c–consumption, as well as having energising and healing properties," Naruto said without trying to stutter, his eyes far and away searching for a hole he could bury himself in. He did not think he would be having this conversation with Haku so soon after they've gotten to know each other.

Haku's eyes widened. "That's incredible! It's no wonder Tsunami-san seemed so…enthusiastic that night."

"That and other reasons…" Naruto muttered under his breath.

Naruto wanted to be anywhere but here right this moment and he was tempted to just Hiraishin himself out of there. "You…saw us."

Now it was Haku's turn to blush crimson. "Y-yes, I got a bit lonely so I…I'm very sorry."

Naruto shook his head frantically. "There's nothing to be sorry about. It's me who should apologise for not at least leaving a clone to accompany you."

Kushina looked at the two younglings, warmth coiling within her. While she hadn't known Haku for long, it was hard to not adore her with the way she was so innocent and uninformed in most things and very experienced in others. Over the months, her training with Naruto had encouraged her use of her Kekkei Genkai even more, blossoming into an even deadlier opponent from when they met her initially.

She was perhaps even comparable now to his other students who'd just graduated from the academy a few months ago.

And Kushina had no doubt that she was going to be a part of their three-core team after Hiruzen sorts out her situation.

"We're…okay then?" Haku asked tentatively.

"Of course!" Naruto responded, "Why wouldn't we be? It's just a bit awkward, that's all."

Kushina smiled at the two.

"Then…why don't I partake in the consumption of your seed to improve, then?" Haku asked innocently.

This time, both Naruto and Kushina choked on air.

"Wh–what?" Naruto stammered once more.

Haku just looked at him in confusion. "Is that…selfish of me? You said that your seed has all these…benefits. Was it wrong for me to ask you to share those benefits with me?"

Kushina, fortunately, came to Naruto's rescue. "Th–that's a bit forward of you, Haku, considering what you know it entails."

Haku blushed but looked away. "I…I wouldn't mind helping Naruto-sama with his lust…"

Naruto could only look mortified at her words.

"Haku…I didn't free you from being a weapon to Zabazu to become something even worse!" He said.

Haku only tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"It's–with your…inexperience and the fact that you feel like you 'owe' us something, it would be wrong on so many levels for you to take advantage of you like that," Naruto explained, shivering slightly.

Haku, for the first time Naruto had ever seen her do, rolled her eyes.

"And my feelings in this regard don't matter at all then?" She asked.

Those words stopped Naruto on his tracks.

"Your…feelings may not tell you what's best for you. As I said, the fact that you feel like you owe us probably influences your thoughts and makes you willing to do things you'd rather not should you not feel like you owe us at all," Naruto muttered after a few moments.

Kushina only stayed silent, having nothing to add.

"...I might have been a weapon, Naruto-sama, but I wasn't mindless," Haku said, "While the fact that you rescued me and gave me a second chance at life is undoubtable no matter how much you try and convince me otherwise, it isn't out of gratitude or a sense of duty that's making me want to…do this for you."

Haku stepped towards Naruto and, to his surprise, kissed him on the cheek. She smiled, and the way it was so natural on her melted his heart.

"It's because I want to…because…despite only having spent two months with you, I feel like…I feel like I need this in my life. I want to experience it too, other than through the observation of others. I want to know what love is like. Romantic love, Naruto-sama."

Naruto's heart leapt to his throat.

They stared at each other in silence for a few moments longer.

Naruto turned crimson.

"W–well. Until you've confirmed that you feel that way, then it's better to take it easy, Haku," Naruto said, "Don't jump into the deep end just yet. I don't want you to do anything you'll regret in the future years to come."

Haku's smile somehow grew even warmer. "I wouldn't have."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

With Sakura:

Sakura was painfully aware that having wandering thoughts while doing something of this regard was…probably not the wisest idea. Yet, as she made the final suture on a shallow leg wound for a civilian patient, she couldn't help but think what her whisker-marked mentor was doing at this moment.

The past few months had been hectic for her. From her successful induction into team 7–through passing the bell test with flying colours–to Kakashi advising her to work part time in the medic-nin ward after seeing her already plentiful talent in the field.

So here she was, after going through basic medical training and displaying her prowess to the medic-nin overseeing her, she was given duties to heal minor wounds from patients of lower priority.

The priority system in this hospital was flawed, with those of more importance in the social hierarchy–whether that through riches or clan status–always got treated first, no matter how severe the injury was that a regular civilian suffered. She understood why it existed. After all, a single capable ninja was worth more than a hundred regular men, but that didn't mean that she had to like it.

She would do something about it when she had the chance.

For now though…

"Wow, it's like it was never even there," the civilian boy said. His eyes only flicked to the sight of the wound for a moment before locking back on her face.

Sakura sighed.

She was getting tired of this.

"Well, if that's all you need then I'll be on my way now," Sakura said.

She got up and began to walk away.

"W–wait!" the civilian said as he rushed to stand up and walk after her.

The pointed look she sent him was enough to stop him in his tracks.

"Is there anything else that ails you, sir?" Sakura asked in a no-nonsense manner.

The boy blushed but even then he couldn't stop his eyes from roving over her lithe form as he now had a full view of her appearance. Once he went back to her eyes again, he froze in place and paled.

What looked back at him was his own death in the most painful way he could ever imagine.

"It's nothing!" He said as he leapt back to where he sat originally.

Sakura nodded and left, uninterrupted this time. This was the last patient of her shift and she was eager to head home for the day.

Once she was out of the hospital, however, she shivered. Why was it that everytime anyone looked at her like that, she felt so…disgusted?

Ever since Naruto had patched up the holes in her self esteem since a year ago, she'd only then started to notice how many stares she was getting. At first, she just thought it was because of her strange features, exotic in colour as they were, as her body was surely lacking in those feminine assets.

But no, after a while she realised that many people were very much attracted to her. All of her. Perhaps it was because of her slim figure, or her shinobi-earned physique but it wasn't just her face that attracted eyes, but her rear, her legs, and even her small bust.

At first, it was rather gratifying that it seemed that Naruto was right and that he wasn't the only one that thought that she was…pretty…as she quoted his words. Then after a while…after a very, very short while, it got old. The stares she received became something rather uncomfortable, even from those who were kind and polite when they approached her to ask her out the past couple of months–after she reached her majority.

Then there were the not-so-polite. She'd put them in their place, of course, as no student of Naruto was anywhere near defenceless, but sometimes she wished that she remained oblivious to the lustful gazes.

Then, just as she was halfway home, she felt someone's eyes on her–an instinct taught and honed by their one and only teacher–she considered Kakashi as more of a guidance officer. It wasn't the usual lustful gaze, but one of malicious intent, focused on causing her harm.

She jumped from her spot as a kunai struck where she just was. She twirled around with well trained muscle memory and struck out with a roundhouse kick to her assailant after she felt him shunshin nearby.

Her kick was caught…

…by a bandaged hand.

"Seems like you've kept up your training!" a familiar voice said.

A voice she missed oh so dearly.

It had only been a few months and yet…

She yanked her feet back and immediately began her assault anew. Except instead of an attack expected from a shinobi, it was something far more affectionate in nature.

She embedded her face in his chest.

"Baka!" She said, her voice muffled by his shirt. "You leave for months and the first thing you do when you come back is attack me!"

Naruto chuckled. "It was a blunted kunai, against you it would do as much damage as a water balloon."

"That's not the point," she muttered quietly. She gripped him harder as if to remind him of something.

Taking the hint, Naruto's own arms wrapped around her dainty body as he chuckled once more, warmer and softer this time.

"Hope you didn't miss me too badly, dattebayo," Naruto said.

"Never again," Sakura said.

"Eh?" Naruto enquired.

"You're never leaving me for that long again," She reinforced.

She shifted as she glanced up at him, just to show how serious she was.

To her surprise however, her own teal coloured eyes met sapphire blue.

Her heart leapt in her throat.

This was the first time she'd ever seen his eyes.

And it felt like the world was yanked beneath her feet.

She was falling again.

And she didn't think she'd ever stop.

Naruto smirked at her, seeing her surprise. "You know I can't promise that, Sakura-chan…"

It took a few moments for Sakura to regain her thoughts and give a response.

All she could come up with was:

"If you look any hotter then I think I'm going to faint every time I see you."

It took yet another few moments for those words to settle in.

And Sakura wanted to travel back in time to wring her own neck for letting those words slip out.

Naruto's laughter was as mortifying as it was heartwarming. With the full visage of his face, it was like a whole new dimension was added to her sensei. While he was expressive before, now it was like comparing a drawing by a four-year-old to an intricate tapestry. His eyes expressed so much and Sakura was fascinated with every nuance it showed…even if it came at her own expense.

When his laughter died down, he beamed at her, like he usually did with his students.

Unlike their initial encounter over a year ago where she could feel his gaze sometimes wander over to parts of her that she really, really wanted him to keep staring at, he'd somehow gotten a hold of his wandering eyes and permanently fixed them to something that was entirely respectful in nature. That meant that his gaze was always on her own eyes and nowhere else.

Sometimes, when she was creeped out by the gazes she received from strangers she did not know, she would imagine her blond-haired teacher staring at her like that. The resulting effect would have one Sakura Haruno weak in the knees and unable to regain her balance, face flushed and heart hammering in her chest.

When she said that she was disgusted by anyone's gaze, of course Naruto Hagoromo was excluded from that list. Heck, she wasn't even sure that her teacher had eyes before today and saw her through different methods of detection.

Yet, she knew that beyond the shadow of a doubt, from some strange reason she could not fathom even if she had a million years to figure out, she knew that Naruto loved her. Maybe not in the way that she wanted him to, just yet, but he cared about her so much that he would probably rather die than to breach her boundaries.

Perhaps it was a lesson he learnt in the past, yet he failed to realise that in front of him, she had no boundaries–she'd already broken them down to pieces and tossed them to the sea ever since the first month after their meeting. She'd let him do all kinds of things to her if he wanted to.

He failed to realise that if he just so much as utter the word, she'd let him take her right then and there. Wherever. Whenever.

Though perhaps she might put up a show of resistance.

…who was she kidding, she'd revel in it, thrive in it, and probably ask for more when it was all over.

But she knew Naruto was steadfast in this, and was also as dense as a rock.

And so, she went on her tiptoes and kissed him like she was dying of thirst, and he was the only one that can provide her with sustenance. It only took him a moment to respond in kind but when he started to reciprocate the gesture…

Sakura's mind slowly became blank as everything but the feeling of his lips and tongue on hers escaped her.

Naruto had kissed her before but they were nothing compared to this. It was like the nerve endings of her mouth just became twice as sensitive as it was before. The way he had no hesitation in making her feel as good as he could possibly make her feel…

There was something else however. It was like he had more confidence in his actions, like he knew just how hot and bothered he was making her.

A confidence one could only gain from…experience.

She broke their liplock and stared up at him.

Surprisingly he was the one who spoke first.

"You know, I had this whole 'surprise, I'm back!' thing planned out for tomorrow where I'd surprise all four of my students," He laughed, then his face grew more solemn, "but when I saw you look so tired, I just had to come say hello to my favourite student."

Sakura scoffed and shook her head but a smile graced her lips as well. "That's what you say to the rest of the girls."

He winked at her. "And I mean it. You're all my favourites!"

"That's not how having a favourite works!" Sakura laughed as she smacked him on the chest.

He snickered like the fox that he was.

As their mood began to lull into that peaceful silence that soothed Sakura's soul. Subtly, Naruto gestured for Sakura to continue walking home with him accompanying her at her side.

They slid so easily back into routine that it was as if he hadn't left at all.

Which brought Sakura back to her previous thought.

"I was serious, you know," Sakura said, turning her head to look at the blond enigma. The pale moonlight just made him look otherworldly–his face as perfect as it always was with its quirky whisker marks and his hair made of spun gold.

"Hm?" Naruto responded. "About what?"

Sakura turned her face back to look forward before he could catch her blush. "About you never leaving us like that again."

"But–"

"I know. With our lives as shinobi, it's going to be extremely hard for you to do that," Sakura cut him off, "but…these past three months without you bringing a smile to my face every day…I hated it."

Naruto looked solemn as he stared sadly back at her.

She continued. "Whether it was just a few seconds, minutes or hours you always made time for us, and we were all grateful for it. Me, Ino, Hinata, even Sarada, even if she doesn't like to show it. We all…we all…love you, Naruto, more than you know, and being away from you sucked."

Naruto's mouth went dry as he could bring up no words to the sudden confession. First it was Haku but he chalked it up to her being blunt and socially unaware, but Sakura? She was anything but.

He peered at her, trying to catch a glimpse of her face, to check whether she was just pulling an elaborate prank on him. She'd kept her head forward and on the road, trying to pretend like she wasn't embarrassed.

She was blushing crimson, but she forced her own eyes to his, worry and uncertainty to how he'd take it plain on her face.

He realised that she meant it. Every word she said.

So in response, he could only do what he felt was right. He leaned in and gave her a soft lingering kiss on her frowning lips.

She let out a small gasp of surprise but before she could fully respond, he'd already separated from her.

He looked to the moon, so full and looming as it was. He looked at the thousands upon thousands of stars in the night sky. It made his problems seem so small.

"I…I have things I have to do. You may not believe me but they are things that no one in this village…no, this world can handle. No one…but me." Naruto's words were a statement of fact, wistful and calm as it was. Naruto looked at her wide eyes. "Perhaps…tomorrow, I will tell the three of you my story…my full story. Then, you can decide what you want to do afterwards. Tell the girls to meet me at our usual training grounds and pack enough to last a few days. I'll ask Jiji to make it a special training mission."

With that, he was gone, leaving Sakura alone with her heart going a mile a minute.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-