Chapter 14

Anko led Naruto through the dango shop towards a table near the back. They both sat down across from each other. Naruto took this time to gaze around the little shop. It wasn't anything fancy, but it had its charms. When Naruto looked down at the table, he was surprised to see Anko's initials carved into it. He couldn't help the slight chuckle that escaped his lips, when he saw this.

"You really do spend a lot of time here don't you?" Naruto asked as his eyes landed on Anko.

"Well hell yeah, this place has the best dango in the entire village!" She said excitedly just as their waitress walked up.

The woman spotted Anko and smiled, then asked what they wanted.

"We'll have the usual." Anko replied causing the waitress to nod and walk off.

Anko turned and saw Naruto looking at her with a confused look.

"Just trust me you'll love it," she said causing him to smile.

When the waitress came back with their order, Naruto watched as Anko quickly started to eat her dango with a smile on her face. Naruto took a few test bites and he was surprised at how good it was. Eventually he was eating almost as fast as Anko was.

After they finished eating, Anko ordered them some tea. Then they spent the next hour talking and telling stories. Naruto was at first embarrassed by Anko's brash and flirtatious behavior, but he quickly got used to it. He even started teasing her back. But as the date went on, Naruto had one question he needed to Anko. After a round of hearty laughter Naruto decided to finally ask her.

"Anko this has been great, I haven't laughed this hard in a long time," Naruto said causing Anko to smile at him.

"That's good to hear gaki, I'm really trying here." Anko said as her smile turned to a grin. She was about to continue, but then she noticed his expression change.

"But one things has been kinda bothering me. I just want to know, what made you choose me?" Naruto asked making Anko go wide eyed for a moment.

She was genuinely surprised by the question, but it was one she was expecting. With a sigh she stood up and offered him her hand.

"Take my hand, and follow me."

Naruto took her hand and she started leading him through the village. Along the way Naruto noticed that several people shot them strange looks. Looks he hadn't seen, since he was younger and still shunned by the village.

Eventually Anko led him to the outskirts of the Forest of Death. Naruto shuddered slightly when unpleasant memories of the place flashed in his mind. Anko led him to an abandoned guard post. They both jumped onto the post's roof and sat down. The area was very secluded and offered them some privacy, a very rare thing in a shinobi village.

With deep intake of breath Anko started speaking.

"Naruto, you and me aren't so different." She said as she gazed into the sky.

Naruto was surprised she hadn't called him gaki, so he knew that this was serious. Deciding that silence was the best option, he kept his mouth shut.

"I...I was shunned and looked down upon by this village too. All because of this," Anko said as she pulled down the collar of her trench coat, revealing her curse mark.

Naruto knew that Anko had received a curse mark, but he didn't know that the villagers shunned her.

"It wasn't nearly as bad they treated you. But people would call me a snake whore, and give me these looks, the same looks they would give you," Anko said pulling her collar back up and returning her gaze to the sky. "The shinobi were still kind to me, even though a couple gave me trouble. But I could barely go out in public without immediately being hassled by the villagers. That dango shop we were just at was one of the few shops that wouldn't kick me out. It was for me, like Ichiraku is for you. It was a place where I could go and not be judged, a place to go and be accepted."

Naruto could hardly believe his ears. He was seething with anger, at the village he swore to protect. It was horrible to hear that another person was treated like her was.

"After a while, I developed a mask that I could where out in public. Kinda like the one I know you put on sometimes. I would act flirty and extravagant to help get my mind off the villagers. Eventually I started sleeping with various men, even women, just to feel something other than pain and loneliness. Any pleasure no matter how short lived it was, was very welcome." Anko continued as a few tears escaped her eyes.

Naruto just sat there and soaked it all in. His heart slowly breaking as he heard Anko speak.

"Then one day I saw you. I saw the way the villagers treated you, and suddenly I didn't feel as alone anymore. I saw you getting the same looks I would get, for something out of your control. I saw the loud and confident mask you would put on in public, but as soon as you'd be alone that mask would shatter. I-I wanted to help you, so you wouldn't have to bear the pain alone," Anko was now fully crying, she didn't try to fight the tears as she shook lightly.

Then Anko stopped breifly, and took another deep breath trying to stop her shaking. She then turned to Naruto and grasped his hand tightly.

"There...There was a time where I actually considered adopting you," Anko said making Naruto go wide eyed. "Kami, I was gonna do it. I was prepared to go to the Hokage, and demand that he let me adopt you. B-But then I realized that if I did adopt you it would only make our lives more difficult. If the villagers saw that the snake whore had adopted the demon child, they would have a fucking field day. And I decided to watch over you from the shadows. It killed me to see you suffer those looks and taunts. I wanted nothing more than to walk up to you and hug you, to let you know that I understood your pain."

Now Naruto was crying too. Anko's words had hit him right in his heart.

"I...I could have had a mother, someone to look after me. Someone to come home to everyday. Kami if my mother knew the way the villagers treated Anko and me, she would rise from the grave and beat every one of them." Naruto thought as he let tears flow from his eyes.

Suddenly Naruto felt Anko wrap her arms around him, as she cried into his shoulder.

"Please forgive me Naruto, I can't be alone again." She cried as she tightly gripped the back of his orange jacket.

Anko stopped crying when she felt Naruto cup her chin. She looked as saw that his face was just as tear stained as hers.

"Anko-chan you have nothing to apologize for, and I will never and I mean never leave you alone again." Naruto said with extreme passion as he crashed his lips against Anko's

Now Anko had been kissed many times before, during her many sexual escapades. But the way Naruto kissed her blew her away. He kissed her with such raw passion and emotion that is took her breath away. Then Naruto surprised her by licking her bottom lip. She happily parted her lips, and instantly there tongues met and danced. They continued their liplock for a for a few more moments before the need for air made them separate. With a groan of annoyance she parted their lips, but she rested her forehead against his.

"Anko-chan I promise you that if you stay with me that I'll never abandon you, and that you'll accepted with open arms. I love you Anko-chan." Naruto said as he leaned in and gave Anko a gentle and loving kiss.

As soon as the kiss ended Anko wrapped her arms around Naruto again, as tears of joy fell from her eyes.

"I love you too Naruto, thank you!" She cried into his neck.

They stayed like this for at least another hour, just holding each other and whispering sweet nothings to each other. Anko reluctantly got out of Naruto's arms and said that she had to a few errands to run. Naruto gave her one last, lingering goodbye kiss before she left. As Naruto watched, with a smile, as Anko ran off he was struck with a sudden realization. He had absolutely nothing to do now.

Across the village Sakura had just finished her shift at the hospital, and Kami did she need to blow of some steam. Karin had been annoying and badgering her all day long. If she stayed in the red-head's presence any longer she was gonna snap her neck. As Sakura walked through the village, she spotted Hinata walking towards her. Instantly a smile spread across her face, as she spotted her friend.

"Hey Hinata!" Sakura yelled as she waved to the Hyuuga.

Hinata's head snapped towards the voice that was calling out to her. A small smile formed on her face when she saw Sakura.

"Hello Sakura." Hinata said happily as Sakura caught up to her.

"So I'm guessing your date with Naruto went well." Sakura said suddenly.

Hinata's face instantly flushed bright red.

"Y-Yes it was amazing." Hinata had managed to stutter out.

"Well that's good to hear," Sakura said as a great way to blow off some steam came to mind. "Hey Hinata you wanna spar? I kinda have to blow off some steam. Plus it has been awhile since I've had some decent practice."

Hinata blinked at sudden question. She had no where else to go, and it too had been a while since she had been in a spar.

"Sure thing Sakura!" Hinata said as Sakura started leading them towards the training fields