Chapter 72 : Breath of Life (5)

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Naruto and Sasuke went their separate ways after leaving the ROOT base. Sasuke decided to go home and get a good night's sleep, knowing Naruto was going to work him into the ground the entire month. Naruto decided to pick up Anko, so that's why he was standing at the door to hers and Kurenai's apartment. When he knocked, it only took a few seconds for it to open.

"Naruto-san?" Kurenai said when she opened the door.

"Hello, Kurenai-san. Is Anko here?" He asked. Kurenai nodded.

"Yes. Hold on a moment, I'll go get her." Naruto nodded and suppressed the smile that wanted to creep onto his face. Kurenai was shocked that Anko had become so close to the blond, and she was a little worried. If Yugao knew they were spending so much time together she wouldn't be very happy.

A few moments later, Anko came to the door. "You ready?" Naruto asked. Anko nodded with a smirk.

"Sure am. Now, woo me, soldier boy." Naruto returned the smirk. She just challenged him.

"Just remember you asked for it, snake lady." He grabbed Anko by the side and vanished from the doorstep. Kurenai sighed. She really hoped Yugao wouldn't be upset with her for 'allowing' Anko to take her 'Otouto's innocence'.

....

After spending the day 'wooing' Anko, which involved eating Dango on top of the Hokage Monument and drinking ridiculously expensive Sake straight from the bottle, the two decided to walk through the Tea Avenue. They had spent most of their time just laughing about anything and everything.

They spoke a little of their pasts, but quickly decided against it since most of Naruto's past is classified and he already knew everything about her.

That's when the kissing started. Naruto decided that he very much liked kissing Anko since she liked it when he was a little grabby. After what seemed like hours, they decided to take the walk they were currently on.

The smells of the Tea Avenue still reminded Naruto of peace, and walking it with someone you loved made it all the better. They didn't really talk while they walked. They just enjoyed the other's presence.

This was definitely one of the Uzumaki's favorite days of all time now. Nothing could ruin it.

Oh how wrong he was…

He felt one of the Genin from Kiri approaching them. It was the small Yoton using girl. He didn't know what she would want with them. When she landed in front of them, Naruto smiled at the girl. "Hello, Yoko-san. Is there something you need?"

Anko raised an eyebrow. What was the little Genin doing interrupting her date?

"Your presence is requested outside the village. My Sensei told me to give this to you." Yoko said, handing the blond a folded piece of paper. When Naruto took it into his hands, his eyes widened and his heart stopped…

"I'm ready then," Naruto started walking towards the gate, "Let's go now." Yoko nodded and began to follow. Before he got any further he turned to Anko. "Aren't you coming?" Did the snake user really think he would just bail on her like that?

"My Sensei said for you to come alone." The Kiri Genin spoke up.

Naruto turned to the auburn-haired girl. "I was on a date, Yoko. I'm not just going to leave her behind. Either she comes, or I don't. And we both know your Sensei would be very unpleased if you upset the Shinobi responsible for freeing your country."

Yoko clicked her tongue in annoyance before she relented. "Alright, she can come. Just hurry." Naruto turned to Anko and gestured for her to follow.

When she began to follow, the three of them took to the roofs. "What was that piece of paper?" Anko asked. She didn't know why, but she could definitely tell that it surprised him greatly when he saw it.

Naruto didn't reply for a few seconds. "It's the letter I wrote Mei before I left Mizu…" Anko suddenly felt very nervous. "If it's here… that means she is too." He took in a deep breath. "You said you wanted to speak with her.

I don't know if she even still has feelings for me. She could just be here to let me know she's moved on. But if she's here to tell me she still cares for me, I don't want to hide you from her. You both deserve to hear what I have to say, and then we can go from there… Wherever there is…"

Anko just stayed silent. She was a lot more nervous than she thought she'd be. The Mizukage was a very beautiful, very powerful woman. Anko knew she was good looking, but anyone would be a little intimidated by someone like Terumi Mei.

Her date with Naruto confirmed everything she already knew about her feelings for the blond. She was now more than ever willing to fight for him. She didn't want to lose him. She didn't want to lose this feeling. He was her knight in shining armor, and she would do anything to keep him.

It didn't take long before they were outside the village gates, making their way to some random location. This far from the village and Naruto couldn't feel what was happening within her. A few minutes later and they were at their destination.

That's when he saw her. She looked just as beautiful as the day he met her. Her beautiful auburn hair was longer than he remembered. Her skin was just as creamy as it was before. The blue top that hung from her shoulders accentuated her bust and curves. It was dark out, but she shined like an angel. When she turned, he felt the same feeling in his stomach when Anko looked at him.

He swallowed hard; having his voice shake would have been humiliating. They stood there while she walked across the small clearing they were in. The grass was long, and the trees surrounded the edges. The sky was cluttered with stars and the moon was full.

When she felt them enter the clearing, her stomach had a funny feeling. When she turned, he was there, the same yet so different. He was much taller now; he'd be taller than her soon. His hair was longer as well, if only slightly.

His adorable whisker marks hadn't faded. Good. She loved those. His eyes were just as blue as she remembered. His skin was a little darker, and his clothing was completely different.

Gone was his ANBU attire, and in its place was a true Jonin uniform. His face still held the strong but young look. Even through all of the cloths she could tell that his muscle definition had increased as well. The last time she had met him he had made her feel like she was next to a fire.

He always felt warm and bright. But now, four years later, it was like she was next to the sun. He was so bright, so warm, in was overwhelming. She decided to ignore the woman next to him and approach her Warrior Angel.

She smiled at him when she was in front of him. "Naruto-kun." She greeted.

Naruto swallowed again for good measure. "Mei-chan… What are you doing in Hi no Kuni so early?" He wasn't complaining, just a little confused.

"I didn't feel like waiting another month to see you." She raised an eyebrow. "But if I'm bothering you I could always leave and come back when the finals begin."

Naruto shook his head. "No!" He almost shouted. "You don't have to leave. I just wasn't expecting you to get here so early. And I didn't know if you'd even want to see me."

Mei laughed. It was a beautiful thing, her laugh. "You know, I actually tried to get over you." She sighed. "Unfortunately, you're very hard to forget about." She laughed again. "I read your letter every day, you know." She looked at Anko for a second. "Did… did you forget about me?" She asked softly.

It was now or never. She deserved to know. "Mei," He started. "I've thought about you every day since the first day I met you. A piece of me never left Mizu, never left you." Anko knew it was too much to hope that he didn't feel how hurt she was right now. "I spent every day thinking that you would forget about me.

That you'd find someone else, someone older and move on." He shook his head. "You're my Princess, Mei, even now. But there's something you need to know." Mei gulped- her stomach now in knots. He took in a deep breath. "Terumi Mei, this is Mitarashi Anko." Neither woman said a word. "I fell in love with her, Mei."

Mei froze and it felt like her heart did as well.

Anko was more nervous than ever. She was wrong, this was a bad idea.

"I didn't mean for it to happen-" The blond was cut off by the Mizukage.

"I thought you were different…" She whispered. Naruto felt her anger, her betrayal. "But you're not…" Yes, yes he was… "You're just like the rest." She didn't even want to look at him. "Did you ever really love me, asshole!?" God she felt like an idiot. Why did she ever fall for a child?!

Child… Naruto had felt her mind, and it hurt him more than any wound he had ever suffered.

"Did he ever really love you?!" Anko shouted not only surprising Naruto and Mei, but herself as well. "Are you stupid?" The woman really pissed the snake user off.

"I am the Mizukage, Mitarashi. You will not speak to me like-" Mei was cut short by Anko's snort.

"Please, Terumi, I don't care if you're the Fire Daimyo. You're still stupid!" Mei narrowed her eyes. "You know how much Naruto struggles because of us?" If she was smart she'd just let the Mizukage thank whatever she wanted and have Naruto all to herself, but something was not letting her close her mouth. "If you're thinking he's been sleeping around with me or anyone else you're sadly mistaken.

He loved you and only you until he met me, and even I haven't been with him. And you want to know why that is?!" She was really, really pissed off. She had seen Naruto's expression after she last spoke. Someone like him didn't deserve to look so broken.

"It's because of you! The two of you weren't even together, and he didn't know if you even had feelings for him anymore, but he felt that if he slept with me he'd be betraying you!" Why was she defending his love for another woman? "He told me that whenever he thinks about you, he hates himself because he feels like he's betraying me, and he hates himself for thinking about me because he feels like he's betraying you."

"Anko…" Naruto tried to stop the woman. Even saying these words stung her heart.

The Jonin ignored him, continuing her rant. "I can't be with the only person I've ever loved like this because of you."

"Why are you defending him?!" Mei cried out. "Don't you feel like I do?"

"Of course I do! When he told me about you, it broke my heart. But I was at least willing to speak to you for his sake. You think that I like this any more than you? But for the person I love, I'd do anything." She closed her eyes, trying to hold back the tears trying to escape.

"He set me free from a curse everyone said I'd be stuck with my entire life. I know about him freeing your country." She opened her eyes, looking at Naruto. "He's amazing. He helps people and never asks for anything in return."

Mei remembered that he asked for nothing but a healthy alliance between their nations for freeing Mizu. "He doesn't have a family. He never has… He deserves better than even me and you, but if he's satisfied with me, then I'm going to try my best to make him happy."

Mei was breathing hard, her anger replaced with confusion and indecisiveness. "So what do you suppose we do? Do you really expect me to share him? That's absurd!"

Anko sighed. "I have no idea…" She narrowed her eyes. "But we owe it to him to listen to what he thinks. That's the least we can do for the person who changed our lives so much." Mei calmed her breathing. She had overreacted. She was still upset, but this woman had a point.

She shouldn't have blown up like she did. Anko was right, they weren't together. He hadn't really betrayed her, and he still cared for her enough not to sleep with anyone, even with another woman he apparently loved.

She looked at Naruto, her eyes telling him that she was ready to at least listen.

Naruto steeled his emotions. "You both know of the ability I possess to read emotions." He took in a deep breath.

"It may sound lame of me to say this, but I truly love you both equally." He felt both Anko and Mei's doubt. "So instead of explaining it to you, I'll just show you." He walked over to Anko, taking her hand into his. Mei narrowed her eyes at them touching.

He then walked them over to Mei, holding his hand out for her to take. She just looked at the outstretched limb for a moment before she took it into her hand as well.

"I've never tried an open link between three people before, so this'll be new for me too." Anko and Mei saw his eyes turn gold before his entire sockets shined with the majestic light. It didn't take long for it to happen to them as well.

Their world went white.

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