Chapter 8 - A Bond That Can't Be Broken {Oneshot}

A Bond That Can't Be Broken

Nozomi took a deep breath and exhaled softly, smiling to herself as she glanced out the window. Today was finally here. The day of her release from the hospital had arrived at last, and to say the very least, Nozomi was ecstatic.

It had been a week since she'd been brought here by her boyfriend, Naruto (who had also needed medical attention). Thank goodness for her quick healing abilities. If not for them, the doctors would have kept her for at least one more week, and Nozomi was already sick and tired of the hospital; of the constant checking up on her by the doctors at inconvenient hours; of never being allowed to get up and walk around; not to mention the horrid gunk they called food here. It was unbearable!

However, Nozomi probably would have gotten along just fine if not for the frequent visits from fellow teammate Sakura Haruno, and cell 7 leader, Kakashi Hatake. Their last visit had been so embarrassing. Somehow, they had found out about the strict orders Nozomi had been given from Lady Tsunade to move into Naruto's apartment immediately once they were released.

Needless to say, the discussion that day had been rather awkward, consisting of Kakashi congratulating Naruto on "getting the girl" (while undoubtedly envying him for being given living with a beautiful girl as a mission), and Sakura giving Nozomi pointers on how to deal with Naruto, should he decide to behave mischievously.

Nozomi heaved a small sigh and frowned slightly, lowering her head. For this reason, she had mixed feelings about today. Sure, she was being freed from the doctors and hospital scenery, but...the minute she walked out the door, she would lose her true freedom; her right to live independently and alone. Because of those stupid orders from Lady Tsunade, the cat girl would be made to pack and move in with Naruto this very day. As if that weren't bad enough, she would have to make sure to stay in a 10 foot radius of the boy at all times, save for the 30 minutes of alone time she was allowed each day.

On top of all that, this will be my first time being in Naruto-kun's apartment!' The cat girl gulped and cast a glance at the boy who lay asleep on one of the beds behind her, 'I don't know what to expect...Ahhh! I'm so nervous!'

Nozomi sighed inwardly as she watched the spiky haired boy sleep. His expression was one of pure contentment; his eyelids heavy with sleep; his lips parted slightly in an "o" shape as he breathed deeply, heavily. He didn't seem worried at all. In fact, he seemed rather peaceful about the whole situation.

'Mou...I wonder...if I were to lay with him, would some of his peaceful, carefree attitude rub off on me? Even for just a minute?' Nozomi glanced down shyly at the sleeping blond as she approached his bed. '...It would be so easy...' The cat girl slowly took a seat on the bed beside him, her face flushed ever so slightly. 'I could always lay down for a minute and leave before he notices.' The brunette's eyes widened at this idea, her cheeks coloring faintly as she covered her face, shaking her head wildly. 'NO WAY! It's too risky...too embarrassing! I mean, what if someone sees me?!...Or worse...' The cat girl's eyes grew even wider with horror as a new thought struck her. 'What is...he wakes up and sees me there before I can move?!...NO...definitely not...!'

"Morning, Nozo-chan."

Nozomi jumped in surprise as two muscular, tanned arms snaked around her waist in a hug from behind. "N-Naruto-kun!- You're awake?!" The brunette stammered, relieved that her back faced him and he couldn't see how red her face had gotten.

"Yep!" Naruto grinned widely. "So.." he said, innocence lingering in his voice, "did you see anything interesting outside?"

Nozomi shook her head in response. "Not really...but the sun keeps going behind the clouds...I think it's gonna rai-" The cat girl broke off in mid sentence as Naruto's words sunk in fully, gasping in realization. "Whaaa? Wait, you were watching me?! I thought you were asleep!"

Naruto's grin widened ever so slightly at this. "I've been awake this whole time, Nozo-chan." he informed her innocently.

"Why didn't you say something, then?!" Nozomi demanded, turning to look him in the eye.

Naruto let out a snicker as he saw how red her face was. "Because, I was watching you. I wanted to see what you were up to."

"Stalker!!" Nozomi shrieked, eyes growing wide.

Naruto just snickered again, smirking now as he eyes her intently.

"What?!" Nozomi demanded, not enjoying being in the spotlight. "What are you looking at me like that for?!"

No sooner had she said this, then she suddenly remembered how badly she was blushing, and the kunouichi clamped a hand over her mouth, blushing harder. 'Is THAT why he's been smirking at me this whole time?!'

"No reason, really, you're just really very red right now." Naruto said with a chuckle, confirming the dismayed cat girl's suspicions. He gave her a mischievous grin. "So...what were you thinking about just before I decided to 'wake up'?"

Nozomi blushed deeper, recalling her earlier thoughts about how his peacefulness might rub off on her if she laid with him, and she shook her head. "It's nothing, Naruto-kun." she stammered, a nervous little grin on her face.

"It doesn't look like it's nothing, Nozo-chan." Naruto said, a hint of laughter in his voice as he watched the girl's blush deepen. "So, can I hear what you're thinking?"

"Naruto-kun, it was n-"

"I want to know regardless of what you say." The blond interrupted.

Nozomi sighed and let her shoulders sag in defeat. There were no point in trying to argue...he knew all her weaknesses and would use every one of them against her if she refused again. "Well...I was...thinking...about...you..." she muttered awkwardly.

"What about me?" The boy pressed, his blue eyes bright with such intense curiosity, Nozomi could feel them burning through to her very soul.

"Just..about how...peaceful you are about this whole thing with Kumoraku being under your control...and...me moving in..." she said quickly, avoiding his stare, praying what she had said would be enough to suffice.

Naruto chuckled, a small grin on his face. "That's because I'm happy. I get to be with you." he paused. "What else?"

A drop of sweat ran down the back of Nozomi's head. Of course it wasn't enough. Naruto had to have the full story. This was a fact she had always known, yet tried to fight against. The cat girl swallowed hard before answering, "Nothing...Naruto-kun, that's all I was thinking about."

Said boy just stared at her with his eyebrows raised, his face fixed into an "I-don't-believe-you" expression.

"Honest!" Nozomi said, her eyes pleading with his for him to let her win just this once.

Of course, the boy didn't get the message she was trying to send as he spoke, eyes narrowing, "C'mon, Nozo-chan! You had to be thinking something else to be blushing as crazily as you are! Now spill!"

"Naruto-kun...there is nothing else!" Nozomi lied desperately.

"If you don't tell me, I'll pet you until you're in such a deep sleep that you have to stay another night in the hospital." Naruto threatened playfully, but his eyes were serious.

Nozomi gulped. His knowledge of her hatred of hospitals had her trapped. "Alright, alright already, fine!!"

Naruto grinned, pleased with himself. Of course Nozomi hated hospitals since she'd been forced to stay in one when she was 12 for a month. This was due to all the injuries (internal and external) she had, and she had resented him for it for some time, Naruto being the one who found her and brought her there. Ever since then she'd refused to be put in a hospital, no matter how bad the injury...up until last week, when she'd been unconscious and had no say over it.

Nozomi gulped quietly. "I was wondering if some of that calmness would rub off on me if I laid down with you." The cat girl quickly turned away as her face went dark crimson. "Th-there, I said it, so no petting!" she added hastily.

"Alright...I promise..." Naruto fell silent for a moment, his face turning a light shade of red. "If you want, I could go back to sleep..heh." he said with a wink.

"Naruto-kun...!" Nozomi felt her face burn with embarrassment and she sweatdropped. "Naruto-kun...let go, please." she said softly, working to remove his arms from her waist. To the brunette's surprise, his grip on her only tightened. "Naruto-kun! What are you doing?! Let go!"

"Not a chance." Naruto grinned devilishly. "I'm about to test your theory. Here, kitty, kitty!"

"Naruto-- Nyaaaaaaaa!!" Nozomi shrieked in surprise as he suddenly lifted her up and laid her down on the bed beside him. Once he let go, the cat girl quickly sat up again..only to pushed back down. "Naruto-kun!- Let me up already!" The cat girl wailed, crying out in frustration as she felt his arms on her waist again.

The spiky haired boy just shook his head, his body trembling with laughter. "Nope! You suggested this, now you've got me curious so we're testing it!"

Nozomi groaned, knowing it would be useless to fight Naruto...especially now that he had control over her chakra. "Naruto-kun, what the heck are you doing?!" She shrieked, fur spiking up as the boy laid his head on her chest.

"Shhh! I'm listening to your heart." The blond boy replied with a smile. "It's beating really fast. Is this making you uncomfortable?"

Nozomi gave a soft "Un!", grateful that the way he was positioned prevented him from seeing how red her face was again.

"Calm down, Nozo-chan...Relax and think happy thoughts." Naruto closed his eyes, still smiling as he listened to the thump-thump of her heart.

'How the heck am I supposed to do that with your face in my chest?!' Nozomi screamed silently, her face still blazing red. The cat girl blinked as she felt a tingle go through her spine. "Nyaa?" She purred involuntarily and moaned. "Naruto-kun!!"

"Hehehe, you like that?" Naruto smiled even more as he kept a hold on her long, fuzzy tail, stroking it lightly.

Nozomi wanted to scream, to bash head in, rake her claws across his tanned face until he was covered in blood; anything to punish him for going back on his word and petting her. However, angry as she felt, the cat girl couldn't bring herself to even lift a finger. She was feeling strangely at peace, like she had not a care in the world. She felt calm and serene. It was like the feeling that washed over her before she fell into a deep sleep, only this time, she wasn't tired at all. Just relaxed.

"That's right...relax.." Naruto grinned as the thumping pattern of her heart returned to normal, and she purred again loudly in contentment.

"O...k...Naruto-kun...you can stop petting me...I'm caaalm." The cat girl slurred, still purring.

Naruto snickered and let go of her tail.

"You know, I think my theory was right. I feel really calm right now..." Nozomi closed her eyes and grinned widely.

The blond next to her heaved a happy sigh and nuzzled against the part of her chest where her heart was with his cheek. "Stay calm, Nozo-chan..." he urged as her heartbeat picked up speed ever so slightly.

Nozomi took a deep breath and sighed softly, her eyes still closed with a goofy smile plastered on her face. Naruto mimicked her action, heaving a deep sigh, a wide, goofy grin on his face as his eyes slowly closed.

A few minutes went by and Nozomi frowned as the peace she'd felt slipped away. Oh well...she had told herself she'd be happy to feel peaceful even if only for a minute...

'Why did I have to be so specific?' The brunette wondered, goldish yellow eyes rolling upward in annoyance as she sighed inwardly. Oh well...She reached out a clawed hand and ran it through Naruto's spiked, yellow hair. "So, let's get up now, ok?" she said softly.

The boy didn't respond.

"Um...we'd better get up now before someone sees us like this, right?" She tried again.

Naruto made no move to let the girl up as his grin faded and he narrowed his eyes in annoyance. "Nozo-chan. If it's alright for you to move in with me, then this is fine too. We don't have to move."

Nozomi sweatdropped as she searched for another excuse; anything that would make him get off her so she could get up. "Well...ok...it's just that it's getting kinda hard to breathe..."

"Hm..." Naruto murmured, deep in thought from the sound of his voice. He smiled a moment later. "Ok then!"

Before Nozomi knew what was happening, she'd been listed again and placed laying on the right side of the bed, now with her head on Naruto's muscular chest. "What the heck, Naruto-kun?!" She stammered, a light tint of red once again coloring her cheeks.

"It's your turn to listen...now relax." Naruto said softly, patting the brunette's back lightly.

Nozomi sighed softly, the blush still visible on her face as she timidly answered, "Ok..." The cat girl closed her eyes as she listened to the beat of Naruto's heart. It was loud, and each steady, rhythmic made her ear twitched against the boy's chest involuntarily.

"Hehe! Hey, that tickles!" Naruto said in protest, giggling at the fuzzy black cat ear that kept flicking lightly against the bottom of his exposed neck.

"Huh...sorry, Naruto-kun." Nozomi raised her head and slowly began to sit up, heaving a soft sigh. "Well, I dunno about you, but I'm fed up with this place...I'm ready to go home." A small smile formed on the cat girl's face as she got to her feet.

"It'll be nice to be rid of the hospital beds," Naruto agreed, "I've missed MY bed."

Nozomi giggled at this. "Oh, that reminds me." She turned and glanced at the boy over her shoulder. "Where am I going to sleep as your place?" The girl sweatdropped as she blond boy's face turned to a light tint of red, the corners of his mouth pulling up in what looked like a grin. "N...Naruto-kun? What is it...?" The girl frowned as she started to back away. Something about that smile on his face made her worry, and she did NOT want to find out why.

Suddenly, the blond sat up straight and grabbed her arm, pulling her close to him. "There's a few place you can sleep," his voice sounded strained, "but I'll let you choose." With just as much speed as before, Naruto laid back on the bed, pulling the bewildered cat girl down on top of him. "You can sleep there." he said, receiving a stunned "Nyaaa?!?" from the red faced cat girl.

"Nozo-chan, I'm teasing!" Naruto snickered. He patted the bed on both sides of him. "You can sleep here or here."

Nozomi glared at him, still blushing hard from his "joke". "You pervert!" she screeched.

Naruto gave the cat girl a funny look. "Why does that make me a pervert? I already said I was kidding the first time!"

"Because," Nozomi growled, still blushing furiously, "you want me to sleep in the same bed as you!"

Now Naruto's face turned sheepish as he blushed awkwardly, a drop of sweat tricking down his head. "Actually, there's not really any choice...I don't have anywhere else for you to sleep." he paused briefly. "I'm sorry if I scared you with my teasing...but you don't have to worry; I won't do anything to hurt you...promise."

"...I'll sleep on the floor!" Nozomi sputtered loudly as she pushed herself up off his chest and scrambled to her feet.

"No, Nozo-chan, you will not!" The spiky haired boy sat up again just as quickly as before and grabbed one of Nozomi's small wrists, pulling her back toward him.

"Naruto-kun, I-I'll sleep on the floor...! I don't mind it.." The cat girl whimpered softly, fear in her eyes.

"No, you will not, you'll sleep on the bed." Naruto objected. "I'm sorry, Nozo-chan, but it gets too cold down there...and there's really not a whole lot of room on the floor, either."

"But-but-but!-" Nozomi sputtered.

"No buts, Nozo-chan." Naruto said firmly. His face softened as he saw the fear in her eyes. "Hey...you know I would never hurt you..calm down. We'll work this out, I promise." Naruto pulled the girl into a hug, backing up slightly -just enough that he hit the bed and lost his balance, pulling them both onto the bed again.

Nozomi's face exploded into a widespread blush as she found herself in the same, embarrassing predicament as she's been in before when Naruto had made had cruel joke. The cat girl instantly fought to get off Naruto's chest, screaming in frustration when his arms snacked themselves around her waist again, keeping her trapped.

"Nozo-chan, would you please calm down?" Naruto sighed as the girl thrashed wildly under his arms. "Nothing bad is going to happen to you...just relax!"

Nozomi glared at him, her eyes wild, face red with embarrassment and rage. "How can you expect me to be calm when you're holding me down like this?!"

Naruto sighed softly. His head was beginning to hurt from her screaming. If he let it to go on any longer, his brain might explode!

"Naruto-kun, are you listening to me?!" Nozomi demanded heatedly. "Do you KNOW how wrong this looks?!"

"Nozomi, shut up." Naruto said in annoyance, quickly capturing her lips with his before she could yell again.

Nozomi's eyes widened at this and she fought him, pounding her chest with her fists, digging her claws into his thick shoulder blades; anything to make him let her go. Gradually, however, she calmed down and gave up fighting, instead focusing her energy on kissing him back now.

The two only stopped every now and then for a brief in take of air; they were so deeply locked in their embrace they completely forgot about the hospital room; about the world around them. That is...until the door slammed and they heard a loud, fan girl-ish squeal.

"What the?!-" Nozomi and Naruto exchanged wide eyed glances as they quickly pulled apart and glanced around the room, their gazes landing on a spazzing, sparkly eyed Sakura and a smirking, red faced Kakashi.

'Oh no...PLEASE don't tell me they saw that!' Nozomi thought in horror.

"Oh my gosh...you two were making out!!" Sakura exclaimed excitedly, and Nozomi facepalmed. Of course Sakura had seen them...and Kakashi! That was just the kind of luck she seemed to have...

"Sorry if we...ahem..interrupted something..." Kakashi said, raising his eyebrows in a suggestive manner.

Nozomi gritted her teeth, resisting the urge to sock him in the jaw as she struggled to answer. "Umm..you actually didn't interrupt a thing- Not a thing!...See...I-er-tripped, and, um...Naruto-kun tried to catch me, but--uh..he...fell, and..." The cat girl trailed off sweatdropping as Sakura's smirk only widened.

"So, what was it like?" The pink haired kunoichi asked suddenly.

Nozomi gulped quietly. "What was what like?" She asked, trying to sound innocent.

Sakura's eyes narrowed at the brunette's words and she groaned. "Nozomiii! You know exactly what I mean!"

"I...do...?" Nozomi frowned, still keeping her act up.

"Nozomi! C'mon, tell me!" Sakura pressed. "What was it like to make out?!"

Nozomi's face turned beet red at this question, and she scowled at Sakura. "None of your business! Get out! NOW!!"

"Nozomi!-"

Before Sakura could finish, the angered cat girl grabbed both her and Kakashi's arms and shoved them out of the room, slamming the door in their faces.

"Gee...embarrassed or something?" Naruto asked, unable to resist teasing the girl as he noticed how spiked up her ears and tail were.

This resulted in her turning immediately and giving him a dark glare. "Shut up, Naruto-kun!"

Naruto couldn't help but cringe a little, not having expected that kind of a reaction from her. "...Ok..."

Nozomi glared at him a little longer before giving a frustrated growl and turning away, crossing her arms across her chest in annoyance. "Stupid...idiotic...pinky..!" she grumbled, "It was none of her business!.....Though it was kinda nice...why did she have to interru-" The cat girl turned in surprise as Naruto snickered, and she sweatdropped, seeing the sly little smile on the boy's face. "What?!"

"You liked it...?" he said softly, "Making out, I mean.....Wanna go again?"

Nozomi's brows knitted together as she glowered at him, her face now red as was humanly possible. "Shut up!!" she yelled again.

"Aww, c'mon, Nozo-chan, don't be that way." Naruto whined as he approached the cat girl from behind and wrapped his arms around her slender form, drawing her closer.

"Ahh! Let me go!!" Nozomi protested, trying to pull away. She wanted to stay mad at him, and she KNEW that wouldn't happen if he held her like this; she'd eventually give up and cool down...and that was NOT what she wanted!

"Aww...but why?" Naruto whined again, tightening his grip on her slightly. "We are alone again, you know."

Nozomi sweatdropped. He was trying to hint at something there, wasn't he? "B-because!- I!-" The cat girl turned and scowled at him over her shoulder as an idea came to her. "Because ! I hate these stupid hospital clothes! I'm changing into my clothes!" A drop of sweat rolled down her cheek as she saw the look on Naruto's face, and she hastily added, "In the bathroom! Pervert!"

"Hey, I'm not a pervert.." Naruto heaved a low sigh. "Fine, go...I agree, I don't like these clothes either. They're not as comfortable as my jumpsuit!" He reluctantly let go of the cat girl and she jerked away, grabbing the green and black folded up garments that were her everyday clothes, and starting into the small bathroom.

"So, how about we continue our little 'session' after we get out of these ridiculous clothes?" Naruto suggested, grabbing the orange and black folded up jumpsuit that was next to his bed and beginning to take off his shirt.

Nozomi turned, and seeing his fleshy exposed chest, she blushed yet again and stuck her tongue out at him. Then she slammed the bathroom door shut louder than was necessary, grumbling under her breath about why she should and shouldn't resume the "session" with Naruto, all the while trying not to say too much about how amazing his muscular chest had looked..

"You know, I can hear you arguing with yourself about accepting my offer!" Naruto said loudly, snickering as he pulled on his pants and jacket. "Oh, and thanks. I'm glad you like my body, hehe."

The only response the boy got was a loud, surprised shriek, and a loud bang on the door. "Don't listen to what I'm saying, eavesdropper!"

"Well this room isn't very big, and you're not talking very quietly if you don't want me to hear you."

The cat girl shrieked again, and Naruto couldn't help but smirk in amusement.

---

"Hooraaay! Free at last!" Nozomi cheered, jumping up and pumping her fist into the air. "Haha! Finally, no more hospital clothes or annoying doctors! Yeeees!"

Naruto couldn't help but snicker at the girl's behavior. He'd never seen such a display of enthusiasm from her, and while it looked good on her, it was odd for one of her personality. "Excited much?" he couldn't resist asking, a slight teasing tone in his voice.

Nozomi's grin faded as she made a face at the boy. "I know, I'm out of character...right? Well sorry, but I can't help feeling giddy. Those doctors were driving me nuts!!...As well as those everyday visits from Kakashi-sensei and Sakura..."

Naruto laughed and put a finger over her mouth before she could continue. "I know, Nozomi, I know. I was only teasing." he grinned. "I'm excited too, you know.."

Nozomi sighed softly and pushed Naruto's finger away from her face. "It'll be nice to get back to my normal life." she said, smiling.

"Hey, it won't be all the same, Nozo-hime." Naruto smirked as he grabbed the girl and pulled her into his side. "You're gonna be living with me now."

Nozomi's face flushed to a light shade of pink and she pulled away from him. "I know that , you don't have to remind me!" she groaned.

Naruto gave the cat girl one of his trademark grins, teeth and all. "Aww, don't sound so unhappy about it, Nozo-chan! At least you don't have to die!" he paused, smirking deviously. "Besides, I bet you won't mind it at all after the wedding!"

Nozomi had been prepared to make a remark, but his words caught her off guard. "What the?!- Who ever said anything about a wedding?!" she demanded shrilly.

The blond haired boy put his hands behind his head and gave another big, innocent looking grin. "Nozomi...we're gonna be living together. It'll happen eventually. So, why not sooner than later?" His grin widened slightly as he winked.

Nozomi could feel the heat rising to her cheeks, and she quickly threw her hands over her face to hide the blush that was slowly but surely creeping into her cheeks.

"Nozo-chan? What do you say?" Naruto urged.

"Naruto-kun, I don't want to talk about this!" The cat girl growled.

Naruto couldn't help snickering. "Cause you know I'm right." he said, smirking.

The blush on Nozomi's face darkened at this, and she turned so her back faced him. "Shut up!!" she yelled.

Naruto sighed softly and gave a shake of his head. "Nozomi...you're way too stubborn, you know that? It's going to happen sooner or later! Just say yes!"

"I'm NOT getting married, Naruto-kun!" The brunette growled.

Hearing this, the spiky haired boy sighed and shook his head once more. "Fine..." he muttered. Then, in a quieter voice, he added, "I'll just try again later."

Nozomi took a deep breath to calm herself and turned to face the blond once she felt the heat in her face go away. "So...what now...?"

"Well, I guess we should go and get-" Naruto was then by the sound of both their stomachs growling loudly.

"Lunch?" Nozomi finished for him with a hopeful look. The longer it took them to get to her place and get her stuff packed, the longer her move into Naruto's apartment would be delayed, which she didn't mind in the least!

A grin spread across Naruto's face and he nodded his head in agreement, "Ok, how about ramen?" he suggested.

"Ichiraku?" Nozomi asked hopefully, her mouth watering involuntarily. After a week of nothing but that so called hospital food, she'd be content if she wasn't allowed to eat anything but ramen for the next 10 years of her life; ANYTHING if it meant never having to endure another meal in the hospital again!

Naruto chuckled and nodded again. "Of course, Ichiraku!" he grinned. "I've missed that place, and with us being frequent customers, I'll bet Teuchi and Ayame have missed us!"

Nozomi giggled at this. "Ah, yes, we can't have Ayame missing her beloved Naruto-kun anymore now, right?"

"Hey, what're you getting at?" Naruto asked, a perplexed look on his face.

The cat girl smirked at him in amusement. "I'm just pointing out a very obvious fact; Ayame thinks you're cute! Why else would she be so nice to you, hmmm?"

"Because, she's nice to everyone. Besides that, Ayame is older than me, Nozo-chan."

Nozomi snickered. "So? Age doesn't matter when it comes to crushes, Naruto-kun!"

"Well, even if she does like me, I'm already taken." Naruto smirked, gently drawing her closer to him. "My heart belongs to you, and you alone...you're my treasure, Nozo-hime."

Nozomi's face colored again and she looked away, avoiding his searching gaze. "Well then, that's enough talking, already! I'm starved, let's get going!"

Naruto grinned at the girl and nodded, gently taking her hand in his as they walked.

Nozomi blushed and made sure to keep her gaze straight ahead, knowing that if she were to lock stares with him now, her face would burst into flames, it was so hot.

Naruto glanced at her secretly out of the corner of his eye, and seeing the bright red blush that had spread across her face, he couldn't keep himself from grinning.

---

"Ahhh! It's better than I remembered!" Nozomi gushed, taking a huge bite of steaming hot ramen and sighing with pleasure. "I missed this stuff so much...didn't you, Naruto-kun?"

A quick sideways glance told the girl that Naruto's mouth was too full for talking, and she snickered softly. "Mou, you might want to actually chew some of that, you know!" The cat girl teased as she watched the blond shove yet another bite of the noodles into his mouth.

"Like you're one to talk!" Naruto muttered once he'd swallowed his mouthful, a smirk on his his face as he eyed the huge pile of noodles the brunette had on her chopsticks.

Nozomi didn't answer; she just made a face at the boy and showed the piled noodles into her mouth, eyes closing in pleasure (accidentally purring) as the flavor invaded her mouth.

"Enjoying the ramen, kitty?" Naruto teased.

Nozomi made another face and punched him lightly in the arm. "I can't help purring, I guess...this is SOOOO much better than the stuff they shoved down our throats in the hospital!" She explained after swallowing her own mouthful of ramen.

Naruto chuckled and patted her on the head lightly. "I know, Nozo-chan, I know...I'm only giving you a hard time."

"Neh...!" Nozomi stuck her tongue out at him and went back to eating.

It wasn't long before Naruto finished, and having nothing else to do, he watched as the cat girl devoured the scrumptious ramen, bit by bit.

"Heya, Nozo-chan?" he asked after a few minutes.

Nozomi glanced up from her bowl and stared at him, curiosity in her eyes. "Hmmm?"

"Well...um..." Naruto scratched the back of his head, a small, sheepish grin on his face. "D'ya think maybe I could have a little bit of that?...I'm still hungry."

Nozomi scowled at the boy, looking annoyed. "This is mine, get another bowl! Besides, this is chicken, not miso with chashu...MY favorite."

Naruto frowned at the girl. "C'mon, Nozo-chan, pleeeaaase?! I don't care what the flavor is...and I'm kinda out of money since you made me pay for yours...so..."

"Hold it right there, buddy!" Nozomi interrupted, a vein popping up on her forehead. "I did not 'make' you buy my ramen, YOU insisted on it! So don't go trying to guilt me about how your being broke is MY fault, cause it's NOT!"

A drop of sweat slid down the back of Naruto's head and he laughed sheepishly, swallowing hard. "Oh, yeah...hehe..."

Nozomi rolled her eyes at him and resumed eating; there wasn't a whole lot left, just a few more bites. If she could just finish before Naruto thought of another reason as to why she should let him have her ramen, he'd HAVE to shut up then, right? She desperately hoped so.

"C'mon, Nozomi...PLEASE?!" Naruto persisted, now giving the puppy dog eyes.

Nozomi ignored him and tried to focus on eating. This worked just fine until she realized that he had knelt down behind her and now had his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. "Naruto-kun, what the heck are you doing?!" she demanded in a shrill voice.

The spiky haired boy snickered mischievously. "Well, I'm doing two things...one, I'm making sure people know what's mine, and also..." The blond smirked, "I'm reminding you that you're a woman...MY woman; and being a woman, you have to monitor how much of what you take in...you know, watch your figure."

Nozomi's face went red and she grumbled in annoyance under her breath, folding her arms across her chest. "D'ohhh...! FINE!" The cat girl growled as she shoved the remains of her ramen over to his seat.

"Yay!!" Naruto cheered. He gave her waist one last squeeze (which nearly made her jump out of her skin) and got up, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. "Thanks, Nozo-hime! You're awesome!" The boy flashed a wide grin then slid into his seat, wolfing down the last bit of the meal as Nozomi sighed, groaning.

A few minutes later he was finished, and he grinned at the girl. "Well...you're done, and I'm done, so let's go get your stuff!"

"Umm, Naruto-kun, we can wait awhile for that, ehe..." Nozomi mumbled, not ready to be forced to move yet.

"Ah ah ahh!" Naruto grabbed the cat girl's wrist as she began to move away and smirked at her. "We've stalled long enough. It's time to do this. Now c'mon."

Nozomi glared lightly at the boy as he pulled her to her feet and half led-half dragged her outside and started for her home, still clutching her hand gently as they walked.

For awhile, neither of the two teens spoke, just content to walk in silence . Nozomi became aware that Naruto was drawing her closer, and now putting her arm around her shoulder, but she said nothing, not in the mood for an argument. Besides, she reasoned with herself, he was her boyfriend, and she WAS moving in with him...she'd have to at least TRY to tolerate his touchy feely-ness a little.

"Heh, I think you're right."

"Huh?" Nozomi turned her head so she faced Naruto, a confused look on her face. "What are you talking about, Naruto-kun? Right about what?"

"The weather." The boy replied, pointing up at the sky, which was covered in grey clouds, "I think you were right when you said it might rain."

"Oh...yeah, it definitely looks like it's gonna pour now!" Nozomi agreed, shivering involuntarily.

This earned her a concerned frown from Naruto. "Are you cold?"

The brunette gave a sheepish smile, her cat ears flattening against her head. "Um, just a little..."

"Well then, here."

Nozomi watched, blushing as Naruto removed his orange and black jacket and put it around her shoulders, guiding her arms through the sleeves (which were just a bit too long on her). "B-but, Naruto-kun! I can't use this!" The cat girl stammered. "You need it!"

The spiky haired boy gave her a firm look. "You can, and you will, Nozomi. I'm not gonna let you freeze. Besides that," His eyes softened, a smile playing on his lips, "I'll be just fine as long as you keep your arm around me."

The blush on Nozomi's face darkened slight, and she gave a small nod. "Oh...kay, then..."

Naruto grinned widely and put his arm around her shoulder. After a slight hesitation, the cat girl wrapped her arm around his middle, still blushing as they resumed walking.

'Naruto-kun...He's such a good guy...considerate, too. I really don't deserve him...'

"Heya, Nozo-chan?"

"Huh..what?" Nozomi snapped out of her thoughts and glanced up at the blond curiously. "What is it, Naruto-kun?"

"Um, do you mind waiting here for a minute? There's something I have to take care of real quick."

Nozomi blinked, then nodded and let go of him. "Go ahead, I'll wait here."

"Thanks, Nozo-hime!" Naruto flashed a wide, toothy grin. "I'll be back in 10 minutes, 15 tops!" This said, the boy turned and darted off.

Nozomi smirked and shook her head. 'Nature must have called.' The cat girl leaned up against a building and closed her eyes, humming a soft tune to herself while she waited.

True to his word, Naruto returned 15 minutes later, a pleased grin on his face. "Ok, I'm back!" he said enthusiastically, draping his arm around her again as they picked up walking.

Nozomi sighed softly and leaned her head against his should contentedly, allowing a soft purr to escape her. Naruto just grinned and tried not to laugh.

---

"Well, here we are..." Nozomi reached into the right pocket on her jacket and pulled out a small key, which she used to unlock the door. "C'mon on." she said, opening the door and entering.

Naruto nodded and followed her, taking his shoes off and putting them with hers in the box by the door. He glanced around the room, which he assumed must be her living room. There was a small yet comfortable looking couch on the north wall with a small coffee table in front of it, and a television set in front of that.

On the east wall was a medium sized window with a set of navy blue curtains draped over it.

There were three doors, one on the north wall to the right of the couch, and the other two on the far west walls. Naruto couldn't help secretly wondering where they all led to.

As if sensing his curiosity, Nozomi motioned to the doors on the west wall. "Kitchen and bathroom-laundry room."

"Oh, ok." Naruto pointed to the door by the couch. "What about that one?"

"My room." Nozomi said and grimaced. "I guess that's as good a place as any to get started."

"Well then let's get s-" Naruto's voice was drowned out by a loud clap of thunder outside that was followed by the unmistakable sound of pouring rain. "Wow...I guess we got here just in time, eh, Nozomi?"

The boy frowned as he saw that Nozomi was no longer standing at his side, but curled up in one corner of the couch, trembling as she hid under a large, red blanket that seemed to have appeared from out of nowhere.

"Nozo-chan?" Naruto slowly made his way over to the girl and took a seat on the couch beside her. "You ok?"

After a slight pause, the brunette peeked out from under the cover and smiled sheepishly at him. "Uh, sorry Naruto-kun...that just scared me."

"Well, are you sure you're ok?" Naruto asked, concerned.

"Y-yeah, I'm alright. I just-" Nozomi broke off as another clap of thunder sounded, and she screamed, lunging forward and hugging the blond's chest, trembling. "I hate thunder!"

Naruto just stared at the girl, shocked at the suddenness of her action. Nozomi was afraid of thunder? This was strange to him, because half the time she didn't seem to be afraid of anything- save for certain bugs, her nightmares, and at times, him. Not sure was to do, the boy wrapped an arm around the girl's back in a protective, hopefully reassuring embrace.

A few minutes later, Nozomi pulled away and gave him a sheepish grin. "Thanks, Naruto-kun. I'm really sorry you had to see that. Me being afraid, I mean..." she sweatdropped. "I just really don't like the sound of thunder...it's loud and it scares me...kind of silly, I know, but I can't help it." The cat girl turned away in embarrassment.

"Don't be embarrassed." Naruto leaned forward and hugged her from behind. "Everybody's scared of something...and if thunder scares you, that's ok. I won't make fun of you. I'll protect you from it."

"Th..thanks, Naruto-kun..." Touched, Nozomi turned and pecked him on the cheek- only to flush bright red as the boy turned his head and caught her lips with his in a longing kiss, which ended up lasting longer than expected as he refused to let her go.

Finally, Nozomi managed to get free and she quickly jerked away. "Sorry, Naruto-kun, this is not the time for that. There's still things that need to get done."

The cat girl closed her eyes, avoiding his pouty expression as she slid out of his jacket and handed it to him. "Thank you for letting me us it...it was very warm." she smiled.

Naruto returned her smile with one of his own as he accepted the jacket and put it on. "Don't mention it. I'm just happy I was able to help you!"

Nozomi felt her face heat up as he leaned in to kiss her again, and she quickly moved back, hopping up from the couch. Naruto frowned up at her, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Why do you keep doing that?" he asked, looking annoyed. "Don't tell me you're still trying to run away, Nozo-hime!"

"That's not it!" Nozomi tried not to turn any redder as she answered, "I'm not running away...but whenever we kiss, you end up kissing me senseless...and-and...I already told you, there's work to be done still! I have to go and pack!"

"Ohhh...ok." Naruto grinned slyly to himself. She hadn't said no, more like just postponed it. "So...then after you're done it'll be ok if I kiss you senseless?"

Nozomi opened her mouth to say no, absolutely not, that it was out of the question, but to her surprise, she answered, "Only if it's still raining by then." No sooner had these words passed through her lips, then Nozomi clapped a hand over her mouth, eyes wide, blushing furiously. "Umm...thanks again for the jacket!" she called as she turned and ran into her room, slamming the door behind her.

Naruto just snickered to himself as he remained sitting while he waited, amused by how easily embarrassed she was.

---

"Rain, rain, go away, come again another day..." Nozomi grumbled as she stared out the living room window, having finished packing, watching the seemingly never ending shower of rain drops come down.

Naruto watched her from his spot on the couch. "Nozo-chan, you might as well sit down for awhile. I don't think it's going to stop anytime soon."

Nozomi sighed and reluctantly had a seat on the couch beside him. Naruto grinned; this was just what he wanted. He moved a little closer and slid an arm around her shoulders. The girl just yawned quietly.

"Tired?" Naruto asked with a frown.

Nozomi nodded slightly, her eyes closing. "Uh huh...sorry, Naruto-kun...but it's the rain. Listening to it always puts me to sleep.."

For some reason, a devilish grin spread across Naruto's face. "If that's the reason, then I'll distract you!"

"Nyeeh? Woah!!" Nozomi's eyes flew open in surprise as the blond pulled her into his lap and lifted her chin upward. "Naruto-kun, what are you do-" She didn't get to finish as Naruto's lips brushed against hers.

He stopped just long enough to give a sneaky smile. "I'm distracting you...cause like you said, I usually kiss you senseless, and that's just what you need to be to ignore the rain!" His grin turned into a smirk. "Besides, you did say we'd do this after you finished packing if it was still raining..it sure doesn't sound like it's gonna let up anytime soon."

Almost as if the weather was on Naruto's side, the rain came down even harder. Nozomi, hearing the increased intensity of the rain, gulped and heaved a small sigh. "Oh, all right...fine!" she agreed grudgingly.

'Curse me and my big mouth!!'

"Yosh!" The blond haired boy cheered loudly, making Nozomi's face flush a light shade of pink. "Ok then, here I come!"

Despite the fact that Nozomi was prepared for him, the suddenness of his mouth on hers still took her by surprise. Why she was unsure. Perhaps it was because she could feel the urgency, the need he had for her love as he kept a forceful hold on her lips. Or maybe it was because his kisses were so gentle, yet still so firm at the same time...much like the wind; soft one minute, and forceful, firm the next. Yes, like the wind. This was how Naruto's kisses felt to her.

Whatever it was that surprised her, Nozomi didn't worry about it much as she deepened the kiss and let out a small moan of pleasure, running her hands through Naruto's spiky hair and twisting strands around her fingers.

The cat girl's face turned a fiery red as Naruto's hands made their way onto her rear, pushing her as if hoping to bring her closer than she already was. Then his fingers were at the base of her tail, stroking the long, furry appendage again and again.

Nozomi broke the kiss and stared deep into the boy's electric blue eyes, feeling like she was under hypnosis. It should be illegal to feel so wonderful. "Naruto-kun.." she purred softly, kissing him again.

Naruto didn't answer as he took one of his hands off her tail and lightly rubbed one of the girl's cat ears. Not long after, her responses to his kisses began to be less frequent, and slowly her arms slid limply from Naruto's spiked hair and onto his tanned muscular shoulders. It wasn't until her head began to lower that Naruto realized the cat girl was asleep, and he slouched a little in the couch, leaning back so she could rest her head on his chest. "Sweet dreams, Nozo-hime..sleep well." Naruto leaned forward just long enough to kiss the brunette's forehead, then he leaned back again and closed his eyes, listening to the harsh pitter patter of the rain until he, too fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

--

"Here we are!" Naruto opened the door to his apartment and stepped inside with a happy sigh. "Home sweet home!" He glanced back at the cat girl behind him. "Well? C'mon in and make yourself at home." he said smiling.

Nozomi stepped inside and glanced around, her eyes widening in shock. His place was nothing like she'd imagined it might be. There were clothes strewn everywhere, from the floor to the bed, and even on some of the furniture, and the kitchen sink, table and also the floor was cluttered, practically buried with empty instant ramen cups.

The cat girl looked at Naruto in disbelief. "Honestly, Naruto-kun...Do you not know what the word housekeeping means?!"

Naruto laughed sheepishly as he glanced away, avoiding the brunette's gaze. "Uhh...yeah. I've jst been kinda busy, lately...hehe.."

Nozomi sweatdropped. "What could have kept you so busy that you couldn't even take care of your own apartment?!"

Now Naruto met her gaze, a teasing glint in his blue eyes. "Not much...just chasing down a very stubborn cat girl and talking her into being my girl, training her, sealing her demon and being held up in the hospital for a week."

Nozomi opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out except for a small "Oh." His words had caught her completely off guard, to be honest. The last thing she'd expected was to be the entire reason he'd abandoned his housework! The cat girl sweatdropped, unsure what to say or do now.

This was just as awkward as an hour earlier, when she'd woke up and found herself sprawled out on top of Naruto, her face buried in his chest, with his arms wrapped snugly around the small of her back. Getting up had been difficult, not to mention embarrassing, since she'd had to wake the boy- a very hard to accomplish mission indeed.

Naruto grinned as he took notice of the far away look in her eyes. He had her momentarily silenced, and stunned, judging from the look on her face. Since she didn't seem to be focusing on anything at the moment, Naruto decided to take this opportunity to examine her thoroughly.

She was tall, as well as thin and pale with long, slender arms and legs -legs that could deliver a good kick if provoked, Naruto remembered with a smirk-. Her eyes were a deep goldish yellow; a bright, vibrant tone that could put you in a trance if you stared too long. Her cheeks were fair, flushed a faint rosy pink, a sign that she was trying not to blush from whatever she was thinking about. Her lips...he loved her lips; so soft and smooth, yet hard and firm, a set of lips that required skill to handle. Her face was framed by long strands of whispy, medium brown hair, her bangs flipping out almost like wings and curling in towards the bottom; the rest of her hair falling in wavy strands down by her medium sized bust. She had long, slender fingers, each tipped by a sharp, claw like fingernail, a very useful weapon she was blessed with thanks to having the demon Kumoraku within her.

Her black and green jacket and skirt hugged her figure in a way that was not only flattering, but attractive -green and black were definitely her colors-, and they went perfectly with the see through netted top and shorts she loved to wear underneath.

Then there was the fuzzy black cat ears that were on her head, and the long, black tail that extended from her lower back. Naruto had always been amazed just at the sight of them, and even now he was always resisting the urge to touch them constantly.

The blond smiled as he finished his examination. She was always griping about how she wanted to look like a normal human, but...Naruto's smile widened. She was her, a beautiful, feminine young cat girl. It didn't matter if she looked different from other girls; she was absolutely perfect in his opinion.

At that moment, the brunette snapped back from her thoughts, and she blushed, seeing Naruto's stare on her. "Wh-what?!" she demanded, forcing a scowl onto her face despite how awkward she felt.

"Nothing." Naruto shrugged with a grin. "I'm just wondering how I got someone as hot as you for my girl."

"Because, you were persist-" Nozomi broke off abruptly as his words hit her fully, and she blushed again. "I'm not 'hot'!" she muttered in embarrassment, glancing around the bedroom part of the apartment hoping to distract herself from Naruto, who was now giving her a very detailed reason as to why she was, in fact, hot.

On the east side of the room was a bed with a yellow blanket that rested half on half off the mattress, and a big window just above the bed. A small nightstand next to the bed held an alarm clock and a picture frame. Nozomi's gaze stopped on the frame, and she walked forward and picked it up.

The photo was of a younger cell 7, she realized, smiling slightly as she examined it further. There was Kakashi (or as she liked to call him to his face, "old man Kakashi-baka") holding down two boys, while the pink haired Sakura stood giggling in the middle. Nozomi smirked to herself. One of the two boys was Naruto, without a doubt. However, the other boy she wasn't too sure about...

"That's Sasuke."

Nozomi jerked her gaze from the photo, surprised. When had she sat down on the bed, and when had Naruto joined her?

She paused for a minute. "Ohh...that's him? Hmmm...he looks almost as irritated as you do in this picture."

"Well, I told you before, when we were younger...Sasuke and I were rivals. He was like a brother to me." The spiky haired boy glanced away, both his face and his shoulders tense and stiff.

Sensing his sadness, Nozomi replaced the picture on the nightstand and touched his arm lightly. "I'm sure you'll get his back someday, Naruto-kun...it doesn't matter how long it takes. If you keep at it, he's sure to come home." She paused. "...and...if you feel sad or want to talk...I'll be here for you."

The brunette's face colored faintly as Naruto grabbed her hand off his arm and pulled her into his chest, face first.

"Promise me." he said quietly.

Nozomi felt her cheeks warm up as his arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer. "P-promise? Promise what?" she stammered, trying to pull out of his embrace.

"Just promise!" Naruto practically shouted, tightening his hold on her to prevent her from moving.

A drop of sweat rolled down the back of Nozomi's head, ans she swallowed hard. "What is it that you want me to promise you, Naruto-kun?!"

There was a slight paused before the boy answered. "...I know that living with me is scary for you..but it could be fun. If you let it be. Just...no matter what happens, promise me." -Naruto pulled away from the girl just enough that she was forced to look him in the eye.- "Nozomi, promise not to leave me! Maybe you don't think so, but I NEED you! It would destroy me if you left, really!"

Before Nozomi could answer, the blond had pulled her back into him in a fierce hug. The blush on the cat girl's face darkened and she slowly wrapped her arms around the boy's middle, returning the hug. "...Is that what this is about?...Ok then." she smiled shyly. "I won't leave...I promise."

Naruto sighed in relief at her words, and he rested his head on the girl's shoulder. "Thank you.."

Nozomi wondered if her face was going to flare up in flames, her cheeks felt so hot! "Um...you're welcome. So, what brought this on, anyways?"

"Seeing that picture, and not wanting to lose anybody else who's important to me." Came the boy's solemn reply.

"Naruto-kun, I'm not going anywhere." Nozomi insisted, struggling to pull away as the boy's hug grew tighter. She coughed. "Though, I might be on my deathbed soon if you don't let go!"

Naruto blushed faintly and let go of the brunette, watching sheepishly as she jerked away, gasping for air. "Sorry..I guess I got a little carried away.."

"Ya think?" Nozomi rolled her eyes, relieved to have stopped blushing.

"Heh, sorry, Nozo-chan." The blush on Naruto's face darkened ever so slightly. "I can't help it when you're so soft and huggable!"

Nozomi groaned and as she jumped up from the bed, grabbed her bag and bolted into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. She had almost calmed down, but thanks to that last comment, the girl's face was now redder than a tomato.

Heaving a sigh, Nozomi opened her bag and rummaged through its contents, searching for her pajamas, deciding she might as well change now while she had the privacy. After a few seconds, she found what she was looking for; a long sleeved pink top and matching pajama pants.

Nozomi smirked to herself. Normally she was just sleep in her netting top and shorts, but she didn't feel comfortable doing that if she wasn't alone. It was times like now that she was grateful to have these pajamas. She'd gotten them awhile back when she'd been invited to a slumber party with Sakura, Ino, Hinata and Tenten. They weren't the most comfortable things to sleep in, as they were tight around the waist and forced her tail to stay inside, but they were better than her see through netting. Especially in this case.

'Still, if I have to sleep in these things more often, I want to be comfortable..' Nozomi scowled at the pajama bottoms for a minute before taking one of her claws and ripping a hole in the back. Now her tail wouldn't be stuck down her pant leg at least...

The cat girl heaved a sigh as she stripped her clothes off, quickly pulling the top on. She was just pulling on the pants when she heard a loud bang, and she quickly spun around, pulling the pants up and forcing her tail out through the opening she'd made.

Instantly her face went red as she locked eyes with an equally red faced, wide eyed Naruto, who was rubbing his head, having smacked it on the door from the looks of things.

"NYAAA! Naruto-kun?! How long have you been standing there?!?"

"Uhh...long enough..ehe...I was just coming to see if you were ok after running off like that...sorry, I should've knocked..." Naruto mumbled awkwardly, still blushing bright red.

Nozomi's eyes widened in horror as she realized her fears were true; he had seen her changing!

Naruto glanced away and mumbled to himself, "Wow, Grandma Tsunade...thanks for ordering such a sexy woman to stay with me...!"

The fur on Nozomi's ears and tail spiked up as she heard this, and she glared at him, cheeks blazing red. "Gee, I can really tell who your sensei was when you say stupid things like THAT!"

Naruto glanced at the girl and blushed harder. "Sorry, Nozo-chan. I can't help it if I think you're sexy..hehe.." He gulped. "...Nozomi...?"

Nozomi glared daggers at the boy, blushing furiously. "You pervert!! I hate you!"

Naruto's blush vanished as he heard this, and he stared at the girl in stunned silence. Then, before he could react, the brunette stormed past him, screaming again and again how much she hated him.

"Woah, wait!" Naruto hurried over to her and grabbed her arm as she opened the front door. "Where are you going, Nozo-chan?!"

"Let GO of me, you creep!" Nozomi snarled, using her free hand to slap him hard across the face.

Naruto winced at the blow, but didn't release her arm, he just tightened his grip. "Nozo-chan, what are you doing?" he asked quietly.

"What does it look like I'm doing?! I'm leaving. Out of here. Taking off!!"

Naruto's eyes widened and his face fell. "What? But...Nozomi...you-you promised you wouldn't leave me! Even if things got hard here...you PROMISED! How could you break a promise like that? Please, don't do this, I need you!!"

Upon hearing this, Nozomi's eyes flashed with remembrance of the promise she'd made earlier. The cat girl lowered her head and cursed under her breath before slamming the door shut with more force than was necessary. Then she glanced at Naruto from the corner of her eye. "You can let go now."

The blond haired boy did so, hesitantly, and watched as Nozomi stormed over to the fridge, pulled out a carton of milk, poured herself a glass and chugged it. After repeating this process a few times, the cat girl heaved a sigh and glanced in his direction. "So...what all did you see?"

Naruto's face went red at this and he quickly clamped a hand over his mouth to keep himself from blurting out the truth; that he'd seen...well...all of her.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Nozomi glanced away, blushing as well. "I...see...you saw...everything...well..." she looked at him again, forcing a smirk onto her face. "...Oh well..just...uhh...try to remember to knock from now on...kay..?"

Naruto nodded, staring at her with a stunned look on his face. "Ok...you...you're already ok? I mean...I'm forgiven?"

Nozomi's smirk grew larger. "I didn't say THAT...if you want to be forgiven, you'll have to do something to earn it."

"What's that..?" Naruto asked, eying the cat girl warily.

Nozomi's smirk gave way to a wide, mischievous grin. "Well..."

---

"Ok, Nozo-chan, I'm done." Naruto panted, wiping beads of sweat off his face. "The clothes are picked up, the ramen cups are gone, the bed's made...everything you said to do is done. It's clean." The boy sighed and dropped to his knees in front of the cat girl, who was sitting at the table drinking another glass of milk. "Now will you forgive me?"

Nozomi glanced up from her milk, and after a quick scan of the place, she nodded her head. "You're forgiven." she said quietly.

"Good!" Naruto groaned, collapsing on his face in exhaustion.

Nozomi just snickered and drank the last of her milk, purring contentedly.

"So, what n-" Naruto sat up and, seeing the girl's face, he put a hand over his mouth, trying not to laugh.

"What is it?" The brunette frowned at the boy. "What's so funny?"

"Let's just say it's easy to tell what you were just drinking." the spiky haired boy snickered.

"What...?" Nozomi flushed as she realized she had a milk mustache, and she quickly wiped it away with the back of her hand. Then, when she thought he wasn't looking, the cat girl licked the milk off her hand quickly.

"Hehe, kitty kitty." Naruto teased, having seen the whole thing.

Nozomi growled, embarrassed to have been seen. "Shut up, ramen breath." she muttered in annoyance as she stood up from the chair and began to walk away.

Naruto smirked, amused. It had been years since he'd heard THAT name, and as much as it had annoyed him to be called that, he had enjoyed the arguments that followed after he used his name for her.

"Ok, whatever you say, kitty cat!" Naruto jumped to his feet and stepped in front of her.

"Ramen breath!!...What are you doing...?" the cat girl stammered as he grabbed both her arms.

"Don't you remember, kitty cat?" Naruto chuckled. "This is the part where you get mad and fight me until I shut you up with a kiss!"

Nozomi swallowed hard. "A...kiss? N-Naruto-kun, that's not necessary, I'll stop."

A wide smirk formed on Naruto's face. "Hmmm, being nice and using the name I like you to use, huh?" An evil glint appeared in his electric blue eyes. "Sorry, too late!"

"But-Naruto-kun! I!-" Nozomi's eys bulged as Naruto's warm lips pressed against hers, cutting her off. "Naruto--stop...! It's too late to start up again...!" she growled, trying to pull away.

As if there was magic in her words, Naruto broke their embrace and glanced at the clock, eyes widening. "1:30?! Time really flies! I guess you're right...it's definitely time for bed."

Nozomi just nodded, relieved as the boy let go of her arms, grabbed a pair of pajamas and went into the bathroom, emerging a few minutes later all changed, and climbed into bed.

Naruto heaved a sigh and narrowed his eyes in annoyance as he saw the girl crouch down on her hands and knees before laying fully on the floor, her back facing him. "Nozomi, what do you think you're doing?"

Nozomi glanced sheepishly over her shoulder at the boy. "Going to bed...what does it look like?"

"Nozo-chan, we already talked about this earlier. Now get into bed." Naruto muttered, "I already told you, it's too cold for you to sleep down there."

"I'm just fine here, thanks." Nozomi insisted, grimacing as a chill ran through her spine. It really was cold down here...but she wasn't about to tell HIM that!

"Nozo-chan, I see you shivering...now get up here." Naruto ordered, beginning to lose his patience. Why did she have to be so stubborn?!

Nozomi just shook her head defiantly and laid it back against the floor. "I'll be alright down here, thank you...now go to sleep."

Naruto heaved an exasperated sigh. "Whatever you say..." He frowned as he quietly got out of bed and crouched down behind the shivering cat girl. 'Why does she tell me she's fine when she's not?' Sighing inwardly, Naruto reached out and scooped Nozomi gently but firmly into his arms and stood up.

In response, the brunette's eyes flew open, and she screamed. "Uwaaaaaaaah! Naruto-kun, put me down!!"she shrieked, a faint blush rising to her cheeks.

"Ok, if you insist." Naruto quickly turned and laid her on the bed with a chuckle.

"Hey! I said I'd be fine sleeping on the floor!: the cat girl insisted, sitting up quickly.

"Well, I told you earlier that it's too cold down there." Naruto said calmly, putting one hand on her chest and forcing her back down. "You're sleeping up here, and that's that."

Nozomi glowered at the boy as he pulled the covers up over her, and she sighed, shutting her eyes in defeat. "You'd better not try anything!" she growled, flashing her sharp, pointed fangs.

Naruto nodded with a laugh. "Of course not, Nozo-chan, I won't!"

"Good!" Nozomiwatched as the boy turned out the lights then crawled into bed, making himself comfortable.

A chill ran down the cat girl's spine as their shoulders touched, and she rolled onto her side so she faced the window instead of him. Then, heaving a sigh, she closed her eyes even though she already knew she'd have a difficult time getting any sleep.

"Hee...heehee...!"

"Wha? Naruto-kun?" Nozomi turned a little and her eyes went wide as she saw Naruto holding onto her tail, which had twitched its way onto his chest, and was tickling his neck. "Naruto-kun!" The cat girl's face heated up a little as he reached out and stroked it, starting at the base and tracing her fingers along the tip, holding onto it until it twitched its way out of his grasp.

The blond looked up, then, and laughed, seeing the look on her face. "Don't be mad at ME, kitty, you're the one who put you tail on me!" He giggled as he stroked her tail again, this time slower, smirking as the cat girl turned red and shuddered at his touch.

"Naruto-kun! Stop!-" Nozomi ordered, her back going tense and stiff.

"Nozo-chan, just go to sleep." Naruto murmured, frowning as the brunette moved to the edge of the bed in her desperation.

Nozomi tensed up again as his hand brushed the base of her tail again, and she fought to pull it away. "I can't fall asleep like this!" she grumbled. "I'll never get any sleep up here...I'm too restless!"

"I can help with that." Naruto grinned, running his fingers over her tail in a pattern of deliberately long strokes.

The cat girl gritted her teeth, not wanting him to see how wonderful that felt. 'Darn, Kumoraku, stop making me so sensitive to his touch!'

'If I have to suffer being locked up,YOU will suffer too!' Kumoraku's velvety voice sneered.

'Hey! It's not MY fault you have to be locked up! Naruto-kun is containing you, not ME!'

'Maybe so, but you aren't running away or doing anything to stop him, so in a way you ARE to blame...so you'll suffer for it. '

'Man, I really hate you, Kumoraku-bakaneko!'

'And I YOU, Kubota brat.'

Whether it was the doing of her inner demon, or a mere lack of sleep, Nozomi was having a hard time staying alert. The agonizingly wonderful stroking didn't stop, and soon she was unable to stop the purrs that came from deep within her throat.

"Stupid...cat...demon...!" The cat girl growled in annoyance as it got harder and harder to see, and her eyelids drooped.

"See? I told you I'd get you drowsy!" Naruto smirked as the brunette untensed, resting fully into the mattress now. "Are you finally ready for bed, kitty?"

Nozomi opened her mouth to say no, but instead all that came out was a loud yawn, followed by a soft purr.

"I'll take that as a yes." Naruto's smirk widened as he wrapped his arms around the girl's waist, gently pulling her against him in a warm hug from behind.

"Na-Naruto-kun!!" Nozomi's eyes grew to the size of saucers, a deep blush creeping onto her face. "This qualifies as trying something!" she hissed. "Let go of me!"

Naruto's grin faded, and an innocent frown appeared on his face. "Nozo-chan, I'm just hugging you. There's nothing wrong with that, and you know it."

"Just let me go!" Nozomi shrieked, blushing harder as his hold on her tightened, rather than loosened. "Let! Go! Of! Me!" she ordered, kicking backward, her boney heel connecting directly with one of his kneecaps.

Naruto winced at the blow and bit his lip to keep from crying out. "Calm down, Nozo-chan, I'm only hugging you!!"

"My WAIST." Nozomi corrected him, blushing even harder. "I'm not comfortable with this, Naruto-kun! I don't want to be embraced on a bed like this until after I'm married!"

The blond haired boy paused before answering. "So...if we got married, you'd let me be as affectionate as I wanted to you without putting up a fight?"

"Err, I guess...yeah..." Nozomi said hesitantly, "but...umm...I don't want to marry you, Naruto-kun..."

"WHAT?!" Naruto sweatdropped as the girl's ears went flat, and he lowered his tone. "B-but why not?! Did I do something wrong?" His blue eyes were wide with worry.

"No, I'm just..." Nozomi paused. "Well, I just don't want to marry-"

"What?! Why not?! How can we make this situation work if you don't marry me?!"

"...I don't need a guy to make me feel complete. I guess you could say it's from growing up alone for so many years...I don't really need anyone to get along in life..."

Naruto seemed to think about this. "Well, Nozo-chan...I'M a guy, and you do need me to help you along in life. My chakra is the only thing that keeps you in control, hehe!" The blond smirked. "I don't think you'll ever be alone again."

A drop of sweat ran down the back of Nozomi's head at this statement. "Why not?!" she demanded.

"Because," Naruto replied, "Grandma Tsunade ordered you to stay with me. Heck, she even made you move in with me!" At this, Naruto's smirk gave way to a full blown toothy grin. "I don't know, Nozo-chan..it sounds like she's planning on you being with me for the rest of your life. Meaning marrying me!"

He snickered at the look on the girl's face. "I think you were forcefully engaged to me the minute I used the Oni Shoukin jutsu on you...'Cause now you can't leave me no matter WHAT! Even if you fell for another guy, I'd still have to stick to ya like glue to keep Kumoraku contained!" The boy snickered again. "Just face it, Nozo-chan...you're stuck with me. You might as well just marry me since we're already pretty much fated to be together until one of us dies...our bonds can't be severed!"

Nozomi quickly raised her hands to her face to hide the dark blush that was spreading across her face again. "Well, I could always run away..." she muttered to herself. The cat girl inhaled sharply as Naruto tightened his grip on her waist, burying his face in her hair and nuzzling her neck.

"Not gonna happen, Nozo-chan. I won't ever leave you...and even if you DID escape, I'd hunt you down and bring you back, like it or not." Naruto chuckled as the girl's shoulders tensed up. "That right, I heard you."

Nozomi swallowed hard and heaved a sigh. "Ugh...fine...whatever." she grumbled, yawning. Naruto's stroking earlier was taking its toll on her, having made her very drowsy. A quick glance at the clock told her it was nearly 3 a.m. "Naruto-kun..you did it. I'm very tired now, so let's go to sleep."

Right on cue, the brunette yawned loudly and put a hand over her mouth. "So, then...good night, Naruto-k-WAAAH!" Nozomi screamed in shock as the blond suddenly flipped her so she faced him. "Naruto-kun?!"

Naruto stared at her, the corners of his mouth twitching upward as he noticed how tired she was. "Nozomi, will you marry me?" he said after a brief pause.

Beads of sweat ran down Nozomi's face, and she shut her eyes tight in frustration. Of all times, why did he choose NOW to pop the question?! "Naruto-kun, go to sleep. We'll talk about this in the morning.." the cat girl mumbled as she turned onto her other side again, trying to fall asleep.

Naruto surprised her yet again by repeating his earlier action, turning her to face him again. "Answer me, Nozo-chan! Will you marry me? It's not that hard of a question.."

Nozomi sighed exasperatedly and rolled her eyes upward. "Can't this wait until morning?" she whined.

The spiky haired boy glanced quickly at the clock and chuckled. "It IS morning, the sun just hasn't come up yet!" He snickered at the annoyed looked the cat girl threw him. "Just say yes already! You know I'll just keep asking if you tell me no again."

Nozomi groaned and muttered something that was unintelligible under her breath.

"C'mon, Nozo-chan...PLEASE!" Naruto begged in an almost whiny tone.

Nozomi groaned again, and after a few minutes of silence, she opened her eyes and looked at him, a scowl visible on her face. "If I say yes, Naruto-kun, will you promise to shut the heck up and let me sleep?"

Naruto nodded quickly in response. "Sure."

"Then.....ohhhhhh FINE!" Nozomi muttered. "I'll marry you...Now let me go to sleep!" The cat girl closed her eyes, only for them to fly open in surprise a moment later as the blond grabbed her hand and put something heavy on her finger, muttering something about a non removal...jutsu?

Confused, Nozomi brought her hand to her face and she gasped sharply. On her ring finger was a small, silver ring with a decent sized diamond on it. "A-a-an engagement ring?!" she sputtered, coloring slightly.

Naruto nodded, looking smug. "Mm hmmm! I remembered you saying the proposal wasn't really official without that, so I went and got it earlier today. Do you like it?"

Nozomi hesitated before nodding slightly, her cheeks pink now. "Yes...it's very pretty.."

Naruto grinned. "I'm glad you think so..cause you won't be able to get it off until our wedding day when it's replaced with the real thing, hehe!"

"Oh, okay..." Nozomi's eyes widened. "Wait!- WHAT?" The cat girl tried to remove the ring from her finger and frowned as it didn't budge. "What the heck is wrong?!" she demanded. "Why won't it come off?!"

"Well, I kinda used a jutsu that won't let you remove it till we're married." Naruto replied sheepishly, swallowing hard as he saw the look on the girl's face; she looked about ready to explode! 'Looks like I'm going to have to calm her down again...' he thought, sighing as Nozomi began to scream.

"What the?!-- Naruto-kun! That's just wrong! How low can you go?! I should seriously get up and leave NOW, promise or no pro-" Nozomi broke off as she felt the boy's fingers tracing down her long, fuzzy tail again. "Nyaaa?! Naruto-kun, STOP that and answer me! How could you do this to me?!"

"It's the only way to deal with your fickle behavior." Naruto said, moving his hands to her ears now and stroking them gently, making little circle patterns in the fur with his thumb. "Now go to sleep. You said you were tired. We'll talk about this later."

Nozomi glared angrily at the boy, her face a faint shade of red as her eyes slowly closed. "Naruto-kun...you diiot...I'm going to...kill you...for this...!"

Naruto merely grinned, hiding the slight nervousness he felt as he continued stroking her ears. He sighed with relief as the girl's breathing grew heavy, mixed in with the purr she only did when she was asleep.

'I'd better get to sleep too,' The blond thought as he watched the cat girl sleep, 'After all, if she's going to try killing me later, I'll need energy to fight her off!' A devious smirk formed on his face. 'This is a time where it pays to be able to control her chakra...she won't be able to hurt me TOO bad, hehe!'

Naruto leaned back into his pillow and sighed, yawning loudly. "Night, Nozo-hime."

The only answer he got was a loud purr, and he closed his eyes, a pleased little grin on his face as he slowly slipped into unconsciousness.

Nozomi was going to be his wife. Granted, he'd had to trick her into saying yes, but still...she'd agreed, and he'd hold her to that. Sure, she'd be upset with him for awhile, but she'd get over it in time, and they'd begin to plan their big day together. That special time when they would intertwine their fates together for life. Just when you thought a bond couldn't get any stronger, it would; binding them together for life.