A Growing Affection

Chapter 41: A Home Never Known

After deciding to meet at ten that morning, they split up to get some rest before the 'open house'. Hinata held Naruto's hand, practically guiding the young man back to his apartment. He was emotionally exhausted, both from the party and from the Hokage's revelation. She was also helping him carry his gifts, which were spread between the single bag each shinobi carried, and the new mission backpack he had received from Anko and Iruka. Many of the guests had only given him a single kunai and a small amount of cash; he suspected someone had been telling tales.

When they reached his place, they found Hinata's cake on his oven, and her gifts on his table. There was a note from the superintendent explain that he had let in the people from the Golden Shoe. Naruto sighed, and sloughed the bag and backpack onto the table.

"Naruto, do you want me to stay over night?" Hinata asked with a touch of concern. Then she blushed furiously, and retracted, "I don't mean to..."

"I know what you mean, Hinata," a ghost of his usual grin crossed his face, "And yes, I would like nothing more than to fall asleep just holding your hand. But at the party, I had a polite conversation with your father. For the first time since our... confrontation, I didn't feel like he resented my very existence. So, for the sake of not fighting with every member of your family, I have to say no."

She nodded, disappointed and happy at the same time.

"But if you don't mind, maybe you could come over at like eight, eight-thirty, and we could eat our steaks and some cake for breakfast, before we head out?" he suggested.

"I would like that," she answered. She leaned in, and kissed his cheek.

"Good night, Naruto. And happy birthday."

Naruto was restored to his normal good spirits when the group assembled at the appointed address. They all wore casual attire, which shocked Uzumaki, who had never seen Gaara, Tsunade, or Shizune in jeans before. After greeting Iruka and Anko, the last two to arrive, they moved into the complex, with the Hokage leading the way. The blond teen was generally surprised by the property, the condos were nicer than he had been expecting. In the center of the buildings was a small playground area. A few children paused to look as they paraded past. Next to the swings was a medium sized pool, fenced in to keep out the children and discourage unwanted visitors.

"I think Teuchi and Ayame live here," Shizune offered. Kakashi nodded.

"Wow, really?" Naruto was amazed, "I would have thought they lived closer to Ichiraku."

"They used to," Tsunade remembered, "But when Hamako found out she was pregnant, she made Teuchi find a bigger, nicer place. They moved in here just before Ayame was born. Yukihana moved in about a year later."

When they reached the appointed building, their leader led them up a flight of stairs to the second of three floors. Tsunade stopped outside the door and spun about to look at Naruto intensely, blocking his way.

"Before we go in, I want to warn you," her voice was lecturing, but there was an undercurrent of worry, "the Third Hokage removed any reference to your father from here. Not that there were too many to begin with. And when I became Hokage, I gave it another once over, just to be safe. So if you are expecting to..."

"I know, I know," he interrupted, exasperated, "I don't get to know who my dad is until the time is right. It's starting to sound like a prophecy in some lame novel."

"So long as you understand," she confirmed, "Well, then, you have the key, so..."

She stepped aside, sweeping her arm towards the door. Naruto stepped forward, and slid the key into the lock. As he swung the door inwards, a cloud of dust billowed out towards them. The dimly lit entry, a layer of grime, an inch thick, covered the floor and the outline of the kitchen counter.