He had already begun preparing dinner, readying himself for a warming day, sitting on the couch with his feet rested on the crooked coffee table. Attempting to soothe his thoughts from the pit fermenting deep within his stomach, his chest aching already from the restraint. The kettle was on the stove and he nearly burned himself in forgetting that simple fact. Currently, Naruto was making himself a cup, prepping the leaves as the water boiled, his heart beating erratically as he took a deep breath and hum the tune of a Bob Dylan song he'd heard recently. By plain view, he could see his fingers trembling, merely holding the glass, he put it down in slight frustration. The comprehension of why he had avoided contacting his husband, his grandfather, fully weighing upon him as the days progressed; though neither of them had shared anything traumatic, the knowledge of possibility stung at him for a reason he couldn't name.

He pulled out his phone, already acknowledging his own actions as stupidity, he speed-dialled a friend, for the hope of relief. As she so commonly did, she picked up near immediately, with a sweet voice and cheerful tone uplifting the very sound. "Hey, Naruto! I haven't heard from you for ages! Shame on you!" Ino Yamanaka, the most famous fashion model in the country; a woman whom he most commonly covered in his pieces. A beautiful woman, who men coveted and women envied, platinum hair and shining blue eyes; she had always been blessed with a brightened personality of cheer and optimism. They had been college classmates in a way; for although they had known each other throughout high school, they had only begun talking once they had started to run in the same classes in secondary schooling.

"Yeah, sorry 'bout that, I've been stuck in the office for a bit now." It was a bad excuse and he knew it, so did she, for the sound that came from the other line was a slight accusatory, though she made no comment. For that he was grateful.

"Strained? Honestly, you need to get laid, find yourself a nice man and-" He stopped the beginning of her speech where it sat, as he knew her well enough to understand there would be no end. She laughed loudly, obviously sitting at home, for if she made such a loud noise under her employer he'd have a fit. "Kidding, kidding!-" He fiddled with his cup again, finding the strength in his limbs once more capable. Snorting to himself at the thought that Ino was kidding in any manner. The model rarely made a joke about that kind of subject. "-How about a spa day?" The cheer returned, and though the offer sounded lovely to his mind, in checking his current account, he doubted it would be possible.

"Not unless I magically get over a hundred dollars in the next hour." Snark did not become him, it sounded petulant and even stupid if one knew him well. Which Ino did, they had known each other for many years and her mind was quick to grasp upon a solution; not that it was complex.

"I'll pay, I'm between jobs at the moment, but I'm far from broke." Naruto could almost come to imagine the tall woman speaking while looking at her nails and leaning against her counter. Giving him a saucy stare with her face coated in makeup and hair done to perfection, Ino had ever pertained the general appearance of a classic white woman without a care to give. Naruto doubted that she was actually asking him for the spa day.

"Alright fine, when?" He heard a brief victory shout of 'yay' echo from the other side.

"How about today, lets say ten minutes? Don't worry I'll pick you up." He was about to give a protest, but the soft click of her phone had already sounded. It gave him an exasperated, amused, sigh to let loose. Turning off the stove, he shoved away the tea leaves on the counter to the corner and made way to his room. Already knowing that his friend would not appreciate seeing him in the lacy panties Madara had once bought him -in the man's own form of bad humour. They were red and accented him apparently.

He grabbed a pair of sweatpants hanging loosely from his door frame, and slid them on while checking the present time from the grand clock in the corner -one that Madara had insisted upon, he was rather traditionalized in some ways. He did not bother to change the t-shirt he already wore as it would be replaced at the spa as it was. He did brush his hair into a form of neat; for he had been growing out recently and did not want to be scolded by Ino finding his hair not meeting her standards, it had happened before after all. After that, he wandered out of his apartment with all the joviality of a man departing to a date that was doomed to failure, a sigh in his wake, though it did curve his lips in a smile of amusement.

The mid-day sun was out and shining in the glory of spring when he took notice of Ino's rather vibrant purple coloured car drive up to the corner. Naruto had always known the woman to be flashy, and he had never bore a complaint. For although journalism was his profession, he had always had the rather hidden desire to be a model, that which, he'd sacrificed for the sake of his marriage -it would be far too obvious if the spouse of a major general were a famous, or even low-cast, model- he simply could not put that risk that type of scandal upon his husband at the time; perhaps now it would be a different situation as they were both older, but it was likely his opportunity had passed. With a solemn demeanour, he entered the car, to be met with a grasping hug which he was nearly suffocated by, in attempting to push the woman off he was only grasped tighter -like a damn barracuda, he reasoned with himself. "Ah~ I missed you! You've got to leave that solemn apartment of yours! This is a horrid neighbourhood, you know I once got cat-called here?! I'm sure I could get some friends to find you a better place." He twitched at the very concept, leaving was not an option he had ever considered, mainly as his job was not high paying as Ino's, and though Madara did send him money -and always had,- Nauto had never felt right in using it.

"I could not afford that Ino!" He shouted it for the grip of the arms around his neck was stifling. She scoffed heartily as she let him go.

"Honestly Naruto!" She spoke nothing further on the subject, Naruto hoped for his own want of peace that she would drop it entirely; it was not the first time she had brought his living conditions into a conversation. She heaved a great sigh as if he had just committed a great wrong, then started the car, her eyes now focus on the road. Already he despised the thought of moving again for after Madara had left, he had forced himself to move from their apartment to a cheap place that he would be able to finance on his own, without Madara's military grants. Still the memory of leaving echoed in his mind, especially of being extra cautious in moving the grandfather clock his husband so adored -wanting to -and nearly, shouting at the poor worker who had slipped his hand while moving it, Naruto had decided to help the men after that.-

Now, to have his close friend insist upon it, he felt slightly targeted by the woman. Naruto shuttered, remembrance of Jiraiya's near-death experience coming to mind immediately; he had refused to leave the man's house for a month afterwards. Still, to consider the possibility that he could lose both his Grandfather and his Husband to the same war burned at his mind, as it always had.

Ino snapped him from his memories, as she parked the car, her eyes confused and comforting aqua blue as they always were, gently shaking his shoulder. Naruto imagined she had been rather concerned at his lack of conversation on the way, they were both vocal people. He smiled at her, grinned, though his mind was still rather trapped within the dozens of possible outcomes reestablishing communication with the man he loved may cause. The pit in his stomach deepened at the thoughts, though he attempted to clear his mind. By his side, the blonde woman shook him once more, they had both left the car -but he had forgotten for a moment.

"Naruto- you know I hear they're going to start pulling troops out of the southern region." Her comfort was welcome, and he gave her a smile in response, he had told her that his Grandfather was deployed in the military, she must have comprehended his silence and previous behaviour as a concern for family. He knew Ino would understand his lax mind, as her own father was part of the Special Operations Unit -not that it was widely known. Thus, in knowing each other's bane they often took spa days together to de-stress and calm their frequently worried minds. Naruto could say with an ease of knowing the feeling was shared; that he and Ino were best friends, despite the ongoing stigma that a man and woman could not be best friends without being romantically swayed, as Naruto was firmly gay it was not a concern, neither of them had cared to listen to the sterotype regardless.

The spa was a warm comforting place, with gentle beige tones and tea-lights abound, there were several workers with towels and robes wondering about with sandaled feet, and kind expressions. One woman, a young appearing new recruit came up to them in quick regard, pressing through her coworkers with a slim figure, looking to be a teenager. "Miss Yamanaka, and friend, I presume?" Ino practically bounced on her feet as they were greeted, Naruto stepped himself slightly to the left in fear of being slapped by her large bag. While the surprised worker in front of them merely blinked at her cheery attitude and then proceeded to guide them through the halls to the bathing section.

Ino stuck up a conversation then, Naruto paid her fast attention, though the slight remodelling of the hall did draw his gaze for a moment. "Are you excited? About them pulling out?" She smiled at him from out mascaraed eyelashes, her makeup minimal as they were simply going to be wiping it away during their stay. He gave her a grin back, though he didn't know when or how long the moving would take, it was indeed good news to hear. Though, when it occurred, came less important to him then the mere fact that it was happening, by all common knowledge his husband and his grandfather would be the last to leave the area. He needn't tell his eager friend that however, obviously her father was working out of that region at the moment, or at least nearby, and he would not spoil her own joviality with his own concern.

They stripped themselves free of clothing in the changing room, both keeping to their bathrobes as they entered into the bath. Two assistants were there already, the one to have greeted them and another woman, presumably to help them wash and apply their masks. Knowing the routine well enough, neither blonde complained as they stepped into the water; it was uncommon for a man and woman to bathe together but Naruto doubted that he and Ino were the first to do so. The water was warm and mist spread around them like an onsen as they wet their hair to be cleaned. Ino briefly grasped his hand through the water a gentle simper on her face as she did so, the look in her eyes a blanket of familiar comfort. "So, what's on your mind? You've been trapped in that head of yours the whole way here- am I that boring?" She gave a giggle while Naruto twitched and frantically declined her evaluation.

He sighed as dainty hands massaged his skelp, and rested his hands out for the cleaning his nails so desperately needed. Looking up to the roof just as his friend beside though she seemed content to wait for his response. Hesitation gripped him, he did trust Ino, as much as one could trust another person, but his mind did drift to Sasuke whom he had also trusted. He sighed trying to dislodge the ache in his chest at the consideration, he had wanted to tell the other blonde about his husband for awhile, though he had never mustered the courage while they had been perpetually avoiding each other -now however, was different. A bucket of water was placed behind both their heads, Naruto mindlessly dipped his hair into the cooled water to brush out the products, while he glimpsed Ino's own long, elegant, hair being placed into the water carefully. He had wanted to grow his hair to such a length for many years, even priour to having met his husband but the times they lived in would ridicule him for such a feet.

The woman tenderly, and nervously maintaining his hair shook a slight beside him as she presented a type of cream or herbal mask to him. "Scars- injure?" She was clearly forgien, and Naruto could only imagine that she was attempting to ask him if the mask would irritate his cheek scars. The mask was smoothed upon his skin as soon as he shook his head no, the comforting feeling was nice as it was a luxury he hadn't allowed himself to have for awhile. He glanced to Ino, sat so calmly beside him having her nails cleansed. She seemed to take notice of his gaze as she looked back to him with a brightened expression. He found himself sighing at the trust she displayed.

"I never told you-" Her head picked up slightly, her long hair dampened and clearly heavy. "-I'm married." The guilt was already fresh inside him, still even as he avoided her gaze, he felt her free hand grip his own, and he tore his eyes away from the intrapping image of the boring ceiling. Naruto looked to her with a pained mind, to see glistening tears in her sharp irises, but still a simper rested on her lips.

"Why?" It wasn't a question for who, or for what, when, or where, but why he had kept the secret from her. To be fair, he had no well oiled reasoning, he had told his father. And Ino could be trusted to keep a secret if the need held, she certainly would have understood the importance if he'd explained the circumstance, the woman was far more then the prettiest face in the country, she had been the third smartest in the graduating class of their year. Even so, Naruto could not see any anger sparked within her, just the simple curiosity that was to be expected from such a declaration.

"It was a complicated situation, a bad one I guess you could say." He didn't elaborate, the blonde knew him well, and as it were she would understand that it was a topic of a conversation for another day. "Just know, I do trust you, okay?" He was more pleading for his own sake, but she smiled at him, shook her head and leaned back.

"I know. I get it. You remember Sakura right?" He blinked to the sudden question but still replied with a firm 'of course.' As Ino smirked slightly up to the roof, her eyes turning glacial with ire. "Mm, she got married a year ago," she turned to look at him once more, whispering into his ear; somehow not disturbing the women working on their nails and hair. "-to a yakuza, or a rumoured one at least." She pulled away, but clearly was not finished as her glistening eyes of dry ice still sparkled. "I know you remember Sasuke." Naruto felt his entire body twitch at the implication. It was a hefty load of information to take in. He had known Sakura near as long as he had known Sasuke, and to comprehend that they were married was more a shock because of their -known- incompatibility, then betrayal. The news of his old friend being a member -or a potential member, of the yakuza only served as icing on the cake.

It only took him a moment to understand, "doesn't she still model?" He asked because, neither Sakura or Ino got along -anymore- they had been rival models for rival companies for years. It had distanced their friendship considerably, the only manner in which Ino could have found such a thing out would be by the grapevine -which even he knew was unreliable. Or by one of Sakura and Ino's own mutual acquaintances sharing the news, which seemed more likely by the potential accuracy. Wordlessly, Ino nodded, they were almost done with their bathing, unfortunately as the irritation crawling up Ino's body was clearly drawing her into further stress. "Ino, you're still at the top." It was his best comfort, though it didn't provide much.

"Oh, I know, but I don't doubt Sakura's ambition, she's not far off from my position in the industry, with her husband's support it wouldn't take much to 'replace' me." He got her gist, and wrapped her in a tight hug, much to the protest of the workers nearby. She hugged him back and glared at them all, with the most arrogant expression to be made by a famous model -which was extensive.-

"No one will touch you, you've got me!" He said it as a joke, and they both laughed as he pulled away. From all standard Naruto was more advanced in self defence then the average man or woman, but that did not apply to hitmen by any rationality, he'd die before he could land a hit on a trained professional. What scourged at his mind was the consideration of Sasuke- a man he'd known near his entire life, being thought of by law enforcement as a potential criminal. Naruto had no claim to know everything, but he at least comprehended the man in slight, and unto his criteria Sasuke simply did not fit into the categories needed to be a crime boss. Then again, he could understand that he did not know much about Sasuke's family, other then their name was 'Uchiha' and their clan were famous business entrepreneurs. From what little he knew; is that they had rose to power mysteriously decades ago as millionaires, which Naruto could admit was suspicious especially in a time when crime groups such as the yakuza were gaining power in the area.

He shook himself as they both made their way to the massage area. Recalling that his husband or even his grandfather, might be more knowledgeable in such an area then himself or Ino. Naruto did also have a couple friends in the police force, he could ask around a little there if needed. Ino's hand touched at his shoulder delicately, "don't worry so much Naru, I'll be fine." He was worrying, he realized, absently they had already reached the massage tables, and he grinned to his blonde friend. She was usually right as it were, so he attempted to clear his mind as he lay down, already exciting himself for his manicure.

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It was much later in the day whence they got to Naruto's apartment, and Ino flinched at every perceived threat to her figure. Including the harmless homeless sitting idly by the buildings. He knew his friend had always been a slight prejudice towards people she thought didn't try in life, but he was stuck in a place of tolerance and intolerance, as he both rolled his eyes at her behaviour and scolded it upon occasion. At the present he was the former, for they had important topics to discuss, and no time for an argument on the rights of all citizens and polices inacted within their government to allow for racial profiling therein -a suprisingly frequent topic of conversation. Her nails scraped against the railings as the blonde woman looked around her to determine risk, Naruto found himself once more rolling his eyes as he unlocked his door. The mail they'd picked up in passing was thrown leisurely upon the dinner table, he did glimpse the familiar wax seal ingrained on one beige envelope, and grinned to himself as Ino locked the door behind her.

Remotely, he offered her tea, which she accepted while sitting down. Naruto wasn't certain what their conversation would divert into, but he was aware that with both of them being brash people it could divulge quickly into something semi-violent. At the present, they were both calmed by their day at the spa, yet tensions still stood high between them, as Naruto understood the secret he'd kept was not a small one. Were he not still angered by circumstance, it was plausible that Sakura Uchiha nee-Haruno would be sitting down in his kitchen as well, likely to represent favourably upon her husband and to clear up the situational understanding for herself. As it were however, only Ino sat at his small table staring down at her freshly manicured nails with an eye of evaluation.

"We got married when I was sixteen-" He began, because there was nothing for her to begin with. Though her protest came as quickly as he expected. Her feet were stomped onto the ground and she was glaring at him for the scandalous admittance. "-It was a whirlwind romance, I fell for him fast and hard, though he was never a romantic, or a charmer in any way. In fact he was always rather dour, stoic, yet knowledgeable. I guess I found it sexy." She was staring at him with a perfectly plucked eyebrow raised and a scepticism he could only expect. Still, she sat waiting for him to continue in patience as he set down her tea, and took a place on the opposite side of the wood to avoid violent confrontation. "We were married a year before he was redeployed. Obviously, that was eight years ago. We just got back in contact." She seemed to straighten at that, something akin to compassion lingering in her gaze then.

"Had something happened?" She set down her cup and leaned slightly over the wood. He picked his own up.

"I happened. I refused to speak to him for eight years, because I was afraid." His fingers gripped tighter, anger already mingling with his head slightly at the understanding; in knowing that his husband had been left feeling abandoned because of his own fear. Naruto could cultivate many reasonings to explain his own stupidity, mainly that he hadn't been the one fighting in a warzone. Ino stared at him, judgemental, and he knew the expression well, she disapproved, and he took a sip from his own cup at that knowledge; she was judging him for having kept silent and unavailable to one he cared for, because of his own fears of death. It wasn't justifiable. If nothing further, Naruto knew that the blonde in front of him could comprehend his reasoning, but not necessarily approve of it. He managed to smile at her, but it was self mocking as the wetness came once again to his eyes. "I was a coward." Shame lingered in his mind at the admittance, guilt coiled in his gut as he felt a tear fall into his tea.

Ino wasn't looking at him as she drank, she was leaning slumped over the table, undignified, in a manner he had never seen her portray. Tapping a nail onto the table, while his own were coiled around the ceramic of his cup. "Yup." She said, Naruto watched her as she looked up, irises staring him down, her hair slightly mused around her face like a frayed platinum curtain. "It hurts Naruto, it always will, to know a person or people in deployment. To consistently think 'oh will they die, what will happen to me? How will I live without them?' To be selfish in your thoughts and think 'why would they choose war over me?'" He found himself bitterly scoffing at her description, finding it too pointed, too directed unto him, as if speaking for him only; for all those same questions and thoughts he had before Madara left.

Yet, Ino continued; "and the easiest thought for some of us is just 'maybe it would be better if I try to forget them, then it won't hurt as much of they go.'" She sat back, as his gaze became fixated onto her, for the exact depiction of his thoughts. "It will always hurt Naruto, I did the same thing with my mother you know? I'm not sure if you remember, but she died while in the military, on deployment. I never spoke to her again before she died." Naruto did remember, though only barely, he and the Yamanaka hadn't been friends at the time, it was during highschool and Ino had been extensively popular at the time of her mother's death; he remembered her crying, leaving the school in tears and straining to stand upright. Naruto had actually been the one to help her to her father's car, but she'd been too upset to say anything, and he hadn't pestered her. It was a fogged memory, but still, he did recall. "Maybe if I'd written her then it wouldn't have hurt so much, but I didn't." Ino took a sip of her tea. "In the end, we're the ones who have to live with whatever happens, and that is painful to know. But! They're the ones fighting, struggling, in pain and hardship, and to them, we're the only piece of home they have."

As he knew it would, the comprehension hurt, the plain facts hurt him as he listened to his friend's experience and her understanding. What became worse however, was his own secret knowledge, what he did know of his husband, more then most people would ever: The man had once been part of a proud family, a nearly regal family in nature, and he had done something to cause them to disown him, strip him of his good name. Naruto couldn't comprehend the thought behind it, but he knew that Madara had no family in the world to speak to as he never writ or called anyone whilst they were living together.

Under that knowledge, the truths of what Ino said dug a little further, and struck at him deeply. Yet still, in his mind, it gave him an avocation unto himself to write the man more. He cast the woman a smile, as she did so back. It didn't seem like she was searching for any answers as to who he had married, or even why he had decided to do so at such a young age. Which he appreciated.

"We'll talk later, Naruto, looks to me like you have a letter to write." She picked up her large back from the leg of the chair, and gave him a fragile kiss on the cheek as she swayed out the door, vaguely gesturing to the many envelopes on the table in her wake.

Eagerly, he ripped open the seal and breathed in the oak and berries smell Madara always managed to uphold in person, or in letter.

Naruto,

Your Grandfather is an idiot. I have told him, spoken to him many times of the necessity -and danger, his own personal seal represents and he has yet to listen. Still, I have kept my mind -by miracle, and he has managed to harbour the thought needed to give his seal to the Second Lieutenant. She at least has the competence to comprehend the importance therein.

Otherwise, I will say he is competent enough, as he and myself have taken to rearranging some current positions within the force to best fit our current standing within the region. Those of which I shall not speak of in extent for sake of loyalist tydings.

Jiraiya spoke of you the other day, in great affection. Naturally, I was both amused and discomforted by the conversation, as several of the officers spoke of their acquaintiship with you. I sat in feigned ignorance at the end of the room the entire discussion, least until the Captain of the West side came to speak to me for plans, and I was saved from engaging. To be frank, once both myself and your Grandfather are put on leave, I believe we should all have a plain conversation of our unique situation, for both his sake and ours.

I was in deep consideration as to how we would be progressing once my deployment ends. By that simple matter, there is the thought that lingers. Still, I would like to discuss that in person with you.

I have little time to write at the moment, as operations won't permit.

Major General

-Madara