Mei frowned at that, "were your parent's traitors?" that was the only thing she could think of that would make the people of his village hate him. Though she did not think that was the case, especially if the Sandaime had hailed them as much as Naruto said he had. Of course he could have told Naruto that so he could manipulate him into becoming a shinobi.
Naruto shook his head, "no in fact my parents or at least one of my parents is considered the greatest hero the hidden leaf village has ever seen."
Mei looked at the young man in thought, there were very few heroes within Konoha during the time Naruto could have been born; at least ones who were not too old or too young to be his parent's. She looked at him closely, studying his profile as if she was trying to put together the pieces to a puzzle. Now that she thought about it he did remind her of someone she had seen in a textbook on the third great ninja war. The man who had been hailed as the one to end that war with a single Jutsu that had become so feared she doubted even Yagura would have fought him; an image came to her mind and a name clicked, she felt her eyes widened as she finally realized who his parents were, or rather who his father was.
"I see you figured it out," Naruto said as he saw the recognition in her eyes, "I would appreciate it if you didn't tell any one of my parentage… at least not yet."
"I can do that," Mei said after a bit of thought, he was after all he was trusting her with what had to be a fairly large secret. She knew it would cause a lot of problems not just for him but for her as well if word about Naruto's heritage got out. No doubt Iwa would be more than willing to join in the bloodline wars if they thought they could kill the son of the Kiroii Senkou.
"Thanks," Naruto said with a small smile.
Mei returned it as she looked at him, "so why don't you continue your story."
"There's really nothing more to tell," Naruto said with a sigh, "I killed someone who I feel didn't deserve to die. Sure she may have been the enemy, but people who can heal are some of the only people I really respect. It takes little effort to kill, however to heal takes a lot of work time, effort and sweat."
"I think I understand," Mei said and in truth she did. While Mei did not quite have Naruto's perspective she could understand his thoughts and feelings on this kind of subject. "Still don't you feel better knowing that the people you care about are safe because your fighting?"
Naruto chuckled, "that's the only reason I'm still a shinobi, if I didn't have my precious people to protect their would be no way I would still be in this business."
Mei smiled at the man who was quickly becoming something of an enigma to her, from just the little conversations she had had with him since he came here she found herself intrigued. His apparent desire to protect the he cared for just made her want to figure him out all the more, "so you fight to protect your precious people than?" Naruto nodded absently as he took a drink of sake, only to be disappointed when he realized it was all gone. "Then I suppose since you're here does that make me precious to you?" Naruto looked over at Mei in surprise before he saw her slightly pouty expression.
Naruto grinned as he tapped a finger to his chin, "Well…" he looked at her with a critical eye before leaning over and wrapping an arm around her waist. "I suppose so… that is if you make me one of your precious people," he finished in a husky whisper.
Mei shivered from his tone as a small blush spread across her delicate features, but she managed to keep her grin in place as she looked at him for a second before standing up. "I guess I could make you one of my precious people," Mei said using Naruto's term as she winked at him. "Provided you escort me to my room…"
Naruto laughed as he stood up and stuck his arm out for Mei to take, "I can do that… though some of your men might get jealous to see you cuddling up to the new guy."
"Well then I suppose they will stay jealous won't they?" Mei asked rhetorically as they left the bar, "I hope you're not intimidated by any of my admirers…"
"Me intimidated," Naruto scoffed, "don't make me laugh, I was just worried that they may end up in the hospital for trying to put me in my place."
Mei giggled before they continued to walk down the hall, a companionable silence coming between the two. True to Naruto's prediction he did draw several angry glares from almost all of the men who were also in the hall, no doubt wondering how the new guy was so close to their leader when he had only been here for a few days. What Naruto had not expected was some of the woman who actually glared at Mei, Naruto had not been here long enough to be really known and he had not met any of these woman even in passing. He wondered if they simply thought she was degrading herself by getting so close to someone after only a few days of their first meeting.
"It's because their jealous."
"Huh?" Naruto asked in a somewhat dumb tone as he turned to look at Mei.
Mei covered her mouth with her free hand as she giggled, "word of how you rescued a woman from being raped apparently spread through the base soon after you arrived. It seems that your good dead made you quite popular…"
"But, they don't even know me?" Naruto said blinking before realizing what was going on, "I can't believe… I didn't think I would see fan girls in the middle of a war…"
This comment cause Mei to laugh outright causing the people around the two to become startled. Mei's laugh calmed down and became an occasional small giggle, "well to be honest I didn't expect it either, but there you have it," she said as she made a casual gesture to a few of the girls around her.
"I suppose so," Naruto said as they once again continued in silence, a few moments later they were at Mei's door.
Mei turned around and gave him an alluring smile, "Thank you for escorting me kind sir."
Naruto grinned at her as he gave an exaggerated bow, "not at all my lady, it has been a pleasure to merely find myself so graced as to be in the presence of a goddess such as you."
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