No time to be engaged...

Just barely sneaking out of the house before her sister got around to trying to wake her up, Gin made her way through the village. It was nostalgic seeing things so similar to how they had been. Children running about on their way to the academy, the scents and smells of ramen and teashops, familiar faces… and so many that were not. It had been a long time. At least the training grounds had not changed. A flicker of her dream cutting across her vision, briefly replacing the sight of Jiraiya now with Jiraiya then as she watched him bean his student in the head. Rolling her eyes, she moved into the clearing, her steps slowing as she realized that part of her dream did not want to go away. Bright spiky blonde hair over a black shirt reminded her of…

"Dammit, Naruto! Focus! You've been practicing on focusing your chakras for months now; you should be able to do this."

Her eyes widened at the name that Jiraiya called out. Lips parting as no words could rise to her lips at least none that she had heard, "…N-Naruto?"

Jiraiya stiffened as he stood, the blonde shinobi turning to see who said his name was floored with confusion at the shock across the woman's face. She looked like she was about to cry even though there was a brilliant smile upon her lips. She had been around when the decree was set that Naruto should be held as a hero for becoming the vessel of the nine-tailed fox. Shortly after his second birthday though, she would be sent away unable to return for ten years, never knowing that the decree had been skewed. That he never knew of his family or past. Her gaze finally lifting to Jiraiya, she nodded at the look he gave, confused, yet somehow knowing that she had to watch what she said.

"Hey, Lady… do I know you?"

Dropping her eyes back to him, she smiled again and blinked back the image of Minato at his son's age. "No… but I know you. Well, I knew you a long, long time ago when you were just a baby."

Naruto's eyes narrowed as his lips pulled into a thin line, the look startling her slightly as she came to stop besides Jiraiya. Looking from mentor to student, she shifted to reach out her hand to the boy only to find him staring at it, she had been about to say something but noticed how he trembled, "Y-you knew me when I was a baby?"

Shifting, she daringly crouched down noticing how Jiraiya shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. "Yes… I'm happy to see that you've grown up so well… Naruto? What's wrong?"

"What are you to me?"

"What am I… Oh… Oh! Naruto…" reaching to place a gentle hand upon the young shinobi's head she was startled when he smacked it away and lifted those eyes, eyes so much like his father's, to glare at her. "I was just one of the village Chunin back then. I only knew you for a little while before I was sent away for training and missions. I haven't been home for years."

He seemed taken back by that, the anger fading from his eyes and turning to embarrassed shame as he realized how he had acted. Dropping his head, he kicked at the ground only to still as she placed her hand upon his head and gently ran her fingers through his hair. Her jet-black gaze lifting to Jiraiya, flooded with questions. He could only frown and shake his head, her own gaze telling him that they would be talking about this matter later.

"Well, since I know who you are, and you don't know me, I guess I should introduce myself." Her sudden chipper attitude drew a curious glance from the youth who found her smile to be nearly as contagious as his own. "I'm Nadare Ginkage." This time when she had offered him her hand, he had taken it timidly as she rose to her feet and ruffled his hair, "how about you show me what Jiraiya has been teaching you."

With a nod from his Sensei, Naruto moved out towards the center of the open field as she and Jiraiya settled down in front of the trio of tree stumps she so fondly remembered. Silence reigned between them as the youth tried repeatedly to attempt focusing the glowing ball of chakra in his hand. After his fourth attempt, he flopped over on his back, finally giving Gin a moment to look to the man at her side with a raised brow.

"You've taught him 'that' move? A little brazen don't you think?"

Jiraiya just grinned and looked to the exhausted figure of his pupil. "Perhaps, but he mastered it in a week."

The drop of her jaw as she turned to look at Naruto, made Jiraiya's laughter echo out over the grounds. She had watched Minato learn that technique, it had taken him four years and his son had… "Is it because of the…"

"Partly. Naruto is as stubborn as his father, and three times as determined. His life hasn't been easy at all." Glancing to her from the corner of his eye, he was mildly surprised to see confusion and anger sparking in her eyes. "You have no idea do you?"

"Apparently not. Why was his life hard? If not for that beast being sealed in him, for being a living sacrifice, Konoha would be destroyed. He should have…" glaring at the ground, she bit her tongue as Jiraiya laid a gentle hand to her tense shoulder. "Tell me?"

"It was the wish of the Third Hokage that Naruto be seen as a hero, true, but instead everyone has treated him with indifference. He's been shunned most of his life by adults, and because their parents treated him such, by the children also." He wasn't surprised when he heard the protesting creak of her gloves as her fists tightened upon her knees. He remembered very well how she and Minato had been and could only surmise how she was feeling right now. "We've been very fortunate that he's a very strong child or things could have gone terribly wrong for this village."

"Of course he's strong… Nevertheless, he should not have been alone. I wish I would have known... I would have tried to be here more… I would have tried to be here period."

Silence fell between them again and Jiraiya could not help but drop his arm about her shoulders and pull her close to his side. His touch gentle as it combed through her hair in a way that brought back memories she wished would stay repressed. A bittersweet smile touching her lips as she remembered one of their last arguments.

They had been sitting just like this at her brother-in-law's house when he had told her he would be leaving. His reason had gotten up her defenses. Once again, Minato had become a key point of the discussion, more specifically how he'd have made a much better betrothed for her then someone so much older then her. At the time, she had just turned seventeen and had finally been told the truth about her and Jiraiya. Minato had already married and his wife was expecting the arrival of their first child so the point was moot but white-haired shinobi was growing restless. He had other priorities, like the man named Orochimaru, and the idea of getting married was not in his plans.

She had been both hurt and relieved. She really wasn't ready to be married herself, and truth be told she saw Jiraiya more as a big brother then someone she'd be sharing her bed with. When the Nine-tailed fox attacked only a few months after, it seemed that fate had decided for them.

"Hey, Pervy Sage, what did you do to Nadare-sama?"

"I didn't do anything. You know some women actually appreciate my company, brat," The peace had been interrupted, a small quirk of Gin's lips tipping off Jiraiya as to her thoughts as she licked her lips and looked away from the two men. "Don't even, Gin, not one word…"

Naruto had this adorable look of disgust on his face as he moved to crouch down in front of her making it all the harder for her to hold in her rising laughter, "You haven't seriously done anything with this guy have you? I mean you can't be that much older then me and he's ancient."

She was going to choke or cry one of the two if she didn't start laughing soon but she didn't want Naruto to take it wrong. Fortunately, Jiraiya intervened in the one way that would stop her laughter dead in its tracks.

Snagging Naruto by the ear he growled and gave the captured appendage a little shake, "Naruto, you baka, Gin's almost thirty six years old, respect your elders."

"Seriously!?!"

"Yes, Naruto. I told you I knew you when you were just a baby, so I'd have to be older then you," smiling, she reached out and drug Naruto down between her legs, his back to her chest as she dropped her chin to his head. The simple fact that she'd even done it had him too frozen to fight it. "Jiraiya told me that you learned how to use the Rasengan in a lot less time then its first user. I'm impressed. You are going to be an amazing shinobi someday."

"…."

"What was that?" tilting her head Gin found him blushing a vivid shade of scarlet as his fingers lightly held her forearms where they bound about his torso. It warmed her heart.

"I-I said I don't want to be an amazing Shinobi…"

"Why not? Your potential is per…"

"I'm going to become the next Hokage."

He had said it so resolutely that she could feel his belief in it to her core, "You'll make a great Hokage, Naruto… Moreover, I will be there the day they grant you your title. I promise."

His eyes widened in shock as his head tilted back to look up at her as she looked down at him. The blush that covered his face practically hid the whisker marks upon his cheeks, "do… do you really mean that?"

"You can ask Jiraiya, I always say what mean, and I never break a promise." She couldn't help herself, a soft kiss was planted on the tip of Naruto's nose turning him another three shades darker. The slight shifting of Jiraiya at her side adding a cruel taste of shallow victory to the sweet moment as she imagined him squirming slightly over how she was paying such close attention to the boy. In her mind, she happily called out to her dear friend, 'Oh, Minato… If you could only see how well he's grown up. You'd be so proud of him.'

"Alright… I guess we can take a break," Jiraiya grumbled as he pushed to his feet followed shortly after by the chummy pair. He despised the twinge of jealousy that tickled down his spine as he watched her drop her arm over Naruto's shoulders, their smiling faces looking up at him. "If you two can hold off on anymore sappy stuff, I'll buy lunch."

"This from the great Ero-s…. !?!"

Gin's words were cut short as her chin was captured and her lips stolen beneath the rough press of Jiraiya's own. Her eyes wide as saucers matched Naruto's, who was looking between them to the risk of ocular whiplash. Despite her self, Gin gave in as he parted her lips and deepened the kiss for just a moment more before drawing back. Licking the taste of her lips from his own, he scowled down at her.

"I told you not to call me that, Gin."

Swallowing, she nodded absently, her heart pounding in her ears to the point that it actually muted out Naruto's sudden out burst.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ALL ABOUT!?"

Pointing at the two of them, the young man twitched at the placid glance given by Jiraiya, who still held her chin in his fingers, "That was a kiss, Naruto, perhaps someday you'll learn more about them."

Much to Gin's surprise, a foot collided with the Great Toad Sage's face and she was released from the spell that he had somehow cast upon her. Who was she kidding? She had tripped over the edge and it was obvious that she'd hit her head on the way down at some point because she was laughing at the arguing pair. Her sides burned and tears fell from her eyes, she just couldn't believe Naruto had actually done that. He was defending her honor, which was too cute for words, and Jiraiya had finally let the big secret slip once he'd gotten Naruto into a tight head lock.

"She's my fiancée! I'm allowed to kiss her, whenever, wherever, however I feel!"

The songs of crickets echoed over the training grounds with Naruto's voice cutting through as the grand crescendo of their symphony. "WHAT!?!"

Standing before them, wiping tears from her eyes, Gin tossed a familiar billfold from hand to hand and smiled sweetly at the pair. "Yup, I unfortunately have to admit that he's telling the truth, Naruto. How about we go get some ramen and I'll tell you all about it."

He nodded dumbly as Jiraiya let him go so that he could plod after her. Shaking his head, the oldest of the group looked skywards wondering just what he'd gotten into. That was when his hand dipped into his pocket.

"Gin! Give me back my wallet!"

Looking to Naruto, she started to laugh and grabbed the youth's hand, dragging him with her as they raced off a head of the pursuing Toad Sage.