This choice: Ino's Foot Worship and Brainstorming • Go Back...Chapter #48Ino's Foot Worship and Brainstorming by: GhostWriter   Minutes continued to tick by, and Naruto kept a steady pace cleaning every inch of Ino's foot. Sad as it was to admit, he was becoming accustomed to the salty taste of sweat and grime. What was worse, was the thought that he could tell a distinct difference between Ino's and Shizune's. Little factoids like this struck him as odd and unsettling. He'd found a rhythm as he finished his rounds of kissing and moved onto using his tongue.
Ino looked down at the warrior at her feet and smiled to herself. This felt right, it felt good. "Naruto," she said, thinking aloud, "How would you feel if I requested some one on one time with just you and I? You can pause to answer, I won't get mad."
Naruto hesitated for a moment at her request. He pulled away just long enough to give an honest response, "I'm not sure, Ino-Sama."
"Are you unable to think for yourself, or are you afraid that it might anger Lady Shizune?" Ino asked, her tone a bit more stern now.
Naruto buckled under the weight of her suddenly harsh tone, "Forgive me, Ino-Sama, I'm not trying to upset you."
Why was he even apologizing? It had just slipped out without a second thought, and hearing it made him again question himself. "Typical," Ino sighed, lightly smacking his face with her foot, "Just get back to work for now, baka."
He'd clearly done something wrong, but he couldn't for the life of him figure out what. It bothered him that he'd upset her, but why was that? Why was he so concerned about whether Ino, of all people, was angry with him or not? He certainly preferred it when she was being nice, but this shouldn't have been so bothersome. Deciding it would be better to get back to work and in her good graces, Naruto stuck his tongue back out and resumed his worship. He was silent as he ran his tongue along her sole, and his mind began to ponder on questions that he couldn't answer.
Ino hummed to herself as Naruto went back to his task. She'd watched him closely during her little talk, and she'd seen the way he flinched at her tone. Cold and hot, he did indeed respond to positive and negative reinforcement. She made a mental note to file it away for later use. He'd been so quick to apologize, almost begging for her not to be angry with him. It was somehow both endearing and pathetic at the same time. She could work with this, but she knew she still had more to learn. Both about Naruto and his cues, and how to put him entirely under her thumb. She grinned as she thought of how angry Sakura would be if she managed to subdue the boy that longed for her for so long. Surely, the pinkette would be furious. He'd be finished soon, and she knew that she couldn't keep him here forever. If she did, she may very well end up facing Tsunade and Shizune's wrath. Time was limited, and she needed to try to figure something out before she had to dismiss him.
As Ino wracked her brain trying to figure out her next move, Naruto had finally made his way to Ino's toes. He'd taken extra time and care to try to get back in Ino's good graces. He still couldn't understand why it troubled him, but he knew he felt better when she was praising him. To say that it was baffling was an understatement. Only a short while ago, she'd threatened to destroy his reputation, and now he was trying to please her. Was she right about him? Did some part of him actually enjoy this? Admittedly, it made him feel good whenever she, or even Shizune, was pleased with his efforts. It was also becoming increasingly, and alarmingly, easy to read whoever was in control.
"Naruto," Ino sighed, breaking his concentration, "I don't want you to speak until you're finished, but I do want an answer from you when you're done. Tell me the truth, would you like it if you and I had some time together? I can take care of you, as long as you behave, and I think I can help you reach your full potential. Of course, everything comes at a cost. I'll get to that when you give me your answer, though. Keep going, you're doing a wonderful job."
She spoke softly, almost gentle, this time. That subtle and sweet tone did something to him. Perhaps a crack beneath the surface of his mind that he couldn't see or understand. Whatever it may have been, some part of him felt tempted to accept her proposal. He knew Ino could be cold, ruthless and callous even, but she was also his friend. He'd seen her sweet side, even before today. Still, there were a lot of unknowns and variables that he needed to consider. What else would she have him do? What price would he have to pay if he accepted? Then there was the question of how she could possibly help him. Sure, he'd grown stronger serving Shizune, he couldn't deny that, but what could Ino possibly do for him? What would the others think? What would Sakura think?
Questions swirled around his head as he continued, and he was finished before he had a true answer. He couldn't stall any longer, and he knew he'd already been away far too long. He sat up on his knees with his head bowed before Ino. "Well?" she asked, "What do you think, Naruto?"
Why did she continue to use his name in that tone? Every time she said it, it was as if a fog began to settle in over his mind. "Ino-Sama," he said, not wanting to anger her by taking too long, "Before I answer, what is the price?"
Ino grinned, "You're not as dumb as you appear," she said, "The cost is simple, Naruto. You won't have anything to do with Sakura-chan anymore. Now, I know that you'll have to see her, speak to her even, while you're with the Hokage and Lady Shizune, but I want you to minimize that interaction as much as possible. If you can do this, then I'll make sure you're well taken care of as you adjust to your new role."
"New role?" Naruto repeated.
"Yes, baka, your role as a slave," Ino clarified as though it were obvious, "Shizune already has you serving her, and you're falling into place remarkably fast. You keep saying you don't like it, but you're so eager to please. I can help you get through this transition without it breaking you too much. Yes, there'll be consequences for when you screw up, but I'm not completely unfair and ruthless. Do a good job, and you won't have anything to worry about. Like I said, you need someone to help you, and I'm willing to do that."
"You're asking me to cut one of my oldest and closest friends out of my life, though," Naruto said, giving up on arguing with her about his status.
"No, I'm giving you a choice," Ino corrected, "You're free to say no, but I want you to think for a second. What has forehead done for you lately? Has she been making sure you're okay after Lady Shizune works you? Does she check on you, or even vouch for you? Does she encourage you and your growth? No, no, she does not. I'm not saying you can't be friends with the other women in the village, but Sakura is a no-go if you accept my offer."
Naruto paused as Ino finished. Everything she said, as much as he didn't want to admit it, held some degree of truth. Sakura was his friend, though. Could he really just wash his hands of her? Combined with the fact that he'd loved her for so long, it was an incredibly difficult decision. As difficult as it was, he had to decide…
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