Awkward awakenings and Kurenai's decision

Naruto smiled as he walked down the hall of the spring, after taking his morning bath he was returning to his room.

The whole nights activity seemingly shaken off by him as the door to his teachers room slid open and Kurenai smiled upon seeing him. “Naruto, good you're up. Please wake Sakura and Ino up for me and meet me at the front… I need to talk to you.”, she ordered before leaving her room.

Naruto shrugged a bit as he decided to open Ino’s door first. “Good morning, Ino-chan! It's time to…”, Naruto began as he slid the door open and the words died in his mouth as he saw a sight he wouldn’t have believed in a million years,: Ino and Sakura sleeping in the same futon, snuggled up against each other.

Naruto’s words came out as a strange squeaking sound as Ino woke up first, rubbing her eyes she groaned. “Hmmm? What's going on?” Ino asked sleepily, looking and finding Sakura where she had been the night before. She turned to the door she saw her other teammate gawking at the sight. She was instantly awake, she gave a sudden scream.

“Naruto!”, Ino cried making Sakura’s eyes open suddenly and out of reflex she grabed the first thing she could get, the pillow she was using, and threw it like it was a ten ton rock, knocking Naruto against the wall. “YOU BAKA!”, Sakura yelled before realizing what she had done as Ino was quick to shut the door to the room.

Naruto groaned as he stood up and rubbed his head where the pillow had struck him. “I would say this is a dream…but it's too painful!”, Naruto muttered as he fled from his teammates rooms, convinced they were awake. So, he packed his belongings and went downstairs to meet Kurenai.

Down in the foyer, Kurenai stood, waiting for him. When he arrived, she gave Naruto a questioning look. “Naruto, what happened with Ino and Sakura? I just heard them yell!?”, Kurenai asked, making Naruto shake his head. “Never waking them again… too painful!”, Naruto commented as he walked beside her.

Kurenai grinned in amusement before turning a bit more serious “Naruto, I want to tell you my decision.”, Kurenai said getting his attention. “If it’s a reward for your behavior and professional completion of missions… I might consider it.”, Kurenai finally declared before walking away, leaving it at that.

Naruto could only stare at the retreating form of his teacher before grinning to himself. ‘Looks like Kurenai-sensei and me are going to be seeing a lot of each other...’, Naruto thought excitedly. Then, he saw his two female teammates join him the foyer. Before he could say anything, they gave him a look that said ‘Don’t ask, say anything and you're dead!’. So, he wisely kept his mouth shut.

Ino also mouthed she would ‘explain later’ to him and Naruto nodded understandingly, though he was more then a little curious how those two ended up in the same bed.

After eating breakfast consisting of more then ration bars for once and checking out of the hotspring hotel, Team 7 began the uneventful trip back home to the village hidden in the leaves. Along the way Ino had trailed back with Naruto to explain the situation he had found Sakura and herself in that morning.

Naruto of course was more then surprised to hear the reason was ghosts of all things but was thankful none the less that they didn’t pry into his and Kurenai’s alone time or question each other for their presence there.

When Ino then asked Naruto where he had been that night Naruto was quick to excuse his absence that he had been out in the woods training since he wasn’t able to sleep.

Ino seemed to accept this explaination as well and the rest of the trip went smoothly.

After checking past the gates that guarded the village, Kurenai turned to her team and grinned. “Okay everyone, I’m going to go report to the Hokage the success of the mision. For doing so well, I’m giving you guys the rest of the day off.”, Kurenai happily informed them, making her three genin smile and cheer for the decision.

“I’ll be giving you guys the payment for the mission later, see you at the next meeting time.”, she said waving as she disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Naruto grinned... a whole day free left a lot of possibilites.