The next day Naruto woke up to the light blinding his eyes like it always did. He felt something on his chest when he looked down. He was shocked to see Ino cuddled up with him in bed.
He blushed and tried to figure out how she ended up in his bed. When he couldn't he tried to free himself from her grasp but he couldn't.

Ino just tightened her grip on him. He sighed in defeat and went back to sleep because he mit as well enjoy cuddling a cute girl once in his life. He thought to himself " she is going to kill me when she gets up."

He fell back asleep a few hours later and they both woke up to laughter. The both shot up to see sensei and Shikamaru laughing. Then they both looked at each other a blushed bright red.

"I'm so glad i took a picture of that. So are my little genin becoming a couple" Asuma laughed.

"Maybe if whiskers will have me" Ino giggled.

Naruto fainted and fell off the bed. Everyone laughed and Asuma picked Naruto up and walked him down stairs to the bathroom. He threw him in the tub and turned on the cold water.

Naruto jolted awake and turned the water off. He took off his wet stuff and had a long hot shower to warm him up.

"Ino what the hell was that. I mean it was funny seeing you and Naruto all cuddling up but Naruto has become a friend over the past week and I wouldn't want to see him hurt" Shikamaru said.

"I don't want to hurt him either Shika but hears what happened. He was having some night terrors and woke me up. I went over to him to comfort him and started to rub his cheek. Like my mom does for me when I have a nightmare. When I started to rub his cheek I rubbed his whiskers and he started to purr. It was the cutest thing I have ever seen. Anyway he was still asleep so he grabbed me and pulled me into bed. I tried to wiggle out but I couldn't so I made do and snuggled in with him. Ill tell you this though. He radiates heat really well. It was the best warm sleep I've had in a while. I don't want to hurt him and want to be his friend. From what i have herd he hasn't had it easy"

"I know we should do something for him if it's not too troublesome.

"Yeah your right Shika, maybe we will!"

Everyone got ready and made it outside for their next day of trainning.

"Since Shikamaru has to take it easy for a week instead of sparring, you will be doing the next chakra control exercise wear your swim suits if you know what's good for you" Asuma said.

A few mins later they were all standing in their swimsuits. Shikamaru had on blue swim trunks with white clouds on them. Naruto had on plain orange swim trunks. Ino had on a two piece lime green swimsuit.

Ino had caught Naruto staring at her. "Like what you see Whiskers' ' Ino giggled.

Naruto turned bright red and was going to pass out when Shikamaru slapped some sense in him.

"Naruto snap out of it you can't turn to mush every time Ino bats an eyelash at you." and he turn to Ino '' do you always have to be so troublesome? Naruto is a friend and teammate you can't keep doing things Ino. "

"Shika im doing this for him yes i am his teammate but what happens when the enemy Kunoichi does this? She will kill him and I don't want that to happen to him. We are a team . I may not have been happy at first being on a team with you two but I want what's best for the team and I wont have some dumb bitch bats her eyes at Naruto and get him all fluttered and kill him " Ino cried.

Shikamaru stood there not knowing what to say. Naruto got up and hugged Ino. Ino blushed red but had her face pointed away from the boys so they could see her face. He then let go of her a took a few steps back. It was time to tell them.

"You guys really care about being my friend? " Naruto asked.

Yes they both said in unison.

"Well then I'm going to tell you both something then you can decide if you want to be my friend okay". They both shook their heads yes. " Ok i'm going to ask but you know about the 9 tailed fox right. Well the thing is the 4th Hokage didn't kill the fox because it is a mass of chakra so he sealed it in me. That's why the village hates me be because i'm to blame. so if you guys hate me now i understand ."

"Naruto, do you think we're stupid just because something is sealed inside of you doesn't make it you. You are my teammate, you are my friend. You are a troublesome blonde ninja but you are not the 9 tails.

"Ya whiskers, you are not the fox. You are my teammate and my friend. Sometimes a body pillow if needed. You are not some evil fox and the hell with the villagers who think that. We are a team and I stand by you and Shikamaru no matter what" .

"Thanks guys it means so much to me to be on a team with you guys. " Naruto said as he grabbed both of them in a big group hug.

Asuma came out of the cabin a few mins earlyer and watched his genin and he couldn't have been prouder of them. "Now there really are a team," he thought. So he walked over "okay guys let's head to the lake". He let them out to the lake.

"Okay guys now this is like tree walking but water is always moving so you need to keep changing the amount of chakra your feet. " Asuma walked out onto the lake and didn't fall in. To say they were amazed was understatement.

Shikamaru and Ino were the first to walk out onto the water and fell in. Naruto summoned 1000 clones and walked out with them trying to walk on water.