Runaway
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't bug me about it.
Note: Ruto and Nata, two peaceful villagers, a young married couple in wave run a simple restaurant. One day ninja from Konoha come and their past comes back to haunt them.
Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuga-Uzumaki thought dead are dragged back to Konoha, their lives, their friends and to war.
Chapter 1
"Hey Ruto!" a customer called as the inn was filling up. The Inn of Waves was a popular amongst the locals and they spent their evenings by the fire and ate and drank.
"Hey Kenji." Ruto said from behind the bar. The owner-bartender was six foot with long blond hair, blue eyes and tanned skin. He was wearing simple clothes.
"I'll take a bottle of that sake from Iwa you got in last month." The farmer said as he took a seat.
"You eating? Nata's just made some curry and some rice balls." Ruto asked.
"Curry sounds great, and some rolls if she's got them." The farmer said.
"She does." Ruto said with a laugh.
"Your wife's the best cook man." Another farmer said.
"Ain't that the truth." Ruto said as he put the bottle and saucer near Kenji. "How's the crops looking?" he asked.
"We'll have a good harvest this year." Kenji said sipping his drink. "We'll have a good haul to Suna."
Ruto nodded. "Don't forget to hire some ninja to protect the caravan." He said.
Kenji nodded. "Aye. Young Inari has already sent a request to Suna for guards, and the Kazekage is sending some."
Ruto smiled. "Dosa wanted to hire from Konoha…" Ruto froze cleaning the bar hearing that.
"But Inari said no chance. Not after how they treated you and Nata."
Ruto looked at him and nodded with a smile. "We're grateful for all Wave has done for us." He said looking around the inn.
Many of the men there smiled and nodded. "You saved us, we're going to do right for you. Besides…" Kenji paused and saw that it was just locals and nodded. "No one is looking for Ruto and Nata Huzumaki. They're looking for Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuga-Uzumaki."
Ruto smiled. The now twenty-five year old innkeeper knew they'd made the right decision to come to Wave after the council back in Konoha had tried to kill them. If not for some very dumb luck and help from one of their friends, they'd never have survived.
"Bah, enough of this. Eat and drink. And you only get one bottle tonight Kenji. Your wife will tell mine and I'll get yelled at if you go home drunk again."
Many of the men laughed and Kenji smiled as Ruto entered the kitchen to get his food.
XX
Inari smiled as he watched Ruto the next morning cutting firewood with his bare hands. "You know if someone sees you, they'll ask questions bro."
Ruto smiled as he focused his chakra and chopped the log in quarters. "True, that's why we're here, and your holding my axe."
Inari and his mom had welcomed Ruto and Nata into their home nine years ago when they showed up, battered, and bleeding.
(Flashback)
Knock, Knock"Inari, get the door." Tsunami said from the kitchen as she was preparing dinner.
Inari put his books aside and rushed to the door, and opened it.
"MOM!" he screamed as Naruto Uzumaki, bleeding and sporting numerous wounds collapsed, the indigo haired girl with him struggled under his dead weight.
Inari helped her get him up and saw she was sporting numerous wounds as well.
Tsunami came to see what the shout was about, and her father followed. Both adults froze seeing the young man who saved their village several years back.
"Tsunami, get the medical kit." Tazuna ordered and went and helped the two ninja into his home and got them to the couch.
"Sorry for this old man." Naruto wheezed out as he was holding onto consciousness by sheer will.
"Shut up brat. We'll get you patched up and you can tell us what happened."
"Hinata?" the blond winced.
"Here beloved." She said and the old bridge builder saw she was in just as bad shape.
Tsunami came out and with Inari's help removed Naruto's shirt and jacket. "Daughter, take the girl and help her…"
"No." Hinata said. "Staying with my husband."
The three villagers looked at the young pair in surprise, then Tsunami shoved that aside and got the cleaning kit and helped Hinata.
"Don't worry. You're safe here." She said.
"No." Naruto said wincing as the old man cleaned his burns. "Hunter nin are after us."
"You are safe here." Tazuna said again. Naruto was unconscious, trusting them with his and Hinata's safety.
"What happened to Naruto?" Inari asked.
Hinata spoke, her own voice sounding exhausted. "Naruto had retrieved the Uchiha on his last mission. He beat him soundly and brought him back from Orochimaru's clutches. Members of the council claimed that Naruto attacked a Leaf nin and sentenced him to death."
"Uchiha? His teammate?" Tazuna asked.
"Hai. Sasuke abandoned the village three years ago to join an S-ranked criminal for the promise of power. Naruto brought him back, but…" she closed her eyes. "Many in our village hate Naruto. Too many in positions of power hate him for no reason."
Tsunami wrapped the bandages around Hinata's forearms. "So, married?"
Hinata smiled. "He returned from his training trip with Jiraiya of the Sannin and saw me. We went out several times…" Hinata blushed. "He asked me to marry him, and despite my fam-father not liking Naruto I went with him to the Hokage and we were married that night." She smiled remembering and Tsunami kept working on her wounds.
"We were happy, and then two months later the order came in and Naruto along with a group of Konoha nin were sent out to retrieve Sasuke Uchiha."
XX
Downstairs, Inari and his grandfather had removed the bloody shirt from Naruto and were working on cleaning up his back. They watched as the wounds were closing at a rapid pace.
"Clean up what we can. We'll see how far these close and then bandage him up." Tazuna said.
Hinata and Tsunami came back, the bridge builder saw the girl was wearing one of his daughters kimono's.
"You're safe here girl. This country owes this boy here a lot." He said as they worked on Naruto's wounds. Hinata took his hand as she continued her story to Tsunami.
"Naruto and his team caught the Uchiha near the border of Rice. It was a pitched battle and in the end the Oto nin with Sasuke were killed and Naruto had beaten Sasuke into unconsciousness."
She stroked his hair, ignoring the blood and sweat. "Upon arrival, the villagers of Konoha began attacking Naruto, calling him monster, demon and many other names. They think he is the Kyuubi no Kitsune that is sealed away in him."
The three in the room took a deep breath at that. "But he's not. He's the jailer. ANBU showed up with the Hokage and took Sasuke away and Naruto was taken to the hospital."
"I was on duty when he arrived and helped Shizune patch him and his team up. It was then that the council sent the order. Naruto was dragged before the council and the charges were filed."
The family could see the girls pain. "They ordered his execution. Naruto refused and demanded to see the Hokage. He fought his way out, forced to knock out numerous ANBU that the council had summoned. I was outside waiting when he rushed from the building." Her hand stroked his hair slowly.
"We managed to get to the gates, but the villagers thought it was open season and started hurling things at Naruto. Some of our friends that weren't in the hospital helped us escape. We made it a quarter of a mile before ANBU caught up with us. They tried to kill both of us, me for being his wife."
"That's not how they phrased it Hina-chan." Naruto muttered as his eyes opened again.
"Shhh. Rest love." She said stroking his hair. He nodded and his body relaxed again.
"They died, badly." Hinata said. "The whole journey here we've been under constant attack. I ran out of chakra early this morning, Naruto carried me on his back and fought the rest of the way. He brought us here out of desperation when we lost them in the storm earlier."
Tazuna nodded. "I'll get a couple of the lads and go back over your trail." He said and got up leaving Inari and Tsunami with the battered couple.
"Come on, we'll get you both upstairs and I'll make you something to eat and bring it to you."
Naruto struggled to keep his eyes open once Inari sat him up. "We'll be gone in the mornin'." The blond muttered.
"You will not. You and Hinata here will hide right here."
"Not safe." Naruto said.
"It will be. Trust us Naruto."
(End Flashback)
Ruto shook head as he finished the wood. "You going to help at the bar tonight?"
"Sure. Mom's got nothing for me to do after I drop off the wood for the night." Inari shook his head as he and Naruto man bundled the wood. "Hey bro, when are you and Nata gonna give me a nephew to spoil?"
Ruto laughed as he ruffled the younger boys hair. "When will you tell your mother you're interested in little Kaylee?"
Inari blushed this time. "We'll keep that under your hat bro?"
Ruto smiled. "Sure, sure. Coward." Ruto teased and Inari huffed as he loaded the bundles onto a cart.
"I hear Nata has some herbs she wants us to take to Suna to sell as well." Inari said as he and the blond hooked the harness to the nearby horse to pull the wood filled cart.
"Yeah. Should get a decent sale price." Ruto said as they walked.
The pair walked back to the village talking about random topics. Inari wished him well and Ruto headed to get the bar ready for the night.
Whistling a tune he opened the door and stepped in, dropping the wood into the bin next to the fireplace.
"Honey, I'm home!" he called as he went to the bar and was checking to make sure the mugs were ready.
"Nata?" he called not hearing an answer.
That's funny, she said she'd be here getting the kitchen ready. He thought stepping into the tavern's kitchen. He froze seeing his wife sitting tied up in a chair, a gag in her mouth.
"Hello Naruto." A lazy voice said, the blonds stomach clenched as he turned towards the shadowed corner where a U-shaped eye indicated his former sensei was grinning at him.
"Its been a long time." Kakashi Hatake said.
AN: Something new.