Chapter 9: "If I Had You (and Maybe Some Dumplings Too)"
(In which music lifts more than spirits, Naruto discovers the ancient magic of nymph-hosted parties, and the night sparkles brighter than prophecy.)
Naruto had fought monsters that breathed fire, monsters that spat venom, and one particularly ugly thing that smelled like rotting lasagna—don't ask—but nothing, nothing could've prepared him for the storm of butterflies that came from a girl simply smiling at him.
It had been a week since the last big monster brawl, and Naruto had been making serious gains. Not the gym kind—though his arms were now weapons of mass distraction—but in combat skill, teamwork, and understanding this bizarre myth-filled version of New York City. His partners were growing stronger too, adapting fast, and maybe even enjoying the occasional chaos that came with being friends with him, the human hurricane.
But today was different. No monsters. No battle cries. No fireballs or decapitations before breakfast. Just the sun overhead, a rare breeze in Manhattan, and Naruto, wandering the quieter side of the city like a civilian on his day off. Which, let's face it, felt so wrong it had to be illegal in at least three pantheons.
He was halfway through debating whether he should grab a pretzel or try that mythical thing called "relaxation" when he bumped into someone—literally.
"Euryale?" he blurted out before his brain caught up with his mouth.
She turned slowly, like a queen in a drama series reveal scene, her long purple hair flowing behind her like silk caught in a breeze machine. Her golden eyes sparkled with mischief and something warmer.
"Why, Naruto," she said, her voice as smooth as honey but with just enough edge to cut through ego, "I was beginning to think you were avoiding us. Or maybe I'm just not interesting enough to visit?"
Naruto chuckled, rubbing the back of his head with his usual sheepish grin. "Not true! I've just been busy with training, fights, running for my life—you know, the usual. But I'm always happy to see a friendly face."
Euryale smiled, clearly amused. "Then let's make the most of this rare encounter. There's a café just around the corner—small, quiet, and very good at not being full of rampaging harpies. Shall we?"
Naruto nodded, and soon they were seated across from each other in a cozy café, sipping drinks like ordinary people who didn't share a history with cursed bloodlines and cosmic drama.
But then Euryale's smile faltered, like the first crack in a frozen lake.
"We're managing," she said softly, twirling her straw without looking up. "But... sometimes the weight of what's happening to our sister—Medusa—it gets too heavy. I walk to forget. It doesn't always work."
Naruto frowned, something tugging at his chest. He wasn't great with emotions (his idea of therapy was usually punching monsters until he felt better), but he hated seeing good people—Gorgons or not—hurt.
"Don't look sad," he said, reaching out instinctively. "It ruins your pretty face."
Smooth, his brain muttered in shock. Did I just say that out loud?
Apparently he had, because Euryale blinked, her eyes glimmering.
"Pretty, huh?" she repeated with a teasing lilt, though her tone turned softer. "You're kind, Naruto. Too kind. No one's spoken to us like this in thousands of years. If I were to fall for you… would you take responsibility?"
Naruto choked slightly on his drink.
She said it so casually, like asking if he wanted extra whipped cream.
"I—I don't think I qualify for that position," he stammered.
Euryale tilted her head, clearly intrigued now. "Why not? You lack confidence?"
Naruto stared into his cup like it might hold the answers to the universe. "I just… haven't really been confessed to much. There was one girl, back when I was younger, but I didn't even know how to respond. Girls never really liked me that way."
Her brow furrowed. "You really believe that?"
He looked up, unsure. "I mean, yeah. I guess."
Euryale leaned forward, her golden eyes locked on his. "Then let me say it clearly: you are desirable. You're strong, you're loyal, and you carry the kind of heart people fall for. Don't sell yourself short—it hurts the people who admire you."
Then, before Naruto could even formulate a reply—bam. A soft kiss landed on his cheek. Time stopped. Or maybe Naruto just forgot how to breathe. Probably both.
Her lips lingered for half a second before she leaned back with a dazzling smile. "It was fun talking with you. But I should get going."
And just like that, she stood up and vanished into the crowd, purple hair vanishing like the tail of a dream. The other café patrons stared at Naruto like he'd just been kissed by Aphrodite herself, which, honestly, felt only slightly less stressful.
He reached up and touched his cheek. Yep. Still warm.
Somewhere, not far away, Euryale walked with a thoughtful expression. Her fingers brushed her lips.
He already has people who love him... she mused. I wonder if he'd ever consider polygamy?
Back at the café, Naruto slumped back in his chair with a groan.
"Monsters I can handle. Gorgon flirtation? That's a whole other battlefield..."
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If you ever find yourself talking to the literal spirit of the Earth who's riding shotgun on your shoulder like a wise-cracking parrot from mythology, just know: your life is officially weird. But for Naruto Uzumaki, "weird" had long ago packed its bags, bought a one-way ticket to his soul, and made itself a permanent roommate.
He was still seated on the edge of a marble balcony that overlooked a forest bathed in starlight and moon-silver mist, the kind of place poets wrote about and warriors died in. His fingers brushed his cheek absently, where the warmth of a brief, awkward goodbye kiss had barely faded.
"She just ran off," Naruto muttered to himself, not exactly hurt, but confused. "Was it something I said?"
Before he could overthink it into oblivion—something he had zero talent for anyway—he felt it. That gentle, ancient presence that tickled the back of his senses like sunlight on moss.
Gaia floated down from above and perched herself neatly on his shoulder. Not in a grand, Immortaldess-of-the-earth kind of way. More like a sibling who knew she didn't need an invitation. Her weight was feather-light, but her presence was grounding—as if the whole world had finally exhaled the breath it was holding.
"You look pensive," she observed, tucking her legs in and resting her chin on one hand. "Let me guess. You got lost trying to understand emotions again?"
Naruto huffed a small laugh and stood, his eyes drifting to the horizon as he began to walk. "I was just thinking," he said. "It was nice. Walking around. But I like it better when you're with me."
The words came out like the sky letting out a sigh. Simple. Honest. Dangerous.
Gaia blinked. For once, her eternal mind—which had mapped every tectonic shift in the history of Earth—went blank. No witty comeback. No divine sarcasm. Just the unmistakable flutter of warmth that had no business growing in the heart of someone who had once tried to wipe out humanity.
"Is that so?" she murmured, almost to herself.
Naruto didn't notice the way her cheeks subtly flushed with greenish warmth or how her posture straightened like she'd just remembered what blushing was. To him, Gaia was... well, Gaia. The comforting presence. The grumbling-yet-helpful guide. The one who didn't flinch when monsters came but panicked when birds pooped too close to sacred soil.
They walked through the glade together—boy and Immortaldess, mortal and myth. With each step, the silence between them grew softer, not heavier. The kind of quiet that wasn't awkward but comfortable. Like a quilt you forgot you had until a cold night reminded you.
"You know," Gaia said after a long pause, "I used to think bonding with mortals was pointless. Temporary. Painful."
"Sounds about right," Naruto said, stretching. "We do tend to die a lot."
"But you…" She tilted her head, studying him. "You make it feel… different."
He turned to glance at her, confused. "Different how?"
Gaia looked away, pretending to inspect a nearby tree root like it had just told her a fascinating joke. "Just... don't make me regret flying beside you, Naruto Uzumaki."
He grinned. "Can't promise that. I have a pretty solid track record of driving people crazy."
She rolled her eyes—but the smile stayed.
And though neither of them said it aloud, something deep and ancient stirred in the soil beneath them. Not war. Not prophecy. Just the slow blooming of trust—like roots winding toward each other in the dark.
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You know you're in for a weird night when the tree spirits start breakdancing.
The park, usually a quiet patch of green nestled between groves of whispering trees, had transformed into a full-blown magical block party. Twinkling orbs of light drifted lazily through the air like lazy fireflies on too much ambrosia, and the scent of roasted meats, fresh fruits, and suspiciously glowing dumplings filled the air.
Naruto stood amid the chaos, a paper plate in one hand piled high with food, and a cup in the other filled with a fizzy blue drink that Ella had assured him "probably wasn't toxic." (She had said it with a wink, which did not reassure him.)
"This is wild," he muttered with a grin, watching two nymphs perform a gravity-defying dance move that involved cartwheeling through a bush and landing with jazz hands.
Ella appeared at his side, her face flushed with laughter. "Told you they knew how to party. You should've seen the last one—there was a minotaur conga line."
"That… I don't even have a response to that."
"Good. That means you're relaxing." She nudged him. "That's rare. Keep doing it."
It was true. Something about tonight—the music, the food, the magic in the air—felt like a temporary escape from the pressure, the prophecy, the looming battle tomorrow that had been chewing at the back of his brain like a particularly aggressive woodpecker.
Then the music changed.
It started slow—just a whisper of melody, like wind brushing through tree branches. Then came the pulse. A beat, soft at first, but steady. Hypnotic.
The nymphs were already moving, hips swaying in time with the rhythm. Their dresses shimmered like dew on flower petals, and the colors seemed to respond to the music. And in the center of it all stood Gaia, glowing faintly, as if she were part of the stars now blinking into existence above them.
Naruto froze.
It wasn't fear or awkwardness—okay, maybe a tiny bit of awkwardness—but mostly… wonder. Because despite the chaos, despite everything looming just over the horizon, it felt like this was where he belonged. For once, not fighting. Not protecting. Just being.
The song shifted into a poppy beat, a catchy rhythm that wormed into his bones. He didn't recognize the words at first, but Gaia's gift kicked in. A side effect of being created by a primordial being: you didn't just understand language—you felt it. And this song?
It was about longing. Joy. The kind of stupid, honest hope that made people dance barefoot under the stars and sing into empty soda bottles.
"If I had you…" Naruto found himself humming, unable to resist. His foot tapped the ground.
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If there's one thing Naruto Uzumaki hadn't expected today, it was getting roped into an impromptu nymph dance party. He'd just been having a quiet moment of reflection — which, for Naruto, usually involved touching his face like he expected it to morph or explode (it hadn't yet, but give it time). Gaia was perched serenely on his shoulder like an all-knowing woodland librarian, and everything had settled into the kind of peace that made you wonder what disaster was about to crash in next.
And then the nymphs showed up.
"Come on, Naruto, dance with us!" they sang, a chorus of mischievous joy wrapped in flower crowns and leafy skirts. Before he could protest, they grabbed his hands and spun him into the center of the park like a golden human piñata.
"Wait—hold up—I don't know the—okay, that's my foot!" Naruto yelped, trying not to trip over his own enthusiasm. But resistance was futile. The music had that fae magic woven into it, the kind that made your limbs move whether you knew the steps or not. And Naruto, being Naruto, wasn't about to let a little thing like rhythm get in his way.
Grinning with a mix of awkwardness and growing excitement, he let the energy carry him. Each nymph became a dance partner, whirling him around like he was the world's most charming training dummy. And honestly? He was loving it.
Just when he was starting to get the hang of it—right foot, left foot, try not to look like a confused frog—Ella appeared.
Now, Ella didn't so much walk into the dance as float into it. Her steps were light, dreamlike. She took Naruto's hand with the confidence of someone who'd never once doubted the power of joy, and suddenly the chaos calmed. The rhythm slowed, and the world shrank to just the two of them.
Naruto looked into her eyes—those soft, glowing orbs filled with kindness—and smiled. "Are you feeling happy?" he asked, his voice quieter now, a breeze amidst the drumbeat of the dance.
"Ella is happy. Is Naruto happy with Ella?" she asked, tilting her head like a curious dove.
"I'm very happy," he said truthfully, leaning forward until their foreheads touched. It was a simple gesture, but it carried the weight of someone who'd gone too long without this kind of softness. "You're so cute."
Ella giggled—a bright, bubbly sound that echoed through the clearing like bells tossed into the wind—and in that moment, Naruto felt like maybe, just maybe, everything was going to be okay.
Then came the carousel of chaos again.
The music picked up, wild and laughing, and Naruto was passed from one nymph to the next like a very polite, very bewildered parcel. Each girl twirled him, laughed with him, and left flower petals tangled in his hair. He was starting to suspect this was all part of an elaborate matchmaking ritual.
And then he landed in Alice's arms.
Now, Alice was not the twirling, giggling type. She was the "I-read-war-strategy-manuals-for-fun" type. But as the music changed again—this time into something slower, more elegant—she moved with practiced grace, guiding Naruto like she'd been planning this moment for years.
"I hope this is to your liking," she said, her voice calm but soft, like a ripple across a still lake.
"It's wonderful," Naruto replied, trying to keep up. "And I would love to see it again. When I'm done with my quest, I'm taking you all with me. We'll all be happy together."
Alice blinked, visibly startled. For someone who could deflect attacks with her pinky finger, emotional sincerity clearly wasn't in her regular sparring routine.
"The little ones would be overjoyed by your words," she said at last, lips twitching upward in what might've been the start of a smile—or gas.
"You should smile more," Naruto added without hesitation. "It would look beautiful on your face."
And that did it.
Alice smiled.
Not the small, polite kind. No. This one was soft and real and maybe even a little shy. It made Naruto's heart flip, and probably Gaia too, if her tiny, approving nod from his shoulder was anything to go by.
"I'll take note of that," Alice said, as if Naruto had just given her battle tactics instead of a compliment.
Naruto chuckled, his fox-like grin wide and unbothered. "See? It wasn't hard."
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Naruto was still riding the afterglow of Alice's rare smile—a moment so soft it could've made a volcano weep—when a voice piped up behind him, smooth as honey but with the underlying edge of a fang.
"Hope I'm not barging in, but my turn," came Stheno's unmistakable voice.
Now, let's get something clear: most people, when confronted by a literal Gorgon sister, would do one of three things—run, scream, or do that awkward freeze-in-place-and-hope-she-can't-see-you thing. Naruto, being Naruto, did none of those. Instead, he grinned like he'd just been handed dessert after surviving a three-headed hydra.
Before he could offer a witty remark, Stheno swept him up in her arms like he was the fragile one here. It wasn't exactly a ballroom dip, but it got the job done.
"Sorry I took too long," he said sheepishly, noting that she looked… well, radiant was a good word. The kind of radiant that made the moon do a double-take.
"You look stunning today," he added, eyes catching how her outfit shimmered just enough to dazzle, but not enough to scream, "Behold me, mortals!"
Stheno arched a brow, pleased. "Just for your eyes, Naruto," she said with a wink, tone playful enough to start a storm in Aphrodite's mirror. "We don't get the opportunity to do this anymore, so consider yourself lucky."
"I'm honored and happy that you joined in," he replied, moving in rhythm with her. It wasn't a perfect waltz. Honestly, it was probably closer to a semi-coordinated shuffle. But the energy between them? That was perfectly in sync.
The music swelled, but her smile dipped slightly, the shadows of old thoughts creeping in. "We wish we could join the fight," she murmured. "But we'd be burdens. This—dancing, cheering, watching—is all we can do now."
Naruto stopped mid-step, looked her dead in the eyes (yes, the maybe-possibly-petrifying ones), and tilted her chin up with a gentle touch. "It's alright. Without your poison, this wouldn't be possible. Don't look down on yourselves. You have the power. You just need to grow it. Pick up a sword, learn magic—heck, wrestle a cyclops if it gets you going. With hard work, anything is possible."
And bam—there it was. The look. That little shift in her eyes that said, You made the world seem brighter, even if just for a second.
"Thanks," she whispered. "We'll try. And maybe we can be of use after the battle."
And then—because apparently this was the evening of emotional whiplash—she leaned in and kissed him.
Not on the cheek. Not on the forehead.
Full lips. Right there. On the mouth.
For a moment, the world slowed. Even the music seemed to stop and go, "Wait, what?"
Stheno's lips were soft and warm, like moonlight and mayhem all rolled into one. She pulled back with a smirk and mischief in her eyes. "That was my first kiss, and your reward for helping us," she said lightly, before bouncing away like a rogue breeze.
Gaia, who had been minding her own business (read: watching everything with the focus of a mother owl), raised an eyebrow.
"You certainly seem to have a way with the ladies, Naruto," she said. And okay, maybe her tone sounded teasing, but if you knew her well enough, you'd catch the flicker of "you better behave" hidden beneath.
Naruto, cheeks blazing like a campfire under pressure, quickly took her hands. "I'm just good at making friends," he said with a grin. "And all my feelings come from the heart. Pure and untainted."
Gaia looked down at their joined hands—hers small, delicate, ancient in ways the stars forgot how to count. Then she looked up and smiled, not just with her mouth, but with something deeper. "I'm glad you're happy," she said quietly.
And with that, the music reclaimed the night.
The courtyard shimmered with firelight, laughter spilling like starlight through the cracks of broken souls. They danced, spun, stumbled, and smiled like tomorrow wasn't barreling toward them with teeth bared and claws ready.
But that was a tomorrow problem.
Tonight? Tonight was for warmth and waltzes, for stolen kisses and second chances.
And Naruto—prankster, warrior, heart-on-his-sleeve lunatic—looked around at the misfits, monsters, and mythologies gathered under the sky and thought:
Maybe this is what having a family feels like.
And for once, the world didn't argue.