Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Closer ❯ Reaching Towards the Future ( Chapter 14 )

Series: Naruto, belongs to Kishimoto-Sama

Pairing: NaruHina

Beta: Blueangel326

Author: Lynns (Inu-Hugger and Mysteriousgirl)

 

Reaching Towards the Future

 

Beads of sweat rolled down her face, arms, back, and legs. Her clothes were torn and dirty from being struck and thrown to the ground. Hinata was almost at her breaking point and, with the way her head was spinning, close to collapsing. Her chest heaved with every breath she took, trying to pump enough air into her lungs, and her legs were trembling as she tried to remain standing. Despite all this, she held her ground and charged one more time at her opponent knowing this would be her final strike. Her feet pounded against the ground as she sprinted forward, gathering chakra into the palms of her hands. The chakra swirled around her entire hand and soon took on the form of a lion head. Thrusting her hands forward, she cried out, “Juuho Soshiken!”

 

Her opponent narrowly dodged the attack. As if time had slowed down, she watched with wide eyes where her challenger was now aiming for. Her juuken had left her right side vulnerable, and if she was struck now, the fight would come to an end. No . . . no it can't end like this! I've trained too hard for it to end now . . . I won't give up . . . I can't give up!

 

Hiashi struck her right side, and she could immediately feel the damage to her internal organs. She could taste the blood in her mouth, and her body begged for this fight to be over for it would not be able to survive another attack. However, her fighting spirit and desire to win prevailed. Digging her feet into the ground and smiling inwardly at the surprise look on her father's face when she did not collapse, Hinata used her original jutsu and hoped it would be enough to take him down.

 

“Shugohakke Rokujuuyonsho!”

 

With Hinata being so close to her adversary, Hiashi was hit with the full force of her defense. She watched as her father was thrown back and skidded to a stop on the ground. However, her victory was short lived when she felt her body finally succumb to the battle. Her knees buckled and dropped down. As another wave of dizziness hit her, she felt her upper body falling towards the ground as well.

 

“HINATA-SAMA!”

 

Stern hands caught her before she hit the earth, but as her head spun from exhaustion, she could not see who was beside her. Blood slowly trickled from her mouth, and her world was quickly becoming black.

 

“HINATA-SAMA! Please hang on! Sakura! She needs medical assistance now!”

 

“Hinata!

 

“Hinata!”

 

“Nee-chan!”

 

She could hear voices around her, calling out her name, but as she slowly slipped into oblivion the voices were becoming distant and muffled, as if her ears were plugged with cotton or if she were underwater. Hands were touching her chest and forehead, and she could just barely make out someone asking her a question. However, she could not understand the question, nor could she respond. Her throat felt blocked, and now she was finding it hard to breathe. She slipped into nothingness . . .

 

****************

 

Many miles away . . .

 

Naruto felt a chill run down his spine. He immediately stopped what he was doing and turned to the direction of Konoha. A lump slowly formed in his throat, and he could not shake the feeling that something was wrong. What was that just now? I just got a chill like something bad has just happened. Is Hinata-chan okay? I wonder if . . .

 

“Naruto-san? Are you alright?”

 

The blond ninja jumped and turned to his ANBU instructor. “Yeah, I'm fine. I just got the feeling that something bad has happened in Konoha.”

 

With his face hidden under the cat mask, Naruto could not see what expression his new teacher was giving him. “Do not worry, Naruto-san. I'm sure everything is fine in Konoha. If there was something wrong, we would have received word by now.”

 

“I know, but still I . . .”

 

“I understand that you are worried for your friends and fiancée, but like I said, I'm sure everything is fine. Now, shall we continue with your training?”

 

Naruto frowned slightly, his eyes turning back to the west. After a moment he turned around and placed the fox mask back over his face, “I've been training hard for the past two months with the ANBU force - I'm not going to quit now. So let's continue!”

 

 

**************

 

Sakura tapped her foot impatiently, and if it wasn't for the fact that she was in the hospital right now, she probably would have been screaming as well. “Look, I know you are all concerned for Hinata's well being . . . but this is ridiculous!”

 

Shino, Kiba and Neji had set up chairs all over Hinata's hospital room so they would have a place to sleep for the night. But in spite of their sincere efforts to keep the Hyuuga Heiress company while she was in the hospital, it was past visiting hours, and Sakura was having a fit.

 

“Bitch all you want Sakura, none of us are leaving. Even if the Hokage were to come in here and tell us to leave, we are staying.”

 

The pink-haired kunoichi sighed in frustration, knowing she wasn't going to win this argument. If Tsunade found out she was bending the rules like this and let them stay, no doubt she would suffer a fate worse than death.

 

“Hinata-sama made a great achievement today, and for her to wake up alone would certainly be unforgivable. Especially since her father can't be by her side since he too is in the hospital with Hanabi by his bed. So I, as her cousin, along with her teammates, will be here when she awakens.”

 

Sakura was silent for a moment. “You really expect me to drop this argument just because . . .”

 

“Of course we are here for another reason,” interrupted Shino, who had been quiet until now. “We are here to support and encourage Hinata when she wakes up. Why is that? Because Naruto is not here and is away for ANBU training, we are simply filling in his shoes to be there for her. No doubt Hinata will be slightly disappointed that her fiancé could not witness first hand that she almost defeated the Head Hyuuga. Why is that? Naruto is the one who has given Hinata courage and her fighting spirit, so for him not to witness . . .”

 

“ Okay, okay! I get it! Fine! You guys can stay here! But if you cause any trouble I'll show you how hard my fists are and break your bones!” hissed Sakura, turning around and quietly closing the door behind her.

 

“Man, she needs to get laid big time . . .”

 

“Kiba! That's enough!”

 

“Whoa, easy there, Neji! I'm just saying that she's so rigid and crabby! Lee needs to get his ass in gear and do the deed. I'm sure that will make her . . .”

 

“I swear, Kiba, any more nonsense out of you, and I'll give a demonstration of what Hinata-sama went through today!”

 

Shino was silent as he watched Kiba and Neji softly bicker at one another. His attention was on his teammate who was still unconscious from her battle in the early afternoon. It certainly had been a spectacular fight and one he would not forget. Hinata had gotten up the courage to challenge her father to a duel, to see if she was finally ready to defeat him. However, taking down the Head Hyuuga was not going to be an easy task. Even Neji had had a hard time facing off against Hiashi and had just barely won by the skin of his teeth. Hinata also had been close to victory, but she had overexerted her body and drained her chakra to dangerous levels. Even though her father had been hit with her original jutsu, the Shugohakke Rokujuuyonsho, victory had not been hers. But Hiashi had also lost the fight. With Hinata unconscious and the Head Hyuuga unable to stand back up, Tsunade had called the fight a stalemate.

 

Immediately, both Hyuugas had received treatment, but Hinata's injuries were much worse than her father's. A small smile tugged at the Aburame's lips, remembering how worried Hiashi had been for his daughter. It was certainly a nice change to how the Head Hyuuga used to act when he first became teammates with Hinata.

 

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the object that Hinata had requested he look after while she fought her father and slipped it back onto her left hand. At that moment, both Kiba and Neji were silent as they watched Shino put Hinata's engagement ring on her finger.

 

“That knucklehead had better hurry back. I know he's gone with his ANBU training, but the sooner he gets back, the sooner it will make Hinata happy again. She's been so lonely since he's been gone,” grumbled Kiba. “I mean, good for him and all actually training with the ANBU, but doesn't he understand that now that he's engaged to someone he can't do selfish shit like this anymore?”

 

Neji sighed and leaned back in his chair, attempting to get comfortable. “Easy there, Kiba, why do you think Naruto is doing this training now? For that exact reason before he is fully committed to Hinata-sama. Besides, he already talked it over with her, and she was fine with it. They are ninja of Konoha after all; being separated for a few months is not a huge issue.”

 

“Yeah, you say that . . . but every time TenTen goes out on a mission without you, the entire time she's gone, your mood swings get worse than a girl's.”

 

“Just because it isn't a huge issue doesn't mean I enjoy being separated from her . . .”

 

Kiba started laughing but was soon silenced when he noticed Shino frowning at him. Aw crap, Shino is getting really annoyed now. “Just as long as he doesn't make her cry, I'll be fine with anything he does.”

 

Neji nodded in agreement and closed his eyes. “Let's get some sleep. If Sakura comes back and we're still talking, I'm sure we'll be in for it, and I certainly don't want to find out the true strength of Tsunade-sama's apprentice when she's angry.”

 

Silently agreeing, both Shino and Kiba closed their eyes as well with a watchful Akamaru on the floor.

 

The night slowly passed with the three occupants sleeping in their chairs, or at least trying to sleep. Konoha hospital didn't exactly have the most comfortable chairs, and countless times one of the three ninja would wake up, shift into a different position and try to find sleep again. On Kiba's fourth attempt, a soft whine from Akamaru caught his attention.

 

“What is it, boy?” asked Kiba, sitting up and wincing on how stiff his neck was. When Akamaru whined again, the Inuzuka whipped his head around and his eyes locked onto his now awakened teammate. Her eyes were partly open, continuously blinking as she tried to get them to focus on her surroundings. Kiba slowly stood up from his chair and walked over to her, gently placing his hand on hers. “Hinata? Are you okay?”

 

Pale violet eyes shifted onto him, and for a moment Hinata just stared, as if trying to remember who he was. After blinking a few more times she softly whispered, “Kiba-kun . . . is that you?”

 

“Yeah, it's me. You okay?”

 

“I think so. My head kind of hurts and so does my chest,”

 

“That's not surprising, after that fight I'm surprised you're even awake right now. You should go back to sleep. You're going to need all the rest you can get.”

 

“I know . . .” Her eyes slowly closed, and Kiba was about to make his way back to his chair when soft voice stopped him. “I lost, didn't I?”

 

“Actually, it was a stalemate. You passed out, and Hiashi was unable to get up off the ground, so it was a tie. Excellent fight, by the way. You have no idea how much all of us our proud of you.”

 

“All of us?” Hinata questioned.

 

“Yeah. Me, Shino, Neji, Kurenai-sensei, your sister, and even your father . . . and I'm sure Naruto would be really proud of you too if he was here.”

 

A soft smile spread across her lips. “I know he will be . . . I can't wait to tell him when he gets back.”

 

Kiba also smiled, “Yeah. Hey . . . Can I ask you something? Just promise you'll be one hundred percent honest with me.”

 

“What is it, Kiba-kun?”

 

The Inuzuka bit his lip and quickly glanced around the room to make sure none of the other occupants were awake, “You're happy now, right? Living together with Naruto? He's not taking advantage of you is he? Because if he is . . .”

 

“Kiba-kun . . . you should know better than that,” Hinata scolded softly, her tired eyes giving him a stern look. “He would never take advantage of me.”

 

Kiba rubbed the back of his neck, “I know that, but . . . I worry about you. You and Shino are like my siblings and I can't help but be concerned for your well being. I just want to make sure you're completely happy being with Naruto before you get married. Maybe it's silly for me to worry since you two have been going out for two years, been engaged for a year and are now living together . . . but I . . . I just don't want the same thing to happen to you like it did to my sister. She was completely in love with this guy, they got engaged, but when she moved in with him all they did was constantly fight. Not to mention she found out some stuff about him that she didn't like and they broke off the engagement. I just don't want to see you get hurt like Hana did . . .although the guy ended up worse when sis almost beat him half to death . . .”

 

Hinata's soft hand intertwined with Kiba's and she gave him a tired smile. “Thank you for being concerned, Kiba-kun, but really you have nothing to worry about. I'm very happy with Naruto-kun, and, yes, it was a little strange at first when I moved in, but I soon got used to it. Believe it or not, but one time we had a small argument and I actually gave him the silent treatment for a day.”

 

Kiba tried to quiet down his chuckle, “Really? You actually didn't speak to him for a full twenty four hours? Oh man, that must have drove Naruto insane, but good for you! You don't always have to focus on pleasing him, y'know.”

 

“I know.”

 

“And even now he's left you all alone to do his ANBU training. I know it's a great honor and achievement to be asked to join that force, but the dangerous missions you go on and the risks you have to take… Are you really okay with him doing this?”

 

Hinata was silent for a moment. “I am very worried for Naruto-kun. ANBU live such dangerous lives, and they leave for missions without a moment's notice with no chance to say anything but a quick `goodbye'. However, Naruto-kun was so excited when he got the offer. His eyes just lit up at the chance to train and be on the team. How could I tell him no?

 

“And yet, he did come to me first and asked if it was alright for him to go. Even though I'm not exactly happy with him being gone for two and a half months to train or that when he is called out on a mission it will be very short notice . . . but this is something he really wants to do, and I will support him. Besides, Naruto-kun made me a promise, and I know he will keep it.”

 

“Promise?”

 

“Naruto-kun also talked to Kakashi-sensei since he used to be an ANBU as well. Kakashi-sensei told him that the level of training is extreme and highly useful. However, he said that after a year or two the missions and being constantly in danger can really get to you. He warned Naruto-kun that even though it was a great opportunity to join, he shouldn't stay with them for too long. They talked a bit more about it, but I was asked to leave the room. Afterward though, Naruto promised me that as long as I was okay with it he would be on the force for at the very most two years.”

 

“Two years, huh? You sure you're going to be okay with him being gone sometimes months at a time?”

 

Hinata nodded, “Yes.”

 

“I don't know, Hinata. I just feel like he's being selfish right now. I mean that would be fine if you guys were still dating and stuff . . . but you're going to be married next month.”

 

“I know what you're thinking, Kiba-kun. Maybe it is a bit selfish, but Naruto-kun thinks that doing this will be another step for him to become Hokage someday. And Naruto-kun said he would make it up to me anyway he could. Plus, he also promised me a few more things for the future.”

 

“Oh? Like what?”

 

Hinata did not answer, but with the way her cheeks instantly reddened he wasn't sure if he really wanted to know. Despite the blush on Hinata's cheeks, she was also smiling. “Just some future plans and goals that we have. Really, Kiba-kun, everything is going to be okay; you don't have to worry about me so much.”

 

“The day I stop worry about you is the day I sleep with cats. But I'll try to not worry as much. I'm just a bit concerned since you're with Konoha's biggest knucklehead.”

 

The Hyuuga Heiress giggled softly, but Kiba noticed that her eyes were starting to droop again.

 

“You should really get some sleep, and don't worry - we'll be here when you wake up.”

 

As Hinata's eyes closed and Kiba took his spot back in the chair, even with his enhanced hearing he just barely heard her whisper, “You'll understand someday, Kiba-kun . . . I know you'll find someone to love like I have . . .”

 

A small smile tugged at the Inuzuka's lips, and he whispered a soft thank you to his teammate before closing his eyes.

 

**************

 

Fifteendays later...

 

The sun hung high in the clear blue sky, and there wasn't a cloud in sight, making the heat even more excruciating. Sweat rolled down the blond ninja's temple, and he cursed for the hundredth time that day for not bringing enough water for the trip. The moment I get to Suna, I'm finding a convenient store and buying all their water. God! How could I be so stupid as to thinkI'd reach Suna in one day? Am I really that retarded?

 

Yesterday, Naruto had received a letter from the Kazekage, Gaara of the Sand, inviting him to come to Suna after his training with the ANBU. At first, he had been very hesitant to go. Being away from his fiancée for over two months was taking its toll on him, and he missed her terribly. However, it had been years since Naruto had talked to Gaara face-to-face. Even though his friend was invited to the wedding next month, he doubted the two of them would be able to have a decent conversation with all of the guests and events that were to happen that week. So convincing himself that a few more days without Hinata wouldn't be all that bad, he accepted the invitation.

 

After leaving the ANBU headquarters, Naruto figured he would make the day's journey to Suna, and he probably would have easily done it too . . . however, he forgot one minor detail: he was completely exhausted. Training non-stop for two and a half months had taken its toll on the Jinchuuriki. What would have been a normal day trip, was now taking him two. Even though it's November, it's still hot as hell out here! How the hell doesSuna deal with this constant heat and the sand storms? It would drive me insane! Despite how tired he was, Naruto continued to march through the sand and was determined to reach Suna as quickly as possible.

 

Hours later, Naruto finally caught sight of the Hidden Sand Village and prayed to anyone who was listening that it wasn't a mirage. His tired legs broke into a sprint and after gathering enough chakra, he literally cleared the next five hundred yards in a flash. Skidding to a stop at the front gate, he was thankful to see the familiar faces of Temari and Kankuro waiting for him.

 

“You're late,” Temari said, stating the obvious. “We almost thought you got lost in the desert.”

 

Naruto laughed softly. “I'm just a bit tired from my training. Don't suppose I could trouble you guys for some water? I feel like my throat has turned into sandpaper.”

 

Kankuro tossed the blond ninja his canteen of water, and Naruto guzzled the cool liquid as if his life depended on it. “Didn't bring enough water with you? And here I thought you couldn't be any stupider. Some things just never change.”

 

“Oi . . .” growled Naruto.

 

Temari gave both of them a stern look. “Quit acting like kids, you two, we don't have time to fool around. Gaara was expecting you here yesterday, and you're a day late, so let's get moving.”

 

The three comrades moved through the village at a slow pace. With the streets packed, it was going to take them a while before they reached the Kazekage tower. They ran into a few familiar faces, but with Temari's persistence that they were in a hurry, Naruto was unable to have a full conversation with anyone. As they got closer to their destination, the Jinchuuriki decided it was time to collect some information on why Gaara wanted to speak to him in the first place.

 

“So how has Gaara been doing? Still liking his roll as Kazekage?”

 

“Gaara's been doing fine, but I have to say he's been acting a little strange lately,” answered Kankuro. “No one has really noticed the change, but he's been a bit more quiet and withdrawn over the past few weeks.”

 

Naruto glanced over at Temari who nodded in agreement. “Has he talked to you guys about what's wrong?”

 

“We've tried a few times and Matsuri's even made a few attempts as well, but he hasn't said anything. The last time we took a crack at it, he asked if we knew what you were doing and requested we send out a letter for you to come see him. Like I said - really weird. Temari, Gaara, and I are practically like siblings. We never keep anything from each other, so whatever is bothering him . . .”

 

“Is probably something that we wouldn't understand. You and Gaara had a very similar childhood, so I'm pretty sure it's a topic that we wouldn't even be able to grasp,” interrupted Temari, “So once we heard you were training with the ANBU, Gaara figured it was as good as time as any to ask you to come.”

 

Naruto grunted in surprise when Kankuro suddenly slapped him on the back. “Congratulations, by the way! We heard you're getting married next month! And is it true you changed your surname?”

 

Catching his breath Naruto nodded, “Just a few months ago actually. The Hyuuga clan wanted it done sooner, but Tsunade-baachan told them to hold back just to make sure none of my father's old enemies would come after me. I have enough trouble as it is having the kyuubi in me.”

 

After finally making their way through the crowded streets, they arrived at the Kazekage's office. Temari knocked on the door before poking her head inside. “Gaara. Namikaze Naruto is here, as you requested.”

 

Naruto couldn't hear Gaara's response, but he watched as Temari nodded, stepped back, and closed the door. His eyebrow arched in confusion, and he glanced over at Kankuro to see him wearing the same expression.

 

“He's really busy right now assigning the new genin teams.” Temari answered their unspoken question. “Naruto, why don't you kick back and relax for a bit? I'm sure you're really tired from training, and this way you get a chance to wash up as well.”

 

****************

 

Steam slowly came seeping out when Naruto stepped out of the humid bathroom. Taking a deep relaxing sigh, he sat on the edge of the bed and flopped backwards, the mattress creaking under his weight. It felt so good to lie down and relax. During his training, relaxation was a luxury that the ANBU did not believe was necessary, and so the only time Naruto ever got to have some time to himself was when he was sleeping. Even then, he would never get the minimum number hours of rest since there was always something missing when he attempted to close his eyes.

 

Hinata.

 

Blue eyes closed, and lips formed a frown. Being away from Hinata for so long and not being able to hold her in his arms . . . he was starting to forget what it felt like to embrace her. Not having her by his side almost felt as if one of his limbs was missing, and he could not wait till tomorrow when he could finally make his way back home . . . back to Konoha, back to his apartment, but most importantly back to her.

 

Before he could dwell on that thought any longer, there was a soft knock at his door and immediately snapped him out of his daze.

 

“One minute!” called Naruto. Jumping off the bed and grabbing a pair of clothes to change in. Checking himself in the mirror to make sure he was decent, Naruto made his way to the hotel room door and opened it. Standing in front of him was none other the Kazekage of Suna, Gaara. “Wha? Gaara!? I thought Temari was coming to get me when you were free to talk!”

 

“I decided it was more appropriate for me to come to you. You've been training so hard with the ANBU and after accepting my invitation to come to Suna on such short notice I didn't want you to over exert yourself. May I come in?”

 

“Of course, come on in.” Naruto stepped to the side and opened the door wide, allowing Gaara to enter. Taking a few steps into the room, the Kazekage took a seat on a chair in the corner of the room. Closing the door, Naruto watched Gaara for a moment. His pale green eyes were downcast, and it did seem like the former Jinchuuriki was solemn about something. Sitting down on the bed, Naruto at first waited for Gaara to say something, but as the minutes ticked by neither of them said a word. Finally, he decided to break the silence.

 

“So are things going okay, pal? You look kind of gloomy.”

 

Gaara's expression did not change, and he didn't move either. Naruto was starting to think that maybe his red-headed buddy didn't hear him, and he opened his mouth to ask the question again.

 

“I received an invitation from the head of the Hyuuga clan that you are to be married to his daughter. Congratulations.”

 

“Oh . . . well thanks, Gaara.”

 

The room became silent again for a few minutes, and Naruto was trying to restrain himself from just walking over to Gaara and shake it out of him what was wrong. However, after mentally kicking himself, Naruto figured that whenever Gaara was ready to talk, he would.

 

“Do you love her?”

 

Naruto's head snapped up. “What?”

 

“Do you love her? Hyuuga Hinata.”

 

“Do I - well yeah, I love her. I wouldn't marry her if I wasn't in love with her.”

 

Gaara finally lifted his eyes from off the floor. “I had heard rumors that you two were being forced to marry.”

 

An annoyed sigh left Naruto's lips. “Well, it's kind of true. Since Hinata is the next heir she had to be promised to someone by her eighteenth birthday and I didn't want to lose her.” Seeing Gaara's bewildered face, the blond ninja continued, “Yeah, I know that kind of sounds bad, but I don't regret it at all. I love Hinata very much, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I would have preferred to wait another year, but the Hyuuga elders are real persistent bastards.”

 

Gaara's eyes shifted from him over to the bedside table. “May I see that?”

 

Whipping his head around, Naruto looked at the crumpled picture that had a few rips in the corner. “Yeah sure.”

 

The Kazekage stared at the picture for a long time and if Naruto didn't know any better, he could have sworn he saw Gaara's eyes flicker with envy.

 

“You two look very happy,” commented Gaara, passing the picture back.

 

Naruto took the photo back and glanced down at it. After a year of it being shoved into his pocket, the picture had certainly seen better days. Nevertheless the smiling faces of him and Hinata on their trip to the hot springs was a memory that always brought a smile to his face, “We are . . . and I am very happy to have her in my life.”

 

Again the room fell silent for a few moments.

 

“Naruto. I called you hear today because . . . I need your advice about something.”

 

He leaned forward so his elbows were resting on his knees. “About what, Gaara?”

 

“You and I, we didn't have a very good childhood. Being alone and shunned by the entire village was certainly not a very enjoyable experience. Even though things are different now, I still find it hard to completely trust someone. Kankuro and Temari were the only ones that tolerated my dreadful behavior when all I wanted to do was kill people. I know that I can truly trust and talk to them about anything, however this . . . this is something that I know they would never be able to help me on.”

 

It was very rare that Naruto was able to read in between the lines. Being Konoha's biggest knucklehead, most of the time he had to be told something directly to understand what as going on, but this time he was right on the mark. “What's her name?”

 

Gaara's eyes widened. “Pardon?”

 

“What's the name of the woman you like?”

 

Pale green eyes moved back to the floor. “It's Matsuri.”

 

“Oh, you like Matsuri? Do you know if she likes you back?”

 

Gaara nodded, “She kissed me.”

 

“She what!? When did that happen?”

 

“About two weeks ago. I was signing off on some reports, and it was really late. Matsuri came to visit and brought me something to eat. We talked for a little bit, and suddenly she leaned in and kissed me.”

 

Naruto smiled. “Did you kiss her back?”

 

“No. I didn't know what to do. I've never been kissed before, so I didn't know how to respond. Then she pulled away and told me that for years she's loved me and didn't want to hold back anymore. When I didn't say or do anything, she suddenly left. I've wanted to talk to her about it, but . . .”

 

“You don't understand what exactly it is that you feel for her since you've never heard those words said to you before?”

 

Gaara's head snapped up from looking at the floor. Their eyes met, and a soft smile spread across the Kazekage's face. “Yes.”

 

Naruto grinned, “Well then, you're talking to the right person, pal! I know exactly what you're going through. When Hinata first confessed to me, I was completely shocked that I didn't know what to say or think. It took two weeks for me to finally talk to her about what happened.”

 

Gaara closed his eyes and spoke as if from deep within his heart, “I do . . . like Matsuri. I trust her, and I like talking with her. She's very precious to me, like Temari and Kankuro, but there's just something different. It's a feeling I'm not familiar with at all when I'm around her and after she kissed me, I was even more confused. What did you do, Naruto? After Hinata confessed to you, what did you do?”

 

A soft sigh escaped Naruto's lips. “I was really confused too, and I didn't know what love was. However, after I thought about it - hearing Hinata say those words to me made me feel all warm inside, and this feeling of acceptance swept over me. Even though it wasn't exactly the best time for her to confess to me . . . but I'm glad that she did. When I talked to Hinata, she understood completely that I didn't love her back the way she loved me, but I did feel something for her. So we agreed to take things slow.

 

“That's the big key right there - you take things slow. Over time, I learned what love is and that I was starting to really fall for Hinata. It was really scary at first, and I almost did the most idiotic thing in the whole world by letting her go. But I got some sense knocked back into me - literally. It's been scary, but wonderful at the same time. You get so used to that person being by your side that the thought of them leaving you is so terrifying... sometimes it felt like my heart would stop.

 

“Even though like I said it can be scary . . . for me, though, it's completely worth it. She's the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning and the last when I go to bed at night. Every time I'm around her I feel like I can do anything that I want. When we moved in together, it was really strange . . . but strange in a good way! After always coming back to an empty house and having no one there, it was a really nice change having Hinata there to welcome me home.”

 

Naruto watched Gaara for a moment as his friend took the time to think about what he just said. For five minutes, the Kazekage did not move and if Naruto didn't know any better he would have thought that his friend had turned to stone. Eventually, his fingers twitched and his eyes moved up off the floor. “So . . . I should just try and take things slow with Matsuri?”

 

“Exactly. You have to remember, it's not the same as before when we were kids, and we're not alone anymore. Take it one step at a time and eventually you'll know if it feels right having her by your side.”

 

“One step at a time . . .” Gaara repeated. His eyes closed for a moment but then reopened. “I will certainly try and talk to Matsuri tomorrow about this.”

 

“Good.”

 

Gaara slowly stood up and extended his hand, “Good night, Naruto, and thank you for the advice.”

 

“No problem, pal,” smiled Naruto. He too extended his hand and grasped Gaara's in a firm shake. With one final glance, Gaara turned and walked out of the room. A soft sigh escaped his lips before he flopped back down on the bed. Both body and mind were exhausted, and he wanted nothing more than to drift off to sleep. Sliding more up on the bed, he rested his head on the soft, fluffy pillows and slipped under the covers. Blue eyes slowly drifted closed, and he started to feel like he was floating, slowly drifting to sleep. His last passing thought was about Hinata and if she too missed him as much as he missed her.

 

**************

 

Two days later

 

The full moon illuminated the darkened sky, so bright that the street lamps were unnecessary. Even though the night sky was clear, the cold wind and low temperatures were more than enough to keep everyone inside. Only a few brave souls were out in the freezing weather to at least enjoy the view, and Hinata had to admit that the moon was indeed beautiful.

 

A small shiver ran up her spine when a gust of wind passed by, her arms slightly tightening around the brown paper bag of groceries she carried. Late night shopping wasn't exactly her favorite time to get groceries, but after spending all afternoon with her sister trying to find a wedding dress, she simply didn't have time! Sandaled feet moved slowly across the cold, hard ground, making no attempts to quicken her stride in an effort to return home faster. She silently hoped, though, that perhaps if she took her time getting back to the apartment, maybe Naruto would be there waiting for her.

 

After receiving news from Suna that Naruto would be paying a visit to the Kazekage, Hinata had been both happy and sad at the same time. She was happy that Naruto would be able to see his old friend after such a long time but also sad that he would not be coming home right away. She missed him so much. The first few weeks he had been gone were fine, but as the days passed Hinata started to miss him more and more.

 

He will be home soon,and when he returns, I'll give him a big hug and a kiss before making his favorite homemade ramen.

 

Hinata smiled softly and continued on her small journey home. Aside from Kiba, a few of her friends had been worried about Naruto joining up with the ANBU and the probability of him being gone a lot, especially with their wedding so close. She had to admit that she too had been worried about Naruto being gone so much and the fear that they might slowly grow apart. However, her fiancé had calmed her nerves . . .

 

She watched silently as he started to pack, only taking what was absolutely necessary for his training session. Even though he would be leaving early in the morning and would be gone for over two months, she couldn't help but smile when he grabbed the picture of them at the hot springs.

 

“I'm really sorry about the short notice,Hinata-chan, but this is a chance I've been waiting for! I can't pass it up! If I say no now, who says I'll have another chance like this again?” Naruto asked softly, glancing at her over his shoulder.

 

Hinata nodded but could not bring her eyes up to meet his.“I know,Naruto-kun. I just can't help it, I'm going to miss you while you're gone. And I know that it's just training but . . . once you do join the ANBU force,then you're going to be going on more dangerous and longer missions.”

 

Pale eyes continued to look at the floor, even when she heard Naruto sigh and walk towards her. Strong, warm arms wrapped around her and pulled her into a tight embrace, “I know,Hinata-chan. You have no idea how thankful I am for you supporting me in this, even though it's dangerous.”

 

Slim arms came up to wrap around his back, pulling him closer to her.“I know this is something you really want to do.”

 

His cheek rubbed against hers.“I'll make you a promise, Hinata-chan. I just want to be on the team for a little bit, at the very most two years. After the talk I had with Kakashi-sensei,I don't think I could handlebeing on for longer than that. Would you be okay with that?”

 

“Two years . . .”Hinata whispered softly, “I think I would be okay with that, Naruto-kun.”

 

His lips parted into a smile before kissing the smooth skin just below her ear, “Thank you,Hinata-chan. I promise I'll make it up to you every time I get back, and . . .” he pulled away from her a bit so that his forehead could rest against hers, “When I'm done with the ANBU, I've already talked to Tsunade-baachan about what I want to do next and the good news is I'll be in the village more.”

 

“You will be?”

 

“Yeah. Tsunade-baachan thinks I'll be ready to take on a genin team by then,and usually in the first year,theteam stays in the village to work on teamwork and survival skills. Even if I do get sent out on missions,they will be small ones where I'll be gone for two weeks at the most.”

 

Hinata smiled as well. “I would be really happy with that, Naruto-kun. Father has been talking aboutteaching me more about the clan and the roles I'll be taking as the next headand that he wants to start in the next couple of years.”

 

“That's really good to hear, Hinata-chan. See? It all works out perfectly,” Naruto whispered,and she could feel his breath on her lips.“You know Hina-chan . . . it's going to be a while before I see you again . . .”

 

Her eyes widened slightly at the huskiness that had overtaken his voice, and she shivered with need.“I know . . .”

 

“I'm really going to miss you . . .”

“I'm going to miss you too . . .”

 

Their hands almost moved in unison as they discarded each other's clothing, tossing them to the side and out of the way. Naruto gently laid his lover onto their bed, kissing her tenderly before his lips started to worship the rest of her body. When he had reached the tip of her toes, Naruto was rather surprised when he found their positions switched and it was Hinata's lips moving across his own body.

 

They made love slowly and tenderlytime after time, relishing in the feeling of being together. Her soft moans drove him close to insanity, while his whispered words of love made tears well in her eyes. Throughout the night,they continued their intimate dance until their bodies were spent and exhaustedbefore falling asleep in each other's arms.

 

In the morning he wokeher with a soft kiss. She had watched him climb out of bed, get dressed, check his pack one more time,and then he had come to her. Pulling her out of bed, he kissed her tenderly; his hands running across her naked body one final time. She escorted him to the door while their hands were still clasped together, knowing that soon they would be apart for a while.

 

As Naruto turned the knob and opened the door, he pulled Hinata to him once more for a kiss goodbye.

 

“Take care of yourself okay? I love you.”

 

“I love you too,Hinata-chan. Good-bye.”

 

Hinata didn't even blush from the intimate memory, but simply smiled and wondered how she would react when she saw him again.

 

Slowly, she walked up the steps one at a time, taking a moment to admire the moon's beauty before she went inside for the night. Her cold hands fumbled with the keys before unlocking the door and stepping inside. Immediately, she was hit with a blast of warmth from the heater, but after closing the door behind her, she froze.

 

I turned the heater off after I left this afternoon . . . so who turned it back on?

 

Her heart pounded with anticipation as she walked quickly into the kitchen. The bag of groceries fell from her arms and landed with a thud on the floor. She didn't care if perhaps the eggs were cracked or if the milk would spoil . . . her full attention was focused on the man sitting on the couch.

 

Both of them didn't move for a whole minute, but almost in a flash Naruto was up off the couch and Hinata found her back being pressed up against the wall. Dry, warm lips met soft ones in a feverish kiss. Shapely legs wrapped around his waist to pull him closer to her, while her lips moved hungrily against his. Callused hands were already moving under her shirt, feeling the soft, smooth skin beneath his fingertips.

 

His tongue slipped into her mouth while her dainty hands pulled at his shirt. They parted for a moment when Hinata pulled the material over his head and tossed it to the side. Blue met violet for a brief moment before they indulged into another flurry of kisses, both of them groaning in delight as they tasted one another. Naruto's arms clutched her closer to him, almost crushing her against his chest. He was holding onto her so tightly, as if he were afraid she would disappear if he dared to let go, even a little bit.

 

Without a word, he carried Hinata to their bedroom, but they never made it to the bed. As soon as the door was shut, she found herself being pressed up against the wall again while his hands were trying to loosen her legs around his waist. With her feet solidly on the floor, Hinata found herself whipped around with her hands planted on the wall in front of her. She shivered and moaned softly when she felt his hands pull and tug her pants down to her knees. She could hear the sound of Naruto's soft grunts as he fumbled with his own pants and soon felt his erection and bare hips rubbing and grinding her from behind.

 

Being separated from him for so long, Hinata whimpered softly as she moved her hips along with his, wanting to feel him inside her and see those mesmerizing stars when he drove her over the edge. His arms wrapped around her, molding her into him while his lips nibbled the back of her neck. She was about to whine and tell him to stop teasing her like this when suddenly he stopped.

 

Pleasure-filled eyes narrowed slightly as Hinata turned her head to the side, trying to look at her fiancé's face and see why he had stopped. Naruto's eyes were clenched shut, his chest heaving against her back and confident hands were now trembling against her skin. Slowly his eyes opened and he stared at her with a quiet, questioning gaze. Hinata could tell he was nervous and hesitant about something, but since her head was spinning with pleasure, she couldn't understand what he was asking her. His hands moved across her waist slightly, lightly tugging on her clothes to get her attention. She looked down at their intimate position, their bodies pressed so closely together with Naruto holding her so possessively was making her even more light-headed, but it finally clicked in her mind why Naruto was hesitant. For the first time she was about to make love with Naruto with all of her clothes still on . . . a `quickie,' as Ino had worded it once.

 

In their previous love making sessions, most of their clothes would be off or they would be completely naked. It never occurred to Hinata to have a `quickie' with Naruto since he took his time with her and always acted like taking off her clothes was some kind of ritual. For most of the time, Naruto was always tender and sometimes possessive with her as well, however there were other times he could be rough with her; deep down she loved it. And right now was one of those times.

 

She had wondered from time to time if Naruto would ever want to do a `quickie' with her, but she had concluded that he didn't - since he had never initiated one before. It then occurred to Hinata that perhaps he didn't think she would be comfortable with one, especially since `quickies' mainly took place outside of the bedroom. Somewhere public, out of eyesight from onlookers, but the thought of being caught drove the passion on. Ino had once stated that it was also used when there simply wasn't enough time to go through the whole removing of clothes and the foreplay. It was when you wanted your partner at that momentand couldn't wait another second.

 

Hinata smiled and nudged her hips against his, moaning softly when she felt his burning skin against her own. A soft grunt left Naruto's throat, his arms tightening around her when she did it again. Her eyes bore into his, wordlessly letting him know that this was okay and that she too wanted him now.Perhaps being away from each other for such a long time ignited this new fire burning inside her entire being. For she didn't think she could wait another second to have him.

 

Naruto's eyes widened slightly with the dark look his lover was giving him and no longer could he hold back that resisting temptation to slip into her scorching heat. Another second didn't even pass before Naruto slipped inside her, and finally he was now home.

 

Their encounter was quick and rough. Naruto would thrust forward while Hinata would push back, both of their moans echoing off the bedroom walls. It wasn't too long until both of them tumbled over the edge for the first time that night. The blond ninja slumped forward slightly, his head resting on Hinata's shoulder, trying to catch his breath as he relished in the afterglow of their quick love making. Blue eyes slowly opened to stare at hers, and he first thought about how to apologize to his still shy lover. Even though Hinata had made such great progress with being more open to him, doing a `quickie' was something he had placed near the end of his list. He wanted her to be completely comfortable in the bedroom and even making love in different areas of the apartment before thinking of doing a `quickie' with her out in the public area.

 

However, when her eyes met his, she was looking at him with that dark lookagain. Her bedroom eyes always drove him wild, but whenever she gave him that dark-hooded look he would almost completely lose his mind. And her eyes were now telling him that she had enjoyed it just as much as he did.

 

Hinata spoke the first words since her arrival, “Okaeri, Naruto-kun.”

 

Naruto chuckled softly and placed a kiss on her cheek. “Tadaima, Hinata-chan. Can you tell I missed you?”

 

Her soft giggle was music to his ears, and he was even more amazed when she didn't blush as she gazed down at their still intimate position. “You must have really missed me. You didn't even give us time to take our clothes off.”

 

“What can I say? I really needed you.”

 

“I needed you too. I'm so glad you came home safe and sound.”

 

“I promised you I would,” Naruto whispered softly. “And you know I always keep my promises.”

 

Hinata smiled, but then whimpered softly when she felt Naruto slowly pull out of her. She didn't even bother to adjust her clothing and neither did her lover, for both of them knew that this was only just the beginning.

 

“Seventy-eight.”

 

The Hyuuga tilted her head to the side. “Seventy-eight?”

 

“That's how many days I've been gone, and each of those lonely nights I longed to have you in my arms . . . I've got a lot of making up to do - I figured if we make love eleven times a night for a week that would suffice and make up the lost time . . .”

 

***************

 

Naruto sighed blissfully as the hot water from the shower beat down on his body. His homesickness was completely gone now - he was home. Turning the knob on the shower off, he stepped out and dried himself off with one of the new orange towels that decorated his bathroom. Opening the bathroom door, he walked into the bedroom and smiled at the pleasant yet sexy sight before him. Hinata was still fast asleep, her dark hair tangled and splayed against the pillow, and the dark blue sheets were teasingly giving him a view of some parts of her body.

 

His first instinct was to crawl back into bed with his Hinata, but a soft growl from his stomach indicated that he needed food to recharge his battery. Keeping the towel wrapped around his waist, he tiptoed into the kitchen in an effort not to wake his lover.

 

While making his cereal, Naruto eyed the new decorations in his living room. At first he had been a bit hesitant when Hinata had requested to redecorate his place while he was gone. The thought of her turning it into a girly house like Sakura had done to Lee's apartment when they moved in together - never before had he seen that much pink before. Shaking his head, Naruto berated himself for ever thinking Hinata would do the same things. The bare couch now had a black blanket draped over the back for snuggling and the once empty table had a small green frog centerpiece with a patch of pansies growing in the small opening on the back. The walls were still white but were now covered with picture frames. They ranged from pictures of him and Hinata, their friends, her family, a picture of him and Iruka at Ichiraku's . . . but the last picture by the window caught his attention. Setting his bowl of cereal on the table, Naruto strolled closer to get a better look and completely stopped dead in his tracks. The smiling face the fourth Hokage, whose arm was wrapped around a beautiful red-headed woman, met his shocked eyes. His parents. Naruto's jaw dropped, and suddenly he was finding it hard to breathe. His knees shook slightly and body trembled, feeling extremely overwhelmed.

 

Where did Hinata find this?

 

A soft yawn caught his attention which caused him to whip around. Hinata slowly walked out of their bedroom with only a sheet wrapped around her. If he wasn't still in shock from the picture, he would have been tempted to pull her towards the couch and see what she was hiding under those sheets.

 

“Ohayou, Naruto-kun,” She whispered softly before yawning again. “Do you like how our place looks now?”

 

“Hinata-chan . . . where did you find this?”

 

Naruto's soft, quivering voice caught Hinata's full attention and her eyes turned to the picture hanging off the wall. Smiling softly, Hinata stepped forward and grasped her fiancé's hand. “Tsunade-sama found this one. It was my favorite out of all of them, because really it's the only family picture.”

 

“What?” Naruto turned his gaze back to the photo. His eyes widened as he saw the swelling stomach of his mother and realization soon dawned on him. Minato's hand was gently resting on his mother's hand, caressing her round stomach. His eyes swelled with tears, but before he could thank Hinata for putting up the picture, something she had said suddenly hit him, “Your favorite? What do you mean? There were others to choose from?”

 

Hinata guided him back towards the table and motioned for him to sit. “Give me a moment, and I'll show you. I was planning on giving it to you as soon as you got home, but well . . . we kind of got distracted.”

 

He watched as Hinata disappeared back in the bedroom but emerged shortly with a wooden box in her hands. She sat down across from him at the table and set it down. “I spent all of September and most of October putting this together for you. I knew you wouldn't be home for your birthday, so I tried to find as many as I could before you returned home. Happy belated birthday, Naruto-kun.”

 

Slowly opening the box, Naruto realized that it was a photo album inside. His eyes widened as he understood how Hinata had busied herself while he was away for the past few months. Trembling fingers pulled back the cover where there was a blank page filled with Hinata's beautiful writing.

 

To my darling Naruto,

 

Happy 19thbirthday,and even though you have no memories of your parents, I wanted you to have a keepsake of them.

 

Hinata

 

Turning the next page, Naruto was suddenly swept with unfamiliar emotions that almost had him in tears. There were pages and pages of his parents that had been divided up into four sections. The first section was of his father ranging from him as a child, to adult and then to Hokage. The second was of his mother. The third section was small, but Naruto didn't seem to care as he flipped through the few pictures of his parents' wedding. The very last section had Naruto so emotional that he couldn't see properly with the tears welling up in his eyes. It was pictures taken during the course of Kushina's pregnancy. The pictures ranged from his parents' decorating a baby room, to one that had Jiraiya kneeling on the ground with his head pressed up against his mother's belly.

 

He was unable to say anything, and for a moment he had forgotten that Hinata was in the room with him until he felt her slender arms wrap around his shoulders from behind. “Otou-sama and Tsunade-sama had quite a sum of the pictures locked away in the Hokage monument. Kakashi-sensei had a couple and so did a few of the other clan leaders like Shikamaru-kun's and Chouji-kun's dad. When I had heard that your mother was from the Wave country, I managed to convince Tsunade-sama to give me a few weeks off from missions so I could go there and try to find some pictures of your mom. Unfortunately none of your mother's family is alive, but there were quite a few of her friends that had old childhood pictures of her.”

 

Naruto couldn't tell which was more overwhelming. Seeing the smiling faces of his parents or the fact that Hinata had gone to such great lengths to put the whole album together for him. His hands found hers, intertwining them before his eyes fell on the ring that she wore on her left hand. Wife. Hinata's going to be my wife soon. To spend the rest of my life with her . . .

 

Slowly standing up, Naruto turned around and wrapped his arms around his soon-to-be bride. “Thank you so much, Hinata-chan. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

 

Smiling softly, Hinata kissed his whiskered cheek. “You're very welcome Naruto-kun.”

 

His hands caressed her back, gliding over the material of the sheet that was still wrapped around her body. Burying his face in the crook of Hinata's neck, he inhaled deeply, taking in the sweet smell of his lover. He shivered softly when he felt Hinata's soft hands slowly glide across his bare back, tracing across his shoulders and down his spine. Naruto didn't want the intimate moment to end, and his eyes drifted over to the couch nearby, a soft smile spreading across his face.

 

His lips lightly kissed her the side of her neck while masculine hands moved across her hips to slip inside the sheet. He smirked against her soft skin and was prepared for Hinata's soft lecture about him being insatiable, but as his hand drifted across her left side he felt something unfamiliar.

 

Naruto pulled away slightly and gave Hinata a questioning look. Before she could ask what was wrong, the jinchuuriki kneeled down and pulled the material of the sheet to the side. His eyes widened at the small gash-like scar that now splayed on Hinata's side, “How did you get this?”

 

Hinata was surprised at first that he had noticed, but simply smiled, “A couple weeks ago I challenged Father to a duel.”

 

“What!?” Naruto shot up like a bullet.

 

“It's okay Naruto-kun, I'm fine. I had a few serious injuries, but as you can see I made a full recovery.”

 

Naruto's eyes narrowed for a moment and it suddenly dawned on him what exactly that chill was he had felt a couple of weeks ago. I knew it! Something did happen while I was gone, but at least Hinata-chan is okay. “I wish I could have been there . . .”

 

“It's okay. Besides it wasn't exactly a victory for my part.”

 

The blond ninja frowned. “You lost to Hiashi?”

 

“No. It was actually a stalemate. I passed out from draining my chakra too much and from exhaustion, but father was unable to stand after my last attack. So, Tsunade-sama declared the fight a tie. She even gave me a small lecture for being so reckless and thinks you're starting to be a bad influence on me.”

 

Naruto laughed softly, “The guts to never give up is a bad thing?”

 

“No, being reckless with your own body and health.”

 

“Ah, okay. Yeah, I highly recommend you not do that again, unless you have a tailed beast that helps you recover fast like I do.” Naruto knelt back down and tried to expose her soft stomach. “Is there a seal on here?”

 

Hinata giggled and lightly batted his prodding hands. “Stop! That tickles!”

 

Naruto's merciless fingers moved across her skin, tickling Hinata to tears as she squealed and giggled for him to stop. Her knees buckled and Naruto caught her, the couple now rolling around on the ground laughing. They finally came to stop, both of them lying on their sides and wrapped in the sheet. Naruto's towel lay forgotten near the kitchen table, but neither of them noticed as they simply stared at each.

 

“So . . . how are the plans coming for the wedding?” Naruto asked softly, brushing a strand of hair behind Hinata's ear.

 

“They're coming along. I picked out my dress yesterday.”

 

“Oooh, I can't wait to see it. It's kind of hard to believe that in a few more weeks we're going to be married . . . but I'm really glad that we are.”

 

“Me too.” Hinata whispered.

 

Naruto wanted nothing more than to just lie there on the floor with Hinata, however that thought was soon cut short.

 

“We have a few things to do today to prepare for the wedding.”

 

A soft groan left Naruto's lips. “I just got back . . .”

 

Hinata giggled softly, “its okay, Naruto-kun. Otou-sama and Hanabi-chan are doing most of the planning, so we just have to take care of a few minor details.”

 

“Like what? I'm really not in the mood to pick out my suit today,” grumbled Naruto. If there was one thing he wasn't a fan of, it was shopping for clothes, especially for himself.

 

“No. We just have to pick out our wedding bands, pick out a cake and find a guest book.”

 

Naruto smiled, “That actually doesn't sound so bad, at least I get to spend the day with you.”

 

“Well at least that's for today. Once Otou-sama finds out you're back, he's going to take you out to find your suit. I believe his exact words were, `There is no way in hell that my future son-in-law is going to show up at the wedding in an orange suit'.”

 

Naruto groaned. “Let's just keep it a secret that I'm home for just a little while. I'm not quite ready to do anymore wedding stuff with your father . . . or attend another Hyuuga meeting. The last time I went to one I almost fell asleep.”

 

“I know they can be a bit boring, but you are making great progress. Even father was impressed that you're starting to get a great understanding about how our clan is run.”

 

“That's only because you explain it to me in simpler terms. I don't want to talk about meetings right now, Hina-chan, I just want to . . .”

 

Grrroooooowwwwlllll.

 

Hinata giggled at the sound of Naruto's rumbling stomach, “Finish you're forgotten cereal?”

 

“Forget the cereal. How about ramen for breakfast?”

 

*************

 

Author Notes-

 

Yes, I know the update for this chapter took over a month, but I had a really bad writer's block, and I've been very busy.

 

So please review! The more reviews I get, the more I'm inspired to write!

 

Lynns