Secret Lovers
Chapter 1 - A peaceful day in Konoha
It was a peaceful day in Konoha. It was the first in over a month with everything from Pain's invasion to the war with Akatsuki keeping its citizens busy. While she wasn't the one affected by it the most in any way Hinata had gone through a lot since her encounter with Pain. Even though she was fully healed she could still remember the pain of the wound inflicted by the man they believed to be Akatsuki's leader.
Still this was a day to sit back and enjoy the peace while it lasted. She decided to spend this time with her team mates Kiba and Shino at Ichiraku Ramen.
"How long has it been since we've done something like this as friends rather than as a team?" Kiba said as he wolfed down a bowl of beef ramen.
"Too long." Hinata replied smiling.
"Though the fact it's just the four of us would imply that this is a team thing." Shino added wiping the stains from his shirt.
"Dammit Shino! Do you have to be so technical all the time?" Kiba shouted spitting bits of meat into his team mate's face
Shino just stared at him.
"Never mind. So Hinata did you get a chance to speak with Naruto yet?"
"N-no, not really." She sighed.
"It's understandable. He has had a lot on his mind lately." Shino said rubbing Kiba's spit off his face.
"Understandable my ass! Our girl Hinata poured her heart out to that guy and he hasn't even addressed it yet!"
"Kiba-kun please, you're making a scene." Hinata said before sighing again.
"Fine." Kiba said mumbling "But the guy ain't got any excuse now not to at least talk to her."
"Arf!" Kiba's dog Akamaru barked in agreement.
"I'm fine Kiba-kun. Really." Hinata said before Kiba could rant any farther "I haven't really approached Naruto-kun about my confession either. I may have gotten a little more self-confidence but I'm still a little shy around him, sometimes I wonder if a relationship between us could even work."
"Hinata." Shino sighed.
"I'm not saying this as a way of talking down about myself. I'm just worried that may end up being the case."
"Just make sure to think about the positive possibilities as well." Shino said as he picked up his bag and stood up.
"Leaving?" Kiba asked licking his lips.
"Yes." Shino replied "I haven't had a good night's sleep in weeks."
"Come to think of it" Kiba yawned "I've not been getting much sleep lately either. What about you Hinata?"
"I'm still a little hungry." She said looking at the three empty bowls in her place "I think I'll have one more bowl before heading home."
"Fair enough. See you tomorrow Hinata!"
And with that Kiba was off. Shino waved and walked in the other direction. Hinata waved at her friends and turned towards the fresh new bowl of miso ramen waiting for her.
Before she even started eating an all too familiar face jumped into the seat beside her.
"Yo Teuchi! Three bowls of the usual please!"
"Coming right up." Replied the man behind the stand.
"Thanks I'm starving!" Naruto said as he sat down "Oh, hi Hinata."
"H-hi Naruto-kun." Hinata replied swirling her ramen around in its bowl.
"Eating alone?"
"Well Kiba-kun and Shino-kun were here earlier but they just left."
"Fair enough. You know with everything that's been going on lately I've missed just sitting down and enjoying a bowl or three of ramen at my favourite place."
"Yeah, we were saying that ourselves earlier."
"I guess great minds must think alike. Did you guys talk about anything else?"
Hinata paused for a second.
"Nothing important." She said scratching the back of her head.
After Naruto's ramen arrived they stopped chatting to eat. Hinata didn't want to seem rude sitting there watching him eat and that last bowl had filled her up so she decided it was time to leave.
"I guess I should be heading home too. It was nice seeing you." She said smiling.
"Wait!" Naruto quickly said with his mouth full of noodles.
Hinata stopped.
"If you don't mind I'd like to talk to you about something."
"T-there is?" Hinata said suddenly feeling very nervous.
She looked over at Teuchi who gave her a look that seemed to say 'I'll leave you two alone' and retreated to the back of the stall.
"Yeah." Naruto said looking around to see if no one was nearby "Do you remember when I was fighting Pain?"
Hinata nodded.
"And how when he had me pinned me to the ground you came to defend me?"
"Y-yes." Hinata gulped.
"And you said that- That you love me."
This time Hinata just blushed being unable to nod or speak.
"D-did you mean it?" Naruto said blushing slightly himself.
Hinata stopped for a moment. She had never seen Naruto stutter before.
"Every word." Hinata said as her face went bright red
"Well…"
'Oh God!'
"Wow this is hard to say."
'He really is!'
"I'm really not sure how to feel."
'He's going to reject me! I just know it!'
"So I was thinking."
'Here it comes.'
"Maybe we should try going out or something."
"Huh?"
"Well you're a really sweet girl and I see no reason why we shouldn't at least try and see if we can be a couple."
"So are you asking me out on a date?" Hinata said so shocked she couldn't even stutter.
"Pretty much." Naruto said smiling his usual toothy grin.
"I'd love to."
"Great!" Naruto said jumping up off his seat and slurping up the rest of his ramen "So shall we meet up here tomorrow about four o'clock?"
"Sure." Hinata said.
"Oh and would it bother you if we just keep this to ourselves?"
"I guess not. Why?"
"I'll tell you tomorrow. During our date."
"Ok. S-see you tomorrow Naruto-kun."
"Bye!"
And with that Hinata was alone again hearing Naruto's words repeat in her head.
'Maybe we should try going out'
'You're a really sweet girl'
'Our date'
'Date'
"Date." She said to herself as she walked back home "A date with Naruto-kun."
When she got to her room she didn't even have time to change. She fainted face first onto the bed with a smile on her face.
'Just when I thought I'd gotten better at this'