The Foxes of the Village Hidden in the Leaves

This story has been prowling around in my head for a few years now, so I thought that it was about time that I freed it from its cage and let it roam free upon. Its set after the time gap in the show but that's about all and follows both Naruto and Hinata as they learn about an unique bond that exist only between them in addition to profound life altering affect that it will ultimately have upon both of thier lives. As always I welcome all opinions so plz R&R.

Some romances are fleeting not lasting for very long at all but than there are those lucky few that are eternal and last for all time, this story is about one of such loyalty and profound love that not even a little thing like being forever sealed inside the body of an ungrateful host could ultimately keep him away from the one he once held most dear.

" "- Talking

Kyuubi/Sora

Thought

Disclaimer; I don't own Naruto or any of its characters

Chapter one,

New feelings awaken

In his small one bedroom apartment, a spiky blond haired ninja wearing an orange and black jump suit was laying down on the beaten up old sofa, that had come with the apartment when he first moved in, staring up at the ceiling with a glazed over look in his eyes as he tried to think of something that he and Hinata could do together that day; since it was still a little to early to go and pick up the soft spoken beauty outside of the gates of her clans massive complex in less than two hours. Naruto Uzumaki had not been assigned a single mission in nearly two weeks and he was beginning to get annoyed, actually bored was more like it. Naruto had just seen off Neji, Shino, Kiba, Tenten, Sakura, and Gai-sensei the previous morning. If Sakura had not ask him to she her off, Naruto wouldn't have gone in the first place but now he was glad that he had because for the first time ever in his life he was happy, for Neji had given him the job of protecting his cousin and apple of Naruto's eye, Hinata Hyuuga. Naruto closed his eyes as he thought about how wonderful the pervious day had been with his indigo haired angel and only hoped that these joyous days would not end when her cousin had returned from the mission he was currently on.

*** Flash Back***

"Naruto, I have a favor to ask of you," Neji said as he gave his friend a one armed hug.

"And what would that be, Neji?" Naruto asked the longhaired Hyuuga genius.

"I would like you to keep an eye on my cousin, Hinata, while I am away," Neji said as he pulled away from Naruto and stood in front of his friend, "As her sworn protector, it's my duty to leave her protection to someone whom I feel is capable, when I must leave for any missions. So Naruto what do you say, will you do this for me?"

"Don't you usually have Rock Lee do that," Naruto said before he could stop himself.

"I thought that he could use a little break," Neji said, noticing the slight twinkle that suddenly appeared in the depths of Naruto's eyes, "If you do this for me I will treat you to all the ramen, you can eat when I get back."

Naruto turned and looked over at where the indigo haired heiress, was standing. Hinata looked down at the ground when she noticed Naruto looking at her, to hide the deep blush that was quickly spreading across her cheeks. Naruto could fell his own face beginning to get warm the longer he continued to look in her direction, and knew that if he didn't look away, soon his blush would rival her own; the feelings that arose in him every time he was close to Hinata, where new to him but he somehow knew that they were different from anything that he might have felt about Sakura. Naruto slowly turned to face Neji, and nodded his head in agreement. Then Neji thanked him, and left to join the rest of the group who were already walking through the open village gates. Naruto watched until the group turned the bend in the road, before walking over toward Hinata.

"So what do you want to do now, Hinata?" Naruto asked the indigo haired heiress, as he stood beside her.

"How about we go for some ramen, Naruto" Hinata suggested not meeting her crushes eye.

"That's the best idea, that I have heard all day," said Naruto as they began to walk down the street in the direction of his favorite ramen stand.

"There you two are," said Ichiraku as he placed two bowls of miso ramen in front of Naruto and Hinata, a short time later, after having arrived at the food vendor and sitting down on the two vacant stools, told him what they wanted, "Have a nice day and enjoy your meal."

"Idatakimasu," Naruto and Hinata said in unison they each broke apart the pair of chopsticks that sat across the top of each of their bowls.

"So, tell me Hinata do you come here often because the way Ichiraku friendly smiled at you makes me think, that you must frequent this place almost as much as it do," Naruto asked awkwardly feeling unbelievable nervous, even thought he knew that he had no reason to be that way.

"I do come here from time to time, Naruto, but I haven't been here in a little," Hinata answered back only briefly meeting the honest blue pools, that he had for eyes before retuning to the contents of the bowl on the narrow counter top directly in front of her, "Not since your last mission anyways, I heard from Sakura that you had a spot of trouble with some bandits on the way back home."

"Yeah we did but it was nothing that I couldn't handle," Naruto said reassuringly swallowing what he had in his mouth before flashing the beauty sitting on the stool beside him a goofy grin causing her to giggle unexpectedly, "This is fun, just the two of us hanging out together like this, we don't get many chances to do this and it would be nice if we could do this again sometime. Even if Neji isn't away on a mission, I would still like to spend some more time with you Hinata, that is only if you would not mind spending it with me."

"I would like to do that but I don't think that my father, would like it that much," said Hinata as she plucked some noodles out of her bowl.

"Hinata, are you always going to let your father control your life," said Naruto as he snared some noodles between his chop sticks and lifted them out of his bowl, "You nearly died because of his arrogance during the Chuunin exams. I could have killed Neji for what he did to you that day and probably would had no problem doing so, if Rock Lee had not stepped in-between the two of us when he did."

"That's very touching, Naruto,' said Hinata' as she stirred the contents of her bowl with her chopsticks and watched as they danced in the flavorful rich amber broth, "But if you killed Neji, than my father would have no choice but to kill you as well."

"It's not like it would have, really mattered all that much, if I lost you," Naruto muttered under his breath, hoping that Hinata would not hear him.

"Did you just say something, Naruto?" Hinata asked unsure if she had just heard what could have possibly been the closest thing to a confession of love for her from Naruto, of all people.

"So when we finish here, what do you want to do?" Naruto said thinking very quickly, to get his mind off the day that he had almost lost Hinata for good.

"It really doesn't matter, to me," said Hinata as a few ideas of how the two could spend the day together popped into her head, "We could do what ever we want, just as long as I am home before my curfew."

After they finished eating Naruto pulled his frog shaped wallet, which earned him another cute little giggle form Hinata, out of his pants pocket and paid for lunch, before the two of them hopped down from there stools and walked in the direction of the village training grounds. Naruto leaned against a tree as he watched Hinata get into her fighting stance, in a secluded corner of the training grounds, a short time later. Hinata found it extremely hard to concentrate solely on her training with her longtime crush watching her but she was also determined to show Naruto just how much she had improved since her match in the Chuunin exams. Quickly getting bored after just ten minutes of watching his secret angel agilely follow form one from of her gentle fist style to the next one, Naruto whistled to get Hinata's attention before walking over to were she stood in the clearing and taking a fighting stance opposite her, motioned for her to come at him with all that she had. Hesitating for a few moments by her crushes actions, the Hyuuga maiden quickly re-took her first stance before charging forward in an attack.

Even as she ran toward him, the spiky blond haired teen could tell by the look in her eyes that she was holding back no doubt afraid to seriously injure him and easily side stepped her charge, taking her down by sweeping out her left leg from underneath her while she past him, a few moments later. Feeling a surge of energy course though out his entire body as she took hold of the hand that he had offered to help Hinata back to her feet, Naruto pulled her right into his chest where the two teen's lips met in an unexpected kiss. Losing themselves in the shared happiness of the unexpected intimate contact, the heiress slid her arms up the front of his chest and wrapped them lovingly around his neck while he tenderly embraced her with his around her waist. Both blushing profusely as they broke apart for air, a few moments later, they both tried to apologize at the same time only to laugh at there own antics. Reluctantly braking their lovers embrace, a few minutes later, even thought she got the feeling that both were enjoying it, Hinata was incredible happy that the two of them had just kissed yet knew that she couldn't allow it to go any further than that, thought she dearly wished that she could always feel as safe as she had a few minutes earlier whilst tenderly held in the arms of her crush. Taking her fighting stance opposite Naruto the two resumed sparring, both pushing the blissful joy and happiness of their inadvertent kiss to the back of their minds, a few moments later.

Later on that evening, pale moonlight flooded the village streets as Naruto carried Hinata back to the Hyuuga Clan complex because she had fainted right into his waiting arms, completely tired out after five hours of non-stop sparing with him. As far as training sessions went it was one that he would not forget for a long time to come and it just wasn't because of the kiss that they had inadvertently kissed either but that moment certainly did stand out, even though Naruto easily bested most of her attacks there were the odd one or two that hit there mark and to help boost her confidence allowed the Kyuubi to slowly recover the charka points that had been blocked. Glancing down at the angelic maiden that lay cradled in his arms, Naruto could keep himself from smiling when he saw just how beautiful she was as she slept and found himself thinking that he wouldn't mind waking next to that look every morning. If Hinata could ever think of them as more than just friends as he had come to think of her in this way for quite sometime now but had been to afraid to admit his true feelings toward her out of fear that she would reject him, not to mention that even if she did feel the same way about him that he felt about her, the odds were stacked against them because there was no way a clan political driven man like her father, Hashi Hyuuga, would ever approve of a union between the two of them. Holding her body a little closer to his since he probably would never chance to hold the this close again anytime in the near future or even have the chance to hold her in the lovers embrace that he longed to, Naruto stopped and leaning down planted a tender kiss upon her forehead before straightening up and continuing to walk toward her clans massive complex.

Stifling a yawn with her right hand as they stood outside of the massive complex's front gate, a short time later, Hinata rubbed her eyes with the other and cheerfully smiled up at the whisker marked checks of the person that was carrying her. Thanking Naruto for the fun day she had, had and for carrying her all the way back home as he gentlemanly set her down on her sandaled feet, a few moments later, the Hyuuga maiden slipped her arms around his neck and kissed him squarely on the lips. Wrapping his arms around her back as the two teen's boldly kissed outside the gates of the Hyuuga clan complex, where any member of either the branch or main family could have come walking out and catch them locked together, Naruto interlocked their fingers and pulled her as close as physically possible. Playfully rubbing her nose other the side of his as they broke apart, a few minutes later, before someone from either family caught the two of them, Hinata slowly slid her arms over the front of his jacket whilst she told him that she was looking forward to the next day and couldn't wait to see what he had planned for the two of them to do. Deep within the spiky haired teen's subconscious, where the Kyuubi resided sealed within his cage, even the russet dog recognized the seductive edge in her voice as Hinata had said this to his host and just knew that it would go right over his head, the thick headed idiot that he was oblivious to even the most subtle signs of the silver-eyed vixens true feelings toward him but that just wasn't it, for the demon couldn't quite put his paw on it yet but he felt as if he had a strange connection to her as well.

Reluctantly breaking their tender embrace, a few moments later, Hinata bid Naruto goodnight and waving goodbye to him opened the door, which was set inside the much larger double door gate of the clan complex and stepped inside. Feeling a slight chill wash over her as she closed and barred the door securely behind her, the maiden rubbed both of her hands over her crossed arms in an attempt to wipe it away but it stubbornly remained. Once inside the reception area of the main house, Hinata removed her sandals and jacket, placing both in there proper place before turning right down the first hallway off of the reception area, to where her bedroom was located on its connected hallway on the other side of the main clans family home with the other chambers that belonged to her little sister and just slightly older cousin at one end and her fathers larger one at the other end.

"Your late," Hinata heard a voice behind her say as she slid her bedroom door closed behind her and turned on the light switch, a few minutes later.

Turning around on the ball of her slipper covered feet terrified that she might meet her father's angry face with hers, only to see her eleven year old sister, Hanabi Hyuuga, sitting on the edge of her bed instead.

"I am not that late, sis, I am?" Hinata said as she walked over to her bed and sat down on its edge.

"You are nearly two hours past curfew, missy," Hanabi said sternly standing on her slipper covered feet and waving a finger from side to side, doing a pretty good imitation of there dominating father, "Who or what could have, possible kept you out this late?"

"I was busy training and just lost track of time, that's all, Hanabi," Hinata said as a slight blush adorned her cheeks as she thought about all the fun that she had training with her crush, not to mention the caring love she felt deep within him the two times that they had kissed despite her knowing better than to get either one of their hopes up like that but a girl could dream couldn't she, "Naruto was helping me with my gentle fist, he's such an excellent sparing partner."

"Oh, well no wonder you are home so late, sis," Hanabi said now mildly interested, "So how did he react when you told him, that you liked or should I say loved him?"

"I never got the chance to tell him, besides if you have not noticed I was half asleep when he dropped me off this evening," Hinata said as she felt her cheeks warm even more as she sat down on the edge of her bed and lightly traced her lips with the fingers of her right hand unbeknownst to her, "But we did kiss thought, twice, and it made me feel all warm and tingly on the inside and I felt so safe and protected in his arms, that it was as if the rest of the world around us completely disappeared for the minutes that we spend locked together."

"Now its official, there's no denying it Hinata, you're definitely in love with him," Hanabi sad sitting back down beside her older sibling as placing her right hand upon her left one which sat at top her thigh, "So what are you going to do next, sis?"

"Even if I did confess the true depth of my feelings toward him and he did return them in kind, Hanabi, what are the odds that a political motivated man like our father would approve of the two us dating, let alone contemplate a more serious commitment such as marriage," Hinata said an edge of sadness coming to her voice as the image of her and Naruto wearing traditional ceremonial kimonos' standing before a priest formed in her minds eye only to by tore away a few moments later as the cold voice of her father rang out, loudly shouting that no daughter of his would ever marry such a social outcast and especially not one as lowly as her spiky hairedbeloved, "Maybe it would just be better for the both of us, if I just grew up and forgot all about this silly school girl crush of mine but even if I did that that we would still have good memories of our first kiss, that was truly one magical moment that I'm sure I'll never forget no matter how hard I try."

"I've never had the pleasure of being in love, sis, but even I know that means you're suppose to be with that knuckle head," Hanabi said knowing that it was granted to get a proactive response from her older sibling, "If you are truly at your happiest when your are with him then it shouldn't matter what our father thinks, you should do what makes you the happiest."

"Naruto is not a knuckle head, I mean sure he can be excitable sometimes but for the most part he's a kind, forgiving, honest and all around great guy that any girl would be lucky to be able to call there one and only," Hinata said raising her head high and looking her younger sister directly in the eyes while silent tears threatened to fall from her own, "On top of that he will always have my support even if I don't have the pleasure of being that one lucky girl."

"Now there's the, Hinata, I know," Hanabi said lifting her right hand from where it sat upon her older sister's thigh and began to wipe away the tears that pooled in the corners of Hinata's eye, "Never stop fighting to make your dream come true, not even if it means having to leave our clan just to be with the one you hold most dear. Come now, no more tears, we can't have you crying unless there tears of happiness that is, just remember that you get to spend a whole day with the one you love tomorrow and everyday until Neji returns. So when an opportunity arises to confess just open your heart and let the whole world knew just how much you love him, it's unhealthy to keep things like this penned up inside."

"Thanks, Hanabi, I really needed that and who knows perhaps your right," Hinata said a cheerful tone returning to her voice, "There's no way for me to really know just how much Naruto cares about me, if I don't tell him now is there. Ok it's settled I will tell him the first chance that I get tomorrow."

"And I have no doubt that his answer will surprise you, my sister," Hanabi commented smiling knowingly at her older sibling as she stood up and began to walk toward the open bedroom door, "Well good night, Hinata, I just know that you will have very pleasant dreams now without a doubt."

"Hanabi, what do you mean by that his answer will surprise me?" Hinata asked causing her younger sibling to stop in her tracks, "What is it you know, that I don't? If it's about Naruto or his feelings toward me, I have ever right to know."

"Do you promise me that you would get mad at me, Hinata?" Hanabi asked slowly turning around to face her sister.

"That all depends on what exactly you know, Hanabi," Hinata stated more bluntly, then she had intended, and could tell just by the look upon her younger sister face that she had stung her, "I'm sorry, I didn't intend to mean it in a harmful way toward you, it's just that I'm rather touchy when it comes to him."

"And you have every right to be, Hinata, but you must understand that I was only doing this out of concern for you," Hanabi said folding her hands together and placing them behind her back, "When you weren't back by curfew, I got worried at what father might do if he caught you, so I snuck out to look for you but it wasn't until I was on my way back home that I spotted Naruto carrying your sleeping form in arms with your head resting sweetly against the front of his left shoulder. Given how late it was and since he didn't seem to notice me, I followed at a respectful distance and then watched as he stopped roughly two hundred feet of the clan complex, leaned down kissed you on the forehead and I think whispered 'I love you' into you ear before he straighten up and continued walking. I'm not entirely sure about that last part but I know what I saw and he must definitely, without a shadow of a doubt, lovingly kissed you upon the forehead."

"Naruto, Naruto kissed me on the forehead," Hinata said in a state of shock that he would ever do that to her, that which could be seen as an intimate exchange between two lovers depending on the person, and in her current state of mind could mean one thing, that he cared about her almost as much, no more than she could have ever possibly dreamed of, finally realizing that she had been tracing her lips with the fingers of her right hand and lowering it, "Hanabi, please tell my that I haven't been doing that, this entire time and you never told me?"

"If by 'that' you mean lightly rubbing the fingertips of your right hand over your lips, then I'm afraid to tell you that you have, Hinata," Hanabi said smiling warmly at her seated older sister, "Now I'm no expert when it comes to stuff like this but it seems as thought you long to feel the touch of Naruto's lips against yours one last time maybe while he gently lays you down in your bed before you know, he makes a woman out of you," Hanabi added teasingly, clutching her sides in laughter as she watched Hinata's face slowly turn such a bright shade of red that she resembled a tomato as the image of her and Naruto making raw sensual passionate love formed in her minds eye.

"Hanabi, would you please stop saying stuff like that about me and Naruto, we're no were near lovers yet we're not even official a couple," Hinata said once she recovered from the very vivid mental picture her younger sister had painted of the tow of them, a few minutes later, "I do love Naruto that's for certain but even I would never think of doing something like that until both of us were ready and that's the truth."

"But you do, sometimes find yourself longing to feel his touch in the most intimate of ways don't you, Hinata," Hanabi asked while wiping a laughter induced tear away with her left hand as she watched a deep blush cover her older sisters checks once again and had forced herself the stifle the snicker that wanted to burst forth from her mouth at the site.

"Hanabi, I don't know what's come over you suddenly but this is not how a proper younger lady of the Hyuuga clan is supposed to act," Hinata said whilst blushing profusely as the mental image of her passionately raking both her hands over her beloved back as Naruto took her in the shallow pool of a natural hot spring basin formed in her minds eye, "Even if I did have those particular feelings toward my beloved, this is not the sort of things a girl especially one as young as you should be thinking or knowing anything about until your much older."

"Your one to talk, I bet your thinking about that very thing right now," Hanabi jest right back.

"I'll have you know, that I'm thinking of no such thing," Hinata said her voice fluttering even thought she knew her face very likely showed otherwise.

"If you aren't then how come your face is starting to resemble a tomato again," Hanabi said finding it increasingly difficult not to laugh at the site of her blushing sister, "You're thinking indecent thoughts of you and Naruto right now, aren't you?"

"So what if I was, it's perfectly acceptable for me to be thinking of such thoughts of the one in love, however it unacceptable for a youngster such as yourself," Hinata said sighing openly acknowledging that she, on occasion did have those types of thoughts about her spiky haired love and half hoped that he did have times when he thought of her in such ways as well, "But seriously Hanabi, you're way to young to be thinking about such things. Come now its getting pretty late and father will be pissed if he catches both of us still up at this hour."

"True enough, Hinata and I didn't mean to cause you any embarrassment about wanting to be intimate with Naruto, I just merely wanted to see how you would react to my suggestion," Hanabi said finally regaining control over her silent fits of laughter, "I know that you would never do anything like that, until both of you are comfortable with the prospect of it."

Softly smile as she stood up while the blush the covered her face began to fade, Hinata walked over toward her younger eleven year old sister, whom bore a striking similarity to herself only her eyes had more of violet hue like there father then her silvery-white which were just like her late mother, and wrapping her arms around Hanabi embraced her sibling in a hug. Releasing the hug, a few moments later, the two sisters bid one another pleasant dreams and after escorting Hanabi out of her bedroom, slid the door closed behind her. Slipping behind the changing screen in the adjacent corner on the left of the door, the mature sixteen year old Hyuuga maiden, changed out of her training cloths and into the violet tank top and black leisure pants that she wore as sleep wear. Normally Hinata would usually take a bath before she even thought about getting changed and going to bed but given how late it was, she decided that it wasn't worth risking getting caught and jeopardizing her time with her crush so she made up her mind that she would get up earlier the following morning and just take her bath then. Stepping out from behind the privacy screen, a few minutes later, Hinata turned off her bedroom lights and crawling under the thin cotton sheets of her futon, closed her eyes and sailed away into a world of Naruto filled dreams.

Meanwhile in a slummy apartment building on the other side of the village, where the poorest of the poor lived, lone figure walked inside the pitch black interior of his messy apartment, lost in thought about the wonderful day he had just spent with the quiet spoken Hyuuga Heiress and how happy it had made him feel, when the two of them had inadvertently kissed and how complete he felt with her embraced against his chest.

You know, that you did not have carry her all the way across the village, tonight, cackled the Kyuubi's voice from the back of the teens mind as Naruto walked into his dark apartment, You, could have just brought here, back to our den. It would have been closer, and you probably would not be in such a fowl mood, either.

"Did I ask you for your option, you stupid fox," Naruto snarled back at the demon that dwelled within him as he unzipped his jacket and hung it up in his foyer closest.

No, I just thought I would add my own two cents to our recanting of today's fun, mentally retorted the Kyuubi, But it would appear that I have touched a rather sensitive nerve, instead. How interesting.

"There is nothing interesting about," Naruto hissed moodily back as he kicked off his loosened sandals and jammed his feet inside a pair of slippers, "So keep your muzzle out of this, it does not involve you."

Correction, kit, everything that you do involves me. For I am a part of you as much as you are a part me, thanks to the seal that blasted fourth Hokage used to seal me inside of a knuckle head like you. Whom is so oblivious when it comes to vixens, that you didn't even notice the seductive edge, that silvery eyed beauties voice took on when she said that was eagerly looking forward to what ever you had planned for tomorrows activities Kyuubi bit back tactlessly burying his razor shape claws into his vessels subconscious, sick and tired of the teen's thick headedness when it came to the harem of vixens that he had in his life and especially the intimate desires of one in particular, I can think of a few things that would make that silvery eyed beauty very happy indeed and you as well. Just imagine It, the feel of her silken skin underneath your fingertips as you slid your hands over the wonderful curves that she tries to hid under that bulky clothing she wears, feeling it erupt into goose bumps at your most gentle touch, the velvety softness of her lips as their pressed against yours. The soft moan that she cry's into your mouth as you slip your tongue inside of hers and get a taste of her luscious body, that's just begging to be tamed by the man she dearly loves.

"Kyuubi, would you please stop speaking of Hinata in such a disrespectful manner," Naruto stammered in response as the mental image the demonic fox described formed in the back of his mind, only to be further indulged by his own personal desires as well to include the image of Hinata lustfully raking her nails across the flexing muscles of his back as she moaned out his name. Feeling his checks and the tips of his ear warm at what the mental image was implying, the spiky blond haired teen couldn't deny that he found the woman that Hinata had grown into, while he was away to be very attractive nor could he deny that it would make him extremely happy beyond to measure to have someone as beautiful as her as his girlfriend or maybe even his wife but the odds against him were to overwhelming for even him, with the help of Kyuubi, to emerge victorious on the other side and so he kept the true depth of his feelings for her hidden from all except himself and the demonic fox, of course, "She and I are merely just friends and that's all we shall ever be, knowing her family that bastard of a Father she has, has probably promised her hand to someone better off and more socially acceptable than me."

I can't explain why but I feel as thought that silvery eyed vixen may hold the key to both of our happiness for many countless years yet to come, kit, so don't give up your dreams of possessing her just yet things may turn out for the better, youngling, Kyuubi said his voice taking on a kind understandingly fatherly tone,Tomorrow is a brand new day filled with endless possibilities, so if an opening should appear where you can comfortable tell her how much you really like her, than don't let it slip through your fingers. Speaking from experience, sometimes you only get one shot at true happiness and only a fool would allow a beautiful vixen like her got stolen away from him but I'm afraid that's a story for another day.

"Yeah she sure it breathe taking isn't she but then again she has always been that way, every since our days at the academy," Naruto said as intimate image of the two of them faded and his thoughts drifted back to days he had spent learning the basic skills every shinobi needed to know at the local ninja academy and the way that Hinata would always turn to look the other way or look down at her desk top ever time that he would cast his eyes in her direction or the adorably cute way that she used to fidget her index fingers together when ever she would get nervous just being close by him, "Will she has certainly blossomed into a beautiful proper young lady, while we have been away with that total pervert Jiraiya and as far as I can tell all she needed was a little confidence boost to do so."

So you're not as dumb as you look sometimes, kit, and here I thought for sure her subtle seductive cues today went totally over your head, Kyuubi said a slightly snickering tone mixing in with his surprising fatherly one that he continued to speak in, Not to mention that I thought for sure you could only feel this way about Cherry Blossom but now this silver eyed beauty has entered the race as well as, you and I both knew which of the two is the better fit for us but ultimately the final decision is up to you to make, youngling, so choose wisely when it comes to matters of the heart especially when it involves a vixen.

"I used think Sakura was the one for me but ever since that day during the Chuunin exam plumaries and the terrible way that her own cousin was treating her, I guess it flipped a switch somewhere in my subconscious and I haven't been able to think of any other girl in the way that I do about, Hinata," Naruto commented truthfully thinking back about all the missions that Tsunade had send the two of them one together or allowed him to tag along with Hinata's squad and the way that he often would find himself stealing glances of her or feeling a strong desire to protect her at all cost despite the risk it was to him, "But your right about earlier today, Kyuubi, my angels seductive edge did go completely unnoticed by me."

That's why I'm here, kit, Kyuubi said devilishly grinning as the demonic fox peered into the teens thoughts from a few minutes earlier and came across the mental image that had was the reason they were having this conversation to began with, Oh and nice touch by the way, adding the long drawn out moan as that silvery eyed vixen you pine for, racked her nails over your back.

"Kyuubi, don't do that without telling me you are going to first," Naruto scolded the demon fox while a deep red blush crept across his cheeks and he felt the tips of his ears begin to warm, "Those thought's are private, you don't see me casually snooping through your inner most desires do you, not that I could possible think of any reason to do so, other than to discover if you had a sound reason for nearly obligating the only home that I have even known."

I can't help it, being a fox its natural for me, to be curious about the thoughts and inner most desires of my vessel, Kyuubi answered back quickly, I'll have you know that the door swings both ways, kit, if you really wanted to you could look into my thoughts and memories just as easily as I can with yours, with a little bit of mental training that's all.

"That's a very tempting offer, Kyuubi, but it also sounds like a trap so that you can possess me without any or very little resistance on my part," Naruto said contemplating the idea for a few minutes but then thinking better of it, decided it was probably best just to leave things the way they currently were and call it a night before it got any latter, "I think that the way things are between us currently will suffice for now, well it's time we called it a night don't you think so after all tomorrow we have a very busy day, not that I have any idea of what we're going to do together but I'm sure I'll come up with something once I have gotten some rest."

If you can't think of anything, kit, I have a few suggestions that might by of use to you, Kyuubi said, And the best part is that there good clean fun nothing to indecent at least not yet anyway, neither one of you are prepared for the way something like that can drastically change a relationship.

"Kyuubi, no offence intended but I think it would be best if you left the ideas up to me, for now," Naruto said as he pushed the door to his bedroom open, "Even if Hinata and me did become a couple, I don't have a clue how to even explain you're presence within me to her. For all I know it could be the very thing that would destroy our possible relationship as it has most of my life. I only wish that I knew why the fourth Hokage choose me, surely there must have been another child at the village orphanage that he could have chosen instead."

I'm sure that's a secret that you will learn the truth to in good time, kit, but I shall say this you do bare a striking similarity to the man that sealed me inside of you, maybe he chose you because he knew that you were destined to do great things with my unlimited power in the future, Kyuubi suggested, his voice returning to its fatherly tone from before only this time it had a consoling feel to it, What ever the future holds for us now, I get the feeling that our fates are destined to be intertwined but once again I can't explain why I feel that way. Pleasant dreams, kit.

The voice of Kyuubi faded as the demon fox retreated back in to the depths of his subconscious where he belonged, Naruto changed out of his training clothes and into his usual sleepwear of a black t-shirt and blue leisure pants before throwing himself down upon the covers of his queen size bed and falling asleep. A soft smile formed on his face as he rolled over on to side and began to dream of the ideal existence he could have with Hinata, if she would have him that is.

***End flash back***

Opening his eyes Naruto stood up and taking one long look at the dump that he had no choice but to call home, deeply sighed knowing that there was very little chance that he would ever have the pleasure of calling Hinata his girlfriend, let alone parish the thought of having her as a wife with practically no money to his name and next to nothing that could sway her father in his favor. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he began to think back to the events of the day before and how wonderful it made him feel just to be able to spend an entire day with her, the softness of her velvety skin as her fingertips gently wrapped around his neck, and the lovely tenderness that he felt in her lips as the two of them shared an unexpected yet welcome kiss. He missed his beautiful indigo haired angel, just thinking about Hinata's cute little smile as he held her in his arms in that secluded corner of the training area made him forget about his crappy apartment and all of the hardships that he had to endure everyday from most of the villagers; whom still hated him because of the demon that called his body home. Just then there was a knock at his apartment door.

'Nar…Naruto, are you there?' an angelic voice suddenly asked through the apartment's front door. 'Naru…Naruto, please…please answer me, it very im..important.'

Bolting straight for the door, there was no denying that sweet, stuttering voice it could only belong to one person in the entire world, and that person was, Hinata. Throwing the front door of his apartment open, a few moments later, Naruto saw the beauty woman that he longed to call his standing in front of him, fidgeting her index fingers nervously like she used to do when she was really close to him. Smiling down at the very attractive young woman that stood before him, Naruto noticed that she was staring directly down at the floor of the hallway and he just couldn't have that, so he gently placed his right hand upon the top of her slender shoulder and tucking his other under her nicely rounded chin lovingly lifted her head until there eyes locked together.

"There, now that's better, don't you think so, Hinata," Naruto commented tenderly as he removed his left hand from underneath the Hyuuga Maiden's chin, only to use the very same hand the lovingly brush a few loss strands of her long indigo hair that had fallen in front of her beautiful face off to the side, "A beautiful flower such as yourself should never be afraid to keep their face hidden for the warmth of the sun, this is sort of awkward for you to come visit me like this, so I'll just come right out and say it, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, um, what was it now," Hinata said flustered still in the process of recovering form Naruto's loving actions and the fact that he thought she was beautiful and for the next few moments thought back to the kiss they had inadvertently shared and how happy not to mention safe, she felt held there against in his chest and the words of Hanabi encouraging her to never give up on chasing down her dream even if it meant having to leave the clan repeated themselves across her subconscious, "Oh, now I remember, Lady Tsunade wants to see you in her office right away."

"Then how come she sent you, not that I'm complaining that its," Naruto commented teasingly making Hinata blush lightly, "But this is something that she usually sends a runner to tell me."

"If your already to go, Naruto-k I mean Naruto, than I shall be more than happy to take you to see her," Hinata said catching herself before the affection title had slipped out completely and hoped that her long time crush didn't notice it, "So much for spending our day together and I was really looking forward to whatever you had planned for us too."

"To tell you the truth, Hinata, I was drawing a blank on how we spend today and was sort of hoping that maybe you might have come up with something just in case but it looks as if I will have to give you a rain check," Naruto said an edge of sadness in his voice as stepped out into the hallway joining her, "I was really looking forward to spending to whole day with you too, of all the times to be assigned a mission, I've got to have the worst luck of anyone in the village."

"I'm sure your luck is bound to change before you even know it, at least we will get to spend sometime together today even if its just walking toward Hokage Tower," Hinata said smiling cheerfully up at Naruto as he closed the door to his trash strewn apartment behind him, "You should look forward to getting back sooner rather than later because I plan on cashing in that rain check, the very first day you return and if you show me a good time, than maybe, just maybe I'll show you one as well."

"Then I'll be sure to hurry back as quickly as I can, you foxy little minx you," Naruto said wrapping an arm around the back of Hinata's waist, feeling the slender curves of her figure which were hidden underneath it, as the pair of them walked toward the buildings elevator away from his apartment and couldn't kept his mind from drifting to the full figured woman that she was underneath her bulky clothing, "Now what do you say we get a move on, I wonder what type of mission, the old lady will have for me this time, I hope that it's something nice a simple so that way I can get back to you all the sooner."

"Me, too," Hinata said nestled against Naruto's side as the two of them stepped onto the elevator, a few moments later and he pressed the lobby button.

Stepping off of the elevator as its doors opened to reveal the shabby Lobby of the equally as shabby building, a few minutes later, Hinata rested her head against the front of Naruto's chest as she had seen many lover's do with their significant others in movies or when she spotted couples out on dates at the village park, not really caring whom might see them and given its early hour very few villagers would.

As far as opening chapters good, I think that this is one of my better ones but you readers are a better judge of that than me, so plz R&R.