Chapter one: Naruto's New Place

Naruto was very excited, who wouldn't be? He had been away for three years after all. He would finally get to go home, see his friends, eat ramen and sleep in a bed, his bed. It was almost too much for him as he ran all the way home. It had taken more than a week for them to make the journey, but they were final on the last stretch.

"I can see it! I can see it!" Naruto shouted as tears formed in his eyes and he ran the last hour of the long trip home.

"Cool it; we have to see Tsunade first. Then I'll treat you to Ichirakus and after that you might want to clean your place. You haven't been there in three years, it'll be dusty."

"What do you mean my place got sold?" Naruto shouted at Tsunade.

"Just that, you don't own it now." Tsunade replied.

"Who does? Where will I live? What about my stuff?" Naruto yelled.

"Calm down. You don't need to worry. You were meant to get it when you turned twenty one, or married, whatever came first. But you're parents left you a house, your stuff is there. As for your old place, I don't know who bought it." Tsunade told him as she pulled some sake out to drown out Naruto's annoying presence.

"Seriously, sweet!" Naruto shouted as he was handed the keys.

"You can both leave now." Tsunade said downing more sake.

"Ichirakus!" Naruto shouted running out of her office followed by a much slower Jiraya.

The two sat at Ichiraku's happily eating their ramen as they passed small talk.

"It hasn't changed a bit." Naruto said with his huge trade make grin.

"No it hasn't, we should check out your new place after this." Jeraiya said, and Naruto nodded. "She hardly even talked to me Naruto."

"You really like her, don't you?" Naruto said finishing his ramen.

"I really do, but enough of this. Let's look at your new house."

"Yeah!"

They made their way through town to find the house with the numbers that match the one on the key. Five, five, two, it wasn't big, but then none of the five fives were being that they were not of any clan and were not for the upper class. That said it was decent enough, a plane wood style house with one floor, a small garden and two bedrooms.

"Pervy sage, this is too much." Naruto said as he took hold of the handle.

"Naruto, I know. And stop calling me that!" Jiraiya said hitting him across the head.

"Looks nice." Jiraiya told him nodding happily in approval.

"It's awesome! And it's all mine, believe it!" Naruto shouted pumping his fist out as he shouted and wore his huge fox like grin.

"Right, fix up the bed before you go see your friends. Otherwise you'll have to do it tonight when you feel like shit." Jiraiya said as he waved goodbye and left. Naruto did as he was told and set up his bed, but decided that he could wait. Instead of doing it alone and sitting there for a while before seeing his friends, he had three shadow clones set it up.

Naruto ran all over looking for his friends. They were all delighted to see him and were astonished to see how much he'd grown. He was likewise impressed at his friends' growth over the years he'd spent away from the village. Naruto soon found that he and Sakura had been called to the Hokage's office for a mission. When he got there he learnt that they were to fight Kakashi to keep their titles and remain ninjas, they were give that afternoon and the next day to train and/or rest. With that done Naruto went to rest for the day, tomorrow he could train and get a good rest, but after that journey home even ramen wasn't going to keep him moving for much longer. With that Naruto got to lazily cleaning his new home and setting a few things up. He wouldn't have bothered, but a dusty and empty house isn't exactly comfortable living.

The next day Naruto trained, honing his detection skills as it was his weakest area. He decided to try adding combat because he was a little better at thinking on his feet, so he made shadow clones had them hide and attack. Each time one jumped out he would try to make it disappear. He ended up being about 70% effective, he was hoping that was enough as he headed home for the day completely worn out.

The fight went well, Sakura and Naruto kept the pressure on Kakashi. Kakashi had to use all he had just to stay unharmed. Eventually the two realised that they were matched pretty evenly against Kakashi and it was time to outwit him in order to take the bell from his belt and pass. Naruto bluffed about spoiling the ending to Kakashi's new book and Sakura got the bells handing one to Naruto as she passed him.

"Well done new team Kakashi." Tsunade said. "You'll be dispatched on mission right away. You will meet up with team Gai and chase a lead on the Akatsuki."

"Seriously, cool." Naruto exclaimed running off before anyone could say anything else. Sakura and Kakashi took the details down and informed Naruto of their mission.

"Naruto!" Tsunsade shouted at him upon return from their mission. "Because of you, your whole team was put in extreme danger. Kakashi's in hospital and anyone else could just as easily of followed him."

"Sorry..." He said.

"You were reckless. It worked this time but be careful in the future." She told him smiling.

"I only tried to save my friend."

"And Garra's lucky to have you. But next time work with your team and follow a plan. If you do we can avoid sending skilled ninja to the hospital." She told him.

"Right." He said dashing out of the room. He made it all the way home before he realised he hadn't been paid for the mission yet. He dashed over to the Hokages office only to overhear a conversation about a mission and a lead on Sasuke.

Hinata was glad she had finally gotten home to the village. Her and her team had been on a long mission chasing a lead on the Akatsuki. After days trailing and searching they found it only led to a small copy cat group and they turned them over to the local authorities. They'd been on a few missions like this lately, but they never turned up anything useful. Hinata and her team were halfway to the Hokage's office when Naruto came running down the street shouting, as usual. Hinata hid behind a fence and prayed to god he hadn't seen her. She wasn't ready for this. She wasn't ready to see him, especially when he looked even hotter than when he left to train three years ago.

Naruto happily chatted away to his friends as he tried to convince one of them to join his team for a mission. They of course turned him down. Then he remembered seeing Hinata with them and only took a second to find her as she nervously mumbled to herself. Upon seeing him she stuttered, blushed and passed out.

"Damn it! Nope, I won't have it! Hinata will join me for this mission." Naruto said taking out a piece of paper and jotting down a note with his address on it. He slipped it into her jacket pocket and set her down on a tree as he left her in the care of her team mates.

Hinata walked out of the Hokage's office and headed towards the shops to grab some cinnamon rolls. She paused as she put her hands in her pockets and felt a piece of paper. When had she gotten that? She took it out and unfolded it, she instantly recognised the handwriting. She knew it from the days at the academy, and unfortunately his handwriting hadn't gotten any better since. It was Naruto's, but why would he leave her a note? Did he slip it in when she passed out? Hinata blushed as she read through the letter.

'Hinata, I want to see you. I have something to ask you. I won't take no for an answer, so meet me at my place. I live at 552.' Hinata frowned at the absence of his signature before folding up the note and walking to his place.

Naruto cursed himself for forgetting to put a time or signature on the note as he paced his living area. When would she be here, he'd already waited for two hours. In fact he was completely unpacked now, although the house was still messy and dusty but Naruto was use to that. He was snapped from his thoughts by a timid knocking on the door. He ran and threw it open to Hinata.

"Hinata-chan!" He shouted as he threw his arms around her. 'That was weird; did I just use Chan with Hinata?' He thought as she blushed in his arms.

"Na-Na-Naruto-k-k-k-kun...?" She stuttered out before she passed out.

"Crap." Naruto said realising he hugged her and he let go unaware that she'd just passed out. He saw her falling and caught her before she hit the ground. "Crap." He said again before he took her inside to lay down.

Hinata awoke in a bed that was not her own. Normally she's have freaked out about this, but for some reason she didn't. There was just something about this particular bed that felt warmer and safer than her own. She was just about to go to sleep when she heard yelling form a different room. The voices sounded familiar, but angry and distant. Suddenly Naruto burst in looking mad and slightly panicked.

"Get up, sorry but you have to leave Hinata." She suddenly realised who's bed she was in. She felt hot and light headed but sat up. Tsunade burst in looking like she was ready to kill something, then Hinata passed out.

"You idiot, this is why I told you to move her to the couch." Tsunade yelled at Naruto as she hit him upside the head sending him crashing into the floor.

"Okay, okay. I'll move her, but why can't she come on the mission too? Even if you send someone else Hinata would help greatly." He pleaded again.

"I told you, even if I wanted to I can't. The village needs ninjas here at all times, since she just got back her team is one of the ones that is staying here. Plus Hiashi won't... Actually, I gave enough reason. The elders hardly let you out on the last mission, and won't be happy I am sent you on this one. I am not dealing with sending the Hyuuga heir too." She shouted at Naruto as he moved Hinata onto the sofa in his living room.

"That sucks." Naruto said finally accepting what Tsunade was saying.

"Tell her why you called her over and make sure she gets home. You'll have to make it up to her too."

"Why?" Naruto asked oblivious.

"Because your friend came all the way here to get sent home's why. Baka." Tsunade said angrier at the fact that Naruto still couldn't see Hinata's feelings; she stormed off slamming the door as she went. Naruto turned and looked over the sleeping Hinata.

"So beautiful." He muttered before he even thought it. He blushed and hurriedly sat in a chair a small distance from her. He didn't know he felt that way about her. He breathed heavily as he tried not to panic about his newly exposed feels for the girl. She'd grown quite a bit, her blue hair was now much longer and cut straight along at the ends, yet the front was cut just the way it was three years prior. Her form had changed a lot too; she had curves that were easy to see even under her baggy clothing. Then there was her chest, it was huge, almost gave Tsunade a run for her money. Yet Naruto found himself looking more at her ever kind looking face, it looked softer than it had before he left and it had grown with her body, it just pulled together the beauty that was Hinata. Suddenly Naruto realised he always kind of liked how she looked.