A/N: Ok I had originally decided on having the story focus mainly on Naruto & Hinata with a bunch of other side pairings, but I think I'll also have it focus on Shikamaru & Temari once I get up to the Chuunin exams.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the quirks and twists I've put on Masashi Kishimoto-sama's original idea; nor do I own the restaurant Edo.
Chapter 2: Newfound Love
"Wake up Kit," says Kyuubi as Naruto is still fast asleep and it's 7:45 am. Kyuubi thinks to himself, "Honestly, why the hell do I put up with this damn kid?"
"Because you're sealed inside me kitsune-baka," answers Naruto.
"When the hell did you wake up?!" snaps the Kyuubi. "Oh, about five minutes ago. I thought it'd be funny to just piss you off since you do the same to me every damn day."
"One of these days I'm going to kill you, you smart-mouth blond-brat!"
"You'll die too, dobe," Naruto says, slapping the Kyuubi with unbeatable logic.
"I hate you," the Kyuubi says simply, retreating back into the depths of Naruto's mind. Naruto then gets out of bed and knowing he doesn't have time, decides to skip a shower and just throw on some clothes and eat a quick energy bar for breakfast.
Stepping out of his apartment in a black t-shirt with a picture of a fox's face right above his heart, baggy black pants, black ninja sandals, and his headband wrapped tightly around his right arm, Naruto speeds off towards the Academy.
Reaching the Academy with just a few minutes to spare, Naruto rushes to the classroom and gets there to find all the would-be Genin still there. He quickly spots Hinata and Shikamaru standing, and in Shikamaru's case, sitting, in a corner at the far end of the classroom, away from everyone else.
Shikamaru is wearing his usual fishnet shirt with a vest with the Nara family crest on the back, dark-blue slacks, blue ninja sandals, and his headband pinned to his vest. Hinata was wearing her usual oversized jacket with the Hyuuga crest on it and baggy black pants, with her headband comfortable tied around her neck.
"Hey Hinata, Shikamaru, how long have you guys been here?" the blond asked walking over to the two. "I got here at seven and Hinata's only been here for about five minutes," Shikamaru lazily answered.
Naruto's jaw dropped in disbelief, wondering why Shikamaru showed up an hour early. Hinata giggled quietly to herself at the fox-boy's reaction and blushed slightly. "Oh, th-thank you very m-much for treating us b-both to dinner last night Naruto-kun," the white-eyed girl said softly, remembering the previous night.
"Yea, thanks Naruto, but seriously, how did you manage to eat fifteen bowls of Ramen without getting sick?" the genius-boy asked. Before Naruto could answer, the classroom door slid open and several Jounin walked in. A tall Jounin with spiky-black hair and a full beard, who was smoking a cigarette walked over towards Squad 10.
"You three must be Naruto, Hinata, and Shikamaru," said the Jounin. "My name's Sarutobi Asuma and from this day forward I'll be your Jounin instructor. Asuma suddenly realized that all three of the Genin were pinching their noses shut and that their eyes were watering.
Naruto spoke up saying, "You reek of smoke sensei, it's disgusting." The other two nodded in agreement, drying the tears that couldn't seem to stop flowing from their eyes. Asuma simply laughed at the three Genin saying, "Well looks like you three will just have to get used to it since I'm a chronic smoker."
Finally, not being able to take it anymore, Naruto draws a kunai from his holster and slices Asuma's cigarette to pieces leaving only the butt-end in his mouth. Asuma seeing how quickly Naruto was able to slice his cigarette apart before he could react says, "Well I think we should go out somewhere and get to know each other better." The three Genin soon left with Asuma, as did all the other Squads except for number seven, who would be waiting a good four hours before Kakashi ever even showed up.
A few minutes later on the Academy roof
"Well I guess I should start off first huh?" Asuma asked rhetorically, looking at the water-eyed Genin who still had their noses pinched shut since Asuma decided to smoke another cigarette. "My name's Sarutobi Asuma, though you already know that. I'm a relative the Sandaime Hokage and my interests include Go and Shogi. There's nothing I can think of that I really dislike."
Asuma then looks at the three wannabe Genin sitting in front of him and points at Shikamaru asking, "How about you go first before you fall asleep?"
Shikamaru lazily looks up and says, "I'm Nara Shikamaru, I like Shogi and Go, and I'd rather watch clouds then do anything troublesome." Asuma sighs unenthusiastically while thinking to himself, "Ok, so he's lazy that's obvious, but he's obviously smarter than what it says on his data sheet."
"How about you go next young lady?" Asuma asks motioning towards Hinata who immediately tried to shrink into her jacket. Hinata mumbled something that not even Naruto and Shikamaru could hear even though they were sitting right next to her. Asuma took a last puff on his cigarette before tossing it aside and saying, "I'm afraid you're going to have to speak loud enough so we can here you."
After twiddling with her fingers for a moment, Hinata finally spoke, "I-I'm Hyuuga Hinata and I l-like basically everything. I d-don't dislike anything at all." Hinata then turned her gaze towards Naruto and finished quietly, "I a-also l-l-like Naruto-kun." Hinata was now as red as a cherry and looked as though she would pass out.
Naruto was wide eyed when Hinata claimed she liked him. Then he heard Kyuubi in the back of his head saying, "So the little mouse has a crush on you huh? I've been wondering when she was gonna let it be publicly known."
Gasping inwardly, Naruto snaps, "How long have you know?!" "Since the first time she blushed at you, Kit. You never realized it 'cause you're a dobe." "I'll argue later it's my turn to talk!"
"Earth to Naruto," Shikamaru said trying to get the blonde's attention. Snapping back to reality, Naruto asks stupidly, "Is it my turn?" Asuma, Shikamaru, and Hinata all sigh in unison and respond, "Yes!"
"Heh, sorry. Anyway I'm Uzumaki Naruto and there are only three things I dislike in this world: Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and Yamanaka Ino; my favorite food is ramen, but I'll eat practically anything; and I enjoy training more than anything," Naruto said quickly.
Asuma smiled and scratched the back of his head thinking, "This kid's way better than any of the other graduates this year. And the girl is probably the best kunoichi too. Looks like I struck it rich with this team."
Returning his attention to the Genin Asuma said, "Well now that we've all gotten to know each other a little better I got something to tell you. Tomorrow at 8:00 am, you three are to meet me at the tenth training ground for your final test to determine if you're truly meant to be Genin. If you pass I'll treat all three of you to a barbeque dinner."
"Sweet!" Naruto yelled. "We'll try our best!" Hinata said without stuttering for once. "This is gonna be troublesome," Shikamaru put in lazily.
"Well anyway, you three have the rest of the day to enjoy yourselves. Just remember to be there by eight," Asuma explained before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.
Once on the street, Hinata turned to head back towards the Hyuuga compound when Naruto yelled out, "Hey Hinata, can I talk to you for a minute." Hinata turned around and Naruto noticed the slight blush in her face as she walked over towards him.
"Y-yes, Naruto-kun?" the Hyuuga heiress asked shyly. The fox-boy quickly said, "Well, I was wondering if you'd like to go out to dinner or something tonight, just the two of us." At the mention of the words, "go out to dinner" and "just the two of us" Hinata turned a shade of red that was deeper and brighter than any red she'd ever been before in her life.
Amazingly without fainting Hinata quickly yelled at the top of her lungs, "OFCOURSEI'DLOVETOGOOUTWITHYOUNARUTO-KUN!!" With that nearly everyone around the blonde-haired boy and midnight blue-haired girl looked towards them in confusion and shock.
Naruto then said, "I think we should go somewhere a little more private Hinata." Naruto then grabbed Hinata's hand and dragged her around the corner and then down a small alley after running for about ten minutes. Hinata had passed out somewhere along the way and was now covered in dirt.
A few moments after they got in the alley Hinata woke up and found herself in Naruto's arms. She looked up at him and he smiled at her and said, "I think you're going to have to answer my question again Hinata-chan, I didn't understand what you said before." "Huh? Did I just call her Hinata-chan?!"
Hinata blushed deeply and restated her reply from before, this time more clearly and slowly so Naruto could understand, "Of course I'd love to go out with you Naruto-kun." (A/N: Yes she didn't stutter! I'm going to make her stutter less and less from now on!)
Naruto was amazed that Hinata spoke for once without stuttering and even more so since she was talking to him. Hinata was just as amazed and smiled warmly at the thought that she was starting to get comfortable around Naruto.
Naruto then asked, "So where would you like to go out to Hinata? I may be Ichiraku's best customer but I don't want to take you there again, especially two nights in a row." Hinata was now blushing in a deep red, but not so much as she was before. She answered softly, "I'd l-like to go wherever Naruto-kun wants to go."
"Well I know this great steakhouse at the southern end of the village. They have the best hibachi steak, shrimp, and chicken anywhere!" Naruto exclaimed with a bit of drool slipping out of the corner of his mouth. Hinata giggled at this and quickly and innocently wiped the drool away with the edge of the sleeve of her jacket.
"I think I've eaten there once before with Neji-niisan, is the restaurant called Edo?" Hinata asked, remembering one of very few occasions where her cousin Neji had been nice to her and done her a favor.
"It is!" Naruto responded, "Let's get going while it's early and we don't have to wait for a table." And with that the Hyuuga heiress and Kitsune-container ran off on their first date.
A/N: Wow I thought it was going to be harder to get Hinata to stop with the stutter but it looks like it was kinda easy. Anyway I had originally intended to put the bell test in this chapter but it didn't happen. Looks like I got a little too caught up in my first NaruHina scene. The bell test is definitely next along with a short barbeque dinner party after with Teams 7, 8, and 10. R&R and I'll have the next chapter up ASAP.