Chapter 3

In between Ep. 175-179

Naruto followed his instructions well, and groaned and rubbed his ass as he left the tent, looking away from Sakura as she passed him on the way in.

Sakura looked at Hinata, fairly pleased, and said, "Well it looks like you gave it to him good."

Hinata smiled slightly, "Y-yea, I guess so!".

Sakura finished up with Hinata, who then ran over to the base of a tree where Naruto was sitting. He stood up and the two of them made their way to the village limits, to a small area of the forest with a creek nearby. A small meadow ran for about a kilometer opposite the creek, and a large, old tree with roots sticking out every which way up from the ground was present next to the water.

The tree was formidable and shaded the surrounding area well, in addition to the entire width of the creek. Large rocks lined the water in a man-made wall to prevent erosion. The rocks were fairly large, with about a 3-foot drop into the water from their tops. The couple sat below the tree, just behind the rocks. A small patch of moss and vines had grown there, making it a comfortable place to sit.

Naruto sat down and Hinata sat to the left of him. He smiled at her, and pulled her closer with his arm. She turned slightly to cuddle in his chest. As they sat there, Hinata's breathing synched with the rise and fall of his chest, and she listened to his heart beat through his shirt.

Naruto smiled and looked up at the tree, with thousands of small green leaves that hid them from the sun. The running water made a trickling sound in front of him, and he breathed in as he relaxed for the first time in what seemed like years.

"Hina", Naruto said, looking down at her. Hinata tilted her head to see Naruto's face, surprised at the pet name.

"You really are amazing, you know that right?", Naruto said sincerely. "I really, really mean that. You stood by me when no one else would. You almost gave your own life to save me. You- ". He stopped, and looked at her longingly.

"Do you really care for me that much?"

Hinata swallowed and built up her courage. She decided to say everything.

"Naruto, when I jumped in front of Pain during the battle, all I was thinking of was your safety. The amazing things you have done and continued to do and all the things you have endured. The pain you have suffered for years as the host of the Nine-Tailed-Fox. You are an incredible man and ninja" she said looking him in the eyes and not coming even close to blushing.

"and yes…", she squeaked, looking downwards into his chest, "I do love you Naruto. With all my heart."

Naruto thought about how much he had dismissed the young woman in the past for being weird and gloomy, but thought back to the amazing things she had done for him over the years. He remembered their hunt for the Bikochu Beetle, and how Hinata had saved Kiba, Shino, and him. He reminisced on all the things she had said after she kissed him.

Naruto started rubbing her back.

"Hinata," he started, "more than anyone else you have stayed by my side, even when things looked their worst. I never noticed that, and I am sorry. You deserve so much better", Naruto said before she put a finger to his mouth.

"Naruto. I have loved you for a long time. You have inspired everyone in this village. You've saved a lot of peoples' lives, including Hanabi's. You cheering me on helped me stand up to Neji. You even fought him and changed his entire personal philosophy."

She smiled, and got up into a kneeling position. On the same level as him, she looked into his eyes, and carefully explained, "I don't care what I deserve. I want you. I love you with all of my heart, and I'm sorry if I am coming off too strong, but I have been quiet for all my life. I have always been in the shadow of Neji or Hanabi or I have been compared to others and felt insufficient. I always felt weak. Then when I met you I realized that I didn't have to be. I stood up for myself and I owe you everything. That's why I love you."

Naruto couldn't stop smiling. Hinata makes me feel like I could take on the entire world… He shook his head. No! Hinata makes me feel like I can change it.

"Hinata…" he said, slightly choked up, "I think I'm falling for you. I have never felt anything like this before. I feel butterflies in my stomach, I feel dizzy- like I'm… like I'm gonna pass out! Is this… Is this what you always felt like?". Naruto began to understand just why Hinata was always flustered around him.

"Yes, Naruto- that's what I always feel like. That's what love feels like," Hinata said, smiling. "But I know you probably don't really love me- not yet." Hinata sighed.

"But if you like me… And want me to be more than a friend… I mean… I really want to be with you", Hinata finally stuttered. She lightly blushed. "As more than friends."

"Hinata, I want to be with you too!", Naruto said with excitement. He looked away from her and rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't even feel like this when I eat ramen", the boy mused.

"Well, silly, there is a difference between romantic love and loving a thing", Hinata said, giggling.

"Wha- huh?" Naruto inquired, looking at her.

"Romantic love is when you feel like you are going to pass out around someone, or when you are so afraid to lose them that you will do anything possible to protect them. Loving Ramen just means that you like it a lot" Hinata said, practically laughing as she closed her eyes.

Still obviously confused, Hinata sighed and said, "Naruto- a moment ago you said that you felt butterflies and dizziness. Do you feel like that when you eat Ramen?"

"I mean before, sometimes", Naruto stated bluntly, a clueless look on his face. Hinata covered her mouth to prevent her from laughing.

"Naruto, that's hunger. Do you feel like that when you actually eat the food?"

A spark began to go off in Naruto's brain. "No!"

"Well do you still feel like you are going to pass out around me?", she asked.

"As much as you do when you're around me", Naruto said, actually feeling quite lightheaded.

"Then that's a good sign", Hinata said, closing her eyes and moving in for their third kiss of the day.

Their lips met, and Naruto closed his eyes to take in the soft, innocent kiss. He placed a hand on Hinata's cheek, caressing it. Hinata placed a hand on the back of his neck, and with her thumb and middle finger, began massaging the points just behind and below his ear on either side.

Hinata's little massage did wonders for Naruto, and it relaxed him and made him sink deeper into their kiss, moaning slightly.

I could get used to this, a very happy Naruto thought.

When they parted, he laid back against the tree, and noticed a leaf falling towards him. Hinata snatched it out of the air, and laid down across her love's lap. She buried her head into his chest, and stared at the leaf, thinking of what Hanabi had told her.

Grasp the moment.

Naruto looked down at her, and quietly asked, "Hinata, does this mean that I get to be your boyfriend?"

Hinata smiled and countered, "Only if I get to be your girlfriend."

Naruto smiled at her, sealing the deal with his big and goofy grin. He laid back and closed his eyes. He could feel her chest rise and fall and she breathed. His own breathing synced with hers, and soon enough, the two began to fall asleep as the late afternoon sun began its descent.