Naruto kissed a quietly sleeping Mai on the forehead and turned off the light leaving the room

Naruto kissed a quietly sleeping Mai on the forehead and turned off the light leaving the room. She had fallen asleep a short while ago on the sofa in his living room while he was doing paperwork.

Being quiet so as not to wake her he made his way to the bathroom where he went about smartening himself up; after washing his hair he started to shave just as a gentle knock came from his front door.

Towelling off his face Naruto made his way down the hall and opened the door to a grumpy looking Shikamaru, "You owe me for this foxy." He said walking through the door, "And why the hell did you pick me to baby-sit anyway?"

Naruto smirked, "Because the reason I need a babysitter is a secret and the most likely person to work out the secret is the best person to have in on it."

Shikamaru smirked at the backhanded compliment, "So if I wanted a favour in return?"

"Whatever you need."

"I'll hold you to that, where's the brat?"

Naruto frowned, "'the brat' is my daughter watch your mouth."

Shikamaru sighed and gave Naruto a look that said 'I know get on with it'.

"She's in bed asleep, I pretty much just need you here in case she should need anything in the night – I should be back by…" Naruto looked at the clock – it was just gone eight, "…twelve I think."

Shikamaru nodded and followed Naruto into the kitchen where the blonde started moving some food into a picnic hamper, "help yourself to anything in the fridge – within reason of course and if she should wake up don't give her anything with lots of sugar unless you want to suffer déjà vu of my academy days."

Shikamaru winced, "I get the idea, you just have fun on your date."

Naruto smiled and went to finish getting ready.


Hinata walked through the main gate of the Hyuuga compound at exactly 8:37, it was a trick she had learned long ago that still stumped her family as to how she could escape.

After she had escaped for the seventh time her father had the entire compound searched for secret tunnels and other such escape routes she could be using but the truth was much more simple… there was a gap in the security.

The fact of the matter was that the front gate was always watched by two hyuuga branch members, however every night at the same time refreshments where delivered to them allowing just twelve seconds when each one in turn relaxed his byukagan and picked up the tea he had been given.

These habits never changed and so neither did Hinata's escape – walk out the front gate with her head held high.

Now she just had to go meet Naruto at the forest clearing he had indicated to her earlier that day.


Hiashi walked into his daughters room talking as he came, "Hinata I want to talk to you about the clan meeting next… SHE HAS DONE IT AGAIN!!"

Neji looked up from his scroll at the shout and sighed heavily – this would be the third time this month he would spend the entire night searching for his cousin. Now he knew why Shikamaru though girls where so 'troublesome'.


Hinata entered the forest clearing just in time to see Naruto lay out a blanket and begin placing food onto it. It was now that she saw why Naruto had chosen such a seemingly unconventional place for a first date; Naruto had placed the blanket a short way away from a small stream that produced a soothing sound as it gurgled around the large rocks at it base. The moonlight was reflecting off the water spectacularly and the whole area looked like it had been taken straight from the pages of a fairy tale.

As she approached Naruto he looked up and smiled at her, she gasped when she saw the food he had prepared. There was not a single sign of any Ramen but there was the most delicious looking banquet of homemade dishes.

"Naruto… this must have taken you forever." She said in awe of the blonde.

He shrugged, "A while yes but I think it was worth it." He sat down and smoothed the blanket next to him indicating that she should sit too.

She accepted graciously as she had been trained to and waited for him to start talking, after a few seconds he offered her a plate and indicated for her to start eating.

"This food really does look good Naruto."

Naruto smirked, "What? No-honorific – I'm shocked Hinata-sama!"

Hinata blushed prettily and smacked him gently on the shoulder for teasing her, "Don't call me sama – it's weird."

"Whyever is that lady Hinata." Naruto said bowing with a broad smile.

Hinata smacked his shoulder again, "Stop it!" she said pretending to be annoyed.

"Is that an order mistress?"

"Now that one was just kinky." Hinata said turning away from him.


Shikamaru looked up from the book he was reading as he heard Naruto's bedroom door open, he smiled to himself when a little girl with dark blonde hair came out rubbing her bright green eyes. He had only seen Naruto's daughter briefly before when he had asked him to baby-sit earlier in the day but he had to admit – she was very cute.

"Shikamaru-kun?" She said blearily, "Where's dad?"

Shikamaru smiled walking over to her and crouching down, "I'm afraid your dad had to go out for a bit so I'm here to look after you until he gets back – remember he told you earlier?"

Mai nodded sleepily and Shikamaru for the first time in his life actually felt that something might be worth the hassle – maybe he should talk to Temari about the chances of having kids some day.

Shikamaru shook his head suddenly – was he broody? What the hell?

Concentrating on the present he picked Mai up of the floor and walked back into the bedroom, "Come on Kiddo – let's get you back to bed eh?"


"Naruto." Hinata said after a pause in the conversation.

"Hinata." Naruto said in slightly playful manor.

"I was wandering… why did you ask me out?"

There was a pause in which Naruto looked at her blankly before he swallowed his food and answered, "Well… why wouldn't I ask you out?"

Hinata looked down at her plate sadly and replied, "Because I am shy, dark and weird – you said so yourself."

Naruto was about to deny this when he remembered the conversation and smiled, "I seem to remember I saying I liked people like you."

"People like me yes but not me, not shy, weird Hinata."

Hinata gasped as she felt Naruto's arms wrap around her in a comforting hug – more friendly than romantic but his heart was in the right place.

"I asked you out because I like you, yesterday when we where shopping I got to see the real you for the first time. The you that was confident, the you that is capable of using your families name to help your friends not intimidate people - unlike the rest of your family… and of course the you that could taunt Ino so spectacularly." He smiled at this and Hinata giggled a bit.

"Once I got to see the real you my attention was grabbed, you are smart, funny and fun to be around… and please don't hate me for saying this but you are one hell of a looker." Hinata flushed bright red at that but didn't complain.

"And to top it all of Mai likes you to – how could I not ask you out?"

Hinata thought for a moment, "I will have to thank Mai somehow."

"Oh, what for?"

"Without her you may never have noticed me."

Naruto sighed, "I would have – it may have taken longer but I would have, all you had to do to make me look your way was show me the real you."

Hinata smiled.

"Can I ask you something Hinata?"

She nodded happily nibbling on a roll.

"Why did you say yes?"

Hinata's smile grew much broader as she finally told Naruto how she felt.


In Suna Temari suddenly shivered.

"Is something the matter?" Her brother, Gaara, asked from the other side of his desk – she had been handing papers to him at the time.

"I have a horrible feeling – it's as if someone somewhere wants me to settle down."

Gaara raised and eyebrow and returned to his paperwork.


A/N: hmm… this is not nearly as long as I wanted it to be nor as well written but… never mind.

Yes I am finally adding to Mai again, I have a lot of exams coming up and this makes a nice change from studying bloody reaction kinetics so I thought I would write some more.

Oh by the way I am in desperate need of a beta reader, contact me through my profile - apparently the site won't let you post an email address inside a fic.