A/N: Alright, let's get this shit done. First off, I'm going to start a new writing style that I'm hoping will fit this story better. Trust me, if it works the way I plan, then this story will get drastically better. Also, I'm relying on you guys to tell me if it worked or not, so read and review! In addition to the change, there will not be any POV for Rokuro again. Sorry if you liked it, but after the last chapter, I don't think it's necessary. I wanted to setup a character, but I felt like adding some mystery to his background and perspective. I know his story was a little rushed, but I hate it when stories drag out a certain characters role, so I made it brief. Anyway, on to the story!

Reviewer Response

Ayrmed: Correct. He's in trouble.

Kingswriter: I think you're underestimating the female psyche. Seriously, the quiet ones are always dangerous. The shy, embarrassed Hinata is hiding something much more…sinister.

Kidding.

Black's Wolfgirl22: If you were Naruto, you wouldn't.

Dbtiger63: Yeah, Sakura done goofed when she hit him. But really, it was more of a love tap. And about Neji, Shino, and Kiba: remember, Naruto is pretty easy to scare. I mean, look at any scene with him and Yamato. So it's logical to assume he would be fairly frightened of the three, if they were being protective of Hinata. As for Hiashi and the clan, you're just gonna have to wait and see.

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The sun filtered through the branches as it hung low in the sky. The angle it was setting at created a beautiful sunset; oranges, reds, and yellows all layered together to create a spectacular tapestry in the sky.

Two shinobi sat on a hill outside the Leaf Village, happy to be back home. Hinata sighed, shifting into her love's chest as she watched the sunset. Naruto smiled down at her, then chuckled at her face.

"What's so funny?" Hinata asked softly, a smile in her words.

"You." Naruto responded. "Your face looks so cute like that. What are you thinking about that makes you look so cute."

Hinata giggled sweetly at his words. "Oh, it's nothing really."

"C'mon, tell me."

"It's, um, kind of, uh, embarrassing actually." Hinata blushed.

"Oh really?" Naruto asked. "More embarrassing than having everyone think you're in a relationship with your sensei?"

*Flashback*

Kakashi looked down at the bells, stunned at his student's words. Naruto simply grinned at him, happy he had brought back his teacher. Kakashi looked at the grin, and saw his old friend Obito reflected in the brilliant white smile.

"You know," Kakashi said, the familiar eye-smile on his face, "you're a lot like him."

Naruto balked at the grin. "What's that?" he asked worriedly. "Why are you grinnin like that? You're really weirdin me out." Naruto was creeped out by the look on his teacher's face, and his previous statement.

"What?" Kakashi was confused by his student's reaction.

"I-I'm shocked," Hinata said softly as the Konoha 11 gathered around the two. She blushed heavily at the thoughts that she was sharing with nearly everyone else. "I knew you two were close, but still…"

Sakura punctuated her statement with a heavy sigh, unsurprised by her reaction.

"Sometimes, after sharing a very intense situation, it says here, that love can blossom." Sai explained, his nose buried in his latest "social guide book." "But it says nothing about men."

"Oh come on, you gotta be kidding." Shikamaru drawled, his genius intellect already sensing what everyone else was thinking.

"What?!" Kakashi asked, surprised at their interpretation. "No! That's isn't what I meant-"

"Guy-sensei told me," Rock Lee interrupted, "that is simply another part of youth."

"I always suspected something like that was going on." Tenten said disinterestedly.

"Wha-?" Naruto's mouth hung open slightly, his mind still trying to accept what they were suggesting. "Eh?!" he finally figured it out, turning to look at the silver-haired Jonin, who simply smiled sheepishly at him. "AHHHH! Oh come on, gimme a break here!" Naruto screamed in horror. "

Naruto ran up the side of the outcrop they were all standing on before jumping off the cliff. Kakashi tried to grab his shoulder, but to no avail.

"Naruto wait; come back!" Kakashi shouted. "It's just a misunderstanding!"

"NOOO!" Naruto shouted back.

"Naruto please!" Kakashi pleaded.

"NOOOOOO!" Naruto shouted back again, moving farther away.

*End Flashback*

"That's not fair Naruto." Hinata pouted. "Everyone else thought so too."

Naruto chuckled. "Yeah, but not everyone else loved me. Besides, I've said I'm not into that stuff before.

"Okay, okay." Hinata gave up. "I promise I won't ever think you're gay again."

"He-ey!" Naruto tried sounding indignant, but couldn't laughing at her words. The couple shared a laugh for a few moments, before staring deeply into each other's eyes. Bright blue pierced into soft lavender, and they simply looked into the other's soul before sharing a deep kiss.

00000

It had been nearly a week since they had returned from their unofficial mission, and a lot had happened. Not the least of which had been Naurto and Hinata's first fight.

*Flashback*

Naruto frantically waved his arms, unintelligible noises coming out of his mouth as he tried to get someone to support him. He felt his blood run cold at the voice behind him, and he realized it was too late.

"Naruto. When were you going to tell me?" Hinata said quietly, and all the more dangerous because of it. Naruto slowly rotated to look at her, then balked at the glare she was giving him. Sure, she was nice and sweet on the outside, but she had the eyes of a demon.

"Uh, I swear I was gonna tell you Hinata!" Naruto waved his arms in front of him rapidly, hoping to stave off a physical assault. "I just needed to find the right time, ya know? And I kinda just found out about it myself you know-"

"Naruto. It's been nearly a month."

"Yeah, but I just didn't know what to think. Plus we had to rebuild the village, and then the kill order came out, and then PLEASE DON'T HIT ME!"

This last attempt at appeasement was made as Hinata got up and slowly walked towards Naruto. He put his head under his hands, anticipating physical retribution for his lies, but was surprised when she gently ran her hands through his hair.

"I could never hit you Naruto." Hinata hummed softly, her fingers gently digging into his blonde hair. "But please: don't lie to me again, or keep things secret. Okay?"

Naruto immediately relaxed, and guilt made his chest tight. He had lied to her when she had asked him about his parents once, while eating at Ichiraku's, and the guilt he felt for lying to her was enormous. He wrapped his arms around her waist, standing up and pulling her closer to him.

"I promise you Hinata, I won't ever keep a secret from you again."

Pale lavender met bright blue, and they shared a small kiss in the dying light of the fire.

*End Flashback*

After that night, the group had resumed their journey towards the Leaf Village. When asked, Sai, Sakura, and Kiba had all been adamant they hadn't heard anything out of the ordinary last night. Naruto was extremely confused, as he knew how loud he had been, but when Kakashi saw the look on his face he merely winked at him.

With the mystery of the uninterrupted sleep solved, the ones who hadn't been present at the discussion last night turned their attention to Rokuro and Karin. After giving a brief summary of their histories, the three then questioned why they were allowed to walk freely. Rokuro simply laughed and shook his head, before walking forward to speak with Naruto.

The last three Uzumaki shared with each other, most of the sharing being done by Naruto. He told them of his exploits, puffing out his chest proudly after listing off his accomplishments. The other's simply ignored Naruto's boasting, but Hinata seemed to hang on his every word. However, even Rokuro was impressed as he described his battle with Pain. Their fun was cut short as they arrived at the gates to the Leaf Village, where several ANBU members were awaiting their arrival.

They took Rokuro and Karin into custody, stating that they were dangerous criminals. Naruto protested, and was on the verge of coming to blows with the lead ANBU before Kakashi stepped in. The Jonin managed to calm his student down, explaining that they would get a trial after being questioned. Kakashi stated they would get off lightly, due to the fact that they were willing to cooperate and that they had several people willing to vouch for them.

Naruto wanted to argue more, believing that it wasn't fair for them to be treated in the manner they were, but he was reassured but Rokuro. The eldest Uzumaki told his younger cousin that they would be out in no time, and that he should spend time worrying about Sasuke and "your little Hyuga girl." He winked at the blonde and his girlfriend's light blush, before going with the ANBU to the Interrogation Department with Karin in tow.

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Back in the present, Naruto sighed at the thought of his new family. He had just gotten to know them, and was starting to like them, when they were taken away. Hinata, noticing his change in mood, became concerned.

"Naruto, what's wrong?"

"It's just… nevermind, it's nothing."

Hinata pulled herself out of his embrace, turning to look at him with a stern glare.

"Naruto, you said you wouldn't keep secrets. You promised." She pouted.

Naruto grinned at her. Despite the fact that he was being scolded, he couldn't help but marvel at how far Hinata's confidence had come. When it came to talking with him alone, the Hyuga had become completely comfortable with most topics. Excluding anything sexual or to do with marriage, the heiress revealed a confidence that no one but Naruto would ever see.

"Alright Hinata, I'll talk about it." At his words, Hinata smiled happily before settling back into their previous position. "It's just… I finally find family, people besides you I can love, and they get taken away from me. It just doesn't seem fair."

Naruto was brought out of his musings when Hinata stiffened in his arms, wondering if she had heard correctly. He had just said people besides her he could love. Her heart fluttered as her breathing became labored, and she turned a bright red. Naruto looked down, saw her blush, and became puzzled by her reaction.

"Hey, Hinata? What is it? What did I say?"

"Y-y-you sa-said th-th-that t-they were p-people be-besides m-me that y-you c-could l-l-l-lo…" Hinata stuttered timidly, unable to say the final word. Naruto, realization dawning on him, smiled at her reaction.

"Oh, I get it!" he said, clueless. "I've never said it before, have I? Hinata, I may be dense, but even I can realize my feelings for you." Naruto's hand caressed her cheek, and the other softly ran through her hair. "For so long, you've been there for me. Every time I needed cheering up, you were there. All the times I thought I was alone, you were watching me from the shadows. You've always been by my side, and I promise I'll be by your side too. You've always been so kind to me, when no one else had. No matter how much I ignored you, you were still nice to me and wanted the best for me. Now, I want to do the same for you." Naruto leaned in close, putting his mouth right to her ear before whispering softly, "I love you, Hinata Hyuga."

Tears that had been threatening to fall rushed down her face, and she flung her arms around him, burying her face in his shoulder.

"Hey, Hinata, what's wrong?!" Naruto asked, wondering if he had said the wrong thing. She pulled her head back, the flow of tears stopping as their eyes met. Hinata leaned in and kissed him, more passionately than they ever had before. Naruto, initially concerned by the tears on her face, simply responded to the kiss, his mind hazing over in their passion.

Hinata's tongue reached out, sliding across Naruto's lower lip. He was shocked that she had taken such a bold step, but opened his mouth after she repeated the action. Their tongues explored one another's mouths, each fighting for dominance. Hinata was aggressive, completely out of character, and her tongue gained the upper hand more than once. Naruto's was larger and stronger, so most of the time he was the dominant one.

The urge to breathe overcame their passion eventually, and they broke apart. Both panted heavily as they leaned their foreheads together, trying to catch their breath. Naruto recovered first, and he only had one thing to say.

"Wow…Hinata, just…wow." Words failed him as he gazed at the girl in his arms, and felt warmth spread through his chest. He finally figured out that he loved her, because now he had a family to love too. Hinata recovered, and blushed heavily when she met his gaze.

"Um… I'm sorry Naruto, I didn't mean to-" Hinata was cut off as Naruto kissed her again. It wasn't as long as earlier, but it was just as deep. They broke apart, and both smiled as they touched foreheads.

"I love you Hinata.

"I love you too Naruto."

"And I think you too should get a room."

Both of them immediately turned red at the sound, and slowly Naruto rotated to seek out the source of the voice as Hinata hid behind him. Both of their blushes dissipated instantly as they saw Rokuro standing behind them, a shit-eating grin on his face.

"Sorry, am I interrupting something?"

"Rokuro! I thought you in jail, and were being interrogated, and that you had to be put on trial, and-" Naruto babbled, before being silenced by his cousin's hand.

"Yeah, I know. But since I technically didn't do anything wrong, since you guys left out the part where I attacked you, I don't need to stand trial. I'll be watched by the ANBU for a bit, but otherwise I'm a free man." Rokuro interrupted, calming his cousin. He had been released an hour ago, after the Head of the ANBU had given up trying to decide what to do with him.

He had bought new clothes, which consisted of a black jacket similar to Naruto's, with white stripes running from the collar down his shoulders, then to the ends of his sleeves. Underneath he had a white shirt with the Uzumaki crest on it, visible since he left his jacket unzipped. He had gray pants on that went down to his ankles, where they were tucked into his sandals.

After changing, Rokuro had asked around to see where Naruto had gone. Sakura had obliged, telling him the location of Naruto and Hinata's usual spot. He had crept up on the two while listening inn on their conversation, choosing the right moment to cause maximum embarrassment.

Both of the younger shinobi offered him their congratulations as he rubbed the back of his head. He smiled at Naruto's enthusiasm, as the blonde was bursting with excitement over having a family member.

"So, what do you want to do?" Naruto asked excitedly.

"Well, I have to find some place to stay first, but I'll catch up with you once I do." Rokuro offered, noticing Hinata's look of disappointment. She wanted to spend more time alone with Naruto.

"Okay! Meet me later at Ichiraku's! You're gonna love it!" Naruto exclaimed happily.

"Ha-ha, I'm sure. Now be a good boyfriend and give Hinata some attention, knucklehead." Rokuro winked at Hinata before walking away, hands in his pockets.

"HEY!" Naruto shouted at the retreating form, his blush returning full force. Behind him, Hinata poked her fingers together nervously as she turned a shade of red that would make lobster jealous. Naruto huffed as he heard laughter from his cousin, but turned back to Hinata anyway.

"Well, I guess giving you more attention is a good idea." Naruto smirked, noticing her coloration. He always thought she looked cute when she blushed, and now was no exception. He leaned forward, and their lips met. Sparks seemed to fly from the contact, and the two loved every moment of it. They held each other and kissed as the sun set, the brilliant oranges fading into the darkness of night.

"Naruto…" Hinata whispered as they broke their kiss for the umpteenth time.

"Hmm?"

"Um… it's getting kind of dark…. I, uh, think I should head back…" Hinata said gently.

"Huh?! Oh, wow it's late!" Naruto said obliviously, noticing the darkness for the first time. "Come on Hinata, I'd better get you home." He grabbed her hand, dragging her behind him as he made his way towards the village.

"N-no I'm fine." Hinata said timidly as she struggled to keep her feet. "Y-you don't h-have to w-wa-walk me home." She said nervously. Thoughts of her father and cousin's protective nature made her very nervous. She hadn't told either of them about dating Naruto, and while Neji would most likely be fine with it, she was unsure about her father.

"It's fine Hinata." Naruto said as he led the way into the Leaf Village. Nearly half of the reconstruction was complete, and in only a month. The villagers and workers sent from allied nations had been working hard, and it showed. "Besides, I never get to walk you home. A girl shouldn't be out in the dark. Not that you're not strong or anything." He explained frantically. "It's just… well, I want to… um, protect you, I guess."

Hinata giggled sweetly and leaned her head on his shoulder, thoughts of her family momentarily forgotten. "That's very sweet Naruto. And thank you."

Naruto smiled, then kissed Hinata on the top of the head. The two walked in silence, both content to simply be together. They slowly approached the Hyuga compound, neither of them willing to move any faster.

The compound gradually came into sight, and Naruto couldn't help but be surprised at its size. As the largest clan in the Leaf Village, the Hyuga's power and influence showed. The complex was one of the first things to be rebuilt, and it was even more impressive than before. The buildings were styled after the older architecture, but had the modern security and luxuries built in. The main building soared above the others, approximately 6 stories tall, and seemed to disappear into the night.

Hinata merely sighed at the sight of her home. While she loved her family, her humble nature made her somewhat uncomfortable with the size and luxury of her house. She tugged at Naruto's hand, jerking him out of his admiration, and walked towards the main gate.

"Well, goodnight Naruto!" Hinata said quickly, letting go of his hand. She didn't want anyone to see them together out of fear. Her father was very strict, and he had become over-protective of his daughters after her performance in the Chuunin Exams. She feared that he would make her leave Naruto, and that terrified her. She finally had him, and he loved her, and she never wanted to lose him, ever.

"Wait, Hinata!" Naruto cried out, snagging her wrist. He pulled her back to him, then pinned her up against the wall to the compound with his own body. "You know that's not how we say goodnight…" Naruto purred. He brought his lips up to Hinata's and kissed her before she could protest.

The feeling of his lips against hers made her heart melt, and she returned it. Naruto's hand planted itself on the wall next to Hinata's head, and his other hand rested on her waist. Hinata's hands tangled themselves in his blonde spikes, and she turned her head, deepening the kiss. They were so absorbed in each other that they failed to notice the presence that appeared behind them.

"Ahem." Hiashi Hyuga cleared his throat loudly. "What exactly is going on here, Hinata?"

"Father!" Hinata shouted in surprise. She moved away from Naruto, face turning scarlet at the position they had been caught in. "I um… Naruto and I were…"

"So I see." Hiashi said. "Tell me, how long has this been going on?"

"Umm… well…" Hinata tried to explain herself to her father. She wanted to tell him that she loved Naruto, that he was her boyfriend, that he made her happy. But the years before the Chuunin Exams haunted her. Hiashi had cared nothing for his eldest, not even caring if she lived or died. She had been too soft, and had no self-confidence, so Hiashi had focused solely on his youngest, Hanabi. Hinata had been hurt by her father's lack of care and ridicule, and even though he had done a complete a 180 in the past three years, she was still timid and withdrawn around him.

Naruto watched the exchange silently, his anger towards Hiashi growing. Hinata had told him all about her father, and Naruto had no respect for the man. Someone who treated his daughter like he had didn't deserve to be a parent in his eyes. However, Hiashi was still Hinata's father, and he didn't want to cause any more tension between the two, not when she told him that it was getting better. He put his hand on Hinata's shoulder, then gave her a reassuring smile when she looked back at him.

Hinata took a deep breath, steadying herself for what she was about to say. "Father, Naruto and I are dating." Hinata closed her eyes, preparing for the worst. When nothing came, she opened her eyes and looked at her father, curious. Hiashi simply looked back and forth between Hinata and Naruto, as if he was comparing the two.

"I see." The clan head said slowly. "So, you two are dating?" Both of them nodded, one timid and the other defiant. "Then I must ask you young Naruto; what are your intentions with my daughter?"

Naruto started, not expecting that kind of question. He had been prepared to argue with Hiashi, but the head Hyuga seemed calm at the news that his daughter was dating him. After all, he was a jinchuriki, and he had assumed that Hiashi would scorn him like most others. After he recovered from the initial shock, he declared his intentions loudly.

"I love Hinata, and I'm going to be with her no matter what. So you can-" Naruto prepared to argue with Hiashi, but was silenced by one of the man's hands.

"Very well." He said flatly. "And Hinata, do you return these feelings?"

Hinata was baffled by her father's seeming acceptance of Naruto, considering how members of her clan had treated him in his youth. She gathered her confidence before echoing the statement.

"I do Father. I love Naruto." She said confidently, her pale lavender eyes staring into his pure white ones.

"Then you have my blessing to continue dating." Hiashi said approvingly, a small smile cracking his normally stoic face. "But I will need to speak to Naruto alone some time. Now, come along Hinata, we have a clan meeting in an hour." He said, gesturing for his daughter to follow him into the compound.

The two teenage shinobi merely stared at his receding form. They had expected to fight for the right to see one another, but he had accepted them with very little argument. Hinata and Naruto locked eyes, and both of them grinned broadly as they realized they didn't need to hide from her family anymore. With a quick kiss on the cheek, Hinata bid Naruto goodnight before running after her father.

The blonde stood in compounds open gate, holding his cheek while grinning. Everything was falling into place for him. Sure, Sasuke was still gone, but he had two things that he had craved since he was young. Someone who understood and loved him, and whom he could love back, and a new family to spend time with. He put his hands in his pockets before walking away, whistling softly as he made his way back to his apartment.

00000

"I can't believe this!" a man said in disbelief. He and his son had watched the exchange from one of the Hyuga's guest rooms. "We come here with a generous marriage proposal, and then Hiashi simply approves of the heiresses relationship with a nobody!" He said furiously.

"I'm upset too Father." The young man next to him said. "I had hoped to have the heiress' hand in marriage, she is quite attractive after all, but this seems not to be the case." A devilish grin slowly spread across his face. "Well, I guess we will have to kill the boy then, won't we?"

"That we shall son." The man whispered quietly. "Then nothing will stand in our way. We will be able to control the Hyuga clan, and she shall have a beautiful wife."

The two laughed maniacally, convince their plan was full-proof.

How little they knew.

00000

A/N: Ooohh, that last part just makes me so mad. I can't wait to write the next chapter. Trust me, you guys are gonna love it. Speaking of love, how did you like this chapter? It had some more fluff, which is always nice. I'm trying to balance out the fluffiness and action, so hopefully I've found a good balance, considering the earlier chapters. So, review away!

P.S: May or may not start a new fanfic starring RTN Hinata in the regular universe. Is that overdone, or would it be pretty good? Let me know if you would read it.

P.S.S: Gonna go back and edit the first chapter. Went back and read it earlier, and thought to myself; God, did I really write this? So I'm gonna make a lot of changes to it, and hopefully it will flow better.