Disclaimer: Unfortunately I did not win the lottery so I still do not own the right Naruto or anything in the shinobiverse.

Hinata just stares at the empty spot where Naruto was standing just a moment before, trying to hold back her tears and clutching the scroll he gave her just before he left. "I love you, Uzumaki Naruto, and one day soon I will be strong enough to again confess my feelings to your face. I only hope that you feel the same way as I do and will be able to return my love when that day happens."

She looks down at the scroll with giddy anticipation of opening it up and seeing what sort of gift he left for her, but she lets out a sigh because she will have to wait to open the gift. Today happens to be the bi-weekly council meeting and there would only be one more before the end of the year so this one promises to be long, tedious and hopefully distracting. Unfortunately, tonight there is also an elders meeting of the Hyuga clan that she is expected to attend after dinner, so she puts the scroll away in her pocket and will open it later when she can be alone and can enjoy the surprise gift he left for her.

The council meeting did not disappoint and was as boring and tedious as she expected. Her mind kept wandering to thoughts about a certain pair of blues eyes and she would absently touch her new earrings. At one point her mental sighs must have become real ones because she felt eyes upon her and looked to see her father giving her a disapproving glare and the Hokage looking at her with a knowing smirk. She just bowed her head apologetically and focused on the files in front of her trying to catch up on what was being discussed.

As she was preparing to leave Lady Tsunade motions for her to come closer and have a private conversation. While she was walking over Hinata could hear a few murmured comments and snickers from some of the council members about how she was about to get a reprimand from the Hokage and she overheard a member of the civilian council say they wish they could stay and watch a Hyuga get taken down a notch. They suddenly stop and Hinata knows the reason as she glances over to see her father's unhappy expression. Determined not to fall back into old habits Hinata looks over at the loudest offender as if she had caught the smell of something unpleasant before she turns to look at Lady Tsunade. "You wish to speak with me Hokage-sama?"

Lady Tsunade gave the girl a proud smile and gestures to the seat beside her. "Yes, why don't you sit here beside me while we wait for everyone else to leave." The Hokage said the last part in a loud, firm voice that left no doubt that everyone else in the room was dismissed.

Once they were alone Tsunade's demeanor became more relaxed and she turns in her chair to look happily at Hinata. "I was wondering if you would like to have lunch with me today? I do not have any more meetings scheduled till this afternoon and I would rather not tackle more paperwork till I have had something to eat." Once Hinata says yes, Tsunade asks Shizune to have someone bring them up something to eat to the meeting hall.

With the formalities out of the way and the food served, Lady Tsunade's smile changes from formally pleasant to a mischievous smirk. "So, I could not help but notice during the meeting those beautiful earrings that you are wearing and by the way you kept touching them I am going to guess they are new."

Hinata reaches up and gently touches the left earring with a happy blush on her face. "Yes, Naruto-kun gave them to me for my birthday, and thank you for the compliment." Hinata goes on to tell Tsunade about how he showed up with lavender roses and called it a date. "I was so surprised that he wanted to call it a date. D-D-Don't get me wrong, I am so happy that he did, but it was so unexpected."

Tsunade gives Hinata a hug to hide the miffed look on her face. 'The little idiot didn't mention that it was a date when we talked last night. I had been worrying that by the depressed mood he has been in lately that it did not go well, but Hinata's mood is that of a young girl deeply in love. I may have to have Shizune sit down and talk with him, because I am really starting to think that boy may never get a clue.'

"When he finally gave me the present I-I-I was so shocked when I opened the box and saw them, I may have cried but I don't really remember. My hands were shaking so badly that Ino and Tenten had to put them on for me."

"They are a very beautiful gift Hinata and some people might say a serious gift, so are the two of you finally getting closer?" Seeing the young woman's face light up with a shy smile was all that Tsunade needed to hear. "I'm glad, but I did not ask you here to pry into your love-life. I was wondering how things were going with the training? Naruto has been bragging on how well you have been doing with your affinity training, so I would like to hear from you how he has been doing with his studying."

Hinata's heart does a little skip at the thought of Naruto talking about her and to hear that they have been words of praise. "I think things have gone well for the short time that he has been studying." Hinata tries to subtlety hint that she was not happy Naruto was sent on a mission so soon. "Some days it does take a little more effort to get him to focus on subjects like foreign affairs, but he is able to get back on track eventually." Hinata covers her mouth and giggles. "Though on those sessions where Tinico-san is teaching he usually is gotten back on track with a stick."

Tsunade laughs at the mention of Tinico. "I sparred a few times with her when I was younger. To be honest Tenten kind of reminds me of a younger Tinico. That woman was, and probably still is a dangerous person with any weapon you put in her hands, so I hope Naruto learns quickly to tread lightly when talking with her."

"Most days, but he can be a little stubborn at times." The two women share a heartfelt laugh.

"I noticed that you were a little distracted today and I wanted to apologize for sending him on a mission. I can only imagine that after spending nearly every moment from breakfast to dinner together recently, that suddenly being completely apart may be a little tough, at first." Tsunade pats Hinata's hand gently when the girl gives a sad nod. "I promised your father and the elders of your clan that your assignment with Naruto would not be taking up every moment of your time leaving you unable to perform your duties as clan heiress."

Hinata looks up in surprise at this information. 'I had no idea that father had come to the Hokage with reservations about me helping Naruto-kun. Father had never mentioned anything about this to me, so is that why he seemed happier this morning when the talk about this mission came up at breakfast?'

Seeing the girl's concern Lady Tsunade just shakes her head. "Everything is fine. It was just convenient that a mission, perfect for Naruto, just happens to occur around the same time your clan duties would require more of your attention, that's all." The smile Lady Tsunade fails to hide as she takes a sip of her tea leaves no doubt in Hinata's mind that this mission for Naruto was no accident. "Besides, they say that absence makes the heart grow fonder and homecomings can be much sweeter than goodbyes."

Trying to imagine how a homecoming could be better than the goodbye kisses they had shared this morning makes Hinata blush into her teacup.

"Just try and remember that if he becomes Hokage he will be stuck behind that desk and in this village most of the year. It will make all of your efforts now be worth so much more later." Tsunade puts her chin on the palm of her hand and smiles. "So just tell me one thing." Tsuande's voice comes out almost like the purr of a large feline. "Did he give you a goodbye kiss?"

Hinata looks into the eyes of the one person that has treated Naruto like a child of her own. If anything Tsunade is the closest thing to a mother figure he had known his entire life and here she was asking like a parent about her child's love life. Hinata felt held in place by those eyes, like the prey of a large cat so overcome with fear that she could not move, so she did the only thing she could do, she fainted.

Tsunade catches the young kunoichi as she slumps in her chair. "I'll take that as yes." She carries the unconscious girl over to a bench and has Shizune watch her till she wakes up dazed some time later. Afterwards Hinata asks Shizune to apologize and quickly makes her way home.

Later that evening at the Hyuga elders meeting Hinata forces herself to stay focused on clan business so that her father would not have another reason to glare at her unhappily. As the meeting went on she thought she could feel the eyes of some clan members watching her intently trying to find any sort of flaw or imperfection in how she was performing her duty. She did not look at them, nor did she look downwards in shame in the way Naruto disliked, she treated them as if they were not even in the room unless a topic required that she talk with one of them or they addressed her directly. Now that Lady Tsunade has warned her that her father and the elders have reservations about her time with Naruto she would not allow them to see her falter ever again.

It was not until bedtime that she was able to be alone and see what was inside the scroll he had given her before he left. Inside is a seal and once activated she finds a flat pastry box. She opens the box and giggles at what she discovers inside. Made of small bite size cinnamon rolls is a smiley face which has a few extra rolls on top to look like spikey hair and there is a note written in Naruto's scratchy handwriting.

Hinata,

I hope you like the mini cinnamon rolls I made for you. The old lady whose son runs the bakery you buy cinnamon rolls from was nice enough to teach me how she makes these mini ones for her grandchildren, and I did my best to follow what she showed me, so I hope they taste okay.

Naruto

She just sits and stares back and forth between the smiley face and the note for a little while trying to imagine Naruto baking and what his apartment must have looked like once he was done. She picks up the roll he used for a nose and is about to take a bite, but when she sees the now empty spot she puts it back. Thinking for a moment she takes one of the eyes and the face now looks like it is winking and that makes her giggle. Hinata then picks up the other eye and now the face looks blind and that makes her feel sad so she puts them both back.

Finally she picks up one of the rolls used for hair on the smiley face and pops it into her mouth before she can second guess herself again. The taste of cinnamon and sugar explodes in her mouth as she chews the tiny pastry. He must have added extra spices when he made them to make sure they tasted extra good. While not bad they were potent in their flavor and were not meant for anyone but a true cinnamon addict, luckily Hinata considers herself in that category.

She props the box where she could just see that smiley face when she lays down in bed so that it will be the first thing she sees when wakes up in the morning.

She takes a cleansing breath and uses a genjutsu that Kurenai-sensai had taught the team years ago. Since the team was built around scouting she had taught them a way to store a memory and be able to recall it in perfect detail at a later time. As she was touching Naruto's hair earlier today she had used the jutsu and had not shut it down till after they had kissed.

Tonight as she fell asleep she wanted to relive that moment one more time pretending that he was with her and was giving her a kiss goodnight.