Author's note: Next chapter coming up! I loved this last Shippuden episode. Little Hinata was adorable and I loved how they had her fight with Pain go longer than just five seconds. Please read and if you enjoy, let me know by reviewing! Just no flames, please!
Disclaimer: I'm a five' seven" tall blonde American girl, do you honestly think I'm Masashi Kishimoto? That just means that I don't own Naruto.
"Temari, I really need some advice for a problem I have," Naruto asked the blonde wind mistress.
"What sort of problem?" she replied, narrowing her teal eyes at him.
"I have no clue what to get Hinata for Christmas and her birthday. She says she doesn't need or want anything, which really isn't helping things. Not to mention we are on the road all of the time so it needs to be practical or at least able to be easily carried and durable."
"And you are hoping since I also am a female, I would have some ideas," Temari finished for him.
"I really didn't want to go to Ero-sennin about this," Naruto admitted.
Temari gave a quick snort of laughter at that comment. "Naruto, I'll ask you some questions to see if I can come up with any suggestions. What's her favorite color?"
"Blue."
"Favorite foods?"
"Cinnamon rolls and red bean soup."
"Favorite flower?"
"Lilacs and gardenias."
"Favorite animal?"
"Fox."
"Hobbies?"
"Flower pressing and cooking."
"Favorite school subjects?"
"Language and History."
Though her face didn't show it, Temari was impressed that Naruto could confidently answer every single question. He really does know her. Most guys I know would have trouble with at least one of these. "Is she a girly-girl or is she more tomboyish?"
"Er, what do you mean by that?"
"Does she act more like Sakura and Ino, or more like Tenten and me?"
"Oh, more like you and Tenten. She never let boys interfere with her training and she's never liked gossiping. She's determined to be a great kunoichi, but she also like stuff like flowers and smelly things. She loves to dance, but likes do dance to rock music. Does that help?"
Okay, I have some ideas. "Naruto, how about we plan a surprise birthday for Hinata? She and I can have a girls day out while you and the others get everything ready? I think she would enjoy some female company and heaven knows I need it. As for presents, here are a few suggestions."
Naruto listened carefully as Temari gave him some general ideas. He asked her opinion on a few ideas he had and she honestly gave it to him. Finally, he asked her one final question. "What is a good way to tell someone 'I love you' so that they know you mean it?"
Temari gave him a smile, "Simply being there and showing you honestly care about that person's welfare. But if you want to give something tangible to remind then, jewelry is always a good bet. You giving Hinata your mother's rings meant a lot to her, but how about you give her something that was hers to begin with. C'mon, grab your money, we're going shopping!"
Even Temari likes to shop? Is it just a girl thing or something?
Naruto didn't have time to protest as Temari dragged him out the door towards Suna's market district. It took them three hours to find a few suitable gifts for Hinata, and Christmas presents for everyone else.
Later that night, as they were getting ready for bed, Hinata asked Naruto, "Why was Temari dragging you out of the house today?"
"She wanted to go shopping and since I also needed to, she dragged me along. I prefer going with you," Naruto replied. "In her own way, Temari is almost as bossy as Ino. But I was able to find some good things with her help."
"Like what?" Hinata asked, understanding why Naruto didn't go with her instinctively.
"It turns out that one of Gaara's hobbies is cultivating cacti, so I got him some stuff to help with that. I got a new notebook and pen for Ero-sennin, I just need you to upgrade them a bit."
"What do you mean?"
"Can you put a tracking seal on them?"
Hinata's face lit up, "So we will know when he is spying on us! You're a genius, Naru-kun!"
"Nah, I'm not. I'm just good with pranks and being sneaky. Can you do it, Hina-hime?"
"Of course I can. What did you get me?"
Naruto grinned and gave her a kiss as he dragged her on to the bed with him, "You'll find out on Christmas." He continued kissing her to keep her distracted from finding out about her gifts.
Three days later, Christmas day had arrived. The three Sand siblings and their three guests had a blast celebrating the holiday. Gaara enjoyed his new gardening tools. Kankuro got insect repellent, and then nearly went for his puppet Crow when Naruto taunted him about how he had forfeited to Shino during the Chunin Exams. Temari got a shogi set, and got embarrassed when Naruto and Hinata informed her that she had better practice because shogi was Shikamaru's favorite game. Jiraiya was excited to get his new supplies, since he needed new ones, while Naruto and Hinata smirked about them being booby trapped. Hinata was ecstatic when she opened up her gift from Naruto, a cookbook. It wasn't the most romantic of gifts, but it showed that he knew her likes and interests. He also gave her a sheath for her practice katana, which could also be used for a real one when she got one. She gave Naruto a box of ramen and had replaced the cloth on his hitai-ite, which was getting worn out.
Gaara and his family gave the two an unexpected present. "We, of the Sabaku house, have decided that Uzumaki Naruto and Uzumaki Hyuuga Hinata are to be considered adopted members of our house, which will make it easier for you to visit Suna. It also means that you are considered to be under our protection any where in the Land of Wind."
"And it gives Gaara an excuse to do something if your clan elders try to shaft you again, Hinata," Kankuro added with a grin.
Temari groaned and smacked him upside the head, "Will you ever grow up, Kankuro?"
"Never! You and Gaara are the two adults in this family, we need one kid and I volunteer!"
"It is amazing you are still alive," Gaara murmured while rolling his eyes.
"Thank you for this honor," Hinata replied, trying to prevent the incoming argument. It worked.
"Now I have a little sister!" Temari exclaimed, giving Hinata a hug.
"And I finally have an older sister, and two more brothers," she replied while returning the hug.
"Thank you for your acceptance," Naruto said, "and your friendship. It means a great deal to me."
"You gave me the gift of being my friend," Gaara replied, "And showed me a different way to live. I am forever in your debt, Uzumaki Naruto."
The Christmas celebrations ended on that note. The day after was spent preparing for Gaara's coronation, which was going to be held on the first day of the new year. Naruto and Hinata, since they just had to show up, spent the day practicing their various skills and jutsus. Temari, once she heard that Naruto was a wind type like her, taught him a few basic, general wind jutsus and gave him some advice in elemental composition. Hinata was a water type, the rarest in Suna, so the siblings couldn't help her with her element.
The next day was Hinata's fourteenth birthday. Naruto woke her up with breakfast in bed, consisting of hot chocolate, cinnamon rolls, eggs, and bacon. Once she was done, Temari called from the other side of the door for Hinata to get dressed, they were having a girls day out.
Hinata dressed quickly in her civilian clothes, black capris and a fitted violet tee shirt. She tied her Konoha hitai-ite around her forehead (to help disguise the fact that she is an unsealed Hyuuga) as she went to meet Temari in the entryway. "So, what are we going to do?"
"I'm not sure," Temari replied. The Suna kunoichi was wearing black pants and a long sleeved teal kimono-style top. "No training today, especially when we're dressed like this. Where do you go to relax in Konoha?"
"The hot springs," Hinata promptly replied, "But it is only safe to go there when Jiraiya-sama isn't in town."
"We don't have hot springs here, side effect of living in a desert. But we could go to the spa and get pampered. I'm sure that after eights months on the road training and such, a massage would feel really good."
"A facial also sounds really nice," Hinata added, "and a pedicure. My feet are sore from walking everywhere."
"Then lets get out of here," Temari grinned as she grabbed her purse. Hinata walked alongside the tall blonde kunoichi through the streets, ignoring some of the looks people sent her way when they saw her foreign hitai-ite. She just shrugged them off. Suna had fought against Konoha during the Third Shinobi War, so it was understandable. Her mother had fought on the Suna front, along with her ANBU partner, Uzumaki Kushina.
Once they had arrived at the spa, Temari immediately strode up to the front desk and asked the receptionist, "Do you have any openings for massages, facials, and pedicures? Today is the birthday of my adopted sister, Hyuuga Hinata, and I want her to get pampered."
"Temari-sama!" The receptionist was clearly startled to be talking with the sister of the soon-to-be Godaime Kazekage. "Of course we have openings. Would you like to include manicures?"
Temari looked at Hinata, who shook her head, "No, my training would destroy it. Nail polish, water type jutsus and Juuken don't really get along."
"I know what you mean," Temari said with a smile.
The receptionist quickly gathered some forms and gave them to the two kunoichi. "It will be just a few moments. Once you are done filling these out, I will bring you back to our locker room so you can get changed." Temari and Hinata turned in the completed forms and followed the girl back to the changing rooms. Once they were changed into the robes and slippers the spa had provided, they sat down in a relaxation room to wait for their therapists.
"Hinata, what is on your necklace?" Temari asked, noticing that Hinata hadn't removed the slender gold chain.
"Oh, it's my engagement and wedding rings. They originally belonged to Naruto's mother, Uzumaki Kushina."
Temari jumped in her seat, "No way, the Konoha Katana Mistress, also the ANBU Kitsune, is Naruto's mother?"
"Yes. My mother, Hyuuga Hitomi, was her partner, the ANBU Raven," Hinata replied.
"Get out of here! Your mom was Raven and Naruto's was Kitsune? My father barely survived fighting against them during the Third Shinobi War."
"Really? All I know is that half of their time was spent on the Suna front and the other half was on the Iwa front," Hinata replied.
"Who would have believed that?" Temari muttered. "We had a bad enough time against Kitsune and Raven. At least we never had to fight against the Yellow Flash."
"Our Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Minato. Can you believe that Jiraiya was his Jonin sensei."
The two girls were interrupted by two women coming in and introducing themselves as the two massage therapists who would be working on the two girls.
Hinata was in heaven during her massage. Every knot and sore muscle was worked on and her hard working body finally got the relief it was craving.
"Oh, my husband really needs to learn how to do this," she murmured.
Unfortunately for her, the therapist heard her. "You look very young to be married."
"It was an arranged marriage, and since we are both ninja, we married young. We've been friends for years so it had worked out fine so far," Hinata replied, using the cover story she had been given. Luckily, the therapist didn't say any thing more until she began working on Hinata's neck.
"Ma'am, are these bruises tender?"
Hinata blushed bright red when she realized that the woman was referring to the hickeys on her neck. That was the main reason who she wore high collar shirts. "Er, nor really. I forgot they were there." At least she knows I'm married.
Temari and Hinata were reunited once their massages were done. The two kunoichi were in the same treatment room for their facials and pedicures.
"Temari, how did you know Kitsune's real name? I didn't know until my father told me. We were never told their names when we were in school. We just called them Kitsune and Raven."
"I read it in an old Bingo book. But you already knew who Raven was, since she is your mother. Why didn't you tell anyone?"
Hinata gave a bitter laugh. "I was considered to be weak and spineless when I was at the Academy, an embarrassment to the Hyuuga clan. I got enough flak from people about not being able to live up to the standards of the clan. Do you honestly I would make it worse by informing my classmates that my mom was an ANBU Black Ops legend? Temari, do you remember how I was during the Chunin Exams?"
Temari was silent for a moment and then nodded, "I remember. You have come a long way since them."
"Side effect of spending eight months with Naruto and Jiraiya, and being away from my clan. About once a month, we get letters from our friends and a few members of my family, mainly my father, my grandmother, my sister, and Neji. We occasionally get instruction from an ANBU called Crow who is on a long term espionage assignment. He's the one who began instructing us with the katana."
"Is it hard, to be away from your home for such a long time?"
"Sometimes it is, other times, no, it isn't. I think it is easier for Naruto to be away from Konoha, because no one we've been around knows he's a Jinchuriki. We both occasionally get homesick, but help each other through it." Hinata sighed. "We know we're both ninja, and that missions will take us away from our home, and sometimes it will be for an extended period of time. It's a fact of life, and a result of the life we have chosen."
Temari silently nodded and the two kunoichi relaxed in silence as they finished getting pampered.
Once they were done at the spa, the two girls began wondering around the market district. Hinata stopped at a stall and began playing with an assortment of jeweled hair pieces, Temari noticed one in particular that was in the shape of a flower made up of lavender gems. She picked it up and instructed Hinata to turn around. She twisted Hinata's hair up and secured it with the clip.
"That looks really cute on you," Temari murmured, and turned to the stand's owner. "how much is it?"
"Temari, no, you've already done enough for me today," Hinata protested.
"No, I insist, or should I go get my fan to help convince you that I'm right? It is your birthday, Hyuuga Hinata, and you deserve to get spoiled. Besides, you can wear it for Gaara's coronation."
Hinata giggled at Temari's threat, "No wonder Shikamaru calls you troublesome. You aren't afraid to boss people around, and you are strong enough and intelligent enough to back up your threats."
Temari paid the merchant and left the piece in Hinata's hair. She checked her watch, "it's past time for lunch. Shall we head back to the house to eat and make sure that no wars have broken out?"
"How often does that happened?"
"Normally it's between me and Kankuro, but with Jiraiya and Naruto there as well? I doubt even Gaara could keep the peace."
As the two girls walked in, a shout rang out, "Happy birthday, Hinata!"
The reserved kunoichi blushed bright red as she realized what had happened. She then turned a fake-angry look at the boy she was married to. "Naruto-kun, was this your idea?"
He grinned and gave her a kiss. "Yes, though I had assistance," pointing to Temari. "She promised that she could keep you out of the house long enough for us to put everything together. By the way, thank you, Temari."
"You're welcome!"
Gaara, Kankuro, Baki, Jiraiya, and Matsuri were all there. Matsuri stepped forward, holding a circlet made from silk flowers, and quickly put it on Hinata's head.
"Happy birthday, Princess," Naruto whispered into her ear. She sighed, being unable to stay upset about the surprise.
Most of the presents she received were very practical, new kunai and shuriken, some scrolls for a few different taijutsu styles, hair ties to hold her growing hair back, and a new formal kimono that had come from Konoha, just in time for the coronation. Naruto's was different. It was a bracelet, made of silver with small amethysts evenly spaced out among the chain links of the bracelet.
"It's beautiful, Naruto-kun," Hinata whispered, "Thank you."
"It's nothing," he replied, "I got it because the gems are the same color as your eyes."
"I helped him pick it out," Temari said, "but he was the one who found it and made the final decision."
After a small lunch of gyoza and rice, the party ended. The couple went out to the Sabaku' family's personal training grounds to practice a bit.
Hinata unsealed her practice katana and began to work on the forms. Naruto began drilling his taijutsu stances and katas. Hinata watched him out of the corner of her eyes, noting the clean and precise stances. Naruto had become a lot more efficient, making it easier for him to last even longer during spars. Thanks to the ninjutsu training Jiraiya had put the two through, her chakra reserves had more than doubled. Her stamina had also dramatically increased, though she was no where close to Naruto's or Lee's level, she was now equal with Temari.
Finished with drilling the kenjutsu stances, she began using her Juuken stances, modified to use her katana. Everything began to flow together and the katana began to feel like an extension of her arms. Hinata just lost herself in the moves, just doing what felt best to her body. Moving by instinct, she failed to notice Naruto stopping what he was doing to stare at her.
When she finally stopped moving, Naruto quickly swept her into an embrace. "Hina-hime, that was amazing. What were you doing?"
"I'm not sure," she replied, somewhat bashfully. "I was just moving the way that felt right to my body. I don't know how effective it would be for combat, but maybe I can play with it."
"You're making me jealous. Now I want to learn katana," Naruto mock-pouted, causing Hinata to giggle and kiss his cheek. He responded by holding her tighter and kissing her firmly on the lips.
Suddenly, Hinata tensed detecting the tracking seal she had placed on Jiraiya's new supplies. She tapped Naruto's arm three times, the prearranged signal that meant Ero-sennin was researching the two of them again. They reluctantly pulled apart and began sparring.
Jiraiya groaned, only having gotten a fraction of material. He turned away, only to find himself face to face with an unblinking, stone-faced Gaara.
"Jiraiya-sama, I do not appreciate your spying on your two students, who are considered to be my siblings. Please restrain yourself during the rest of your time here in Suna, or I will be very displeased."
Jiraiya gulped and nodded. Gaara turned around and left the toad sage alone. Said toad sage didn't stop shaking for the next ten minutes.
After dinner, the two Konoha Genin went to their bedroom, ignoring Kankuro's smirk and rather bawdy comment. They also missed Temari slugging him for making such a crude remark. Once inside with the privacy seals activated, Naruto whispered into his wife's ear, "I have another present for you, my Hime."
Hinata's eyes began roving around, but couldn't see another gift. Naruto gave a smile at her confusion and took her hands in his. He gently placed them on his chest, right over his heart.
Hinata gasped softly and her eyes began to tear up as she realized what he was telling her. His final gift to her was his heart, his love. Holding her hands in place, he leaned forward and gave her a lingering kiss. "I love you, my Hime," he whispered. "I can't imagine my life without you." That did it, Hinata began crying. Naruto, still being a bit of a knucklehead, exclaimed, "What, did I say something wrong?"
Hinata shook her head emphatically, "No, Naruto. These are tears of joy. I have loved you for so long, and to hear that you return those feelings makes me very happy."
Okay, another crazy girl thing that I will never understand, Naruto thought. His train of thought abruptly changed when Hinata hungrily pressed her lips to his. This is my wife, the woman I love, and no one is taking her away from me. I need to get stronger To help protect her, and so I can stay safe to keep from her breaking her heart.
A/N, take two: I think I just gave myself a cavity with that bit of fluff. I know Temari might seem to be a little OOC, but even though she is tough, she is still a girl.
