Author's Note: I apologize for the wait, things have been kind of hectic at university. Anyways, this is my longest chapter thus far so enjoy guys! And review if you can, I love to hear from you.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters.
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Just a few more miles! She thought fleetingly while picking up some speed. She watched as her father noted the change in pace and adapted. She was startled at the fact that even though her father was getting to be quite old he was still capable of keeping up effortlessly. He was the very definition of poise and grace she thought with a smile. They were finally done with training and were on their way home.
The training had gone really well. Hinata had overall increased her speed, strength and improved her control. Her father had been extremely satisfied with her performance. The last couple of weeks they had spent sparring and most had ended in a stalemate if not she had the upper hand. She was surprised at how good at combat she had gotten.
Her byakugan had always blessed her with the ability to be stealthy and team 8 were known to be trackers for that specific reason. All their attributes contributed to becoming the best trackers at their age which was great, she was proud of that.
But now, now she was lethal.
She was someone who could cause major damage if necessary, she felt like she was finally strong enough to protect those who always protected her, starting with Naruto and her old teammates.
It had been an intense five months that she had spent solely with her father but it had been pleasant. Even though he was still the Hyuuga leader and pushed her to her limits he often smiled at her and gave her praise which was amazing. She could honestly say that if it wasn't for his encouragement and that initial Kushina encounter she would've gone insane without sleep.
It didn't matter all that much at this instant because right now they stood in front of the Konoha gates after vigorous days of running and jumping through trees they were finally back home.
Procedure states that they should both report to the Hokage tower but Hiashi took one look at his daughter's pleading eyes and sighed in resignation. He pondered the effects his daughter suddenly had on him, before he wouldn't have cared if she balled but now one look and she had control of him. That was proving to be a little more than he bargained for but he would never regret getting to know his daughter the way he had gotten to know her on their trip.
"I will report. Do as you please." Hiashi said waving a hand dismissively only to receive an ecstatic grin and then she was gone. He smiled, pleased with her improvement in speed and continued on to see Tsunade knowing full well he would not see his daughter anytime soon.
Hinata looked left and right, reacquainting herself with the scenery. If she knew Naruto well enough he was either at the training grounds or at Ichiraku. Seeing as it was still rather early in the morning she took off at high speed towards team 7's designated training ground since they were gennin.
Hyuuga eyes spotted messy blonde hair and her speed surprisingly increased with her now acquired target in mind.
Naruto barely had enough time to process what was happening before a black blur knocked him over with great force, effectively knocking the air out of him. It was enough force to knock both him and the person to the ground; he of course got the blunt part of the hit.
He grunted in both pain and confusion before he realized that something was tickling his nose. Lazily, he opened one eye to see a patch of very familiar indigo hair. It smelled like lilacs and vanilla but before he could think further about the wonderful smell indigo locks were replaced by a pair of creamy, lavender tinted eyes. His lips parted in shock and blue eyes looked almost lost to the world.
She grinned childishly at him and pecked him on the cheek before hearing an awkward cough next to her. She turned her head slightly to spot pineapple hair.
"Shikamaru!" She exclaimed taking full notice of the older female standing beside him.
"Temari!" She squealed while getting off Naruto and running towards the duo with the biggest smile on her face. She gave them both respective hugs as her eyes glittered excitedly.
Temari returned the embrace enthusiastically as did Shikamaru, surprisingly. "I can't believe you're back Hina!" Temari practically yelled. "There's so much I have to tell you."
"I missed you! But I think we'll have to catch up tomorrow. I'm afraid I'll be kind of busy tonight." She muttered the last part quietly while playing with her hair bashfully.
Temari barked out a harsh laugh while her boyfriend smirked knowingly, this made Hinata turn her head slightly to look at the blonde who was still lying on the grass. His blue eyes never parting from Hinata's form, as if they were glued to her.
"Is he alright?" The male brunette inquired.
Turning back towards the couple Hinata nodded slightly with a significant blush on her cheeks from being caught tackling her boyfriend to the ground. "I think so, he might just be surprised." She offered.
"I guess you do need some time alone. I'm glad you've returned Hinata, he's been kind of…different without you." Shikamaru admitted his observations while pointing at Naruto.
Hinata only smiled at her friends just as someone hugged her from behind with enough strength to lift the small girl fully off the ground.
"Hina-chaaaaan!" Sakura screeched loud enough to make the rest wince.
Hinata turned to look at the pinkette and her boyfriend who stood not far behind her. "I'm so happy you're back. I can't believe you left me!" Sakura whined childishly putting the girl down causing Hinata to giggle.
"Hinata." She heard Sasuke speak up.
"Sasuke." She smiled at him. "I'm glad you're back safely."
He nodded once in appreciation and continued talking. "Good thing you're back." He said shortly causing her to turn her head slightly in curiosity. That wasn't something Sasuke would normally say to anyone except Sakura and maybe Naruto. "The idiot's been like a puddle of depression since we got back from anbu and you weren't here." He explained simply.
"Oh." She responded with a small laugh and looked slightly at the blue eyed boy who was finally standing up and dusting himself off.
"We should all have dinner tonight to catch up! Including you two." Sakura mentioned while pointing at Shikamaru and Temari strictly.
Before Hinata had a chance to answer she felt a strong arm wrap around her torso and they both disappeared in a flash.
"Stupid Naruto." Sakura muttered under her breath while Sasuke laughed at her and pulled her into his arms.
It wasn't even a second later that Hinata landed on a familiar bed with a very familiar blonde on top of her. She smirked up at him but the look in her eyes screamed nothing but love. "You've gotten good at using that."
He grinned foxily, the way he knew drove her crazy and responded effortlessly. "Heh, it runs in the family, y'know?"
She shook her head at his antics but was not at all disappointed when his lips found hers. She had gone five long months without even a hug from him, this was bliss.
"I'm glad you came back safely." She mumbled against his lips causing him to smile and pull back slightly.
"I told you I would."
She smiled and nodded allowing him entrance in her mouth. It didn't take long for the temperature in her body to rise. It was suddenly extremely hot and she found it difficult to get enough oxygen into her lungs. She became aware of the churn in her stomach and the desperation that radiated from Naruto.
She couldn't blame him. She too was craving his touch, his kisses, just him. He parted from her lips to trail kisses and love bites down her neck and across her collarbone only to stop suddenly and look intently into her eyes.
Her eyes questioned his sudden change in demeanor but nothing changed the emotions that she saw reflected in those cerulean orbs. She realised shortly after that he had seen her newly acquired scar, one that was too stubborn to be healed even with med-ninjustu. She lifted his face so he was looking straight at her and kissed his whiskered cheeks.
"My father accidentally hit me too hard and I flew back with a lot of speed. There was a tree branch and it broke skin." She explained while he slightly pulled her over to look at the small gash on her left shoulder. He smiled at her and kissed the closed wound gently before going back to look into her eyes.
"I love you." He stated simply, softly. Proceeding to capture her lips in a tender kiss, a kiss she didn't receive often.
She started at his change in character but didn't dislike it. She enjoyed when Naruto allowed her to see his gentle side. He was always brash, funny and loud and she absolutely adored that about him but when he kissed her so gently it felt like she was floating on cloud nine.
Knowing that she was the only one who had ever seen this side of him made her incredibly happy. He had showed her his vulnerability countless times in the past which is why she decided that tonight she would show him the part of her that no one else had seen.
Flipping him over so she sat on top of him she nibbled on his ear lobe playfully causing a small groan to escape his lips. "I love you too." She whispered seductively before returning the favor and marking him as her own with love bites.
She proceeded to take off both their shirts rather aggressively and smirked dangerously at him. He seemed stunned to see her so playful but he wasn't about to complain. She had been away for months and all he wanted was to be with her. He needed to feel her skin against his as physical proof that she was here, with him. He need assurance that she was safe and in his arms. He needed her.
"We don't really need these do we?" She asked rhetorically holding up both their shirts before discarding them carelessly on the floor.
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"Do you think we'll be able to have that dinner tonight?" Sakura asked the three who sat around her at Ichirakus with sadness. She really wanted some catching up time with Hinata, there was a lot to talk about and those two had already been in that apartment for almost 4 hours.
Sasuke shook his head in dismay at his hopeful girlfriend but decided to be somewhat supportive. "If either of them get tired yes, if not, then no."
She glared at him shortly for his less than helpful answer and turned to Temari and Shikamaru for real support.
Shikamaru shook his head no while the blonde looked sympathetically. "Sorry Sakura but if he…" She pointed her thumb at an unsuspecting Shikamaru beside her. "went away for 5 months, I'd be jumping his bones all night."
Green eyes widened at the bluntness of her friend but understood perfectly, she would probably feel the same way about Sasuke, hell not seeing him for 3 months was bad enough. She couldn't imagine what 5 months would to do her.
"I guess you're right, they deserve this time alone anyways." She said with a smile but her smile faltered once she thought of news that would surprise Hinata. "How do you think she'll take the whole TenTen is back and very close with Takeo thing?"
Shikamaru looked calculatingly at her and shrugged. "TenTen isn't that close with him, but since he is a part of the Hyuuga it will affect Hinata."
"He looks a lot like Neji." Temari said quietly hoping the others understood her worry.
"She's strong. I've been told countless times in the past and now I see it too." Sasuke said dryly while his girlfriend smiled adoringly at him.
"You're right Sasuke-kun, maybe Takeo-san can even help her feel a little better about Neji's death. I mean she hasn't talked to anyone about it and it's been almost two years…." She trailed off sadly.
Sasuke thought back to that time when she had confessed to him that she had nightmares about Neji. He debated whether he should tell someone, maybe just Naruto because he knew she hadn't talked about it to him. But then he remembered that he had similar dreams about Itachi and she kept his secret, he couldn't betray her trust when she had been loyal to him.
"She'll be fine." He said a little aggressively taking the others by surprise. "Let's go Sakura, I'm done eating."
She looked at him strangely but decided not to question him, whenever it came to Naruto or anything close to the blonde Sasuke always got protective and she understood why.
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Rays of sunlight flittered across a simple bedroom in the town of Konoha. It was late morning and the village hero and Hokage to be was still in bed, with an arm draped protectively over his girlfriend's waist. Hinata and Naruto were snuggled together in his bed, dead to the world.
Normally ninjas had an internal alarm, rarely would they ever sleep in but seeing as the day's and night's previous activities took so much effort and energy it was only understandable that they were sleeping like rocks.
Not surprisingly it was the bluenette beauty that woke up first. Her pale eyes fluttered open to look at the fine chiselled chest she was using as a pillow and the handsome man sleeping soundly beside her. She openly smiled and brought a hand to rest against his cheek, she could feel the warmth that radiated off of him and leaned in closer to him.
She was about to deliver a good morning kiss but cerulean eyes opened rapidly startling her. It didn't take more than a second for the blonde to beam at her and turned in his head to place a chaste kiss on the palm of her hand.
"Good morning." Hinata said while smiling at the blonde.
He only grinned widely and tightened his hold on her waist. "Best morning I've had in months." He confessed honestly while absentmindedly drawing circles along her smooth skin.
She giggled soundly at the tickling sensation and tried to shake him off to no avail. He got this excited glint in his eyes and her own enlarged already knowing what was to come.
"I always forget how ticklish you are." It was the last thing she heard before the blonde repositioned them quickly so that he hovered on top of her small body. His hands trailing along her ribs and stomach.
"N-Naruto stop!" She pleaded between labored breaths.
He grinned evilly at her and shook his head no. "No can do Nata, you were gone too long and should be punished."
She couldn't help the laughter that escaped her, she was really ticklish and the fact that one of Naruto's hands could practically cover more than half of her stomach only made matters worse. "Pahahahaa! P-please." She tried again with tears pooling at the base of her eyes, she was certain she would pee herself soon.
He only waggled his eyebrows suggestively and pinned her squirming body to the bed by straddling her waist. "I'll….I'll do anything you want."
Blue eyes lit up hysterically. "Anything?" He asked; voice low and sexy.
Suddenly the fun filled moment had turned serious and suggestive. She only managed a nod before his forehead was pressed against hers. "You know that's a pretty vague statement." He whispered close to her ear. He leaned back to look at her full on, noticing how she unconsciously licked her lips while a rosy blush lit up her cheeks.
She was damn seductive even if it was never her intentions. She always made him go crazy with that innocent blush even if she didn't realize it.
"It's not vague." She weakly argued not taking her eyes off the forearms that were stretched out on either side of her face, effectively trapping her.
"So if I asked you to make me ramen?" He questioned in a husky voice, still hovering above her.
"I'd make you ramen." She answered with a small smile. Leave it to Naruto to think of ramen before anything else.
He chuckled lowly drawing her attention back to him. "And if I ask for a kiss?"
This time her smile was barely contained. "I'd give you a kiss."
"And…" He started before she cut him off.
"And more." She assured while her previously useless arms snaked their way into his blonde spikes. He momentarily closed his eyes in pleasure before leaning down to place butterfly kisses all over her face.
Hinata was the one who always did that, seeing as she had long and beautifully curved lashed but Naruto had come to love giving these kisses as much as he loved receiving them. He found them endearing and loving. He found a strange comfort in those moments and he wanted Hinata to feel the same way too.
He released a sigh of relief when he heard her sigh contentedly and pull him closer to her, she liked them! "I'll remember that promise in the future." He mentioned before delivering a quick kiss to her forehead.
She giggled and released his hair from her grasp. "I'll be counting on it." She playfully retorted while winking mischievously at him while heading straight for the shower.
He gawked at her for a full 20 seconds before following her lead and joining her in the shower. He knew it was already pretty late in the morning from the position of the sun so they should probably get their busy day started, he was certain a lot of people wanted to talk to Hinata.
Even though she didn't realize it at times, everyone knew she was an amazing person so everyone was friends with her and genuinely cared about her. Most of the time they would glare at him for keeping her away from them but to hell with the populace he would spend every fucking minute with her if he could.
Wait, what? He thought while opening the bathroom door. He shook himself of the thoughts and put on a happy grin while startling her from behind. This was definitely his favourite morning.
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"We finally found you two!" Sakura yelled excitedly while making her way towards the newly reunited couple who were having a peaceful lunch at Ichirakus.
"Sakura-chan, do you mind?" Naruto asked while glaring at his pink haired friend who had all but kicked him off his seat so she could sit beside Hinata.
She merely ignored him so he sighed and sat across form them instead. "Where's the teme?" He decided to ask instead looking at his ramen with hungry eyes.
Emerald eyes turned to look into blue while shrugging. "He said he'd be here." She promptly turned her attention back to Hinata, bombarding her with questions about her training.
"Temari and I want to have a girls day please tell me you'll come!" Sakura pleaded while Hinata giggled softly.
The bluenette nodded in agreement while answering her friend. "Of course Sakura-chan."
"But Hina-chan…" The blonde whined, wanting to spend more time with her. The previous day and night was not enough for him, he wanted more.
"Shut up Naruto, she spent all of yesterday with you." Sakura spit out venomously, silently challenging the blonde to speak up again.
He sighed dejectedly but accepted his fate. He was still feeling kind of sad until a pale hand grasped his own on the table. "I'll be back before nightfall Naru-kun and I can spend the night if you'd like." She mentioned kindly knowing full well this would elicit not only a smile from her boyfriend but a reaction from Sakura as well.
Naruto looked up at her and beamed, immediately nodding vigorously to her preposition. The skinny girl squealed loudly at the adorable couple and began talking about how the hospital was short on staff and how Hinata could thrive if she decided to become a med nin.
"Haha, thanks Sakura-chan but I think I'm better off in combat."
"Fine." She pouted for a second until she spotted her stoic boyfriend walking up to them. "Sasuke-kun." She smiled gracefully at him.
He let one of his rare smiles out and nodded to the other two sitting at the table. "So, dobe. You ready for some training?"
Blue eyes lit up excitedly and determinedly while he finished off the remains of his ramen. He got up in a rush muttering a quiet goodbye to the girls and running off while challenging Sasuke.
"I don't know how you handle him sometimes Hina." Sakura stated exasperatedly while patiently waiting for Hinata to finish her lunch.
"I heard that!"
Turning her head Sakura spotted the blonde rushing over to their table once more. She rolled her eyes at his childish retaliation but was curious as to what he had forgotten. "What'd you forget idiot?"
He completely ignored the insult but did answer her question in a different manner. He only leaned over her small body so he could reach his girlfriend and planted a chaste kiss on her lips. "I forgot that." He mumbled while pulling back and sticking his hand in his pocket. "And this." He stated while dropping off some money for their lunch.
He grinned once more and disappeared in a flash leaving two equally stunned girls behind. "Wow, he'd never come back to pay in the past." Sakura muttered under her breath while Hinata laughed at her perplexed face.
"Should we get going Sakura-chan?"
"Yes!" She answered while pulling the girl out of her seat and dragging her to the apartment Hinata and Temari shared.
It didn't take long for them to arrive at the building and make their way into the apartment. "Temari!" Sakura screeched loudly.
The blonde stumbled out of her bedroom dazedly while glaring at the intruders. "What the hell do you want?" She asked bitterly, her teal eyes flashing dangerously.
Hinata hid a smile, she was used to a groggy Temari and in a way she missed it. "I live here." She mentioned innocently.
Temari growled in annoyance and looked straight at Sakura. The pink haired girl didn't even bat an eye. "You said I was welcomed here for tea and a girls afternoon so here I am."
Sighing in acceptance she blonde muttered a "Hold on" and went back into her bedroom to get ready. Meanwhile back in the living room Sakura and Hinata were chatting amiably until they heard a knock on the door. They opened it quickly to find Ino standing in front of them in a nice summer dress.
"No missions?" Sakura asked. Her answer was a shake of the head while the blonde hugged the dark haired girl.
"Hina, I missed you!"
"I missed you too Ino-chan." Hinata answered with a smile and a caring look.
Just then Temari had arrived in the living room looking a lot better than she did earlier. "Alright first things first we should make tea." She said while heading into the kitchen and preparing some herbal mint green tea.
When Temari was walking away Hinata's eyes caught sight of something extremely beautiful on the dirty blonde's left hand, placed delicately on her ring finger. Her jaw hit the ground once she realized exactly what it was that she wore on her finger.
"You're engaged?!" She gawked uncharacteristically while rushing in behind the older female.
Temari chuckled at the reaction but beamed at her younger roommate. "Yes, Shikamaru and I are getting married." She admitted a bit dreamily.
The petite bluenette threw her arms around the girl and embraced her tightly. "That's wonderful Temari-chan. I'm so happy for you! Does everyone know?"
"Pretty much." Ino mentioned while walking into the kitchen. "They got engaged roughly a month or two after you left."
Hinata pouted cutely at not being present for that incredible moment but the sadness evaporated as she stared longingly at the ring. "It's beautiful." She muttered while looking at the ring. It had a rather large diamond and was elegant which fit Temari perfectly; Shikamaru had done a really great job.
"So…" Hinata started looking up into relaxed teal eyes. "How did it happen?"
"Oh." Temari said with a small laugh. She ushered the girls into the living room with tea and sat them down on the couches. "Well it was kind of awkward…" She started, diving back into that night.
FLASHBACK
"You want to go out for dinner?" Temari asked hesitantly. Shikamaru wasn't exactly known for being romantic.
He nodded once. "Yes, tomorrow night."
"On a Wednesday?" She asked even more confused, why would they go to a fancy dinner on a Wednesday for crying out loud!?
He coughed awkwardly and shifted his feet. "Ugh, yeah. Is that okay?"
She shrugged still perplexed in this situation. "I guess…What time?"
He paused for a minute, his normally relaxed features set in a thoughtful frown. "I'll pick you up around 8."
She didn't even have time for a goodbye before he sped off into the distance. Well, at least she had a good reason to go shopping.
Wednesday night had arrived sooner than she thought it would and she hadn't seen Shikamaru at all since his awkward request for this date so she was excited to actually get some alone time with him.
He arrived at her door in a sweaty mess, his hands were clammy and he could feel his heart beating painfully fast. He had never been this nervous in his life, but he assumed it was right considering what he was about to ask. He breathed out deeply and snuck his right hand into his pant pocket fidgeting with the small velvet box that lay in those confines.
Finally, gathering enough courage he went to knock on the door. Almost instantly it was opened to reveal a very stunning dirty blonde, teal-eyed beauty. She was wearing an incredibly elegant, long strapless dress in a vibrant crimson. It hugged the top part of her body beautifully and flowed gracefully down her long legs. She wore a pair of gold heels and matching jewelry.
If the brunette was nervous before now he was border line panicking. She looked a thousand times nicer than he ever imagined her to look and in comparison his simple suit seemed…ordinary.
"Y-you look amazing." He stuttered out, silently cursing himself for his genius mind's lack of articulation.
She smiled a sultry smile, enjoying his nervous state and took a bold step towards him as a way of intimidation. "You look good too Shika." She whispered in his ear.
She quite enjoyed his tensed form before she placed her arms around his neck. "You okay?" She asked a bit concerned, seeing his chocolate eyes so extremely nervous.
He shook himself lightly and scolded himself mentally. Stop being an idiot, you've been dating for a long time, you're ready…both of you. "I'm fine." He smirked seductively and snaked his strong arms around her slim waist. "You really are beautiful." He commented honestly while looking into her eyes.
She tried not to let it get to her and shrug it off nonchalantly but the way he said it and the way he was looking at her sent her heart in a series of flutters. "Thanks." She decided on saying and pulling him slightly closer so he couldn't see the blush that she was sporting. Damn it, she could be such a girl sometimes.
He chuckled lowly, giving her a sense that he had seen her reddened cheeks anyways. "You ready to go?" He asked softly leaving small kisses on her neck. She only nodded her head, not really trusting her voice and followed him out of their building.
They walked around 10 minutes before arriving at the bottom of a big hill with a treacherous climb. She turned her head towards her boyfriend alarmed. She couldn't hike up this hill in her heels; that would be torturous.
Sensing her dilemma he only smiled and swiftly picked her up bridal style, faster than she could mutter a complain he began going up the hill. It took him only a matter of seconds to get to the top, the perks of being a ninja he supposed.
When he stepped on the flat planes of the hill it seemed more like a cliff. On top of that cliff was a small looking shack. It was small but endearing. It had three walls made out of wood and in the back there were a series of blankets piled onto each other. There was no roof, instead there were blue Christmas lights hung across as the ceiling. She simply adored it.
Shikamaru let her down gently but grasped her hand. "I know you were expecting a restaurant…" He started, knowing full well she had dressed up in the hopes of going to one of the fanciest restaurants in town. "But, I wanted this to be perfect…I wanted it to be special and unique, just like you."
He wasn't looking at her when he said it but she roughly grabbed his chin so she could see the honesty behind those eyes she loved so much. She beamed at him in pleasure at his thoughtfulness. "I love it." She hesitated for a moment before leaning in close to him, lips ghosting above his. "And I love you." She declared decidedly before brushing her lips against his in a gentle way, a far cry from their usual passionate kisses.
He smiled against her mouth and began leading her into his man built fort. He had gotten Choji, Kiba, Naruto and Sasuke to help him build this and set everything up, Choji had even gone as far as to get his mother to cook a full dinner for the two love birds. He had never been so thankful for having them as friends and although Naruto had to practically yell at Sasuke until he came he still helped which was a God sent gift because Kiba and Naruto sucked with tools.
Shikamaru sat her down on the soft blankets and retrieved a picnic basket that had been placed there by Chouji. It smelled delicious and he would be lying if he said he wasn't excited about eating this food, the Akimichi's were known for good food. It looked like his girlfriend felt the same; he could practically see her licking her lips in anticipation.
He smiled kindly at her and opened up the basket to find deliciously prepared fresh sushi, there was every type possible and they all looked magnificent. He ripped off a pair of chopsticks and handed them to her. She took them graciously and they began eating.
They ate a lot faster than they thought but the food was too good to be eaten slowly in their opinions and once they were done and everything was discarded they laid down together on the blankets while they looked at the glittering lights and the stars.
Temari laid with her head nestled on Shikamaru's chest while his left arm wrapped around her shoulders, a caring gesture. His fingers glided down her arm and back up onto her shoulder. His soft touch and steady heartbeat were serving as good measures to lull her to sleep so she closed her eyes slightly, clearly the most relaxed she had been in her life.
"Temari." He called out before she could succumb to sleep. She didn't mind though, being here with him meant everything to her.
"Mhmm?"
"Do you know what day it is today?"
She re-adjusted her head so she could look at him, well mostly his jaw. It was nice and defined, she loved his jaw. Out of anyone she had ever met his was probably the nicest, it was rugged and manly, she found it addicting which was why whenever they were intimate she nibbled on it all the time. Focus Temari, he asked you a question!
"Wednesday?" She asked dazedly, still thinking about his handsome features.
He smiled but shook his head. "It is Wednesday but not exactly what I meant."
Now she lifted her upper body fully to pay attention to him, this could be interesting. Her hands still lay on his chest but now their faces were only a few centimeters apart. "What did you mean?"
"It's been exactly 8 years since you beat me in the chunnin exams." He smiled reminiscing the old days, it was really the first he noticed her.
Recognition lit up in her eyes and her smile matched his. That fight was incredible in her opinion, she had never been impressed before especially not by a boy but Shikamaru had done it. His intelligence was admirable and although he was lazy she knew then that he was born to be special. Before she could get lost in the past he spoke up.
"You were impressive and you were beautiful then too."
She laughed soundlessly and shook her head at him. She was touched that he would plan this date on the day they first really noticed each other all those years ago but she was a little confused on what they were doing. "Shika, why are we here?"
He froze and barely contained his body from jerking away from her and letting her fall to the ground. It was too fast, he wasn't ready for this, he wasn't ready to ask her this question, he wasn't ready….
All other thoughts vanished from his mind once he caught her eyes looking at him curiously. There was no disgust in those eyes, no judgement.
Just love.
She loved him. That alone gave him enough courage to walk through hell. He could do this. He had to do this, he wanted to be with her for the rest of his life and there was only one way he could do that.
"We're here because I love you."
She started at the answered and pulled back slightly, maybe she had heard wrong. Once he noticed her pull back he cupped her chin and pulled her back in. "It's true. We're here because you mean the world to me and I was wondering if you wanted to mean everything forever."
What the fuck was that? He groaned internally, that made about as much sense as anything Naruto did.
"What?" She asked breathlessly she leaned so close to him he could feel her breath fanning over his face, it caused a surprised shiver to run down his back. There was no backing down from this, he needed to ask properly even if it had already been ruined by his stupid words, what kind of a genius was he?
"Temari, will you marry me?" He asked nervously hoping he hadn't seemed like too much of an idiot earlier.
She looked at him, her eyelashes fluttering open and close, trying to decipher whether this was real or fake. He looked incredibly nervous and for some reason the thought of the genius being so scared of her answer made her lips twitch.
"Yes." She answered honestly, not wanting to keep him sweating any longer. This was Shikamaru it was the boy she had unknowingly fallen for years ago. This was who she wanted to sleep with and wake up to in the morning. She was ready for this too.
END FLASHBACK
"Awwwwww" Ino squealed loudly. "We've never actually heard the story." She clarified to a confused Hinata.
"Oh." She giggled at two of her best friends who were screeching and giggling like school girls in Temari's ear.
Thinking about best friends got her mind to a person she hadn't seen in about a year. "Umm…" She began, catching the attention of the other females. "Have any of you heard from TenTen?" She asked worriedly.
They all threw her the same sympathetic look which made her cringe, it didn't seem like good news. "Is she…?" She asked fearfully.
Sakura was the first to notice the amount of fear lavender eyes shone. "Oh God no! Hina, she's fine, she's actually back in the village. Has been for a few months."
Hinata breathed a sigh of relief. "Can we go see her?"
Temari nodded and they all got up to walk out of the apartment. "I figure she'll be training with…"
Before she could finish the sentence Ino had jumped on her back to shut her up. Hinata looked at the duo with a questioning gaze but Ino just laughed her off. "Just a friendly hug is all." She got close to Temari's ear and whispered harshly. "Don't tell her here!"
The older female shook the blonde off her back in aggravation but dropped the subject. As they made their way into the training grounds they spotted three boys sparring viciously while the other laid on his back, staring at the clouds.
Surprisingly it was Ino who greeted them and ran towards them. "Kiba!" She exclaimed excitedly while said guy turned around in question. Once his dark eyes caught sight of her running form a big grin broke out, showing his fangs.
Hinata watched amazed as Ino leaped right into Kiba's awaiting arms and they hugged passionately. "Ughh?" She muttered, confused.
"The pig and Kiba started dating a few months ago." Sakura mentioned uninterested but followed Ino's footsteps walking slowly toward her other half who stood there waiting for her to arrive.
"Seriously, how much did I miss?" Hinata muttered to herself.
Temari, overhearing her only laughed and pulled her along towards their respective boyfriends. Shikamaru barely moved from his position on the ground while the blonde could barely contain his feet from running towards the petite bluenette.
It felt like forever by the time Hinata reached Naruto and he hugged her tightly against him. She smiled into his chest, breathing in deeply. Suddenly he pushed her back and looked at her sheepishly.
"Don't do that, I smell terrible. We've been sparring for hours."
She giggled at his silly insecurity and purposely leaned her nose around his neck and breathed in again. He laughed loudly and kissed her soundly on the lips. It was her time to be sheepish and lean back with a blush.
"Naruto.." She mumbled while looking at their friends who were staring at her. Her discomfort only caused their friends to giggle at her and smile fondly at the whiskered boy who was gazing down at her lovingly.
"Hinata!" Kiba barked out taking her out of Naruto's arms and lifting her in a hug while swinging her in circles. "I missed you like crazy! Shino did too, but he's on a mission right now." He finished while carefully setting her down.
The dog boy noticed Naruto's fierce glare and only laughed in response, that guy was too jealous for his own good. "Akamaru?" Hinata questioned looking around for the big dog.
Kiba shrugged uncomfortably. "He's getting flea removal, so he's not allowed out for a few days." Hinata giggled at her friend's pout and patted his cheek affectionately.
The mood in the air was light and fun up until Hinata glanced back up to see a pair of milk chocolate buns. "TenTen!" She yelled excitedly while she waved a hand to usher her over, it seemed she wasn't alone.
The brunette looked hesitant to walk towards the group but began to anyways, with the other male right on her heel. She swallowed uncomfortably, thinking of a way to explain this situation to Hinata.
The indigo haired girl was merely looking in TenTen's direction with a delighted smile on her face, that is until the duo that were walking got close enough for her to see their faces.
Long brown hair. Hinata thought curiously.
A bandage over his forehead? She felt her breath hitch.
Once she looked into pale round eyes her breathing stopped all together.
Neji? She thought while her eyes-glued to the boy- continued to assess him. She wanted desperately to activate her byakugan and check for herself but thought that would've been too much. Her friends were already looking at her like she was some basket case.
Naruto noticing his girlfriend's anxiousness he placed a calming arm around her shoulders. Her attention flipped over to him for half a second before coming back to the mysterious guy with TenTen. She didn't even have a chance to speak when they arrived.
"Hinata-sama." The boy greeted with a rare smile on his face.
The disappointment that lurked in her eyes was as obvious as day light. She had, just for a second thought he was Neji and now she would be feeling like this for weeks.
"H-hello." She forced out an answer with a fake smile. She didn't even know who he was, was he a part of their clan?
"Eh, Hey Hina-chan! It's good to see you."
Pale eyes wandered over to meet deep brown eyes and she smiled somewhat genuinely. "It's nice to see you too TenTen-chan."
Her smile made her eyes crinkle. It was a red flag for Naruto, this smile was fake. Blue eyes looked worriedly towards his girlfriend, not knowing how to alleviate the feelings she was suppressing.
"I…I apologize for my rudeness but who might you be?"
The boy beside TenTen looked hurt for a fleeting second but immediately changed his face back into nothing. "My name is Takeo. I guess my last name is Hyuuga." He said uncertainly, she assumed hoping for an approval.
She actually laughed slightly, thinking about a boy she once knew named Takeo. They were children and they were inseparable. Could this be him? It seemed she was quiet for quite some time because the next thing she knew Naruto was squeezing her shoulders softly to get her attention.
"Mhmm?" She wondered looking at her boyfriend. He nodded towards Takeo and she instantly looked embarrassed.
"Oh, I'm sorry Takeo-kun." She smiled kindly at him which seemed to put him at ease. "You just remind me of a boy I used to know."
He looked at her for a second in thought. "You look just like when you were younger, only you've grown to be even more beautiful Hinata."
She blushed prettily at his praise while a protective feeling kicked in Naruto's gut. He didn't like it when other guys made her blush, just him. He was the only one who could make her blush. He tried to mask his discomfort and beamed at their friends. Sasuke saw right through it, damn Uchihas.
"So you are him." She stated rather than questioned.
He nodded. "I am."
"In that case…" She spoke up softly walking closer to him, Naruto reluctantly letting her go. "Welcome home." She finished while shyly hugging Takeo.
He seemed surprised, just like the rest of their friends. They expected some sort of water works from the heiress but they got nothing. Sasuke was right; this girl was a lot stronger emotionally than they gave her credit for. Not to mention how nice she could be, she hadn't seen the boy in over 15 years and welcomed him back with open arms.
Takeo on the other hand felt incredibly relieved, he couldn't care less if this whole village decided not to like him; as long as he had Hinata's and TenTen's approval then everything would work out. Cautiously he placed his arms around the girl and returned the embrace.
"He better be like family." Naruto muttered under his breath wanting more than anything to rip the man into shreds. He wasn't trusted enough to touch Hinata, not yet.