Disclaimer: I still don't own Naruto.
Hinata rolled back and forth in her sleeping bag fighting the waking world. Lavender eyes shot open to view green canvas with the loud crack of a thunderclap and a flash of lightning that illuminated even the interior of the tent. Convinced she wouldn't be getting any sleep anytime soon with this storm, she peered out the cabin flaps at Naruto. He seemed to be looking around from his spot, checking the area for anyone that might be a threat… and shivering. Hinata wiped her slightly sleepy eyes and dug into her bag. She donned her slicker, retrieved something small, wrapped it in a handkerchief and placed it in her pocket. Placing her hood over her head, she stepped out of the tent towards Naruto. Leaping up, she sat down beside him on the branch.
"Hinata? What are you doing up?"
"I couldn't sleep and I saw you were shivering, so I came up to see you."
"There's no reason for both of us to be miserable with this rain."
"That's why I brought something with me. Hold out your hand."
"Okay," he did as he was asked and suddenly his hand felt warmer. Hinata's hand clasped his around the little bag.
"It's a little hand warmer, it's not much, but it'll keep your hands from getting too cold. I'm only glad I didn't take them out of my bag when winter ended."
"Thank you Hinata," Naruto replied gratefully with a slightly shivering smile.
"Mhm," she smiled back.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Hinata hadn't been the only one awoken by the thunder. Tenten and Neji both found themselves awake as well. Tenten unzipped the bag and stepped out.
"You're not going out there are you?" Neji asked, blinking heavily.
"Of course not, I'm coming in."
"What are you doing?"
"I'm zipping our bags together."
'Why?"
"It's cold," she said as she zipped the two bags together and climbed in next to him.
"W-w-what if someone sees us?" Neji became a little flustered.
"We're not doing anything shameful. We're just conserving body heat like we did this winter," she tucked her head into his chest and wrapped her arms around him. "Besides, those two seem to be more interested in each other than us," she pointed out of the gap where the flap was slightly ajar to show the two holding hands on the branch.
"Fine," he said giving in and wrapping his arms around her.
"I swear, you'd think we'd been dating for two weeks, not two years when other people are around."
"They don't know that."
"Shut up," Tenten nuzzled her head against his chest and fell asleep.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Naruto and Hinata sat on the branch switching positions every once in a while so that the other hand would get warm. The pitter patter of the rain on their coats and the smell of the storm were drowned out by that moment together. It wasn't to last though as hail began bouncing around the trees.
"Let's get inside the tent. Nobody would brave this storm."
"Yeah," Naruto said as they both hopped down and ran for the cover of their tent.
They both sighed in relief and shot a smile towards the other. Naruto pulled back his hood first and watched as Hinata removed hers as well. Her black hair fell down in waves over the back of her slicker. It seemed to be almost slow motion as she turned and gave him her gentle smile. Something stirred in him at that moment.
"Why is my heart beating so fast? Is it because of the run? Is it because of the thunder? Why can't I take my eyes off of her? Why do I have this sudden urge to…" Naruto thought to himself as Hinata turned to face him.
"Why is Naruto looking at me that way?" she looked quizzically at her tentmate.
Her answer was given to her before one more thought could cross her mind as all of the world faded into the background and she felt his lips on hers. She closed her eyes and slipped briefly into a world where only the two of them existed in the entire world. Neither of them knew exactly what spurred it, but neither of them really cared, because for that moment they were in paradise.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Sasuke regained consciousness. Judging by the silence in the hall he knew it was still early morning. Pain rang through his head like kunai were being jammed into his eyes.
"Gah," Sasuke gripped his head.
"Sasuke…" Sakura groaned sleepily as she came back to the waking world. Seeing him reach for his eyes she immediately captured his hands and dragged them down. "You can't, you'll ruin the surgery!"
"Gaah," Sasuke yelled out in agony. Sakura gripped his hands tightly.
"Nurse!" she yelled to the door which quickly caught the attention of a nurse who passed through with no pause from the guards.
"Yes?"
"Increase the painkiller dosage by twenty percent."
She quickly rushed to the other side of the bed and adjusted the drip. The Uchiha seemed to slowly calm down and dropped his hands down to his side in relief.
"I'm sorry. I didn't anticipate the pain being this much. Are you okay?"
"I'm okay now. How did the surgery go?" his said softly as the drug started to relax him.
"There weren't any complications during surgery, but we won't know anything for a week. I don't want you to even attempt to use those eyes for at least that long to give them time to heal."
"I've dealt with it this long. I can handle not seeing for another week."
"I'm glad you understand. I'm going to go get some sleep in the on call room. If you need anything call for someone to get me," Sakura got up and started to walk out.
"Sakura," Sasuke called.
"Hmm?"
"Thank you," he whispered, his face turned away from her.
"Get some sleep. Rest will be good for those eyes," Sakura said back with a gentle tone and a small smile dragging across her lips.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Their lips parted, the two spent a moment in stunned silence. Hinata quickly sent her hand to touch her lips as pink hit her cheeks
"Our first kiss," Hinata thought excitedly, the situation finally dawning on her as her eyes became as big as saucers.
"She has a weird look on her face. Did I do it wrong? Should I have waited?" he thought to himself, a little nervously.
"I know this is a dream come true but you can't faint here., not now." she spurred herself on, but she couldn't keep herself up and started to faint. Naruto caught her in his arms as she was falling back.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Neji couldn't sleep a wink with Tenten in his arms, her hair let down for sleep and the small coos she made while she slept. He was more than happy with having her so close, but if something came up it could be a problem if Naruto or Hinata happened to pass by. Deciding to quell his fears, he activated his Byakugan and looked outside. The two weren't there, so he looked into the tent and saw something unnerving for the one charged with keeping the two on a virtuous path. Naruto holding her in what seemed like a compromising position.. He immediately flew out of the bed to the great disturbance of Tenten, who swore she'd gut him if there wasn't a good reason for this interruption of her sleep.
"Uzumaki!" Neji yelled as he threw open the tent.
"Huh?" Naruto managed to get out before Neji dragged him out of the tent by the neck of his shirt and stood him up. By now Hinata had regained her senses and upon seeing Neji drag Naruto out she chased after him.
"You lewd dog!"
"Neji!," Hinata yelled at him.
"What are you talking about?" Naruto replied, still confused about the situation.
"You know what you two were about to do. I don't care if she dates you or not, but I won't have this and that happening on my watch."
Temari clambered out of bed and the tent stretching and yawning. "What's with all the yelling and why are you holding Naruto like that?"
"Uhh…" Neji stuttered, trying to think of a way to explain the situation. Tenten looked on somewhere between annoyed and amused. "Well I…"
"He thought Naruto and I… were going to…do… do this and that, but we weren't!" Hinata started at a stumble but gradually grew in strength to a yell.
"Hinata…" Naruto was surprised by her sudden burst.
"Is that all?" Temari laughed a little.
"What's so funny?" Neji snapped.
"That you thought Hinata… and Naruto…" she couldn't help but laugh at the prospect.
"What do you mean?"
"Just look at them. She's wobbly from the mere thought of it."
Naruto had pulled himself away from Neji by now and was helping the other Hyuuga keep herself upright.
"Go back to bed and leave those two alone."
"But…"
"No buts. We've got forty-five minutes before we need to get ready to go and we all need some rest."
"Fine," Neji conceded, to the surprise of the others.
Everyone retreated to the tents where Naruto picked up his jacket and threw it on. As he made his way towards the door, he turned back.
"Hinata."
"What is it Naruto-kun?"
"I'm sorry if you weren't ready for earlier," he replied, his face growing a slight shade of pink.
"No no no," she waved her hands in front of her, "it just surprised me."
"Phew, I'm glad," he wiped his brow and stepped outside.
"Naruto-kun was worried?" she thought to herself
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Flashback
As the dust settled, the three genin found themselves tangled up in their tethers and nearly immobile.
"Move it dobe, you stink," Sasuke grumbled.
"Why don't you try moving teme?"
"Because I'm on bottom you idiot."
Sakura sighed. "Looks like I'm the voice of reason again," she thought to herself as she lifted an arm.
"Sasuke-kun?"
"What?"
"Could you move your left leg away from you?"
"Why?"
"I'm trying to get us all apart and if your leg clears Naruto's we can all take little moves and get out of this pile."
"Fine," he whipped his leg out and through various steps the three of them managed to separate and breathe a little easier.
"So what now?" Naruto asked.
"I guess we should set up camp, so we don't have to do it later." Sakura suggested.
The three managed to set up the campsite and build a small fire pit out of some nearby rocks.
"We still need firewood."
"Heh, I got it," Naruto grinned. "Kage bunshin no jutsu!" he called out but the jutsu failed to produce any replicates. "Huh?'
"Baka these are prison work bonds. They're designed to keep ninja from molding chakra. I noticed the markings when we were trying to get untangled."
"So you mean?"
"Yes, we all have to go get firewood"
_____________________________________________________________________________________
"Man , this writer is really dragging his heels on this story. He doesn't update in a long time and he doesn't move more than an hour or so forward in time," the youngest brother whined.
"Give him a break, the only thing predictable in this fic has been your whining every chapter about that scroll."
"Are you two breaking the fourth wall back there?"
"Noooo…" the two answered pushing through the pouring rain and looking off to the side.
"Good."
"I wonder when we're going to get to fire country? We've been running for chapters now and this scroll is ridiculous," he thought as he bounced along the trees.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Well, hope you enjoyed this most recent installment of Hidden Treasure. I think I ticked off my muse, because she's been awfully fickle lately.