At Last

'How do I approach her now?', Uzumaki Naruto thought to himself as he lay in bed. It's been two days since the blonde-haired ninja confessed his love to Hinata and they shared their first kiss. Upon their return to Konoha after defeating Otsutsuki Toneri and saving the world, Naruto and the Byukugan princess had not spoken to one another due to their own insecurities.

"I can do this!", Naruto exclaimed as he punched his right fist straight up into the air and sat upright from his lying position. Naruto quickly jumped out of bed and stumbled on his bedsheets as he headed for the shower. He made up his mind to stay determined in speaking with Hinata today. Konoha's hero proceeded to shower then changed into a set of clean clothes as he pondered how he should approach Hinata to confirm their relationship. Naruto gazed at himself in the mirror, checking his physique and attire, and decided he looked quite decent. As he looked at his smile, the ninja could not help but imagine Hinata's lips on his again. Naruto lightly brushed the center of his lips with his fingertips and felt a slight tinge of embarrassment as his cheeks became flushed and got warmer.

The knucklehead started getting doubtful and began questioning if he could muster up the courage to speak with his newly-realized love. 'I've known Hinata for years, so why is it so hard for me to talk to her now? Is this what love feels like?'. Just as soon as these thoughts developed, Naruto brushed them out of his head and rushed out of his home, anxious to see Hinata.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Hyuga Hinata was fiddling with her fingers as she paced back and forth inside her room. She had been in a dream-like state the past couple of days as the young lady imagined how her days ahead with Naruto would be spent. Hinata yearned to see her long-time crush again but figured it would be best if she waited for him to find her. However, waiting proved to be very challenging. The black-haired, lavender-white-eyed beauty softly let out a sigh and thought to herself, 'I need to get out of here and calm my mind'. Hinata was also stressed from helping her sister's eyes recover after they were returned from Toneri's possession.

"I'm going out to the lake", Hinata called out as she hurriedly walked past by her younger sister's room.

"Sure thing, have fun!", Hanabi responded, waving her hands next to her face, revealing a wide smile.

With a sense of relief, Hinata said to herself, 'I'm so glad Hanabi is safe at home now'. The elder Hyuga sister then went to where her father was sitting to inform him of her whereabouts, but Hyuga Hiashi only waved his daughter goodbye without a word as Hinata started to speak. Hinata shrugged this off and made a getaway to the exit.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Hinata had just walked out of the Hyuga property and was closing the front gates when she heard a familiar voice.

"Hey, Hinata. Can we talk for a bit?", Naruto said as she turned to face him.

"N-naruto, yes, of course", Hinata replied. She began to feel shy but forced herself to stand next to Naruto, who was scratching the back of his head with his left hand and sporting a sheepish grin. Hinata looked at Naruto's expression and could not help but wonder if the man she admired was also feeling shy around her.

Naruto cleared his throat and looked away when he noticed Hinata staring at him. Realizing that she had stared at Naruto a bit too long, Hinata redirected her gaze down to her feet.

"Were you going somewhere just now?", the Uzumaki ninja asked.

Hinata just blurted, "Umm... well, I was heading to the lake if you want to join me and talk there". She then turned her head and focused her gaze towards the direction of the nearby lake.

Letting out a huge smile and bearing his teeth, Naruto responded, "Thanks, I'd like that". The pair walked slowly side by side, not daring to look at each other. Giving up on his urge not to look at the person beside him, Naruto caught himself throwing glances at Hinata as much as he could. The young shinobi was thinking to himself how beautiful Hinata looked as a breeze swept her hair across her face in the sunlight and she smiled in content.

As they approached a bench to sit on at the edge of the lake, Naruto scanned their surroundings to ensure no one was around and started, "So, Hinata... I don't really know what to say or do when it comes to this kind of thing, but uh, what do you think about us becoming a couple and starting a serious relationship? I mean, I really care about you and I'll do my best to make you as happy as you make me feel". Naruto displayed another sincere smile in the hopes of receiving a positive response.

Much to Naruto's surprise, Hinata placed her hand on one of his and replied with tears of joy, "Naruto, you already make me so happy. You have no idea how long I've wanted to be by your side. I've always looked up to you ever since you stood up to my bullies in my defense when we were kids". Naruto immediately felt a wave of satisfaction course through his body and without realizing, he pulled Hinata towards him and embraced her in a tight hug. The Hyuga girl did not try to resist and allowed herself to fully enjoy this moment, nestling her head onto Naruto's neck and hugging his waist. At the same time, Hinata kept thinking, 'I can't believe this is really happening! At last, my dream to be with Naruto has finally come true!'.

Naruto came to realize what he had done when he felt Hinata's breathing on his neck. He was about to let go of the Hyuga heiress but loved the feeling of comfort he was experiencing while holding her. "You know Hinata, you're mine now. I was never really sure what love felt like growing up, but I think you forced me to understand. From here on out, I promise to take care of you and cherish our time together", Naruto said as he gave Hinata a bit of a squeeze.

A little squeal escaped Hinata's mouth as she squirmed in Naruto's arms. "I- I promise to do the same, Naruto. I'll work on being the best girlfriend possible!" Naruto released his hold on Hinata and lifted her chin with his hand until their eyes met.

"Thank you, for loving me the way you always have", Naruto said as a tear trickled down his face. Hinata saw this and gently wiped it away with her thumb, hands placed on either side of her now-boyfriend's head. Instinctively, the couple leaned in towards each other and pressed their lips together. They held their kiss, feeling its' softness and warmth, for what seemed like ages. When their lips parted, the two young shinobi touched foreheads and laughed together. Naruto and Hinata remained sitting together, holding hands, and talking about sweet nothings while they watched the sunset cascade over the Hidden Leaf village into nightfall. Naruto walked Hinata back home and the two shared another kiss as they parted for the night, both overwhelmed with happiness.