Author's Note:

Wow! I am floored by the reaction to this story, and by everyone's constant support. Your reviews honestly keep me going.

A little author's note, I had given up writing after pumping out fanfiction after fanfiction under a different pen name for a completely different genre. Rewatching Naruto made me extremely unhappy at how anime/manga treated all of the couples and it made me think they really deserved some justice. So here I am! Giving you what I wished we were given as a backstory.

I hope to continue this story for as long as you'll have me. Thank you again, I appreciate each and every one of you, and hope you enjoy this long-awaited chapter :)

-ZS

Having finished the next book in the Make-Out Paradise series that very morning, Naruto thought he was ready to make a real move. No more gently caressing her cheek, or pressing his forehead to hers. No. He was going to take her into his arms just like the main character did in the book and finally kiss her.

From the way Hinata had approached him today, he could tell she reciprocated the feeling. She had to have felt the palpable tension between them. It made him wonder if she had ever read the series or anything like it. As shy or nervous as she may seem, for a girl who had sucked on his fingers not too long ago...it wasn't out of the realm of possibility.

He felt his cheeks flush at the thought of her lips around his fingers, which Hinata noticed immediately, "What are you thinking about, Naruto-Kun?"

"N-Nothing," He stuttered, pulling her a little bit faster towards Hokage Rock and his favorite clearing. He couldn't think of a better place to take her to enjoy their lunches...and some alone time.

"Naruto, you can slow down," She laughed, trying to keep up with him.

"No, I really can't."

He had wasted enough time these past few years, he didn't have even a second to spare.

"Oh, wow," Hinata murmured, looking at the hilly clearing before them. The view of the city below made it feel as if they were on top of the world.

"Nice, isn't it?" He asked, plopping down on the grass. He offered a hand so she could sit next to him.

"I've never been up here."

"I would hope not, it's my secret spot."

"So I originally packed this for Sakura and me, I hope it's okay?" She unwrapped the Bentos and gently placed an unopened one in front of Naruto.

"I'm sure it'll be-" He gasped, "Oh shit. Did you make yakisoba?"

"Mhmm."

"From scratch?"

"Yes, indeed."

"The omelet has a little face!"

She laughed, "I couldn't resist. Hanabi loved it when I would make hers with faces."

Naruto could cry. He was so touched by the amount of detail Hinata put into this meal, even if it wasn't meant for him. Although, he was getting suspicious that it might have been since his bento didn't have many veggies, whereas hers did. If anything, Sakura's plate was green most of the time. There was no way Hinata made this for her.

"This is amazing," He said, stuffing his face contentedly. He didn't realize how hungry he was, not with the constant butterflies now occupying his stomach at all times when she was around.

"I'm so happy you like it, Naruto-Kun. Next time I'll make one especially for you."

"It already feels like this one was made for me."

Hinata blushed, which made Naruto regret saying that. But he couldn't help it. He didn't want their relationship to start off on the wrong foot.

"Did you make it for me? Not Sakura?"

She avoided his stare and nodded, "Yes."

He put the bento box down on the piece of fabric it was wrapped in and turned to face her, "You don't have to make up an excuse to see me. If I could, I'd want to see you every second of every day."

She raised her hand to her lips, covering half of her face in sheer embarrassment.

"Hinata? Are you okay?"

Hinata's face had turned so red he was starting to think she wasn't breathing anymore.

"Didn't I ask you not to embarrass me anymore?" She managed to choke out.

Naruto chuckled, "And I told you I couldn't help it."

She took a breath and picked up a bite with her chopsticks, before promptly putting it down with a sigh, "Was it really that obvious?"

"I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, Hinata. But I kind of saw through that pretty quickly."

She furrowed her brow, her blush still affixed to her cheeks, "Well, you bringing me to a secluded clearing isn't the most discreet thing you've ever done either."

"That obvious?"

"Very."

"I'm...new to the whole dating thing."

She smiled, "You think I'm not?"

"I-I didn't say that!" He quickly said, adding, "I just think you've maybe...that you...I don't know," He huffed.

"Just say what you're thinking," She encouraged him, taking his hand in hers.

"You've probably been in touch with your feelings for a long time, I've...I've never really acknowledged them until now."

He felt her lavender eyes upon him, questioning exactly what he meant. But, he didn't know what to say. In Make-Out Paradise the main character confessed his love for Iko before sweeping her off of her feet and into the sunset. He couldn't see himself doing that, not yet. Like Sasuke had said, he shouldn't rush into...that.

But was there any harm in...

He untangled his hand from hers and instead used it to guide her still adorably confused face towards his.

"What feelings?" She asked in a voice just above a whisper, almost as if she was scared that if she spoke any louder it would break the magic that safely protected them from the outside world.

Naruto smiled as he said, "These," before closing the gap between them.

Heat rose from his stomach to his chest as his lips finally pressed against hers. He was almost certain he could hear her heart skip a beat.

The smell of her was intoxicating, sweet, and floral. A delicious scent he knew he'd be hooked on for life. She parted her lips and as he could feel her desire washing over him like a wave of warmth, making him curl his toes and grasp her tightly to him. It was like the strawberry shortcake incident all over again, but so much better.

Naruto's whole body buzzed, the feel of her body pressed to him as his arms finally wrapped around her waist and pulled her as close as humanly possibly nearly felt forbidden.

He broke their kiss for a mere moment, just to make sure Hinata was still breathing. To make sure that this...that this was real. She almost cried out at the loss of contact.

Naruto knew he had no choice but to claim her lips again. And again...and again. Their embrace was so very hungry, so incredibly intense, that he was thankful they were sitting, or else he was sure their knees would've given out.

He groaned softly, low in his throat, as she threw her weight against him and pushed down upon the ground.

They rolled over on the grass, tangled together, still kissing. By the time Naruto became aware of her fingers, they had already slipped under his shirt, his body radiating heat where her touch met his skin.

It was as if time had stopped as they laid in the grass, the sweet spring air blowing as they were glued to one another. It was as if no one else existed as if they were in their own corner of the world.

Naruto had never imagined his first real kiss, not really. Although technically he had accidentally had his with Sasuke in his academy days, he knows that doesn't count and that if he ever brought it up to Sasuke again he'd probably knock him two villages over.

But this, what he was feeling at this moment? No book could have ever done it justice. The first five seconds of their kiss was chaste, innocent. Lips on lips, nothing more. But the longer he pressed his lips to hers, the more he wanted to explore. The more he wanted to know.

He could get lost in her forever if she let him, he was honestly scared that she would. And nothing in the Pervy Sage's writing had prepared him to be sucker-punched in the gut by that realization.