Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me.

Hinata was embarrassed. She was mortified.

Every time she recalled yesterday's event, she couldn't stop her face from heating up in shame. What would her father think if he saw her breaking down the way she did?

The only person she's ever cried in front of was Neji and she never felt ashamed of it because he's seen her at her worst. He was always the one who made her want to keep going. He was the one who always encouraged her.

But crying in front of someone else, especially Naruto had made anxious so early in the morning, that she hasn't been able to look at his face from the moment she's greeted him this morning to them eating breakfast together.

Her gaze was lowered the whole time she ate, while she could feel his on her, never straying.

Once they were done, she stood up to clean everything, since he was the one who cooked. As she picked up the plates, after quietly thanking him, she quickly moved to the kitchen placing them in the sink. She took a deep breath and went back to the table to grab the cups they used but he grabbed her wrist instead stopping her movements.

"Something wrong?" Naruto asked standing up, towering over her.

"Um-No." She vigorously shook her head.

There was nothing wrong. She was just ashamed by her behaviour yesterday.

What was wrong with her?

Why did she allow herself to end up in such a situation?

What did he think of her now?

"Hinata?" He called making her slightly jump.

"Yes?" Her voice came barely above a whisper.

He unexpectedly started running his thumb over her wrist moving slightly closer to her. "Tell me what's wrong."

He is so close. She thought remembering how warm he felt holding her yesterday. How good she felt having his arms around her.

Hinata gulped as her cheeks became slightly red at her thoughts. "I-It's really nothing?"

Naruto kept staring and she couldn't help but really feel his warm hand around her wrist.

She's been acting weird all morning and Naruto didn't know why. She had cried herself to sleep yesterday and he left her bedroom right away putting her to bed.

For the second time now.

He just didn't expect her to wake up barely talking to him. She was practically ignoring him and he didn't understand why.

But he didn't like it.

Not one bit.

Had he upset her in some way?

If it is because he walked into her bedroom yesterday, she couldn't have possibly have expected him to stay away while she was in there crying. And he didn't even remember moving until he's had her in his arms.

All he knew was that he couldn't stand it. He couldn't stay downstairs while she was hurt.

She couldn't be upset because I cared, right? He thought looking down at the small woman.

He moved closer and she jumped when she felt his warmth telling her exactly how close he was. A small gasp left her lips when the hand that was previously holding her wrist moved to wrap around her slim waist.

"N-Naruto." She breathed, not able to find the strength to speak louder.

The man boldly pulled her close pressing her ample chest to his hard one. Hinata didn't fight it, if anything, she welcomed his warmth unconsciously leaning into it just like she had the night before. She was barely aware of him lowering his head to press his forehead against the crown of her own, inhaling deeply.

"Have I upset you?" He lowly asked slightly tightening his hold around her waist making her feel hot and her breathing got slightly heavier. "Are you mad at me?"

She fought the urge to inhale his musky scent, though she could sense it without even needing too. It was so welcoming, so warm, so attractive.

"N-No." She almost whimpered in response to his question, as his other moved to her head running his long fingers through her strands.

She was painfully aware of her chest pressed against his and how inappropriately close they were, but she couldn't bring herself to care anymore.

Not with Naruto.

"Do you want another hug, maybe?" He then asked and she could hear the slight tease in his tone making her face go a deeper shade of red.

She gasped and kept her eyes fixated on his chest.

"I-I'm sorry about my behaviour, yesterday." She said louder than she intended. "I-I don't know what had gotten into me."

He paused his movement on her hair and very slightly pulled to be able to see her beautiful face. "Is that why you're being so weird?"

"Um…" She hesitated still not looking at him.

His hand left her hair and he lightly grabbed her chin tilting her head up to look at him.

"You're impossible." He said. "I thought I did someth-" He paused with a long sigh.

Her shoulders dropped in shame.

"I'm sorry." She murmured.

"Stop apologizing." He sighed tiredly running a hand through his hair. "You don't need to apologize for anything."

He leaned back on the table still holding her and pulled her to stand between his legs. He also wrapped his other arm around her waist pulling her to him with a smile.

"So next time you cry, would you like me to cry too, to make you feel better?" He asked and she pouted pretty sure she looked like a tomato at this moment.

She felt so hot.

"No." She shook her head. "I-I was being silly."

He nodded pushing her hair over her shoulder. "Yes, you are."

She let out a small smile and unconsciously started playing with her fingers.

"Thank you." She shyly said, still trying not to be painfully aware of his hands around her waist.

"You're welcome. For whatever you're thanking me for."

"Everything." Came her soft voice.

Really, everything.

He cleared his throat slowly running his thumb over her sides and Hinata fought the urge to lean into him more.

She was so inappropriate. What would her instructors in the palace think? They would probably die in embarrassment if they saw her behaviour since she's gotten here.

"I want us to go out for dinner tomorrow night." Naruto said, suddenly looking out of place, and she nodded.

"Oh." She faced him with a curious expression. "You want to eat at Ichirakus?"

"No."

She blinked at him in confusion. As far as she knew, Ichirakus was the only place he ever wanted to buy food from. The only other place she's been to was the Tempura place during the festival.

"Some place nicer." He answered her silent question.

"Nicer?" She repeated.

He nodded clearing his throat and looking away from her, looking a little out of place all of a second.

Was he embarrassed for some reason? She wondered looking at him curiously.

"Oh, okay." She nodded with a smile.

"Alright." He nodded straightening up to his full height again. "We better go now, or else you're going to late."

"Hi Hinata." Tenten slid the door to Hinata's classroom open just a little to be able to peep at the Hyuuga. "Am I disturbing you?"

Hinata looked up with the papers she was marking to smile at her friend. She stood up waving at the woman to come in.

"Not at all, Tenten. Please come in." She smiled back looking at the older woman.

Tenten walked in closing the door behind her before approaching her as Hinata walked around her desk to stand in front of it.

"Enjoying your break from these little demons?" The brunette asked sitting on top of one of the front desks as Hinata leaned against her own.

Hinata shook her head placing her quill.

"They are not bad. They are very entertainment."

"Teachers like you annoy me." Tenten grumbled making Hinata giggle. "I don't know how you do it."

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that she's had more entertainment with those children than she's had her whole life. They make her laugh and curious at the same time.

Much like with Naruto.

Beside Neji, he's the only other person who's seen her cry. The only other person who's made her comfortable enough to create a connection with them, and the only other person who constantly clouds her every thought.

But it was still different than with Neji. Because Naruto causes her thoughts and emotions all over the place. She could find herself having so many thoughts and yet she knew she would never find the course to voice them.

All she understood perfectly was how he made her nervous and happy at the same time. How he made her feel silly when she finds herself randomly smiling at the thought of him without even realizing it.

All she knew was that he was her insides feel strange and sometimes hot, without being able to explain it.

Is that what it felt like to be attracted to a boy?

She nervously licked her lips and looked at the brunette.

"Can I ask you something?" The young princess asked.

Her friend perked up in attention at that.

"Of course!"

Hinata cleared her throat nervously moving her gaze to the floor with slightly pink cheeks.

"H-Have you… ever loved a man?" Hinata asked clasping her hands in front of her.

Tenten stayed silent for a few second and Hinata grew even more nervous, still unable to meet the other woman's gaze.

"I wouldn't say love. But I've been attracted to someone." She finally said.

Hinata looked up to meet her gaze in curiosity. "Who was it?"

Tenten sighed tilting her head to the side in thoughts.

"A man from the capital. My father is one of the army's bladesmiths, so I did a lot of delivery just to see him. Though he never even paid attention to me." She chuckled shaking her head. "He was always so serious and always so eager to go home. He never wanted to stay away from the capital for long."

Hinata smiled as she listened.

Tenten looked at her grinning. "Maybe he already has a woman in the capital and that's why he's always so impatient to go home."

"Or his parents?" Hinata suggested but Tenten shook her head.

"He lost both his parents." Tenten said. "So, the only thing I can think of is a woman." She sighed dropping her head.

Hinata stayed quiet about the fact that she was from the capital. Naruto has warned her about telling people that. Furthermore, she never left the palace to know anyone Tenten might know, let alone a man from the army.

"What does it feel like?" Hinata asked pushing thoughts of home in the back of her head.

Tenten hummed placing a finger over her chin in thought. "Makes you feel silly, and excited. It is a little scary but also feel good."

Hinata couldn't help but be confused, but also be vaguely understanding what Tenten is saying. After all, her emotions have been disordered these past few weeks.

"It sounds very complicated." The princess said.

"It is." Tenten smirked looking at her in curiosity. "Why do you ask?"

Hinata cleared her throat in embarrassment.

"Oh, n-nothing. I was just c-curious." She stuttered blushing deep.

The woman looked at her in disbelief. "Just curious? Or do you have something more in mind?"

Hinata gasped blushing deeper.

"D-Don't be silly!" Hinata shook her head. "I've never felt such thing."

"There could be a first for everything." The woman continued.

"It's nothing like that. I promise."

"Okay. Whatever you say." Tenten snickered as the lavender-eyed woman blushed deeper. "Anyways, I have some more papers I have to grade. I'll see you later."

"Yes." Hinata nodded with a smile as the other teacher turned to leave.

After Tenten left, Hinata walked to the window in thoughts. The sights of the children running around, playing and the sound of their laughter kept her thoughts from running out of control.

Now she was sure of it.

That's what she's been feeling.

She has feelings for Naruto.

But when did it start? How did it start? Is that really what it was this whole time?

Is that why she felt so weird inside every time his attention was on her? And why her heart started beating fast when he was close?

And what about it? Is there a way to make them go away?

The last thing she wanted was to put him in an uncomfortable situation, especially after everything he's done for her.

Would he stop being friends with her if he found out?

Her hands closed around the front her dress as she moved her eyes up to the blue sky.

Naruto.

She heard the classroom door slide open, and Hinata turned around to see Haru opening the door and entering the classroom, before slowly closing the door behind him.

"H-Hinata-sensei." He called clasping his hands in front of him.

"Oh, Haru." She smiled facing him as he approached her. "Aren't playing outside with the others?" She asked taking in a shifty stance.

"I wanted to see if you needed help with something." He said looking at up at her, waiting.

If there was something she's heard from the other teachers regarding this boy is how much of a troublemaker he is.

Or was.

Because she had yet to see what worried them so much. He was the most helpful child in the class, always willing to help her if needed. He's never caused her any trouble. Far from it.

She had a small smile on her face as she responded. "You want to spend your break helping me?"

He firmly nodded. "Yes, sensei."

"Aren't you going to miss you friends?" She asked.

"Nope."

"Okay." She smiled. "Then would you mind cleaning the board for me?" She asked grabbing the board eraser to hand it to him.

He eagerly nodded almost running toward it. He grabbed the eraser from her and grinned at her while enthusiastically going at it.

Hinata chuckled shaking her head at his enthusiasm.

He was an active little boy.

Hinata looked away from him when the classroom slid open once more. Kurenai walked in with a couple of scrolls in her hands.

Her red eyes landed on Haru and her eyebrows shot up in surprise.

She looked at Haru with a surprised look on her face. "Haru, what are you doing?"

"Helping Hinata-sensei." He solemnly said without looking away from his task.

Kurenai blinked looking between the boy and the indigo-haired woman. "You? Helping someone?"

"Yes." He pouted as he finished cleaning the board, shifting on his feet.

He placed the eraser on Hinata's desk and looked out the window pointedly ignoring Kurenai's tone. He actually looked annoyed at her as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Hinata, you are working miracles." The woman said looking at the young woman as if she's just parted the sea. "You should have come to this school much sooner."

The older woman shook her head before moving deeper into the room with the scrolls in hand.

"These are the programs for next month." She said placing the documents on the desk.

Hinata slowly bowed grabbing them to place them inside her drawers.

"Thank you, Kurenai-san."

"No problem. I'll see you later." She smiled walking back out of the room but not without giving Haru another amused look.

As soon as she slid the door shut, Haru spoke once again.

"I'm done, Hinata-sensei." He said looking up at her, uncrossing his arms as his previous glare disappeared. "What else can I do?"

"Can you place these papers on everyone's desk?" She asked handing him a small stack of paper.

He quickly got to it as Hinata leaned against her desk watching him quickly move around the desks.

He was always so helpful. If anyone gave her confidence and support during her first days, it was this little boy. He explained so much about their class' dynamic to her, guided her through their habits.

"You're very helpful, Haru. Thank you." Hinata smiled placing a hand on top of his head ruffling his hair a little.

"No problem." He shifted with slightly red cheeks.

"How is the princess doing?" The head of Namiz territory asked looking at his son.

Naruto took a seat in front of his father tiredly leaning back on the seat. "Great."

Minato leaned in resting his chin on his knuckles, eyeing his son across the table.

"You seem to be getting along well with her." He remarked and Naruto shrugged sinking deeper into his seat.

"So, what about it?" He asked in a guarded tone earning a chuckled from his father.

Naruto frowned as the man laughed. He knew his father had something in mind because the older man always thought he knew everything about him.

And technically he has always been able to find out all of Naruto's secrets, but the smugness he often showed when he was in those situations pissed Naruto off.

"No need to get defensive. I'm just saying what I've noticed." His father smiled lifting his hands in defence. "I'm glad the two of you are getting along."

Naruto didn't buy his father's innocent tone for one second. He knew better. That tone of his father had made him admit anything and everything in his younger years.

But he wasn't young anymore. And it wouldn't work, because he had nothing to say.

"Well I'm supposed to be watching her, so it's normal to get along with her." He simply said hoping to shift the conversation.

But his father didn't let up as his teasing smile slowly disappeared, giving him a serious look.

"You're right." He nodded. "Just remember who she is." The older man said.

"I know." Naruto grumbled.

"And Neji is your friend. So, don't do anything that would put your brotherhood in jeopardy." He continued and Naruto shook his head with a small grown.

"I know." He hissed getting annoyed.

Where the hell did all of this come from, all of a sudden?

"And I know my son." The older man said knowingly.

Naruto looked out the window not saying anything and not knowing where his father was getting at with all of this.

Actually, he did know but he didn't want to think about it because his father was wrong. He wasn't some out of control teenager. Even without Neji in mind, he actually cares about the maddening woman.

More than he would like to admit.

"You care about her." His father said, snapping him out his thoughts. "I know. I've seen it. Just be careful, son." He added as Naruto moved his eyes back to him. "For both of your sakes."

"Why did you want to see me, father?" Naruto asked changing the subject.

Minato looked at him for a moment and sighed shaking his head at his son. Naruto might be stubborn, but Minato knew that his son wasn't going to completely ignore what he had said. He will just keep in mind what he wants to keep.

"I wanted to talk to you about the queen." Minato started, deciding to let his son's heart do the rest for him.

"So, what's happening over there?" He asked suddenly straightening up to look at his father expectantly.

Minato pulled out a scroll handing it to his son. Naruto opened letting his eyes run through the words. The more he read, the tighter his face got.

"She wants to send some troops back to their homes?" Naruto asked looking at his father with a slightly bewildered expression. "Is that old hag out of her mind!?"

"Apparently."

Naruto closed the scroll shaking his head in denial. "Why the hell would she do that? Does she realize she's going to leave the capital defenceless? We can't let her do that!" The more he spoke the louder his voice got.

"Calm down, son." Minato said lifting a hand. "I don't think she's going to leave the capital vulnerable. I'm not sure what she's thinking, but I'm sure she has something in mind."

"I want to go see this for myself. I want to know what the hell she's doing." Naruto said placing the scroll on the desk. "Please, allow me."

Minato raised an eyebrow at his son. "And what are you going to do with Hinata-sama?"

The young blond dropped his head with a small groan.

"Shit."

"She's the heir to the throne. You need to stay here." Minato reminded him when he lifted his head back up. "Plus, Neji asked you to take care of her."

Naruto ran a hand over his face and nodded in understanding.

"Then allow me to send someone there." He finally requested.

"Who are you thinking?" Minato asked taking the scroll back to place it in his drawers, making sure to close it with the key.

"Jiraiya-sensei." Naruto said. "Last time we heard from him, he wasn't far from the capital, right?"

If there was anything his perverted godfather was capable of doing, it was snooping around places. Naruto couldn't think of anyone else. Not only did he and his father trust the man with their lives, but he was also very capable.

A man who's taught both father and son everything they know in combat.

"I'll allow it." Minato nodded at the suggestion. "On my end, I'll send out a meeting with the other leaders. If the queen doesn't want to discuss with us, fine. But we still have things to discuss among ourselves. And I am sure the situation is also troubling to some of them too."

Naruto was about to stand when he paused to look at his father skeptically.

"Can you trust all of them?" He asked.

"Of course not. But I, at least need to see all of them. And we can go from there."

Naruto nodded getting his point. Still, they both knew that some of them were snakes, looking for ways to turn any situation to their advantage. But Naruto also knew that his father was anything but a pushover, and he too knew how to get what he wants.

"The queen is hiding the fact that the princess disappeared, but I'm sure she's sent out people to look for her. Make sure to be even more careful."

"I will." Naruto nodded clenching his jaw. "Is there anything else? It's almost time to go pick up Hinata."

"Yes, one more thing." The Namiz head nodded. "Hinata-sama is engaged to Otsutsuki Toneri."

Naruto's blood ran cold.

A/N: Please review and let me know what you think! Hope you enjoy.