Naruto couldn't focus. It wasn't anything new, in fact, he had been reprimanded by both Kakashi and Shikamaru so often in the last few weeks that he could hear their voices in his head right now telling him to get his head in the game.

"I'm never going to retire at this rate," Kakashi sighed almost daily.

"Clearly neither am I," Shikamaru would retort.

Naruto would roll his eyes and go back to his reading, diligently taking notes and trying to look busy. But when he was home...when she was around? He just couldn't help himself.

When he wasn't with Hinata, he was thinking about her. Her smile, her laugh, the way her breath caught whenever his lips touched her skin. He felt his body tremble as he thought of her on top of him, how aggressive she had been the last time they had been alone.

He looked up from the book he was supposed to be studying and watched as she brushed her hair in front of the small mirror on his dresser. Her slender fingers seamlessly worked her long tresses into a low bun and clipped a magnificent jade comb onto the top of it. He smiled as she studied her reflection, a flush coloring her cheeks. No doubt she realized how beautiful she looked.

"You're staring," She said through the mirror, still not used to the attention Naruto would give her at any given moment. Little did she know that she could simply be sitting there breathing and he'd probably think she was made of the sun and the stars and everything beautiful in the world.

He quickly looked down at the book in his hands and smirked, "Just a small study break."

"You've barely read a chapter."

"I read a few pages!"

"Naruto, didn't you tell me Kakashi and Shikamaru wanted you to read all of those books before the end of the year?" She asked, looking at the clearly untouched stack of books on his side table.

Naruto sighed, "Who could possibly finish all of that reading in such a short time?"

"The next Hokage?"

He furrowed his brow at her jab and muttered, "You've been spending too much time with Sakura."

"What was that?"

"Nothing, nothing," He said, waving her off with a smile.

Hinata rolled her eyes playfully and turned back to the small mirror, dead set on finishing up in the next ten minutes so they could be off.

Naruto had picked her up at the Hyuga compound that morning, excitedly rushing her out the gate and to his apartment in record time. They had agreed to visit the cemetery before going to meet their friends, knowing that many would do the same. After all, it was tradition to pay respects to loved ones during the winter festivities.

When Hinata walked through the door, the first thing she had noticed was the four bunches of flowers Naruto had clearly gotten from Ino's shop early that morning. She turned to look at them again as she put her makeup brush down, "The sunflowers are beautiful, how did you manage to get them this time of year?"

He shrugged, "I have connections."

"I could've gotten them."

Naruto put his book down on his bed and walked towards her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder, "Don't worry about it. Besides, the flowers are from both of us, aren't they? Does it matter who went and bought them?"

She leaned into him and breathed out, "You're right."

"Anyways," He said, kissing her cheek, "I really wanted to go out and get them. I have so much to be thankful for this time around."

Hinata smiled, "We both do."

His grip tightened around her waist as he mumbled, "We're going to be late." As always, he wanted nothing more than to be able to just stay home with her. He knew he'd have the chance soon enough, but still, he wished it was possible tonight.

"You look incredible, Hina," He murmured, pressing his lips ever so gently to her forehead.

Hinata smiled at his touch and brought her hand to his cheek, "Thank you, Naruto-kun. You look really handsome too."

"Oh? This old thing?" He mumbled, referring to the pant and jacket set he had worn not too long ago on his own birthday.

"I really do like it on you."

"Maybe I should wear it more often."

"Mmmm, I don't know..."

"What?"

"We may never leave the house if you do," She said, getting on the tips of her toes and kissing his neck.

His heart fluttered, "I'm definitely wearing this more often."

Hinata giggled, shaking her head and turning to gather her things. Naruto took advantage of her being distracted and let out a breath to calm his nerves. As if to ground himself in the moment, he placed his hand in his pocket and felt the outline of the box that held Hinata's present with his fingertips.

"Ready?" She asked, grabbing two of the bunches of flowers from their spot on his kitchen table.

He nodded, and tried to compose himself, "I can grab those."

She shook her head, "It's okay, carry the other two, yeah?"

"You don't have to-"

"Naruto-Kun, let me lighten your load. I'm happy to help."

Naruto chuckled, "I have to get used to that, huh?"

"What?"

"Sharing the burden...asking for help. Especially if you're going to be my wife."

Her cheeks turned a bright red as she looked down and mumbled, "Yes. We're going to be family after all."

"Thank you, Hinata," He said, sweeping her up into his embrace, flowers and all.

"The flowers, Naruto!"

He shook his head, "They'll be fine. Just let me hold you for a second."

She relaxed into him and inhaled, "Okay."

He'd never take this for granted, not even for a second. He'd be forever grateful for her and how she'd changed his life in a matter of a few months.


The couple was silent as they walked hand in hand. It was a comfortable quiet, one that Hinata found calming as usual. She could barely feel the harsh winter wind as Naruto wrapped an arm around her, his body producing more than enough heat for them both. He pressed his lips to her temple, a simple gesture that spoke volumes.

As they approached the cemetery, Hinata was suddenly reminded of the summers she and Naruto would come together to the cemetery, bringing flowers from the Hyuga garden. He'd be stubborn as always, insisting on carrying the flowers under his arm, leaving him unable to open the gate.

"Naruto-Kun, please! Lady Tsunade asked that you-"

"Hinata, they're flowers! They don't weigh anything," He said, a smile so bright she'd nearly forgotten why they were even together and where they were going. He would eventually open the creaky gate, flowers unharmed.

He'd then gently place the blooms she had picked for Neji in her hand before he walked off. His smile never wavered, and her heart always skipped a beat. She'd watch as he approached his parents' graves, always turning her back to him to give him the space to grieve the parents he'd never really known he had. She had heard bits and pieces of the story. His father was the legendary fourth Hokage, his mother a red-haired beauty who, like Naruto, was a Jinchuriki. They both gave their lives to save the village, something many didn't know, including their son.

The first few times she had visited, she didn't know what to expect. But, of course, Naruto being Naruto, would simply talk to his parents as if they were actually there. He'd crack jokes, laugh at them himself. And then, as if realizing he was not in fact having a conversation, he'd shyly look over his shoulder at Hinata and give her that killer smile once more.

Now, almost two years later, they were back again...together. Although Hinata had expected Naruto to go off on his own to pay his respects, he led her to the gravesite of his parents.

"I wanted..." He started to mumble as he stood before his mother and father's tombstones, "I wanted for you to meet them, Hinata. I know it sounds, um, silly...But I know it would mean the world to them if we paid our respects today."

Hinata felt tears well in her eyes as Naruto continued, "Mom, dad, I, um, I know we haven't talked in a bit. I'm sorry, I've been kind of busy, you know? Mom, I've been eating more than ramen thanks to Hinata, and dad, I'm trying my best to study. But, I came here today to have Hinata pay her respects. I've asked her to be my wife."

He chuckled and took a breath before continuing, clearly trying to compose himself, "Mom, I took to heart everything you told me about the pervy sage, I promise. But, I think in this case, Hinata isn't a lot like you. I am, you know? We're both loud and a little short-tempered, and yeah, maybe we don't always think things through, but Hinata...she's my rock. She really balances me out. Just like dad was your calm, she's mine. I think if you two had the chance to meet, you'd get exactly what I'm saying. Well, who am I kidding, I'm sure you knew before I did that this was going to happen."

Naruto looked at Hinata and squeezed her hand, "Anyways, mom, it would mean the world to me...to us, if you gave us your blessing."

Hinata stepped forward, grabbed the bunch of lilies in Naruto's hands, and placed one directly upon Kushina's grave with the utmost care, "Thank you so much for everything you did to protect Naruto...to protect our home and village. I can't begin to imagine the sacrifice you made to ensure that your son was safe, but every single day I am grateful to you for the man before me. I will continue to do everything I can to make him happy, to ensure that the smile on his face never wavers. The love you've shown will always live on, I promise."

She felt Naruto's hand upon her shoulder, squeezing gently. He placed the remainder of the lilies on both graves, and nudged her, "I know I don't talk about them much since I didn't know them, but Hina, this means the world to me...to them. We talked about telling the people who were important to us, and I just...I realized that other than Iruka-sensei the only other people I really wanted to tell were my mom and dad."

Hinata leaned into him, interlacing her fingers with his, "I've seen the picture you have of her on your dresser. She was so pretty, Naruto-Kun."

He smirked, "You could say that's where I get my good looks from."

She giggled, "Just not the hair, huh?"

"No, but I think it would've looked pretty cool."

"It looked beautiful on her."

Naruto's hand squeezed hers tightly, "Only two other people had complimented her hair. Did I ever tell you that?"

"No, you didn't."

He nodded, "Me and my dad...and now you."

Even in the moonlight, he could see her face flush, it reminded him of that first night they had walked home hand in hand from their date at Ichiraku.

"Hinata, I know we haven't talked about a lot of things yet. Like you're a Hyuga and I know how much weight that name carries. Taking my last name...it doesn't have the same meaning. I didn't have anyone else growing up, there's no clan history there. There's really nothing. But, I'm hoping that we could change that," He pulled out the small box from his pocket and presented it to a teary-eyed Hinata, "I'm hoping you'll take my family name, Hina. That you'll wear the Uzumaki crest with pride."

The moonlight bounced off the silver necklace he presented to her with care. The Uzumaki crest upon the delicate chain sparkled even in the night. Hinata could barely keep it together.

"N-Naruto, I-I,"

"I know it's maybe a little soon, but we're family already...aren't we?"

She nodded, unable to utter a word.

"It...um...it should've been a ring right? I just...I thought this would be more..."

Hinata clasped her hand over his, taking the box into her hand, "Naruto, it's perfect. This...it means everything."

"Y-yeah?"

She smiled, tears streaking her cheeks, "C-can you put it on me?"

He chuckled, "You don't think it's bad luck before the wedding?"

"Didn't you say we're family already? Besides, I can wear it under my dress or shirt until then. I just..." She looked down at the spot on her chest where the necklace would go and blushed, "like the idea of keeping you close to my heart."

Naruto felt his heartbeat quicken. Without giving it a second thought he removed the delicate chain from its box and placed it upon his wife-to-be.

"It's beautiful" She murmured, gently grabbing the crest between her fingers. The metal was cool to the touch.

Hinata shivered as she felt his breath upon her, his lips ever so softly kissing the crook of her neck, "Hinata Uzumaki," He muttered as he wrapped his arms around her waist, "Absolutely beautiful."

The couple stayed in their embrace for a few moments, that is, until they both began to shiver and realized that maybe it was a tad too cold to be out for so long.

"Hina, go walk ahead. I still have one more person to talk to."

She nodded, knowing that now he was certainly asking her for a moment of privacy, "I'll place these on Neji's tomb, then," Hinata motioned to the sunflowers in her grasp and smiled, "Take your time."

Once he saw her walking toward the Hyuga tombs, he quickly began towards the small patch of forest behind the cemetery.

Long ago he had placed a stone there, marked it in his own way so he would know where it was. He knew that it was silly, especially since the Pervy Sage had gotten his own makeshift tomb, but this was where he knew he could talk to his former sensei and feel like he was heard.

It wasn't often he brought Jiraiya flowers, but it felt right on this occasion. He placed them at the base of the stone, snow flurries parting as the white lilies touched the ground.

"You were right, old man. I did know..." He chuckled as he crouched and continued, "Thank you for making sure I had some advice for when I needed it. I um, I really miss you, you know? I'd like to think that if you were here today..." Naruto shook his head, "Actually, you'd probably make some lewd joke about Hinata and make me mad as always, you perv. But...that's okay. That's who you were...are."

Naruto took a shaky breath as he extended a hand to the stone and uttered, "I hope you're proud, Jiraiya-Sensei. I wouldn't be the man I am today without you."

He felt a gust of wind swirl around him and smiled, "I have to get going, Hinata's going to freeze if I take any longer. I promise I'll stop by again. Oh! I'll bring you some of that sake you like too."

As he got up and turned to leave, he felt the plastic wrap around the flowers rustle, the wind picking up just in that spot once again.

Perhaps he was reading too much into it, but at the same time, it made him feel less alone. There was so much sorrow in his heart before, it felt like, finally, he was at peace.

He turned and began walking back to Hinata, his hands in his pockets and his vision slightly blurred from the tears that threatened to escape. It had been an emotional day, the Rinne Festival always tended to be. But he wasn't sad, no, it wasn't like it used to be.

"Naruto-kun? You didn't rush on my account, did you?"

He shook his head as he took her hand in his, "No, no. I've said everything I needed to get off my chest."

"I'm glad."

"We should do this more often. I feel bad we don't come around as much as we used to."

"They understand. Besides, now when I come to visit Neji I'll make sure to visit your parents as well."

Naruto wrapped an arm around her shoulder and rested his cheek against the top of her head, "They'd be so excited if they were here, you know? My mom would probably be helping pick out your dress, yelling at me for not proposing with a ring. It's just crazy to think about what might have been sometimes."

"It's hard not to get caught up in the what-ifs."

He nodded, but tightened his grip around her as he replied, "Yeah, but I know that everything that has happened is what led me to you."

Naruto watched as she fiddled with her necklace, almost as if for comfort. He knew he was blushing, but he didn't care. He loved her, he loved his life. He couldn't be more thankful if he tried.

"Everyone's probably wondering where we are. Let's get going, yeah?"

Hinata nodded, wrapping her own arm around his waist. He kissed the top of her head before they began walking towards the gate, almost perfectly in sync.

He was practically floating at this point from how perfectly it all went. Now, to tell everyone the good news.

He couldn't wait to see their faces when they heard Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuga were to be married by spring.