Mature Warning. I told you, the sex is getting a little more graphic, and a little more graphic, with each chapter. Just wait till these two are alone in a gambling city soon, all dressed up and fancy- now that is a sex scene. Or how 'bout when they go back to Amegakure, and Naruto pisses Hinata off, and she throws rotten apples at him, and then they have sex in their old blacksmith hut- now that is a very rough, two-page graphic sex scene. Ahhh, young love... isn't it beautiful?

Chapter 43: Proposal

They had been home for two days from their mission north, and the Allied Conference was in four days- the Conference in which Hinata's arranged marriage was supposed to be announced. He had four rings from Tsuri, none he liked, and was running out of time. "Hey, I need to go talk to Sasuke real quick."

Hinata could tell he was hiding something from her. It was easy to tell. "I'll come with you."

"I just need to pick up a few things- you don't need to come. Sit, and relax. I'll be back in five minutes."

She folded her arms. She could use her byakugan to spy on him, but would not do that. Besides, she couldn't hear with the byakugan, and wasn't good at reading lips. Then she had her own idea. "Ok." She walked to the bookshelf between the futons and started looking for a book.

He smiled, and took off. She followed. He didn't see her behind him until he had already knocked. "Hi-Hinata, what-"

Sasuke opened the door, wearing black pajamas that were falling off his hips.

"I need to see you, alone," Naruto said and pulled his friend around the side of the house.

Hinata looked around, then inside. Sakura had clearly not been expecting company, and was fishing around for a sweater to slip on. "Umm… sorry," Hinata said, "I'll-"

She was cut off. They both heard Sasuke say loudly, "Are you insane!"

"I know exactly where it is!"

"No!"

And then they couldn't hear what was being said. And Sakura was slightly worried, and came over and pulled Hinata inside. "Have you eaten yet?"

"Ye… yes." She looked around- medical books, wood working, metal working, science and incense, meditation and discovery- that was Sasuke and Sakura's home. "He's… he's hiding something from me," Hinata confessed.

Sakura smiled. She was about to say Hinata had nothing to worry about, and then through the window she saw Sasuke open the black, purple swirling gate, and step through it, with Naruto. "Sasuke!" she yelled, and ran outside and around the corner. They were gone.

Sakura turned back to Hinata, angry. He can't be doing shit like that- just leaving, for who knows where or how long. And Naruto.

The two women went inside. Sakura pushed her food around for a few minutes, and growled, and glared at her food. She cursed Sasuke under her breath, and Naruto. Hinata sat silently. And then the gate, in the entry way, and Naruto and Sasuke collapsed on the floor. Two large, rectangular boxes hit the floor with them. Naruto gave Sasuke more chakra, but was running low.

They looked up, at their women.

"Sasuke, we need to talk." Sakura stomped over and jerked him to his feet, and pulled him into the kitchen.

"Let's go," Hinata said, and walked out.

He picked up the blue wooden box, and followed, leaving the black one. They heard Sakura fussing at Sasuke as they walked away.

Hinata was mad, but curious. "What's in the box?" She didn't turn back to look at him, or the box.

"It's my… uh… parent's belongings."

That stopped her cold. His parents, who died protecting him, leaving him an orphan? His father was the 4th Hokage. And their belongings were in that box? Which meant he went to the Leaf to get it. Which angered her more than she had been.

"Did you go to the Leaf?"

He hesitated, then "Yes."

She spun, furious. "Do not do that again! Do you hear me? Do not!" She glared at him, and her finger was in his chest. How stupid could he be? Every Leaf ninja was after him, and they could've been hit with the genjutsu. What if they had gotten stuck, or trapped? It would take far too long to travel back on foot. And he could be dead by then. Anger sharpened Hinata's eyes into pale purple daggers. She growled at him, and stomped home and slammed the door. Hard.

He eventually came through it. She was sitting cross-legged on the futon, a blanket wrapped around her, a book in her lap, angry, pouting, wearing his jacket. He sighed, and sat the box down and opened it. "I'm sorry," he said, and sighed again.

She got up and went over to him. She was curious what was in the box- it would have to be something important to risk going back to the Leaf. "Do not do that again," she said. "Promise me."

"I promise," he answered, and quickly. It had been dangerous, and stupid; the Leaf was obviously being watched, and within seconds of them getting there they were hit with the genjutsu, twice- but he got what he wanted, and it was in his pocket, not the box. He had made very sure to take it out of the box before teleporting back.

He opened the box, and went through his parents personal belongings. There was the 4th's long white cloak, with flames at the bottom, from when he was Hokage, two bead bracelets belonging to his mother, a picture of his father holding his mother's stomach when she was pregnant, both smiling and posing. A musical instrument, like a small guitar with four strings. There were two scarfs, a very see-through negligee, a cookbook, a diary, a book of news paper clippings announcing their marriage, and that's it. It took less than 10 minutes to look at every item in that box, and it was potently obvious to Hinata that those contents represented 18 full years that he had gone without parents. There were only 11 items in the box. Sadness hung on to her with the blanket, and she felt bad for him.

They went to bed, Hinata sad, and Naruto quiet.

When she woke he was not in bed. She was alone, naked, and his side of the bed was already cold. There was a note:

My promises to you:

I promise I will always protect you.

I promise to never be unfaithful. Only you.

I promise to love you for as long as I live.

I promise you are my first, and my last.

I promise I will never leave your side.

I promise together, or not at all.

I love you, with all my heart.

Naruto

She rubbed her eyes, and looked at it again. Their promises. It was very early morning, still dim in their loft. She pulled the curtains aside and tugged open the window and heard sounds down at the beach- Naruto and Sasuke, Ino, and Ko. The sun was just rising, and her brain wasn't quite awake yet.

She got dressed- yesterday's bathing suit, the jacket he had given her for Christmas, and flip flops. Not much, but she only intended to peek.

She crept across the yard to the steps leading down to the beach. Ino and Sai were working their way around the couples taking measurements; Naruto was standing away from them wearing black pajama pants, and a jacket, talking to Sasuke, who was still in his pajamas. Omura, Ko's daughter, was hanging onto Sasuke. Ko and Tsuna stood nearby, watching the ocean and talking. Kakashi was leaning against a rock, talking to Maki. Shikamaru and Temari were still wrapped in blankets, sitting drowsily near the waves, huddled together, drinking coffee. They were all here but her? Shigeo, Hinabi, Ash, Sen and Matsuo were also on the beach.

She darted back in, pulled on an old pair of shorts, then walked timidly down the steps. The sun was just peeking over the horizon. Ino called out and said hello, and Sakura came over, and said good morning, and talked to her for a minute. But she kept looking at Naruto- he was looking at her, as Sasuke was saying something to him.

She heard her friends, but didn't. She left them, and walked to him. "What's… what's going on?"

Ino and Sakura followed, and Temari stood up, and yawned, and smiled at Hinata- a very sweet, sincere smile, and sloshed her coffee a little, and walked over.

Naruto looked at her face, and eyes- fog in the valleys in November, when the frost comes in the mornings and sits in a field that's between seasons- such a stunning color of white-purple. There was no doubt in Naruto's mind, or heart- she was the one for him. He smiled at her, and took her hand and led her out onto the dock.

"An early morning celebration," he answered.

She rubbed her eyes. "What are we… we celebrating?"

Ino bounced, and tried to get Sai to bounce with her, and Temari motioned for Shikamaru to join her, and Sasuke put his arm around Sakura, Kakashi took Maki by the hand, and led her over. Tsuna had a camera hidden, and ready, and crept closer, with Ko.

"You know I needed more than just a ring. I also needed to find somewhere romantic," Naruto said.

Her eyes went wide. The note, a ring, and somewhere romantic.

"Where's the most romantic place we've been? Where did we fall in love? I wanted to go to our little blacksmith hut in the woods, but we can't go back there yet, and we probably shouldn't do this in our loft."

"Naruto, are you-"

Her eyes melted his, and whatever little speech he had disappeared, and all he wanted was her, in his arms. His voice was slow. "Hina, everywhere we've been, and every day we've been together, has been romantic."

She blushed. She agreed.

"The abandoned lot near the academy, my apartment with blood all over us, Ichiraku's, the fox cave, under the gutters outside your window, our home, our loft, the room above the tavern, the woods on our way to Amegakure, the lighthouse, the woods back there, every night at the blacksmith hut-"

Her breath caught in her throat. She knew every memory associated with every one of those places. And each memory was very precious to her. Sunrise sparkled across her pale purple eyes. Her long, ink-black hair was a mess, and stuck out at odd angles. One of the sleeves of her jacket was rolled up, one wasn't. And her shorts had paint splotches up and down the left side.

Ino was close, and motioned for Sai. Sakura took Temari's hand and held tight.

"-this dock, falling in the trench, in the rain, after we finished digging it, the antique store-" He grinned, and so did she. "- even a dirty street on the sidewalk of Amegakure, freezing, and being insulted. Hinata, I do not care what we do from here on out, I just want to do it with you. I need… you. I need you as my… wife. To-" his voice failed him.

"Together," she finished, and swallowed. She forgot anyone else was there. He forgot anyone else was there. She smiled at him, and squeezed his hand. "Life is so… so warm, and so easy, and so bright with… with you. I don't care what we do either, as long as… as long as… as…"

Ash came scurrying over and held Temari's other hand.

"As long as we're together," he finished, and leaned in and kissed her forehead, then got down on one knee, "Hinata," he said, and looked up, "Will you marry me?"

Hinata tried to answer but couldn't. She felt like an open window with open shutters- not even a screen, and the air she needed to speak flew out with the morning breeze. She knew this was coming, but still- Naruto was proposing to her. She couldn't breathe. She wobbled back, then stumbled forward, and went down and threw her arms around his neck. He caught her, and she inhaled, "Yes," she said, and shut her eyes, and kissed him. "Yes, I will marry you." He put his right arm around her waist, and stood, and lifted her, and she put her hands on the side of his face. They still didn't remember they were being watched. "Naruto Uzumaki," she said, "I refuse to wait for a ceremony. Call me… call me your wife, right now." Their eyes hadn't broken contact. Omura was asking questions, and they heard none of it.

"Demanding little princess this morning," he said, and grinned. He fished in his pocket and pulled out a ring, and held it up. "Give me your finger, wife."

She smiled, and her eyes smiled; for a moment she didn't care about a ring- she cared about the words. "Again."

"Wife."

"Again."

"Wife."

"Again."

"Hinata Uzumaki," he said. "Give me your finger."

He was still holding her off her feet with his right hand. She slid her left hand across their bodies to his, and he slid a gorgeous, sparkling ring on her finger. It was stunning and her breath caught again- intertwined silver bands, and purple sapphires running up to a lilac in the center. The lilac was purple sapphires and diamonds. Hinata gasped. "Naruto, where… where did you find a… a ring like this?"

"Do you wanna know something funny?" he asked.

She looked at him.

"I didn't know what my mom's wedding ring looked like until I found it. My dad had money, but maybe didn't when they married. Sasuke thought it would be plain gold, if we found it at all." He looked at the ring on her finger. "This is the ring my father gave to my mother."

Hinata looked at it in awe. The 4th Hokage gave this to his wife, Naruto's mother? It was so beautiful she was afraid to wear it. Afraid she might break it. This ring could be considered a national treasure by Konoha, and it was hers?

Naruto read her mind. "I have this one too," he said, and slid a plain, though stunning, purple jade and silver ring down the same finger. "You can wear one for special occasions, and the other all the rest of the time. No, wait. You can wear that one for me, and only me, and the other one all the rest of the time."

She took a shaky breath. "Na-"

"Husband," he corrected.

She smiled, which turned into a grin. "Husband?"

"Yeah?"

"I do… I do love you, with all my heart," and she kissed him, and devoured his mouth, and ran her hands through his hair, and over his ears, and she pushed her hands into his chest, and his arm didn't budge- he pulled her closer. She broke their kiss, and took a breath, and put her forehead against his chin. "So much. I love you so much. With all my heart."

"I love you with all of mine, beautiful."

Then Naruto realized they had a crowd- the one Sakura had mostly invited, watching, listening. She had her back to them. He motioned with his hand, but they were slow to respond. Sakura, Temari, Tsuna, and Maki all had tears in their eyes. Hinabi had her nose turned to the side. Sai was holding Ino, and she had her face in his chest. Hinata turned, and noticed, and flushed and buried her face in embarrassment in his neck. They came, and patted her back, and shoulder, and hugged them both, and Naruto smiled, and she hid in him until they had all passed, and left. Not all- Ino and Sai hadn't moved, and Sai was holding her, and she was crying. He broke their hug and came over, with teary-eyed Ino.

"Congratulations," Sai said, and held his hand out.

Naruto shook it, and Hinata hid. "Still can't figure it out, huh?" He knew Sai didn't want to be a Yamanaka.

Ino turned, with tears in her eyes.

"Tell us what… what you would do…" Ino said, to Naruto, and climbed out of Sai's arms and hugged Hinata. "I'm so happy for you," she said, and held her close, and choked on tears.

"Thank you," Hinata said, and held her close.

"I would not do anything that caused Hinata pain," Naruto answered, looking at Ino. He put his hand on her shoulder. "If my last name caused her pain, then no- I would change it. However," he said, turning to Sai, "You can't throw away an entire clan because of a few bad people. If you're going to be her husband you need to get to work and figure out a way to fix her clan and make it something you're both proud of."

Sai nodded, and took Ino back. Naruto patted them both on the head, then picked Hinata up, and carried her up the steps to their house, and shut the door behind them. He carried her to the bathroom, and ran them a hot bath, and they washed, and rubbed, and touched each other, and explored each other, gently, and as the water started to turn cold they held each other, and talked softly to each other. It felt, to him, as if he had been away from home for a very long time, and had finally returned, and that feeling of infinite return repeated itself, in her arms. It felt to her as if she had always been trapped in a cage- her clans, Neji's, her own weakness- all different types of cages, but now her heart was light, and her soul was light, and there was no cage, and that light was him- her sanctuary.

They dressed and sat across from each other and worked on a map of the world they had started for just them, that they kept tucked away- it was a map of all the lands, and villages, and small villages, and trading routes, where they could run to, and live- places unlikely to see ninja, or wars: a map of opportunities, with notes everywhere, in every margin. They needed to add more paper. Of all the futures, there still remained one in the Leaf, where he was Hokage, and she his wife- bored housewife, she underlined, and they laughed. The sheet of paper was big enough for them to sleep on.

They made cookies, and cut up figs, and put goat cheese on them, and honey, and salt, for a late lunch.

They put a record on, talked, and laughed, and jabbed at each other, and teased each other, and they had a pillow fight, resulting in more foot rubs. And then they slow-danced, and he ran his nose up and down her face and neck and in her hair, and then to her chest, her breasts- inhaling her scent, and she gripped his forearms, and biceps, and his sides, and shoulders, and kissed him, but he moved back to her breasts, and she enjoyed every kiss, ever sniff, every squeeze, and nibble.

Then they went up their ladder, and crawled under the covers, and took their clothes off, and held each other, and for many hours alternated between sleeping, and talking, and crying, and laughing, and the silence that comes with the overwhelming sense of safety and belonging.

She had only one of the rings on. His.

It takes a long time and a lot of effort to build a dock. It takes longer and much more effort to build a village. And that's what they were to each other- a village.

It was after 4:00 before either was ready to face the day. Both knew they could lose days in each other's arms if they weren't careful. Warmth, and their smells, and the way their breathing and heartbeats matched, the comfort and safety and belonging they felt- they could lose days in each other, and justify every second.

Hinata rustled around in the blankets and kicked pillows off their bed down the ladder. They were in her way and she couldn't stretch out. She slid down under the covers and kicked the rest off.

Naruto caught her; and grabbed her wrist and pinned her, and slid down under the blankets with her. "Good morning, beautiful wife," he said. He was still sleepy, and nuzzled her neck.

"Good morning, handsome husband," she said. She let the darkness and his warmth envelop her, and shut her eyes, and drifted, and said drowsily, "We still have to plan the wedding, you know." She said it slowly, sleepily, and struggled a little, just enough to make him smile. He turned over on his back and pulled her up till she was laying on top of him.

"Hmmm. Tell me about this wedding? Is it romantic? Is it just us, or…"

She woke up a little. "Very romantic, and it's… it's all our friends. And we'll dance, and laugh, and-"

"And you'll be the most beautiful bride anyone has ever seen."

She looked up at him in the dark underblankets and smiled. "I love you," she said.

"I love you too."

Her hand was beside his head, and she noticed the ring. She pulled the blankets down so she could see it in the light. "Naruto, this is the most beautiful ring I've ever… ever seen. You've just made every man here mad with this ring."

He laughed at that. "I guess my dad had good tastes."

"I guess he did. I hope you inherited them," she giggled, and snuggled up with him. Then a thought occurred to her, and she blushed. "Na-hus… husband. Hold… hold on a minute, ok?"

"Ok," he said, but was surprised to see her leave their bed and climb downstairs. She came back a minute later, her hair up, and her face washed, and her teeth brushed.

"Um… Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"Now… now that we're married…"

"…Yeah?" He was wondering where she was going with this.

She sat up and straddled him. She was naked, and her breasts heavy and full, and her face flushed. Her body was amazing- large breasts, pale skin, wide hips, and his eyes couldn't help but follow the faintest trace of blue veins that showed on the pale soft skin of her breasts.

He had seen her naked before- it was hard not to when something kept stealing their clothes at night, but Hinata was always a little modest and shy. However, the way she was sitting on him now was certainly not modest. She had both hands on his chest, as if pinning him down- but really what she was doing was pushing her breasts out, for him.

"Now that we're engaged what?" he asked.

"I said… I said married. I'm not… I'm not waiting for a ceremony." She took one of his hands, and put it on her breast, and then the other, and she blushed a little.

And then he knew, but thought it would be much more fun if he pretended he didn't. "Are you gonna tell me what you want?" He squeezed, and rubbed, and pinched a little. Her breasts were large, and filled his entire hand, and then some. Her nipples were slightly inverted, but responded to his touch, hardening against his fingers.

She shook her head no, but with her left hand slowly reached back, and touched him with the back of her fingers, then a little more, then very timidly held him, the two never looking away from each other. He was hard in her hand, and she wanted him. They had come too close too many times.

Naruto pulled her down, and turned her on her side, facing him. Her face, her upturned lips, her pale purple eyes, her large breasts- all his for the kissing, and touching, and eating, and he feasted on her- her ears, and neck, her breasts, her stomach, her hips, her-

"Naruto," she gasped, and grabbed his hair, and strained against him. He had found a new place to taste, and explore, and root around with his nose and mouth, and he did, and she writhed with every touch and kiss.

He explored her body as if discovering a new land where a thousand roads all led to the same destination, over mountains and through valleys, and he took every road and path, and explored every curve, all leading back to the same spot. He kissed her, and nibbled on her, and bit her sometimes, and she fought him off when he bit too hard, but also invited his mouth to keep exploring. He knew how her mouth tasted, and now he knew how every inch of her tasted, and he couldn't stop.

She eventually explored his body, every muscle, every tendon, every scar. He smelled and tasted intoxicating to her- something about him smelled like a deep forest, and she needed to touch every inch of him; she needed to taste him. She sucked on his fingers, and found his toes, and sucked on those; she rubbed him with her hands, her mouth, her breasts. She worked her way up his body, nibbling, kissing, licking, sucking, inhaling him as if he were air, eating him as if he were food, until finally their mouths found each other again.

She slid him inside, slowly, easy at first, and very slowly let her sex adjust to his, then looked at him, blushing, and he leaned up and kissed her, and she rode him, slowly, slowly, then faster, panting, thrusting her breasts in his face, his hands on her hips, then her back, and he pulled her face to his, and kissed her, and when she tried to pull away, he held her lower lip in his teeth, and held her hips, and would not release her. They took turns with each other, gently, roughly- it didn't matter. They took each other's air, and each other's sound, and each other, until they finally collapsed hours later.

Now it was 8:30. They were close before, but now it felt as if their spirits were connected. Sex, for the first time, with each other, felt as if it had melted their souls together and resolidified as one.

By 9:00 they were in the kitchen. They sun had completely set and darkness lay across the land. They both walked carefully, as if nursing an injury. She had only his jacket on- nothing underneath. He had just gotten out of the shower, and had a towel wrapped around his waist. They wanted to go check on the work today at their house- it should be nearly finished.

There was a knock at the door, and both turned. Hinata rushed to him and hid behind him. Sakura peeked her head in. "Can we finally come to celebrate?" she asked.

"One sec," he said, and Sakura smiled, and watched as they darted around and finished dressing.

Their friends came in loudly, and happily, bringing food, and tea, beer and cigars, cake and gifts.

Hinata blushed the entire time, as her girlfriends fussed about her ring, and the proposal, and what had they been doing for the last 14 hours.

Shikamaru brought out one of the cigars Mr. Hosu had given him, and the men celebrated on the porch, overlooking the ocean- some very satisfied with the cigar, others hacking and coughing. It was Sasuke, Naruto, Sai, Shikamaru, Kakashi, Ko, and Shigeo.

They ate, and both Hinata and Naruto, together and as individuals, had never felt the love, and family, and friendship, that they felt that night. Everyone was happy. Everyone was feasting. Everyone loved, and was loved. Hinata had not thought about having a family until their dinner with the Hosu's. But now? She wanted a family; a big one.

It was 4:00 in the morning. They were in bed again, and had just finished making love again. She was on her back, he on his side. He pulled the roof open; the stars were above them, and the ocean behind and below them, crashing against the cliffs.

"Little wifey?" he asked, and turned to her.

"Tell me husband." Her cheeks were still red from their love making, and her breathing just returning to normal. That was four times since midnight. Once an hour. She wondered if this trend would continue, or if they would eventually fall asleep. She was ok staying up a little later.

"Where would you rather be? Here, or the blacksmith hut?"

She looked at his eyes- sparkling blue, vibrant. That was a very hard question to answer and felt like one of his little traps. "Which would you choose?"

He rolled back over. "I told you you fight dirty."

She laughed, and rolled over into his arms. "Fine. You want to know which I would pick?"

"Yes."

"Let's say it at the same time."

"Ok."

"One."

"Two."

"Three."

"The blacksmith hut," they said, in unison. Hinata laughed, and kissed his cheek. "You're perfect," she said, and kissed him again.

"You don't know how much I appreciate you, beautiful." He kissed the top of her head. "I need you, Hinata."

"I need you. I'm pretty sure more."

He smiled at her and kissed her nose. "By the way, Mrs. Hosu invited us tomorrow."

Her smile faded. "Just us?"

"No, Sasuke and Sakura too."

"Just those two?"

"As far as I know. It seems Mrs. Hosu specifically wants to see you again. Sakura met her at the market." He jabbed her side. "Apparently you make a good impression."

"Are you being serious?"

"Yes. Its tomorrow… or today- one of the two."

"We obviously can't go. We're leaving on a mission."

"We don't have a mission. We can go."

"No."

"What? Why? We're going."

"No."

"Yes, stubborn-bucket. Why would we refuse?"

She bonked his forehead. "You don't remember the first dinner?"

"Yes, I remember," he answered, grinning, grabbing her hips and turning her over. He took one of her ample breasts in one hand, and the other in his mouth. "I guess we we're aiming for a girl and a boy" he said, his mouth full.

She blushed and covered her face with her arm and moaned and writhed with every kiss and touch.

There was no way in hell she was going.

He couldn't make her.

They eventually fell asleep a few hours before noon.