Part 3: The Blank Period, I Thee Wed

Summary: The one time Rokudai-me tried to get something going between Naruto and Hinata. (Naruto is oblivious here.)


"You need a husband."

"Hokage-sama!" Hinata cried, her face dismayed as she faced him in front of his desk.

Kakashi quickly waved his hand in front of him. "No, no! I didn't mean it like that, Hinata! I meant for this mission."

Still, Hinata was startled by his sudden statement. She was here for what was supposed to be a routine mission briefing, but Kakashi had gotten word that a change of plans was required for this assignment. He was just as inconvenienced by this sudden imposition and his expression matched her dismay.

"I know you've already prepared for this and were already planning on heading out tomorrow, but I was just informed that one of the requirements to enter this conservative country was a husband."

"Oh, I guess it can't be helped?" She then frowned. "But Kiba and Shino are still assigned to Suna on that oil expedition."

Kakashi shook his head. "Not them. The only one available right now is—"

"Hinata!"

The doors suddenly banged open, and Naruto stalked into the Hokage's office waving his arm in the air excitedly, a book in his hand.

"So I got this awesome book from Sai!"

Kakashi sighed with annoyance just as Hinata clapped a hand to her mouth to hide her scream of surprise and alarm.

"It's reference material to help us out on this mission. It's full of relationship advice and stuff about love!"

"Why didn't you say so earlier, Naruto, that you wanted reference materials? I've got an excellent resource for you," Kakashi said, opening his desk drawer, taking out a book, and sliding it across the table towards him.

Naruto glanced at Kakashi's worn copy of Icha-Icha Paradise and made a face. "I meant some scientific research!"

"Oh, I'm sure Jiraiya-sama did some research for this book."

"Er, Kakashi-sama, does this mean that Naruto and I have to pretend to be husband and wife on this mission?" Hinata asked, barely able to do it because her voice was squeaking with so much nervousness.

Kakashi's mouth formed a smile underneath his mask. "It does."

Naruto crowded her personal space with one energetic step towards her and leaned close to peer into her hot face. " Hinata! Yoroshiku dattebayo!"

She nodded hesitantly at him and mumbled, "Yoroshiku, Naruto."


For some reason, Hinata was really quiet today. They'd just said goodbye to the Hokage and were on their way to the gates leading them out of Konoha. Naruto glanced down at her, but he kept up his steady stream of excited chatter.

Sai's books had given him so many ideas and his mind was racing with this new knowledge. He was fully prepared to go through everything to make this mission a success with Hinata.

"So the book said that as your husband, I'm supposed to hold your hand!" he said and then grabbed hers and held on to it before she could say no. She gasped in surprise and then glanced at him. He then grinned at her and belatedly asked, "I hope you don't mind?"

She blinked and then shook her head. "No, I don't mind at all."

Her fingers twitched nervously, and Naruto squeezed them to reassure her. "Don't worry! Everything will be okay!"

Hinata doubted it because right now, all her preparation for this mission had disappeared from her mind. She forgot all about the important facts she'd painstakingly remembered: the faces of the organization they were supposed to infiltrate, their daily schedule from breakfast to dinner, and the names of their friends and acquaintances.

Everything was gone the second he'd reached for her hand.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Naruto cried again and abruptly stopped. He dropped her hand for a moment and then patted the pocket over his chest. "I know it's here, I placed it in here this morning so I wouldn't forget…and I've got two of 'em, one for each of us…Got it!"

Hinata nearly fainted to see the glinting silver bands he held in front of her. He took one and slid it over the ring finger of his left hand. Then he took hers, and with an impish smile, said, "Hinata Hyuuga, from now on, will you wear this ring and be my wife?"

It was not a proposal from Naruto. It was not.

But her breath was stuck in her chest because his eyebrows rose up and his grin stretched more decidedly over his cheerfully oblivious face.

Still, Hinata was caught up in the moment and couldn't help but smile back at him before she said, "Always, Naruto."

And she watched as with a burst of pleased laughter, he slid the ring firmly over her knuckle until it settled perfectly around her finger. She couldn't help but gasp at how incredibly wonderful it looked and felt because it came from him.

"Alright, let's do this, Hinata!" Then he grabbed her hand and they started walking again. He glanced at her, still with his happy grin. "Let's be husband and wife."

Hinata finally laughed. It might be for just a little while. At least until this mission ended, but still.

"Let's do that, Naruto," she answered. Her reply, however, ended with a startled gasp because he suddenly started running forward while still holding her hand.

And she was rewarded by a giddy feeling that swept through her because as quintessentially Naruto, he was pulling her along, still laughing, and she felt as if they were barreling towards a bright and beautiful future together.