Hinata wondered at her rush of emotions.

She had always been so withdrawn, so repressed. It had been her way of getting by. Even after her relationship with her father improved, she remained somewhat reclusive and skittish. Now, as Naruto pulled her through the surging crowd, her feelings ebbed and flowed much like the mass of people.

Excited. Frightened. Happy. Relieved. Timid. Expectant. Pessimistic. Hopeful.

It seemed that her senses wanted to get in on the act. Colors seemed brighter than ever before.. It was as if she had lived every prior moment of her life in a room with the blinds closed. In contrast, the sounds around her went unnoticed, drowned out the pounding of blood in her ears. Random smells threatened to trigger countless snippets of memory, but there was no time for that. She was oblivious to the chill gusts of air tugging at her hair, and took no notice of the people who jostled against her. The only thing she felt was the warmth in her hand, the one that Naruto was holding.

She thought back to the day that she had hidden behind a light post, watching him leave town for individual training with one of the Legendary Three Sannin. To be with him now, it was something beyond her wildest dreams.

Naruto, for his part, tried very hard to focus on the thought of ramen. It was a familiar and comfortable thought. Plus, he was hungry. Very hungry. Exceedingly hungry. Try as he may, however, he couldn't keep from wondering just what he had signed on for. Hinata had certainly kicked those idiots' asses. No doubt about it. He wouldn't be forgetting that image any time soon. But, in the past, when he watched his fellow ninjas ply their trade, he was spurred on by jealousy when he felt that he was being overlooked. Today he felt differently.

It would be an understatement to say that he had been surprised by Hinata's attitude, and by her strength. She was so shy looking, and was a good bot shorter than he was now. He even felt a bit of pride in her, remembering what her skills had been like when he left their village to train. Before, he had never been impressed by any of the female genins in his class. He was now. Chuckling, he saw a nostalgic image of the younger Sakura shaking her fist at him. To be honest, she must be impressive too, if Jiraiya's messages from Tsuande were not exaggerated.

Pushing Sakura out of his thoughts, he realized that he felt a great wash of fondness for Hinata. She was a kindred spirit. She had true admiration for him. She always had.
He felt a twinge if interest. A desire to make some kind of connection. What did it all mean? Absentmindedly, he ran into the back of an over-sized man with a forest of hair sprouting from his armpits. A sweaty oversized man. Damn!

THE VERMIN HAVE GROWN TOO PLENTIFUL. THIS LAND IS IN NEED OF A GOOD SCOURGING. I WILL SHOW YOU HOW.

Naruto grimaced. Damn that fox. He wondered if it had been wise to grant it more access to his mind in exchange for those powers. Still, he couldn't help but chuckle. The street was rather crowded, and he had fantasized about making an impossible rasengan tornado and clearing the square. 'Nice try, bastard. If I did that, the Hokage would probably seal you and me inside some baby. I wouldn't relish sharing a cell with you throughout eternity.'

YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT. I WOULD EAT YOU FIRST CHANCE I GOT.

'Uh huh. Great way to earn my confidence. You said you wanted more freedom? Baka!' Fortunately, as he didn't yet know how to break a seal of that magnitude, there was no way he could get into trouble. Or so he hoped.

Naruto cautioned himself about getting to comfortable around Nine Tails. He also had to watch his step around the prideful demon. It could give or withhold power at any time, so it was best not to aggravate it too much. Then again, he had the feeling that the more he earned the monster's respect, the more willing it became to teach and share. Of course, it could all simply be a ruse. He must always keep that in mind, especially during those moments where he found himself growing almost chummy with the youma.

IT IS MY NINJA WAY

Naruto almost tripped over his own feet hearing that. He stopped short, needing to fight for balance when Hinata ran up against him. That didn't feel bad, actually. But, his mind was preoccupied at the moment. Had the damn fox been joking? Mocking him? Or making a simple statement of fact in terms he could relate to? Did it matter?Not at the moment.

"Uh, sorry Hinata. Are you soft? I mean, are you OK?" Naruto cringed. He also sniffed the air. Perfume? Had there been perfume in the ointment that Hinata put on after her scuffle with the angry mob? Whatever it was, it almost smelled better than shrimp ramen.

"Yes, Naruto-kun." Hinata blushed. But, she didn't step back away from her companion. Remembering times when she had secretly watched other couples, she felt an urge to lean her head against Naruto and put her arms around him. The feeling surprised her. Her hands twitched.

"Ummmm...good. Great. I'm glad." Naruto swallowed. He took much greater note of Hinata's proximity. "But, I shouldn't be surprised. You're tough! Hah hah hah." His defenses had kicked in. He felt kind of stupid, hearing his own words.

"Oh. Tough. Thank you, Naruto-kun." Hinata's voice was flat. Lifeless. There was a touch of sorrow. She felt weak, reacting that way. But, what girl wanted to hear that she was tough at a time like this?

BAH. YOU WILL PROBABLY NEVER MATE.

Naruto, to his credit, did not need to hear Kyubi's amused laughter to realize that he had tripped over his own tongue. At first, he didn't care what that stupid fox thought. He was a ninja who would become Hokage some day. Despite that fact, he couldn't be skilled at everything. Of course, a part of him deep down inside took it as a slap in the face. Couldn't succeed with women, could he? He'd show that fox.

"Yes, but not just tough." He squared his shoulders, ready to unleash his charm. "Cute, too." That hadn't been so difficult. Why was he worried?

Hinata didn't say anything. She reflexively grabbed hold of the back of Naruto's robe, clenching the colorful fabric in her hands. She felt a wave of warmth wash over her. He said she was cute. He thought she was cute. Her important one had noticed her.

It would have been better if Hinata had made some kind of reply. Any kind of reply. Nature abhors a vacuum. Naruto, as energetic as ever, channeled his excess energy into his mouth. As usual, he didn't know how to stop when he was ahead. "Yes! If I say you are cute, then you are definitely cute. Not just cute, but very cute." He paused every so briefly when he felt Hinata shiver against him. "Do you hear that everybody, HINATA IS CUTE!" His roar could even be heard above the din of the crowd. A number of people turned to see just what was going on.

Hinata felt as if time had stopped. She should have felt embarrassed, but she didn't. Despite all of the trouble they had gone through... and anything else that might happen... this moment was worth it.

Of course, Naruto was Naruto. A leopard cannot change its spots"Yes. No doubt about it. You're almost as cute as Sakura!" Naruto had gotten a glimpse or two of his erstwhile team seven member over the years. She was turning into quite the hottie. There must be something to those medical ninja arts.

Hinata felt as if she had jumped naked into a snow drift. The whole world around her seemed to start spinning, as if she were performing kaiten again. She couldn't unclench her fingers.

"Yes. Almost as cute as Temari, too. But that girl is too damn pushy. Hah! Shikamaru deserves someone like that." Naruto plunged onward, never once stopping to think. The more things change, the more they stay the same. "Ten Ten... Ino... the girl at the sea food stand... you'll probably be just as pretty as them some day!"

Hinata's breath stuck in her throat. She felt as if she was dissolving, able to slip between the grains of sand and dirt at her feet.

"Don't know if you'll ever be in old lady Tsunade's league, but she's just a fake any way. Of course, she is pretty huge, you know? But maybe she can teach you a jutsu for that or something!" Naruto stopped when he felt something knock against his back. It was Hinata's forehead. She had slumped forward. "Hinata?"

The young girl didn't speak at first. Images flashed before her eyes, a cascade of painful moments throughout her life. Times when she hadn't measure up to someone else's expectations. Instances where she felt she would never amount to anything. The story of her life. Or at least the story of her life up until the point that Naruto's fight with her cousin had opened her father's eyes to Neji and herself. Maybe hard work and self-confidence really didn't mean anything after all. No, maybe just for certain people.

"Hinata?" Naruto tried to turn and look at her, but she still had a firm grip on him. "What? Is something wrong?"

A small spark burned deep within Hinata. She was not going to show weakness in front of the one she cared about, even if he didn't care about her. And, a chorus of reason sprung up, chastising her for her reaction. He had said she was cute. Maybe not as cute as others, but cute just the same. Who else had ever done that, other than Kurenai when she was trying to boost her subordinate's self esteem? "No. Thank you for saying that I was cute, Naruto-kun." Her voice was still flat. She let go of his back, then impulsively turned so that he couldn't see her face. She coughed to clear her throat.

"Huh?" Naruto was perplexed. There was something wrong. Was Hinata so shy that he had done something wrong by complimenting her? Was it wrong to say she was cute?

What was going on? He saw an image of Jiraiya in his head. That perverted old sennin might seem like a crazy flamboyant nut-case at times, but he was actually quite insightful, not to mention one of the most decent people that Naruto had ever met. He could hear the echoes of something he was once told.

'Think before you speak. Put yourself in someone else's place. Words can hurt even more than weapons. Insults might be held onto long after wounds were healed.'

Now why did that pop into his mind? Just what had he said? He had said she was cute. Hell, he had even told everybody that she was cute. Oh. He stood there a number of moments, toying with the latch on his weapons bag. "You know what, Hinata?" Naruto's voice was pretty flat itself now, quite a rarity.

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata still did not face him.

"I still really don't understand what you see in me. I guess I'm really not very smart, right? The light's on, but nobody's home." He sighed, having forgotten entirely about food and a certain obnoxious demon. "I'm not really all that good looking myself. That's nothing new. But it doesn't look like things are going to get much better, huh?" Hinata turned to look at Naruto. Her eyes widened at what she saw. He was twiddling his fingers, just like she still did in certain moments. He was staring down at his feet, a rather dejected look on his face. "But you seem to be getting cuter every year." Naruto was trying to make up for what he had said before; but, he realized that he was speaking the truth. He also realized that he had spent a lot of his life comparing things. What was bigger? Who was stronger? Which was faster? It was strange. For someone who often brought out the best in other people... whose spirit often helped others reach new heights... and who often saw the truth of the matter that others missed... he realized that he sometimes didn't see the true value of things.

'Life's a journey, not a destination.' That was something else that Ero-Sennin would say now and again. 'If you run so fast with your eyes on only one thing, you'll miss the things that matter.' That was true for life as well as battle.

Hinata stood quietly. It was strange, seeing Naruto act contemplative. Usually, he would make some loud statement and forge ahead.

"You're also one of the nicest people I've ever met." Naruto looked over at Hinata. "That's impressive, because of the way you've been treated much of your life."

Hinata stared at Naruto. Those words had her close to tears for some reason. The prior words didn't seem to matter any more. What prior words? Had there been prior words? He really was more than he seemed. His heart was so big. . That was remarkable, given the way he had been treated throughout his life. There was something significant that she didn't know about him, something that she had heard the city women whispering about on graduation day, years back. While she had been forced to deal with the pain of her father's scorn for a sizeable portion of her life, he had been forced to deal with an entire village's hatred and disregard for many years. She had turned further inward, and he had turned ever outward. They were two sides of the same coin.

"Maybe it's best if you don't hang around someone like me." Naruto wondered at the way he felt saying that. Earlier, he felt uncomfortable being around Hinata, as if her near obsession with him was a bad thing. Now, he felt somewhat saddened, thinking that she would be better off forgetting about him.

Hinata looked in Naruto's eyes. She clasped her hands together and bit on her lip. Then, she surprised them both by smiling. Good things don't come easy. "You're right." Those words of hers had Naruto nodding his head. "You're not very smart." She almost laughed, seeing the look on his face. "You're definitely not a genius like Shikamaru. You're not as bright as Sasuke was." That last part had Naruto sticking out his lower lip and narrowing his eyes. "I'd have to rank you behind Shino, naturally. Not to mention Kiba, Neji, Lee, Choji." Naruto frowned. His mouth fell open, but any possible rejoinder remained glued to his lips. "But, you seem to be getting smarter every year," Hinata continued. "And I once thought that you were one of the nicest people I had ever met." Hinata pushed one of her errant bangs out of her eyes. She couldn't keep from grinning.

The two ninja's stood looking at each other until Naruto smiled. He then put one hand behind his head and looked away. It looked like things would be OK. He felt all of his good cheer come rushing back. He might even have learned something from everything that he had been through today.

YES. YOU CAN THANK ME.

Huh? Naruto almost shouted at Kyuubi again. But, to be honest, he wouldn't have learned what he had, if the damn demon's commentary hadn't gotten him to shout that first time.

IF YOU'RE FEELING SUITABLY THANKFUL, YOU MIGHT SET FIRE TO SOMETHING. I TRULY RELISH ARSONRY. FLAMES ARE SO SOOTHING.

Damn windbag fox! He would just ignore it. The stupid demon was just trying to get under his skin. He was not going to lose his temper again.

INSECT.

Naruto clenched his fists. Kyuubi was probably trying to provoke him on purpose, just so he could revel in the trouble he found himself in. It was time to get things back on track."OK Hinata, let's go!" He flashed her a trademark smile and gave her a thumbs up. With that, he started on his way, expecting Hinata to follow his lead. She didn't. Hyper-aware of her presence at the moment, he stopped and turned. "Hinata?" The young girl just stood there looking at him. Naruto snorted, suddenly exasperated. Hinata frowned "Hinata!" Naruto put his hands on his hips and cocked his head. He had done his part. He had told her he thought she was cute. He told her that she was nice. He didn't say anything when she said he wasn't very smart. He had even smiled at her. What else could she possibly want?

How soon they forget.

"Naruto-kun…" The voice was very quiet. But, it might as well have been fingers down a chalkboard, with the effect it had on Naruto. Gulping, he felt like a total idiot when he saw Hinata hold her hand out again. He struck himself in the forehead.

"Uhhh… sorry."He intended to walk over all slow and important like, keeping his pride intact. Instead, impulses taking over, Naruto took a number of large bounds. Grabbing hold, he started to pull her along.

"Wait a moment please, Naruto-kun." Hinata dug in her heals, with little effect. Fortunately, Naruto stopped before she ended up on her face. Sparing him a brief snappy look, she reached into her utility pouch and took out a spool of barely visible wire. With one hand, she began winding the wire around her and Naruto's clasped hands.

"OK, I get the point Hinata. You can take the wire off, now." Naruto rubbed his nose with his free hand.

Hinata just started walking, dragging Naruto behind her. She marveled at her own audacity, but soon told herself not to think about such things, lest she revert back to her more timid ways. Sure enough, she began to look at Naruto again and again with increasing frequency, trying to catch a glimpse of his expression without letting him know she was looking. Slowing her steps gradually, she came to a stop. She unbound the wire. "That was very rude of me, Naruto-kun. I should apologize. Also, I should not force you to hold my hand if you do not wish to." She pulled her hand away from his.

The two genin stood quietly for a few moments.

"Well. You know. I guess that's a nice enough hand." Naruto coughed a slight bit, and then took her hand in his. Walking along, hand in hand, the two of them wondered just what the people they both knew might think if they saw the two of them like that. After passing the first of the food tents, they would get their answer unexpectedly.

"Yo, Naruto!"

he voice came from above. Naruto craned his neck, placing his hand above his eye to block out the sunlight. A hazy image came into view. A man of medium height with spiked hair, his forehead protector pulled down over one eye, held an open book in one hand. It was Kakashi, squatting at the top of a telephone pole.

Kakashi sensai!" Naruto's sudden shout had Hinata jumping.

"Ahhh. I wanted to see if it was true." Kasahi spoke in his usual conversational tone of voice, somehow easily heard above the din and ruckus below him. "Wonders never cease."

"Kakashi sensai, why are you here?" It had been quite some time since Kakashi had brought a message from Tsunade for Jiraiya to read. Naruto found that he missed his one time mentor.

"Well. I got lost..." Kakashi slowly waved one hand.

o's eyes bulged. "LIAR!" That same old spiel. Wait. What did he say? See if what was true? He looked over at Hinata. She bit her lip and looked away.

"Well, I do have something for you." Kakashi flipped one hand, sending a small scroll tumbling end over end. Naruto caught it and looked back up at his previous instructor. "I will give you some good advice, though. Love is not like the ninja arts. It is good to do things up front. It is not good to conceal things. Don't screw up." Normally, the word 'love' would have turned Naruto into a statue. But, he didn't have time to dwell on that. His pride was stung.

"What?" Naruto jumped up and down, shaking his fist at the Copy Ninja. "Would you be saying that to Sasuke?" Kakashi certainly knew how to push Naruto's buttons. "Baka!"

Hinata put her hand over her mouth. Closing her eyes, she chuckled.

"No, I would not. Sasuske used to know what to do without being told. He was a genius in his own way, after all." Kakakshi turned his attention back to his book.

"BASTARD!" Naruto began concentrating chakra on the bottom of his soles, intending to go up to pole and scold Kakashi up close.

"Hah hah hah hah!" A rich and vibrant voice rang out. "You are hardly one to give out advice, my lifelong rival!" It was Gai. He and Lee were standing on the tiled roof of a stately shop. "Do not listen to him, Naruto! As I told you before, I like your style. You deserve better."

Naruto grimaced, as if in great pain. He looked over at Hinata again. This couldn't simply be a coincidence. "Hinata, did you tell anyone that you were going out on a date with me?"

Hinata's fingers were twiddling up a storm. She looked down,at her feet. "Um... umm... ummm..."

"Oh. Great." Naruto forced himself to look back up at Gai and his pupil.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!"Lee struck a pose and gave Naruto a flourish and a big thumbs up. "Way to go Naruto! The hot fires of youth burn bright and strong.O-o-o-o-o-o-o-h!" Lightreflected off his teeth in a blinding flash.

"Lee!" Gai smiled at his protégé. "You will indeed be great!" Lee beamed. Gai turned to Kakashi. "Of course, I have surpassed my rival in this category as well. But it is not his fault. Not everyone can cut the same figure as me!"

In a quiet voice, Naruto spoke out of the corner of his mouth. "Hinata, would you like me to wear a green stretch suit? Gai sensai gave me one before." Hinata began coughing. "Didn't think so..." Naruto rubbed at the stubble on his chin.

"OH-H-H-H-H-H. Gai sensai is the best. The best!" Lee's eyes looked as if they had caught fire.

"There is nothing that my student cannot do. Not in his fighting skills, or in his attack on the heart! Kakashi, you finally see the true meaning of being a teacher. It is not merely the art of combat and concealment that we are entrusted to teach, but also matters of the heart and mind. You should take this as a lesson for the future, so that those you instruct do not get cheated in life!" Gai put both hands on his hips. His teeth flashed as well. "The future of many a youth depends on your learning the lessons of life to their utmost!"

"Hmmm, did you say something Gai?" Kakashi lifted his head up.

"Kakashi! My life's greatest adversary. Why do you always do this to me?" Gai took an angry step towards Kakashi, forgetting where he was standing. He plummeted into a trash bin below him. Lee began hopping from one foot to another in concern.

"Hey, Lee..." Naruto called out to his friend, his itch of mischief needing to be scratched. "You go out on a date with Sakura yet?" Lee froze in his motions. Landing awkwardly on one foot, he slid off the roof, landing hard on Gai. "Guess not," Naruto said with an evil grin, shrugging his shoulders. "Not everyone can be as bold and forceful as me." He pointed his thumb back at himself. "What?" He caught Hinata's incredulous look.

Kakashi saluted, and then was gone in a puff of smoke.

"What does the scroll say, Naruto-kun? Are you being called away on a mission?" Hinata sounded a touch concerned.

"I don't know." Breaking the seal, Naruto unrolled the scroll. Reading it, he immediately frowned. "Damn nosy old lady!"

"Naruto-kun?"

Naruto flipped the scroll around, so Hinata could read it.

'Naruto

Treat her right.

Tsunade (Fifth Hokage)'

Hinata squeezed her eyes shut and began to giggle. The look on Naruto's face had been priceless.

"What next?" Naruto asked when an exaggerated sigh. Once again, the answer would not be long in coming. Waiting near the end of an incredibly long line that snaked out from his favorite ramen shop, Naruto knew that fate must have it in for him when he heard yet another familiar voice. He began to feel a bit angry. He had been warming to the idea of date with Hinata, but was still very uncomfortable with other people knowing what he was doing. Embarrassment and self consciousness were not two of his favorite feelings.

"You were right, Akamaru. There they are." It was Kiba's voice.

"I could have told you that, had you been inclined to listen. I placed a female bug in Hinata's weapons pouch." That was Shino.

When the two Leaf shin obi and the dog strolled into view, Naruto balled both hands into fists. Hinata brought a finger up to her mouth. "K-Kiba-kun. Sh-Shino-kun." She looked at her teammates, and then at Naruto. Things could get very awkward. She should have kept her mouth shut.

"Ruff. Rrrr-ruff ruff."

"You too, Akamaru." Hinata added politely.

"Well. Long time no see Naruto! Things have been way too quiet with you gone!" Kiba walked over and slapped Naruto hard on the back. "I guess everybody kind of likes it that way!" He smiled. Naruto had become someone he could truly trust, after the failed mission to bring Sasuke back.

Shino nodded his head in Naruto's direction without saying anything.

"Wh-Wh-Why are you here, Kiba-kun." Hinata was wondering just how far word had spread. She should have known better than to think that Ino and Ten Ten could keep anything a secret.

"Hey. We just wanted to see good old Naruto again." Kiba slapped Naruto hard on the back a second time. "We really missed his presence on our last big mission." He slapped Naruto once more, knowing that it would get his friend upset. "And, we both wanted to make certain that you were alright... if you know what I mean… wink wink." He swung his hand again. Big mistake.

"Underworld Spines," Naruto grumped, working hand seals. Large spikes and sharp pointed spires took the place of his hair. It was not nearly as dramatic a defence as Jiraiya's, but it got the job done.

"Crap!"Kiba pulled his hands away, dripping small crimson droplets. "That hurt!"

Akamaru whined, and then barked at Naruto. Instead of being angry, Kiba smiled at Naruto, appreciating a good move.

"What did you mean, you wanted to know if Hinata was OK?" Naruto looked concerned. "Is she in some kind of danger?" He remembered all too vividly the story that Neji had told him during the third stage of the chuunin exams. The sharingan was not the only blood limit that other villages lusted after.

"You know. Pretty girl. Hot-blooded guy. Right?" Kiba looked at Naruto, nodding his head. Seeing the blank look on his friend's face, he smiled. "Ha! Maybe you don't. Akamaru..."

"Ruff ruff!" The young dog ran over to Naruto "Snuff snuff sniff snuffsnuffsnuff." He pulled his head back, then sneezed. "Rrrr... nnnn...rrrr... gggggnnnnrrrr... nff nff... rrrrrrrrrrr-ruff."

Kiba smiled, and then shook his head, his eyes narrowing some as he fought back laughter.

"What did he say?" Naruto had a sour look on his face.

"He said it had been a while since you last bathed." Kiba laughed, joined by his canine companion. "It's a damn fortunate thing that I didn't concentrate chakra to my nose in order to find you!" That had Hinata blushing, as she though back to the way that Naruto had defeated Kiba in the chuunin exam.. Naruto turned a glare on the young dog. "He also said that the big one wanted to have pups with the smaller one."

Naruto began choking. He was not the only one caught by surprise. He couldn't remember ever seeing Shino look surprised at anything before.

"But, he also says that the big one probably doesn't know how." Kiba chuckled. He turned to Shino. "Looks like we have nothing to worry about. Our teammate's safe."

Naruto felt as if his face was on fire. He turned his head away from Hinata. Hinata stood as stiff as a statue. Kiba smiled, remembering seeing her like that on the training fields on the morning of the third test.

"Just the same, my measures shall remain in effect." Shino walked over to Naruto. "I dislike repeating myself. I have placed a female bug somewhere amongst Hinata's belongings. In case you ever had a notion to take her some place against her will, we would be able to find her, should she be gone long enough to raise suspicion."

"Hey… Shino… I'm not going to…" Naruto waved his arms frantically. He looked over at Hinata. She caught him looking and turned bright scarlet.

"Take good care of her," Kiba ran his hand through his hair. "We won't crowd you guys any longer." The pointed a finger at his friend. "Don't forget, Naruto!"

"Ruff ruf ruffruffruff arrroooo." Akamaru added his two cents. Shino nodded, then left with Kiba and Akamaru.

"Hah hah hah hah. That Kiba. Listening to what a dog says. Right, Hinata?" Naruto stole another glance over at his companion.

"Y-Y-Yes" Hinata had to cough to clear her throat. "Yes, Naruto-kun." Hinata was still blushing, staring at nothing in particular.

"If you're not feeling well or something, we can do this another day..." Naruto wondered if that might not be a good idea. He had a real concern that someone else might make an appearance. As Shikamaru might say, this was getting to be quite a bother.

That snapped Hinata out of her trance. "NO!" Her head snapped up and her eyes grew intense. "I'm fine, Naruto-kun." She looked over at him, then looked down at the ground again. "They were just looking out for me."

"They're good teammates," Naruto said, grinning. "It's good to have friends! Let's go. I'm so hungry, I could eat a dog!" Naruto had a particular dog in mind.

Hinata chuckled. She knew just what Naruto meant. Sighing, she felt somewhat relieved. She had been a bit worried that Naruto would call things off if their privacy wasn't respected.

"Watch this," Naruto said, suddenly feeling an urge to show off and get a little bit of revenge at the same time. "Keep an eye on Akamaru." Just before the three passed out of sight, Naruto concentrated, reached out over the distance, and transformed the dog into a skunk. The jutsu wouldn't last long. But, it would be long enough to make a point. "That will teach them."

Hinata gave him a 'they were only looking out for me and you know it' look. She couldn't help but smile when Naruto tried to look regretful and failed miserably.

As usual, Naruto proved to be the most garrulous of the pair, but Hinata was opening up more with each passing moment. He almost forgot about eating. Almost. Just before they reached the door of the shop, Naruto wrinkled up his nose and called out in a mock shout. "Iruka-sensai! Shikamaru! Choji! Shukaku! Kabuto! Hey, even Sasuke! Who wants to interrupt us next?" A number of people scolwed at him then, but he just grinned right back at them. Laughing, he soon found little reason to be amused. The door to the shop closed in their faces. A man walked over to the front window and hung a sign: Out of Noodles.

"No-o-o-o-o-o-o..." Naruto closed his eyes.

"It's OK, Naruto-kun. We can try the next shop." Hinata took his hand again and gave it a squeeze. Was she being to forward? Well, if she was, she didn't care.

"But those were the best… my favorite..." Naruto looked so down-trodden, Hinata could help but laugh. "Sheeesh!" Naruto frowned big time. "Some girl you are, taking pleasure in a man's discomfort at his time of greatest need!" He was being serious.

Hinata's eyes went wide, then she closed them and began giggling. Naruto opened his mouth, but closed it. He began smiling sheepishly. He realized what he must have sounded like.

"Well, sounds like you two are having a good time." It was Shikamaru.

"How could they, Shikamaru? The shop ran out of food." That was Choji. Pulling a bag of Crab Chips out of the sack on his back, he tore open the parcel and began stuffing his face.

Naruto and Hinata turned at the same time, looking at one another. They both sighed this time.

"I couldn't believe it when Ino told me. Naruto with a girl. I suppose even a genius has to be wrong now and then. What a bother." Shikamaru smiled, then gave Naruto a friendly punch in the shoulder. "How much is he paying you, Hinata?"

Naruto growled. Hinata grinned. Choji opened the next bag.

"As your one time team leader, let me clue you into a sound strategy." Shikamaru used his shadow art to glue a shocked Hinata in place. He pulled Naruto aside and spoke quietly to him. Munching away, Choji leaned over to listen.

"He's probably going to tell you to go Dutch," Choji said. "That way you can get more food with your money."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "No. The first thing you need to remember, is that the man should always be in charge. Woman are such a pain."

"Shikmaru?" Choji actually lowered his bag, a sparkle in his eyes. "Should I repeat that to Temari?" Shikamaru froze. Understanding dawned in Naruto's eyes. He began to grin, showing all of his teeth. "If you buy me dinner tonight, I won't tell her." Choji looked frightfully eager. "Beef Barbeque.. Just to start with. Mmmmmm." Excited, he squeezed his bag too hard. "Maybe breakfast tomorrow, too."

"Hmmmmm. Temari, huh?" Naruto began laughing. "I guess I know who wears the pants in that relationship!" He rubbed the back of his neck. "I bet she would be interested in hearing what you said." He grinned wickedly. "Ino too."

"Shit." Shikamaru brought his hands together. "Choji's my best friend. He can get away with that kind of stuff." He smiled. He wasn't angry, but it was a sore subject with him.

Naruto suddenly felt as if he was grabbed by unseen hands and placed in an invisible vice. He couldn't move. At least not voluntarily. Before he knew it, his legs began walking, of their own accord. No! It was his friend's doing.

"There are some things that it's not wise to joke about," Shikamaru said, convinced that he was in total control.

Naruto didn't put any effort towards breaking free at first. He could get loose, but not might very well hurt Shikamaru. Looking to the side, he saw Shikamaru making the exact same motions he did, but a few steps off to the side and a yard or so behind him.

His arms went up. His lips puckered. He was headed straight for Hinata.

Choji began reaching into his bag faster and faster. He chewed at a furious rate. Chip fragments were flying everywhere. He reached into his sack, took out two more bags, and tore them open. Mucus began leaking from both of his nostrils.

Naruto licked his lips, but not of his own accord. His mouth formed words involuntarily.

"Hinata... my dearest... I have secretly wanted you for so long..."

Hinata squeaked. She backed into the wall of a kiosk. She wasn't ready yet! This was no time for a kiss. Choji was chomping away like a maniac. Chips were spurting out of his mouth half-eaten. Shikamaru's eyes crinkled in amusement.

"I... must... kiss... you..." Naruto actually felt a brief thrill when he said those words. Was Shikamaru just doing this to make a point, or was he going to see things through until the inevitable conclusion?

Snot fountained out of Choji's nose. Hinata fell to the ground, looking up at the stiffly approaching Naruto. Catching sight of Shikamaru's actions, she finally figured out what was going on. She couldn't move. She wasn't caught in the shadow art. Was she simply shocked or afraid? Or, did she want Naruto to kiss her?

Naruto decided to teach his friend a lesson. He wasn't just your every day ordinary genin. As usual, the fox in his belly was the ace up his sleeve. 'OK, furball. You wanted to start a fire, let's start a fire.' Naruto concentrated with all his might.

There was the faintest smell of smoke. Looking around, Choji found the source. A small bit of flame burned on one of Shikamura's belt loops. It soon grew larger in size, then jumped to the seat of his pants. In a great flash, the fire came to life with a vengeance, scorching the unsuspecting prankster.

"Ouch!" Shikamaru jumped. "Ow ow ow owowow ow!" He danced around, hands trying to beat out the flames clinging to his trousers. Not having released Naruto, his captive did the same. Hinata watched with wide eyes.

"Let's take things a step further," Naruto said, his eyes narrowing.

A HUMAN TORCH? THE WARMTH WILL BE SUBLIME. I APPROVE!

'Wrong.' Naruto smiled, suddenly free of Shikamaru's hold. 'Happy to disappoint you, fur face!'

Accessing another of Kyuubi's powers, he took control of Shikamaru's mind, making him see what he wanted him to see. He put the real fire out, but his friend didn't realize that.

"No. Naruto, I'm you friend. Owwww…" Shikamaru ran around blindly. To him, it felt and looked as if his whole body was wreathed in flame. It even looked as if his clothes were burning away while his skin turned to ash.

Naruto chuckled. How about another skill? Sure, why not? Could he do more than one thing at once? Only one way to find out! With a low grunt, he pictured a large pool of water and concentrated. This part was very hard. He could never hold it very long. The pool came in existence in the middle of the square. Wind forms small ripple on its surface.

"Ahhhhhhh!" Shikamaru leaped into the pool. He began throwing handfuls of water on himself. When the pool disappeared, Naruto replaced it with a similar looking illusion. Shouting, Shikamaru threw large handfuls of dirt all over himself. "That's better. Much better!"

The illusion of fire died down. The pool disappeared. The unfortunate victim found himself sitting in the middle of the street, uncooked. The last handful of dirt slowly trickled out from between his suddenly limp fingers, forming a small inverted cone on his head. Looking around, he saw that he was ringed by a multitude of laughing and whispering onlookers. Naruto stood with a huge smile on his face.

"Now we're even," Naruto said, brushing his hands together.

Shikamaru closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. "You're even more annoying than before..."

"Yes, it's quite bothersome." Choji's eyes lit up as he imitated his closest companion. Everybody but Shikamaru laughed.

HUMANS ARE STUPID. THEY DESERVE TO BE KINDLING.

When a chastened Shikamaru left with Choji in his wake, Naruto and Hinata headed off for the next shop. "I guess I'm pretty smart after all, right Hinata?" Naruto began strutting as he walked.

"Yes, Naruto-kun." Hinata smiled. Naruto really had a sense for the dramatic. And when it came to pranks and clever ploys, he really was just as much of a genius as Shikamaru was.

"Ha!" Naruto smiled. "Of course, you easily saw through Shikamaru's trick, didn't you?" Naruto began putting too much energy towards talking and too little towards thinking.

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata looked puzzled.

"I mean, who would think that I really wanted to kiss you?" Naruto chuckled, missing sudden look of anger in Hinata's eyes. Before he knew it, Naruto found himself falling. Hinata had shoved him roughly from behind. The muddy patch of water he fell into was no illusion. When he pried himself out of the muck, it looked as if he were wearing a lumpy brown beard. Large bits of dirt plopped down on his boot tops.

Hinata suddenly felt contrite. She began nibbling on one finger. "S-S-Sorry, Naruto-kun." What had come over her? Naruto was certainly having a huge effect on her!

"It's alright, Hinata." Naruto pushed large slabs of mud off of his sopping robes. Water poured out from his weapons bag and from the large summoning scroll he carried at his hip.

Yes. It was alright, Hinata decided. She smiled.

IF YOUR BRAIN WAS WOOD, I COULDN'T START A FIRE WITH IT.

At that moment, Naruto was forced to agree.