Night had fallen by the time Shikamaru and Naruto had turned the corner to the ramen bar. Stars blanketed the sky, Each one twinkling brightly, each one placed in the sky with its own person to look after, but one seemed a little dim, fading away. Pulling his eyes away, Naruto shook his head and concentrated on the smell of ramen that waffled all the way down the street. His mouth began to water, as they got closer. Shikamaru pulled back the curtain and sat down, Naruto took a seat next to him and both ordered large bowls of ramen. As they waited, the curtain was pulled back again and Ten Ten walked in and took a seat four down on Naruto's side. Shikamaru looked up and called out to Ten Ten.

"Hey Ten Ten! Come join us! Cook! Another bowl of ramen!"

"Hey Shikamaru. Wow your finally back Naruto, how was your Crank mission? Oh, Cook I'll just have a cup of tea please!" Ten Ten took a seat on Naruto's side and they chatted about old times, Shikamaru brought up their first chuunin exam, when Naruto had beat Neji for being so mean to Hinata. Ten Ten blushed for a moment, taking a drink of her tea to cover her cheeks. Naruto was unaware of the blush; he was busy slurping up ramen. But Shikamaru noticed, and he thought.

Yes everything is working. But that idiot needs to stop stuffing his face and listen!

Shikamaru coughed and started to go into more detail about Naruto's fight with Neji.

"Aye Naruto went all out and pulled out some crazy chakra to best Neji. That last attack totally surprised me, quite a tactic that even I would have not thought about."
Naruto finally looked up from his bowl, the ramen and juice all gone.

"Yeah, He was very mean to Hinata back then, thinking that destiny is decided at birth. I couldn't stand it, so I had to show him that he was wrong with words and fists. Although now things have greatly improved between both the main house and the branch house" Naruto leaned back in his chair and sighed with a content stomach. Shikamaru saw that it was time to set things up now while he could.

Yes, I'll just make an excuse and leave them both alone, suggest Naruto Walk Ten Ten home and leave the rest up to them both. Dam this is troublesome, but Naruto quite a guy and he done me favors before..

.
"I apologize but I just remembered that my father wanted to talk to me about our next mission and I'm late. Naruto I'll leave things in your hands." Shikamaru got up and was about to start off when he leaned down and whispered to Naruto.

"Hey be a good man and walk Ten Ten home, I hear she has been slightly depressed ever since Neji made it clear that he did not want to pursue a relationship with her, which was last year, about the time you left for your recent mission." Naruto looked at Shikamaru with a slightly confused look but nodded his head to confirm that he would do it. Shikamaru tossed some money on the table and drew the curtain flap back

"This ones on me!" with that he left the two in silence.

Five Minutes Later

The full moon shined brightly, lighting the desolate streets of Kohona as the two walked toward Ten Ten's house. Naruto keep an even pace beside Ten Ten, hands clasped behind his head, looking up at the stars, that one dim star drawing his eyes. Ten Ten was looking at the ground, hands behind her back, thinking about weather she should talk to Naruto about the warm feelings she was getting from being around him. She was unsure if they were real feelings or just figments of her imagination. She thought back to the fight between Naruto and Neji. She felt her skin tingle and her stomach fill with butterflies as they neared her house on the North side of Kohona. Finally the emotions reached their peak as they reached her front gate and She had to say something.

"N-Naruto...ummm... thank you for taking me home"

"It was my pleasure. I'll see you around then!" Naruto turned to start off back down the street but Ten Ten grabbed his shoulder firmly but gently. Naruto stopped and looked over his shoulder to see Ten Ten looking toward the ground, her red cheeks easily visible in the starlight, the moon being blocked but a passing cloud.

"Ummm.. I was thinking it would be nice to meet again and have lunch or something. At the ramen shop, I had fun listening to you and hearing about your journeys...." Naruto was a bit shocked at such a request from Ten Ten but when the moonlight broke through a cloud and lit her face he saw a beauty that he had never noticed from her before. Her pale skin reflected the light like a smooth jewel and her eyes shinned so brightly that he could see his own reflection in them. Heat flowed through Naruto, not the heat of the warm night, but something he had not felt before. The heat of passion. Without turning around Naruto smiled, his sky blue eyes catching Ten Ten's.

"Sure I would like that too. How about tomorrow, lunch at the ramen bar?" Ten Ten nodded, unable to say anything more. Naruto reached up and took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze letting it down and starting back down the street. Ten Ten's heart fluttered. She clenched her fists and held them against her chest smiling.

Up on a roof not so far away a shadowy figure crept back away from the edge of the roof, until he was out of sight. So troublesome.... he thought, but a smile crept on to his mouth and Shikamaru vanished is a maelstrom of green leafs. Up in the sky that one dim star seemed to brighten just a bit...