Yo, I'm back and I hope you're ready for this chapter cause I sure as hell am. After so long of this I finally got this chapter written. Well hope you enjoy and thanks for the reviews!

"Speech"

'Thought'

"Kyuubi"

(Standard Disclaimer)

Chapter 22: Flowers

Naruto sighed, today had been a hell of a day. First his early morning training, then his duel with Zaiaku. Here he was lying on his bed, tear stains on his whiskered cheeks and a smile plastered on his face as he grinned like there was no tomorrow. Itami's advice was good, hell even if she was drunk to next Sunday she was fricking Buddha incarnate.

Naruto swiftly and silently entered the Hyuga compound, using his ninja stealth and his Kitsune illusions to sneak undetected around the home. After an hour or so of sneaking through the main house he came to the realization, Hinata wasn't home. 'Oh sonnova...' he swore mentally as he rushed out of the home through his Kitsune reality illusions.

Naruto exited the front door like he was tearing his own body from the foot thick wooden barrier. He slid from the Kitsune illusion and then raised his head to the wind, his nose on high alert for the slightest scent of the lavender eyed beauty. His nose twitched and he caught a very familiar scent, and putting whatever spare chakra he had into it he rushed toward the scent.

Hinata as usual walked in the back of the group, her Byakugan active to catch sight of any spies to the team. Her powerful bloodline saw nothing in the dense woodland and she was grateful for it. The mission had been easy as always but her mind wasn't exactly on the mission. The entire time Kiba had commented non-stop on how she looked sick. He constantly questioned her well-being, Shino even offered his concern. Hinata however just shrugged them off and told them that she had just had a long day yesterday and didn't get much sleep.

It was the truth even if it was the bare bones truth. Shino accepted cautiously along with Kiba but that didn't mean they turned a blind eye to her condition. Kiba and Akamaru could practically smell the sadness radiating from her and Shino's insects kept a regular update on Hinata's condition seeing as they were able to watch the girl when Shino couldn't.

As the mission came to a close Hinata's facade began to crack and she looked sad and to a point angry. "Ok that's it," Kiba said as he tuned just inside the village gates. "What the hell is going on?" Kiba asked firmly but not loudly so as to not to get on the girls bad side. "It's nothing Kiba-kun," Hinata said softly with eyes that told of her lies.

"Hinata, it is not good to lie to your friends," Shino spoke his same calm and monotone voice. "I...I didn't get sleep and..." Hinata tried but it was obvious none of the boys bought it. "It...it's nothing," she said softly as she dropped her head and fell to the same habit of shyness she had when she was younger. Kiba twitched, if this had anything to do with a certain fox he would make sure each and every one of his families dogs got a piece of him.

Before he could say anything however Hinata turned and began he walk home to the Hyuga compound. "Goodbye Kiba-kun, Akamaru-kun, Shino-kun. Have a good nights rest," she said softly without looking at the boys. Kiba could have sworn he smelt saltwater in the air but they were no where near an ocean. Kiba was about to go after Hinata but Shino placed a hand on his shoulder stopping him in his tracks. "Kiba, we have no business butting ourselves into her affairs. I have a feeling Naruto has something to do with this too but I trust Hinata and to an extent Naruto to do what's right."

With that the bug wielder turned and set a path for his own home, his hands thrust into his pockets and his hood up covering his head from the prying world. Kiba stood there for a moment before clenching his fist then turning for his own home, "you better make her happy you idiot fox or Akamaru's gonna have some special Kitsune dog food next time we meet." Akamaru barked in agreement and the ninja and his dog headed for home.

Hinata carried along the to the Hyuga home, her eyes to the ground as they leaked silent tears. No one bothered to ask the Hyuga heiress what bothered her so. No one bothered to even look at her, to them she was damn near invisible. Hinata continued on her way home, completely engrossed in her world of cold loneliness and pain.

It was only necessary that she see the cause of her pain slide into her view when she looked up briefly, his nose turned to the air and sniffing. No...he wasn't the cause, he was something else but he was no where near the cause. He was her cure but he was on a shelf just a little to high for her to reach. She knew what he was looking for and with that she hung her head even lower in an attempt to remain completely invisible. She took a swift right into a darkened ally and using her ninja skills and natural grace she leapt up and then from rooftop to rooftop hoping to escape the fox boy.

Naruto followed the scent of Hinata through the crowds, his nose working double overtime for this effort. He closed in onto a small alley and that was where he lost the scent. He sneered to himself and jumped, his nose catching a whiff of the elusive girls scent. 'That way,' he thought as he used the meager strength he had and pushed it to its limits. He darted from rooftop to rooftop following no longer the scent but a small figure in the distance. He knew by the way it moved, stepped, jumped. They were all to graceful for a normal ninja, it had to be her.

Hinata ran top speed searching for an escape but she could feel Naruto following her, even over the tops of the roofs. She wanted to stop and cry, have him hold her and tell it was all right. She wanted to feel the safe embrace of his tails and arms...she wanted to tell him she loved him. She didn't know when it happened but she knew it was almost always there. She viewed his endless confidence, his power to rise above everything that put him down, and she idolized him...

For a few minutes, then she crushed on him like a paper cup under his feet. She didn't know when the crush had grown into love but it had, and now it hurt more than anything in the entire world. She just wanted to go to him but she knew she couldn't. He didn't see her as his love, he saw her as his friend. A person he could like...as a friend.

Hinata slowed to a stop and found she had somehow wandered herself to the far gardens of the Hyuga mansion. This was one of the places that few people knew about let alone visited, but she knew of its existence. When she was younger and things had been...rough, she would wander the grounds looking for places to hide herself from the scorn of the world. She found this place when she was seven and from then on it became her own personal hiding spot.

It was quiet, far enough from the house so no one would find her. It was also close enough that she wouldn't get lost getting out here or going back. With an estate this big it was quite easy to get lost. Hinata sighed and sat in the middle of the small forgotten garden, flowers surrounding her in their soft smells and beautiful colors. Even though these flowers were beautiful, her favorite never came to blossom until after the beaming sun had set and the glimmering moon had risen. Despite her family name she always felt at peace when the flowers of the moon bloomed in the celestial orbs soft rays, almost glowing with an unearthly radiance.

Hinata turned her head up to the buds which remained closed, it was nearing sunset by now. Maybe she could get away with hiding in here for the rest of her life, or at least until the moon rose. Apparently the forces that will be didn't give her that chance because just at that moment Naruto entered the small garden, his landing somewhat less graceful then normal.

Trust me when I say this, that is saying A LOT. Naruto landed on his feet but due from his long day and the sprint he had just pushed his body to, he fell flat on his face with a resounding thud. Hinata watched this happen then blinked in confusion. What the hell had just happened?

Naruto slowly pushed himself up shaking his wild haired head free of the impact of the crash then focused his untamed cerulean eyes on Hinata's pale lavender orbs. This look alone spurred Hinata's blush to return and tears to well up in her eyes, to see what she had lost hurt. "Hinata-chan," Naruto said softly as he pushed himself onto his feet and took a few trembling steps to Hinata before plopping down by her side with a thud.

They both sat in silence for a while, neither having any idea where to start. Hinata sat with her knees drawn up to her chest and wishing she could just curl up in a ball and disappear from existence at this moment. Naruto on the other hand, where to start about talking when you have an eons old demon soul stuck in your naval.

"Hinata-chan," Naruto began with a soft sigh. It had been long enough of just sitting there, he needed to say something. Hell when he found her it was just nearing sunset now the sun was almost gone and the moon was in full view. "I...I'm sorry..." he said unevenly, he was so torn about this.

"For what Naruto-kun?" Hinata questioned even though in her heart she knew the answer. "I...I'm sorry you had to find out...whatever way you did," Naruto said as he looked down and away in shame. He knew that she had found out about the Kyuubi sealed in him, and now she was probably afraid of him.

Hinata's heart sunk, she knew it was true, she knew that Naruto enjoyed that kiss. Somewhere in her heart she hoped that it had been false, her eyes had just tricked her and nothing had happened. This was the proof, and it hurt. "It...it's ok Naruto-kun," Hinata began turning away so Naruto wouldn't see her crying eyes. If he saw her now he would probably think that she was weak.

Naruto's eyes shot open and his heart sped, "you...you're really ok with it? Then why did you run from me?" Hinata cringed, she had run away from him twice but she was in so much pain what was she supposed to do? "I...I didn't know what to do Naruto-kun. I apologize..." Hinata said with her eyes turned to the sky, her tears forced down along with the choking sobs. It felt like her heart had been ripped out an cut into several pieces.

Naruto smiled wide and his heart felt like it was free, she knew and she didn't care! She didn't know how to react that's why she ran! He felt so happy he could just...Naruto leaned over and hugged Hinata with one of his best hugs. Now this wouldn't be to much of a surprise but as he drew away Naruto took a chance and kissed Hinata on the already blushing cheek.

Hinata's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates, sure he hugged her and she was used to a little but...he kissed her. Well not on the mouth but a kiss on the cheek sent her face aflame with a deep blush. "N-Naruto-k-kun..." Hinata said in stuttering confusion as Naruto looked down to the ground with a sheepish smile on his face. Maybe her heart wasn't so broken after all.

"Sorry Hinata-chan..." Naruto said ready to spell out his apology but all of a sudden Hinata interrupted with, "what about Hitokoe?" She spoke Hitokoe's name with such a tone that for her it could pass as venomous. This almost had her painful tears return but she willed them away, now was not the time to cry. Naruto blinked completely lost and his mind summed up his confusion in the most intelligent phrase, "huh?"

Hinata's voice dropped low as she said with a great amount of difficulty, "you know...the Branch girl you...k-kissed." Naruto's face paled and his eyes nearly fell from their sockets. "Uh...you mean that wasn't a horrible nightmare?" Naruto asked with a few blinks of confusion. "Nightmare? What are you talking about Naruto-kun?" Hinata questioned more lost then ever.

Naruto's eye twitched and he said, "so that harpy DID kiss me. I was almost asleep when I walked in the door then that bitch goes and kisses me right as I pass out! Yuck, now I have to rinse my mouth out with soap and steel wool." Hinata's face lit up in a bright smile that expressed the only thing she could feel inside, pure joy. It HAD been an illusion, Hitokoe was the one who had kissed Naruto. His eyes closed, he was asleep!

However Hinata was still confused, "Naruto-kun, if you weren't talking about the kiss...then what were you talking about?" Naruto froze, this was bad...VERY bad. He had to find a way out, QUICK! "So what is this place Hinata-chan?" Naruto tried to dodge the question with another but the look from Hinata let him know, this was not going to drop. Naruto sighed and readied for the truth, damn he had gotten his hopes up for nothing.

"Hinata-chan, after I tell you this I know you're going to hate me," Naruto said softly. Hianta had never heard this subdued of a voice from Naruto-kun. "I won't hate you Naruto-kun," Hinata replied as she added in her mind, 'I love you to much to ever hate you.' Naruto looked at Hinata then away from her knowing this was now a one way street for him. This sucked.

"Hinata, you know the story of the Kyuubi and the Fourth Hokage?" Naruto asked as the usual starter question. Hinata nodded in understanding, almost everyone knew that story. "Well forget it all, it's one big lie," Naruto said in a low and serious tone. Hinata was confused and had a few questions. Why would they lie about something like that and what did it have to do with the present time? She held her questions and allowed Naruto to continue guessing they would be answered eventually.

"The truth is that the Fourth Hokage couldn't kill the Kyuubi, he could only weaken then seal the monster into a human child," Naruto said with a low and almost crying tone. "I'm that child Hinata-chan," Naruto finished as he pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his chin on his knees, silent tears making their way down his face.

He knew that at any second she would scream then run, demanding that he be shooed from the Hyuga mansion like some lost mangy dog. It was easy to deduce that he was in complete shock when he felt Hinata's soft and warm arms wrap around him pulling him to her in a soft embrace, feeling the drops of tears land freely on his head.

For Hinata it all made sense now. Why Naruto was always hated as a child, why he always had to fight for his acknowledgment, even right down to why he was a Kitsune now. It all made sense...and the barrier broke and she cried. She had no idea the bourdon on Naruto, she had no idea what he had to live with all these years. She did the only thing she could, she tried to offer Naruto the same comfort he so freely gave her and embraced him.

Uzumaki Naruto as a child had never known a completely loving warmth. He had only known the cold stares and the painful threats and words. His entire life began to revolve around finding a way to stop those looks, to stop those words. He wanted to people to know who he was and he wanted to be known as Uzumaki Naruto not as the beast in his belly.

He never knew a real parents love, a blood brothers bond, a true sisters care. He never knew any of this but no matter the situation, no matter what happened he donned his mask of smiles and jokes and guessed at what those feeling were. He put his smiling face to the world and tried to help those in need. He tried to give those who had even less then he or even those who had so much more some of his own warmth to make their life better.

As he sat there, feeling the drops of tears landing on his head and the warm arms circling him he realized that all the time he was the one who needed help. He was the one who needed encouragement and warmth. Here was someone who was so freely giving him this warmth and in that instant his mask cracked and the memories of a lost childhood came down upon Naruto like a surging tidal wave...and he cried like never before.

He wrapped his arms around Hinata and cried into her warm body as for the first time in his life he felt a true completely loving embrace. Hinata cried for Naruto as he buried his head into her shoulder and cried himself, her jacket quickly becoming soaking wet from the salty liquid. Slowly, bit by bit, the tears stopped and they dried up. The trails they had made was all that remained but Naruto had yet to leave Hinata's warm squeeze.

Hinata smiled softly to herself as she stroked Naruto's wild golden hair, the feel of it much softer than she had expected. Her pale lavender eyes held closed as she cradled the still sobbing body to her. This all powerful Kitsune, this teenage powerhouse of chakra and jutsu, was still clinging to her shoulder like a lost little boy who had just found his way home. In a way he was, he had found someone that gave their warmth to him.

In time Naruto was able to remove himself from Hinata's shoulder, his cerulean and golden eyes bloodshot from his salty tears. Naruto rose from Hinata's shoulder with what had to be the worlds brightest and truest smile that had ever been produced.

"Hinata-chan," he said as his bright ocean blue and purest golden eyes shone in the bright moonlight showing an emotion Hinata didn't dare to hope was there. "N-Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked in complete confusion, her pale violet orbs seeming to glow in the faint light.

"C'mon kid...go for it...don't be dumb..."

Naruto felt his body act on his own and in a matter of seconds he brought the space between his lips and Hinata's into non-existence. His lips had touched her own in a truly beautiful official first kiss. His eyes slowly slid closed but now instead of fatigue, all he felt was love.

Hinata's eyes opened in complete surprise, she had never...oh hell with expecting this or not she was kissing her Naruto-kun! Hinata's eyes slid closed and she reveled in the kiss from Naruto. It was clumsy yes but hell it was their first kiss together what was one to expect. They slowly got the basics of it and were kissing with as much passion as they possibly could with their nonexistent experience.

However nature is a cruel mistress and soon she called the two for their anatomical need for oxygen in their lungs. They reluctantly parted, both heaving breaths of different rates. Hinata's breaths were quick and quiet, like she had run one hundred miles and was still ready for one hundred more. Naruto's breaths were deep and animalistic, like a caged animal attempting to break free of it's imprisonment.

Naruto's face was etched with his confident smile but in his eyes he held nothing but love and admiration. He laughed a little bit while Hinata joined his mirth with a small fit of giggles. Her laughter was music to his ears. Her beautiful face and graceful features the greatest works known to man. Her voice a soft melody that he would never get tired of. Her entire soul, it was a thing of beauty, something he could nor want to forget. Oh yeah he was in love. "Hinata-chan...I love you," he said lovingly, his words of adoration and care reaching his eyes.

Hinata looked at Naruto's foxish eyes, so captivating. His handsome face, so amazing. His entire being, so...words she can't begin to describe. His laughter, his true smile, his everything she loved and when she had heard his proclamation for her nothing could stop her joy. She saw the love deep in his eyes and her heart felt like it was going to explode with emotion if she didn't let it out soon. "I love you too Naruto-kun!" she nearly screamed as she practically jumped him, forcing him to the ground and her lips on his in another loving kiss.

In Konoha there was neither rain nor snow. The weather was neither cold nor hot, it was just the most prefect night known to their history in several years. The bright full moon was in view of the entire village, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. All around the village of the leaf the lunar flowers spread their petals in a bright glowing bloom, paying their homage to a love so deep it withstood all the heavens and the history of a legendary demon fox.

End Chapter

Well that was that? Fluffy Naru/Hina goodness for all! Hope you enjoyed it and now time for Q and A!

Q: Truth behind Drunkeness AKA the hiccup

A: That was all for comidic effect, you know like in cartoons. I was kidding around with it.

Q: Exams soon for the love of god!

A: Yes keep your pants on.

Q: Revenge on the evil!

A: You'll see...

Q: Are you EVER going to put them together?

A: ...if you mean Naruto and Hinata yes that is obvious as of now...otherwise I have no clue as to what you're talking about.

Well that is that! Any more Q and A send it in and I'll answer it easily! Well I would have a preview but lets just say I want this under wraps for now. Why spoil this Naru/Hina moment with trival things such as previews. Later!