DISCLAIMER: Do not own Naruto or any of its characters. Bold and italicized words came from the lyrics of Tori Amos' song, Sleeps With Butterflies.

A.N. Umm… I forgot to mention something for my last post. As much as you guys think that Naruto's bad behavior is OOC, let me inform you that his hentai attitude isn't. Umm… I read from a certain site that his years of training with Jiraiya gave not only a powerful effect on his abilities but the Sanin's hentai lifestyle was learned as well. If ever this info is wrong, sorry. If ever its right, then… there, share my disappointment.

Feel free to correct any typos or wrong grammar and spelling. But please don't let me explain when I remind you not to negatively comment on OOC-ness.

Thank you all so much for the healthy and sweet reviews! I am so glad that all of you are enjoying the fic. Hope I get sweet ones too this time, aheehee…

This update is for all those readers who noticed why I updated my other fic rather this one. Yeah, you know who you are! Hahaha…

Balloons

Look good from on the ground

Hinata knew she should have gotten cold feet or at least a nervous breakdown when he said those unbelievable words but… all she could feel were his tight arms around her; suggesting that everything was going to be all right. She replied with a sure nod and he kept an arm around her and she knew the direction that they took where bound to end to his apartment.

Little worry crossed her mind, though she was completely aware of the situation happening between them as they took a walk. First, she could, would lose her virginity to Shino. Next, the Hyuga household was going to be aware of her absence on the dinner table. Third, they were going to his house. Finally, they were walking like a couple -just like she walked with Naruto and it felt so much like years forgotten that she didn't want to remember.

Konoha was completely cooperative tonight. Just like the other night when they kissed on the street, nobody was watching -it was as if they owned the world. And she was too, aware, of the different emotion her little heart felt with Shino than she did with Naruto. She felt a little daring though submissive to Shino, and as she thought of it now -she really didn't care if anybody saw them together. Let the world see she was cuddled in a warm embrace -let the world envy her comfort.

"Are you sure," Shino's voice asked in the dark, his arm loosening around her shoulders.

Honestly, Hinata knew that Shino was possibly more terrified than she was. But she needed to show him that she wanted him as much as she wanted her… right? Her hands took hold of his jacket, clutching it tightly with her fingers to pull herself closer to him. "Sure," she replied. She chuckled softly. "And I suppose you are…?" If she were to make a fool of herself -she might as well know now. He did not say anything in return but his arm locked tightly on her shoulders and Hinata sighed with thankfulness. Hinata could not help but think, Why does this feel so right?

It did not take long till they reached his place. Shino opened the lock of his door without letting her go. As they stepped inside, he pulled her hand to his room and closed the door behind them. Both of them stood before Shino's futon for one, staring at it with held hands. Cold skin against cold skin grasped, each breath a thousand thoughts for each.

Hinata's heart was pounding against her chest loudly. She was confident to come home with him but this experience was going to be exhilarating… yet frightening at the same time. Oh but she was waiting! Waiting to feel his lips on hers again and she wondered where his hands would go… The drumming of her heart was followed by a slow dizzy feeling -a smooth caress that made a line from her heart to her gut. She bit her lower lip, she was uneasy and anticipating at the same time… Should she initiate that they do it or let him go first or- Her deep thoughts were interrupted by a deep chuckle. Hinata looked up at him to see if it was him who did so -or Kami-sama she would freak out if ever his father was home! And dumbfounded she was to find out that it was indeed her companion that a frown knit her brows.

Shino chuckled again and took off his glasses. He turned to her and smiled faintly. "Nervous?"

Hinata could only stare at his face.

"Yeah, me too," he said, giving her hand a squeeze. He leaned to her and gave her a quick kiss. "Wait a second, okay?"

The girl nodded, unable to speak because of uncertainty. As Shino left, her nervous hands found each other, twiddling and squeezing together before her chest. Was he going to get protection? Or was he going to get her a glass of water because he saw that she lost all the air she was supposed to breathe? Or was he just going to take off all those clothes…

Hinata squeezed her eyes shut now… She was left alone in his room, thinking about him without clothes and as nervous as she was, she felt something warm and moist on her underwear.

Think about the frogs, she thought. They're green, icky, give birth to tadpoles that look so much like sperm cells… Argh! Hinata bit her lower lip harder. Think about something else! About slugs, yes, slugs! They're hideous, they're see through and they're slimy just like the hot something forming on my panties… Ah! Hinata bit her tongue. Something else! She feared snakes! Yeah, they have fangs, poisonous, crawl on their bellies! Their bodies are long, hard and thick just like a man's -Kuso! She cursed inside her head. No way she was thinking of those things!

Shino still wasn't back from where he was and Hinata started to pace little around the room before the futon. Relax, relax! She cheered herself. That's no way a lady should be thinking.

"Hinata…?" his voice asked from the door.

She turned around to face him. To her somewhat (disappointment) surprise, Shino was still fully dressed. He was gazing at her with his dark, mysterious eyes and she found him just… irresistible. To hell with frogs, slugs and snakes… If he took a step and touched her -they would have to do it. Then why, Kami, was he just standing there?

Shino edged closer to her and put his hands on her shoulders. His fingers went for the zipper of her jacket and he slowly pulled it down. Then he touched her nape, tracing small circles, making her blush. He found the knot of her ninja bandana and pulled it off.

The way his fingers were so close against her skin felt so much like burning. He was giving her electric currents and she might as well have melted. A soft sigh escaped her lips as he slowly took off the jacket from her body and kissed her on the neck afterwards. Her hands went to wrap around his head and hair, suggesting him to go on. He gave her feather kisses around her face and collarbone and she returned each with a soft one of hers wherever she could do him. Like she knew what she was doing, she began to tug open his jacket and their bodies came closer together, only their skin tight tops between them. "Oh, Shino…"

His hands began to wander around her curves, touching with pleasure and pressure. A little moan breathed out of her lips as one of his hands caught the swell of her breast, squeezing gently.

Hinata kept pulling him closer, grabbing his top, his hair and neck. She pulled his bandana from its knot and dropped it on the floor. The need that formed on her hips was driving her mad, would he just kiss her? How she wished those hands would push her down to the futon and…

He returned to her lips, kissing her softly, and when her mouth parted to moan, his tongue licked her lips and teeth and when their tongues touched -the kiss turned into a feast of mouth.

Kami! It was just as she imagined it would be… no, it was better because this was real! This is real, she thought. Just like what Naruto said. She should stop and consider the kitsune but her body knew whom it wanted to be with and she was enjoying herself.

"Hi…nata…" he groaned between kisses, his hands squeezing whatever it landed on.

He's calling me! It meant he wanted her… and when she called out his name uttered his name again, how it felt right to confirm the want and need she had for him. As they kissed she felt his hands grip her waist, slipping inside the behind of her top, and he started to move his hands on her skin, massaging lightly. Hinata embraced him harder. "D-do you r-really… love me?"

"Kami, yes," he murmured, gently laying her down the futon. His lips and tongue did not stop its exploration, his hands careful with her as they lay together on his futon. He slowly parted her thighs and he settled himself above her.

Hinata gasped as she felt how aroused he was, it poked her somewhere it shouldn't have. She shut her eyes close but her hips involuntarily raised against him. But his kisses slowed down and his pressured touched began to soften. She was puzzled because she was getting the hint that he was stopping their adventure. Why? She could tell he was still excited (thank goodness for his potency). "Shino, w-what's wrong?"

Shino's eyes were still shut, sweat was on his temples, his face was flushed as much as hers -it was visible he was struggling with something. He touched her cheek and sighed.

No, no! Not that 'after marriage' speech! She was too caught up to change her mind! Not that she was hungry to have sex -but with Shino, she was more than starved! Oh boy, was she desperate now. "I want…"

Shino put a finger on her swollen lips and kissed her. He lay on her, crushing her with the warmth and arousal he felt. He put his arms around her body and took a breath of her scent. He then moved on her side, settling his head between her breasts, his arms still around her torso. "Sleep with me like this."

Hinata was in deep thought after Shino said those words. So did that mean no love making? Disappointment ate the half of her heart. The other half was glad, starting to rejuvenate back into at least three quarters of its original form. A smile formed her lips though, a feeling of contentment of having him close to her heart -literally or not, fighting off the feeling of fired, desperate call of the flesh. But she knew then and there, if ever Shino chose to make love to her then, she would have agreed without a fight. Not only was he good with kissing and touching, he also said the little words that meant. With Shino she felt no fear, was she starting to love him… She smoothed his messy hair and sighed. What a day…

As Shino blessed himself with the sound of her heart and the reality he was resting so close to her body, he decided that this day was the most difficult in his life. Dying was painful and death should have been much easier. But to fight of the erection he had, the need to just pull down her shorts and take her… It was not only physically painful, it was energy draining as well. It took a whole lot of thought and concentration to stop himself and content himself with just sleep.

How he loved her. To feel her body like he did was elating. To hear his name from his lips was still bliss.

But he knew he had to stop. He said he loved her and she…

It wasn't time, he knew.

Shino wondered when will it ever be.

Hinata woke up with a startle, feeling alone and rather tired. Her eyes discovered that she awoke in her own room. She looked down and saw that she was wearing her jacket though she noticed her shoes were at the side of her bed on the floor. She frowned as she got out of bed, why did Shino do this? Didn't he know she wanted to know what if felt like to wake up with him in the morning? To find out how he slept, if he drooled or talked nonsense or sleepwalked. Was he that scared to disgrace her? But no matter how negative her thoughts felt, a little spark of happiness touched her face.

When she searched for her band and found out it was missing, she smiled to know last night was real.

Uchiha Sasuke was never more pissed when he took a walk to the academy that morning. He didn't really care about what she did. He didn't even bother to stare at her or greet her a 'hi.' She was nothing. Absolutely nothing. But what he saw last night when he busied himself with roof-hopping, his nerves were highly irritated. He was having a headache for concealing the little information inside his head.

Not that he liked her. But he was starting to consider her as a mate. Secretly he was in a hunt for the woman to bear him the Uchiha heir. The Hyuga seemed the best choice at the moment. It was confirmed she had a healthy body to carry a baby, and a very voluptuous one to have sex with. Now he knew he had to find someone else or he could at least try to pursue her but… with what he saw? He didn't want to go expose himself as someone who also fell for girls and he didn't want any trouble. Besides, it was possible that the heiress would might as well reject him.

He crossed his arms across his chest. That Aburame Shino. Who knew that insect-lovers had time to love human women too? Kuso… he knew he should have at least given the Hyuga a sign. Sasuke could not believe he failed again. Because he wasted his time checking her profile that he lost his chance to actually talk or bribe her to sleep with him.

Damn it.

Indeed Naruto was an eye-catcher. From the distance Sasuke saw his spiky hair, resting on the field of the training grounds. An idea popped inside Sasuke's head. Of course he didn't want to be the one to make a fuss about the Hyuga's relationship with the insect boy. If he recalled right, Naruto was also voicing out he was interested with her a few weeks ago. He casually went to a practice log a few meters from Naruto and started kicking. He knew that Naruto would eventually talk to him in three, two, one…

"Oi, Sasuke," the kitsune called. "What are you doing here this early?"

How this simpleton was predictable in everyday life! Sasuke rolled his eyes as he kicked with growing instensity. He was training of course but now, his plan was starting to take place. "Escaping Konoha."

Naruto laughed at that. "Again?"

Typical idiot, Sasuke thought. But he decided to reserve his curses for next time. "Seems you don't know about the town's crazy talk about that Hyuga girl."

Naruto's laugh instantly faded. He raised a brow and sat up from the grass. "What about her?"

"She's rumored to be with that insect freak." As Sasuke kept kicking the log to relieve himself of the stress he was feeling, he kept an eye on guard of Naruto's reaction. His eyes were wide and quite shocked, a flash of anger darkening his blues. Sasuke noticed how serious Naruto was. The last time he saw that look was when Naruto was in a life and death situation. The kitsune stood up without a word and left the training grounds.

Sasuke was not one to squeal but he was not one to lay and let everything work out for those who ruined his plans. That Hyuga should have been his, and that insect boy should have just backed off. And he knew, Sasuke was sure, that they would be dealing with the worst desperate of all who was Naruto.

As he kicked the log, he recoiled as a thought of considering Haruno Sakura as a wife of convenience.

A.N. There, an update. How about a review? What you already planned to give me one? Yay! Sweet! Love you!