Hi guys, thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, favourited or followed this story. It means a lot to me. This has got to be one of my favourite ships. I have so many different scenarios involving these two lovable characters that I begin thinking about one and then another pops into my head. They have definitely inspired me. Quick question, does anyone else feel like this?

This is another secret relationship reveal, only I didn't anticipate it being this long, or internal. But I still hope you enjoy it. I'm going to make the rating for this fic M to be safe, and write new chapters whenever an idea strikes. Tell me if it's something you would be interested in. Now… without further ado …

Chapter 2: Girl's Night Out

It was all Tenten's fault really. If there was anybody to blame for why Hinata was feeling slightly off balanced and things being blurry, it was Tenten. She was the one who suggested the contest… but Hinata was the one who agreed. No! She shook her head in disagreement with herself; deciding it was most definitely Tenten.

The night was drawing to a close but it began innocently enough. Ino had suggested a girl's night out, since Sakura was feeling slightly down and Temari was in town. Hinata gladly agreed to the outing since it had been a while since they all hung out. Surprisingly so, she enjoyed the company of her girl-friends. Hinata never felt like she was good at making friends. She was always too nervous to start a conversation, in general, and she found talking to girls was even more difficult. But somehow she found herself surrounded by all these outspoken women that she was genuinely glad to have in her life. Sure they teased her a lot for her quietness but they also never really made her feel bad for it. And as an added bonus, they would talk about topics that she may not have always included herself in but was glad to listen and occasionally contribute to, unlike Kiba and Shino, who she spends the most time with, outside of her family. They were nice company but often enough she would have to be a mediator in their issues, with Kiba getting easily annoyed at Shino and Shino being overly technically at times. Not to mention, they were guys and sometimes a girl just wants to talk to someone that can understand their issues.

The night started with a light meal but then Ino felt Sakura needed what she called happy juice to get her out of her funk and Temari seemed to be enthusiastic about the idea. But then Tenten felt like dancing so they ended up going to a place that catered to both needs. Hinata was pleased to simply sit at the table in the slightly darkened establishment and watch her friends enjoy themselves. To not come across as a prude she ordered a cocktail and nursed it for a while, alternating between sipping and watching her friends consume numerous glasses and occasionally dance to the music playing.

Then the dreaded challenge came, Tenten suggested it and Sakura was down enough glasses to be enthusiastic about the idea. Temari said she could drink circles out of everybody, including Hinata, to which Tenten immediately teased that it was not Hinata's style with a gleam in her eye. Usually she would agree. It definitely wasn't her style, but all her friends nodded in agreement before she could even say a word and for some reason it had bothered Hinata a little.

She knew she often retreated into herself and would always act in a way befitting her family name. But she never considered herself to be so restraining that she was known never to join in things. And maybe it was Hinata feeling slightly insecure about her relationship with Naruto which sparked from Sakura's earlier comment about Naruto trying harder to get with her than Sasuke currently was, but in all honesty was feeling more insecure about herself as a person; that without really considering it she agreed to the challenge.

It wasn't that she doubted Naruto's feelings for her, well not really. It was just the slight belief that maybe he had a type, and she wasn't it. Sakura and…really all the girls in their circle were outspoken and confident. They could speak about boys and liking them, they could turn down guys for being creeps and they spoke their minds very easily. But Hinata wasn't like that. She would overthink all her actions, feel guilty when she didn't speak her mind immediately and sometimes she would rather be alone than take the risk of being social, too scared people wouldn't like her the way she was.

She didn't know why she said yes, maybe it was for Naruto or maybe it was to prove to herself that she can be a little out there like all her friends. Either way, it was too late to back out.

So the challenge began, with Tenten being the judge; Temari, Sakura and Hinata being the participants. Ino decided to sit this one out since she was well past tipsy and definitely playing in the drunk field.

In the end Hinata won the challenge, to the utter shock of Temari who was extremely confident but was the only one sober enough to appreciate the effort, with the exception of Tenten who was only slightly buzzed but somehow not surprised. Ino was holding Sakura upright by the waist but couldn't hold her head which rested on Ino's shoulder. Hinata felt like a winner but at what cost? To quell the feeling she drank a few more glasses until all she felt was pleasantness in her belly and a happy sway in her body.

Hinata was doing better at not immediately feeling guilty for things that could be seen as out of character for her. She could change her mind, she reasoned, could do things differently; step out of her shell every now and then.

Eventually their party made their way outside, deciding some fresh air and a walk would help them all feel better enough to go home after. The streets of Konoha were busy, despite the late hour, with many shops still open and the youth hanging about. Seeing the livelihood of her home made Hinata extremely happy. After everything they've been through it was nice to see people having fun … regular domestic, fun.

They all chatted merrily as they walked, even Hinata contributed to the conversation, the alcohol giving her courage and her loose tongue did the rest.

She and Temari ended up lagging behind as her friend shared a few frustrations from being overworked and not getting enough time to come to the Leaf Village. Hinata, allowing her companion her full attention, realised a little later that the rest of their party ran into Shikamaru, Neji, Choji and Naruto. Hinata briefly pondered why her cousin would be spending time with these guys as Neji generally kept more to himself.

By the time she and Temari caught up to them, Temari making her way to her boyfriend, Hinata heard the slightly whiny tone of Sakura's question, "Come on Naruto, answer me. If it came down to a fight, tell Ino that I could beat her!"

Hinata didn't really register the question, her gaze focused on her boyfriend, his face full of confusion and slight fear.

"Errr, Sakura, I uh don't really wanna answer that question," the blonde shinobi scratched his head, a familiar tactic, Hinata noticed when he was trying to buy time and trying to make people think he didn't know what was being asked of him. But Hinata knew that Naruto was much sharper than he let everyone believe him to be.

"No Sakura," Ino pushed Naruto, getting into Sakura's face, "Naruto can't answer this question. You know he will be biased and pick you just because he had a crush on you for ages." Ino turned so fast that her hair smacked Sakura right in the face, not noticing the shock on Shikamaru's face, or anyone's really.

Choji stifled a laugh at Ino's actions and then looked around at everyone. Neji didn't even notice the funny interaction; too busy trying to stop Tenten who was teasing him with pokes and giggles in the corner.

Hinata didn't have any time to worry about Ino's remark as she continued speaking, "Shikamaru, you're better to answer this question. We know you will tell us the truth. You're the smartest of us all."

Shikamaru looked surprised at being called out but settled his features into his usual look of boredom, "maybe so, but I'm smart enough to know that I will definitely not be answering that question."

"Oh come on Shikamaru! Just answer the question," Ino moaned, tugging on his sleeve. Choji eyes widened and he rapidly shook his head, indicating that Shikamaru should not indulge their former team-mate.

Naruto just looked on in confusion, "I don't understand what is happening...why are the girls behaving like this?"

"It's because they are inebriated, obviously," Neji supplied in answer, untangling himself from Tenten's ministrations.

"He means they are drunk, Naruto," Hinata explained helpfully, so happy to see her boyfriend that she walked straight into his body, resting her head on his chest, tucking her face in the crook of his neck. She always liked that she fit so well into his body, like they were meant to be. Giddy at the thought she nuzzled her face into his orange vest. She then looked up, twin lavenders meeting his drowning blue.

She then placed her hand onto his face, cupping his cheek, "Naruto, you're really pretty, you know," she admitted as she admired his features, the bright blonde of his hair that still looked golden in the dark of night, the smoothness of his face that was devoid of the evidence of his shinobi ways due to his fast healing power, the whiskers of his cheeks that tickled her when they kissed and the fullness of his lips that consumed her and lit a fire in her soul when he peppered it along the plains of her face and neck in their intimate moments.

His cheeks immediately flushed at the odd praise and her innocent but intense gaze, "aww Hinata, you too," he mumbled, realising her loose tongue was due to her drunken state.

"I'm not drunk," Hinata insisted. But the weakness of her knees and her slightly blurring vision made her re-evaluate, "okay, I might be a little drunk," she amended indicating with her thumb and forefinger the slightness of her condition.

She heard a snort from the right of her, Tenten paying rapt attention to her, "Hinata might be the most sober of us all, myself excluded, but she most definitely is the one that drank the most!"

Naruto blanched at her words, but Tenten gave only a slight pause, enjoying this way too much, before she continued, "she was the champion of our drinking game," she finished off proudly.

"That you initiated!" The lavender haired girl quipped in response, the alcohol making her all sorts of brave.

"And I feel fine," she reassured her boyfriend. He still looked sceptical, so she raised herself onto her tip toes and placed a tender kiss to his lips, her tongue barely grazing his lower lip, before nudging their noses together. He was so warm and inviting and she found herself getting lost in his embrace. Naruto closed his eyes at her touch, and Hinata felt him slightly harden against her.

"Erm, excuse me...what is happening right now?" Sakura cried, her hands on her hips in question. She would have looked more intimidating if not for Ino, who could barely hold herself up, supporting her frame. Ino herself just noticed the commotion before chiming in, "I'm with Sakura. Why are you so casually hugging Naruto, and kissing him? You should be fainting just at the sight of him!" She finished off with a huff.

That was not true. It has been a long while since Hinata fainted at the minimal attention of the blonde in question. She was much better at controlling herself around him. She didn't understand why they were questioning her. She was allowed to hug Naruto whenever she wanted and kiss him when she felt like it.

Oh no, wait. Her friends didn't know about their relationship, she realised. It had been a while since they all hung out as a group and in that absence, hers and Naruto's relationship had progressed a lot.

"Uh, well you see. Hinata was just - uh she was - kinda, well you know, being friendly. She didn't mean-" Naruto hastened to cover up but Hinata placed a hand on his chest effectively cutting off his speech so his attention was focused on her.

"Naruto and I are together," she declared in the firmest voice she could muster. At their looks of confusion she continued, "like together together, as in, a relationship kinda." Only her words came out faster as she spoke, "we like each other and so that makes him my boyfriend and me his girlfriend. I mean we are right?" She quickly turned her head towards his, paranoid that she didn't get his approval and what if he didn't agree with her? Oh no, what if she was too forward by revealing their private lives to the people around him? She went to extract herself from his grip, suddenly nervous and insecure about herself, but his arms only tightened around her, "yep. I am her boyfriend," he confirmed giddy at the thought.

They were met with silence before Sakura spoke, "I think I drank too much. I'm hallucinating that Hinata and Naruto finally got together," she whispered to Ino, "I need to wake up. Pinch me Ino," she finished off dazed. To which Ino did pinch her, "ow, not so hard you pig."

"Wow Hinata. That's great. You go girl, bagging the most eligible bachelor of the Leaf!" Temari praised her friend, genuine happiness in her tone that made Hinata simultaneously smile and blush at the attention.

"I take offense to that," Shikamaru stated, slightly hurt at the comment.

"Why? You're not a bachelor," Temari bantered, "or are you saying that you are?" She finished off threateningly.

Shikamaru looked surprised at her admittance to their relationship. Despite everyone in both the Sand and the Leaf knowing Temari was completely in love and with Shikamaru the girl in question never openly admitted to the fact. In fact, she always denied any romantic attachments to anyone, especially the resident strategist.

"Well this has been a drag but Temari and I need to go now. Naruto, Hinata, congratulations. It only took you forever." He hurried through his words, grabbing Temari by her wrist and walking off, "later guys."

"Damn, Temari is going to get it good tonight," Tenten whistled.

"Naruto, I'm hungry. Can we go home now and eat some ramen?" She implored, pleased that she didn't have to hide her affection for this man in front of her.

Naruto looked conflicted but was saved from answering by Neji, "Lady Hinata, while I am happy that you have confirmed your relationship with Naruto, you most definitely cannot stay over at his house in your state!"

"Oh come on Neji, don't be a party pooper. Hinata is fine. Naruto will take care of her. Why can't you be a good cousin and cover for her?" Tenten cajoled and Hinata nodded her head in agreement, feeling a little sleepy but forcing herself to remain standing. Naruto, sensing her tiredness took on most of her weight.

"You want me to lie?! I can't do that!" He exclaimed, horrified at the idea.

"Just say she stayed with me. Her family knows we all went out. I'm sure it'll be okay." Tenten reassured him. But continued speaking before Neji could decide either way, "Well that's settled. Neji, you walk me home. Choji, would you be okay taking these two home?" she gestured to Ino and Sakura who were both fighting to stay vertical and pay attention to the conversation.

Choji, being an incredible friend agreed almost immediately and quietly told the girls he would help them home, insisting that they just needed sleep and everything would make sense in the morning.

Hinata thought they were safe when Sakura turned around when they were almost out of earshot, "this conversation is not over!"

Naruto was the only one that looked scared at Sakura's words, likely knowing it was meant for him because he didn't tell her about this before. He shook his head, "come on Hinata. I'll make you some really good ramen. I have these limited edition ones that I know you will love. Let's go home," his smile infectious and she knew why. It was because she called his apartment home. But that's exactly what it was; a safe place for her to be herself, where they both accepted each other as they were, no armour or secrets.

He turned around for her to jump on his back, and normally she would blush insanely at the thought of it but tonight easily slipped her arms around his neck, her legs around his hips and rested her head on his shoulder.

"You know, I think Sakura could beat Ino in a fight," Hinata whispered in Naruto's ear pondering the different strengths of both her friends. "But Ino is definitely the prettier one."

Naruto laughed with mirth, shaking his head at the oddities of his girlfriend.

"Guess I have a thing for blondes" Hinata teased slyly licking the shell of his ear, tempting him. Naruto shivered at the touch which prompted her to giggle.

"But don't tell Sakura I said that," best not to invoke the wrath of the student of the legendary Lady Tsunade.

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me" Naruto promised indulgingly.

The dark haired girl smiled in contentment and as she dozed off she thought about how she couldn't be happier that her first ever crush was now her boyfriend. Maybe he had a crush on Sakura in the past, but he was with her now and he never made her feel like she needed to be anyone else but who she truly was. Getting paranoid solved nothing. He always gave her his all, at all times so the least she could do was trust his feelings for her as he shared them and who knows, maybe in the future he could be so much more than first-crush-turned-first-boyfriend … well a girl could hope.

Whew… that was kinda long. I apologise if Hinata comes across as out-of-character. I tried to keep her as close to how I feel she would act, with alcohol giving me some leeway, but I don't know if it came across that way. I envision all characters to be the required age of consent and legal drinking age. If you enjoyed this please consider leaving a review or fave or follow. Thank you for taking the time to read my words.