New chapter! Sorry for the inconsistent updates... I should try to update more often haha. Please leave reviews as they're greatly appreciated!

Chapter 18: Love Blossoms

"So where exactly is this hideout?" Hinata asked.

"It's somewhere between the Leaf Village and the Sand Village. Tsunade said that it was very close to the Sand Village though, so it might be dangerous considering the desert there." Kakashi replied as he lept from a tree branch.

"How long will it take to get there?" Naruto asked.

"About three days, that's the distance from the village to the Sand." Kakashi added. "We'll set up camp at nightfall, and have one person stay on guard. We'll switch every four hours."

Hinata started having memories of the last mission they went on, to visit the Hidden Rain Village. At night her and Naruto stayed up talking. Would she and able to do that again? And tell him the truth about how she feels?

The group travelled until nightfall, they were about a third of the way to where the hideout was supposedly located, so it was time to rest.

"All right guys, let's set up camp here. I'll be on guard for four hours, Itachi will switch with me then. The three of you get some rest." Kakashi ordered.

"Yes Kakashi sensei." Sakura replied.

The five of them set up tents for them to sleep in. Kakashi shared one with Itachi, Sakura shared one with Hinata, and Naruto had his own.

It was around 10:00 when they all went to sleep, and Kakashi stayed out guarding the camp spot in case of an ambush.

In his tent, Naruto was fast asleep. However, Hinata was tossing and turning, only thinking about how she could tell Naruto the secret she's been keeping for so long.

"Is something wrong, Hinata?" Sakura whispered. "You keep tossing around, what's going on?"

"Oh... I'm just kind of restless tonight..." Hinata sat up in her sleeping bag. She was staring at the ground.

"Oh come on Hinata, you can tell me. It's about Naruto isn't it?" Sakura questioned.

"Wh-what? Why would you say that...?" Hinata blushed and started fidgeting.

"That's all you ever do when you have something like that on your mind. You get nervous and stutter. What is it about Naruto?" Sakura sat up in her sleeping bag too.

"I... Was going to tell him something... I just don't know how..." Hinata's eyes looked empty, as if she lost something very important to her.

"Don't tell me, you're going to tell him that you like him, right?" Sakura put a reassuring hand in Hinata's leg.

"Y-yes... I was... I don't know how to do it..." Hinata looked gloomy, she truly wanted to tell Naruto, but was afraid about how he would act.

"Hinata, at this point you just have to tell him. It's eating you up inside, and sooner or later you'll have to do it or he might find someone else who likes him." Sakura looked up at Hinata, and they both locked eyes for a moment.

"Y-your right Sakura... When we're alone, sometime in this trip, I'm going to tell him!" Hinata had a determined look on her face but was also blushing, creating a cute combination.

"I'm glad Hinata. Tell him soon, I hope he will return your words as well." Sakura smiled at her, and she smiled back. "Now let's get some sleep, were waking up earlier tomorrow to continue our mission."

"You're right." Hinata leaned over and hugged Sakura. "Goodnight, thanks for helping." Hinata smiled as she crawled back in her sleeping bag.

"You're welcome Hinata, I'm here for you. Goodnight..." Sakura went back into her sleeping bag as well, and they both drifted off.

...

It was 1:30 AM...

Kakashi was sitting underneath a tree branch, with a small bonfire lit in front of him. He was on guard duty for 30 more minutes until he had to wake Itachi.

He felt an ominous presence not too far away from where he was.

'What's going on?'

He peered over his shoulders, however, he could only see blackness through the trees.

'I feel something... What is it?'

He slowly stood up and walked around the the small clearing they were in.

'It's not something... It's someone...'

Without hesitating anymore he activated his Sharingan.

'I feel their movements... Who is this? Their not moving, just staying in one place, like their watching.'

Suddenly, a cold shiver went down his spine.

'There's more... 3... 4... Multiple people... Staring, just watching...'

Kakashi stayed still, as not to draw attention. He was focusing on tracking the movements of anyone around him.

'This is bad...!'

He could feel multiple people, gradually coming closer and closer. With quick reflexes he turned around and threw a Kunai at high speed into the darkness of the trees.

He paused for a moment.

'They're gone... All of them...'

Suddenly he didn't feel their presence anymore. Like they vanished from the shadows.

Kakashi spotted his Kunai, not far from where he was standing. It was on the ground only meters away. He went to pick it up.

'Blood... So that's why they left... I must of got one of them and the rest followed...'

Due to only a small amount of blood on the kunai, it was safe I say that it was only a cut, but it was enough to make them run.

'I better warn Itachi...'

Kakashi retreated to his tent to switch places with Itachi.

...

The following morning arrived quicker than usual, maybe because Naruto actually had a good sleep for once.

"Ahhh..." Naruto say up and stretched. "What time is it?"

Naruto got up and walked out of his tent, rubbing his eyes. He spotted Itachi sitting under a tree.

"Good morning Itachi..." Naruto yawned.

"Ah, good morning Naruto." Itachi stood up. "How'd you sleep?"

"Best sleep I've had in a long time actually. I don't know how that happened, but it was nice." Naruto glanced at Itachi. "Anything happen at night? You know, like weird stuff."

"No, nothing happened." Itachi replied quickly.

"Oki doki then, I'm hungry so I'm cooking some instant ramen. I'll be back in a minute." Naruto went in his tent to fetch his ramen and water.

In the meanwhile Kakashi walked out of his tent, fully awake and dressed.

"Good morning Itachi." Kakashi waved.

"Morning Kakashi." Itachi smiled.

"Nothing happened again last night, right?" Kakashi leaned in and lowered his voice.

"No, nothing happened again." Itachi replied.

"Don't mention it to Naruto, Sakura or Hinata, it'll only scare them. Keep this between us for now." Kakashi whispered.

"Understood." Itachi slapped Kakashi on the back.

Hinata and Sakura walked out of their tent as well, already dressed and awake.

"Good morning Kakashi sensei,

Itachi." Sakura waved.

"Good morning you two. Hope you slept well, because our journey to the hideout is only one-third done." Kakashi laughed.

"We are." Sakura replied half jokingly.

"Let's get eating breakfast, so we can start travelling early." Kakashi stated.

All of them sat around the fire while cooking and eating their breakfast. They chatted amongst themselves for a bit, and then packed up all their things. It was around 8 AM when they left for Orochimaru's hideout again.

...

Leaping from branch to branch, the group was making great time. They would probably reach the location tomorrow morning at this rate.

Itachi was leading the way as the four others travelled behind.

"This area is not too far from the desert near the Sand Village, we shouldn't take too much longer to get there." Itachi told his teammates.

They kept leaping, branch to branch. Kakashi felt it again, they're being followed.

Sakura noticed Kakashi glancing back.

"Is something wrong Kakashi sensei?" Sakura asked.

"Oh, it's nothing, I just thought I saw a cute bird back there... Haha.." Kakashi laughed.

"Oh, okay." Sakura ignored it.

Kakashi activated his Sharingan. He could feel them not to close, but not too far behind.

They kept heading forward. It was close to sundown, so they would have to set up camp again for the night.

They found another small clearing in the middle of some trees, and decided to set up camp.

"All right." Kakashi started. "When it gets dark, Naruto will be on watch for four hours, then you'll switch with Sakura. If there's anything that's happening just come get me or Itachi." Kakashi stated. "For now we can relax a bit, and eat something before you go to bed.

The five of them relaxed for an hour before it got dark, and everyone retired to their tents to go to sleep.

Naruto was keeping watch outside, laying underneath a tree staring up at the stars. Somehow it reminded him of the other mission they went on, to the Rain Village.

Naruto spent a little bit of time just relaxing, deep in thought. He then saw someone coming out of their tent, and walking towards him.

"Hinata...?" Naruto whispered.

She walked towards Naruto until she was fully visible to him.

"H-hi... Naruto..." Hinata whispered back.

"What are you doing out here? You should be getting some sleep." Naruto asked.

"I couldn't sleep... D-Do you mind if I sit out here with you?" Hinata mumbled, and her face was blushing pink.

"Y-yeah, that's fine." Naruto stuttered.

Hinata layer down under the tree right next to Naruto. She felt safe next to him, like nothing would hurt her. They both laid there in silence for some time.

"Um...Naruto..?" Hinata whispered.

"Yeah Hinata?" He whispered back.

"Have... You ever liked someone...?" She was still staring up at the sky, nervous.

"What do you mean?" Naruto glanced over at Hinata.

"Umm... You know... Have you ever liked anyone?" Hinata was blushing more than ever now.

"Oh... Well... Since I was made fun of so much in the ninja academy I thought no one would like me in that way... So I didn't have feelings for anyone." Naruto stared up at the night sky.

"Oh... Well... Um... This is... Hard to say..." Hinata couldn't get the words to come out of her mouth.

"What is it Hinata?" Naruto turned and looked over at her.

"I... Really like you... Naruto-kun" Hinata turned her head away.

Naruto was surprised by her words.

"You... Like me?" Naruto asked.

"Yes! I do! I've liked you for so long ever since we were in the academy! Everyone looked at Sasuke and thought he was perfect Naruto! But I always looked at you! I never said anything because I'm too quiet... I thought I wouldn't fit in if I was the one that liked you, so I never said anything..." Hinata for once actually almost yelled her words to Naruto. She had tears in her eyes. Not from sadness, but from all the emotions she's bottled up over the years. The ones she couldn't tell anyone about.

"I..." Naruto was at a loss of words.

"I don't care if you like me back Naruto-kun... I just needed to tell you... We've been friends for so long that I had to get this out of me." Hinata was trying to keep her voice down. She was blushing and tearing up as she spoke.

"I... Like you too Hinata..." Naruto whispered back.

"You... What?" Hinata couldn't believe what she heard.

"I like you Hinata. I really like you. You've been my best friend for so long that I thought you kinda knew already." Naruto smiled as usual.

"Y-You like me too? I... Don't know what to do..." Hinata stuttered, and her face was still. She was looking among the stars.

Naruto moved in closer. He wrapped an arm around Hinata and pulled her close, so she was resting right on top of him. Hinata couldn't help but let out a giggle.

Naruto kissed her on the forehead, and hugged her tight.

"Go to sleep now Hinata, we have a mission to focus on. I promise you that my feelings for you aren't going anywhere." Naruto whispered.

"Okay... Naruto-kun." Hinata stood up, and so did Naruto. "Goodnight." She said softly.

"Goodnight..." Naruto hugged her tight again. He couldn't help but feel happy.