Disclaimer: You know the drill. I don't own Naruto.

Naruto's eyes snap open as the first rays of light creep into his room. He had left his curtains partially open when he had gone to bed so that he would not oversleep on this most important of days. He had broken his alarm clock the other day and had yet to buy a replacement, so thankfully it was a beautiful morning and by the weather reports the sky will be clear and perfect for tonight's fireworks.

The night he had gotten back from his recent mission he had gone and had a nice long dinner with Hinata and her family, instead of reporting back quickly to the Hokage tower to do paperwork. It really had not been that hard of a choice; hang out with Hinata, or sit in a small office filled with boring paperwork. The downside was that two members of the ANBU had been waiting on him outside the compound ready to escort him to a private meeting with the Hokage.

He had walked towards that office ready for another one of their now infamous fights. He really didn't care how bad she was going to yell him for not reporting back immediately, because he said he would be back after a shower and some ramen, but he did not say where he was going to do that or how long it would take. To be honest neither did he when he had made that proclamation. If it had not been for Hanabi he would have just went home and returned to do his assignment and missed out on what had been an amazing evening.

He had half-closed his eyes on that walk reliving those final tender moments with Hinata and how amazing it felt to have her in his arms. Not only had their lips touched, but he had felt a deeper connection somewhere inside himself, as if part of her soul had reached through all his barriers and touched his own. It was incredible how she could sometimes make him feel so powerful, and then other times she makes him feel so vulnerable that his whole body feels like it is made of glass. Does everyone feel this way in a relationship, or is this something special that only Hinata, a person who is so much more than she realizes, possess and only casts its spell when he is around?

When he reached the Hokage's office and opened the door he could tell that Baa-chan had psyched herself up for what was going to be one hell of a tirade by the way her body stiffened when he stepped into her office. That look had quickly changed after she got a good look at him and started laughing, she actually laughed at him. Even Shizune had laughed, she covered her mouth with a folderr, but he knew she was laughing by the way her whole body was shaking. He had shook his fist and asked, "What the hell is so funny granny?" Even calling her that did not stop the laughter and she seemed to find it even more comical, because she started rubbing tears out the corner of her eyes.

The Hokage finally got herself under control long enough to speak without cracking up again. "Has my little orphan finally been adopted?" She paused for a moment to control her laughter down to a smirk. "Those colors look so much better on you than that eye-burning orange you wear in here normally."

Shizune just turned away and stared out the window with her head against the glass. Naruto could hear little gasps coming from her as if she was having trouble breathing. "He does look awfully cute, but we will need to get him some contacts for those eyes." At this point Shizund has to put a hand against the window to keep from doubling over as she let out a loud gasp.

It was at this point that he remembered that he was still wearing the robes that Hinata had given him and that they were her family colors, complete with the Hyuga crests on the shoulders and back. Too embarrassed to fight, he had just smiled and rubbed the back of his head. "Oh yeah, I forgot about the robes. You see my clothes were really dirty and I didn't have a chance to change before having dinner with Hinata and her family so they loaned me these robes. I needed to ask her father for permission to take Hinata on a date to the festival and I wanted to make a good impression and I couldn't do that very well wearing dirty clothes."

"So what did Lord Hyuga say?" It was scary just how fast Baa-chan's face went from laughing to evil smirk. "Are you going to be free to do some more work for me, or are you going to be busy that night with Hinata?" She put her chin on her palm and gave him an almost parental smile.

"He said yes, of course. I mean why would he say no to the hero of the Fourth Shinobi War." He had struck a confident pose to try and act more confident than he really felt inside and he thought she believed him because she didn't laugh anymore.

"Since I am suddenly in a generous mood I not going to make you complete both stacks of paperwork by morning. You only need to have the smaller stack completed by the time I get in and have your mission report to me by lunchtime." She holds out her hands in a gesture of generosity. "See I can be reasonable when I want."

What she had neglected to say was that the smaller stack was nearly two feet tall. The larger stack was over 3 feet high and was on the floor propped up against his desk for support. It had taken him, and a pair of clones, hours to get through the one stack and write the report. He could only use two clones because the room was too small for more than three bodies to sit comfortably and he had nearly kicked himself when he realized that he could still have been spending time with Hinata if he had only sent a couple of clones to do the work and Baa-chan would have never known the difference.

He had finally finished his assignments and dragged himself into his apartment just as the sky was starting to lighten and the wonderful smell from the nearby bakeries was filling the air. He had thrown his keys onto the kitchen table beside a vase and went to his room and sat down on the edge of his neatly made bed.

Afterwards he had kicked off his shoes, thrown his socks in the hamper and just laid down on the bed, too tired really even to get up and brush his teeth. It was at that moment, as he was beginning to fall asleep, when he realized something was not right. "My pillow smells funny." He had rolled over and buried his face into it and inhaled deeply. "It smells... clean." He sniffed again at the pillow and then his blanket. "They both kind of smell like… flowers." He smiled as he took one longer sniff of the blanket. "That smells really nice, actually."

He had sat up in his bed and looked around the room to make sure that he was in the right place. His posters were on the wall as were the marks where he had first practiced throwing his kunai as a kid. He looked over at the hamper where one dirty sock hung on the lip. "I don't own a hamper and where are all my clothes?"

Where the hamper now stood was where he had thrown his dirty clothes and once he ran out of clean clothes he would just grab up the entire pile and head to laundromat. So where were all the clothes that were there before he left? He got up up out of bed, his exhaustion forgotten, to see what might have happened to all his clothes. After looking inside the hamper and finding only a pair of dirty socks he looked about and found all his missing clothes had been cleaned and neatly put away in his closet and dresser.

He wandered around the house to see what else had changed while he had been gone on that mission and found that the linen closet was full of clean, perfectly folded towels. In the kitchen all of the empty ramen containers had been picked up and the trash can was empty, heck somehow it even smelled nice. The baking pans, from the cinnamon rolls he had left in the sink to soak while he was gone were not there and the mess on the counter from his attempts at making the cinnamon rolls was cleaned up as well. Even the half-drunk expired bottle of milk in the fridge that had congealed into something that looked more like brown pudding was also gone, and it had been replaced with a container of rice milk and some fresh vegetables. 'How do you get milk out of rice anyways, it is a plant?' He had thought to himself.

"What kind of weirdo breaks into a person's apartment does not steal anything but garbage and cleans up the place? And then leaves healthy food behind." His answer was found on a small card leaning up against the vase on the kitchen table, a vase that contained an arrangement of purple and orange flowers.

He had been so tired when he came in that he had barely even noticed that there was a now vase on the table, let alone that it contained flowers. The words on the small card were written in small, neatly printed letters.

Naruto-kun,

I hope you like my little surprise.

Welcome home.

Hinata

Afterwards, he had just sat there and stared at the flowers, occasionally he had gently touched one of the purple petals and smiled. It had taken a lot of self-control not to just run out and see her then and tell her how much her surprise had really meant to him. As a kid he had often walked into his little apartment and acted like he had come home to a prepared meal and a made up bed, like his classmates did when they went home. A few times had even sent shadow clones on ahead to do just that, but it had only just made the quiet of his lonely apartment even harsher afterwards.

Now he has truly got a glimpse of what he was missing for all those years, by having someone care enough to do just a few simple things for him, it made him realize how alone he truly has been for most of his life. Now that he has had just a taste of that kind of life he knew that he couldn't give it up again so easily, and he felt a little guilty for allowing himself to be truly selfish for the first time in his life.

Exhaustion finally prevailed where common sense had been failing and he had finally gone back to bed. It was just a few hours later when the alarm clock went off that it met a most unfortunate end up against the far wall of the room.

Now, a few days later as he lays there in bed, he inhales deeply and enjoys the smell of the flower's perfume still hanging in the air of his small apartment. He thinks about the morning after discovering her little surprise and how at first he had planned to act like his usual dense self and pretend like he had not even noticed the changes to his apartment. In the end he just couldn't do it because that would have been cruel to Hinata, especially after all of the years he had accidentally ignored her presence. To do it now would have been unfair to the patience she has had with him for so many years.

He then thought about acting all upset at what she had done without permission to his place, but as he saw her and took one look into those eyes, he knew that he could not have done anything that would cause her even the least bit of pain. She had looked so nervous standing there staring deeply into his eyes searching for any hint that he might be upset. So he had just smiled as he walked up and thanked her immediately with a hug.

He had then told her about how he acted when he had found her surprise and she had laughed so delightfully. Even Ayame and Teuchi had laughed as he reenacted walking around his place bleary eyed and finding the place cleaner than he had ever remembered. Hinata had laughed, not giggled but actually laughed, when he mimed looking down in exaggerated confusion in a nearly empty hamper. Ayame had teased that the real surprise had probably been finding healthy food in his apartment for the first time in his life.

That first whole day back had been a good day as had those that had followed and hopefully so will tonight. Today's training had been cancelled so that the two of them could get all of their other duties finished before meeting tonight at her house. Tsunade had made it clear that she expects him to clear his desk before the current year ends, so that he could start next year with a clean slate. He had gone back and worked late into the night last night after he and Hinata had dinner together at Ichiraku's. He wanted to make sure that he only had a few things left to do today so that he could come back with plenty of time to get ready.

Tsunade had also assigned him the duty to talk with the vendors that were setting up booths for tonight's festival. She had told him that he needed to be more visible after his absence because the people of the village knew he was back and the reason for his absence had been a topic of discussion for the villagers. She had told him that seeing him back and acting like his normal self would put the villagers at ease, knowing that their hero had once again returned home. After thinking about it she was probably right and if he got most of those greetings and questions out of the way now it would mean fewer distractions during his date tonight.

He had to smile as he put the kettle on the stove to boil some water for his breakfast ramen. He still couldn't believe that he was going on another date with Hinata, a real date, not a last minute thing like her birthday. They both knew this was a date and he was going to use his chats with the vendors today to scope out the best places to take her tonight. He even had a plan for the fireworks show tonight that should make everything just perfect for the three of them to see everything. Now that he thinks about it he will have to keep an eye out for stuff for Hanabi too since she will coming along and making tonight's date a threesome.

Naruto smiles as he thinks about Hinata's little sister. When he first met the girl he really thought that she was just a female version of her cousin Neji, but as she has grown more comfortable around him she has opened up more. She can be so talkative and full of energy one moment and the next a blank wall just like her father. 'Those two sisters are like complete opposites; Hanabi is tough, almost rigid on the outside but inside she can be so soft and vulnerable. Hinata is just the reverse, her soft and gentle exterior hides an inner strength that has saved him more than once.

'I wonder if that means deep down under that hard exterior, old man Hiashi is nothing but a big softy?' Naruto has to stop for a moment and put his hand on the counter to steady himself while laughing as the image of Hiashi walking through a meadow picking flowers suddenly comes to mind. 'Boy am I glad that her old man can't read minds or he mind punch my heart right out of my chest for what I just thought about.'

Naruto reaches into the fridge and pulls out the rice milk and a handful of fresh spinach and just shakes his head as he rinses the leaves before throwing them into a bowl. Once the ramen is ready, instead of just diving into the container he tips the contents into the bowl to allow the hot broth to cook the spinach leaves a little. "What has happened to me, I would never have made ramen this way before. I am beginning to think that Hinata is having a bad influence on me. Me, Uzumaki Naruto eating something green and healthy in my ramen, that had not been secretly put in there by old man Teuchi."

He thinks back to the other morning when they had met at Ichiraku's and talked about her surprise and how she convinced him to improve his diet.

FLASHBACK

Even Ayame and Teuchi were laughing by this point at his description of finding fresh vegetables in his fridge probably for the first time ever. "Don't get me wrong Hinata, I really appreciate the gesture and I know I should be eating more than just instant ramen, but I just don't know what to do with that stuff except eat it raw." With that Naruto scrunches up his nose and gives a dramatic shiver.

Hinata giggles and smacks his arm playfully. "It's not that hard really if you would just try. You made those cinnamon rolls for me and that is much harder than making instant ramen more nutritious. I mean it would not be as good, or good for you, as the ramen you can get here but it would be an improvement."

Teuchi waves a big knife in Naruto's direction. "The lady is right my boy. If I had known that you were really surviving on that instant stuff when you couldn't afford to come here I would have been more than happy to have worked out a deal to keep you fed." He starts shaking his head sadly and mummbles under his breath. "Living on instant ramen, now that is just about the saddest thing I have heard all year." He turns away and heads to the back of the shop, dramatically wiping the corner of his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Aw dad, don't be so melodramatic." Ayame laughs as she throws a towel at her father. "He can get so worked up about ramen sometimes. I know it is the family business, but really?"

"If y-y-you would like I could come b-b-by your place sometime and show you a few simple things that would make your ramen more nutritious." Hinata had offered in a nervous voice that was nearly inaudible. He could see her struggling against her old habit of looking away when she was nervous and had looked him in the eyes, sort of, with her normally porcelain checks painted a beautiful rosy hue.

Naruto couldn't really blame her for seeing to being a little nervous, because he had really not slept much that night after he had discovered her surprise. He had went back to his bed with her letter in hand and thought, A LOT, about what they had done there outside the gates of her home. The thoughts of the two of them alone, cooking a meal together like a real couple, was making his own face feel warm. "Hinata, I w-w-would like that very much. Maybe I could bake you some cinnamon rolls while you are there and we could have dinner together... just the two of us." He had to stop and swallow before saying that last part because she had looked up at him wide-eyed and vulnerable, in a way that frightens and excites him at the same time. They both knew what the other was thinking at that moment and wondering if they ready for that point in their relationship and whether or not they could stop themselves if they were given the opportunity.

They had quickly decided to get up and go to the Hyuga training grounds and see her progress at that point. He was more than happy to do some sparing to help relieve some of the excess tension that had been building up inside him recently. Hinata had thrown herself into her practices with an intensity that he found impressive and by the end of the session they both had sat against a log exhausted and just talked. It has always been nice to talk to Hinata, it was even better now that she would talk back and didn't faint as much as she used to do when he was too close. He now understood now why she had done that before so he could be more sensitive to her needs when they were together and watched for warning signs of when he should back off a little.

END FLASHBACK

Throwing raw spinach in the bowl like he did was one of Hinata's suggestions she had while they had just sat there exhausted against the tree making small-talk until she felt strong enough to walk on her own. He had to admit the spinach wasn't half-bad and at least he could say he was eating better, a little better, at least. He finished his rice milk and placed his dishes in the sink before putting on his signature orange and black outfit and heading out for the day.

The next couple of hours when by smoothly as he first talked with the head of the security force, the ANBU and Shikamaru who had put together the security plan for tonight's festival. He then went to chat with the locals who had sat up booths, along with foreign vendors and performers who had come from outside of Konoha just for this festival. Everything had been set up weeks in advance so by now everyone knew what they were doing and what they needed to set up. He asked to make sure that they had everything in place and if there was anything that he or the security force could do to help. Fortunately, beyond a few assurances that there would be plenty of security and there was acleanup plan afterwards, so the shopkeepers could reopen tomorrow with little difficulties, it went smoothly. Several of the vendors had offered him small gifts or tastes of the food they were selling.

Naruto was happily amazed by how everyone was greeting him when not just a few years earlier he had been glared at, and on more than one occasion asked to go away. It had hurt back then, and he had just walked away without too much of a fuss. Now he allowed himself to enjoy his new celebrity a little and spied a few places to bring the girls if they ran out of places they wanted to go before the fireworks started.

Just as he was getting ready to go down the last block Naruto heard several feminine voices calling out his name. He turns and immediately wishes that he had just vanished as soon as he heard a bunch of girls calling out his name. Within moments he was surrounded by several teenage kunoichi who immediately started asking questions.

"What are you doing today, would you like some company?" One girl with long brown hair and blue eyes asks.

"Would you like some sakuramochi? I made them myself." Naruto could tell that he must have visibly flinched by the look of shock on the red-haired girls face when she held up a small box containing several pink colored sweet rice cakes wrapped in Sakura leaves.

Sensing that one of her rivals had made a fatal mistake a tall blonde girl with short cut hair muscles in and smiles. "I was wondering if you had plans for the festival tonight." There was an echo of disappointment all around them as they were beaten to their intended question. "I haven't been asked by anyone…"

"Yes you were." Says one of the other girls in the back of the pack.

The blonde's smile barely flickers as she continues. "…by anyone important. Would you like some company tonight Naruto-senpai."

'Man, I was hoping to avoid this crap. I've stayed away from most of this by staying busy with training up until now. I bet Baa-chan would be laughing her ass off if she saw me right now.' Naruto shakes his head and gives a happy shrug. "Sorry girls I already have a date for tonight and for the foreseeable future."

The blonde, undeterred that she had been beaten to the question, presses Naruto for an answer. "So, who asked you out to the festival?" The rest of the pack seems to close in, waiting to hear who has already asked the Hero of Konoha out for the New Year's Festival.

Naruto was starting to get a little annoyed by all these girls, especially the blonde one. "Well, if you must know, I asked Hyuga Hinata to be my date tonight and lucky for me she said yes." He wanted to leave no doubt that Hinata was his date by 'his' choice.

The blonde, a girl named Tagura, who graduated from the academy three years after his class and had just missed fighting in the war, gave Naruto a pouting look. "The Hyuga heiress, she does have a family name and money, but she is so shy. You won't have much fun going out with a girl so shy and unsure of herself that she can barely speak." She reaches out and grabs the zipper on Naruto's jacket and gives it and suggestive tug. "You should reconsider and take me out instead." She leans in just inches from Naruto's face with a sexy smile on her face. "I'm not shy, I'm not shy about anything."

Naruto takes a step back and bushes her hand away from his jacket. "Listen, I am the one who asked Hinata out and I promised to take her out to the festival, and I never break a promise it's…"

"Our ninja way." Says a soft, but confident voice in unison with Naruto's. Everyone stops and turns to see Hinata standing there just a little beside and behind Naruto wearing her lavender and cream jacket outfit with her hitai-ate proudly around her neck. She gives the girls, especially the one who had just had her hand on Naruto, a closed eyed smile that freezes them all in place.

Naruto looks over and feels a chill run through his body when he sees that smile on her face. 'I didn't think I would ever be scared of seeing Hinata smile, but I NEVER want her to smile at me like she is now at these girls.'

The arctic blast from her smile goes away as she turns and gives Naruto an open eyed smile with her head cocked slightly to the side. To him that smile, the one she seems to reserve for him only, makes Naruto feel like a ray of sunshine has broken through the clouds and bathed him in its glow. "Good morning Naruto-kun." He could not help but smile back at her as a rosy hue colors her cheeks.

Hinata had been doing some last minute shopping for tonight, and to get a few things to make something special for tomorrow morning, when she had stepped out of the grocery store and seen Naruto across the street. She had been about to call out his name when several younger kunoichi had surrounded him and began talking to him in a far too familiar manner. When one girl held up a box to Naruto that made him obviously very uncomfortable Hinata had started walking across the street silently wondering what the girl could have offered to make him so upset.

Hinata got close enough to hear what was being said just as the blonde girl told Naruto that she was not shy at all in a shamefully suggestive manner. Hinata had actually considered reaching out and hitting the girl in a most unladylike fashion just before Naruto had stepped back and made it clear that he was going out with her. Hinata could not help but finish his sentence when he started saying their shared nindo.

She had to admit the look of unease on the girls faces when she announced herself made her feel powerful. The look of surprise on Naruto's face was an even more pleasant surprise that made her blush just a little. She remembered just after the war that she had watched, from afar, as other girls had approached Naruto wanting to be in the presence of the war hero, and she had stood there silently and watched those girls display the confidence that she had been lacking. Now times have changed, she has changed. A new level of confidence has blossomed within her, granting her the strength to express herself more than she would have ever thought imaginable.

"You see girls, we are dating and… hey where did all the girls go?" They both turned to see that all of the kunoichi had vanished leaving only a laughing grocer standing nearby. Naruto just scratches his head as he looks back at Hinata chuckling nervously. "Sooo… I see that you have some groceries and stuff… do you need a hand carrying all that back home?"

Seeing him acting so nervous made Hinata smile just a little at how cute he looks when he is like that. "Why yes, some help would be nice, Naruto-kun, but how about I walk you to your office today instead. I would feel terrible if the Hokage had to send the ANBU to find you on the eve of the festival. Besides from the look of things you need a bodyguard." She reaches him the basket and does her best not to giggle at the surprised look on his face. After Naruto shakes his head and starts walking, Hinata falls into step beside him as he talks to the last few vendors on his list.

More than one of those vendors could not completely hide their surprise at seeing the two of them walking very closely together while laughing and chatting. Fortunately all of them were pleasant and just a bit nosey about seeing them together. Naruto took no time proudly declaring that they were now dating, which caused Hinata to produce more than one happy blush as they were congratulated by most of the vendors and even a number of citizens who happened to be nearby.

One of the exceptions to being surprised was Hinata's favorite baker who upon seeing the two of them approach sends his youngest daughter inside to bring out a small tray. As they approach he bows deeply to them both. "Hyuga-sama, Uzumaki-san I hope the day finds you well. I was hoping that you would be coming by today before the festival." He holds out the small tray and on top is a few tiny cinnamon rolls, but they somehow look a little different from the usual ones that Hinata buys. "I am making these special for tonight and I was hoping that you would honor me by being the first to try them out."

Hinata gingerly picks one up and takes a bite. As she chews her face lights up in total enjoyment. "These are wonderful, is that apples and pecans I taste?"

The bakery bows happily at seeing the shear enjoyment on his favorite customers face. "Yes, I placed thin slices of candied apples, that I myself candied back in the fall, between the layers and sprinkled chopped pecans for added flavor and texture before rolling them up."

Hinata picks one up and holds it up to Naruto. "You have got to try one, they are delicious."

Hinata freezes the moment she sees his 'I'm up to something smirk' and she watches with a growing flutter in her stomach as he then closes his lips around her fingertips and gently sucks the tiny confection from between her now nerveless fingers. His eyes never leave hers as he gently chews and then smiles as he swallows. She did not realize that she still had not lowered her hand until he leans down and gently kisses her fingertips. "Those are tasty, I think I would like some more."

"I'll take a dozen!" Hinata says in a shaky voice as she turns to address the baker, her face feeling flush and her stomach now all a flutter. She notices that the baker had stepped away and was now busy trying not to intrude on their moment. Hinata then hears the sound of giggling and looks down to see the baker's daughter looking up at her giggling with one hand over her mouth.

With Hinata distracted Naruto takes a moment to try and calm his rapidly beating heart. 'I can't believe I did that to Hinata, and in public. Okay, think about something else, anything other than Hinata and her fingers for just a moment.' He moves the basket he is carrying for Hinata into both hands in front of himself, just in case.

The baker quickly goes inside leaving his daughter to look up at them smiling. "Hyuga-sama is he your boyfriend?" She asks innocently while chewing on one of her fingertips.

They turn to look at each other with matching crimson faces and say simultaneously, "Ahhh…."

Luckily the baker comes out of his shop with a small box and reaches it out to Hinata. "Hyuga-sama it does my heart good to know that you have enjoyed the taste of my new apple-pecan cinnamon rolls and anytime you would like some more please just let me know." After she thanks him and Naruto pays for the dessert they make their way towards the Hokage tower.

As they reach the door outside of his office Naruto looks over at her nervously and decides that he has to broach the subject of the girls before tonight's date, while they are still alone. "Hinata, about those girls back there, I…" He is stopped mid-sentence as Hinata leans over and places her head on his shoulder and he instinctively puts one of his arms around her protectively.

"I heard what you were saying to them and I saw how you reacted to that girl's touch when I was walking up. I know that you would never do anything to hurt me with one of 'those' girls." She places a hand over his heart. "It's because I know you and trust you Naruto-kun." She looks up at him apologetically with big soft eyes. "I'm sorry that I interrupted what you were going to say to them, but I just didn't like seeing another girl touching you that way." She buries her face back into his shoulder ashamed that she admitted feeling jealous. "I just could not stop myself."

Naruto puts his chin on top of her head and smiles at the thought that Hinata could be jealous over him. "I promised you that I would never let anybody hurt you and that includes me Hinata." He is rewarded with a warm hug right there in the middle of the hall just as somebody walks by giving them an odd look.

Naruto gives the gawker a 'keep moving' look and returns Hinata's embrace. "I can't wait till tonight. Ever since you said yes I have wanted tonight to get here so fast, and now that it is nearly time, my mind is a whirlwind of things I still need to do before I pick you up tonight."

"I guess that means that you have to go already." Hinata can't help but feel sad as he nods. "Can I ask one favor before I leave you to you work?"

He looks down at her curiously seeing that she is acting nervous and rubs her arm in a soothing gesture. "Sure Hinata, you can ask me anything."

She hesitates for a moment before asking. "Could I have one of those cinnamon rolls before you leave?"

Naruto looks at her in confusion and then at the box in her hands. "Of course, I bought them for you, so you… can have… them…" It was when he noticed that Hinata was biting her lip in such a cutely shy manner that he guessed the real meaning to her question. "Do you… want me too…"

Hinata nervously fidgets with the box lid and smiles ever so slightly.

"Like you did for me… at the bakery?" Naruto grins broadly as Hinata takes his hand and leads him inside his office before turning to face him with the now open box. He bends down and slowly points at each one as if trying to find the perfect treat, but when he starts to smirk, Hinata realizing that she is being toyed with, smacks the top of his hand with the lid. Snickering he picks one of them up and holds it up to her.

Naruto was thinking about jerking it away at the last second and popping it into his own mouth, but he found himself froze in place as Hinata slowly leans forward to take the treat with her eyes locked firmly onto his own. 'Why is she looking at me like… she's… hungry?' Neither of them blink as she slowly opens her mouth and closes her lips around the confection, biting the tip of his finger as she pulls away. The inner Naruto goes wide-eyed and screams, 'Did she just… nibble my…finger?' and then promptly faints with a trickle of blood coming out his nose.

As her lips had closed around his fingers Hinata felt her stomach muscles spasm nervously at what she was intending to do next. He had caught her completely off guard at the bakery and she wanted so much for him to do that again, but that little inner voice that had been speaking to her more as of late wanted to turn the tables on him for a change. By the look on his face she had more than exceeded her expectations. "Are you okay, Naruto-kun?" When he does not immediately speak she is afraid that she might have bitten too hard or maybe he didn't like what she had just done. 'I knew I shouldn't have bitten him, but it was just so tempting I had to try. Now he is trying to think of a way to saying that he is repulsed by what I done without hurting my feelings. Just talk to me Naruto-kun, I promise I won't bite you again.'

Naruto was in mental and physical overload by this point and was having just a little difficulty trying to decide his next move. Plus Kurama had decided that this was a perfect moment to start laughing, very loudly, and it was really not helping Naruto's ability to think coherently. He swallows, licks his lips and blinks but words are still refusing to come out of his mouth.

Hinata puts her hand on his cheek and that warm sensation seems to break loose the logjam in his brain. "I… uh, that…" He scratches his head for a moment. "Wow, I didn't expect that, Hinata."

"Are you upset with me?" She fidgets with the box so nervously that she nearly dumps its contents on the floor. "Please say no."

"I could never be mad at you Hinata. I was just surprised is all, but… I liked what you did, seriously." Now that he has regained some of his composure he gives her a crooked smile. "How about we share the rest after training one day?"

"I would like that very much." The inner Hinata was going crazy at this point imagining him nibbling on each her fingers. Those thoughts were threatening to send her over the edge, so she glances about to see how close his desk was just in case she began to faint and leans against it a little. "So, I will see you tonight?"

"Nothing could keep me away tonight. If Baa-chan even looks at me weird I am going to make a shadow clone and escape when she has her back turned." He steps closer catching her a little off guard and she feels the edge of the desk press against her backside. Naruto leans into her a little and puts his hands on her hips. "You know, now that I think about it, I am still a little hungry. Maybe I could have one more of those treats before you leave."

Hinata puts the box down on the desk and tries to open it one-handed, while she lays the other one on his chest. She finally succeeds in retrieving one just as he lifts her up and sits her down on the edge of the desk. As he steps in closer, edging himself between her knees, she instinctively wraps her heels around the backs of his calves locking them in a dangerous embrace.

They pause and regard each other, both knowing that they are on the precipice of something defining in their blossoming relationship. Hinata's body trembles in his embrace, not knowing what she should do or say next. She finally reaches up the treat to his lips and watches as he gently plucks it away with his teeth. Instead of taking the morsel into his mouth though, he leans towards her lips with the tiny cinnamon roll between his own.

Naruto mentally crosses his fingers as he tries something different, hoping that Hinata will not be grossed out by what he is doing. Happily she leans forward and wraps her lips around the mini cinnamon roll and he bites it in half giving her a portion to take into her own mouth. Their lips never break from each other as they slowly chew, tasting each other along with the dessert.

Hinata rubs his chest and feels the zipper, remembering what the girl from early was insinuating she decides to tug it slowly downward. As the zipper descends achingly slow she can feel as one of his hands begins to trace its way up her hips and underneath the edge of her jacket.

As his hand passes over the waistband of her pants Naruto silently curses the mesh shirt she is wearing underneath her jacket and tucked into her pants, which is now blocking his fingers from feeling the softness of her skin. Just as he makes contact with her nearly bare abdomen he can feel the muscles react to the new sensation of being touched by him as the intensity of her kiss increases. 'Alright, that jacket has to come off, NOW.'

Naruto reaches up with his other hand intent on jerking down the zipper on her jacket in one swift motion when the door to his office creaks open and a familiar voice can be heard. The sound of file folders hitting the floor breaks the spell they were under. "Naruto, are you in here? Lady Tsunade, wants to... OH KAMI I'M SORRY!"

The two 'nearly' lovers both look over towards the door, their faces warm enough to ignite a bonfire, and stare at Shizune with a look of embarrassment. Naruto steps in front of Hinata protectively while zipping up his jacket. "Ever hear of knocking before coming into somebody's office?"

Shizune kneels down and picks up the folders she dropped, unable to look them in the eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I should have knocked. I wasn't thinking that you would be..." She just shakes her head and picks up some more folders. "Never mind."

Naruto feels Hinata put both of her hands on top of his shoulders and buries her face in his back. He has to fight the urge to turn around and comfort her when he hears the sound of her gasping trying to calm her breathing. 'I hope she doesn't faint right now. It's cute and all but it would only make things worse right now if she did.'

As she stands Shizune cannot help but smile a little at seeing Naruto standing there in front of Hinata so protectively. "As I was saying Lady Tsunade wanted to see you and talk about how your inspection went this morning."

"I need to go." Hinata slides off the desk and picks up the basket and the bundle of flowers she had bought earlier. Before he can protest and probably convince her to stay she turns back to Naruto with a smile. "I wouldn't want you to be late for our date tonight, so I'll go and start getting ready while you talk with the Hokage."

Sighing Naruto waves to Hinata as she hurries past Shizune without meeting the woman's eyes. "Okay Hinata, I'll see you in a few hours." Once she is gone Naruto turns and gives Shizune an unhappy glare.

Shizune holds up her hands apologetically. "Again, I am sorry. The two of you walked in on me and Kakashi not too long ago, so I do have some sympathy for what you are feeling right now. The two of you have not said anything about what you saw and neither will I, okay?" She puts down the folder she brought and heads back towards the door. "Lady Tsunade will see you whenever you are ready."

"Yeah, just need to be alone for a little while, uh give me five minutes and I'll be right up." He closes and locks the door before she can say another word.

Shizune just covers her mouth and walks away laughing.

A/N: First let me say that if you want a good representation of the closed-eyed smile that Hinata was giving those girl talking to Naruto then check out Retsu Unohana, captain of the fourth division in the anime Bleach. Her smile seems to frighten characters in that series was the inspiration for Hinata's reaction to another woman putting her hand on Naruto's chest. Polite, with more than a hint of 'You may want to consider your next action very carefully.' Also, I will be taking a week off for the holiday to get some much needed rest and relaxation. Heck, I might even be able to catch up on my backlog of fanfiction reading while I am relaxing. The next chapter will either be a shorter one to keep the two week update schedule on tract or a three week wait.