A/N: First off I want to thank everyone who has written a review for this story, because the last chapter sent me over the 1000 review mark. Ironically the review that hit the 1000 mark was a review of chapter 1. Also, this chapter will take Snow Angels over the 300,000 word mark, so another milestone for Snow Angels.
"No way." Hinata's exclamation breaks the near silence that had descended over the group as they are walking down the road. She and Naruto had continued to trail behind Choji and Shikamaru while they had occasional conversations about the mission where Hinata would quiz Naruto by mentioning a name and he would try to remember the person's title, country of origin, and how they prefer to be addressed.
It had all come to a sudden stop when Naruto snapped his fingers, when the memory of his conversation with Konohamaru had suddenly popped into his head. He then told Hinata about his encounter with Konohamaru and how the young man had offered to go along and keep Hanabi company so that Hinata could enjoy the festival without fear of interruption. You know, just help out. He started laughing out loud as he explained how the boy's face had looked defeated when he said that he was going on a mission and would miss the Leaf Village's festival this year. This news is why she had exclaimed her surprise so loudly.
Naruto holds up both hands to keep Hinata from pelting him with questions before he can finish his story. "He thought I was going on a mission with Hanabi, and when I told him that I was leaving with you this time he looked like it was taking all of his self-control to not start celebrating right there in the street."
Hinata stifles a giggle with one hand as she looks back down the road from where they had just came from and sighs. "So that is why he gave us that funny look when he wished us good luck at the main gate, he as looking for Hanabi-chan." One corner of her mouth turns up in an almost evil smirk. Oh she will have fun interrogating her sister for details when she gets home. Who knows, Hanabi-chan might have an answer to her question about kissing by the time they see each other again. "To think I am going to miss a chance to see that unfold."
Naruto, seeing Hinata looking down the road, hangs his head in shame. "I am sorry, I wasn't expecting to see your dad when the gates to the Hyuga compound opened, and it threw me for a loop. I meant to invite Hanabi to come with us to the gate so that we could have a little fun at their expense, but after what happened with Ino and the flower I am kind of relieved that I forgot. Ino was bad enough, but Hanabi would have really twisted the kunai when I tried to pin on your flower."
Hinata leans over and places her head on Naruto's shoulder. "It's okay. I completely understand about otou-sama's presence making your mind go blank. He has done that to me my whole life and will probably still be able to render me speechless 20 years from now. Not unlike how ojii-sama still does the same to all of us even if he hasn't been the leader of the clan for over two decades."
Choji comes to a complete stop, which causes the others to immediately stop their movement, their senses tune outwards, searching for the reason of Choji's sudden halt.
Shikamaru relaxes immediately after scanning the area and looking over at his best friend. The slowly broadening smile on Choji's face could only mean one of two things. "So, what's going on Choji?" Hopefully, this smile is about food, because the other reason is far too troublesome to contemplate.
Choji crumples up the empty chip bag in his hands and stuffs it away before rubbing them together happily. "I know there is still quite a bit of daylight left, but there is a ryokan just up the road and they usually serve pretty good food, so why not stay there tonight." When he sees the skepticism on his friend's face he adds the finishing touch. "Just think of it this way Shikamaru, you are always complaining what a drag it is to have to setup camp. We can put that off for at least one night, maybe more since over the last few years they have built ryokans, and even one new village has sprung up, about a day's walk from each other between the Leaf Village and the edge of the desert region of the Land of Air." He holds out his hands to the side in a gesture of benevolence. "How about I pay for tonight, and if you guys like the idea maybe you can pick up the tab at another ryokan down the road?"
They all know of the ryokan Choji is speaking about, it has been a place that many of the Leaf Village shinobi have stayed at on their way to, or from, a mission over the years. It has been a popular reward by many a jōnin to treat their genin on their way home after a successful mission. As Naruto and Hinata look towards each other they can see the same thoughts in the other's eyes. They turn back towards Choji with a simultaneous nod of acceptance. For Naruto, he doesn't focus on the memories of who he was with at this ryokan before, but just the wonderful feeling of inclusion when he was part of Team Kakashi.
For Hinata visiting a ryokan with her team had always been something she enjoyed. She could just be Hinata, not the daughter of the Hyuga clan's leader, and have a relaxing meal with her teammates. She and Kurenai-sensei had many a private talk as they soaked in the soothing waters of the onsen, where the woman would slowly get her to open up and talk, and offer encouragement where it was needed. It was at this very ryokan that Kurenai-sensei had first gotten her to open up a little bit about Naruto.
They both are also thinking about is how nice it will be to sit together and have a relaxing meal with Choji and Shikamaru. They will laugh at Choji's dinner conversation, which will revolve around food and cooking tips. Later they can hopefully sneak off for a romantic stroll in the garden before the four of them turn in for the night.
A little while later the group reaches the ryokan, and as they all begin to remove their shoes Choji points towards a few chairs that face towards a large window overlooking a small fish filled pond. "Why don't you guys sit over there and take a break while I talk with the owner and see what rooms are available for tonight?" He purposefully avoids direct eye contact with Shikamaru as he is talking and focuses his attention on Naruto and Hinata. Once they nod in agreement he knocks on a nearby door and then steps through.
Naruto quickly plops down on the first seat available, and as Hinata tries to step past to take the seat closer to the window he grabs her hand and gives a gentle tug. Caught by surprise, Hinata loses her balance and sits roughly onto Naruto's lap. "Oof, Naruto-kun I am sorry. I didn't mean…" Once she sees the mischievous smile on his face she realizes that her fall onto his lap was no accident, but that she had landed exactly where he had intended for her to sit. She gives Naruto's arm a half-hearted reproachful slap as it snakes around her waist and pulls her even more tightly against his body.
Naruto's heart aches a little as he looks up into her eyes and is struck by her gentle beauty. "I am not going to apologize because I couldn't help myself Hinata, besides I'm not hearing any complaints."
Hinata slides one arm around Naruto's neck as she leans down to look into his eyes, letting the bright blue of his eyes fill the entire field of her vision. Her other hand reaches up and strokes the back of his ear, causing him to arch his neck and bring his lips tantalizingly close. Just as both of their lips part to meet, the moment is broken by the sound of someone nearby letting out an exasperated sigh.
Shikamaru can't believe these two, had they not spent the last several hours walking along giving each other those weird stares and laughing. Now as soon as they get here and sit down, literally together, they start up again. 'Man, this trip is going to be such a drag if those two are like this the whole way. I am going to suggest we increase our pace tomorrow, even if they tease me and say that I just want to get to the Sand Village to see Temari. I just don't know if I can stomach this for much longer.'
He lets out a sigh of resignation, because in reality he does want to hurry up and see his girlfriend, but admitting that truth is something completely different. Just watching how the couple in front of him seems to never stop smiling these days reminds him of how seeing Temari makes him feel like smiling too, and how her smile... The sound of Hinata's slight giggle forces him to focus his attention on the present. 'Damn, that is the problem with Temari, she causes me to lose focus even when she is not around. I am sure dad would be laughing at me if he could see me now.'
Hinata, now reminded that she and Naruto are not alone and that they are not using a proper amount of modesty with their display of affection, looks over and gives Shikamaru an apologetic bow, or at least as good of a bow as she can manage while firmly planted on Naruto's lap.
When he realizes that something has interrupted his kiss, Naruto opens his eyes to see Hinata bowing apologetically in the direction of Shikamaru. When the man turns his head in irritation it all becomes clear. "Sorry, I guess seeing me and Hinata acting all affectionate and stuff is kind of making you miss your girrrrlfriend." When the dark-haired shinobi's eyes close and his head dips down just a little Naruto knows that his assumption was on the mark.
Hinata covers her mouth in shame as she realizes that Naruto is exactly right and here they have been flaunting their happiness right in their friends face. "Shikamaru, we are sorry. We will be more discreet in…"
"Stop, please." Shikamaru holds up one hand while the other hand massages his temples in frustration. 'Damn, I must be worse off than I thought if even Naruto can see that I am thinking about Temari.' His dad was wrong, girls are nothing but a distraction, because the pleasant stuff about girls is exactly what makes them an even bigger distraction.
With a loud clap of his hands to announce his return, Choji walks up with two women following at his heels. "Good news everyone, they still have a couple of rooms left for tonight. The bad news is that both rooms are only big enough for two people each, so we will have to split up into pairs for the night." He leans down and whispers to Naruto. "I am assuming that you prefer to be the one sharing a room with Hinata tonight, right?"
"You got that right. I am going to be the only person Hinata is going to sleep with tonight, or any other night." Looking back later Naruto could not say what made him realize that he had made yet another one of his verbal slips. Was it how Shikamaru slapped the palm of his hand roughly against his forehead and then hung his head down as if in shame? It might have been how the women standing behind Choji suddenly turned towards each other and began to giggle quietly. Another possible clue was the fact that Choji turned his head to the side and let out a long, slow whistle. What surely did get Naruto's attention that something had occurred was Hinata burying her head against his shoulder after letting out a cute little, 'eep.'
'Man that was too easy, and fun, no wonder Ino pulls pranks like this on Naruto every chance she gets.' Choji decides that he had better just savor his victory and move on before Naruto finally figures things out and gets mad. "These ladies are here to show us to our rooms." He gestures to the two women who step forward, bow and then gesture for the two pairs to follow one of them to their room.
As he and Shikamaru are walking away, Choji looks over at his friend and shrugs. "Sorry, I just couldn't resist such an easy opportunity to let Naruto put his foot in his mouth." He shrugs as Shikamaru just shakes his head back and forth in disbelief. "I just hope they have something good on the menu tonight. I have worked up quite an appetite today with all of this walking." Choji happily pats his stomach in anticipation of a meal tonight after a long relaxing soak in the onsen.
A short while later off in another part of the ryokan the older woman, who they have learned is the owner's wife, opens the sliding panel to their room and gestures for Naruto and Hinata to enter first. They are both surprised by the size of the room and the high quality of the decorations compared to the other rooms they have stayed in before in this ryokan.
"This is the common area where we will setup your futon for you after dinner, or sooner if the two of you so wish." The older woman's face only shows the slightest sign of a smirk on the 'business face' that she is wearing at the moment. Once she sees the two guests nod in understanding the woman walks over to another panel door and slides it aside to reveal a table with a smaller table beside it with everything necessary to make tea, including a small gas brazier that heats the lava rocks on top to boil water. Opposite of the entrance panel is an expensive looking sliding glass door that allows the guests to look out onto a neatly manicured garden. The sliding door has been cracked slightly open allowing a cool breeze, dusted with the scent of freshly bloomed flowers, to drift into the room. The sound of gently running water and the rhythmic clap of a sōzu can also be heard coming from somewhere within the small garden. "If you find the night air to be satisfactory you can open the door and enjoy the springtime air, along with the sweet fragrances of the blooming flowers. This room is where we will be serving your meal tonight."
"Wow, what a view." Naruto takes a step into the room so that he can get a better look at the garden. "What do you think Hinata?" He points to a stone pathway that winds its way through the garden.
"It is so tranquil, I could just sit here quietly for hours drinking in the view and sharing some tea." She reaches over and slips her smaller hand into Naruto's to let him know she would prefer sharing that tea and view with him for company. "I never knew that they had rooms like this one."
"If you will follow me please I will show you the rest of the room's amenities." The woman gestures back into the main room. She walks over and slides back a panel to reveal a small closet with two shelves. "There are a couple of yukata here for your use, and this space can be used to store any of your things during your stay." The two yukatas are light blue with an accent pattern of white cranes in flight.
The woman points to her left at another sliding door a little further down the wall. "A full bathroom can be found down there with a shower, but this room also has access to a semi-private onsen. We have two other similar rooms that also have access, and it is openly marked if the room is currently being used by another guest. We only ask that if the two of you use the private onsen that you are respectful of the duration you are using it so that the other guests can use it if they so choose. You may also share it at the same time with the guests of the other two rooms if you and they so desire."
'Wait; she said the two of us, as if we were going to be using the onsen together.' Naruto has to swallow to ease the sudden lump of panic sticking in his throat. 'In there, like at the same time… soaking…' He looks over at Hinata wondering if he misunderstood what the woman was meaning about the onsen, but one look at his girlfriend dispels that thought immediately. 'Whoa.' A miniature Naruto appears on each of his shoulders; one is strangely dressed like Master Jiraiya who is dancing excitedly with a pair of fans, while the other mini-Naruto suffers from a massive nose bleed and promptly faints.
Hinata is stunned into silence and has to fight a wave of panic, threatening to make her faint, as the initial shock of what the woman was suggesting becomes obvious. She begins to tap her fingers together nervously as she tries to find the right words to say, but she is finding that her body, mind and soul are of varying opinions on the matter of communal bathing with her boyfriend.
Seeing the innocent nervousness being openly displayed by her two guests the woman walks over and cracks opens yet another panel. "The room does also come equipped with a furo for those guests who prefer complete privacy rather than sharing the onsen. We use hot water from the hot spring to keep the furo at a perfect temperature to help our guests relax."
"Oh, that is nice and convenient." Naruto's voice comes out in a small gasp of relief. "Don't you think so, Hinata?" At least he doesn't have to think about all of the potential wonders or dangers of sharing an onsen with Hinata, or having to punch some guy if he walked in on them in the onsen and stared too long at his girlfriend.
"What?" Hinata's brain takes a couple of moments to catch up on the conversation, but she finally is able to nod in agreement. "Yes, having a furo in the room as well is a very nice feature."
The old woman walks into the hallway, just outside the room and bows. "Dinner is normally served in a little over an hour and half from now, but if the two of you need more time I can have it brought a little later." The woman's facial expression is all business, but the slight crinkle in the corners of her eyes gives away a hint of why she thinks the couple may need to delay their dinnertime.
Naruto and Hinata both quickly agree to the dinnertime and each let out a little sigh of relief when they are finally alone. Unfortunately, now they are both trying to find words to break the awkward silence that has now filled the room. "Uh… do you want to use the furo, Hinata?"
"What?" Hinata's voice comes out like a tiny nervous squeak as she looks over at Naruto, her eyes wide in shock. She laces her fingers together and places her palms over her swirling stomach to keep herself from giving in to her old nervous habit of touching her fingers together.
Naruto's mouth opens and closes for a few times before he is able to speak. "I mean, do you want to use the furo, and I can use the shower. I don't have a furo in my tiny apartment, and I rarely went to the bathhouse because for a long time people would just leave when I came inside. Later on, I could not get any peace to just sit and relax so I didn't go much then either. That way we can both be ready for when they serve dinner." He laughs nervously as he rubs the back of his neck.
"Oh." Hinata's voice has a touch of sadness for the reminder of how difficult his life had been for most of his life, and just a hint of disappointment. "Thank you Naruto-kun, I won't take too long so you can have a chance to soak as well."
Naruto waves his hands frantically. "No, please tenshi, I want you to relax and enjoy soaking for as long as you want. The way she described the furo it sounds like the water is going to be really nice and relaxing." He reaches over, picks up one of the ryokan's yukatas and hands it over to Hinata. "Don't forget this Hinata."
Hinata cannot help but smile at the wonderful person she has fallen in love with, and gives him a light kiss on the cheek. "Thank you for being so nice to me, Naruto-kun."
Naruto just smiles happily as she takes the yukata and walks into the furo room with her backpack. Once the door is closed Naruto reaches up, runs his fingers underneath his hitai-ate and grabs two handfuls of his hair. 'Dammit, what am I going to do? Hinata and I have been dating for a little while and we have become so close to each other, so close that we have nearly gave in and done more than kiss. So why, now that it would be so easy to just give in and go for it, do I feel so damn nervous of that very thing happening?' He knows it is not about Hinata's father or her family's rules of conduct that is making him afraid. It is the fear of the unknown. What to say, or more precisely what not to say; or is it what to do right and not do wrong if things did go far, that is making his heart rate go out of control.
Hinata is standing just inside the room clutching the yukata tightly against her chest. 'Why do I have to be so scared? Nobody that we need to be careful around is with us at this ryokan, so why continue to be cautious?' As she lays down the yukata and begins to remove her clothes a thought crosses her mind. 'Is that why I am more scared now than ever before, because there is nothing to hold us back tonight? Have we been using the fact that we have to act proper as some sort of crutch?' As she finishes undoing the dark purple obi, Hinata rubs one hand absently of her flat stomach. 'It feels all squirmy like it did that morning in Naruto-kun's room when I almost…' She covers her mouth with the obi to help stifle the nervous squeal that tries to erupt when she thinks about seeing a shirtless Naruto that morning, and how all the rules were nearly thrown out the window.
FLASHBACK
Clap!
The young head of Hyuga Hinata snaps to attention as Tinico hands come together loudly to get her attention. Her head quickly bows in apology before resuming her rigid sitting posture. She had let her imagination falter back to why she had been late for this required meeting with her sensei. Tinico had been assigned to be her instructor about Hyuga Clan traditions and other arts expected of a kunoichi of her venerable clan. Unfortunately, her mind kept drifting off to the young boy she had finally met again after what felt like a lifetime, the one who had protected her from the bullies today. Unfortunately, he did not remember her from their chance encounter on the playground, but had been just as friendly to her today as he had been to her that time as well. Her hand slips into her pocket to touch the scrap of red material from the scarf that had been destroyed by the bullies after they had beaten him up.
"Hyuga-san!" Tinico says as she uses the thin bamboo rod to smack Hinata's thigh for letting her attention drift again. "Silly… little… girl daydreaming will not be tolerated in this classroom. I have been tasked by your father to make sure that you learn what it means to be a kunoichi of the Hyuga Clan, an honor that bears great responsibility. The weight of that responsibility is even greater for you, a member of the Main Branch of the Hyuga Clan, one of the oldest and strongest of the Leaf Village's great shinobi families." She straightens her posture and towers over the small, frail looking girl seated in front of her now. "Your father has granted me full authority to meet out punishment as I see fit, as long as it does not cause any permanent damage."
Hinata lets go of the red knitted material and puts her hands on her lap before bowing to her sensei. She is not sure if that is a completely truthful statement; but with her father such things are possible, if that means molding her into the heir he requires to take over the Hyuga Clan one day a few bruises are fine.
"Good, it looks like I have finally gotten your full attention." Tinico places the cane on the floor beside her and pulls out a scroll and places it on the table in front of her student. "We are going to start off with a discussion of the three pillars of behavior that you will be expected to adhere to not only as a kunoichi, but one day as the leader of this clan. The three intertwine together like a tree trunk, so a weakness in one can be detrimental to the whole, which could put yourself and therefore this clan at risk."
She goes on to explain that these three main pillars Hinata must adhere to are; purity, modesty, and dignity. Purity is not just physical body, but also a mental state. If one's thoughts are not focused and clear, then hesitation and indecision could lead to disaster. Keep your mind focused on the task at hand and do not let yourself be distracted by impure thoughts such as anger, hatred, or desire. The gentle fist technique requires the user to make very exacting strikes on an opponent. The few millimeters off from the intended spot could turn a disabling attack into an accidental kill, or a killing strike into a minor wound that would leave you vulnerable to a counterattack.
As you become older you will begin to think about boys as something other than an annoyance that must be tolerated. Do not let your thoughts about boys become impure, or you will be tempted to let them defile you outside the contract of marriage. The virginity of the heir to a great family can be a great asset when arranging a marriage contract between two families. A woman who would freely give away something so precious to just any man, may in her husband's eyes not be fully trustworthy to stay faithful. In some instances men will be so vain that they will worry if she is comparing him to previous lovers. There is also the perception that once a woman has given up her virginity that she no longer has anything to protect. That she is free to be approached by other men who are only seeking the pleasure of her company, and nothing more. There will be plenty of time for all of that jumping about once you are married and ready to start having a family of your own.
Modesty in actions, dress and speech are required at all times because a failure in anyone of these could bring about questions of your purity. As a kunoichi your clothing will need to be functional, but should not cause your teammates to have impure thoughts that could distract them at a critical moment. Some of your teammates on missions will be of the other sex, and you should take great care that they see you only as a teammate. So be careful when you are changing your clothes, bathing and other necessary bodily functions. A mission is just that, and not a time for anything else.
With that modesty also brings dignity. The way you speak and the way you carry yourself physically will also be judged by others. Speaking clearly and not using common street vernacular when presenting yourself to others will remind them of who they are speaking with, and that will command their respect. Moving, standing and sitting properly, like the daughter of the Hyuga Clan's leader should, will force those who do business with you to take note and act properly.
Now you understand why they are intertwined on the scroll. Damage just one of these and the other two are severely weakened, so much so that your ability to lead can be weakened as well. Being the first born to the main branch of the Hyuga Clan already makes you the next heir. The other members of the clan will follow your orders without fail, but you will also have to work with other clans within and outside the Leaf Village. Do not let your actions bring shame upon yourself, because your failure to hold firm to these three pillars can bring shame onto the entire clan, and weaken us in the eyes of friends and foes as well.
END FLASHBACK
Tinico-san had expanded on these three pillars in the many sessions that followed over the years until she graduated from the academy. It was this first lesson that had stuck with her the most and had played through her mind so many times through the years that have followed. Just like it is right now, except that there has been a change of late in how she perceives herself with these rules.
'I am such a hypocrite.' Hinata hangs her head in shame. 'Here I am trying to cloak myself in the rules, and all I have done is fail. I may have other people fooled, but I know the truth about myself.'
'Purity, what a joke.' If people were able to read her thoughts when she is with Naruto, or her thoughts about Naruto when she is alone, they would point at her and yell, shame. Would a person with pure thoughts have walked into their boyfriend's bedroom, knowing that he had just gotten out of the shower? Deep down, even though she pretended to be relieved to see him mostly clothed, part of her had also been disappointed that she hadn't seen more. Shame. What about the time she nearly spied on him taking a shower in her own home, breaking all sorts if host rules for a guest? Shame.
Modesty, she is surprised her father allowed her to leave the village in her new outfit. This is something she would not have dared to wear in her own room just a few months ago, and now here she is walking beside a man in public with her womanly shape displayed for all to see. What is worse is how excited she has been about the little surprise she has brought along to wear for Naruto. There is no modesty in wearing something that's only function is to provoke feelings of lust. She should not have packed such a thing for a mission of such importance. Isn't that exactly what Tinico-san had warned her about, wearing things that would lead to distractions during a mission? If she is wearing that the first time he sees her unclothed he might think that she wears that sort of stuff underneath her clothes all the time. She should be ashamed for suddenly feeling all giddy inside, knowing how that will drive him crazy every time he looks at her afterwards.
Even her dignity has been damaged as well, or at least it will be once Ino or Tenten lets it slip that she and Naruto were found together inside the changing room. She should have known better than put herself and Naruto into such a potentially dangerous situation, but the thrill of the moment had over-ridden any common sense. There is no way they, or anyone else will when they find out, believe that nothing had happened in that little room.
Naruto unzips his jacket to try and cool the sudden rise in his body temperature as he walks into the bathroom. 'I have got to stop thinking about Hinata somehow, or at least thinking about her that way. We are on a serious mission and all I can think about right now is that morning she came into my apartment, and how close we came to… and how much I wanted…' He rips off his jacket and shirt, tossing them onto his backpack and begins to pace quietly about the room.
He has spent several nights since then thinking about how that could have ended differently. He would imagine taking her to his bed before he had left for the mission. After his physical needs had been satisfied while letting his imagination go wild, he would come back to his senses and realize that they had made the right choice that day. Would it have been fair to Hinata for them to have made love for the first time, and then as soon as they were done he jumps out of bed and leaves the village? Who knows, he might have done it so well that she would want him to do it again a couple more times, and be sad because she had to wait till he came back for more.
He looks over at the door in wonder and confusion, thinking about his conversation with Hinata just before going into the bathroom. 'What if she actually was hoping that I was suggesting… us… bathing, but was just too shy to come right out and say what she wants. No, the moment I mentioned the furo she had a panicked look on her face.' Naruto's mouth drops open as he remembers that Hinata was trying to not do her cute finger touch thing. A habit she does when she is too shy to admit what she really wants. He stops himself just as his hand grabs the doorknob. 'No, no, stop trying to justify what that dirty Master Jiraiya sounding voice in your head is suggesting you go do right now.'
Hinata neatly folds her clothes as she undresses to make sure that they don't get wrinkled. 'Why am I so disappointed that he was being so sweet and courteous to me about the furo? It was nice for him to let me be the one to use it tonight and soak as long as I want.'
As she is walking over to wash up before entering the furo, Hinata notices a few very important things that the landlord's wife forgot to mention about the rooms contents. That the room has two stools, each in front of a separate side-by-side wash station, and most importantly the furo is much larger than what she was expecting it to be. Now that she looks at it closely, the furo seems to be large enough for two people to soak comfortably inside, either side-by-side or facing towards each other. There is also a long bar that looks like it could be slid down to be a divider, or pushed out of the way, which has round indentations in the top that could be… cup holders.
Hinata looks towards the door, one arm covering her naked breast, while she bites her lower lip nervously. 'We actually could… oh it would be so easy to make some sort of sound of distress right now and…' Her head bows down as the question of then what crosses her mind. Is she really prepared for breaking all of the remaining unbroken rules with her boyfriend? 'Why not, my physical purity is the only one that I have left unbroken. Even if he doesn't know that it was me, he has already seen me naked once. So I failed that requirement of modesty with Naruto a long time ago. Besides, it's not like I plan to ever love anyone else, so does it really matter when it happens with Naruto-kun?'
Hinata sits down on the stool while laying everything out, trying to make sure that she is prepared for what might happen if she did lure him into the room. She turns her head and looks down blushing in excitement. 'Wait, what if he was to come into the room uninvited?'
Naruto is standing just outside the furo room, his hand almost touching the seam of the door. Somehow, as he was pacing about in the bathroom wrestling with the 'what ifs' of what Hinata really wants, his feet had brought him here to just outside this door. 'Oh man, I really wish I had the guts to slide open the door and say something cool like, hey Hinata do you need some help washing your back?' It would be just like that scene in Master Jiraiya's pervy book he had read last night to help him get his mind off his encounter with Sasuke. Damn, why did he have to think about Sasuke at a time like this? 'Talk about buzz kill.'
Hinata looks back towards the door hopefully. 'It would be amazing if he would knock on the door and ask if I needed help, maybe offer to help wash my hair.' She can't help but let out a tiny guilty giggle. 'Maybe he might offer to wash my back. Wasn't there a scene just like this in one of Master Jiraiya's books that Kurenai-sensei suggested I read?' Her eyes go wide as she recalls what happened later in the same chapter after their bodies where covered in soapy suds.
Naruto is unable to stop his hormone filled brain from continuing to think about his little fantasy. 'She would look at me in shock at being so forward, but her eyes would say that she really does want me to come into the room and lend a hand, maybe more.' With nearly an audible groan he realizes, that at this moment, it is a bad idea to visualize his hand slowly rubbing circles on Hinata's naked… soapy… perfectly shaped… 'Stop, that's not helping right now.' His hand begins to tremble as he wrestles with the decision to open the door or not.
Hinata is twisting her washcloth so tight that it resembles a rope more than a piece of cloth meant to wash her body. 'When he would look into the room I would cover myself with my hands, and turn my body just so.' She covers herself and arcs her back in what she hopes he would find as a seductive pose. 'My body posture would project innocence and purity, but my eyes will offer him an invitation to come closer for a better look.' Hinata's eyes half close and her body trembles in ecstasy as she imagines Naruto's strong hands massaging the slippery, soap covered skin of her back and waist.
Naruto shakes his head back and forth to force himself to think straight. 'More than likely she would be so shocked by me asking such a perverted question that she would throw a bar of soap, or a bucket of cold water at me for being such a stupid pervert. We are on a mission, not some sort of date at one of those love hotels Pervy Sage was always going on about. I should be treating Hinata with the respect she deserves and not trying to cause problems on the first day of this long mission by acting like a deviant.'
Naruto raps his knuckles against his forehead, letting the pain dispel some of the lust trying to overwhelm his common sense. 'Man, I guess I am more like Pervy Sage than I thought.' He hangs his head in defeat and goes to the bathroom in need of a very, very cold shower. 'Besides with my luck she would already be in the furo when I walked in, which would cause her to faint from shock and drown before I could get her out in time. Yeah, try explaining that to her father.'
Hinata, eyes now fully closed, is enjoying the texture of the washcloth against her most intimate of areas as she carefully cleans herself while still imagining her boyfriend rubbing his hands along her back. Her breathing becomes erratic and her toes curl as she tries to quietly say his name. "N-N-Na…ru…"
"Ahhhhh, cold… cold… cold." Naruto's voice breaks through the peaceful quiet, jarring Hinata out of her daydream.
Hinata hunches over and stares down wide-eyed at her feet, trying to get her thoughts and hormones back under control. After a moment or two she turns and looks towards the wall where she can hear the sounds of a shower running, along with the of sound Naruto loudly gasping for breath while under an apparent stream of frigid water. She looks back over to the door in disappointment, knowing now for sure that her fantasy will not be coming true. 'Not tonight at least. If I had any real courage I would say the hell with my family's rules, walk over there right now, and…'
She slumps her shoulders in defeat knowing exactly what would happen when she stepped into the room where Naruto is now taking a shower. 'I would probably faint, naked, right there in the doorway when I would see the look in his eyes as they would begin to wander all over my exposed flesh. I wouldn't know what to do next, because I really don't, so I would probably do what I always do when things become too much. I would faint, get hurt in my fall, and ruin our mission together because I would be too ashamed to even speak to him again.' The mission, and their promise to follow her family's rules, is the reason why he has been so sweet and proper. It is so obvious when she tries to think clearly about why he is over there taking a cold shower, and why she should do the same. Naruto promised her father, they both did actually, that they would treat this as a proper mission and not some excuse to act like they were on some extended date.
Hinata reaches out and grabs the shower wand from its holder on the wall. "Naruto-kun, you said that you were willing to wait until I am fully ready, and in the middle of a mission is probably not the best timing for our first time together. I will push aside my childish daydreams until the timing is better suited for such things to happen, maybe once our mission is completed. I will be strong like you always are when things seem impossible." She reaches and turns on the cold water full blast and closes her lips tightly as she strains to not let out a loud squeal when the cold water hits her naked flesh like icy senbon needles.
Naruto, somewhat thankful for the icy cold water and its effect of alleviating his painful erection, looks up at the ceiling panting rapidly. 'Okay, this is not the first time that you have had to take a cold shower recently, so just wash off and get this over quickly.' As he looks over to grab his shampoo Naruto notices for the first time how different this oversized shower is to any other shower he has been in before. There are multiple shower heads on three of the four walls, all pointing towards the center of the shower stall, which explains why the cold water had been such an intense shock. He had opened the clear glass door of the shower, stepped in and turned everything on till the cold water started flowing. His body had not been expecting a simultaneous icy blast from three directions.
His shivering momentarily being ignored by the chance to play with the different nobs just above the stone bench inside the shower, Naruto just stares down for a moment in awe. 'Wow, I can adjust this to whatever temperature I like and I can either stand, or sit on this bench and enjoy the water. Heck, that bench is so long that not only can I sit comfortably, I could lie down if I wanted too, but I don't know why I would want to lay down in a shower.'
Naruto just shrugs away the question and adjusts the temperature, along with the angle of the shower heads, so that he can sit on the bench and enjoy the warm spray hitting him from three directions for a little while. What keeps this from being one of the most relaxing moments of his life as the massaging pulse of water beats down onto his back is the thought of how much Hinata would probably enjoy this shower too. In his mind's eye she is not enjoying the relaxing warmth of the water alone.