Chapter 2: Shopping

Naruto stroked the kitten reassuringly as he once again mulled over his shopping list, adding in the items that he was going to need to help his new charge. Milk was going to be needed, as well as some fish if he could get his hands on one that wasn't spoiling. He already had a small basket for its bed and enough clean towels to line it with, so that wouldn't be a problem. His medicine chest had already been well stocked with gauze and the like the week before the festival so he was set there, too. He'd also already stocked up on dry goods, had already set up the dinners, and had made up some home made protein bars- his primary source of nutrition for the holiday- so those were a few more points in his favor.

Hmm… So milk and some fish... or maybe beef? Shouldn't be too hard.

Oh. Wait.

Naruto stopped and made a small sound of frustration. It was a holiday, it was that holiday, and there was no one who was going to sell him unspoiled or undamaged merchandise. The 'celebration' lasted all week long and, though vendors would remain open, Naruto would be unable to do any shopping at all for the simple fact that no one would be willing to sell to him.

He was the living vessel for the fox demon, after all, and this was the fifteenth anniversary of the monster's defeat. More so than normal, Naruto was persona non grata in the village during this time of year, and as such he usually stayed very quietly barricaded in his apartment during the event for safety reasons- a child could not take on an entire angry, grief stricken village and survive. The blonde had adapted out of necessity, having learned early that discretion was indeed not only the better part of valor but also of survival. Stocked up on everything he would need, he simply spent the week studying within the confines of his apartment with all the doors and windows locked and armed.

Besides, it wasn't like he'd be fit to be out in public anyway.

"N-Naruto," Hinata began, nervously tapping her index fingers together. "Is something the matter?"

"Oh," the blonde started, jerking himself back to the present. "Not exactly. I was just thinking about some stuff I had to buy…"

"Can I help with anything?" She asked immediately, the kids also listening attentively.

He blinked, opening his mouth to say no when he realized that she actually could. "Well…"

"I'd like this fish, please." Hinata said, pointing at the item in question. The man held it out to her for inspection and, after leaning forward to scrutinize it, she nodded to show it met with her approval.

This is so much fun! She thought happily, excitement making her almost giddy. I feel like Naruto's wife, shopping for our dinner!

Though her mildly interested expression remained unchanged, inside Hinata Hyuuga was on cloud nine. She honestly didn't think she'd ever been so happy- she didn't even feel dejected when she remembered that she didn't know how to cook anything. In fact, if Naruto hadn't given her tips on what to specifically look for, she wouldn't even be able to select unspoiled items.

"I'd also like a dozen eggs and some of your beef, thinly cut." She ordered, taking the freshly wrapped fish. She accepted the new items confidently, having to juggle a bit while she dug through Naruto's wallet for payment. Smiling radiantly, she accepted the change from the blushing shopkeeper, put it and the blonde's wallet away and went off to meet Naruto.

The blonde was sitting under a large tree, kitten cradled on its back against one of his arms while the other held a small bottle to the animal's lips. The kitten was wrapped in Naruto's jacket, and as such Hinata got some very lovely glimpses of his muscular shoulders and arms as she hurried over to him. With a concentration not often seen outside of happy expectant fathers, Naruto was feeding the kitten, letting it nurse at its own pace while alternately offering it words of encouragement and also talking with his three young friends who sat around him.

"Hinata's back!" Konahamaru announced when he spotted her, getting up to take some of her packages.

"How was shopping?" Naruto asked, sounding genuinely interested even though he didn't divert his attention from the feline.

It was so much fun, you have NO idea! She squealed mentally, taking a seat beside him. "It went well." She said and smiled. "I don't usually g-go sh-shopping…"

There was a pause, then….

"Hinata!" Naruto said, drawing out her name, saying it in a tone that resembled a whine. He looked up at her with a pained expression and inside her chest, Hinata's heart began hammering against her ribcage as her little bubble of happiness was popped by the sharp needles of anxiety and fear.

"You should have said!" Naruto continued. "I wouldn't have asked you to go if you hadn't wanted to!"

She blinked rapidly as she processed his words. Hinata sat frozen, staring at him until she understood what he was saying. "OH! No, that's not what I meant!" She hurried to explain. "I mean I don't have much experience! If you hadn't given me guidelines, I wouldn't have known what to look for!"

Hinata was nearly panting as she finished, desperate for him to understand.

He blinked, one eye brow arching suspiciously. "You sure you didn't have any trouble?"

"No!" She said forcefully.

His expression didn't change. "No one hassled you?"

"No!" She said again, shaking her head. "They were very kind! I even got a discount!" As soon as the last was out of her mouth, she wanted to smack herself for the idiocy of her statement.

The corner of Naruto's mouth quirked up. He nodded, then smiled full out at her, making her heart swell with warmth. "Good." He said. The blonde leaned toward her sideways, bumped his shoulder against hers once before straightening up again and returning his attention to the animal in his arms.

Hinata sat next to him, smiling like an idiot and not caring one iota.

"Where do you think you're going?" Naruto asked his entourage, puzzled as to why they were still with him.

"With you, of course!" Konahamaru said, instantly becoming the voice for the group.

"Not happening." Naruto said flatly, looking at their surroundings. They were entering his neighborhood and it was not exactly the best part of town. It was certainly not a place for children to be walking around this close to dusk under normal circumstances- it was truly not a place for them to be walking around close to dusk in the company of the most hated person in the village. Naruto's protective presence could only deter harm so much, the way things were.

"But you can't carry all this stuff while you're holding the kitten." The boy pointed out reasonably. "You'll need our help getting it all inside."

"You are not going into my apartment." Kid has a point though.

"You mentioned once that you lived on the top floor," Konahamaru casually reminded him. "Doesn't that mean you have to go up a lot of stairs?"

Naruto frowned, looking from him to the other two.

"It's gonna be awful hard to carry everything, all those stairs and all." The boy remarked, looking around in an innocent manner.

The blonde sighed and was silent for several seconds, during which the three kids leaned forward expectantly. "No."

"But we want to help with the kitten!"

"We found it!"

"Let us come up!"

The three began shouting loudly in protest, so much so that it was hard to tell who was saying what.

"Shut up!" Naruto commanded, smacking the Hokage's grandson on the head. "Alright! You can come up- quiet down already!" Naruto was shocked by the kids' excitement. Oh, this is such a bad idea… "You cannot stay! You have to get home to your parents!"

The kids, needless to say, were over-joyed. Hinata was torn between the rush of excitement she felt at the prospect of seeing Naruto's house and a wave of anxiety over being alone with Naruto in said house, the kids not with-standing. She trusted Naruto but, by the rules of propriety, such a thing as two teenagers alone together unsupervised was frowned upon. That was one of the reasons why each team of genin had three members, all of which were supervised closely by an experienced jounnin.

Indecisive, Hinata wavered and nearly dropped the basket of eggs she carried as her hands fidgeted.

Naruto abruptly handed the sleeping kitten to her. She took it automatically, jacket and all, carefully cradling the bundle against her chest while Naruto put his hands together in the sign of his infamous shadow clone jutsu and suddenly there were four more of the blonde ninja than there had been in the street. At some unseen signal, they leapt upward, disappearing from view as they jumped from rooftop to rooftop in an easterly direction.

"You coming too?" Naruto asked, turning the full force of his blue eyed gaze on her, waiting patiently for her answer.

Hinata flushed, feeling her mouth work but hearing no sound. I shouldn't, I really shouldn't… But just as she gained the ability to speak, reluctant but firm in her decision to politely refuse the invitation…

I WANNA COME TOO! The thought, the raw desire to participate and see, nearly knocked her off her feet and instead of refusing, she burst forth with a resounding"Yes!"

Without further ado, the blonde took the basket of eggs from Hinata, allowing her to use both arms to cradle the kitten as they all resumed walking, the three grinning kids trailing behind. She stayed right beside the blonde while he led them to their destination. The Hyuga heiress was so excited that she didn't realize immediately that she was nearly smothering the kitten she held.

Naruto's apartment! A part of her mind was screaming in a high excited squeal. Oh my God! I get to see Naruto's apartment! Her heart was beating so fast she wondered if it was going to hammer its way through her chest.

"I swear," Naruto was grousing, pointing back at the trio following them. "We go up, put everything away, then you go home! You cannot stay! Your parents'll kill me!"

More's Moment:

Once again, thank you very much to everyone who read this chapter and, as always, constructive criticism (or simply a note that says you like the story) is always welcome. Apologies for the short chapter- next one will be longer, promise. Stick around; things are going to get interesting in a chapter or two. Happy tales everyone!