Now I know that the opening of this chapter doesn't quite match up with where I finished the first one but trust me once you start to read it, it well make sense by the end of it. I wouldn't make a habit of writing to many chapters in this fashion as it's a pain to get the tie in with the previous one just right but thought that it would be nice to give it a shot, so plz tell me how you think I did, in that regard. As usual I welcome all opinions, so plz R&R.
Disclaimer; I don't own any of the characters
Now our adventure continues, back to the story
Chapter Two,
A new mission
The following Hinata had woken up earlier than she normally would on any given day; faint shades of orange and purple were just barely visible through the tree tops in the twilight of pre-dawn. Stiffing a yawn with the back of her left hand as she sat up in her bed, a few moments later, the Hyuuga maiden sleepily threw back the cotton top sheet of her futon and sliding her feet into her slippers, stood and fumbling walked over toward the changing screen in the corner. Feeling the edge of last panel of the four paneled, wood framed and rice paper lined privacy screen underneath the fingertips of her right hand, a few minutes later, the mature heiress stepped behind it and began to undress. Pulling the white silk robe, that had previously been draped over top of the first panel, over her smooth alabaster skin, less then five minutes later, Hinata securely cinched its matching silk belt around her waist and switching out her fabric slippers for a pair of traditional wood block sandals, stepped out from behind the screen. Walking toward her bedroom door, she quietly slid it open and closing it equally as quiet behind her, headed in the direction of clans private hot spring bath house; since it was still quite earlier in the morning Hinata would likely have it all to herself and that was just what she wanted right now, sometime to just be left alone with her thoughts.
Reaching the bath house, ten minutes later, and sliding both it's entrance door and the door to the actual bathing area open, discovered that she was the only one there and so hanging the main families 'in use' sign over the hook on the outside of the entrance door, slid it closed behind her as she went back inside of the medium sized rectangular shaped building. Loosening the belt of her silk robe as she slid her feet out the leather thongs of her wood block sandals, a few moments later, Hinata pulled the silken garment off her full figured body, allowing it to pool on the floor at her feet. Casually running the fingertips of both her hands over the curves of her shapely form, that she often keep hidden underneath far bulkier cloths than was necessary, the heiress was proud of the woman she had grown into from the little girl that she had been when her crush had first left on his long term training mission and had grown in confidence as well but there were still times whenever she was around him, that she would revert back to the little girl she was before he had left; not be true to the confident, young woman that she was now and decided that was all about to change starting today. Feeling a mischievous grin briefly sneak across the features of her face as she formulated a plan for telling her beloved ninja, just how much she really felt about him and the lengths of which she was willing to go for the two of them to one day become one, if he returned her feelings as well, ceased her wandering fingertips and stepped inside the bathing area. Grasping one of the bamboo pails from the stack's against the partition wall, which separated the two areas of the bath house, after sliding the door of the bathing area closed behind her, Hinata dunked it in to the depths of the temperate water basin along the right side of the tiled room and dumped it over herself before setting the pail upside down on the tiled floor to drip dry and she eased herself into the warm water of the hot spring feed pool the dominated the rear of the room. Closing her silvery-white eyes as she leaned her slender shoulders against the side of the pool, a few moments later, the young woman smiled to herself as she thought of how it would be a more wonderful the experience if she and her spiky blond haired crush could share it together, just once.
Climbing out of the pool, forty-five minutes later, Hinata wrung the water out of her long indigo hair over the pools rounded tile edge as best as she could before walking back toward the dressing area door and sliding it open. Wrapping a towel about her bosom and another around her hair, a few moments later, the young woman sat down on the bench in the middle of the room and began to dry her naked body. Tossing the two damp towels, toward the large oval wickerwork hamper on the other side of the room after thoroughly drying every curve of her full figured body, not missing a single droplet of water and drying her luscious locks, Hinata picked up her robe from where it lay upon the floor and pulling it loosely on, slid her feet back into the leather thongs of her wood block sandals before more securely tying the belt of the simple silk garment about her waist. Sliding open the entrance door of the bath house, less than a minute later, she brought the main families 'in-use' sign back inside and hanging back on it's usual wall hook, slid the door closed behind her as returned to her bedroom to get dressed. Hinata was busy running the fingers of her left hand through her hair and looking up at the sky as the warm bright orange glow of the rising sun shone through the trees when her former sensei, Kurenai, suddenly appeared standing directly in front of her.
"Good morning, Kurenai-sensei, what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you on this wonderful morning?" Hinata asked ceasing playing her hair and taking one step backward, bowed respectfully at her former teacher and mentor before straightening up and standing at her full height.
"Why is it that a teacher can't simply, drop by unexpectedly out of the blue, just to have a little chat with one of her former students to see how she is doing," Kurenai commented sighing lightly at how greatly the young woman's perceptiveness had improved for what it was only a few years before, "Hinata I must say that you have certainly grown into a well mannered and proper young lady, that your mother would be very proud of but you are quite right I have come to ask a favor of you, on behalf of Lady Tsunade. She would like you to go and tell, Naruto to come to her office as soon as you can, do you think that you can do that."
"My Naruto-Kun has gotten a mission, hasn't he," Hinata asked an edge of sadness coming to her voice as all of her excitement over spending the entire day with her crush vanished.
"More than likely, that's the case, Hinata," Kurenai said noticing that there was something amiss with the maiden that stood before her as her voice quickly went from happy to sad, "But I'm sure that it's nothing that he can't handle, so why do you look so sad suddenly?"
"Before Neji left yesterday, he gave Naruto permission to take over being my sworn protector until he got back and after what happened while the two of us were sparing, I was sort of looking forward to getting to spend a little more one-on-one time with him," Hinata said as her thoughts drifted back to their first kiss and how wonderful it felt and how much safer she felt there tightly held against his chest, "But I guess I can't be helped, if Tsunade needs to send him out on a mission then it most by very important for the village."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Hinata, I didn't know that," Kurenai said realizing the source of the girls happiness and sadness was once again being taken away from her, when he had only just returned home from his long term training mission not even month ago and was now being send out again, "You still deeply care about that boy don't you, oh I know, how about I go back and tell Tsunade that Neji gave Naruto his duties while he's away, it might be enough to sway her to assign it to someone else."
"No that's okay, Kurenai-sensei, if she needs my beloved for this mission then I doubt she will be easily swayed by the pining of one girls heart or the duties of her sworn protector," Hinata said a slightly happy tone returning to her voice, "I will pass the message onto him after I have changed and had something to eat, at least I'll still get to spent sometime with my beloved even if it's just walking with him to Hokage Tower."
"Now whatever the mission is, don't got yourself to worried about Naruto, he will return safely just as he always does," Kurenai said a motherly tone coming to her voice briefly as she stared down into the slightly shorter young woman's eyes and watched as a glow of happiness returned to them, "And when he dose, I'm willing to bet that he would have come to his senses, about how special you are to him and finally make all of your dreams come true, young lady, even your most deviant ones."
Stiffly a giggle with her left hand as she watched a deep red blush began to spread across her former students cheeks over the manner of which she chose to finish her last sentence, Kurenai could only imagine the types of thoughts the suggestion caused the sixteen year old young woman to think up, especially given the strength of the crush that she had on the boy in question as it had no doubt only grown stronger while he was away. Getting Hinata's attention by playfully ruffling her damp hair, bring the young woman out of her dirty minded thoughts brought on by the older woman's suggestion, a few moments later, Kurenai inclined her head respectfully at the Hyuuga maiden before thanking her for accepting her favor and with that departed just as suddenly as she had her pace slightly, Hinata hurried back to her bedroom and flicking on the lights after having slid its door closed behind her, five minutes later, the maiden brushed her hair and changed into a clean set of her usually training attire, so that she would be able to work out her frustrations after her spiky haired crush had left to complete his assignment. Checking her reflection in the oval mirror of her vanity table before she left for the kitchen to get a quick bite to eat before she had to leave for Naruto's, Hinata ran a brush through her flowing indigo locks one last time before dawning her slippers and turning off her bedroom lights went to get something to eat. Feeling the pit of he stomach getting upset just at the mere thought of eating at a time such as this and knowing that she probably wouldn't be able to keep anything down even if she forced herself to do so, changed her mind and decided that it would be for the best if she passed Lady Tsunade's message on to him first, then maybe she might be able to eat something without having to worry about it coming back up. Pulling on her white and violet jacket and swapping out her slippers for her sandals, left for Naruto's apartment building on the other side of the village, where the poorest of the poor lived just barely sneaking by on what little money they managed to make.
As Hinata got closer to this area of the village, it clearly showed by the sat of the buildings exteriors', many of which had long cracks in their simple plaster facing and some even had the bare wall beneath clearly visible where the plaster had fallen away completely and the owner just simply couldn't afford to get it fixed so they just left like that. Now this wasn't by far the first time that she had walked these streets, for she knew them like the back of her hand from her days of her youth when she used to spy on Naruto because she lacked the courage to actually talk face to face with him, but even with this extensive knowledge that she had managed to gain about him by doing this she had never stepped so much as an inch within his actual apartment building itself but knew exactly where he lived so at least she didn't have to ask for directions. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves since this was the first time that she was actually going to be entering her beloved crushes apartment building, as she stood in front of the plain looking exterior, forty-five minutes later, Hinata grasped the handle of the front door and pulling it open walked inside. The buildings foyer was a quite large and with the exception of the run down front desk which looked like it hadn't been used for many years by the broken and disrepair state that it was in, was completely empty and she could see why her beloved preferred being out on missions rather than being home most of the time; if this was the first thing that greeted her upon her return home from any mission but a particularly lengthy one especially, than she would rather constantly by out on assignment as well. Quickly dashing across the dumpy looking foyer and pressing the up arrow on the elevator on its other side, boarded the small enclosed metal box the instant its mechanically operated door slid back and pressed the button for the third floor, a few moments later.
As the elevator was pulled upward by its mechanics toward the story that her crush lived on, the heiress felt the butterflies in her stomach began to flutter restlessly once again. Stepping off of the elevator as it came to somewhat jerky and unnerving stop and its single door slid back, a few minutes later, Hinata checked the list of residents and their corresponding apartment number that was posted on the opposite wall, just barely able to read what was written upon it due to its almost completely faded text but activating her Byakugan was clearly able to make out the badly faded writing. Locating Naruto's name after a few moments and his apartment number, the young woman deactivated her clan's bloodline ability and turned left down the hallway toward it. Feeling like she was about to faint as Hinata stood in front of Naruto's apartment door, a minute or two later, she took another deep breathe to claim herself down just long enough to get over what had brought her there in the first place before raising her right hand and knocking upon the graffiti and slur covered door.
"Nar…Naruto, are you there?" Hinata asked as she knocked, inwardly cursing at herself for stuttering, she thought that she had grown out of doing that so why did she on occasion continue to do it especially in front of him, "Naru…Naruto, please…please answer me, it very im..important."
Briefly meeting Naruto's honest blue eyes as he pulled the door open, a few moments later, before looking down at the floor Hinata could tell just by the happiness in his eyes that he was happy to see her and she couldn't deny that she was extremely happy to find herself back in his comforting presence once again even if was just for a little while. Feeling her dizzy spell beginning to fade as her crush lightly traced the right side of her jaw line with his left hand before lovingly tucking it underneath her chin while he gently embraced her slender left shoulder with his other and slowly began to raise her head until there eyes locked together.
"There, now that's better, don't you think so, Hinata," Naruto commented tenderly as he removed his left hand from underneath the Hyuuga Maiden's chin, only to use the very same hand the lovingly brush the bangs that had fallen in front of her beautiful face, off to the side, "A beautiful flower such as yourself should never be afraid to keep their face hidden for the warmth of the sun, this is sort of awkward for you to come visit me like this, so I'll just come right out and say it, what are you doing here?"
"Oh, um, what was it now," Hinata said flustered still in the process of recovering form Naruto's loving actions and the fact that he thought she was beautiful and for the next few moments thought back to the kiss they had inadvertently shared and how happy not to mention safe, she felt held there against in his chest and the words of Hanabi encouraging her to never give up on chasing down her dream even if it meant having to leave the clan repeated themselves across her subconscious, "Oh, now I remember, Lady Tsunade wants to see you in her office right away."
"Then how come she sent you, not that I'm complaining that its," Naruto commented teasingly making Hinata blush lightly, "But this is something that she usually sends a runner to tell me."
"If your already to go, Naruto-k I mean Naruto, than I shall be more than happy to take you to see her," Hinata said catching herself before the affectionate title had slipped out completely and hoped that her long time crush didn't notice it, "So much for spending our day together and I was really looking forward to whatever you had planned for us too."
"To tell you the truth, Hinata, I was drawing a blank on how we spend today and was sort of hoping that maybe you might have come up with something just in case but it looks as if I will have to give you a rain check," Naruto said an edge of sadness in his voice as stepped out into the hallway joining her, "I was really looking forward to spending to whole day with you too, of all the times to be assigned a mission, I've got to have the worst luck of anyone in the village."
"I'm sure your luck is bound to change before you even know it, at least we will get to spend sometime together today even if its just walking toward Hokage Tower," Hinata said smiling cheerfully up at Naruto as he removed his right hand from at top her shoulder and reaching behind his back with it pulled the door to his apartment closed, "You should look forward to getting back sooner rather than later because I plan on cashing in that rain check, the very first day you return and if you show me a good time, than maybe, just maybe I'll show you one as well."
"Then I'll be sure to hurry back as quickly as I can, you foxy little minx you," Naruto said wrapping an arm around the back of Hinata's waist, feeling the slender curves of her figure which were hidden underneath it, as the pair of them walked toward the buildings elevator away from his apartment and couldn't kept his mind from drifting to the full figured woman that she was underneath her bulky clothing, "Now what do you say we get a move on, I wonder what type of mission, the old lady will have for me this time, I hope that it's something nice a simple so that way I can get back to you all the sooner."
"Me, too," Hinata said nestling against Naruto's side as the two of them stepped onto the elevator, a few moments later and he pressed the lobby button.
Stepping off of the elevator as its doors opened to reveal the shabby Lobby of the equally as shabby building, a few minutes later, Hinata rested her head against the front of Naruto's chest as she had seen many lover's do with their significant others in movies or when she spotted couples out on dates at the village park, not really caring whom might see them and given its early hour very few villagers would. Searching for and locating his left hand with her right as he gentlemanly pushed the front of the door open so that the two of them could step out into the street, a few moments later, the young Hyuuga woman intertwined their fingers relishing the warm and comforting feelings that were beginning to spread throughout her body as they held hands. Reluctantly unlocking their intertwined fingers as they began to climb the long staircase toward the main entrance of Hokage Tower and beginning to equally put some space between them just as reluctantly, thirty minutes later. Naruto and Hinata stood a full five inches apart by the time they walked through the large square entrance of the building that marked the center of the village, a few minutes later, still within reach of the other yet afraid to make any gesture that might be seen as romantic. The space between that two teens grew significantly however as Shizune, Tsunade's best friend and faithful assistant, motioned for the two of them to follow her in to the Hokage's office, five minutes later.
Glancing around the room as he took a seat in one of the two chairs that had been placed before Tsunade's report and scroll covered desk and Shizune left to return to the small reception area outside, Naruto's gaze lingered on Hinata, whom now stood next to her father and current head of the Hyuuga clan, Hashi, before scanning the odd group of individuals that stood inside of the office. The sannin Jiraiya, leaned with his back against the over following bookcase to the right of the offices double doors and standing next to him eyeing the perverted bastard warily was the auburn haired, Kurenai Yuki, Hinata's former sensei, with her arms crossed over her chest. Standing directly opposite them in front of the other bookcase that was equally jam packed, stood Hashi Hyuuga, with an expression on his face that he clearly had better things to do than be there, and beside him was Hinata, casting secretive glances in Naruto's direction periodically. Drawing every ones attention in the office toward her, by clearing her throat loudly as she set down the file that she had been reading when the spiky blond haired teen had first entered, a minute or two later, Tsunade sighed heavily and closing the file before speaking.
"Hinata, if you would please step forward and join Naruto, this involves you as well," Tsunade said motioned for the young woman to take the open chair to the right of Naruto, "Both of you are about to go on a very special mission for me with Jiraiya," Tsunade added once Hinata had sat down in the open chair next to Naruto, a few moments later.
"If I may ask, what type of mission is this going to be exactly?" Hinata asked the busty woman that sat behind the desk in front the two teens, concealing the happiness she felt on the inside reasonable well.
"Lets just say, that it's a little bit of everything, Hinata," Tsunade said easily decoding the happiness that filled the young woman's voice, flashing her a faint understanding smile before looking over there heads at where Jiraiya stood, "Jiraiya, the floor is now yours."
"Thank you, Tsunade," Jiraiya said putting away the note pad that he had been scribbling upon inside his tunic before address the room as a whole, "As a select few of you already know, the Akatsuki have been after tailed beasts and there respectful vessel for quite awhile now and it is unclear, just how many they might already be in possession of, since all of our current raids on there known hide outs have been unsuccessful thus far. So for the safety of the entire village and all of its inhabitants within it, I think that it would be for the best if we get Naruto out of the village and into deep hiding as soon as we can, until we have a better grasp on the situation at hand."
"That's all good and well but what does Hinata have to do with this?' Kurenai asked her gaze squarely upon the girl in question, 'To my knowledge, there is nothing in her past that would make her a possible target by the Akatsuki."
"You are correct, Kurenai-San, there is nothing in her past that would make her a target for the Akatsuki," Jiraiya said confirming what she had just said, "So far Hinata's role is not yet known, nor is the reason why the Akatsuki have taken a sudden interest in her but for her safety as well as the village as a whole, she must leave just like Naruto. It is imperative that the three of us leave immediately. They are already quite deadly on there own as it is but if they are indeed in possession of even one of the nine tailed beast than where as good as dead and the odds swing further in there direction of they have two or more. I didn't need to remind any of you, of the devastation that the Kyuubi brought to bare upon our little village and it was only because of the fourths brave actions that we managed to scrape by last time but unlike then there isn't a shinobi alive today that can defeat them and the secret technique to do so died with the Third Hokage."
If you all only knew the reason that I attempted to wipe this place off the map, you would don't be so judgmental Kyuubi commented bitterly in a hushed tone from the depths of Naruto's subconscious.
"Kyuubi, did you just say something," Naruto inquired, certain that he had just herd the demonic fox say something in response to what Jiraiya had just said.
In good time, kit, all in good time but now isn't the time or place, Kyuubi answered back in his fatherly tone.
"Naruto, are you with us," the spiky haired blond heard a soft voice ask as its owner placed a hand upon his left shoulder and turning his head to face that direction saw a concerned note in the silvery-white eyes of Hinata, cut his internal conversation with Kyuubi short and coming back to the real world, gave his secret crush a quick reassuring smile as she pulled back her hand.
"As much as it hate to admit it, Jiraiya-San's plans is probably the only option left to us but I must object that you hold off this mission until Neji returns," Hashi said, five minutes later, after contemplating what the old sannin had said and realizing that they had been backed in to a corner by the savage band of powerful rogue ninja with only the one course of action available to them.
"Hashi, the longer this mission is delayed the greater the risk to our village, surely even you can see that," Tsunade stated bluntly intensely staring the head of the Hyuuga clan down, wonder what could be his reason for wanting to put the mission on hold, when as far as she was concerned everything had been settled and was ready to deliver her final instructions to the two teens before sending them on there way to gather their supplies, "So what possible reason could you have for delaying this vital mission?"
"A very valid one, Lady Hokage," Hashi said placed his hands into the wide sleeves of his kimono not conceding an inch to the village leader, "A few months back, on Hinata's sixteenth birthday, to make amends for his near lethal actions toward her during the Chuunin exams, Neji swore an oath of loyalty to be her protector for the rest of his days."
"And before he left yesterday, Neji gave Naruto permission to take over his duties while he was away, isn't that right, Hinata," Kurenai said interpreting the head of the Hyuuga clan before he could find another reason to delay the mission briefing from concluding peacefully.
"That's correct, Kurenai-sensei," Hinata said acknowledging what her former sensei had just said with the nod of her head before she turned to look at her father over her left shoulder, "He wanted to give Rock Lee a well deserved break and since Shino and Kiba were both on the same mission with him, he gave it to Naruto. That was good enough for him and so it should be good enough for you as well, father."
"Now if no one else has anything to say against the objectives of this mission, then its agreed that the mission shall proceed as planed," Tsunade said in a commanding tone of voice, signifying that all the matters had been settled and after waiting a few tense minutes, to see if there were any more objections before concluding the mission briefing with her final instructions for the two teens seated in the chairs before her desk, "Good, than you two have three hours to gather the supplies that you will need before meeting Jiraiya near the village's main gates. While both of you are on this mission, you are to listen to him and follow any orders that he may give you. Do both of you understand?'
Naruto and Hinata nodded their heads in unison. Just then Hinata realized that Tsunade had yet to mention to length of her up coming mission with Naruto, so she asked.
"Just out of curiosity, how long will do you think the two of us are going be away?" Hinata asked nervously as she stared down at her folded hands, which lay in her lap.
"As it currently stands, the length of time is unknown it could be as short as two months, to as long as five years or possibly even longer," Tsunade said softly smiling at the happy glow that the young woman's eye emitted upon hearing this little tit-bit of information, "So you two had best get comfortable with one another's training and fighting styles, since you two could be away for quite sometime. So that means both of you should pack lightly because if the Akatsuki do somehow manage to track you down, you'll have to leave your current location as quickly as possible."
With her eyes glowing happily, Hinata raised her head and tried to conceal her happiness as best as she could while in the inside, the Hyuuga heiress was jumping for joy that she was about to be spending anywhere form two months to five years or possibly longer on a mission with her childhood crush; it was as if all the plants had a lined to grant her most precious of dreams and the deepest desires of her heart in that one moment. She felt like fainting but pulled herself together and quickly cast a warm sideways smile at Naruto before standing up and walking toward her where her father stood, stony faced leaning against the jam packed bookcase. Feeling her skin erupt into excited goose bumps as she felt a hand take hold of her left wrist before she even took half a step toward her father, a few moments later, Hinata turned her head in that direction and felt her heart skip a beat when she saw that it was none other than Naruto, whom was holding her back. Rendered momentarily speechless by the happiness that he saw filled her beautiful silvery-white eyes and the feel of her silky smooth skin underneath his fingers, the spiky blond haired teen could feel the eyes of everyone else in the room boring in to the two them and swallowing hard plucked up all the courage that he could muster in that moment before finally asking it was okay, if the two of them could gather the supplies that they would both need for there mission together, since they only had a few hours to get ready before they had to leave. Turning to face her father with a hopeful expression spread across her features, Hinata awaited his answer and allowed a cheerful smile show just the hint of happiness she felt on the inside when Hashi nodded his head approvingly.
"Thank you, father," Hinata said her voice practically oozing pure happiness whilst she thought 'Maybe he's not that cold hearted after all, if that's the case then he might allow me marry Naruto instead of some jerk whom just wants the power and influence of the Hyuuga clan behind them. Either way I am not going to allow this opportunity pass me by, no matter how long or short it happens to be, I vow that my Naruto-kun will know just how I feel about him before its over and who knows if I play my cards right and this does go on for quite some length, we might just return home a couple. That would be really nice but I mustn't get to ahead of myself, first I have to tell him how I feel and see where things go from there', "I will see you again when Naruto and I get back from our mission, so please don't worry, I assure you that Naruto will keep me safe."
"Naruto, I am trusting you to bring my daughter back to me in one piece and just as pure as she left, when this is all finished," Hashi said noticing the sparkle that only seemed to fill them whenever she was truly happy, like back when she was young before her mother had died, and now was only present in the company of her crush. It made him happy to see it again, he had almost forgotten how brightly it made her beautiful eyes glow, "Have a safe trip and be on your best behavior."
"You have my word, that no harm shall come to, Hinata," Naruto said reassuringly, standing on his feet and inclining his head respectfully toward the head of the Hyuuga clan before straightening up and turning to face Tsunade asked, "May we be excused to gather our supplies now, Tsunade?"
"But of course, Naruto," Tsunade answered caught off guard by the teens sudden properness, when he usually would just leave without asking if it was ok for him to do so, "You and Hinata are free to leave."
After exchanging a quick glance between the two of them, the two teens respectfully bowed toward the Hokage before walking out of her office and quickly crossing the small reception area outside of it, dashed toward the entrance/exit of the tall towering building. Standing at the top of the high staircase that both had climbed up a half hour earlier, Naruto and Hinata wrapped an arm around one another's waist form behind and leaning toward each other, caught the others in a gentle loving kiss. Romantically cuddling up against her crushes chest after they broke apart, a few moments later, the heiress and village outcast descended the stairs, openly displaying the love that they held for one another neither caring whom saw them, heading in the direction of his apartment building first since it was a little closer to Hokage Tower than the Hyuuga clan compound. Pushing open the door of his apartment with his free right hand, thirty minutes later, the two teens walked inside of small one bedroom dwelling that he called home since the solitary days of his youth. Looking around the confined quarters as Naruto went to pack his supplies, a moment later, Hinata saw that it wasn't in any better state of repair than the rest of the building as a whole but it had a good layout even if there wasn't much actual living space to speak off and with a lot of work she could almost see herself comfortably living there with him.
Unable to resist her own curiosity after exploring the narrow kitchen, which cupboards were mostly filled with a seemingly endless supply of instant ramen not that it surprised her and checking the density of the cushions upon the beat up looking sofa in the main living area with her hand, made her way down the short hallway that separated the bedroom from the rest of the apartment and discovered the bathroom behind the first door she opened. Knocking on the partially open door, a few feet away from that of the bathroom, the heiress pushed to door open wider as the voice of her beloved said that she could come in if she liked. Compared to the rest of the apartment, the bedroom was equal in size to the kitchen and living area combined and was dominated by a king sized bed, that had clearly seen better days and more than likely just like the sofa in the living area, probably came with the place when it was given to him. Sitting down on the edge of his bed as he stood on its left side supporting his pack with his right hand while he had has other stuffed inside of it.
"So far today hasn't quite turned out, the way either of us expected it would, huh, Hinata," Naruto said extracting his hand of the inside of his pack, a few moments later, after double checking that he hadn't forgotten to pack anything of vital importance and pulled its top over the main compartment cinched its leather strips into there corresponding buckles upon the packs front, "There we go, I'm all packed and ready to leave, now lets head over to your place and get you packed."
"Um, okay, sure that sounds great, Naruto-kun," Hinata said in a dreamy tone of voice while she a glazed over look to her eyes before fully coming to her sense and correcting herself, "I…I m...mean Naruto."
"Hinata, can I tell you something?" Naruto asked laying his half closed pack down on top of the bed before walking around to the foot of the mattress and sitting down beside her, only continued after she silently nodded her head in a yes motion, "Now I know that this might come as a shock to you but then again given the way that both of us have behaved around one another these past two days, it might not. I guess what I am trying to say Hinata, is that I love you with all of my heart and would be devastated if I ever lost you but of course I shall completely understand if you would prefer that remain just friends."
"Oh, Naruto-kun, I feel the same way about you," Hinata squealed joyously turning to face her crush and throwing her arms around his neck, locking the fingers of her hands together, pressed her lips against his in a deep sensual kiss, the likes of which she had only previously ever dreamed of planting upon him, "You have just made this the greatest day of my entire life," the heiress added in a breathless voice while she rubbed her nose over the side of his, after the two teens broke apart for air, a few moments later, "If you're okay with me calling you Naruto-kun from now on, I'm fine with you calling me, Hinata-chan, if you'd like."
"You have no idea how long that, I've been wanting to do that ever since I got back home or the shear number of times that I have to filter myself these past two days, to keep it from slipping out unexpectedly," Naruto said wrapping his arm left around Hinata and pulling her in to his lap, "But what about your father not to mention your clan, somehow I don't think that they will ever approve of a relationship between us even if its just as boyfriend and girlfriend, let alone if things got really serious and we, you know."
"My hand hasn't been promised to anyone just yet and even if it was, my love, I would find a way to break off the engagement so that I can be with the only man I truly love and that's you, Naruto-kun," Hinata said sliding her legs in to place on either side of his thighs while relishing that she was the soul focus of all his attention, "Beside's they wouldn't even know about us or how close we might be getting until we get back, so feel free to do with me whatever you desire as far as I'm concerned, I'm yours and yours only."
"Do you really mean that Hinata-chan," Naruto asked slowly running his hands up and down the back of her jacket, "But what about what your father just told me, you know all that stuff, about returning you in one piece and as pure as you left."
"Naruto-kun, you asked my yesterday if I was going to allow my father to control my life all the time and today I finally have an answer for you," Hinata said beginning to slowly rock her hips from side to side teasingly grinding up upon him while warmly smiling at the excitement she clearly noticed in her boyfriends questioning voice, "As of the moment you told me that you loved me and that I was essentially the most important thing in your life, just a few moments ago, I stand by everything that I have said to you since because your happiness is my happiness. I don't need the power and influence of a clan to make me happy, all I truly need for that, is for you to be at my side."
"Hinata-chan, I don't mean to alarm you or come of sounding perverted or anything but if you keep rubbing up on me like you are than, I'm going to have to change out of these pants pretty soon," Naruto said, a faint blush crept across his checks, as the blond haired teen suddenly noticed that the seat of his pants was beginning to tighten, in-between his girlfriends spread legs as she continued to grind against him, five minutes later.
"Is that so, Naruto-kun," Hinata said seductively and leaned in close toward her boyfriends left ear before adding in a breathless whisper just loud enough for only him to hear her, "You're not alone in that regards, my love, so why not take hold of my hand and together we shall take our first steps down this new path before us.
Powerless against the subtle begging undertone of his girlfriend seductive breathless whisper, Naruto settled his hands upon the small of her jacketed back and went along for the ride, enjoying the new playfulness that Hinata was exhibiting. Arching her back and pressing her body against her boyfriend's chest as climaxed, ten minutes later, the heiress lovingly smiled down at her beloved as he grunted a few moments after her, finally releasing his own long withheld load inside his tight pants. Holding on to one another for support as their bodies adjusted back to normal following their little taste of physical contact, Naruto and Hinata tenderly kissed, eagerly looking forward to spending as much time as possible together on this mission and making the most of it. Meanwhile in the depths of Naruto's subconscious, Kyuubi sniffed the air as the heavily pheromone laced scents of the two teens began to fill his seal encircled cage and couldn't resist the urge to widely smile as his highly atoned nose detected the faint traces of a scent, that he was all too familiar with, underneath that of his vessels beautiful silvery-white eyed girlfriend's own and suddenly it became all to clear why the Akatsuki were now targeting her they were going after his mate, Sora, the fabled tenth tailed beast and the only one that was able to actually control the individual powers of the other nine. Unable to believe that he was in the presence of the mate, which the demonic fox thought for sure he had lost nearly twenty years earlier only to discover that she had been right in front of him this entire time, the wide smile disappeared from his snout and was replaced by an expression of deep shame as Kyuubi thought about all the innocent blood that his claws had spilled in his thrust for vengeance following her sudden departure out of his life and all of the hardships that his vessel had to endure just on account of him being sealed inside of his body. However this pity feast didn't last long as the demons thoughts turned from the mistakes of his past to the bright future that lay before the two of them, if they could somehow manage to awaken the vixen that resided within her and then went on to teach her how to control Sora's vast chakra supply. Feeling slightly happier than he had from a few moments before, Kyuubi remembered the words that the beautiful vixen had spoken to him the night that the two of them had become mates, about how their love would last for all time and thought to himself, don't worry, my love, we shall be reunited once more and that's a promise. Thinking about all of the happy memories that he had of the pure white furred vixen and especially the night they went from being traveling companions to mates, a warm smile found its way toward Kyuubi's snout again as the demonic dog eagerly awaited the day that the two were reunited with both of their vessels willing help, hopefully.
Feeling happiness emitting from his caged furry little friend, Naruto pondered what the demon fox was thinking about, since the teen rarely felt anything other than anger and hatred toward most living things pouring out of him so to suddenly sense a deep profound happiness, caught the spiky haired blond off guard. Returning his attention to the beauty nestled in his arms, a few moments later, Naruto began to ponder if it could possible have anything to do with Hinata or the semi-intimate act the two teens had just engaged in but pushed those thoughts in to the back of his mind as they shared one last kiss before she crawled out of his lap and told him that she would be waiting for him by the front door. Pulling the door to the bedroom closed behind her, a minute or two later, the heiress walked toward to front door of the apartment with a light skip in her step, happier than she had ever been in her entire life; now it was official she and Naruto were finally a couple, step one of her plan was successful now to proceed with step two, becoming lovers. After changing in to a fresh pair of black pants and boxers underneath, five minutes later, Naruto finished closing his pack and met up with Hinata. Taking one last look around his apartment as the two teens stood by the front door, a few moments later, Naruto hoped that it was the last time that he would see the god afoul place for quite awhile, little did he know of what Kyuubi had planned for the two of them, now that the demon knew just why the Akatsuki were after their beloved vixen, in both regards. Intertwining her right hand with her boyfriend's left as they walked out his apartment and down the hallway toward the buildings elevator, happy expression covered both Naruto and Hinata's faces as they made there way toward the vast Hyuuga clan compound on the other side of the village.
Slowly opening the door that was set inside the far larger main gates of the Hyuuga clan compound, forty-five minutes later, Hinata separated herself for Naruto and after quickly checking to make sure that the coast was clear, motioned that it was safe for him to enter the grounds. following his girlfriend as she led the way toward the front door of the vast main house and then her bedroom beyond it, Naruto couldn't believe just how massive the place was, having never been within its walls before but it certainly spoke of the power and influence that the clan held within the villages long stored history that was at one point only rivaled by that of there neighbours the Uchiha's; who's own estate had since become a ruin of it once former glory during the years since Itachi massacred all of its members except for his younger brother, Sasuke, whom was presently no better off than his outlaw of an older brother. Sliding back her bedroom, a few minutes later, Hinata told her boyfriend to sit down on the futon while she got changed and then the two of them could begin to pack her supplies afterward before sliding the door to her bedroom closed behind and walking over toward her wardrobe. Tacking off his pack and leaning it against the wall as she stepped behind the four panel dressing screen, a few moments later, Naruto stared determining at the wooden blanks of the floor directly in front of him so that he wouldn't be tempted to watch as Hinata changed in to fresh slacks and panties. Despite his best efforts to resist temptation, the spiky haired blond, glanced toward the dressing screen just as she unzipped her weighted jacket and casually threw it other the top edge of the screen, revealing the womanly curves of her torso and revealed even more as she began to remove her soiled slacks. Looking away before he saw a little too much, Naruto felt a faint blush spread over his checks at how lucky a guy he was to have such a woman as his girlfriend. Noticing the hint of blush that remained upon her boyfriends cheeks as she stepped out from behind the dressing screen, a couple of minutes later, it was clear that he had sneaked a peak while she was changing not that she minded though, actually she found the sight of him sitting there on the side of her futon idly twiddling his thumbs sort of cute. Standing in front of Naruto, a few moments later, Hinata took hold of both his wrists with her hands and placing them upon her slender hips slowly guided them over her thighs.
"Naruto-kun, you have no reason to be embarrassed if you find my body pleasurable," Hinata said encouragingly as she began to slid her boyfriends hands in circular motions over the front and sides of her thighs suggestively, "As I told you earlier, I'm yours to do with as you please, so please don't feel bad about sneaking a peak of me as I changed or any dirty thoughts you maybe thinking right now because I'm actual quite flattered that I have that kind of effect on you cause there have been times when I have found myself thinking about you in a similar manner."
"You have, Hinata-chan," Naruto said getting to his feet suddenly, sliding his hands up his girlfriends back in the process, a deep relived tone filling his voice, "What a relieve that it is, just allow me to say that it wasn't my intention to sneak a peak in the first place but your just such a foxy little minx, that I couldn't resist."
"Why thank you, Naruto-kun, and I think you are quite handsome as well," Hinata said wrapping her arms around his waist and locking the two of them in place by intertwining the fingers of both her hands together, "But we really should begin to pack my supplies, our time is almost up."
"And so we shall but I didn't see the harm in us sharing a kiss before you we get down to the reason we're really here, do you," Naruto said leaning toward the slightly shorter maiden whom he held in his arms.
Enjoying the warmth and safety she felt wrapped in her boyfriends arms, Hinata leaned her head back slightly and relaxed into the tender lovingly kiss as the two teens lips meet, a few moments later. Licking the tip of her tongue over his lips begging for entrance as the kiss deepened within a matter of seconds, the maiden waited with baited breathe for her lover to respond which he did a whole minute later and opened his mouth. Slithering her tongue inside of Naruto's parted lips without even a moments hesitation, Hinata briefly dueled with her lover before he yielded to her and victoriously licking his palate discovered that he tasted wonderfully like ramen, which was no surprise to her since it was what his diet mainly consisted of but even so she still found it to be quite pleasing. Being on the receiving end as her boyfriend repeated the actions upon her, after she had withdrew from his mouth a few moments later, the maiden made him wait for a whole minute and a half before finally parting her lips. After a furious duel with his girlfriend, she conceded defeat and licking his tongue over her palate was pleasantly surprised to discover that she tasted wonderfully like vanilla with the subtle undertone of lavender, which suited her perfectly. Playfully rubbing nose over one another's as the two teens broke apart for air before they got side tracked to far, five minutes later, Naruto and Hinata eyes said all they needed to say to each other before finally breaking their lovers embrace and beginning to pack her supplies.
With the two of them packing her supplies they were finished in ten minutes and after helping Hinata put her pack on, dawned his own before walking over toward the door and sliding it open stepped out in to the hallway. Taking hold of one another's hands after she had slid the door to her bedroom closed, a few moments later, Naruto and Hinata exchanged a quick warm smile between themselves before headed from the compounds front gate and the designated area where they were to meet up with Jiraiya by the village's main gates.
"You two are cutting it a little close don't you think," commented the gruff voiced sannin as Naruto and Hinata joined him near the village gates, a short time later, "So are you two ready to set out, have you said all your goodbyes to your friends or left them a note or something because we might not be back for quite sometime."
"Most of our friends are currently out in the field on their own assignments," Naruto said shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly while flashing Hinata a warm sideways smile, "but I'm sure that Tsunade will tell them, when every they happen to return."
"True enough, then lets go shall we," Jiraiya said catching the sideways smile Naruto had shoot at Hinata and inwardly sighed because if his instincts were right and they usually were, than this was going to be one very long mission.
Nodding their heads that they were ready to leave, the two teens followed Jiraiya as he turned and walked through the villages main gates, a few moments later. Taking a step closer toward one another as the trio walked down the hard packed dirt road that led away from the village, Naruto and Hinata took hold of each others hand and lovingly intertwined their fingers, both truly happier than they had ever been in there entire life before this. Arriving in a medium sized town as the sun began to set later on that evening, Jiraiya decided that they would stop and the group went to look for Inn to spend the night. As it turned out the town had a vast selection of Inns and Hotels to choose from but they eventually settled upon one of the smaller out off the way ones, since they only planed to stay the one night. Telling Naruto and Hinata to wait for him in the tea shop next to the Inn, Jiraiya went inside to get there accommodations settled.
"According to the guy I talked with at the front desk, right now is usually there busy time of the year form them son he wasn't sure if he could find space for use but fortunately a couple of guests had checked out just this morning. Now I would have preferred to have one room for each of us but since were only staying the night I thinks it safe for both of you to room together, so I hope that's alright with you," Jiraiya said tossing a key down on the top of the table that Naruto and Hinata sat at drinking tea, five minutes later, "Also on that note, both only have one double sized bed so that means I expect both of you to behave especially if you chose to sleep in the same bed, that is unless one of you choose to sleep in their sleeping bag upon floor. Either way I shall leave that decision up to you two."
"And just what's that suppose to mean, Jiraiya," Naruto said glaring at the womanizing sannin, "I'm not some womanizing jerk like you, there is only one girl in this entire world that I love and she's sitting right across the table form me, thank you very much."
"Oh, I know, Naruto, you two haven't been able to keep yourselves apart since we left the villages this morning," Jiraiya said looking across the table at where the young Hyuuga lady sat sipping her tea, "I'm just merely saying that you two should be careful not to get to close, knowing her family I wouldn't be surprised if Hashi already has a suitor chosen for her to marry upon our return home."
"Jiraiya, just how far or how close we chose to get during this mission is none of your business, so just butt out," Hinata said in a voice of controlled anger, as she set her tea cup down so that she wouldn't break it, "I'm going to live my life, the way I want to from now on and if my father doesn't like it then that's all on him. So unless you are going to order something to drink then get lost, Naruto and I were having a great time together until you sat down with us."
"I am parched but I'd prefer something a little stronger than tea to quench it," Jiraiya said while he slid out of the booth, "I'm going to take a look around the town, Naruto could I talk to you outside for a moment."
"Hinata-chan, if you'd excuse my, I'll be right back," Naruto said setting his own tea cup down at top the table, "I sure this wouldn't take long."
"Ok, see you when you get back, Naruto-kun," Hinata said picking up her tea cup again before lifting it to her lips and taking a sip of its warm contents as she watched her boyfriend slid sideways out of the booth.
"So what is it, that you wanted to talk to my about, Jiraiya?" Naruto asked in a slightly annoyed tone as they stepped outside of the tea shop, a few minutes later.
"Its in regards to your training, Naruto," Jiraiya said not wanting to take up to much of the teens time especially since he seemed rather annoyed, "I am very proud that you have learned to finally control, you know who's chakra but that was always intended to just be first step in teaching you how to tame him and that's the task I ask of you now. Taming Kyuubi wouldn't be easy and may forever change you in ways, which you never expected so be prepared for anything that includes being rejected by Hinata. Both of you are walking a very fine line as it already is, so just be careful okay."
"Jiraiya, we have been just through this, our relationship is none of your business nor is how far or intimate we chose to take it, so would you please just leave us be in that regard," Naruto said getting even more annoyed that the sannin couldn't leave there budding relationship alone, "And just for the record, Hinata-chan has told me that she's prepared to leave her clan if it's the only way that we can be together. Kyuubi is convinced that she has a link to us somehow and that could possible explain why the Akatsuki are after her as well but if they are serious about going after her than they are going to have to get through me and Kyuubi first and I swear to you that as long as there is still breath in these lungs and my heart continues to beat, there is one way they are getting so close as to actually lay so much as I finger on my girlfriend."
And as with that Naruto turned on his heel and walked back inside the tea shop, leaving a stunned Jiraiya standing outside. Noticing that her boyfriend was in a sour mood as he sat back down on the bench seat opposite her, few moments later, Hinata slid out off her side and sitting down beside him cuddled up against him hoping that it would return him to his usual happy go lucky one. Walking by the window the two teens both was behind, five minutes later, as he went it search of a sake bar to take the sting of Naruto's words off his mind and seeing the two of them snuggled together on one side of the booth, knew that he had over stepped his boundaries when it came to their relationship, especially if Hinata was indeed prepared to leave the wealth and privilege of the Hyuuga clan just so they could be together and so decided that he wouldn't interfere with it any longer just like they had both asked of him. After a second pot of tea and quite a bit of gentle loving cuddling, Naruto had returned to his usually self so the two teens paid their bill and remembering to take the room key with them, walked back over toward the Inn and check out there room for the back the door of there room, after checking in at the front desk, Naruto and Hinata stepped inside and turning on its lights, closed the door behind them before helping one another remove the others pack and leaning them against the wall. As far as rooms went it was minimally furnished with just a double bed flanked on either side by two low side tables against its right wall and a pair of four drawer dressers placed along its adjacent wall, a shuddered window was set in the back wall and beyond the only other door inside of the room was its three piece bathroom.
Deciding to call it a night since Jiraiya would likely want to head out early the following morning, both teens opened their packs and dug out their sleep wear. Still some what uncomfortable with changing in front of each other yet knowing that they would have to get used to it especially since there might be times, when they wouldn't have the privacy of a bathroom to do so upon the road, the two teens turned away from one another and began to get changed. Furtively stealing brief glances of one another's body as they changed out of their training clothes and in to their sleeping ones, Naruto and Hinata could already imagine what a pleasure it would be, to feel the touch of the others over their skin as they made love. Turning off the lights, ten minutes later, the blond crawled underneath the covers of the bed and lovingly wrapped an arm around the angelic indigo haired heiress, whom already lay beneath them, as she snuggled up against him intimately slipping her right leg in between his own. Closing their eyes, a few moments later, Hinata snuggled a little closer to her boyfriend as she felt him slip his right hand underneath the back of her tank top and sighing happily fell in to a deep sleep almost instantly.
Well there you have it, now that Naruto and Hinata are a couple just how far will there relationship blossom? And what role will Kyuubi and Sora play in it? These questions as well as many more shall be answered in future chapters. As always I welcome all opinions, so plz R&R.