A/N: I think this is partly inspired by Naruto: The Last spoilers and a lot of fan art. I started this in one direction and then ended up in a completely different one, but that's life, ain't it? So if the tenses change randomly it's because a) for some reason I just change tense sometimes b) this was written in a completely different tense before I changed it. so sorry in advance. Kinda NSFW but not really; my good Christian hands would not dare write the Devil's tales—only hint at them.

The pot boiled, full of stock. The smell of spices and cooked pork wafted in Naruto's apartment. Well, technically, it was Naruto and Hinata's apartment at this point. Hinata hadn't gotten used to the idea that that space—that apartment that looks out on the Hokage monument, a constant reminder of the dreams dreamt here that were on their way to coming to fruition—is also hers to share with the love of her life.

He constantly apologized for the state of his house, which he had once commented offhandedly as being made ahome by her presence in it, and often expressed his wishes to give her something better….something more befitting the heiress of one of the world's oldest and most important families.

Hinata waved those kinds of comments away. She never required anything more than him. He was always enough for her. And so when he felt embarrassed one day when he asked her if she would like to move in with him, even though his measly and small apartment was nothing compared to the ostentatious Hyuuga compound, she assuaged that embarrassment by agreeing readily and kissing him, saying, "That sounds nice. I'd live in a cardboard box if it meant I'd be with you."

And she meant that. Every word. This is nice. Just being with him, for her, it feels like living in Heaven…and who could ever ask for more than the most?

"Hmm…" she muses and sighs.

Suddenly, there was a rattling of the door handle. Hinata gasped and turned abruptly.

He's home!

"Damn it," she heard him say on the other side of the door, "where the hell are my keys?"

Hinata chuckled lightly, shaking her head in disbelief. She walked to the door and rested her hand momentarily on the handle before twisting it and pulling the door back.

"Welcome ho—"

She couldn't get the words out before Naruto was on her, nearly squeezing the life out of her with his affectionate hug.

"I'm…I'm home," he said through a strained voice, "I'm home. I'm home."

Hinata slowly wrapped her arms around his frame, taken aback by his outpouring of emotion.

"Nar…Naruto," Hinata begins, her voice quieter than a whisper, "are you okay?"

He pushed her back so that he could get a better look at her. After scanning her nervous body and face up and down, he pulled her to him again, this time letting his lips crash against hers. It was rough and desperate, as if Naruto had been languishing for years on that mission, longing for the chance to come home. While normally Hinata would be too thoroughly drowned in the passion of such kisses to keep her eyes open, this time, Hinata could not fathom closing them. She was too afraid she'd miss the plea. To be certain, the only time Hinata ever heard the loud Jinchuuriki whisper was when he was pleading.

He let her lips go from his and she saw it. In his eyes, just like always.

"Are you cooking something?" he asked her, his eyes scanned the apartment animatedly, seeming to take their attention entirely from her.

Hinata was suddenly made aware of the aroma of cooking broth that had spread itself like wildfire throughout the complex. She shifted awkwardly away from her boyfriend to get to the pot and turned down the heat, "Yes," she confirmed, her voice changed tonally by apprehension, "I made your favorite…"—feeling uneasy about what just transpired, Hinata took to rambling, which was always widely regarded as more Naruto's propensity than hers—"…I figured you'd been eating nothing but, um, Land of Iron foods, which I know you don't really like, so I thought I'd, uh, just—"

Hinata felt Naruto's presence directly behind her. She didn't want to turn around, slightly afraid of what she'd see. She didn't have to turn around before he started kissing her again. He started with her cheek and worked his way down her neck.

He whispered, "I'm not that hungry…"

Hinata turned off the heat for the pot totally and turned around to face the blond. He was looking at her, yes, but with hazy, almost glazed over eyes that made her heart nearly come full-stop.

"Hinata…" he whispered again…almost moaned.

He was pleading. He was begging.

Liar. He was hungry. Practically starving.

Absolutely famished.

"Hey, Hinata," Naruto said. His bandaged arm combed lazily through his lover's long hair, sometimes brushing her forehead absently, while his other arm rested comfortably, folded, between his head and his pillow.

"Mhm," she sighed in response. The Hyuga's eyes were closed. One hand clutched the sheets that were covering her bare body, the other aided in making Naruto's body some kind of imaginary drawing pad, her fingers danced on his chest like paintbrushes on canvas in the hand of a skilled painter.

"Thank you," Naruto continued, his voice now taking a higher pitch as nervousness over his words set in, "That's kinda weird to thank your girlfriend for sex but, like, I mean, I really needed this. I mean, I'm not some gross guy that needs sex or anything all the time to make himself feel better…I mean that's weird! And I don't want you to feel like you have to do this…I mean I hope you know I would never force you to—What, I guess I'm trying to, to say is…"

"Naruto," Hinata hushed him, her eyes still closed though a small smile crept on her delicate features, "I understand you. You didn't pressure me into anything, by the way. I wanted to…."

Naruto stared up at the ceiling, his eyes transfixed on the whirring fan above them.

"Do you wanna help me find a new place we can start over in?" he says abruptly.

Hinata's eyes popped open, "Start…over?"

He nodded.

"This place is full of a lot of memories for me, but mostly of me coming to a house with no one in it. Now that you're here, well, I think I'm ready to move on. When I was at the door, no offense, but I kinda forgot you were probably inside. So, when you answered the door and I saw you there, I started thinking about how I almost died on that mission this week…Things like that bugged me before, but now, because I have you…it's different…"—he's rambling at this point, his mind moving faster than his lips can, but Hinata does not stop him. She wouldn't dare—"…like, it's weird, but I guess my life somehow means more to me now than it did before or something…I mean, I got what Neji was saying before, but now I really understand, y'know? My life isn't the only one. So that's why I want to move and I think I've saved up enough…"

"Naruto…"

"I mean," Naruto begins again, his bandaged hand scratching the back of his head, "only if you want to…I mean…move on with me?"

Hinata smiled.

"Cardboard box, remember?" she reminded him.

Naruto smiled a giddy and wide smile, clearly high with joy. He leaned his head over to kiss her. It's a long, passionate, and powerful kiss that seals their entwined fates.

His stomach growled angrily. Hinata chuckled and got up to get dressed. She couldn't wait to discuss next steps in their relationship with him over a nice bowl of ramen.