Written in the Leaves Chapter 3: Just a Friendly Date, a naruto fanfic

Author note: Good grace, do I hate this chapter

Chapter Three

Author note: Good grace, do I hate this chapter. Please ignore it and look straight at the storyline that's unfolding a little. Look at the picture I'm painting, not the words I do it with, they're horrible.

To reply to some reviews I've received: no, I won't stop submitting it here; and no, I cannot change what will be happening since the whole story has already been written, so comments thereon would be rather useless.

So enjoy reading!

'Hey Hinata, you okay?' she heard him asking.
She slowly opened up her eyes. 'W-What happened?'
'I told you Naruto was going to join you on your mission and then you just passed out' Tsunade said.
She sat up and saw a grinning Naruto standing next to her. She felt her head heating up from the shame. There he is, going on a mission with me, and I faint again.
Luckily it didn't seem like he understood that he was the reason for her fainting. As always.
'Well then, I suggest you two go pack and leave tomorrow morning' Tsunade said. 'Hinata will explain the mission on the way, Naruto.'

'Hey Hinata...' he said as they were walking back from the Hokage Office.
'Y-Yes Naruto-kun?'
'Do you…do you want to go get some ramen with me?' he asked, blushing a little.
Did he just ask what I think he asked? 'Th-That sounds nice, Naruto-kun..'
'I mean it's not like a real date or something, it's just a friendly date, right?'
'O-Of course..' she said, a little disappointed.
'I just thought, since we're going on a mission together, I might as well get to know you better...'
'O-Okay..'

'Old man, gimme a big bowl of miso pork ramen, dattebayo!' he shouted to the shopowner, all happy at the perspective of a nice, hot bowl of his favourite food.
'M-Me too, but make it a medium, please..'
For just a little while, they were quiet, waiting on their orders.
Say something! Get rid of this silence! She searched for anything, anything to say. But then, just like that time in the forest, her thoughts got interrupted by a certain man.
'So, how have you been lately?'

They talked about their recent missions and asked questions about each other. They laughed together and enjoyed each others company, and she could feel herself relax as she grew a little more comfortable around him.
The shopowner smiled as he sneakily listened to their conversation. I wonder if you have noticed yet, Naruto-kun...

The moment came they both had to go home. It was quite late already, and she hoped her father wouldn't be mad at her because she had been out for so late.
'I'll pay for your ramen Hinata' he said, handing over the money to Ayame.
'Th-that's very kind of you, Naruto-kun.'
'You know, Hinata...'
'Y-Yes?'
'You don't have to add the honorific to my name. Just Naruto is fine..'
'Okay Naruto-k...Naruto..'
He smiled to her and her stomach fluttered. He's just so cute when he smiles...

'Well, here you are.'
'Thanks for taking me home...Naruto...'
'You learn fast Hinata' he said smiling. 'And you're welcome. Besides, you only live a few apartments next to mine, so it wasn't a big bother for me, tebayo.'
She blushed a little when he mentioned the apartments; it wasn't just good fortune she was living so close to her favourite blond ninja...

flashback
'No. No. No!' Hiashi yelled at his eldest daughter. 'How many times do I have to tell you; you are the Hyuuga Heiress, you can't live anywhere else than in the main household!'
'B-but father...' she stammered. She hated it when somebody yelled at her, it made her nervous and caused her stuttering to get even worse than it already was.
'No! I am the head of this clan, so you shall do as I say. And if I say you will stay here, you will stay!'
'But-'
'Let me ask you this question: do you still want to be the heiress of our clan?'
'O-of course, but-'
'Then act like it! As a heiress, you just don't have all the privileges other people have. You are the successor of the main branch, that means you have certain obligations to your clan. You can't just abandon it to live on your own. You'll have to take the responsibility Hinata' he said, a little calmer now, and he started to walk away from her, back to the training grounds, not aware that somebody was listening to their conversation.
'B-but-'
'I will hear no 'but's Hinata, I have deci-'
'L-let me finish this father!'
Hiashi turned around in disbelief. This was the first time she had ever dared to interrupt him.
'I-I think I first need to learn to t-take responsibility for myself, so I'll be able to take responsibility for my clan..'
He knew she had a point, although he wouldn't give her that.
'Besides that, what if some high-ranked criminals tried to abduct you to examine our bloodline limit? You're still to weak to protect yourself against them.'
She was about to give up, as she heard a voice from behind.
'I do not agree with you over that Hiashi.'
'Hokage-sama!'
A few hours later she stood in the Hokage's Office. 'So that's it then', Tsunade said, 'I arranged an apartment for you close to the Hyuuga's main building, so you won't be living to far from your clan.' She handed her a note with the address on it. 'And I think you'll be pleased with the location...' she added with a mysterious look on her face.
end flashback

They were standing at her front door. The sun started to set. The golden light shining on his hair and face made him look like he just came down from heaven. She melted. She couldn't do anything but getting lost in his eyes as he was looking into hers.
Will I do it now? Or will it ruin the moment? Oh I feel like I want to swim in those eyes...she thought, but she realized to late she had said that last part out loud. She felt herself shrivelling up and her face was taking a colour tomato-like.
'Huh? Were you saying something Hinata?'
She sighed in relief. Phew, luckily he couldn't hear it. Oh why did I had to say that out loud?
'N-No it's nothing. Thanks again f-for taking me home, Naruto, I appreciate it' she said smiling a little.
'You should do that more often, you know.'
'D-do what?'
'Smile'
Her eyes widened. One of her fantasies just came true. She had trouble not to faint.
'Well anyway, I guess I should go home. See ya tomorrow Hinata!' he said waving and walked away.

That night, he couldn't sleep very well. He thought about his day. About her. What was that just then...? She was looking so intense into my eyes. She's so weird. I can't deny she's got gorgeous eyes though, and that smile of hers...not to mention the rest of her bo-..Stop!! I will not think of her that way! It's Hinata! HI-NA-TA! She's that dark, timid, weird person who always blushes and stutters when I try to talk to her. He grumbled and shook up his pillow. I should really get some sleep now, I have a mission tomorrow, dattebayo.
He closed his eyes and fell asleep within minutes, not knowing that a small seed was planted in his heart.

That night, she couldn't sleep very well. He thinks I have an nice smile! He thinks I have a nice smile! He thinks I have a nice smile! He thinks I-..oh boy, I'm just hopeless. He only said I need to smile more often, that doesn't mean he likes me! But at the other hand, he did ask me out. Oh, wait, he said it was just a friendly date. But she wondered if he actually meant that. It could have been that he chickened out at the last moment, or didn't want to ruin the fragile friendship there is...Oh come on, who am I kidding? Doesn't he always say things the way he means them? But why was he blushing when he asked me to have ramen with him? Does he...like me? No way, when he liked Sakura it was pretty obvious, so I guess it wouldn't be any different if he liked me. But I still can't figure out why he blushed...
She sighed, rolled over to her other side and threw the blanket off of her.
But it's not like it's impossible for him to like me. He said it himself that time on the training grounds, right before the start of third exam. 'I really like people like you Hinata..' Yeah, that's what he said.
She felt her cheeks redden. Whenever she recalled that, she immediately started blushing all over her body.
But he said it when he still liked Sakura, so he couldn't have meant it that way..
Still, does it mean-.. Stop it! she cut herself off. That was years ago...it's not relevant anymore. For now, I should just go to sleep. I have a mission with him coming up and I want to be as fit as possible.

A silver moon was watching through her window as she fell asleep, her silky hair spread all over the pillow, moonbeams kissing her skin. A shooting star was about to fulfil a wish...

(I'm saying this twice since half of you have probably skipped the author note above, and the other half will skip this one. XD)