title: a kiss discussion
pairing: NaruHina
author's note: so i kind of loved writing this chapter. hinata is so fun to write when i pretend she isn't slightly stalker-ish of naruto!
disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Grey's Anatomy

"Um, so, um, I kind of have something to, um, tell you guys."

Sakura, Tenten, and Ino all looked up from their respective cartons of Chinese food to stare at Hinata. She hadn't stammered since the Fourth Ninja War, much less around them.

"Seriously," she insisted, pleading with them. "I have something kind of super big—,"

"Sh, eat Chinese," Tenten said, gesturing to the fourth carton on the coffee table.

"And watch movies," Sakura added, adding a forkful of Lo Mein to her mouth.

"Specifically Ryan Gosling movies," Ino finished, openly gaping at the display of abs on the television screen.

Hinata stamped her foot.

"Ugh, guys!" she shrieked at them. "I have to tell you something! And I am always always always listening to your Dramas! Tenten, and your egotistical ex-boyfriend who happens to be my cousin—and Sakura, with your Epic Twisted Romance with McDreamy himself—and, and Ino! Who listens to you tell bad date after bad date story, huh? Who!"

The trio gaped at Hinata. A string of noodles dangled from Tenten's open mouth, Sakura's hand had frozen halfway down to her carton. Ino simply stared at Hinata, her eyes wide, and oh-so-very blue.

"Me!" Hinata continued. "So please, please just listen to me."

Tenten slurped up the last of her noodle, and smirked.

"Geez, Hinata, didn't know we had to push all your buttons to make you finally flip shit on us," she joked.

Sakura and Ino laughed, which caused Hinata to relax, and smile.

"Now, come sit down, eat food, and tell us what's up," Ino insisted, patting the open seat on the couch.

Gratefully, Hinata followed the orders. Sakura paused the movie they'd been watching, and the three turned to face their usually quiet friend. Hinata cracked open her carton, took a dainty bite, and then spoke.

"NarutoandIkissed," she said, in one breathe.

There was a pause.

"WHAT?" shrieked three voices at the same time. Sakura practically upended the table as she leaped to her feet, Tenten spat out the mouthful of Dr. Pepper she had just chugged.

"You…you…huh?"

"When!"

"How!"

They all stared at Hinata. She took another bite of her food and chewed, pondering how to explain.

"I don't really know how it happened," she confessed. "He was just walking, and I was walking past him. And then he stopped and asked me how Sakura was doing, and if I'd been okay lately. And then he invited me back to his apartment, where I made him so ramen. Then I got Sakura's text about alcohol and…you know…and went to leave, but before I could he tugged my hand and pulled me back and said 'this was fun.' Andthenhekissedmewithtongue."

"OHMIGOD!" Ino shrieked, flailing about with giddiness. "That is absolutely the cutest thing ever!"

"Finally," Tenten joked, nudging her dark-haired friend playfully. "Hinata's about to get some!"

"Tenten!" Sakura admonished, patting Hinata's hand. "We know dear, sweet, Hinata-chan would wait at least a few dates before having sex—,"

"Unlike some but we won't name names, ahem, SakuraandTenten," Ino said, pretending to hack up a lung.

"Says you," Sakura shot back, while Tenten smacked Ino on the back of her precious head with a pillow.

"Wait, why didn't you tell us earlier?" Ino questioned, hurling the pillow back in Tenten's face. Hinata blushed.

"Well, it was the night that…that lots of tequila was…consumed," Hinata answered, not sure if she should refer to it as "the night Sakura and Tenten got wasted because Sasuke screwed Sakura over, and Neji broke up with Tenten."

The look on Tenten and Sakura's face told her they knew exactly what she was about to say. Ino's face was scrunched up really tight, as if she were trying ridiculously hard not to laugh.

"I didn't want to bring it up," Hinata continued, quietly. "Because of…all the alcohol."

"Right," Tenten muttered, scathingly.

"What made you decide to bring it up tonight?" Sakura questioned.

"Well, I saw him today…and he…I mean, Naruto, he didn't…he didn't do anything."

Ino snorted. "What? Did you think he'd jump your bones next time he saw you?"

Tenten snickered, but Sakura's venomous glare shut them both up. The pink-haired girl turned to Hinata once more, a question in her eyes.

"I just…" Hinata began. "I just thought he'd do…you know, something. Say hi. Smile. But nothing…nothing!"

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"Ugh."

"Boys are stupid."

Ino, Sakura, and Hinata grinned at Tenten, who shoveled more Chinese food into her mouth, and pressed 'play' for the movie, without another word. The four girls settled back into the couch, comfortably.

"So." Sakura said, a few minutes later. "Are you gonna, like, talk to Naruto?"

"I don't know. Should I?" Hinata asked.

"Definitely," Ino answered, through her egg roll.

"Not," Tenten amended, poking her friend with her chop sticks. "Naruto is stupid. He won't understand words. Try grunting!"

"Shut up, Tenten," Sakura said, rolling her eyes as Hinata blushed and Ino snorted to cover up her laughter. "I think you should talk to him, Hinata. Let him know that you're interested, and see where he goes with it. You don't want to waste time on thinking you're wanted when you're actually not—,"

"Hey, whoa," Ino interrupted, sitting up. "This is NaruHina time, not SasuSaku. We've had enough of that ship lately." Tenten sniggered as Sakura promptly threw her empty Coke bottle at Ino's head.

Hinata sighed, and buried herself deeper in Chinese food.

The next morning, Hinata was on her way to meet Ino for lunch after her morning classes at the Academy. She walked along, flipping through a folder of test papers she was to grade for the afternoon. The young woman smiled at the sight of Asuma Sarutobi scrawled across the top of one paper, and began examining the answers.

That is, until someone ran into her.

"Oh, hello Hinata!" chirruped a voice, and Hinata looked up through her bangs to see none other than Naruto Uzumaki standing before. "Are you having a good day?"

"Um," - DAMN IT - "I mean, yes, yes my day has been going very well. I'm on my way to meet Ino for lunch, and then due to return to the Academy for the afternoon."

Naruto grinned, putting his hands behind his head. "Man, I'd kill to have Hinata as my sensei! No doubt you'd be nicer than Iruka-sensei for sure."

Hinata giggled, and then an awkward moment settled between the two. At least, for Hinata. Naruto, as per usual, was oblivious. Hinata could almost hear Sakura and Ino's voices hissing in her ear to have The Talk with Naruto, while Tenten's was scoffing at the idea on her other side.

"Um, Naruto, may I…may I talk to you…about…something?"

"Eh?" replied the Uzumaki, cracking open one eye. "Sure, Hinata! You can always talk to me about anything!"

Hinata took a deep breath, shuffling her papers around. She almost started poking her fingers together, but utterly forced herself not to do that because ohmigod it would be so embarrassing. She took another deep breath.

"Well…um, Naruto…you kissed me," Hinata muttered, keeping her eyes on her feet. Naruto watched her, a grin steadily growing on his face and she continued to stutter. "You kissed me…with tongue…and stuff…"

"Yup, I did," Naruto replied, grinning at her.

Hinata blushed, and continued, "Well…I mean…should we? There's…there's a discussion of sorts…that we could have…" Hinata peeked up at Naruto to find he was still grinning at her. "If you…if you wanted to have one?" she finished lamely.

"Hinata," he said, his voice serious as his tan hands encircled her small, pale ones. "Look at me?"

She did, meeting his entrancing cerulean eyes.

"Hinata," Naruto repeated. "I kissed you. With tongue. And I plan to do it again. And again. And again. Like, right now?"

Hinata gaped at Naruto, barely managing to keep hold of her tests as he swooped in and kissed her again. Kissed her deeply. With feeling. And tongue. And…Hinata's brain jammed as Naruto's arms curled around her and pulled her closer to him, a hand burying itself in her hair.

When he pulled back, Naruto was smiling again.

"Good discussion?" he asked.

Hinata barely managed to nod, and the Hokage-to-be smirked. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead, then broke away. Hinata missed his arms almost instantly, then cringed – I am not thirteen anymore, damn it! I am a full grown, well renowned kunoichi!

"Yes…yeah," she breathed back at Naruto.

"Good," he replied, in a satisfied way. "Now, you better go meet Ino for lunch, or there will be lots of shrieking and stuff later. I'll see you soon, Hinata."

And with that, he pressed a light kiss to her cheek, and trotted off in the direction of a pineapple-head of black hair. Hinata watched him go, trying to remember who exactly Ino was.

- hee hee hee :)