BK: This one is short, so I decided to post it up.

ADDED: I'm so sorry. For whatever reason, has been weirdly emailing things. I sincerely apologize if you got an email and nothing was posted up.

BK

Kurenai watched with the baby Asuma in her arms as Hinata warmed her body by fighting against a wooden pole and Genma observing her from across the training grounds.

The baby boy was fast asleep and it took a lot of noise to wake him up. Kurenai, who had been cooped up in her small home decided to spend her day with her closest student: Hinata. Hinata had told her that all she was doing today was practice and training, nothing fun or unusual, yet the red eyed mentor told her that she would prefer nothing better than the swift sounding kicks of sure confidence in the air again. She was now a single mother and that meant she no longer had the luxury of practice or sparring. She even told Hinata laughingly that perhaps she was gaining weight to which Hinata immediately argued against.

But Kurenai never thought that Genma would be Hinata's sparring partner for the day. She always thought that Genma would be busy with Hokage mini-missions and the such.

"Is this your first time sparring against Hinata?" Kurenai inquired.

Genma looked at the red eyed mentor and the corner of his lips curved upwards, "Yeah."

Kurenai smiled and she looked at her student who was quiet, reserved, and modest. Many people took her silent and compassionate features as a sign of weakness. She looked at the man next to her who was looking at Hinata practice against a wooden pole. He seemed entranced.

"Do you think my student is weak? You're not even warming up."

Genma turned from Hinata to the curious mother who tucked the baby safely into her arms, "No... I see her silence and misleading features as an advantage for her. From my experience, naturally quiet people usually hide great power. Her voice might shake with hesitation, but the hands she holds up when fighting are straight and steady."

Kurenai was mildly amazed and she instantly approved of the man, "It seems you know Hinata well."

His gaze was directed back to the Hyuuga heiress and he smiled with pride and without hesitation he answered, "Yeah... I do."

Kurenai smiled, completely seeing through the man and knowing that he was deeply in love with her student. Genma Shiranui was not a bad man. In fact, he was handsome and careful. He said that Hinata's persona was misleading, but so was his.

He seemed calm and collected, but when he was around Hinata, he wanted to do impulsive things like lace his fingers through hers or tug softly at her silky hair. He never knew he was a jealous man until Naruto started to woo Hinata right before him. And he thought he wouldn't care if the world knew that they were lovers until Sakura spotted them inside that tiny half-built house. He wanted their relationship a sacred secret. He also wanted to know that Hinata would acknowledge that she felt the same way for him. No matter how shy she was about their actual relationship.

Hinata crossed the practice field and she looked at Kurenai and Genma expectantly. She tilted her head and smiled at them.

"Is something the matter? You both look... thoughtful." Hinata ended, searching for the right terminology.

She flipped her long ponytail back and stood there with a towel in her hands. Kurenai giggled and she pointed to Genma.

"You should start sparring before he decides he can't do it anymore."

Genma and Hinata both looked at the perceptive female. Hinata's eyebrows furrowed and she nodded, walking to the middle of the field and staring at the two strange duo. Genma looked at Kurenai and he decided not to say anything.

He walked across the field and stood in front of her. She was in her stance and he could tell that she did not want to fight him, but that she would not hold back either if she had to. Her eyes stared at him anxiously as they met his.

He simply nodded and moved the senbon around to murmur softly, "Fight me."

She moved faster than he expected and before he knew it, he had all his chakra points closed off by her perfected Hyuuga signature move. He lied on the ground with a groan, senbon knocked out of his mouth, and Kurenai came over to lean and give him a knowing smile. Only then did Genma realize what Hinata's eyes were trying to tell him.

They weren't anxious for perfecting herself or worrying if he was stronger, but anxious and nervous for him.

He felt somewhat humbled by her and a little happy that she was concerned for him. Hinata ran over and she rested her hand on his heart lightly. She then continued by pressing her ear against his chest to see if his heart was still pumping correctly. With a quiet sigh, signaling that he was alright, Hinata smiled and she touched his face with the backside of her fingers.

The innocent touch sent fired signals throughout his body. He wasn't a teenage boy raging with hormones. He was a man. And when a lady touched a man with her soft fingers... with pure intentions... it sent Genma's blood boiling. He relished her soft finger. He wondered how they would taste against his lips.

Kurenai had somehow disappeared and he found her at the edge of the practice field sitting on a bench with his peripheral view. His gut feeling told him that it was no use going around the woman, Kurenai knew that he had deep feelings for the beautiful Hyuuga in front of him.

Sensing that her teacher was not close, Hinata leaned in and placed a delicate kiss on the tip of his nose, her feelings of concern and worry touched him. He closed his eyes, relishing her tender touch, and moved his sluggish hand to the back of her neck.

She placed her hands on his chest carefully and sat traditionally as his hand played with the loose ends of her back hair. His amber brown eyes looked up into her pale orbs that stared back down at him and he gave her a genuine smile. He then brought her forward, squeezing every ounce of energy he had and kissed her feather soft lips.

Their second kiss. God damn... it was only their second kiss. She tasted like little drops of camomile tea. Like little drops of heaven. She tasted good against his lips. He wanted more and more. Why was it everyone in the whole world wanted to stop him?

She closed her eyes and opened them again when the kiss slowly ended. He gave her an embarrassed smile for having acted so bold with her and then stared at her, trying to etch every feature of her being into his memory. She finally gave him that slight smile. The smile she gave him after Konohamaru kissed her cheek. The slight smile that was touched with a tint of embarrassment and also sense of happiness.

"Hinata... listen carefully... I don't repeat things often."

Hinata blinked and she nodded, staring at him with her ethereal eyes. He felt a rush of blood, so faint he was sure she didn't see it, flush his face when she gave him her whole being at his disposal. He wondered how he would live if she wasn't in his life. He wondered how he even pulled through all those years without even thinking that she would be so important to him.

With a soft voice, he whispered for only her ears to hear, "Hinata... I love you."

She looked deeply into his eyes and he felt another wave of blood hit his face. He would have turned or done anything if he could move, just to avoid looking so weak in front of the woman he loved. He knew he chose a bad time to tell her, but he couldn't hold it in anymore. She was the only one who could ever make him feel this strange feeling. She was the only one who could make him do stupid things without thinking. He wanted to tell her. He needed to.

She stared at him and suddenly tears welled up in her eyes and she did the most unthinkable thing that he had begged of her all last year, she kissed him. Kissed him long and hard.

He nearly ran out of breath, his head feeling woozy from her kisses, and when her tip of her tongue graced his just by a touch, he pulled her into him hard, suddenly having recovered or something. He wasn't sure if it was the adrenaline or her, maybe it was both. She gripped his shirt with her dainty hands to his reaction and tried to bring him closer to her. She could feel his hot mouth against her, wanting to taste her and claim her as his forever.

His other hand found her bare thigh and he squeezed the smooth skin there, relishing her sighing moan. He played with the band of her shorts, flicking it and testing to see if it was rubber. Just as he was about to pull the band of her shorts down, something interrupted him.

Kurenai, still very adept at her shinobi skills even with a baby in her hands, sent a kunai barreling down between his open legs.

"Genma Shiranui!"

BK

BK: Ah... poor Genma. Poor poor Genma. Well, at least he got to say it right?