It's been a long time, I know. I spent a good portion of my time recovering from a major surgery and the resulting pain medication. I am finally free to start writing again! I wanted to make this chapter a bit longer but since its my first one in a long time I choose to post it as soon as possible. I hope to post another chapter soon but just got a new job so Im not sure how busy my schedule will be. I also want to post another chapter to Sunflowers so ill have to get back into that mindset. Please enjoy this chapter!
Hinata sighed softly as she stared up into the thin branches of the enormous apple tree in front of her. She set down her basket, a make-shift box comprised mostly of tiny twigs, and stepped towards the tree. Ignoring the easily obtainable apples hanging in front of her and lying on the ground, Hinata set her sights on the shiniest apple in the bunch. However, that particular apple was far above the others, swinging safely near the top of the tree.
Hinata stilled her breath and summoned her chakra to the base of her feet. With a quick hop, Hinata jumped onto the side of the tree and began her steady climb to the top of the tree. Pressing her way through annoying leaves and sharp twigs, Hinata kept her gaze fixed upon that one shiny apple. As she was nearing the top of the tree, Hinata felt the wind pick up and the apple began to sway dangerously to the side. She quickly dashed to the branch holding the apple and extended her arm.
Hinata stretched her body as far as it would go, but the wind was keeping the apple just beyond her reach. Suddenly, the apple's stem snapped and the red sphere plummeted from the tree.
No! That's Naruto's apple! Hinata jumped from the trunk of the tree and, with the grace and flexibility of a monkey, swung down to a lower branch to catch the apple. Hinata sighed once again and bought the apple close to her chest. Thank goodness…
Hinata's relief quickly faded as the branch she was standing on abruptly snapped and sent her tumbling through the air. She fell a short few feet before landing ungracefully on her backside. Still cradling the apple safely in one hand, Hinata propped herself up and reached back to rub her butt. Ouch….I really hope that doesn't leave a bruise…. Naruto would notice that for sure….
Hinata stood up and brushed the dirt off of her clothes. She strode over to her basket and placed the shinny apple among several others that were just as appetizing. She smiled softly and wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead. This should be enough! Hinata grabbed her basket and headed towards Naruto's usual training ground with a bounce in her step.
The shouts and clangs of battle grew louder and louder as Hinata walked into the familiar clearing and was once again surrounded by hundreds of Narutos. Upon seeing Hinata, they all vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving a single Naruto walking towards the stunned Hinata. She had seen Naruto dramatically emerge from the clones' smoke several times before, but it still made her knees tremble in awe.
"Hey, Hinata!" Naruto called out as he approached her.
Hinata smiled and held out her basket filled with apples. "I brought breakfast…"
Naruto grinned as he plucked an apple from the basket. "What took you so long?"
Hinata smiled sheepishly as she rubbed her sore bottom. "I…uh… I woke up late."
Naruto frowned. He was pretty sure he had seen her walking around the forest earlier… He opened his mouth to respond, but Jiraiya strode over and interrupted him.
"Ooh, apples!" Jiraiya grabbed an apple and bit into its crisp exterior. Juice dribbled from Jiraiya's mouth as he chewed. He gulped loudly and quickly took another bite. "This apple really hits the spot!"
Naruto grinned and bite into his own apple. "Of course! Hinata always picks the best apples!"
Hinata blushed. All those hours spent climbing trees and picking apples were worth it now. She watched Naruto eat his apple patiently and handed him another one when he was finished.
Jiraiya caught the blush and the doe eyed expression on Hinata's face. He discreetly inspected Hinata's clothing and noticed several stains and twigs matted in them. He then looked back to the basket of apples and it hit him. Did she really spend all this time and effort just to find Naruto a decent breakfast?
Jiraiya suddenly jumped up and groaned. "Ugh... I gotta go take a leak." Jiraiya turned around and ran out of the clearing. She went through all that just to pick him some apples… At the very least she deserves a moment alone with him.
Hinata winced at Jiraiya's choice of words, but her expression quickly changed as she realized she was alone with Naruto. Now was the perfect time!
Naruto, however, remained oblivious to the change in atmosphere and just kept eating his apple. As he finished his second helping he suddenly noticed Hinata's silence. "Hinata? Aren't you going to eat one?"
"I already ate some…" Hinata said, although the statement wasn't exactly a lie. She had stopped to eat a few of the less desirable apples, but, having spotted a worm crawling out of one, Hinata ended up skipping breakfast altogether.
But then, almost as if it were objecting to her lie, Hinata's stomach grumbled loudly. Naruto grinned and handed her an apple.
Hinata accepted the apple graciously and bite into quietly. Why couldn't she just say it? She swallowed the bite of apple and took a deep breath. "N-Naruto?"
"Yeah?" Naruto mumbled, his mouth full of apple bits.
"There is… something I want to show you… back at our tent." Hinata blushed and kept her gaze fixed on the apple in her hands.
"Sure. I guess I can end training early. Is after sunset okay with you?" Naruto swallowed loudly and flashed his trademark grin. Hinata nodded slowly. She could never say no to him when he smiled like that…
Naruto finished his apple and tossed the core aside. He then jumped up and licked the sticky apple juice from his fingers. "I have to go back to training now, Hinata. If I'm going to end training early then I need to make up for it by training my hardest until then!"
Hinata nodded silently and stared after Naruto as he summoned two clones and started gathering chakra in his hand. The air suddenly started to swirl violently around her and she quickly grabbed her basket and retreated into the woods.
Hinata headed towards their campground, her heart hammering in her chest. She had been planning this night for a long time now. Her body quivered with anticipation now that she was at the cusp of her goal.
Suddenly there was a loud explosion and Hinata felt the earth shake beneath her feet. She turned back towards the clearing for a moment and could barely make out the sounds of Jiraiya yelling. She smiled to herself and calmed her rising heartbeat. Naruto's training was a bit unorthodox, but she knew Naruto wouldn't have it any other way.
The sounds of the forest began to quiet down as Hinata approached the campsite. She placed her basket near the other supplies and crawled into her tent. She smiled softly to herself as she gazed around the familiar setting.
It had been barely more than a month since the day that they had left the village to train. Since then, Jiraiya had given Hinata some money so that she could buy rations and toiletries as well as some of her own clothing.
Hinata drifted the edge of the tent where she kept all her new clothing stashed. She dug into the pile of assorted clothing and pulled out something that she had been hiding beneath them. When she had gone shopping she had taken Jiraiya's money and separated it into two halves. She used the first half to buy the rations and supplies they needed for their trip as well as some cheap clothes for her to wear while she trained. She used the second half to buy herself an exotic, black lingerie set.
Hinata would never admit it, but she really enjoyed having an effect on Naruto. It boosted her self esteem every time she caught him stealing a glimpse at her while she was changing into her pajamas. In her mind, her new lingerie was the perfect way to prolong that feeling. She could claim they were her pajamas and Naruto wouldn't be able to take his eyes off her for the entire night. Still… Hinata had not yet been able to gather the courage to wear the lingerie even once. But it wasn't exactly her fault…
Most of the time, Naruto would get back from training too tired to do anything except collapse into his bed. On those nights, Hinata would hold him in her arms and hum quietly until he fell asleep. But there were also several nights that Naruto and Hinata had stayed awake for hours on end simply talking about themselves or telling stories. Naruto would often recount exaggerated renditions of his past missions and Hinata enjoyed every minute of it.
She loved both cases with all of her heart, but neither one left much time for romance. However, Hinata was determined to change that. She had been planning this moment ever since she bought that lingerie and tonight she was going to finally show it to Naruto. Tonight is going to be special… Hinata thought to herself as she stared at the lingerie set. The top piece had two straps that went over her shoulders and then draped a long piece of thin lace down over her stomach while leaving her back bare. The entire thing was see through, but it had two swirls of lace over the chest to keep the boobs from being exposed.
The bottom was simply a black thong that had a similar swirl pattern on the front. Hinata stared at the outfit for several minutes. As she imagined what she would look like wearing it, she felt her cheeks burn and she began having second thoughts.
Before she had the chance to change her mind, Hinata stashed the outfit beneath the pile of clothes, jumped up and headed into the woods to begin her own training.
Hours later, just before the sun started to set, Hinata was still deeply engaged in her training. No! That's not it! The chakra needs to be more flexible. Hinata kicked the base of the tree next to her, sending a flurry of leaves cascading down towards her. She quickly gathered a stream of chakra into the palms of her hands and began swinging her arms around her body, creating an invisible net in the air. The leaves floated in mid air for a few seconds before ripping into two perfect halves.
Hinata stilled her breathe and focused to her mind. She bent her knees slightly and planted her right foot behind her. She swiftly spun around, her right foot etching a perfect circle in the ground. The chakra she had sewn into the air suddenly expanded and twisted violently, slicing every leaf to minuscule pieces.
Hinata sighed deeply and adjusted her body back to a normal standing stance. She bent down to the ground and examined the tiny bits of leaves scattered across the forest floor. The technique is perfect, but it's still not right…. It catches and destroys anything thrown at me, but…. It's just….. It's just way too violent to use on a real person….
Hinata craned her neck to gaze at the sun. It was getting pretty close to sunset. She envisioned the lingerie set in her mind and shuddered slightly. She shook her head and focused her mind on simply walking forward. The only way she was going to be able to do this was if she didn't think about it. The thought of Naruto staring at her bare skin made her cheeks burn and skin tingle.
As much as she tried to avoid thinking about it, Hinata ended up imagining dozens of reactions that Naruto was likely to have. Her head felt foggy and the world started to spin. Hinata grabbed onto a tree trunk to steady herself. She took a deep breath and tried to calm down. It was then that she noticed that she was walking beside the lake that she had often used for bathing.
Hinata pulled her shirt to her nose and sniffed. She didn't smell anything offensive, but she still decided to strip down and enter the lake. As she walked into the cold water Hinata couldn't help admiring the colors of the sunset reflected in the water's surface. She quickly shook her head and dunked her head under the water. She didn't have time for sunsets right now.
After a few minutes of vigorous washing Hinata climbed out of the lake and walked over to her clothes. Hinata looked back up at the setting sun and gulped. It was nearly dark. She stood there dripping wet for several moments. The steady sounds of water dropping from her body to the ground brought her back to reality.
Hinata took a deep breath and summoned a thin layer of chakra. She forced the chakra out through her pores creating a wall between her skin and the lake water that was still trickling down her slender body. She then released her hold on the chakra and it started to fall from her body. The water, still stuck to the chakra, fell from her body as well leaving her skin completely dry. Hinata smiled to herself as she put her clothes back on. Who needs a towel, anyway?
The last remnants of sunlight faded and the forest around Hinata grew dark. It would have been easy to get lost in the thick assortment of trees, but Hinata was a Byakugan user after all. She activated her ability and was soon on her way back to camp.
Naruto, however, was not so lucky.
"Damnit! All these trees look the same!" Naruto shouted as he stumbled around in the darkness. Usually Jiraiya would direct him towards the camp, but today he was nowhere to be seen.
Naruto swore under his breath as he tried to remember which path he used to get to the clearing. It was no use. He couldn't even remember how to get back to the clearing he was in five minutes ago. Naruto took another step forward and abruptly tripped over a loose tree root. He went scrambling forward trying to regain his balance. However, his sudden momentum carried him right into the path of a low hanging branch. The branch caught Naruto square in the face and he fell backwards hitting his head on the same hard root he had tripped on in the first place.
As Naruto lay sprawled on the cold forest floor, defeated by a single tree, he noticed the emerging array of stars in the night sky. "Hinata sure is going to be mad…." Naruto muttered to himself as he admired the stars' beauty.
A star twinkled suddenly and Naruto froze. He stared up at the sky in disbelief. There were two stars that were sparkling brighter than any of the rest and for some reason they reminded Naruto of Hinata's eyes. It was almost as if those stars were calling to him, beckoning him towards home.
Naruto stood up and started running towards the focal point of the two stars. It was only a few moments later when Naruto found himself at the camp. Naruto gazed back up at the Hinata stars in awe. There's no way… Naruto shook his head and walked towards his tent.
He took a deep breath as he pulled back the fabric and stepped into the tent. He was instantly met with a warm hug and Hinata's bright smile.
Naruto laughed sheepishly as he half-heartedly returned the hug. "I thought you were going to be mad at me for being late…."
Hinata shook her head. "It's okay. I haven't been here for that long." The lie was obvious as the tent had been meticulously cleaned and organized but Naruto remained oblivious as usual.
Hinata adjusted her body awkwardly, painfully aware of the lingerie she was wearing beneath her clothes. She had wanted to surprise him with it as he entered the tent but he had taken so long that she ended up putting her clothes back on over the lingerie. She opened her mouth to speak but Naruto beat her to the punch.
"You won't believe what happened to me!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly instantly changing the topic. Hinata smiled and pushed the lingerie topic to the back of her mind.
"The most amazing thing happened to me on my way back to the camp!" Naruto continued without giving Hinata a chance to respond. "It was really dark tonight and I got lost in the middle of the forest. I had no idea what to do, but then I suddenly saw something in the sky. There were these beautiful stars that were shining at me. They looked just like you, Hinata!"
Hinata gasped silently and emotion grew thick in her throat.
"It was like you were guiding me home. I don't know what I would have done without it!" Naruto grinned widely, not having the common sense to be embarrassed.
Hinata's heart swelled and she clutched her chest tightly. Tears welled up in her eyes and she tried to hide them by burying her face in Naruto's chest.
Naruto, however, caught a glimpse of the tears and misunderstood them. Is she really that worried about me getting lost? Naruto wrapped his arms around Hinata and kissed her forehead trying to reassure her of his well being.
Hinata, of course, misunderstood this as a sign of affection and was once again overcome with emotion. Tears fell down her face and she nuzzled her cheek against Naruto's chest. Naruto fell backwards into a sitting position bringing Hinata crashing down with him. The two laughed and rolled around playfully. The movement made Hinata very aware of the type of underwear she was wearing and she quickly stood up.
Naruto frowned and sat up slowly. He opened his mouth to speak, but Hinata silenced him with her hand. Her face flushed and she slowly took a deep breath. "I bought something special when I was in town. I wanted to show you…. But I was nervous."
"Why?" Naruto asked as he looked around the tent for whatever it was that Hinata bought.
"C-Close your eyes…" Hinata mumbled softly, toying with the hem of her shirt.
Naruto obeyed but a familiar sense of foreboding came across him as he recognized the sounds of clothes shuffling.
"You can open your eyes now…" Hinata said her voice barely above a whisper.
Naruto opened his eyes tentatively. He glimpsed a bit bare flesh and his eyes were forced wide open. Hinata stood before him in the tiniest outfit he had ever seen. The transparent outfit revealed every inch of Hinata's bare body except for the three spots where there was a swirled pattern of lace. However, Naruto's mind could easily fill in the blanks.
Naruto gulped loudly as a trickle of blood began to drip from his nose. Hinata immediately noticed this and gasped. "You're hurt! Hold on, I'll grab a towel!" Hinata turned around to search through their belonging giving Naruto a clear view of her rear. Naruto was suddenly very aware that she had indeed learned the right way to wear a thong.
Blood began to seep from Naruto's nose as Hinata bent over a pile of clothes and pulled out a small towel. She turned around and gasped again at the increased amount of blooding dripping down Naruto's face.
"What happened to you?" Hinata exclaimed as she tried to stop the blood with her towel.
"Uh….." Naruto gaped desperately trying to think of a cover up. "I ran into a tree! When I was lost in the forest!"
"You must have broken something!" Hinata panicked as she continued to wipe up blood.
Naruto shook his head. "N-No! I'm fine. Really."
Hinata wasn't convinced, but she didn't push the issue. Naruto closed his eyes and tried to think of something else besides a naked Hinata. The blood finally stopped and Hinata was able to clean it off Naruto's face. Hinata discarded the towel and sat beside Naruto, the lingerie outfit forgotten. Naruto opened his eyes and turned towards Hinata making sure not to look below her neckline.
"I like your….outfit." Naruto muttered softly.
Hinata smiled as a blush burned across her cheeks. "T-Thanks… They're my new pajamas."
Naruto coughed loudly. She is going to be wearing that every night! I'm not going to survive….
Naruto collapsed onto his bed still fully dressed. Hinata joined him, her boobs threatening to pop out of her outfit. Naruto discreetly squeezed his nose and stopped the imminent nosebleed.
There were several minutes of silence as Naruto focused his mind on pure and innocent thoughts.
"My body makes you nervous, doesn't it?" Hinata asked abruptly.
Naruto froze. He tried to think of an excuse but he couldn't. He sighed softly and nodded his head. "I don't really have a lot of experience around girls. I almost expect you to hit me every time I see you naked."
Hinata suddenly flicked Naruto hard on the nose.
Naruto yelped in surprise and sat up. "What was that for!" he yelled as he rubbed his nose.
"Are you more comfortable with me now?" Hinata asked with a playful smirk.
Naruto glared lightheartedly. "No, but I'm more annoyed!" he shouted in mock anger. He reached over to poke Hinata, but she quickly dodged and tackled him. She sat on her chest and pinned his arms with her knees.
"You can do better than that, Naruto." Hinata said with a wide grin.
"I let you win!" Naruto retorted defensively.
"Oh really?" Hinata winked as she stuck a single finger into her mouth. "Well then, this is your punishment for 'letting' me win." Naruto squirmed as Hinata's wet finger drew closer to his face.
"W-Wait…. What are you going to-" Naruto was suddenly cut off as Hinata stuck her finger in Naruto's ear. Naruto craned his head to the side trying to stop Hinata from giving him a wet willie, but it was too late.
"You're so evil!" Naruto moaned as he tried to rub his wet ear against his shoulder.
Hinata giggled. "And this…this is your reward." She said as she leaned down to Naruto's face and pressed her lips against his. Naruto's body went slack and his eyes widened in surprise. Then, just as he was starting to get into the kiss, Hinata pulled back and it was over.
Naruto's brow furrowed with suspicion. "I'm starting to get the feeling that this is some sort of game…"
Hinata laughed. "If it was, you would be losing."
"But you see…. I never lose. Especially at games." Naruto grinned evilly and suddenly threw Hinata off him and onto her back. He then climbed on top of her mirroring the position she had just been in.
"Ooh, you beat me with such physical strength. What a brute…" Hinata chirped in a goading tone.
"What did you say?" Naruto teased as he turned his wet ear towards Hinata.
Hinata laughed. "Do your worst, brute! You can't break me!"
Naruto beamed with pure mischief. "Is that so? If I remember correctly, you are extremely ticklish…"
Hinata's eyes widened. "You wouldn't…"
Naruto scoffed. "I would." He slowly trailed a finger up and down Hinata's side. Hinata shivered with the anticipation of being tickled.
"Okay! Okay! You win! I give up." Hinata yelled in protest as Naruto gave her a few test tickles.
"You have to buy me lunch the next time we are at Ichiraku's!""
Hinata glared in fake protest. "Never!"
"We'll see about that." Naruto said as he continued tickling Hinata. The lingerie gave him easy access to all of her tickle spots.
Hinata endured several moments of gruesome tickling before finally giving in. "Alright! I give! I'll buy you lunch when we get back to the village!" Hinata yelled in between laughs. Naruto got off her and Hinata sat up to wipe the tears of laughter from her eyes.
"I told you I always win at games." Naruto said triumphantly.
Hinata smiled. "I let you win."
Naruto laughed and lay back down onto his pillow. "I guess I'll have to reply the favor."
Hinata curled up next to Naruto and rested her head on his chest. "I'm sure you will think of something." She grabbed Naruto's hand and intertwined her fingers with his. She stared at the sparkling ring on her finger and sighed happily. "You are my fiancée, after all."
"That's a lot of pressure." Naruto joked, but Hinata was already asleep. Naruto smiled softly, pulled Hinata close and drifted off to sleep.
I hope you all enjoyed that! I am really trying to portray the feeling that Naruto and Hinata are getting more and more comfortable with each other. Im pretty much set on putting ayame into my story when the time skip ends. I also had an idea to make her like both Naruto AND Hinata because I think that could lead to some funny adult humor. Once again, I'll reassure you guys that this will always be a NaruXHina and not a harem. Please leave your thoughts and suggestions in a review and don't forget to review this chapter as well!