Chapter Twelve:

Hinata walked up to the door quickly. She knew Naruto would have just teleported in. She was quite used to guests by now, and looking at the clock, she knew it would be Hanabi or one of the Konoha 11.

They often had somebody over. Naruto's team had dinner at least once a week, and Fumiko usually joined them. They appeared individually at random times. Konohamaru popped up whenever he was free. The Konoha 11, or Kurenai-sensei and Hiruzen, or Hanabi, would also pop up in the day, when she would be home after teaching at the Academy.

Sure enough, she opened the door to find Konohamaru, who looked unusually grim.

"Client's dead, and nii-san's on his way back. He was too tired to use the Hiraishin." Konohamaru informed her, "Bunch of A-to-B-rank missing nins have formed an alliance."

Hinata's eyes widened, "Come on in. How do you know all this?"

"Tsunade-sama sent me to inform you. Nii-san dealt with all the missing nins, but the mission was still a failure." Konohamaru sighed, and said knowingly, "Nii-san's going to be upset. The only mission he ever failed was the Sasuke-retrieval one."

"Maybe." Hinata said absently, biting her lip, "Arigatou, Konohamaru."

Konohamaru nodded, "I'll see you later, Hinata-san."

"See you." Hinata stood up and walked back to the kitchen.

Hinata waited, tensed, standing by the window for any sign of him.

He arrived eventually, sweaty and grimy and looking tired.

As soon as she saw him she held her arms out. Naruto collapsed into them, making them both fall onto the couch. He buried his face in her shoulder, shaking.

She massaged his back with one hand and stroked his hair with the other.

"Naruto-kun… It's okay. You did your best." She held him tighter, "I know you feel bad because your client died, but you prevented others from a more terrible fate. I'm proud of you."

Naruto was quiet, so she continued.

"You're the pride of our village, all your friends. You had no choice but to kill those missing nins, Naruto-kun."

He grunted, and she could feel his lips forming a small smile against her neck.

"Arigatou, Hinata."

She kissed his head, "And I always trust you to come back safe."

"As long as you're there waiting for me, I'll always come back safe." Naruto replied softly, kissing her shoulder.

She smiled again, stroking his hair.

"You're late. I expected you to come home earlier."

"Ah… yeah, I was comforting the team. Fumio was depressed, Katashi looked troubled, and Hanako was furious. So, yeah… Had to reassure them, y'know? My duty as their sensei and all."

Hinata hugged him, "Come on, I have ramen ready."

"Ramen?" Naruto's eyes lit up, "What's the occasion?"

Hinata smiled, "I'm just glad you're safe."

Hinata slipped on her dressing gown and yawned before going downstairs. She had fallen asleep for the fourth time, and she was tired of trying to stay up.

Her feet made no noise as she entered the library. Naruto was sitting on one corner of the table, scrolls and books in front of him. She knew what he was doing. Just that particular scroll containing notes in his crawly, messy handwriting was enough to show her what he was searching on. He'd been searching for a long time, but he was no Jiraiya, and he was no Minato either. And the Caged Bird Seal complicated matters a lot.

Naruto didn't even look up when she entered, and he jumped when she put her hand on his shoulder.

"Oh! Hey, Hina-chan." He looked up and smiled wearily, "Tired of trying to stay up, huh?"

"You can work later, Naru-kun." She whispered, "You're tired too. You haven't rested since you returned from the mission, and it's almost morning now."

He looked apologetic, "Sorry, Hina… I'm almost there. I'll be up in a while. You go to bed, koibito."

Hinata sighed, but gave him a smile and a quick peck on the cheek before going out. But instead of going to bed she went to the kitchen and took out some Instant Ramen, heated it, and took it to the library.

"Eat this first." She told Naruto.

He smiled at her, "Arigatou."

Giving her a quick kiss, he moved his notes away and joined her. As he slurped down the ramen, Hinata rewrote all his notes on another scroll. Her neat and clear handwriting made it much easier to decipher the context.

Naruto hurriedly finished his ramen and turned back to his work. Hinata sat down beside him.

"Where are you stuck?" She asked quietly.

Naruto pointed out the problems he was facing, and Hinata, despite her intelligence, found herself muddled.

"I'm sorry, Naru-kun. I don't know how you can even understand what you're doing."

Naruto laughed quietly, "Yeah, I think it's my genes."

Hinata remained by his side, however, and presently fell asleep with her head on his shoulder. Naruto was so engrossed in his work he didn't even notice.

He was going to get up to take a leak when he noticed the extra weight on his shoulder. He smiled lovingly as he stroked Hinata's hair and very slowly and carefully lifted her in his arms, bridal-style.

'She must be exhausted too.' Naruto thought when she didn't even stir as he teleported himself upstairs.

Smiling softly, he laid her down and pulled her arms out of her dressing gown. She stirred slightly, but settled back when she felt his thumb stroking her cheek.

He tucked her up, smiling wistfully as he stared at her lacy nightgown. Then he kissed her forehead and went to the bathroom.

Hinata woke up to an empty bed. She sat up when she heard a rustle, but snuggled up in the covers again when she found Naruto standing near their bed, slipping on his Hokage-candidate robes.

"When did you come back to bed?" She asked, yawning.

He looked startled, and then replied guiltily, "Just now, to take a shower and get dressed."

But then he came over, an excited sparkle in his eye.

"It's almost ready, Hinata-chan." Naruto told her, "I'll finally be able to live up to the promise I made to Neji."

"You'll finally change the Hyuuga Clan." Hinata whispered, awed.

"Go down and check out the notes when you have time, koibito. I have to get going. I'll be back late, probably with the team."

"Oh?"

Naruto replied guiltily, "The Chuunin Exams are coming up. I'm teaching them the rasengan, and I don't think they can learn it on their own like I did."

"They probably can't." She agreed.

Naruto bent over and kissed her cheek, and then her lips, "I love you."

"Be safe." She replied, watching him disappear in a flash of light.

"Hey, sensei. Whatcha look so dazed for?" Hanako asked brightly, "Oh! Hi Katashi-kun!"

"Hey."

"I'm going to be Hokage." Naruto murmured.

Katashi muffled a snicker, "Sensei, looked at your back recently? I think it was announced a long time back."

Naruto ignored him, "I'm going to be Hokage."

This time, all three of them put their hands on their mouths, muffling the chuckles they couldn't suppress.

"I'M GOING TO BE HOKAGE!" Naruto yelled, and his three students burst out laughing.

"Sensei, you seriously are the number one most knuckleheaded and surprising ninja!" Hanako giggled.

"Hey! Watch what you say!" Naruto replied.

Katashi snickered, "Really, sensei. Every time I think I know you, you surprise me."

Fumio just laughed.

"Hey! Stop laughing!" Naruto cried, "Or else I won't treat you guys!"

Immediately, their jaws were stuck as if with glue.

"Let's see how much you guys have improved."

After pairing them up with three shadow clones, Naruto called them together.

"You guys have seriously improved, especially after the ninjutsu scrolls I gave you. Hanako, your weapons training with Tenten really paid off. Fumio, the diet schedule that Sakura gave you has turned you from—"

"A scrawny skinny scarecrow." Hanako put in, smiling endearingly.

"To—"

"A super cool genin?" Fumio put in a tad bit hopefully.

"Stop interrupting me. Katashi, you've improved your skills too."

Naruto smiled at the three fondly.

"But most importantly, you guys have become best friends. You have each other's backs all the time. I'm proud of you guys."

"Arigatou, sensei." All three bowed.

"That's why I'm teaching you something that he—" Naruto jerked a thumb towards the Yondaime's mountainous face, "Created."

"Wow." Hanako murmured.

"And for your information, I was so dazed because I'm going to be the official Hokage in a month."

"WHAT!?"

Naruto snickered, and handed them all water balloons.

"The task is to burst the balloon by rotating the water inside with chakra. This is the first step of learning the rasengan. You guys can start practicing, and don't come to me for the next step until all three of you have learnt it. Meanwhile…"

"The Boss is treating us." Konohamaru Corps (Still called so despite being chuunin) appeared from behind a tree.

"You guys go on and order at Ichiraku's, I'm coming in a sec."

Naruto hung back towards the trees, a smirk on his face.

"Spotted me already, ne, Naruto? Maybe I'm going soft."

"Or maybe I'm actually able to sense an A-Class ex-ANBU-captain." Naruto rolled his eyes, "Something specific ya want?"

"No. I was just observing." Kakashi had a serious, regretful look on his face, "You really learn from my mistakes, huh, Naruto? Giving your students individual, equal attention. Having them hide nothing from each other. Getting close to them in order to bring them closer together. You're acting more like a big-brother or a father-figure than a sensei, you know that?"

Naruto smiled, "I'm doing my best. But, y'know, Kakashi-sensei, it depends on the person too. You were my elder-brother or father-figure, after Iruka-sensei."

With that, he waved, "Ja ne."

And he disappeared, leaving Kakashi staring at him, a sentimental look on his face.

'Damn you, Naruto. How do you manage to see the best in everyone?'

Naruto smiled as he entered the kitchen. Hinata was busy cooking.

"Do I have to cook for five, Naruto-kun?" She asked wearily.

His smile wavered, "No. Just me tonight."

Hinata didn't reply, so he went over and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Hey." He kissed her neck, "Hinata-chan… I'm sorry. I know things have been hectic, what with the Chuunin Exams in three days and the team dropping off for training. I promise I'll make it up to you."

Hinata remained silent.

"Please, Hina-chan." He whispered huskily, "I've already booked my day off for tomorrow, so that the two of us can spend the day alone. Please, forgive me?"

Hinata sighed, and then turned around to kiss him.

"You don't need to take the entire day off for me, Naru-kun. Just… go late and come back early."

"Are you sure?"

Hinata nodded, "I can't be as selfish as to make you leave your responsibilities. We leave for Suna in a day, and your team needs a lot of training."

"Arigatou, Hinata-chan." He smiled, "Whatcha making?"

"Dumplings. Akira-ne-san invited us over for dinner at her and Iruka-sensei's apartment."

"Yeah?" Naruto waited until she had packed up the dumplings.

Then he grabbed her, turned her around, kissing her, and teleported them upstairs. Naruto backed her up against the bathroom wall, his hands moving quickly, unzipping her dress.

"You're late." Akira frowned critically.

Naruto grinned widely, "Well… let's just say a beautiful woman crossed my path."

Hinata blushed, but smiled at Akira, "I brought dumplings!"

"Thanks, Hinata, but you really shouldn't have…"

"It's quite all right."

"Hey, Aki, maybe you should ask Hinata how she makes her dumplings. She makes them really good." Iruka stepped out, "How are you two?"

"We're fine, sensei." Naruto replied.

"You know I'm not your sensei anymore. In fact, you should start calling me nii-san now." Iruka grinned widely.

"Nani?" Naruto cocked his head, confused.

Iruka and Akira held their hands out. Naruto's eyes focused on the matching gold bands.

"WHAT!?" He yelled.

"We got married this evening." Iruka replied with a grin.

Naruto sulked, "Perfect. I'm not even invited to my own sister's wedding."

"There's more." Akira grinned widely, and Iruka hugged her.

"You're going to be an Uncle soon." She told him.

With a twitch, Naruto fainted.

Hinata laughed quietly as she shook her husband awake.

"Naruto, wake up already." She whispered, "Even I never took that long to recover from a fainting spell."

"So you say." Iruka teased.

"How far along are you?" Hinata asked Akira eagerly.

Akira answered as she emptied a bottle of chilled water on Naruto's face, "Two months."

"Aaaah!" Naruto sat up, shuddering, "What… what's going on?"

Hinata suppressed a chuckle at his bewildered expression, "You fainted, Naru-kun."

"What… oh yeah!" he straightened himself, "Congratulations!"

"Thank you." Akira grinned at him brightly, "Come on, knucklehead, dinner's ready."

The two couples went in Iruka's dining room and sat down.

"Naruto, did you tell Iruka-kun?"

"Tell me what?"

Akira smiled, "I guess not. Naruto's going to become Hokage immediately after the Chuunin Exams."

Hinata squeezed Naruto's hand.

Naruto stared down at the table, whispering, "Baa-chan's sick."

"What?"

"She's sick, okay? She's dying." He retorted heatedly, looking away, "That's why she's naming me Hokage so suddenly. She said she wants to see me achieve my dream before leaving."

Akira and Iruka stared at him, and he smiled shakily, "I'm not allowed to tell anyone technically. It's still a secret. Not even Sakura knows."

Akira stood up and hugged her surrogate brother, tears crawling down her cheeks, "I'm so sorry, Naruto."

Naruto nodded, "I am too, ne-san."

"You didn't tell me why she named you Hokage so suddenly." Hinata whispered.

Naruto's hand, which had been stroking her almost-bare shoulder up until now, paused.

Hinata buried her face in his neck.

"G-Gomen." She whispered, "I just…"

He smiled softly, "It's ok, Hinata-chan. I found out today, why she had done it so suddenly. That too because I needed to know why she couldn't go to Suna for the Exams. She's so tired nowadays she can't even do the paperwork. I left four clones with her to handle that. And then, when I came home, it just slipped my mind. I didn't want to worry you."

Hinata stroked his hair, "I'm so sorry, Naru-kun."

"It's just weird, y'know? First Jiraiya, then Tsunade, no matter how much you try, you can't really escape death. Not when it's destined for you."

Hinata hugged him tightly.

He sighed, and then forced a smile and changed the topic.

"Ne-san tell you if she's thought of any names?"

"She wants to name the boy after you." Hinata replied softly, "And if it's a girl, Aiki."

"After me, huh?"

"She said she wants him to be the first of many boys called Naruto."

Naruto's eyes welled up with tears, and Hinata kissed his mouth warmly.

"Hard to believe." He murmured softly, "Sometimes, I feel that all this popularity is just a dream."

"If it is, I hope we never wake up. I love you."

"I love you too, koibito."

"Good night, Naruto-kun."

"Goodnight, hime."

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