Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Notes: Thank you so much for the reviews and the comments! It's been a hot minute since I have written anything from Naruto's POV and honestly I was a bit nervous haha. I'm so glad it came across well and y'all are enjoying! This has definitely given me more confidence to consider adding a chapter to The Mission from Naruto's POV.

All my love, ~Luna

Kakashi has called all active jounin in the village to meet in a small room in the basement of Hokage Tower and really, Naruto thinks, he could have picked a bigger room. There is only standing room left when Naruto arrives, having received the summons while training with Konahamaru in a distant field. He finds an open space of wall and leans quietly back, close to a corner and having to lean sideways to make room for the others around him.

He scans the room and returns greetings while they wait. Face split in a wide smile and eyes upside down curves of amusement as Lee tells him about the latest training scheme he's working through. Naruto makes notes to help adjust his own routine but his attention is pulled as the door opens and he glances up to see her enter. She is in her usual outfit, now adjusted for the warmer weather, sleeveless, and no jacket to hide the shape of her. Naruto tries to pull his eyes away before she can notice, before anyone can notice, but he catches Sakura's eyes as he looks away and winces as the sharp smile on her lips. There's really not much room left, even to stand and Sakura is conveniently only a few feet away from him on his right closer to the door. She reaches out and snags Lee's arm to pull him closer to her, ending his boisterous dialogue and creating a very small space between himself and Naruto, before waving Hinata in with a warm smile and happy greeting. Hinata looks at the spot, eyes glancing quickly over the room and then she moves to stand beside him, turned slightly to the side to take up as little room as possible.

It really doesn't help. "Ano, hello Naruto-kun. Excuse me" she says with a small smile at him before turning to press her right shoulder and part of her upper back to the wall, facing away from him.

"Hi Hinata!" he greets her back in his usual voice, hoping the tightening nerves running the right side of his body don't come across in his voice. Even turned as they are, their bodies are touching. It's small little brushes as they shift to get comfortable, the back of her left leg brushes the front of his right. Her hair slides across his chest and then clings just a bit to the front of his dark jacket. He drops his right arm so that he won't bump her but immediately realizes his mistake as it shifts him closer, arm now effectively wedged between her and the wall. He flattens his hand against his own leg, sliding his arm back as far as it will go.

Naruto can see how tense she is, arms crossed to wrap her middle but trying to give as much room to the two men standing either side of her. Her head is up, a light tinge of pink on her cheeks. He wants to say something to help her relax, usually can find words without even thinking but his throat is tight and the words he wants to say can't be said here and now. Instead he settles for turning his head to look at the front of the room where Kakashi is getting ready to speak, tries to regulate his breathing and hopes this will be quick.

On the other side of Hinata, Sakura has drawn Lee into conversation and is his usual excitement he bumps into Hinata behind him while striking a pose to emphasize his point. Hinata gives a small "Eep" as she's pushed back against Naruto and for his part, Naruto goes rigid. Instinctively, his hands come up to steady her. She's not going to fall over from such a small bump and the bare distance she moves to bump into him but his traitorous mind won't pass up a chance to touch. She's pressed to him now and slightly off balance. He holds her there for a second, then when Lee has straightened from his pose with a loud "Gomen!" Naruto gives her a very gentle push to right her. She's waving her hands before her, assuring Lee that everything is forgiven, that there isn't anything to forgive. Naruto wonders how long it will take for her to notice his hands are still gripping her waist.

He drops the left hand but keeps his right where it is. That seems to be the trigger for her to glance back at him. He smiles his usual smile and just shrugs, doesn't trust his voice yet. And then his heart goes from the slightly quicker pace to a full gallop when she turns back to Lee and leans just slightly into the pressure of his hand accepting the unspoken offer of support.

Naruto feels the flush start in his cheeks and quickly turns his head to look back to the front of the room. Kakashi is finally ready to begin, and even behind his mask Naruto can tell his smile is tight and slightly forced. His sensei is tired and overworked, Naruto feels a slight twinge of guilt for being upset about the meeting and tries to give his full attention. It's hard to ignore the feel of Hinata pressed into his hand though. Even through the layers of her clothes and light armor he can feel her body heat and every slight shift she makes to try and get comfortable. He tries not to move his hand at all, tries not to flex his fingers even as they cramp from the tension.

It's the upcoming chunin exams, that's why Kakashi-sensei needed them all there. Even in a time of peace, there needs to be security and given that the Land of Wind is hosting the chunin exams this year, there's the additional need to consider the health of the various students traveling through the desert.

By the time the meeting ends Naruto has cramps in half the muscles in his body and is gritting his teeth to keep from moving his hand against Hinata's waist. As people get up from chairs and shift against walls to escape the tight room he's jostled slightly from behind and she's bumped from the side and they are once again pressed together. The left side of her back pressed to the right side of his front and there's really no space between them. No way to move away from each other either and so Naruto doesn't try. Just settles into the pressure of her and waits. She is still tense in front of him, obviously ready to move the second she can. Against his better judgment, Naruto tightens the hand on her waist, hidden against the wall by their position and holds her in place when she might have been able to pull away. She tenses a bit more but doesn't pull away and he's already regretting it when she takes a deep breath and then relaxes slowly back against him. "Arigato Naruto-kun, it is probably best to wait until there is more room to move" she says lightly without turning to look at him and Naruto blinks and nods before he remembers she can't see him and murmurs back, "Hai. I think so."

These are more than just casual touches, though perhaps they skirt the line of what might be considered friendly contact. At least if you take it as a him must bracing a friend who has been jostled, the tight space of the room and such. But really, there's no way Naruto can explain away the tight grip he has on her waist or the way she's leaning full back against him as casual. And he's very aware that if the room wasn't so crowded, so busy with everyone just trying to get back to their duties or free time, others would notice and think the same. Sakura surely does when she glances at the two of them before moving slowly forward to give Lee room to step forward as well. Then there is no excuse for the proximity and Naruto releases Hinata as she moves away from him. Following her out of the room and pausing just outside the door while Sakura catches her in conversation about something at the hospital.

He's only half listening, still very caught in the tingling feeling along the right side of his body when he hears his name. Sakura and Hinata are looking at him, awaiting his response and he immediately tries to assess if not answering, not knowing what he should be responding to, will get him punched through the nearest wall. Sakura just smiles wider, making him wince and up his chances from 10% to 50% when he reaches up to scratch the back of his neck with one hand while the other catches on his hip and he smiles sheepishly. "Ahaha, gomen! I didn't hear you."

Hinata smiles back and just shakes her head before raising her hand to wave away his apology. "No problem Naruto-kun, it wasn't that imp-" but Sakura cuts in smoothly with "Hinata needs some help getting some ingredients for her medicinal ointments. We've gone through most of our supplies at the hospital and since I know you were mostly free today I suggested you could help her."

He's not really free today, was supposed to be training with Konohamuru for most of the day and he's sure Sakura knows this. He was planning to excuse himself and head back just a moment ago but instead finds his head nodding, even as he prepares to send a clone to Konohamaru. "Sure!"

Hinata is blushing slightly and still waving her hands in front of her, "There's really no need! You were training, and I don't want to disrupt your plans." Naruto blinks at her before looking down at himself and realizing that he is a bit dusty and probably a bit sweaty too. The training had started at dawn and it was approaching midday. Well, now he's very aware that it must have been rather unpleasant to be pressed that close to him in a small space for so long and his face flushes as well. "Ahaha, sorry about that! I really don't mind helping but I can go clean up first."

Hinata's light eyes widen and now her hand movements are almost jerky, "Oh no! I didn't mean anything like that! You don't smell bad at all Naruto-kun!" and then she's bright red and Naruto is afraid she'll faint like she used to. He's red as well and also conscious that they are standing just outside the meeting room while the stragglers meander out and Sakura is practically cackling in the background next to them. "Um…." he's not really sure what to say next and Hinata seems stuck too.

Sakura appears to see it and jumps in to save him, "Why don't you go clean up Naruto? Hinata and I can go to the hospital to review the stores and what's needed and you can meet us in front in about 30 minutes." Naruto turns to her and nods happily, thankful for the rescue. "I'll do that. See you in 30!" He doesn't wait to hear if Hinata protests anymore, doesn't want to give the situation a chance to get any more awkward.

Thirty minutes later, he's showered and waiting outside the front doors of the hospital. He's had to send several clones to train with Konohamaru but after the first one has been dispersed back to him, he gets the memories of its discussion with the younger shinobi and knows that Konohamaru isn't upset with him. He almost seemed happy for Naruto and that's a bit worrying, if only because it means that Naruto hasn't been as good at hiding his feelings as he has hoped. Granted he spends a lot of time with his young friend and it shouldn't be surprising if Konohamaru has picked up on something.

Naruto turns as the doors to the hospital open and the two women step out. Hinata is holding a scroll in one hand, which Naruto assumes is the list of needed ointments, or ingredients. Hinata smiles shyly at him as he moves closer to them, standing on the ground while they are several steps above him. He's almost eye level with Hinata like this. He smiles back and hooks his hands behind his head. "So all set? Where too first?"

Sakura waves them off and heads back into the hospital to go to work. Naruto is careful to keep some space between himself and Hinata as they walk. Not sure his system can handle even casual touches at this point, and wanting to give her space as well.