Hinata grabbed the supply scroll and immediately began rushing back to Naruto. The excitement in her heart was almost overwhelming as her pulse quickened with every step closer she took. She could feel that this campfire would be different, especially after the way her and Naruto had teased each other yesterday. This was really happening...

Before she reached the top, she took another look out over the village. The amount of houses and buildings that had been constructed was staggering. At this rate, the village would be back in its prime in no time at all. Which meant that sooner or later, it would be harder to find an excuse to have an outdoor sleepover when Naruto got his new apartment. Plus, it was mid October, and soon it would be far too cold.

Maybe they could just stay in his apartment together, or she could sneak him into the new Hyuuga compound when it was built. That was always one of her fantasies...

What was she thinking? Sneaking Naruto into a place crawling with ninjas that can see through walls... yeah right. Now, his apartment on the other hand...

Hinata knew she was getting ahead of herself. They hadn't even kissed yet, or even told each other how they felt. Still, Hinata knew what she wanted, and she couldn't help but imagine her in Naruto's apartment... in his bed... together...

She shuddered at the thought.

For now, a tent would have to do. Hinata had waited this long, she could hold out a little longer. After all, she knew that good things come to those who wait.

"Naruto? Where did you go?" She had finally returned, but Naruto was nowhere to be found. Panic took over as she started to think he had changed his mind and abandoned her.

"Hey, what's up?"

She turned and saw Naruto coming out of the tree line... shirtless. Hinata instantly went red and tried not to seem too startled by him.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you! I've had the same clothes on for a couple days and decided to wash up in a nearby creek while you were gone. Hey, you look really red, you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine, I was just starting to think you bailed on me." Hinata said nervously.

"I think you know I wouldn't do that."

"I would hope not. So, um, here's what I brought..."

Hinata opened the scroll and unsealed everything within. A few different supplies appeared on the ground, including a tent, fire equipment, food and water, and a sleeping bag.

As Hinata began assembling the tent, Naruto bent down to help. It didn't take long, and the tent was set up in minutes.

"Ya know, I think setting up the tent is the only part I'm decent at." Naruto noted as he stood back up.

"Well, that's what I'm here for. We have all night, I'll show you everything I know." She replied.

All night, and this time, they didn't have to be back before sunrise. They were home now, they could spend time together and relax, at least for now. Surely they would be called upon to help with construction at some point. Still, the thought of waking up next to him in their sleeping bag sounded heavenly to her.

"Um, Hinata? I couldn't help but notice, there's... only one sleeping bag..." Naruto said anxiously.

"Oh yeah, um, I couldn't g-grab two of them without looking suspicious. Is that okay?" Now Hinata was anxious again. This was the moment of truth, whether or not Naruto would agree to sleep in the same sleeping bag as her, or if he preferred the ground.

"I mean, I'm okay with it if you are. Are you sure you're okay with sharing? I can sleep on the ground if you want. Wouldn't be my first time. I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

"I couldn't let you do that, Naruto. I'd much rather share. Besides, it's getting colder outside, and... I could use the extra warmth." Hinata said, avoiding eye contact. She was trying to be bold again, but she found it oddly difficult.

Naruto then came closer to her. She managed to look away from the ground and up to his whiskered face.

"I would love to keep you warm tonight, Hinata."

Perhaps it was Naruto's turn to be bold. Hinata blushed heavily as she thought about them cuddling together in a sleeping bag.

"I-I was hoping you would say that..."

"Well, I can't just let you freeze can I? After all, I did promise to take care of you."

"That's true, you did... wouldn't want to break another promise now, would we?" She said with a little more confidence in herself.

"You're never gonna let me live that down, are you?"

"Probably not, it's fun when I get to mess with you." Hinata said smiling at him.

"Well, I'm glad you're having fun." Naruto said with a laugh.

"And you're not?"

"Hey, I didn't say that! You know what I meant."

"I know, Naruto, just messing. Um, should we get the fire started?"

"Cold already?" Naruto teased.

"Just a little... it'll be dark soon." Hinata said as she bent down to start assembling the fire.

Naruto caught himself staring at her figure as she bent over in front of him to pick up the fire materials. What he didn't know was that she had done this on purpose.

"Aren't you going to help?" Hinata said looking back at him. She knew he had been staring and was tempted to point it out.

"Sorry, uh, yeah, so how do I do this? Every time I've tried this before, I can never get it to stay lit."

"Here, let me show you."

The two got the fire going after a few minutes of Naruto struggling to understand how to structure the wood. Once it was finally lit, it quickly took flame and burned bright orange.

"Hey, look at that! I guess I'm a fast learner." Naruto said happily.

Hinata laughed at his excitement. "Not too fast, I hope. If you got too good at this, you wouldn't need me anymore."

"Of course I would! This wouldn't be any fun without you."

"I'm glad you feel that way, Naruto. I really do enjoy spending time with you..."

"I feel the same, Hinata. You're different, ya know? In a good way, I mean. You make me feel something that nobody has made me feel before. I like it."

Hinata gasped as her eyes widened. What was he trying to say?

"W-What do you mean? What do I make you feel?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure how to describe it. It's just so different, and honestly really confusing. All I know is, I really like being around you, and now that we're home, I want us to spend more time together. I just hope you won't get sick of me."

"I could never get sick of you, Naruto. You're stuck with me."

"Promise?" He said smirking at her.

"Promise." She said with a giggle. "Are you hungry? I packed us some food."

"Heck yeah! What did you bring?"

"It's not much, just some chicken and rice. Oh, and I managed to get you some instant ramen."

"No way! You're the best, Hinata!"

"And don't you forget it." She said as she handed him the ramen and began to eat her food.

Naruto began cooking his food over the fire. Hinata took this opportunity to look at him without a shirt. Naruto was fit and lean, not overly muscular, but that was just how she liked him. She always thought too many muscles looked weird, not that she ever paid attention to anyone but Naruto anyway. He was just... perfect.

"Man, I've really missed this stuff." He said as he sat down next to her and began to stuff himself with ramen.

Hinata couldn't help but giggle. "I know how much you love ramen, but it's only been a few days, Naruto."

"Still, some things I wish I never had to go without."

"I know exactly how you feel..."

Naruto had finished his food first despite Hinata getting a head start. As soon as he was finished he laid down on his back with his arms behind his head and watched the almost black sky, just as he did a couple nights ago. Hinata eventually finished her food as well and laid next to him.

"This is really random, but I think space is the coolest thing in existence." Hinata said.

"Really? I've always thought the same thing. I used to stargaze all the time when I was little, in this very spot."

Hinata imagined a young Naruto all alone up here, watching the sky by himself. It made her sad, nobody should have to grow up that way.

He continued, "I used to think that people became stars when they died. Sometimes I would come up here and try to talk to them. Never got an answer, unfortunately."

"Well from now on, this is our spot. You'll never have to come up here by yourself again." Hinata claimed.

"Our spot? I don't know, I was here first..." Naruto teased.

"Well, is there anything I can do to convince you to let me come with you?" Hinata said as she sat up and turned to him.

"Hmm..." Naruto said, still laying down and pretending to consider it.

Hinata decided it was time to turn the tables. He had such a powerful grip on her without even trying. He could make her blush and tremble just by meeting her gaze. She needed him to understand how it felt. It was her turn to be in control.

'Remember what Sakura said. Be bold.' She told herself.

Suddenly, Hinata climbed on top of Naruto and sat on his waist, just as she had done yesterday.

"Anything at all?" She said seductively as she slowly dragged her nails down his skin from his chest to his abdomen.

The look on Naruto's face showed that she had successfully caught him off guard again. This only raised her confidence.

"Uh, m-maybe, what did you have in mind?" Naruto asked nervously.

Hinata then got off of him and walked toward the tent. She took a step inside and looked back at Naruto over her shoulder. He was sitting up now.

"Why don't you come find out?" She said as she disappeared into the tent.

Naruto was on his feet in less than a second. As soon as he stood up, he noticed his heart was beating faster, and his mind was racing. Why was she acting like this? What did she have planned? Whatever it was, he was more than eager to see for himself.

"Lay down." Hinata commanded as he entered the tent. Naruto did as he was told and laid down on his back on top of the sleeping bag.

"On your stomach, please." She said softly. Naruto flipped over and began wondering what in the hell she was about to do to him. He became confused when he saw her role her sleeves up.

"Hinata? What are you-?"

"Just relax, Naruto." She said softly as she sat on his lower back. "You trust me, don't you?"

"I-I trust you, Hinata."

"Good, then I think you're really going to like this."

Hinata began deeply massaging his shoulders, slowly making her way down his back. The moans Naruto elicited told her she was doing a good job, and she couldn't help but become aroused. Occasionally she would drag her nails down his back and watch him shiver from the sensitivity. She was enjoying this just as much as he was.

"Fuck, Hinata, that feels amazing." He said roughly.

"See? I told you you'd like it." She said as she began to rub his arms. She was glad he couldn't see her face, her eyes were half lidded and her cheeks were ablaze.

"I've never had a massage before. If they're as good as this every time, I might have to ask you for more in the future."

Hinata then leaned down and whispered into his ear, "Well, if you share your secret spot with me, you can have one whenever you like."

"You're very persuasive, aren't you?"

"I can be... so, do we have a deal?"

"Ohhh fuck... yeah, definitely." He said as she started rubbing a tight spot on his shoulder.

"Good, that wasn't so hard, was it?"

"You know I was kidding about not sharing, right?"

"I know, just wanted to play along."

As soon as Hinata was finished, she reluctantly got off of him and sat beside him, letting let him sit back up as well. He met her smile with his own, clearly very pleased with how Hinata had just treated him.

"Hinata, would you like one as well? I can't promise I'll be half as good as you, but I can try."

Hinata's eyes widened as she immediately thought about being shirtless with Naruto right behind her, rubbing and massaging her all over. Nothing sounded better than that, and at the same time, nothing made her more nervous.

"Um, I would love one, Naruto. But, are you sure you're okay with this? I mean, I'm gonna have to take off my jacket... and everything underneath it..."

"I'm okay with it as long as you are. I'll walk outside and let you get ready so I won't see anything. Only if you really want to, though. I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

"O-Okay, that's fine with me."

Naruto walked outside the tent and looked across the barren landscape that was left of the village. On the far side, he could see campfires set up where people without housing were staying. Yet here he was, all alone with Hinata, and because she had wanted to be alone with him. As he stood there, he couldn't help but think about what a topless Hinata would look like. After a minute of imagining, he found himself wanting to know for sure. This was certainly a new feeling for him.

Hinata took her jacket off, and then her mesh shirt, and finally her black bra. She anxiously laid down on the sleeping bag and called for him.

"I-I'm ready!"

"Okay, I'm coming in..."

Naruto entered the tent and looked in awe as Hinata laid there, waiting for him. He could only see her back, but he still marveled at how beautiful she looked. A few strands of her long dark hair ran wild across her smooth skin. Her back had somewhat of a valley that ran along her spine that he found oddly attractive. As he looked down further, he could see how her waist slimmed just before her pant line. He felt the sudden urge to grab her waist, to touch her.

Her attractiveness was starting to overwhelm him. He had never looked at girls like this before, and now here he was, fighting the temptation to flip her over and see what was on the other side.

"Are you sure you're okay with this, Hinata?" He said as he sat behind the small of her back.

"Yes, Naruto, you don't have to worry about me. I trust you." She said softly. She was nervous, yes, but Naruto could never make her uncomfortable. He would always be the only one who could see and touch her this way.

Naruto then tried to mimic what Hinata had done to him earlier. He had never tried anything like this, but he wanted to return the favor to her, and he really wanted to touch her body. He started at her shoulders, just as she had, and slowly made his way down her back. Occasionally Hinata would let out a quiet moan which would only arouse him further. He was loving this even more than when their roles were switched.

Hinata on the other hand was unsuccessfully trying to suppress her moans, for the pleasure she was feeling was far greater than she had expected. Her arousal had skyrocketed the very second he had put his hands on her. It wasn't just that her golden boy was sensually touching her bare back, but he was also actually doing a really good job at massaging her muscles. She brought her hand to her mouth in an attempt to silence herself.

Naruto gently grabbed her hand and pulled it away from her mouth.

"I want to to hear you, Hinata. Don't hold it in."

Hinata felt her cheeks flush even further as she heard this. Knowing he enjoyed her sounds only turned her on more. She let out a slightly louder moan as he hit a tight spot on her upper back.

Naruto leaned down next to her ear, just as she had done earlier. He whispered, "Does that feel good, Hina? It sounds like you like it too..."

"I love it Naruto... please, don't stop." She said as goosebumps appeared on her arms. She had no idea how she was still okay with this, for she normally would have passed out from being this... close to him. She almost wished he would turn her over and massage her chest instead. The thought of this only spiked her excitement.

Naruto continued for a while, enjoying the sounds she made and observing what he could of her mesmerizing body. His own arousal was nearly overpowering, and he had to force himself to stop and get off of her.

"Was that okay? I've never done that before."

"It was perfect, Naruto. And don't worry, you'll get plenty of practice later." She said looking at him with heavy eyelids.

"I'm glad to hear you say that, I was worried you would be uncomfortable."

"You could never make me feel uncomfortable, Naruto. Actually, I believe I told you not to stop."

Naruto laughed as she said this. "I know, but we have to get to sleep at some point." He said smiling at her.

"Mmm I disagree." Hinata said as she smiled back until she saw Naruto get up.

"I'll let you get dressed, just let me know when-"

"Wait," she interrupted. "You don't have to leave..."

"But, don't you want to, um, put your clothes back on?"

"You can just close your eyes, or turn your head... you don't have to go outside. I told you Naruto, I trust you."

"O-Okay then..." Naruto said as he looked away.

A moment went by until Hinata said she was decent.

"You can look, Naruto. What do you want to do now?"

"I know it's getting late, but I was thinking we could just talk for a little while before we go to sleep?" Naruto replied as he laid down on the sleeping bag. "Aren't you going to join me?"

Hinata wasted no time in taking her place beside him. She was happy that he still wanted to spend time awake with her, for she knew that when they awoke in the morning, their time alone would come to another dreadful end soon after. As much as she wanted to, they couldn't stay up here forever.

They talked for a while about random things, just enjoying each other's company in the dim tent. The light from the fire penetrated just enough for them to see each other's faces. Hinata suddenly decided to change the subject of their conversation.

"Naruto, have you thought more about this 'secret admirer' that Sasuke told you about?"

"I've been thinking about it ever since he told me. Why do you ask?"

"I-I'm just curious... I was just wondering if you had any idea who it might be." Hinata knew she was talking about herself but she didn't know how else to bring up this conversation.

Naruto went silent for a moment, like he was trying to process something mentally.

"Hinata, do you feel it too?"

"Feel... what, Naruto?"

"Us. I mean, I feel like we've gotten closer over the past couple of days than we have in years of knowing each other. For example, the back rubs... I wouldn't do that with anyone else. Not in the same way we did. And I don't think I'd want you to do that with anyone else either. And the way we acted towards each other yesterday, I don't want you to be like that to anybody but me. It's like I said earlier, you're different. You make me feel different. Do you feel that way too? I just... I want to know what this feeling is."

Hinata couldn't help but smile. Sure, he was dense, but maybe he was finally starting to come around, even if he didn't know it himself. Hinata decided there was no reason to sugarcoat it anymore. She would tell the truth, no matter what he asked her.

"I do feel it, Naruto. The difference is, I understand what I feel. I've known for a long time." She was borderline confessing her love for him again, but she didn't care. She meant it the first time, and if she had to tell him again now, she would mean it just as much.

Naruto felt his own heart jump. His suspicions were looking more and more like the truth. He knew he wanted her to be the one, but the thought of it becoming true was nerve wracking.

"W-What do you feel about me, Hinata? Please, help me understand." Naruto said as he sat up again. Hinata then sat back up as well and met his gaze.

He looked desperate and confused. She knew this was new to him, just as it was new to her. The only difference was that she knew what this feeling was called, and she knew for certain that she felt it.

"Do you remember back at the academy, when Iruka Sensei made us write down who we would spend our last day with if the world ended?" Hinata asked him.

"Yeah, I remember that. I couldn't think of an answer, so I made mine into a paper airplane and threw it out the window." Naruto said with a laugh.

"I know, and when I saw you do that, I knew exactly who I'd spend my last day with." Hinata said as she looked at him with genuine adoration. Naruto's eyes widened as he realized what she meant.

Sasuke's words echoed in his mind again, as they had repeatedly for the past couple days.

'There's a girl in Konoha that has feelings for you, and has for a long time. I won't tell you who it is. You need to discover that for yourself.'

"Hinata... it's you, isn't it? It was always you..."

"Do you want it to be me, Naruto?"

Naruto's gaze straightened and he spoke next with full confidence.

"More than anything."

He meant this with all of his heart. He couldn't bring himself to say he loved her, not yet, but he knew that he wanted to, and he knew that he could, in time. He knew he wanted her to love him back. He wanted her to be the one that shared this feeling with him. He wanted her to be the girl that had waited this long for him.

Hinata felt her heart flutter, and joy began to overcome what was left of her shyness. A smile found its way upon her face, and it grew wider and brighter with each passing moment.

"Then, you have your answer, Naruto. It's me. I've waited all this time for you to realize it, and I'd wait for an eternity longer if that's what it took."

Naruto then felt the crushing weight of guilt. She had waited for him for so long, and he hadn't even taken five seconds to stop and pay enough attention to see it for himself. Furthermore, here she was, claiming that she would wait forever longer if she had to. Why? Why was he so special to her? So special that he was worth waiting an eternity for?

"...Why? Tell me, Hinata, after all this time of me being completely clueless, why did you not give up on me?How could you not hate me for being so dense?" Naruto said. Through his tears, Hinata could see the desire in his eyes. He didn't just want to know, he needed to.

"I could never hate you, Naruto. For the same reason that you're the only one I want to have massages with, the only person I want to go camping with late at night. The same reason that you are the one person I trust more than anyone else."

Hinata brought her hand to his cheek, and said the exact words she had said once before.

"Because... I love you, Naruto. I always will."