As the rays of the morning sun peered into the hospital room, Naruto's eyes opened to see a beautiful pair of pearly orbs staring back at him. Hinata smiled brightly as she noticed him wake up, seemingly happy just to meet his gaze again.

That look alone was worth waking up for.

"Hey you. How'd you sleep?" He said tiredly.

"Hey sleepy head. I slept good, thanks to you. You make a great pillow. How about you?"

Her morning voice was similar to his in the sense that it was very quiet, barely above a whisper.

"All things considered... yeah, I slept pretty good too."

"Good, I was hoping you would. Are you feeling any better?"

"A lot better, actually. My body aches are gone and my head is nearly there. My stomach hurts a little, though."

"The nurse did say that you might be nauseous."

"No no, not that kind of hurt." Just then, Naruto's stomach rumbled loudly, followed by him letting out an embarrassed laugh. "See what I mean?"

Hinata's eyes widened and she sat up abruptly.

"Oh, Naruto! I totally forgot, you haven't eaten anything since before you came to my house! You must be starving!"

"I'm a little hungry, but it's nothing to worry about. I can wait until we get out of here."

"No way. I'm going out right now to get you some food."

Hinata climbed out of the bed and quickly prepared to leave. Naruto couldn't help but chuckle at her concern for him. Truthfully, he was pretty hungry, but he didn't want her to feel like it was her responsibility to keep him fed. After all, she hadn't known that he was coming over, and she certainly couldn't have known that she'd have to drag him to the hospital and leave him here overnight.

"Hinata, really, it's fine. You don't have to-"

"I'm getting you food, love. Do you have any requests?"

"I request that you stay here with me. I'm supposed to check out later today, so it's not like I'm gonna starve between now and then. Besides, didn't you say you weren't gonna leave me until I was all better?" Naruto said with a smirk.

"That's so not fair. Are you really gonna make me say it?"

"Say what?" Naruto replied with an eyebrow raised.

"...You have five seconds to choose before I get you nothing but vegetables."

"What!?"

"Five."

"Are you serious?"

"Four."

He said nothing, looking at her in amusement as he started to laugh.

"Three."

This time, he started to laugh so hard that he couldn't stop to speak. He honestly couldn't tell if she was joking or not, but that didn't make it any less funny.

"Two."

"Just, wait a second!" He said between laughs.

"One!"

"Okay! Ramen!" He spat out quickly. It wasn't a hard choice. To Naruto, there was no better food to eat than ramen, especially when he was as hungry as he was right now... He wouldn't admit that, though.

"See? That wasn't so hard." She said sweetly as his laughter died down.

"You're hilarious, do you know that?"

"I try to be. Can't risk letting you get bored of me." She said with a playful smile.

"Impossible!"

Naruto loved how much she had come out of her shell lately. She seemed infinitely less nervous around him compared to how she was before they understood each other's feelings. It was like she had comfortably adapted herself into his life and was here to stay. He certainly had no complaints.

"If anything, I'm gonna be pretty bored here without you."

"Trust me, you'll be happy I left after you get some food in you. I'll be back before you know it."

"If you insist. Hurry back to me, okay? I hate being in the hospital by myself. And... I want to lay in bed with you a little longer."

Hinata leaned down and gave him a sweet kiss before running her hand through his messy hair.

"After you eat, we can stay in bed all day if you want."

"Promise?"

"Promise." She said with a laugh. "Love you, see you soon!"

And just like that, she was gone, determined to bring back a tasty meal for her beloved.

"I love you too, Hinata."

Naruto sat alone with his thoughts for a while. The first thing he wanted to do when he got of here was to take a long, hot shower. He hadn't had a chance to freshen up since coming home from his mission and he could tell that he really needed it.

And after that, it was gonna be just him and Hinata, doing whatever the hell they wanted. Naruto was still self conscious about them missing out on this relationship for so long, and because of that, he had a burning ambition to make up for it.

He wanted them to chase new experiences together that they'd never forget, to explore their relationship and its capabilities limited only by the planet they walked on.

He was already fantasizing about all the different kinds of fun dates he wanted them to go on. Some, they would be completely alone and casual, such as a relaxing stroll through the forest, or maybe a private picnic.

Others, they would dress up for a wild night out and shamelessly flaunt their undying love for each other in front of everyone, just to show the whole world that they needed only each other.

Or, perhaps some days they would simply stay at home and passionately make love all day until their bodies couldn't handle any more pleasure. In the end, it was all in an attempt to make the most of the time they had together, even though Naruto knew that an eternity spent with her would not be enough for him. Even after death, he would search for her in whatever came next.

Hinata already made him feel like he was fully alive, a new and invigorating level of vitality that he wanted them to share until the day they both left this world.

He was carefully inspecting his bandaged hand when he heard the door open. He quickly turned his head, hoping to see Hinata with a steaming bowl of ramen in her hands. Unfortunately, it was only a nurse.

She was a different nurse, not the same one that had consulted him when he first awoke from his poisoning. This one seemed rather nervous, and Naruto could see that she had the slightest blush on her face. He looked down and read her name tag... Ayuri.

"Good morning, N-Naruto. How are you feeling?"

"Good morning. I'm feeling much better. Head still hurts a little but it's not half as bad."

"Very good, I had a strong feeling you'd get better quickly. Is there anything I can do for you? Are you hungry? I'd be happy to get you something to eat." Ayuri said with a shy smile.

"Thank you, but my girlfriend is out getting food for me right now. She should be back soon."

"G-Girlfriend? You mean... Hinata Hyuuga?"

"That's her!"

"Oh... so, the rumors are true then..."

Naruto took notice of her tone of voice. Oddly enough, she seemed disappointed. Why would she be upset about that? It was Naruto's understanding that pretty much the whole village supported their relationship.

"I guess word really does get around fast. Hey, are you okay? You look like something's wrong."

"Hehe, yeah... um, I'll be back later to check on you again."

Naruto watched in confusion as she turned around and hastily exited the room.

"The hell was that all about?"

When the door opened again a couple minutes later, Naruto was met with a much more desirable sight. Hinata shut the door behind her and sat next to his bed, bringing out two to-go bowls of Ichiraku ramen that smelled heavenly.

"This is delicious! Maybe I was a little hungrier than I thought." Naruto said as they ate together.

"I told you it would be worth the wait, didn't I?"

"Yes, yes you did. I guess I can't argue with you. Thanks again for getting the food, Hinata. How much do I owe you?"

"You don't owe me anything, silly." Hinata said with a laugh.

"Come on, you're the one who went out of your way to pick it up! The least I can do is pay for it."

"I would happily bring you all the food in the world, no matter how much it would cost. Really, Naruto, you don't ever have to worry about that. Besides... it was on the house."

"Oh, really? How'd you manage that?"

"When I got there, Teuchi and Ayame asked about you. When I told them you were in the hospital, they gave me two free bowls and said that they hope you get better soon."

"That's very kind of them. They sure know how to value their customers. How are they doing?"

"They seem to be doing well since reopening the shop. Ayame wants to know when we're going there for another date." Hinata said with a blush. Maybe some day she would actually get used to the publicity of their relationship.

"I've been thinking about that a lot lately." Naruto replied.

"You mean, another ramen date?" Hinata said excitedly.

"Well, yes, but not just for ramen. Hinata..."

Naruto set his empty bowl aside and gently grabbed her hand.

"As soon as I get out of here, I want us to enjoy each other's company as much as we can. I want to spend time with you and do things together. I feel like we only grow closer with every day, and I want it to stay like that forever. Do you get what I'm trying to say? I just... I want to be with you, Hinata. I want to be around you all the time."

Hinata's caring eyes began to shed a couple tears as she smiled brighter than Naruto had ever seen before. It really meant a lot to hear him say that. She had worried before about being too clingy, and yet it seemed Naruto was just as attached to her as she was to him. She could see it now, the two of them spending every day together and making precious memories along the way.

"Oh, Naruto, that sounds so amazing, to live our lives in such a fun and romantic way together. That's all I've ever wanted for us, and it means so much to me to hear you say that you want that too."

"I love you more than anything, you know? And I want to make up for the time lost because of me being too blind to see how you felt about me."

"I love you too, Naruto, so much that I don't even know how to explain it to you. But, you need to know that you don't have to make up for anything. The time 'lost' won't compare to the decades we have ahead of ourselves."

"I know, but no matter how many times I tell myself it's nothing to be upset about, I just... Look, every day I wake up and I'm thankful just for being able to call you mine. And when I realize I could've had you sooner, it kills me to know that I didn't."

"But you did, Naruto. We've talked about this, remember? I've always been yours. I never once even thought about loving anyone else. Not even Shino or Kiba, and I practically grew up beside them." She said with a teary eyed chuckle.

"Not even Sasuke? Pretty much every girl had a crush on him." Naruto said with a cheeky laugh.

To Naruto's surprise, Hinata bursted out in laughter. Despite his brooding attitude and very clear lack of interest, Sasuke never had a problem attracting females. But to Hinata, he had never been more than just a classmate. Really, she had only ever paid attention to Sasuke when he would spar against Naruto during the early days at the academy, and even then, she had always been quietly rooting for her golden boy.

"Every girl except me. My eyes were always on you, nobody else. I've always belonged to you, and I don't want you to feel like you owe us anything for not seeing that. We're together now, so let's enjoy it to the fullest."

"That's all I want, Hinata. I just want both of us to make as many memories together as we can. I want my life to revolve around you and everything we do together."

"I want that for us too, Naruto. I promise you, as soon as we get out of here, you are all mine, and we're going to have so much fun together, just you and me."

Naruto sat up straighter and gently pulled her into a warm embrace. It felt so natural now, to wrap his arms around her lovingly as he took in her scent.

He couldn't wait to see where their relationship would go. He knew that they were the only ones for each other, and that if any couple would last forever, it was them. Knowing this made him overwhelmingly excited to see what life would soon have in store for the both of them.

He couldn't get out of this damn hospital soon enough.

"Do you think they'll let me leave before my checkout time if I tell them I'm feeling better?" He asked as he released her from his embrace.

Hinata chuckled before leaning down and giving him a quick kiss.

"I'm sure nobody's gonna stop you from leaving, but I still think you should stay here until you're really feeling better. You know, just in case."

"Honestly, I feel fine, and I'm feeling even better by the minute. I'm ready to get out of here."

"How about we take a nap like you wanted, and then when a nurse comes to check on you, we can ask about leaving... but only if you're still feeling better by then. Deal?"

"Deal."

Naruto wasn't looking forward to seeing the same nurse that checked on him before. That was a rather awkward and confusing interaction.

When Hinata finished her bowl, she wasted no time in climbing back into his bed and snuggling up to him. She tucked her head into the crook of his neck as he held her closely, thoughts of their near future running rampant through both of their minds.

Hinata woke up about an hour into their nap, and after failing to ignore her bladder and fall back asleep, she decided she should get up and use the bathroom.

When she finished her business, she looked at herself in the mirror and frowned tiredly at her messy, unwashed hair and heavy eyes. A refreshing shower was definitely in order. Maybe her and Naruto could shower together...

Shaking her feral, intimate thoughts from her head, she opened the bathroom door and almost put her brain into combat mode from what she saw.

Standing beside Naruto's bed was the same nurse that had shot her a dirty look when she came back to the hospital with the ramen. At the time, she had decided it had just been her imagination. Or, if it was real, maybe the nurse was just having a bad day at work. Hinata wasn't the type to cause a scene so she simply chose to ignore it. Plus... she had grown quite used to getting dirty looks from her father in her childhood. No big deal.

There was no ignoring this. That same nurse now stood next to a sleeping Naruto, staring down at him adoringly. She was so fixated on his whiskered face that she didn't even seem to notice Hinata come out of the bathroom. Hinata realized that she hadn't even heard the nurse enter the room. She just appeared.

"Uh, is everything okay?" She asked quietly with her eyebrow raised. Something wasn't right about this. The way that girl looked at him...

"Oh, Lady Hinata. I didn't think you were still here." Her voice was quiet as well, both of them seemingly understanding that Naruto was not to be woken.

Hinata walked over to the nurse and met her expressionless face with an unsettling leer.

"May I ask why you're staring at him like that... Ayuri?" Hinata said after reading her name tag.

"Well, can you blame me? Such a handsome face... It's not very often I get to meet someone so famous. I imagine he'll be the goal of many women for years to come. I could only hope to have a fair chance."

"He's taken." Hinata said bluntly with a hint of anger in her voice. She was trying to keep the now very tense situation from escalating, but there was no way in hell that this woman truly thought that Naruto was still single. At this point, everyone had heard the rumors about their relationship. She was either playing dumb, or thought she actually had a shot at stealing him away from her.

Not a fucking chance.

"Oh please. You? He's the most powerful Shinobi in the world now. He can have any girl he wants. You really think he's going to settle for some 'proper' girl raised by a bunch of uptight people? You probably don't even know how to please a man. He'll be bored of you before you know it." Ayuri said with a smug grin.

The fuck? Who the hell did she think she was!? Hinata was enraged at this point... however, she managed to keep herself calm enough to not do anything she might regret. These petty insults certainly weren't worth the trouble. That's all they were, just empty words spoken with the intention of pissing her off. She knew they weren't true. She had every bit of faith in Naruto and the bond they shared and was completely confident that nothing could ever come between them.

That didn't make her words any less disrespectful, though. They needed to leave now, while Hinata could still control herself.

"I think we're going to be leaving now. I suggest you stay out of our way."

"No problem. But, I'll have to give him a quick health examination before we let him leave, just to make sure he's good to go."

"Go right ahead. Make it quick." Hinata said sharply with her teeth gritted as she stepped back.

The nurse's sly smile widened.

"I'm afraid I'm gonna have to ask you to leave the room. You see, just to be safe, I think it would be best to perform a full body exam. It's customary for non-patients to exit the room, you know, for privacy reasons. Don't worry, I'll be very gentle with him."

Hinata's Byakugan activated purely from instinct. Her body went straight to action before she could even realize what she was doing. She grabbed Ayuri by the collar of her shirt and forcefully pressed her against the wall before pinning her forearm into her throat. It all happened so fast, she almost let the woman go and apologized.

Hinata was a different person now, a better, stronger person, and she was self aware of that. She let her father walk all over her for years, and now even that had changed. And through it all, she had forgiven him even with an unspoken apology. The fact that he was changing and trying to be better was enough for Hinata to forgive and forget.

But this woman, who couldn't possibly fathom what her and Naruto shared, who dared to threaten their relationship... she would not be so easily forgiven.

"If you put your hands on him...

Hinata angrily pressed harder into her throat and stared intensely into her widened eyes. She could see the fear within them, and she could feel Ayuri's body trembling at the frighteningly sudden change in Hinata's behavior.

"I'll kill you."

Hinata glanced over at Naruto and noticed that he had managed to sleep through the entire interaction. There was still a chance to leave without causing a big upset.

She looked back to the nurse and spoke quietly.

"Here's what's going to happen. I'm going to wake him up, and you're going to tell him that he's good to go home. If you give us any trouble, or if you ever speak to me that way again, I'll put your head through this fucking wall. Got it?"

Ayuri nodded frantically. Hinata let her go as she deactivated her Byakugan, never once breaking eye contact with her until she was ready to wake up Naruto.

"Hey, sleepy head. It's time to get up." She said softly while gently nudging him awake.

Naruto lazily stirred awake and Hinata nearly laughed at him. Thankfully, because he was such a heavy sleeper, he seemed completely unaware that she had just threatened to kill someone. That also meant that he sometimes had a rough time waking up. He yawned and smiled at her before taking notice of the nurse in the room with them.

"Oh, hello again. What's going on? Is everything okay?" Naruto said tiredly.

"Everything is fine, Naruto. Isn't that right?" Hinata said as she intently met Ayuri's fearful eyes again.

"Y-Yes. I have good news, N-Naruto. You seem to have recovered fully. Y-You're free to go home."

"Really? All right!" Naruto said happily, paying no attention to the nurse's cautious demeanor.

Naruto got out of bed and stretched for a moment. After assuring Hinata that he was feeling better, they both made their way out of the room and into the long hall that stretched through the hospital, their hands interlocked the whole way.

"It feels so great to be out of there." Naruto said as they walked outside. "Hey, you okay? Your hands are shaking. Are you cold?"

Hinata was still very pissed off, and the adrenaline in her blood didn't help to control the tremors in her hands that resulted from her anger.

After thinking about whether or not she should tell him what happened, she decided it wasn't worth the trouble. They'd probably never see that woman again, and even if they did, Hinata knew she wouldn't be a problem. She was quite proud of herself for standing up to her, so she decided to take this whole thing as a win.

Besides, if she did tell Naruto, she couldn't predict how he might react. He might let it go, or he might storm back into the hospital with a Rasengan in his hand. As much as Hinata would enjoy watching Ayuri get her ass kicked, it was best to just forget about it.

"Oh, they are? I didn't notice. I guess I'm just so excited to spend more time with you now that you're home again. And, yeah, I might be a little cold. Winter will be here soon."

Naruto knew exactly what she meant. They were approaching the end of November. The elements didn't normally bother him, but he had to admit, it was starting to get a bit chilly out.

After remembering her thoughts from when she was in the bathroom earlier, Hinata was about to suggest a fun way to warm up, but Naruto beat her to it.

"I'm a little cold too. I also feel pretty gross. Maybe... we go to my place and warm up in the shower together?"

Hinata's lips curled into a wicked grin. They always seemed to be in sync with each other, one of the things she cherished most about their relationship.

With Naruto's hand comfortingly attached to hers, she found herself already forgetting about that little incident with Ayuri. She knew from the beginning that other women would seek Naruto's heart, but it didn't mean that they were a threat of any kind. Her and Naruto had a lifetime of unconditional love and adoration ahead of them, and there wasn't a person alive that could possibly get in the way of that.

Compared to the bond that the two of them shared, Ayuri was nobody, just a snake in the grass they walked on.

"I was just about to say the same thing! I could really use a hot shower." Hinata said with that unforgettable smile. "Let's go home, Naruto."

Did you enjoy that little "Road to Ninja" reference? I thought it was clever. Don't worry, she's not turning into that version of herself, haha.

Next chapter is on the way :)