Sparks Fly

by Lynns

It's been three years since Electricians Naruto and Hinata have seen each other. Will sparks fly between them as they endure the cold up north at the Konoha Energy Oilfield Site? Or will the obstacles they face be too much for them to take? Based on the Characters of the series Naruto and Naruto Shippuden in an Alternate Universe

7. Chapter 6

Series: Naruto

Pairings: NaruHina

Author: Lynns

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto Masashi

Type: Alternate Universe/Romance

Sparks Fly

Chapter 6

At first, when Gaara had asked her to test out the transformers last night, she had been surprised. However, upon hearing that the snowstorm was getting worse and none of the Technicians at Hyuuga Power wanted to brave the long and treacherous drive, it made sense that she was their last resort.

It had taken a few trips this morning, but she had managed to get her winter gear and tools in the back of the Safety Vehicle; Sakura and Ino gave her a small tongue lashing for not asking for help when they arrived at the truck. Once she arrived at the office, Gaara handed her the paperwork that needed to be filled out before the end of the day. Before she could even ask which vehicle she would be driving, Itachi threw his keys at her and told her to enjoy the new rental unit. With the keys in her hand, she loaded up the black truck with her tools and slipped into her heavy but warm winter gear.

The drive out to Pad #12 had been uneventful, but she was still a little nervous. It had been a while since she last tested her technician skills. However, she was able to calm herself down since it was just regular testing, and she wasn't troubleshooting a problem with the transformer.

Upon arriving, she pulled up to the Foreman/Lead Hand trailer, stepped inside to say hello to Shino, and signed onto the permit. Just as her friend finished explaining where she could drive and where the transformers were, Naruto's voice came over on the radio. Hinata didn't say anything as Shino informed Naruto that the Transformer Technician had arrived, but she almost bit her tongue when he told the lead hand that he wanted him to help her. Blushing and stuttering like crazy, she tried to tell Shino that she didn't need any help, but her friend merely smiled at her and handed her an extra radio.

"Take all the time you need out there, and have a good 'chat' with Naruto while you're at it."

Feeling flustered, she simply nodded and went back to the truck.

She was still feeling a little embarrassed about what happened last night and a little confused. What had Naruto wanted to tell her? Was he going to give her a proper rejection that he didn't have feelings for her, or could he . . .

Hinata shook her head and tried not to think about it too much.

There was just no way he could return her feelings. She had been gone for three years, and he was either having a fling with Naomi or some other girl on site. Letting out a sigh, she shifted the truck into drive and headed towards Platform #1, for which she was so thankful that it was covered with a scaffold shelter and kept her out of the wind.

It didn't take her too long to get set up and begin with the first round of tests, but just as she turned the meter on, she could hear footsteps coming up the stairs. Her heart began to race, and she tried to think of what she would say and talk about with Naruto.

Closer and closer the steps got, and soon she could see the pair of boots from under the door. Hinata suddenly panicked. She immediately swapped out her regular safety glasses with her shaded ones and pulled up her full face gear so that he wouldn't be able to tell it was her.

I'm just not ready to talk to him alone yet!

Naruto was confused when she didn't talk after introducing himself, but she simply patted her throat to make it seem like she had a cold. Then, feeling relieved that they didn't have to speak yet, Hinata started preparing the transformer for its first test.

Suddenly, a voice outside called for Naruto, and soon someone with Hyuuga Electric entered the shelter. When they pulled down their face mask, she immediately recognized that it was Konohamaru. The two of them started to talk, and while eavesdropping was usually something she frowned upon doing. But how could she not listen in when they started talking about the dinner she and Naruto had shared.

The blush on her cheeks intensified as Konohamaru asked if they were an item, but what made her eyes widen was when Naruto did not deny that he had feelings for her. As she tried to comprehend what was being said a few meters away from her, Hinata's head started spinning. But before she could do anything, Naruto's outburst caught her completely off guard.

"That's none of your business, Kono! But for the record, the only woman I want to sleep with and fuck senseless up here is currently in Tin Town sorting out the paperwork our last office administrator fucked up."

Time stood still, and she forgot how to breathe.

The pair of channel locks in her hands fell and landed with a loud clank on the metal grating, which caused her to jump. She tried to slow down her thundering heartbeat and picked up her tool as fast as possible. Konohamaru and Naruto wrapped up their conversation, and soon the apprentice had left them alone again.

Hinata felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her; she knew she had to breathe, but it was hard to get her lungs working again.

Did . . . did Naruto just say out loud that he wants to have sex with me?

Her brain was so overloaded that she practically had an internal meltdown.

And then, as if things couldn't get any worse, the radio in her bag went off.

Gaara's voice caused the tension in the shelter to become so thick that Hinata had difficulty responding to his simple questions. Then, as she placed the radio back in her tool bag, the only sound she could hear was the wind outside, and Naruto was deathly quiet.

"H-Hinata? I-is that y-you?"

The cat was out of the bag, and there was no getting out of this. Taking a deep breath, she slowly turned around and faced her long-time crush.

It was hard to pinpoint Naruto's expressions, a mixture of shock, hurt, and fear.

"Hinata . . ." Naruto gasped. "What are you . . . I mean . . . you're the transformer technician for today?!"

She quickly explained to him why she was the one testing the transformers, but when she finished, he was once again eerily quiet. Hinata half expected him to run away or completely deny what had been said between him and Konohamaru moments ago. Especially when he admitted that she wasn't supposed to hear the conversation that had just taken place.

She braced herself for rejection, but instead . . . his face changed as he let out a shaky sigh. The serious expression he wore caught her off guard, but what transpired next completely mind-boggled her.

Over the next few minutes, he pretty much confessed his feelings for her. Apologized for being an idiot, admitted that he liked her, and asked if they could maybe start dating.

It took a bit for her to fully comprehend what was being said. She even asked him if he was joking or pulling a prank on her. But, the way he looked at her and even wrapped his arms around her tightly, she knew that this was no joke.

She wanted to feel happy; this was the moment she had been waiting for! But something held her back. Naomi's face and words crept back into her mind, and suddenly she felt uneasy. She knew it was none of her business, that his past relationships were none of her concern . . . but she had to know.

Upon bringing up Naomi's name, Naruto suddenly looked uncomfortable. He looked hesitantly at her, and she wouldn't have been surprised if he didn't want to tell her . . . but he did.

She felt disappointed and almost wanted to kick herself as she asked about the details, wanting to know if they used protection.

The look on Naruto's face shifted from shameful to anger, and needless to say, it confused her greatly.

Wait a minute . . . did they not sleep together?

Just as it looked like he was about to blow a gasket, she asked. "Naruto, what do you mean exactly when you said you were 'with her' that night?"

Silence was her answer.

Naruto then suddenly released her and took a few steps back. He kept his head down and stared at the grating.

The wind outside was vicious, loudly blowing the tarp that surrounded the platform they were on, which covered all other sounds on the pad. It almost gave them an isolated feeling that they were utterly alone. However, both of them knew that someone could interrupt them at any moment. At first, the two of them only stood there in silence, their cheeks rosy and their breath coming out in small clouds from how cold it really was outside. Then, wanting to break the silence, she took a few steps closer to him and tried to read the expressions flashing across his face. It was a mixture between guilt, regret, and anger. He even looked scared too. Naruto was biting his lip, blue eyes refused to look at her, and his hands were clenched by his sides.

Deciding to be a bit bold, Hinata reached her gloved hand forward and wrapped her fingers around his fist. His body flinched when her hand touched his; however, he did not pull away. Taking a deep breath, she spoke about what was on her mind. "Naruto, I'm not going to be mad or upset that you were with someone else intimately like that. I know how life is like up here and how lonely it can . . ."

"It's not like that!" He whispered in frustration, his fist unclenching to wrap around her own hand. His mouth opened and closed as if he couldn't seem to find the right words he wanted to tell her. After a few deep breaths, he finally looked her in the eye. "I know many people these days don't care about 'first kisses' or 'first times' anymore. However, I value those 'firsts,' and it just makes me frustrated that . . . I didn't get to share some of those moments with the person I care for."

Hinata blushed at Naruto's passionate gaze.

"I know this will sound cliché as all hell, but the only person I have thought of being with or wanting to experience anything like that has been you. I didn't sleep with Naomi, but we . . . she still touched me very intimately, we kissed and then she . . . she went down on me. To say I didn't like it would be a lie, and like I said, I was really drunk that night, but that's no excuse. I just couldn't think straight; my mind was so fuzzy and . . . I started thinking about you. I let her continue because in my drunken mind, I was imagining you were the one touching me like that, and it just . . . your name slipped out of my mouth, and that's what stopped her from going any further."

Naruto paused, and Hinata could finally see the final pieces falling into place.

I think I understand now what happened that night now between Naruto, Naomi and Kiba . . .

"And to top the fricken night off, apparently she ran into Kiba while she was pissed off at me and slept with him instead! It just seems all messed up with how everything played out! So Naomi is mad at Kiba and me for what we did, which is why the scaffolders aren't here assembling the scaffolds we need."

Hinata's brow furrowed in confusion. Wait . . . how does he . . .

"Naruto, how are you so sure that Naomi is mad at Kiba too?"

He froze, his eyes widening as if realizing what he had just said. Naruto didn't pull his hand away from hers. Instead, however, he turned slightly away and leaned his head down, so his hard hat blocked his face.

"The . . . the day I saw you at the Safety meeting, I accidentally overheard a conversation between Shino and Kiba. At first, all I heard was shouting and arguing; I thought they were talking about the placement of some panels, which had been an argument we had had last shift. So I went over to give them my two cents and learned that they were talking about that. Kiba admitted that he had slept with Naomi and that it was a one-time thing. However, during it he . . . he . . ."

"Also said my name while being with Naomi," chimed in Hinata.

Naruto's head shot up to look at her, his eyes wide with disbelief. "How do you . . ."

Hinata held his hand tighter, "I . . . I already knew about what happened between Kiba and Naomi. He told me about it before he left for days off . . . along with how he felt about me. Kiba didn't tell me when exactly he started to have feelings for me; however, from what I've seen from pictures, it seems to have been during that Christmas party too."

Naruto frowned. "Yeah . . . I figured he would have. Shino told him to tell you what was going on, instead of just leaving the awkwardness you two were facing up in the air . . ." His face fell, and it looked like he was preparing for her to reject him, announcing that it was Kiba who she had feelings for and not him. "Kiba's a good guy, you know. Well . . . I'm sure you and Shino know him the best out of everyone up here. Here, the rumour is that he's quite the player and sleeps with any girl but don't believe them."

Wait . . . what is he doing?

He gently pulled his hand away from hers. "As far as I know, he's only slept with two girls these past three years, Naomi being one of them. The other was a housekeeper at the camp that he was head over heels with; however, Kiba told me it ended up being not what he was expecting and that she was just playing around with him. So, I can see since he confessed and kissed you that you guys are now . . ."

He was starting to turn away from her, keeping his head down so she couldn't see his face. It was as if he was trying to hide the hurt expression he was most likely wearing. However, she could clearly hear his pain from the cracking sound of his voice. Before Naruto could finish, she stepped forward and grasped his hand tightly, pulling him towards her so he would look her straight in the eyes.

"Stop. You need to stop putting words in my mouth, especially when I haven't clearly told you my feelings. I have only seen Kiba as a friend. Wait, no . . . that's not true either. He's more like a brother to me, just like Neji. I've never had romantic feelings for him." The only one I have ever thought about that way has been you, Naruto!"

Now it was Naruto's turn to blush. She felt embarrassed that they were having this conversation right here and now while at work; however it needed to be said. For three years, she had been waiting and hoping that he would someday return her feelings. Perhaps it wasn't professional that they were doing this now, but she wanted to tell him what she felt in her heart as well.

"I completely understand wanting to share your 'firsts' with someone you care for and not just with some random person you feel physically attracted to. And If I'm being completely 100% honest . . . the only person who I have thought of that way is you. During the start of our apprenticeship, I fell for your smile and positive outlook on life. Even though classes were challenging, you never gave up and were resolved to become a great electrician. I admired your confidence and determination.

"Even though I felt that I wasn't good enough for you . . . I slowly started to change myself; I wanted you to notice me more. My confidence slowly grew, and I even started to dress differently, hoping to catch your eye. Your kindness knows no bounds, and anything seems possible when I'm with you. I know I said it three years ago . . . but I will say it again. I like you, Naruto."

Her hand held his tightly as she once again spilled her heart out to him. At first, he had been wearing a huge smile. However, as she finished her confession, his expression changed, almost as if he were sad. Before she could ask what was wrong, he released her hand and suddenly wrapped his arms around her tightly. Their hard hats clinked together, and it was hard to move in her winter gear as she attempted to hug him back.

"So . . . you and Kiba aren't together?" Naruto asked softly.

He held her tighter, and she could feel his warm breath against her cold ear. Then, smiling, she said, "No. I'm not seeing anyone."

When he pulled back to look at her, she thought maybe he would look at least a little happy, but he was still wearing a fearful expression. "Hinata, even now . . . hearing that you still like me that way, I just feel like I don't deserve you. I'm no better than any other guy up here! I wish I could say I only have the purest intentions when it comes to you and that I will always cherish you. This is true. However, there are many other things I want to do with you that are so . . . to think of doing something like, to someone as kind and as pure as you . . . it makes me feel guilty for thinking of you that way. I've had thoughts of kissing you, touching you, making love to you . . . and in the end, I feel so dirty for having those thoughts in the first place. However, the thought of letting anyone else have you that way just makes my blood boil! I can't stand you being with somebody other than me, like Kiba. I realized that if the two of you were together like that, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to work him anymore while knowing you guys would be . . ."

"Naruto, do you copy?"

"Oh fuck off already!" cursed Naruto, yelling at the radio on his shoulder.

The intense moment they had been sharing suddenly came screeching to a halt as they were brought back to the reality of where they were. The sound of Shino's voice came through loudly over the radio. Hinata expected Naruto to answer his radio but was surprised when she heard the small clicking sound of him turning it off. She looked at his face, which looked extremely upset and angry. If she didn't know better, it looked like he was about to throw his radio down and stomp the ever-living hell out of it.

"Sorry about that. Shino can wait for five minutes. I'm just tired of us being interrupted!" he whispered in frustration. "So where was I . . . oh right, I'm an idiot. I'm sure it also didn't help that I was 'chasing' Sakura all the time, but I need you to know that I was never trying to ask her out seriously. Before I even met you, I knew that she only had eyes for Sasuke; it's just that it was so fun to see her get frustrated with me, and I just kept the charade up. While it was all fun and games, I'm sure seeing me act like that hurt your feelings.

"Hinata, I'm an idiot . . . but if you let me, I can be your big idiot. I'm really forgetful sometimes, especially when it comes to important dates. I will say things without fully thinking them through, which has gotten me in trouble now and then, especially with women. I don't eat as healthy as I should, and I do snore a lot of the time when I sleep. However, if you can look past all these flaws, then there is something I need to ask you."

Naruto released her from his embrace, took a step back, and grasped her hands firmly in his. His cheeks were bright red, and he looked at her with determination in his eyes and a serious expression on his face.

"Hinata Hyuuga, will you be my girlfriend?"

Hinata felt intoxicated; her head was spinning, and she couldn't tell which way was left or right. That morning when she had woken up, she still wasn't sure where Naruto stood on his feelings for her, and now he was asking her if she would be in a relationship with him. Was this a dream? Had she somehow fallen into a different dimension where the Naruto of this world returned her feelings? She wanted to tell him that she wanted to be with him more than anything in the world. However, something held her back.

Is it wise for us to just jump into a relationship? For three years, we never said a word to each other, and now only after three days of talking he wants me to be his girlfriend?

Those negative thoughts that slipped into her head started to fill her with doubt. However, it didn't last long. Powerful, encouraging emotions and feelings took over her consciousness, and the doubts that were creeping in were quickly brushed away.

You have wanted this for over six years. Quit doubting and questioning! I know who Naruto is; he's not just some random person on the street asking you to be in a relationship! This is the man who inspired you and helped build your confidence! True, it has been three years, but maybe we needed that time apart to get things in order before coming together like this . . .

"Hinata?"

She was snapped out of her inner dialogues by Naruto's confused whisper. He looked at her with a sad and worried expression, as if she were about to reject him. Hinata realized her hands were rather limp in his and took this moment to squeeze his back reassuringly. A deep crimson blush spread across her cheeks as she gathered her courage to respond to him.

"I sometimes don't speak up when I should, especially in my personal life. I'm still very quiet and shy half the time, but I will put on my confident face and say what needs to be said when it comes to work. I can never make up my mind when asked where I want to eat, and I do hog the blankets when I sleep at night. It . . . it's embarrassing to say, but I can't deny that I have intimately thought of you as well, Naruto. I've never been with anyone before because I wanted my first time to be with you. No one else.

"When I thought of you and Naomi being together like that, I kept telling myself that it was none of my business and that there was no reason to be jealous. However, I was because, deep down, I wanted to be the only one who would get to touch you so intimately. I can't deny that it kind of bugs me a little bit; however it doesn't change my feelings for you. So . . . If you're okay with my flaws and fine with being my boyfriend, then I gladly accept." She stuttered, trying her best to look him directly in the eye.

A huge smile quickly spread across his face, and before Hinata could react, he embraced her again, lifting her off the ground. Thankfully he didn't spin her. Otherwise, his feet would have tripped over her tools that were still on the metal grating of the platform.

"Ah, Naruto! You shouldn't do that! I'm heavy with all my winter gear on!" Hinata protested. Her boots alone were at least an extra eight pounds, along with the heavy-duty bibs and coat she was wearing.

"Pssh, your light as a feather! And I'm just so happy right now!" Naruto exclaimed, keeping her tight in his embrace. However, he did finally set her down and looked at her with the most joyous expression. She had no doubt that both of them felt as if they were on cloud nine right now, but before either of them could say another word, the radio in her tool bag went off.

"Hinata, do you copy?"

They both froze, their heads turning to look at the communication device as Shino's voice came through again.

Ah, that's right, I'm on a different channel than Naruto is.

The two of them looked at each other sheepishly; Naruto was still grinning from ear to ear as he let her go to answer the radio.

"Hinata here, go ahead."

"Is Naruto there still helping you? Unfortunately, I can't seem to reach him on his radio."

Hinata let out a small laugh and decided to tell a little white lie to her friend, "Yes, he is still here with me. The battery on his radio was starting to get low, so he turned it off since I have one up here. Did you need him?"

Naruto chuckled and gave her thumbs up.

"No, everything is fine. I just wanted to make sure he was there. So just give me a shout when you two are all wrapped up testing the transformers."

"Ten-Four, I'm about to start the first one, and then we will be moving onward to platform two."

Hinata set the radio back in her bag and turned to Naruto. He still had a huge smile on his face, but his expression was a bit more on the serious side.

"We should wrap up these transformers. I'm sure you don't want to be out here in the cold any longer than I do."

Hinata nodded and got back to the task at hand.

Just as she was about to hook up her meter, Hinata paused.

Wait a minute . . .

She turned to look at Naruto, who was standing over her shoulder. "Naruto, how did you know that Kiba kissed me?"

The man she cared for suddenly looked guilty and started to rub the back of his head. "Oh, that. Ah well, I was a little late getting back to camp, and I saw you two pull up in his truck, and that's when I . . . well, you know."

Hinata frowned a little. "Oh, I see."

Slowly she started to put the clamps on the transformer connections.

"Was . . . was it any good?"

His question surprised her, but at the same time, it also didn't. Of course, he would be curious if she had enjoyed being kissed by someone else. In fact, she was also interested to find out if Naruto had enjoyed his kiss with Naomi. However, she honestly didn't want to know when push came to shove. Maybe she would ask him about it someday but now was not the time. But since he had been the one to ask her, she decided to be truthful and honest with him.

"I can't really say. It was so unexpected and over so fast that I didn't get a chance to either enjoy it or not. Does that make sense?" Hinata answered.

Naruto nodded and didn't bring the topic up again.

For the next few hours, Naruto helped her test the transformers to make sure they were up to par and able to handle the required voltages they would be put through. She showed him how to test each transformer's amps, voltages, and resistance with her high-tech meter, or "Big Betty" as she liked to call it. They tried to keep their conversations strictly on work topics for the most part. However, it was hard to ignore the fact that they were now boyfriend and girlfriend; it only seemed natural to discuss how happy they were that things had worked out between them.

Once they were finished, he insisted on carrying all her tools and meter down to the truck. Hinata started the truck up and grabbed the snow brush from the back to clear the windshield while Naruto loaded up her tools.

Soon, they climbed into the front and waited for the heat to blast through the vents to warm them up from the freezing cold wind. First, Hinata pulled her black hard hat and safety glasses off, placing them behind her seat while Naruto did the same. She then took off her toque and neck gaiter next but kept her gloves on while fiddling with the temperature of the truck and tried to see what the temperature reading was for outside.

"I keep telling myself I need to say yes to a foreman's position so I'm not out in the cold as much. But then spring arrives, and it's like I forget how cold it gets up here during the winter!"

Hinata giggled softly, "It is nice to get out of the office once in a while, but you're right. There are days I am thankful that, for the most part, I get to stay inside a nice warm office."

Naruto smiled at her, "Remember that one winter . . . I think we were still in our third year, but anyways, we were pulling high voltage cable up in the highline. It was so fricken cold, and not only did we have all our winter gear on, but our fall protection too which made it so difficult to really move around. But didn't we start doing pushups or squats to stay warm?"

Hinata smiled too. "I think Sasuke challenged you to see how many pushups you two could do before the cable arrived. You ended up winning the competition, but your guys' arms were so tired you barely managed to pull the cable when it got to our area. After that, I think it was Kiba who suggested everyone do a squat challenge so that we could save the strength in our arms for the cable pull."

They both laughed at the memory. "Ah yes, that's right! Then afterward, when we went back for supper, we didn't care what the soup was that night since we just wanted a hot meal to warm us up. I think it was pea soup or something that was just really gross."

"And Kiba kept gagging every time he took a spoonful of it, but he kept eating it because it was so warm." Hinata chuckled.

Laughter filled the cab of the truck. "Then the next day, Shino swapped out Kiba's coffee for the soup and he . . . he . . ."

Hinata wiped a few tears from her eyes. "I thought Jiraiya was going to die of laughter. That's also when Kiba swore off coffee for at least two months; he was so sure you guys would do it again."

"I thought he was going to kill Shino on the last day of school when he did do it again before the TQ exam!"

"Oh! He almost got him again last time when we all met up for lunch a month back. I can't remember what Kiba had originally ordered or how Shino had tipped off the waitress about it. But when they set the bowl of soup in front of him, Kiba glared at Shino and said he would kill him in the parking lot."

Naruto threw his head back, laughing harder than before. "Seriously?! Oh man, I would have paid good money just to see the look on his face!"

Hinata reached for her phone, sitting in the truck's cup holder, "I can do better than that. I actually got it on video. Shino had given me a heads up just before the food arrived. He said something along the lines of 'You may want to record this . . .' "

Finding the video in her favourites, she passed Naruto her phone so he could watch it. While his attention was on the video, Hinata put the truck into drive to make their way toward the Hyuuga Electric trailers. It was time for her to head back to Tin Town with the results she had gathered from the transformers. Her smile widened as she heard Naruto laughing and Kiba's angry voice threatening Shino as he finished the video. Hinata slowly drove around the pad towards their destination, her eyes staring up at the grey sky. It was only 4pm, and already the sun was starting to set.

As they pulled up to the trailer, she turned to talk to Naruto, but he was looking at her phone; his expression was one that she could not describe. "Naruto?"

"Ah, sorry! I just noticed you also have the video of us dancing together at that Christmas Party."

Hinata's cheeks flushed again, and she looked away from his smiling face out of embarrassment. He passed her back the phone and reached behind to grab his gear.

"I um . . . was wondering . . . I mean with us on the topic of the Christmas Party. It's on next Saturday, which I have off and um . . .I know maybe this is a bit sudden, but would you be willing to go with me?" Naruto asked nervously. His hands were fumbling with his hard hat, trying to hide his embarrassment.

Hinata was redder than a tomato, and she could almost swear that steam was rising off her cheeks. Her fingers were fumbling on the truck's steering wheel as she answered a soft 'okay' to him. Another bright smile shined on his face, and he let out a small laugh.

"Awesome! We can work out the details later, but that's great. I get to go with you again! I'm pretty sure the last one we were able to attend was that year we danced together. I haven't been able to go since then because I've always volunteered to work it." Naruto put on his toque and face mask, his eyes staring out the window. "Well, about time I join the guys again and get my paperwork in order before the end of the day. Are you still able to make it to our basketball game tonight? I mean, it's nothing special or anything, just a little match we play once a shift."

Hinata smiled. "I wouldn't miss it. I remember us girls always coming to watch you guys play floor hockey and basketball the last time I worked up here."

Naruto placed his hard hat on and grasped her hand. "Then I will see you tonight! Drive safe back to Tin Town!" He gave her a small final wave before opening the door and exiting the truck.

Hinata waved back, watched as he entered the trailer, and then put the truck in drive.

0000000000000

To say Hinata wasn't a fan of sports was undoubtedly an understatement. If she had been invited out to a sporting event, she would politely decline and make up some excuse of why she could not attend. However, it's not like she hated sports either. On the contrary, for the most part, she always enjoyed when the Olympics were on or if it was the final match in hockey, basketball or football and she was watching it with the right people; mainly her family or a few friends.

When it came to sports being played at camp, she could honestly say she preferred just being a spectator. It was a lot of fun to watch the guys play together; they would tease one another, which was always a good laugh. The only time Hinata could remember ever joining in a game of anything was pool when she was a first-year apprentice. She had told them about not being very good but had agreed to play with them. When the match started, she had been paired up with Sasuke (who was an excellent pool player) against Naruto and Ino. Sasuke had taken the first opening break shot, and then Ino had attempted to sink a striped ball. However, she had failed miserably. When it was her turn, she moved into position like her Uncle had taught her long ago and easily sunk the coloured number two ball with authority.

Both Naruto and Ino's mouths hung open, Sasuke looked rather shocked, and Kiba had called out that there was a 'Shark' in the water. Truth be told, it's not that she had never played pool before, but that she was just the weakest link when compared to her family. Needless to say, she and Sasuke had won the match easily, with Naruto demanding that next time she be his partner. After that, though, whenever they played pool, Naruto would always lose against Kiba, Shino, or Sasuke when deciding who would be her partner in a game of rock, paper, scissors.

Tonight though, she sat smiling up top on the viewing balcony of the gymnasium while the guys below played basketball. For the most part, it was just herself actually watching the game; the odd time, someone walking by towards the games room would stop to watch for a moment before moving on to their destination. Naruto was teamed up with Konohamaru, Haku, and Lee versus Sasuke, Udon, Taka, and Guy. The way they all bantered and teased each other on the court had Hinata giggling half the time.

After about thirty minutes of watching them play, Sakura arrived. "Hey! Didn't know you were coming to watch the boys play tonight! I should have told Ino to come along too!"

"Is she busy tonight?" Hinata asked.

Sakura took a spot beside her. "Sort of. She's been dating an operator here for almost three months now. His name is, Sai. From what I can tell, he's a very nice guy. However, he's very quiet and is a bit awkward when talking to people. I'm pretty sure those two are in the theatre room watching a movie right now."

Hinata nodded and turned her attention back to the game. Just then, Naruto scored and high-fived his teammates before turning to look at her and giving a thumbs up. She smiled and gave him a small round of applause before they resumed back on with the game.

"Oh! I see, I see!" mused Sakura, staring back and forth between her and Naruto. An almost devilish smile on her face.

"S-see what?"

Sakura grinned at her like the Cheshire cat. "I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you're the reason why Naruto was in such a good mood at the end of the workday. He seemed to be on cloud nine and would not stop smiling."

A light blush spread across Hinata's cheeks at Sakura's prying gaze. She could only turn her eyes back to the basketball game and give her co-worker a slight nod.

Sakura wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in for a side hug. "I knew it! It's about time he finally noticed! So tell me all the details! Who made the first move?"

Hinata blushed at her friend's questions but complied and told her what had transpired in the last few days between herself and Naruto. However, she thought it would be best to keep the details about Naomi and Kiba out of the conversation; the fewer people that knew about it, the better. As she wrapped up her story, Hinata expected Sakura to start teasing her about the new relationship, but instead, she had a calm and thoughtful look.

"Well, I'm so glad to hear that you two are finally together; I swear the sparks flying off you guys somedays were giving us all shocks. However, that sounds just like Naruto to not fully understand when a woman confesses to him. You should have told me about your confession sooner, Hinata. I would have beaten some sense into him, and then it wouldn't have taken three years."

Hinata smiled. "I suppose, but then again, perhaps it was for the best. I wasn't as confident back then as I am now. Also, I feel I'm in a better place in my personal and work life to be in a relationship. I have a much closer relationship with my sister than I did back then, and the same goes with my father. So if I had told them back then that I was dating someone, I doubt it would have gone well for me."

She felt a little awkward telling Sakura about her personal life. The only ones she had ever told details about it were Kiba and Shino.

And I'm sure one of these days I will tell Naruto too . . .

Sakura's brow furrowed in thought, "I'm not sure about all the details, but I do know that there was great tension between you and your family for the longest time."

Her eyes may have been on the basketball game, but she was only half paying attention as she started to recall the past. "I can remember a time when we were just one big happy family. However, those memories are very distant since I was so little. Everything went downhill that night when . . . mine and Neji's mother were killed in a car accident. After that, my father became more strict and demanding with Hanabi and me. He kept trying to push me to be better at school and learn how to run the company. School I was fine with. However, I more so inherited my mother's kind and nurturing spirit, while Hanabi was more like my father and was a natural leader."

Hinata glanced over at Sakura. "Did I ever tell you I used to take Karate?"

Sakura's eyes widened, and she shook her head.

"Father signed us both up for it. While I did like it for the most part, I hated it when he would pit Hanabi and me against each other. I just couldn't hurt my sister, no matter how loud my father told me to hit her. When I kept losing against her, he pretty much wanted less and less to do with me. My sister was also at a crossroads; she didn't want to fight me, but she didn't want to make father mad at her either. So she would often avoid me, even though we were all living in the same house. However, I did have someone watching my back and took me under their wing when I was done high school. My Uncle hired me immediately as an apprentice electrician, and that's when I met all of you guys.

It also didn't help back then that I was so self-conscious about my body. I hated the fact that I developed far earlier than my other classmates . . . the only thing I could think of to hide it was to wear baggy and unflattering clothes so I wouldn't get stared at. I know that my father hated the way I dressed all the time.

"He certainly didn't have to do that. After all, he and Neji were trying to deal with the loss of my aunt, too, right? Once I started down my road to becoming an electrician, things slowly but surely got better at home. Plus, I'm sure Uncle was bragging about me to my father in an attempt to get me back onto his good side again. It wasn't until after I got my Journeyman ticket did father start to acknowledge me again. Then after I got my master's and, technically speaking, beat Hanabi in a match, he finally realized how hard I had been working. There was a lot of apologizing, and after some counselling, we are back to normal . . . or well, at least as normal as things could ever be with my family."

Sakura gave her a puzzling look. "Wait . . . you just told me that you couldn't hit your sister. So how did you beat her then?"

"Ah well, instead of Karate, I started taking Judo with Neji. While Karate is more of an attack style, Judo is purely self-defence with many throws, right? So, Hanabi would continuously attack me while I constantly defended myself and throwing her to the ground. I'm not sure how long we did that for, but it got to the point where she was so exhausted that she couldn't fight anymore, and the match went to me."

"Heh. After hearing all that, it sounds to me like perhaps it is a good thing you two weren't dating. I can only imagine how Naruto would have reacted if he knew your father was treating you that way." Sakura turned back to the basketball game and gave Sasuke a small wave. While he didn't return the gesture, Hinata could have sworn that he gave the pink-haired safety coordinator a wink. "I'm glad things ended up working out for you in the long run, though."

Hinata nodded in agreement.

A moment of silence passed between the two, with the only sounds coming from the heated basketball game down below.

"If I may give you a word of advice about trying to manage a relationship up here, I would highly suggest trying to keep it low and under wraps."

She turned to look at Sakura again. "Oh? To avoid rumours and gossip?"

Sakura sighed and crossed her arms. "Well, yes there is that too. However, both Sasuke and I have found that the fewer people that know about our relationship, the better. Before we started dating, I could count on one hand the number of guys that would approach me; Naruto does not count by the way. However, after some people found out about us, you would not believe the number of guys that try to flirt with me now. It's like they are attracted to a girl who is already taken. It's really weird.

"Sasuke told me the same thing was happening to him. While I usually just tell the guys to get lost, he said the one time he actually threatened a girl to leave him alone." Sakura paused when she saw her look of horror. "I know, right?! The look on your face says it all. I was shocked too. However, he justified it by saying that the girl clearly knew I was with him, and yet when he was alone for a bit, she tried to hit on him, and he wasn't having any of that. I know he seems like an emotionless guy on the outside, but on the inside, trust me when I say he's a very dedicated and loving man."

Hinata smiled at the way Sakura seemed to be lost in the clouds while complimenting her man.

"In any case, that's just my two cents of advice for you. I know you're not planning on being up here that long, but keep in mind that some of the rumours that fly around here can get really nasty at times. I've seen it where people will spread rumours that aren't even true, just to cause tension and drama between the couple."

Nodding in agreement, Hinata turned her attention back to the basketball game, which was starting to wrap up. "I will definitely take your advice into consideration and talk to Naruto about it when I have a chance to."

The two girls watched the remainder of the basketball game in a comfortable silence. The group wasn't really keeping score, but when 9pm hit, they all decided it was a good time to stop and call it a night. As they waited by the front doors of the gymnasium for the boys to finish up, Sakura turned to Hinata and moved closer to whisper something in her ear.

"By the way, Sasuke and Naruto are roommates in their wing and share the Jack & Jill bathroom. Sasuke usually spends the night with me, so if you ever want to surprise Naruto, I'm sure I can convince my boyfriend to give you his room card."

"Sakura! We just started dating!" A deep blush spread across Hinata's cheeks.

Sakura let out a laugh just as the boys were walking toward them.

"Just remember the option is always there!" Sakura took a few steps toward Sasuke, and the two started to walk down the hallway side by side. "Goodnight, everyone!"

Hinata waved goodbye but almost fell over when Lee tackled her with a hug.

"Hinata! It's so good to see you again! Thanks for coming to watch our game! We could feel your and Sakura's support from above!" he cried out in joy.

Thankfully, Naruto and Guy were there to catch them before they toppled over. Naruto was giving Lee an irritated look. Meanwhile, Guy clasped a hand on her shoulder and gave her a thumbs up.

"Welcome back to the shift world, Hinata! I hear you're doing a fabulous job tidying up the administration side and giving a helping hand to test the transformers! Your youthful help is much appreciated!" Guys booming voice rang in her ears and echoed throughout the room.

The four apprentices were looking at the four journeymen like they were insane. Taka and Haku left with a quick goodbye, while Udon and Konohamaru tried to pull Lee off of her.

"Alright, Lee that's enough! Your tears of joy are starting to soak through Hinata's sweatshirt." Said Kono, gently pulling on Lee's arm, hoping he would release her.

"Besides, it's getting late, and we all need to head to bed. Plus, I'm sure Naruto wants a few minutes alone with his girlfriend before he calls it a night." Chimed in Udon, grabbing Lee's other arm.

Both Lee and Guy looked at her and Naruto with wide eyes and huge smiles. Guy suddenly pulled Naruto, herself, and Lee in for a group hug.

"Oh, it's young love in the air too tonight! Hinata, I admire your kindness and youthful spirit for taking on this young man! I know you will take outstanding care of him! And Naruto!" Guy pulled him in for a hug so tight that Hinata was positive that Naruto couldn't breathe properly. "I know you're a nice and strapping young lad, but don't do anything dishonourable to Hinata! Treat her with dignity and respect!"

Both she and Naruto's cheeks flushed a deep red, but she wasn't sure if that was from being embarrassed or the lack of oxygen they were facing. Finally, Udon and Konohamaru managed to pull the dark-haired males off of them, Naruto and her gasping for air.

"Alright, alright, that's enough, you two! Hinata, Naruto, you two have a good night, and we will see you tomorrow! Come on you guys!" scolded Konohamaru. He and Udon pushed Guy and Lee down the hallway as the two continued to talk more nonsense.

Naruto looked a bit flustered from what Guy had said, but he gave her a heartwarming smile after taking a deep breath. "Thanks for coming to watch us play. Can I walk you back to your room?"

Hinata's face was still red, and she nodded her head. "W-Well, at least you can walk me to the hallway entrance. My room is near the end, and since it's the girl's wing, I know they aren't fond of men being in there."

Naruto let out a nervous laugh. "Oh! Right right! Well, then I will walk you to the dorm hallway then! You and Sakura seemed to be having a good conversation. So what were you guys talking about?"

At first, Hinata thought of just telling Naruto it was 'girl talk' and nothing more. However, deep down, a part of her did not want to let him in the loop about her family. Since it was a good walk from the gymnasium to the girl's hallway, Hinata figured now would be a good time to tell him about it.

Initially, his expression was happy upon hearing it was about her family, but his smile slowly disappeared as she went more and more into the details. A more sombre expression began to appear on his face. He didn't interrupt her or comment at all, but she had a feeling he would have plenty to say once she was done talking. Thankfully there was no one else in the hallway at this time, so she didn't have to worry about anyone overhearing their conversation as they slowly walked towards the girls' dorm. As she wrapped up on how things were now great with her family, a small smile started to show on Naruto's face. He was silent for a few moments when she finished, which was perfect timing since they had just arrived at her destination.

"You know . . . I already thought you were amazing, but now hearing the story of what you went through all those years ago . . ." He glanced quickly down the hallway to ensure no one was watching before his hand reached up to cup her cheek. "You're even more remarkable and admirable. You've been through a lot and grown so much from that hell you went through. Life dealt you a cruel hand, and it may have knocked you to your knees, but you were able to get back up and stand tall; I know a lot of people who wouldn't have been able to do that."

She blushed from his praising words and whispered a soft 'thank you'.

"And you never told me you take Judo! Sasuke and I mostly practice mixed martial arts now, but you and I will have to spar someday. I'd love to see what you're capable of!"

Before she could answer, his smiling face was so close to hers that she could feel his breath against her lips. Her eyes instantly closed shut with him being so close, and her body tensed up. She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but the feel of his soft lips against her cheek surprised her even more. Pale violet eyes flashed open to stare into his soft blue ones.

"Have a good night, Hinata. I will see you tomorrow at work."

He started to pull away from her, and before the distance between them was too great, Hinata leaned forward to give him a small kiss on the cheek too. Naruto froze, and his hand touched where her lips had been a moment ago.

"Good night, Naruto." She whispered softly, using her room key to open up the dorm hallway and waving him goodnight. As the door closed behind her, she glanced through the small window to see him still standing there. His face was a mixture between shock and happiness. Finally, he gave her a small wave and disappeared towards his own accommodations.

Hinata stood there, feeling giddy and nervous simultaneously, but above all, she was delighted. No words could describe how happy she was at this very moment, and it would be a day that she would never forget. Then, feeling tired from a long day's work and a very emotional turn of events, Hinata started to walk towards her room for a well-deserved good night's rest.

00000000000

Over the next few days, things were going so smoothly for Hinata, both work-wise and in her personal life. She had started to notice a pattern with Karin's filing system and was soon able to figure out where certain documents were and where to find them. The small office looked less like a war zone and more like a standard admin office with each passing day. If things continued like this, then by the middle of the next shift, everything would be in order and ready for the next administrator to take over. Hinata had offered to interview some candidates for Gaara. However, he had already found someone to start at the beginning of the New Year. She was surprised to hear it would be his sister Temari. However, she quickly learned that his sister was going through a rough time and needed a more low-key and less stressful job. He told her that he would be bringing Temari on board in the middle of the next shift and begin training her.

As for her new relationship with Naruto, the last few days had been blissful. They would meet at the gym in the mornings. However, it was only a brief greeting before they separated to complete their own routine. After an hour of working up a sweat, the two would then head down to the kitchen for breakfast and eat together. During the day, they wouldn't see each other. However, when work was done, they would meet up for a late supper and talk late into the night until bedtime. A small number of people had caught on that they were dating. However, no one seemed to be making a big deal about it. Plus, she and Naruto had been careful not to show any affection in the public eye back at camp. He would sometimes hold her hand, but that only occurred if no one was looking; the same could be said when he would kiss her cheek to bid her goodnight.

As the clock chimed that it was 6pm, Hinata leaned back in her chair to stretch her arms above her head. It was only day 5 for her, but for the rest of the crew, they were now on day 7, which meant that tonight Backshift would be returning to the site this evening. Meaning the next two days at both camp and work, it would be bustling since front and back shifts would be in the same vicinity. However, on Wednesday, it would be home day for them at noon, and then things would be back to normal on site. She wasn't looking forward to the crowded hallways back at camp, but there wasn't much that could be done about it.

Standing up, Hinata began to pack her personal belongings and got ready to leave for the day. Putting on her coat, she opened the door and bided Itachi, Iruka, and Gaara a good night before heading outside. The wind had finally died down, and even the snow had stopped falling from the sky. Right now, the sky was clear, and you could see the stars shining brightly up above. Taking a deep breath, Hinata started to head towards Sakura and Ino's truck parked nearby but stopped when a horn honked from her left side. Another Hyuuga Electric truck pulled up beside her, and the passenger door swung open to reveal Sasuke. The dark-haired male didn't say anything to her; he just pointed at the truck he had climbed out of and walked over to the vehicle she usually took home. Slightly confused, she walked towards the truck and opened the passenger door. Naruto was in the driver's seat and was grinning from ear to ear.

"I asked Sakura if it was okay if I could drive you back to camp this evening! We were in the area anyways picking up some parts for tomorrow." He pointed at the few boxes that were in the back seat. "So what do you say, care to go for a cruise with me?"

Hinata giggled when he outstretched his hand to her. She nodded and climbed into the passenger seat, closing the truck door behind her. Naruto gave her a moment to put on her seat belt before shifting the vehicle into drive and heading back to camp.

For a few moments, they were silent as the radio played softly in the background; Naruto was focused on the road while she was admiring the landscapes that were covered in snow. She wanted to assume they were meeting for supper again but thought it best to ask in case of making assumptions.

"Same time for supper tonight?"

His face frowned, and he glanced at her with an apologetic look. "Ah, about that. I'm afraid I can't meet you tonight. My parents just returned back to work today too, and on Mondays I always have supper with them since I rarely get to see them at home."

Hinata's eyes widened momentarily. "Oh, I didn't know both your parents worked at Konoha Energy! I thought just your father was an operator up here."

Naruto smiled. "They are both operators actually, and luckily they can work the same shift. Since I don't really see them at home, we always plan to have supper together. They don't work the 9/5 shift that we do with Hyuuga Electric. They are on the 7/7 shift. So they get to spend a lot of time together up here, and their rooms are side by side. Sakura and Sasuke are actually trying to do the same, but the camp is taking their time organizing it for some reason. So Sasuke usually sleeps in Sakura's room because she's at the beginning of the lady's hallway and doesn't have a roommate to share the bathroom with."

Hinata felt a blush spread across her cheeks. "Well, that's great you guys get to have supper together at least once a week."

Naruto nodded as he shifted slightly in his seat. He subtly released his right hand from the steering wheel and placed it on the middle console between their seats. She stared at his hand for a moment before looking up at him. His eyes were darting back and forth between her and the road. Then, smiling at his silent request, she placed her hand on top of his and their fingers intertwined. For the rest of the trip back to camp, the two simply enjoyed the comfortable silence between them, the odd time humming along with a familiar song that came over the radio.

Naruto frowned at how full the parking lot already was as they pulled into camp. "Shoot, I had a feeling it would end up like this. I can drop you off at the doors and then park the truck."

She smiled at his offer. "No, that's okay. I would like to walk back with you if that's alright."

Smiling back at her, he turned the truck and headed towards the very far end of the second parking lot. This lot was further away from the doors and a lot bigger than the main one, but it also only had two street lamps to light the entire area. Which made it very dark and the reason a lot of people didn't like parking in it. When they found a spot, Naruto pointed out to her where Sakura and Ino's truck was parked so she would be able to find it in the morning. They sat together in the warm truck for about fifteen minutes, admiring the starlight, talking about how their workday was, and waiting for the mad rush of vehicles pouring in from both front and back shift to die down.

After a few minutes, no more vehicles pulled into the lot, and they both decided it was an excellent time to head towards the camp. Grabbing her stuff from the back, Hinata opened the door and slipped out of the truck, her boots crunching in the crisp snow at her feet. While the wind was gone, the cold air was still rather chipper, and she wrapped her scarf just a little bit tighter around her neck.

"Ah! Look at the moon!"

Hearing Naruto's words, she walked over to his side of the vehicle and looked up to where he was pointing. The moon was indeed a bright white tonight and shined fully in the sky.

"So pretty." She whispered while continuing to watch the sky.

Hinata jumped slightly when she felt Naruto's hand wrap around hers, drawing her attention off the sky and onto him. His nose and cheeks were red, but she doubted it was all from the chilly weather with the way he was looking at her. The desire in his eyes made her own cheeks burn as he stared at her in the moonlight.

Briefly, he took his eyes off her, looking around the parking lot to see if anyone was nearby. When it was clear that they were completely alone, Naruto turned back to her with that same desire still lingering in his eyes. There was something about the way he looked at her that made her heart throb. It was beating so loudly in her ears that she couldn't hear anything else around her. His free hand reached up to cup her cheek; it felt so cool against her already burning skin that she leaned into his touch. He hesitated only for a moment, his eyes clearly showing he wasn't sure about this next part. Finally, after a few seconds, he seemed to have found his resolve, and slowly he leaned his head down closer to hers.

Hinata's breath hitched, and her fingers tightened around his hand. Pale violet eyes closed halfway as his lips came closer and closer. Her heart was racing so fast in her chest that it felt like it was going to burst. A shiver ran through her body when their lips touched for the first time, and an unexpected whimper left her throat. His lips felt so soft and warm against her own.

The two kisses she had experienced were like night and day; it was practically unfair to compare them. Feeling Naruto's lips against her own made her entire body tremble

After a moment, he pulled back a little. His blue eyes searched her pale violet ones. "I-is this okay? I'm not very experienced so . . ."

Feeling braver than she had ever felt before, Hinata decided to take the lead a little and closed the gap between them as she stood up on her toes. This time when they kissed, Naruto hummed approvingly against her lips, and she was starting to get used to the intimate gesture. However, Hinata couldn't help but wince slightly when she felt his lips start to move against hers.

Feeling embarrassed to have her eyes even half-open, Hinata closed them and let the sensations she felt sweep over her body. She could no longer feel the cold weather around her; all she could feel and hear was him. The taste of his lips and the smell of his skin as they leaned closer together only added to the passion. Their lips felt like they were dancing together, moving slowly at first as they learned the rhythm and tempo of this new waltz.

Without breaking contact, Naruto slightly pushed her against the truck's door; her back came in contact with the cold metal; however, she could not feel it through her winter coat. Instead, she felt his body pressing even closer to hers, making her feel warm and tingly all over. She couldn't even begin to count the number of emotions or thoughts that were running through her head right now, but in the end, it didn't matter. All she wanted was to keep kissing him.

Their dance started to pick up in tempo, experimenting more with the rhythm as their lips moved together. Hinata wasn't sure where this passionate side of her had come from. Usually, whenever she had thought about kissing him, her cheeks would turn bright red, making her feel light-headed. However, she didn't feel embarrassed in the slightest; instead, she started to feel something she had never felt before. Although she couldn't describe it in words, it was hard to pinpoint what she was feeling for the first time. Her skin felt like it was on fire, and there was a burning sensation in the pit of her stomach.

Suddenly he pulled away again, his breath coming out in quick short pants that clouded around his face from the freezing temperature. She stared up at him, and it looked like he was about to say something, but she didn't let him speak. Feeling bold, she released his hand from hers to grasp the front of his coat and pull him down for another kiss. He seemed very surprised at first by the soft sound he made, but soon enough he was kissing her back again with just as much passion as she was feeling right now. His arms snaked around her waist, pulling her even closer to him if that was even humanly possible.

When she felt his tongue against her lips, she couldn't help but pull back from the sudden unfamiliar contact against her mouth. He seemed surprised that she had broken contact and a guilty expression slowly appeared on his face.

"I-I'm sorry." He whispered softly to her.

"N-no! I was just surprised is all . . . I'm not used to this, and this is my first time actually kissing someone." She whispered back to him as if she were afraid someone would hear them.

As she stared up at him, her eyes moved down to his lips which were red and puffy. Hinata couldn't deny that she was kind of jealous that someone had kissed him before her. However, Naruto probably felt the same way after witnessing Kiba steal her first technical kiss. So, she pushed those selfish thoughts out of the way.

It doesn't matter now. It's in the past and the one kissing him right here and now is me . . .

She could tell he wanted to continue, and she really wanted to keep going too. However, their conversation from earlier crept into her mind, and she suddenly realized that he had a previous engagement to get to.

"We should probably make our way back to camp. I'm sure you want to get to the dining hall sooner than later to meet you're . . ."

His lips came crashing down against hers, making it impossible for Hinata to complete her sentence. Once again, she felt his tongue lightly touch the entrance to her mouth. She was hesitant to take this kiss to the next level, but deep down, she knew that this was what she secretly wanted. Shyly she opened her mouth to him, and her body shivered when she felt his tongue gently sliding alongside hers. It felt strange and weird at first, but as the kiss continued, she grew accustomed to the taste and feel of him in her mouth. Her body felt now like it was on fire, and the passion that was consuming her felt so overwhelming.

Her hands gripped the front of his coat even tighter, pulling him even closer as their lips and tongues danced together. Hinata wasn't sure if she was doing this right, but it didn't matter in the end. It felt right to be kissing him like this and feeling his body pressed tightly against hers. How long they stood there kissing, she didn't know, nor did she really care. It was such an incredible sensation, and she didn't want it to stop. If time would allow it, she could keep kissing him forever.

The two of them were so lost in their kiss that neither of them heard the sound of boots slowly walking towards them. It wasn't until they heard a familiar voice did the couple finally realize that they were not alone in the parking lot.

"Naruto?! Hinata!?"

She knew that voice.

They pulled apart and quickly turned to see who was standing there less than six feet from them. They were breathing heavily, trying to catch their breath as they stared at the onlooker who no doubt had witnessed their intimate moment.

His eyes were wide and full of shock. Even though he was wearing a huge bulky coat, she could tell that his body was trembling and knew it wasn't from the cold. The expression that he wore on his face broke her heart; she had known him for so long that it was easy to see he was hurt and mad at the same time.

"Kiba . . ." Hinata finally whispered. His name was the only thing she could think of to say; her head still felt light-headed and coherent sentences were tough to form.

His teeth were gritted together, and it looked like he wanted to say something, but no words came out of his mouth. Dark eyes were looking back and forth between them, and as the seconds passed, his outward anger towards them was fading. Now he was looking at them with a tired and sad expression that broke Hinata's heart. Wordlessly he turned and walked away from them.

Hinata's heart clenched, and part of her wanted to chase after him, but she stood utterly still and kept clinging to the front of Naruto's jacket. She finally turned her head to look at her boyfriend; his expression was jumbled too, a mixture of guilt and sorrow. Suddenly he released her and stared at her with an unreadable look.

"Go after him."

His words confused her; she was unsure why he wanted her to chase after Kiba.

"He's your best friend, and for the last five years, he has loved you from afar. I don't like it at all, but you need to be the one to talk to him and tell him what's happened between us. I know right now that if I go after him, he'll be angry and most likely will want to punch me in the face. So it has to be you." Naruto reached down and gave her hand an encouraging squeeze. "Go after him."

To be honest, Hinata felt guilty for even wanting to chase after Kiba . . . but truth be told, she had to. He was her friend, and she needed to tell him what had transpired while he had been away on days off. So she squeezed Naruto's hand back and then turned to run after her friend.

To Be Continued . . .

Author Note: Types of shifts

There are many types of work schedules when it comes to shift work.

7/7 (Meaning 7 days you work and then have 7 off)

9/5 (9 days of work, 5 days off)

14/7 (14 days of work, 7 days off)

10/4 (10 days of work, 4 days off)

21/7 (21 days of work, 7 days off)

Many companies can be working on one site and all have different schedules. For example the one site I worked at, we had the 10/4 schedule, but the operators had the 7/7.