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

19. Chapter 18

Series: Naruto

Pairings: NaruHina

Author: Lynns

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto Masashi

Type: Alternate Universe/Romance

Sparks Fly

Chapter 18

While the thunder and lightning had moved on, the rain remained but was now joined by vicious winds and sleet that left visibility at a bare minimum. It was the perfect weather combination that would have any sane person remain inside for the weekend. May was always unpredictable; one moment, it would be plus twenty Degrees Celsius without a cloud in the sky, but then the next, you would suddenly have snow on your car and needed to pull out your winter boots again.

Even though he was content and warm in his bed, half-lidded blue eyes stared up at the familiar ceiling of his darkened bedroom while listening to the wind roar outside, almost lulling him to sleep. The warm body next to him also added to the comfortable atmosphere, as he glanced over to see Hinata peacefully sleeping while using his shoulder as a pillow. Tilting his head slightly, he planted a soft kiss on her forehead and smiled when she snuggled closer to him. Taking a deep breath, he inhaled her natural scent and wrapped his arm tighter around her waist. A light blush spread across his cheeks at the feel of her naked breasts pressed firmly against his side, which only reminded him of the multiple times they had already made love.

In the last 24 hours, they had not left the house or even really his bedroom for that matter. The only time they ventured out into the rest of the house was to grab a bite to eat in the kitchen or use the facilities in the bathroom. One would most likely assume that they were going at it like animals during that entire time. However, the number of times they had done the devil's tango could be easily counted on one hand.

No.

What the couple had honestly done for the majority of the day was sleep.

The blonde electrician couldn't remember the last time he had gotten a good seven to eight hours of sleep in one sitting, probably sometime last year when he had been on Christmas vacation. It felt so satisfying that neither of them had anywhere to be and that they could simply just enjoy each other's company while relaxing in his bed. Naruto knew he wasn't the only one that felt this way either.

While Hinata never vocally confirmed it, he could still see the noticeable dark bags under her eyes and knew that she lacked slumber, which was quite evident after their passionate activities in his truck. A dark blush was now spreading across his cheeks at the memory of the erotic acts that had taken place yesterday in his vehicle. It had been exciting and daring, even though there wasn't the slightest chance of the couple getting caught.

However, once they had put the groceries away and returned to his bedroom downstairs, the moment his body hit the mattress, a wave of lethargy swept over him. Naruto tried to ignore it, focusing on kissing and touching the woman in his arms. Passionate kisses slowly turned into light pecks, and soon Hinata was cuddled beside him as they gave into their body's demands. Naruto wasn't sure how long they slept, but by the time they had woken up, the sun had already set, and their stomachs growled for much-needed food and water.

His eyes began to droop, and just as Naruto could feel himself start to drift away again, the sound of his phone vibrating caught his attention, which was sitting on the dresser to his left. One blue eye peeked open to see the phone light up momentarily, revealing another text message.

At first, he wanted to ignore it and simply fall back to sleep. However, that small voice inside his brain told him he should at least check and see who it was from. Sighing softly in defeat, Naruto slowly pulled his left hand away from Hinata's before grabbing onto the electronic device.

Word had spread quickly that he was back home, and the number of texts and phone calls from his family and friends was very overwhelming. It ranged from his parents being so eager to see him Monday afternoon to Gaara asking when he planned on coming back to Konoha Energy. He was very vague in most of his responses, letting them know that he was tired and would get back to them as soon as possible. However, the latest one he had received from Kiba was a grim reminder that soon he and Hinata would have to get out of bed to tend to a few errands.

Tamaki and I have left Hinata's apartment. I'm sure she's busy with you, so just let her know that we changed the sheets on her bed, and I will leave the spare keys behind the fire extinguisher at the main office warehouse when you guys go pick up her car.

While it wasn't a very long list of things to do, Naruto was still not looking forward to getting out of his warm bed and facing the weather outside. He briefly contemplated just putting his phone down and drifting off to sleep once more. However, he glanced over at the clock on the wall to see how late in the day it was. A soft groan left his lips upon seeing that it was past 4 pm and that they really needed to get up now.

Sighing in defeat, Naruto rubbed his eyes and began to awaken the sleeping Hyuuga beside him gently. She let out a few sleepy grumbles first before her pale violet eyes slowly began to open. Hinata blinked multiple times before the hand on his chest moved to wipe some of the sleep crust from her eyes, which was followed by a big yawn. Hinata looked up at him briefly, gave him a small smile, but then attempted to snuggle her head back against his chest.

Naruto chuckled and gave her a soft jostle. "Hey now, we need to get up for a bit. I know you need to retrieve your car and check on your father's house too."

Hinata groaned and tried to keep her eyes closed. "Don't wanna . . . it's so nice here . . ."

He hummed in agreement. "I know, but if we don't go now, then it's going to be dark outside."

The Hyuuga woman sighed and peeked one pale eye open to give him a mocked glare.

Naruto laughed again and leaned down to kiss her. After a few moments, he pulled back and said, "I don't want to leave this bed either, but the weather doesn't seem to be improving, so we might as well get our errands done as soon as possible.

Hinata let out one more sigh before nodding her head and slowly began to sit up, her hands manoeuvring the blanket to cover most of her naked body, but her entire back was completely exposed to him. Without even thinking about it, Naruto sat up as well, his lips kissing her bare shoulder before slowly moving up to the contours of her neck. A shiver ran down his entire form, followed by a familiar throbbing sensation from between his legs. His fingers lightly began to trace the muscles on her back, but his gestures of affection were immediately halted when Hinata gave him a light jab with her elbow.

"I thought we had things to do?" she questioned playfully.

Naruto smiled and wrapped his arms around her again. "You know it is physically impossible for me not to touch you, right? Especially when you're naked right beside me."

Hinata blushed. "W-well, why don't we continue this at my place once we're done doing errands? So long as you buy me a coffee from my favourite café."

He smiled. "You certainly drive a hard bargain, but I accept."

0000000000

The house was cold and dark when Hinata and Naruto stepped inside. It was pretty evident that no one had been occupying it for a while now, and the blonde electrician couldn't help but smile slightly when he heard his girlfriend curse.

"God damn it, Akio. You could have at least turned on a few lights to make it seem like someone was home." Hinata whispered as she took off her boots.

Naruto followed suit and stared around the vast, empty house while Hinata turned on a light in the living room and headed towards the kitchen next. "Your father and uncle have been in New York for a week?"

Hinata nodded. "New York seems to be the popular place for a lot of their meetings recently. Ritzy hotels, lots of fancy restaurants, plus it's a city that has a lot to offer and see on your downtime. Granted, Father can be cheap sometimes, and he will try to find a hotel that won't take a chunk out of his wallet. However, usually, Uncle Hizashi convinces him that they aren't getting any younger and that it's good to enjoy things in life too."

He chuckled softly. "Yup, that certainly sounds like something your father would say."

Even though Hinata's cousin, Akio, was supposed to be keeping an eye on the place while Hiashi was gone, she still wanted to do a quick head-to-toe inspection to make sure nothing was out of place or that there was a water leak anywhere. They also turned the heat up since the cool weather was supposed to last another week in the city.

As Hinata inspected the fridge to ensure none of the food inside had gone bad, Naruto slowly walked around the big empty house. His eyes were drinking in the large rooms that had no one to occupy them. It was a house meant for a large family to reside in, but instead, a single man was the only resident. On the few occasions that he had come over to Hiashi's home, all the immediate family members had been there for dinner. However, he had also been invited over for the Hyuuga New Year's Eve Party this December. Naruto had thought the Christmas parties he had gone to with Hyuuga Electric were wild, but they paled compared to the one that had taken place here. The ordinarily large house almost seemed incredibly small with the number of people that had attended.

I wonder if Hiashi is lonely now that both of his daughters have moved out? Granted, Hizashi and Neji are right next door, and not to mention all the relatives in the houses nearby, but still . . .

A feeling of sadness swept over him, and Naruto couldn't help but feel sorry for the older Hyuuga.

Now that it's just him here, I wonder if he will keep the house? Or would he perhaps offer it to Neji? Hinata mentioned that her cousin was now seeing someone; maybe he'll move in with his girl one day, and they'll start a family.

A family . . .

Naruto glanced over his shoulder at Hinata, who was now checking all of the cupboards.

Even though I gave her a promise ring, and made a commitment that we could find a house together, was I moving too fast? At the time, it seemed like such a good idea, but perhaps I need to slow things down a bit. Maybe I was a bit too enthusiastic from being gone for so long . . .

As his girlfriend hustled around the kitchen, his vision became distorted and shifted into a fantasy, one of which he thought of from time to time. Little children were sitting around the table while Hinata was busy preparing a meal for her family. While it wasn't a future he necessarily wanted right away, it certainly was something he longed to have eventually. He had seen her interact with a few of the younger cousins within her family, and she always had a warm, motherly nature about her.

She is the only woman in the world who I would want to be the mother of my . . .

"Naruto?"

Hinata's voice suddenly brought him back to reality, and Naruto nearly jumped off the ground to see that she was standing right in front of him. He almost yelped in surprise, taking a step back.

Pale violet eyes looked at him with concern. "Are you okay? You didn't answer no matter how many times I said your name."

He blushed out of embarrassment and quickly tried to think of something to say to her. Naruto didn't want to admit what he had been thinking about, but at the same time, there were things that they needed to discuss sooner than later.

But is now the right time even?

"I-I was just, you know, staring around the house and w-wondering how lonely your dad must be, you know?" The words slipped out of his mouth before he could even stop himself. Hinata's expression changed from curiosity to melancholy. Naruto suddenly regretted what he said and immediately tried to backtrack. "I-I'm sorry, what I meant was . . ."

"It's something that has been bothering me as well." Her eyes shifted to briefly look down at the floor before moving up to gaze around the giant open concept living, dining room and kitchen. "This place was intended for my father and mother to have a huge family. But now, it's empty. Hanabi and I have moved out, not to mention Neji is thinking about following in our footsteps for a bit; things are starting to get more serious between him and Sora. I can imagine he will want his own space for a bit.

"With the house being so empty, I can only imagine how it's affecting father. I know he won't admit it, but I'm sure it's very hard on him. Plus, even if he did consider selling it, it couldn't just go to anyone; he would want it to be someone in the family." Hinata let out a shaky sigh.

His first instinct was to suggest a solution to the problem at hand. However, the ideas popping up ranged from idiotic to simply out of the question. There was no way Hinata or Hanabi would move back in, and he knew that Hiashi had no interest in finding another romantic companion. The incident from the New Years Party still gave him chills when he thought about it. In a drunken state, one of Hiashi's cousins had criticized both him and Hizashi for not finding another wife after all these years. Naruto was usually pretty dense on reading the atmosphere. Still, even he could tell that if Hinata and Neji had not interjected when they did, a fight would have most undoubtedly broken out.

Naruto took a moment after glancing around the room again before voicing a few of his milder solutions. "Perhaps he could rent the house out for a bit? At least, I'm only suggesting that if he plans to move in with one of your relatives."

Hinata hummed in agreement. "That is true. I know he is considering moving in with Uncle. You've never been to their house, but there is a full kitchenette in the basement; that way, they can also have their own space. However, while my father seems like the loner type, he does enjoy other people's company. With that being said, though, I know for a fact he would hate to rent this place out to anyone who isn't family. The thought of dealing with renters just makes his skin crawl. However, if he can't find someone in the family to buy it from him, either he will live here alone or have to sell it to a complete stranger."

I certainly don't blame him there. The way some renters can be, they trash the place and then leave while you're stuck cleaning up their mess.

There was a moment of silence before Hinata left his side and moved towards the staircase that led up to the Master Bedroom. Her hands gently caressed the wooden railing, and she looked up to the top of the stairs. "I sometimes remember Neji and I would climb these steps, and then we would slide down them on our bums in a race. My mother was always mortified from the carpet burns we would get on our legs, but Auntie Yui always managed to calm her down; she would say something along the lines of letting kids be kids."

Naruto's eyes widened momentarily. He wasn't quite sure if he was picking up the correct signals or not from Hinata, but if he had to take an educational guess . . .

She can't bring herself to live in this home. Too many painful memories . . .

He rubbed the back of his head, wracking his brain to find the words needed to comfort his girlfriend. Naruto spoke the first thing that popped into his mind. "W-well, I know things are getting pretty serious between Hanabi and Konohamaru. He just got his journeyman ticket recently, maybe the two of them will settle down, and they can move into this house."

Naruto wasn't sure if what he said was right or wrong. Hinata didn't move or respond to his suggestion, only keeping her back to him while she continued to look up at the top of the stairs. He mentally kicked himself for saying anything, but before he could apologize, his girlfriend turned around and gave him a forced smile.

"Well, we should probably head over to the office and pick up my car now." She started to walk towards the door but paused to reach down and grab his hand, pulling him along with her.

"Hinata . . ."

"Did you want to spend the night at my apartment? Or should we head back to yours?" Hinata asked, cutting him off.

Naruto bit his lip.

It was pretty clear that she was upset and was trying to hide it from him. However, after the emotional rollercoaster that the two of them had experienced over the past week, he figured it was best to put aside the conversation for now and discuss it at a different time.

He let out a soft sigh. "Sure. Why don't we have sushi for supper tonight? I'll head over to Kinjo's and grab some take-out for us."

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Once again, blue eyes were staring up at a familiar ceiling in a darkened room.

The raging windstorm outside wasn't letting up, causing all the windows in Hinata's apartment to rattle. However, the outside weather did not bother his partner, who was sound asleep beside him again. She was snoring softly against his chest, with one arm draped across his upper body, holding onto him tightly. Her hair was fanned out behind her, and his right hand was gently caressing the back of her head; Hinata had mumbled that it felt good when he did that as she began to drift off to sleep.

While Hinata didn't seem to have any trouble travelling to the land of slumber, Naruto, on the other hand, was wide awake.

A sigh left his lips as he stared around Hinata's bedroom. The mood had been sombre enough when he had entered her apartment. However, the moment he had stepped through the door and started to take his shoes off, a feeling of anxiety quickly overwhelmed him. It was suddenly hard to breathe, and Naruto had to kneel on the floor to calm his racing heart. A flash of memories suddenly went by; the unfamiliar shoes in the entryway, the erotic sounds coming from the living room, and the feeling of betrayal.

Hinata was swiftly by his side, her hand cupping his cheek and asking if he was alright. His first instinct was to tell her what he was feeling and that he was still incredibly uneasy.

But . . .

I already caused her enough trouble at the house; I don't want to upset her even more.

Instead, he just made an excuse that he was dizzy from being hungry, grasped Hinata's hand in his and then pulled her into the kitchen so they could eat their meal.

The rest of the evening had been serene. After eating, the couple had moved to the couch and snuggled close to one another while the TV was on, primarily for background noise. His hands had stroked her back while she held onto him tightly, almost to the point that her nails were digging into his skin.

They were both silent.

Naruto wished he could say it was a comfortable silence and that they were simply just enjoying each other's company. And while he did like having Hinata cuddled against him, there was a lot on his mind.

He had only been back home for less than seventy-two hours and still had a lot of emotional baggage that needed to be taken care of. While some of the 'luggage' had been dealt with the moment he had gotten off the plane, a few more bags were also tossed on the pile. It wasn't just all from the incident in the apartment where he thought Hinata was cheating on him, but a lot of it also came from when he burst into Hinata's office and saw her for the first time in months.

Hinata was never the type to drink past her limit or miss a meal since it wasn't good for the body. And yet, when he had opened the door, there she had been on her couch, intoxicated and looking like someone who had been starving themself.

Heh, I'm sure one to talk, aren't I? I pretty much did the same thing . . . almost got wasted every Saturday night in Australia, and I skipped a lot of my lunch breaks too.

On top of the guilt, he also felt overwhelmed by his co-workers on what he planned to do next with his career. Questions were already pouring in if he wanted to return to Konoha Energy right away or look into schooling for the Engineering Program or if he thought of applying for one of the office jobs at Hyuuga Electric.

The emotional drainage from being gone for so long, the guilt of seeing how his absence had affected Hinata, the pressure to pick something immediately for his career, the pestering from his friends that he needed to buy a house right away, and the uncertainty of the future . . .

It was so overwhelming that he wanted just wanted to curl up in a tight ball and fall asleep for a week.

Needless to say, when it was finally time for them to retire for the night, there was no burning desire between the two of them, unlike the previous few nights. Instead, Hinata had slipped on a pair of pyjamas while he tossed on a pair of boxers and a clean t-shirt. The two met in the middle of the bed, wrapped their arms around one another and bid each other a good night.

Naruto sighed again, not realizing he had been doing continuously.

"If you keep sighing like that, I'm going to start to think you have a medical condition."

Naruto's eyes widened, and he turned to see Hinata staring at him with a sleepy, concerned expression. He wasn't sure how long she had been awake since his attention had been elsewhere, but the guilt he was already feeling increased even more from disturbing her sleep.

"I'm sorry, Hinata. I'll be sure not to do it anymore. Let's try and go back to sleep."

He half hoped Hinata would close her eyes and fall back asleep; however, he could practically feel her gaze locked on him. The bed creaked softly as Hinata shifted her position off of his chest. One blue eye peeked open to see her sitting up so that she could thoroughly look at him.

"Naruto, please tell me what's wrong. You've been acting strange ever since we got here."

Hinata's soft words were full of concern. However, he wasn't quite ready to spill his guts yet and tell her everything that was going on in his mind. But the bag of emotions he was carrying was about ready to burst, and he needed to get some of the thoughts he was having off of his chest.

Biting his lip, Naruto shifted his body and pushed himself into a sitting position so that he was eye to eye with his girlfriend. Hinata gently placed a hand on his shoulder, wordlessly showing him that she was there for him. Hoping that Hinata wouldn't take it the wrong way, he took a deep breath. "At the time, I thought it was a really good idea . . . but, now that I've had to time to think about, I feel a bit uneasy giving you a promise ring the moment I got home."

Immediately Hinata stiffened next to him.

Pale eyes widened, and she slowly began to remove her hand. Knowing that she was thinking of the worst-case scenario, Naruto snatched her hand back and wrapped his fingers tightly around hers before firmly saying, "Stop. Please don't think that I never wanted to get you a promise ring in the first place. I just feel like I was rushing into things with you. I've always felt a little guilty about how we rushed into our relationship, but on the other hand, it's not like we were strangers; we did work and go to school with one another for over four years. I'm worried that now with me being back, we should slow things down a bit."

While her body wasn't as stiff, Naruto gently pulled her closer so that their foreheads were almost touching, his blue eyes gazing into her violet ones. She still looked worried, so he decided he had better hurry up and finish explaining himself.

"I just don't know what I should be doing right now. Do I just stay with my parents for a little bit longer? Do I buy a house right away? Heck, I don't even really know what the market is like right now. Do I find an apartment to live in on my own for a bit? There are so many options, and I'm not sure which one I should choose. Each option has its pros and cons."

As Naruto finished, he noticed that Hinata's hand tightened around his own and that her body was no longer rigid next to him.

The room was silent for a few moments, aside from the raging wind storm still raging on outside the windows. At first, Naruto wondered if he should move on to another concern he was facing, but his thoughts were interrupted by Hinata.

"Is moving in with me an option?" she asked quietly.

Whatever he was expecting her to say, the words that came out of her mouth were very unanticipated but also not surprising. Hinata's kindness knew no bounds, so of course, she would offer for him to move in with her. Naruto would be lying if he said that the thought never crossed his mind. However, this was Hinata's apartment, and he didn't want to sound pushy by asking if he could move in with her.

This was her home, after all. To just barge in and ask if he could move into the place was utterly disrespectful. His heart fluttered at the thought of them officially living together, but his happy thoughts were short-lived.

What if she was only offering for me to move in just to be nice?

Naruto had never had a roommate before or experienced what it was like to live somewhere different aside from his childhood home. With that being said, though, he practically did know what it was like to live on his own when his mom went back to work. And if there was anything he had learned from that experience, it was that he hated coming home to an empty house.

While he was looking forward to buying his own house, the thought of how lonely his new residence would be was quite unwelcoming. For the last ten plus years, he had lived by himself, and now that Hinata was offering for him to move, he was practically chomping at the bit to tell her yes.

Naruto glanced down at the bedsheets before saying, "Thank you, Hinata. You have no idea how much that means to me. But, I don't want you to think we have to move in together. If you're uncomfortable with the idea, I completely understand. I mean, as you've said, this is the first time you've even been able to live on your own too. It's only been two years, so I mean, if you want to still live on your own for a bit, I completely . . ."

He was entirely caught off guard when Hinata silenced him with a kiss. Her soft lips gently moved across his, slowly forming into a deep kiss that made his toes curl. A shiver tickled up his spine as Hinata shifted her body closer to his, her legs now straddling his hips while she sat on his lap.

Naruto suddenly felt warm as Hinata wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer to her. At first, he was confused and briefly thought about pushing her away; they were in the middle of a discussion after all!

Any logical thought that was still inside his brain was quickly swept away. Hands that had remained still were now exploring the curves and soft skin of the woman he loved. The sound of Hinata's delicate moans was music to his ears, and as they deepened their kiss more, a particular member between his legs began to throb.

Her nails were lightly scratching the scalp of his head, legs tightening around his waist, and their tongues were dancing with one another. Naruto was so consumed by passion and lust that when Hinata pulled away from him, a surprised whine unintentionally left his throat.

She didn't pull that far away from him, though, just enough so that they could gaze into each other's eyes.

Both of them were panting heavily, and Naruto wanted nothing more than to bring her back towards him so they could continue, but then she began to speak, "Naruto, if I didn't want you to move in with me, I wouldn't have asked you in the first place."

Hinata smiled at him and placed a gentle kiss on the tip of his nose.

"I've been thinking about it for some time now. I wanted to wait until you had been home a bit longer; let you settle down a bit since you were gone for so long. But, since we are on the topic, I would be thrilled to move in with you. I know my current place is relatively small. Maybe too small for two people. This is why I was going to talk with the building manager to see what paperwork needed to be filled out to add you to the rental agreement and see if there were any two-bedroom spaces available.

"Granted, that's all technical things we can deal with later. I think the next step is for us to live together, and if you think so too, then let's do it." Her pale violet eyes bore into his, shining with kindness, passion and sincerity. There was no doubt in his mind that she was telling the truth and not holding back in the slightest.

A wide smile spread across his face, and he pulled her down for a long kiss. The passion that had been non-existent between them a few hours ago was now burning brightly; his body felt like it was on fire.

When oxygen suddenly became necessary, they briefly parted again.

"Then that settles it. Hinata, let's move in together. We can work out the details later, but right now, I just want to . . ." His words were cut off when she suddenly started to rub her hips against his.

Hinata started to plant feather kisses across his face. "I know . . . I know . . ."

Naruto let out a throaty groan, and the two proceeded on with their erotic dance.

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Mondays were always a day that Hanabi did not look forward to.

Ever since moving out on her own, she thoroughly enjoyed having a space entirely to herself and having the freedom to do whatever she wanted.

Sleep in till 11 am? There wasn't anyone around to tell her no.

Have cereal for supper? No stern eyes were glaring at her disapprovingly.

For the first few months, she had enjoyed completely living on her own. However, that soon changed when her boyfriend began to spend some of his nights at her place. Suddenly the area became cold whenever he wasn't around, and she was starting to have trouble sleeping and missing his presence.

In the beginning, her relationship with Konohamaru hadn't been that serious at first.

The first time he had asked her out, she had only said yes because she was bored. Most, if not all of the men who worked for her family's company did not approach her. The only time any man willingly came over to talk to her was always about business, and aside from that, she was always the one who had to initiate the conversation. Konohamaru, on the other hand, had been the first to approach her and awkwardly talk to her about the weather. It had been cute, and the way he stuttered around her reminded Hanabi of her older sister.

She found Konohamaru charming and kind; he was rather handsome to top it off. It was hard for her to decide where she wanted this relationship to go. Was it something she took seriously? Or was this just a fling because the two of them because they were lonely?

Her family had told Hanabi many times that she was a fierce spirit, not one that could be tamed easily; a wild mare. She could be very intimidating and unpleasant at times too, which confused her immensely when Konohamaru kept asking her out. Was he only doing it because she was the daughter of Hiashi? He was, after all, the grandson to one of the owners of Konoha Energy, so was that why he was putting up with her? Did he consider her a good match because of their family businesses?

It was hard for her to tell what his motives were.

She couldn't deny that there were times she was especially mean to him or if he texted/called her late at night while being on shift at Konoha Energy and deliberately not answering them.

Even at the Christmas Party she had attended with him, while it was a great time, the two had parted with just barely a kiss before she hailed a cab back home, and he retreated to his room at the hotel. At that point, they had been dating for only three months, and she still didn't know what she wanted out of their relationship.

But then, he had done something so unexpected. So out of left field that the walls she had put up around her heart finally began to crack and crumble.

It was a cold February night, below minus thirty degrees, at a downtown hotel where she had been at a business party. It was past midnight; she had had an argument with her father because she had drank way too much. There was no sign of her uncle or cousin, and the looks that she was getting from some of the men made her feel quite uncomfortable. She tried to convince her father that they should leave. However, he was hearing none of it.

And not that she blamed him.

He had explicitly told her not to drink a lot and that they had another important business meeting the following afternoon, which she had blatantly disobeyed. Hanabi now found herself intoxicated and couldn't distinguish between her left and right foot. While hiding in the lobby downstairs, her first instinct was to call her sister to come and pick her up. However, just as she was scrolling through her contact list, her hand froze when she came across her sister's number. She knew Hinata was busy with Naruto; he had just gotten back from Saudi Arabia and that it would be incredibly rude of her to disturb them.

Her next option was to contact her cousin and uncle, but once again, she couldn't bring herself to. They were probably already back home and sleeping soundly in their beds. Hanabi continued to scroll through her list, and as her phone battery was on the verge of dying, she saw Kono's name.

Without a second thought, she called him.

It rang several times, and she was pretty sure he wasn't going to pick up; after all, he had pulled a double shift and had only gotten home yesterday. Just as she was about to hang up and give in to her fate of waiting in the hotel lobby until her father was done, she suddenly heard his groggy voice.

Unfortunately, she hadn't been able to say much aside from 'I'm at the Marriott Hotel. I'm in the lobby and I . . .', the screen became black.

Her phone was completely dead.

Tears started to pool in her eyes.

She was alone, drunk and feeling incredibly vulnerable.

Kono's face appeared before her, a few tears slipping down her cheeks, and she wanted nothing more than to be held in his big, strong arms. However, he wasn't coming. He probably thought she was messing with him and had rolled over to get back to sleep, not that she blamed the poor guy.

It was bitterly cold outside and very early in the morning. There was no way he would come get her.

As the minutes ticked by, she tried to stay awake and continue to hope that her father would be down in the lobby soon. But suddenly, a commotion by the front doors caught her attention. The bellhops were yelling at someone that they couldn't park their vehicle in that spot, but before Hanabi could even gather the strength to turn her head and see what was going on, a pair of hands grasped her shoulders.

To say she was frightened would be an understatement, but when a familiar voice said her name, she was overwhelmed with joy. His hair was a complete mess, he was still in his pyjamas, and he was looking at her with deep concern. Before she could even say a word, Kono picked her up and began carrying her to his warm truck outside the doors. The bellhops were still yelling at him, but he simply told them to can it and that he would be leaving very shortly.

Not only did Kono take her back home, but he made sure she drank plenty of water, got her into bed safely, and then he slept on the floor to keep an eye on her. The following day, he made sure she woke up at a decent time to eat breakfast and even had her business suit out and ready for her.

At that moment, Hanabi realized how lucky she was to have a man like him and that it was high time to start taking their relationship more seriously.

And now, here she was saying goodbye to him before he left for another nine-day shift.

Normally, she would take the morning off and spend what little time she had left with him before his flight back up to work. However, he needed to grab one of the newly purchased trucks for this shift and take it up to Konoha Energy to join the expanding crew. He would have to leave before 10 am if he wanted to get to his destination before supper time.

The two walked into the warehouse side by side with their hands clasped together. Practically everyone in the company knew that they were an item, so anyone they came across either gave them a cheerful greeting or wished her boyfriend safe travels on his trip to Konoha Energy.

Loud noises echoed throughout the large warehouse, from trucks being worked on to material and parts being loaded into other vehicles for other jobs. Hanabi hated to admit it, but for all the years she had worked here, there were only a handful of times she had come into this part of the building. If she had a question for someone working in this area, she simply called them over the telephone, or if something needed to get looked at, she would send someone else.

While the fifth and sixth floors she knew like the back of her hand, if someone asked her to find an item or to talk to someone specifically in this section, she wouldn't have a clue where to start or even know who to look for. Deep down, she felt ashamed, especially since the rest of her family knew every single face that was employed and the layout of the entire building. Not that she ever thought that the people who worked here were not worth her time, but more so that she never prioritized learning more about this area or the people that worked in it.

As Konohamaru led her towards a fleet of trucks, she made a silent vow to learn the layout of the warehouse and to have it memorized before her boyfriend returned home. They finally stopped at a bright white Hyuuga Electric truck that didn't have a speck of dirt on it. All the decals and company logos had been placed on it, along with new windshield wipers and a new backrack.

Hanabi released Kono's hand so that he could place his bag in the back while she did a quick walk around the vehicle to make sure it was up to company par. "So, this is the vehicle you will be driving on site from now on?"

Konohamaru shook his head. " Well, kind of. It's not just for me; Kiba will also be using it as well. We're going to be heading over to pad #17 this shift, and with us being the lead hands there, we get to share a truck."

Not only had Kono gotten his Red Seal and Journeyman ticket this winter, but he had also been promoted to Lead Hand.

"Well, I hope you have a good shift, and please drive safe." Her tone was somewhat bitter, and she didn't look him in the eye either.

She was rather frustrated with him, even though Hanabi kept telling herself that the reason behind it was very childish.

Kono didn't say anything at first. He tossed his bags into the back seat before walking around the vehicle to stand in front of her. She noticed that he did a quick glance around to see if anyone was looking at them, and when the coast was clear, he leaned down to plant a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Are you still mad at me?" he asked softly.

Hanabi let out a small huff and crossed her arms.. "No . . . not really."

Konohamaru laughed and pulled her in for a tight hug, even though her arms remained crossed. "You won't say it, but I know you're upset because we only got to spend two days together. I promise next time I'm home that you will have my full attention."

Her first instinct was to play the long game and continue to be mad at him until he was about ready to leave, making him feel guilty for hurting her feelings. However, Hanabi immediately crushed that plan and looked at the situation more maturely. Soon he would be gone, and it would be nine days before she would be able to talk to him face to face or have any physical contact with him.

Hanabi let out a sigh and wrapped her arms tightly around Kono's midsection, burying her face into the front of his sweatshirt. "I know it's not your fault, but I still would have liked more time with you."

He pulled her in closer. "Well, next time I see my older brother and my nephews, you can come along too. You certainly could have come with me this time around too."

"I know. But you so rarely get to see them, and I didn't want to disturb your time with your family."

Konohamaru laughed. "Then why are you so irritated with me then?"

Hanabi let out a huff and pulled away to give him a playful glare. "Because I'm childish and want to have all your attention on me."

Kono laughed harder.

They were starting to draw attention from the other workers and gave her boyfriend a quick jab in the ribs to make him stop. Even though he was coughing and clutching his side, she could still hear him giggling. Before she could tell him to stop laughing, a familiar voice came from behind her.

"Ah, good morning Hanabi and Konohamaru. Lovely day for a drive, isn't it?" asked Kakashi. The backshift project manager approached the couple with a grin while pulling a medium-sized rolling suitcase behind.

Hanabi gave him a curious look. "What are you doing here, Kakashi? The managers meeting isn't until 2 pm today."

The grey-haired man suddenly looked guilty. "Ah well, I know I was supposed to attend that meeting before my flight today, but it didn't feel right having Kono here drive the new truck up all by himself, so I'm going to accompany him."

Her eyebrow arched in suspicion, and she glanced over at her boyfriend, who had a playful grin on his face. "Or, is it that you don't want to attend the meeting, and this is your bailout?"

Kakashi froze momentarily as he was putting his suitcase into the back seat and then cleared his throat, "Why no, of course not! I would love to attend the meeting and listen to everyone's opinion on the budget or why some projects are taking longer than they should. But with the way the wind and rain have been this past weekend, I think it's best for Kono not to travel solo."

Hanabi rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Konohamaru, but not before saying, "Well, that's completely up to you. Just know that when my uncle gets back tomorrow, he's not going to be pleased. So, prepare yourself for that lovely phone call."

Kakashi smiled, gave her a thumbs-up and opened up the passenger door, "I always do look forward to those calls. I'll be ready to go when you are Konohamaru, but before we hit the main highway, I think some coffee and breakfast wraps are needed this morning."

Kono gave his boss a nod before returning his attention back to her. Knowing that their time together was now down to mere minutes, Hanabi pulled him in for one more hug.

"I'll miss you." She whispered.

"Me too. Facetime every night?" he asked.

Hanabi gave him a soft poke. "You better."

Konohamaru gave her another big smile before leaning down towards her. She could tell he was aiming for her forehead again, but instead, she met him halfway to lock her lips with his.

The kiss was brief, and she pulled away before it turned into something more passionate, a light blush spreading across her cheeks at the memory of their very early morning activities.

Her boyfriend's dark eyes were wide, and he almost seemed to be in shock, but his reaction was completely justified. This was, after all, the first time they had kissed one another in a public place.

Hanabi took a few steps back. "Well, I'd better head to my office. I'm sure Neji is already wondering where I am. Call me anytime after 8 pm, okay?"

Konohamaru was still in a daze, but he gave her a nod to let her know he understood.

She quickly turned around and started to head out of the warehouse, knowing that if she didn't leave soon, it was going to take every ounce of willpower not to try and kiss him again.

Exiting the warehouse, Hanabi would have generally headed towards the elevator but instead opted to take the stairs. Her cheeks were still bright red, and she knew Neji was bound to notice; this way, she could take a little bit of extra time to calm her breathing and racing heart.

As she slowly made her way up each flight of stairs, Hanabi pulled out her phone to see any new messages from her sister. Hinata had been unusually quiet over the weekend, only getting vague responses that she was occupied with some things and was making sure to take it easy. At first, she had wanted to pry more, but after talking it over with Neji on Friday, she thought it best to let her sister have some personal space.

Finally, she reached the third floor and headed straight for her cousin's office. Her initial plan was to bid him good morning, ask if he wanted a morning coffee from the break room, and then go over what their plan of attack was for the day before their fathers returned from New York City tonight.

Hanabi raised her arm to knock on the open door but paused when she saw the expression on Neji's face. Not only was he in full concentration mode while his eyes were locked on the computer monitor, but his brow was furrowed, and there was a deep frown on his lips. The young Hyuuga let out a mental sigh, wondering what joyous news they had received on this rainy Monday morning. Hanabi prepared herself mentally for the news before continuing her previous gesture and knocked on the door.

Neji's eyes briefly left the screen to look at her before darting back down. "Good Morning, Hanabi. I thought you weren't coming in till noon today."

She let herself into his office and closed the door behind her. "Change of plans. Kono had to take one of the new trucks up to site. Oh, and just so you know, Kakashi is joining him by riding shotgun."

Her cousin let out a loud groan. "Skipping another meeting, is he?"

Hanabi took a seat. "I tried to stop him, but we can't force him to participate."

"That's only because Gaara picks up his slack. He's at least ten years younger than Kakashi but has the wisdom and patients of a wise old man."

Hanabi couldn't help but giggle. "But I also understand where he's coming from. Many people in accounting and the other departments have never been out in the field. So when a project is over budget or behind, they don't fully understand."

Neji nodded, still not looking away from the computer screen.

"So, what bad news have we received this morning? You look as if you are reading someone's obituary."

Instead of answering the question, her cousin simply leaned forward and turned the screen so that she could see what he was reading. Usually, that meant it was bad news, especially if he was showing her instead of just explaining it himself. Hanabi took a deep breath and read the medium-sized paragraph from her father. She was half expecting it to say that they had lost a customer or that a job they had been promised had been given to another client. But as her pale eyes followed the typed words, her brow began to furrow when she realized what her father was implying.

After reading the email, Hanabi sat back glanced at her cousin quickly before leaning forward to read the email one more time. Once she finished reading it a second time, she closed her eyes and tried not to let her emotions get the better of her.

"So . . . . let me get this straight. A new program is coming out, and in two weeks, they want us to send a few people to New York to take the course for two months? However, Father is being a fucking cheapskate again . . ."

"Hanabi, watch your tongue."

"And he just wants Hinata to shoulder the entire burden onto her instead of sending a few more people?" Hanabi tried to keep her voice down, but a few people glanced at them even with the door closed while walking by.

Neji nodded.

"Has he completely lost his mind? He can't be serious! I know Hinata is more than capable of learning it all, but that's not fair to her! Heck, I can't even go to a business meeting in another city without one other person accompanying me! Does he really want to send her to New York by herself?! For two fucking months!?"

She was starting to see red, but before she could say another word, Neji had stood up and was now kneeling beside her chair. "Deep breaths, cousin. I'm just as upset as you are but calm down, and I'll try to explain where he's coming from."

Hanabi wanted to let out a laugh, but instead, she took a few long breaths while listening to what her cousin had to say.

"You know my father wouldn't let that happen unless there was no other option. I've been reading this email repeatedly since I got here at 8 am this morning. I tried to think of anyone else within both companies who could learn the course too, but unfortunately, everyone is busy. My first choices were either Shino or Iruka, but right now, we are firing on all pistons up at Konoha Energy. And I know you guys are the same; I'm pretty sure Hinata told me they hired another five Transformer Technicians." Said Neji.

"And they are just okay with letting Hinata leave for two months? She's got important roles here too! Are they really expecting her to do her job and take the course in New York?"

Neji patted her arm. "I said calm down. Besides, that's the reason why this course is going to take so long. Normally it would maybe take thirty days, but since everyone attending can't spare 8hrs each day for a month, they are breaking it down. Mornings will be learning the new systems, but everyone will be working afternoons with their separate companies. So Hinata won't be overworked, and we can still communicate with her either over the phone or with Zoom calls."

"But she will be alone! In New York City!"

"I know, I know. While there won't be anyone else from Hyuuga Electric or Power at the course, there will be others that she does know from previous business meetings and parties. So, at least she will know some faces there. Besides, I thought you had more faith in your sister? She can take care of herself."

Hanabi let out a huff and crossed her arms. "I get that but, it just doesn't seem fair to her, especially if she has to leave within two weeks! That first week in June, she'll be heading off to New York, just as Naruto is getting back from Australia! He's been gone over 100 days, Neji! We can't expect her to leave when she's not going to be able to see him for another 60 days!"

She was expecting Neji to at least agree with her or say something. However, when she glanced at him, he was giving her a confused look.

"Have you not talked with Hinata at all this past weekend?"

Hanabi shook her head.

"Well, long story short, Naruto is back. He arrived here Friday night."

Her pale eyes widened. "He did? He's already home!? And she told you, but not me!?"

"What part of calm down are you not understanding? Also, no, she didn't tell me right away. I got a call from our security guys at Garda on the weekend. Friday night, they did their rounds around the building and reported two vehicles in the parking lot. Since none of the alarms went off and there was no sign of a break-in, they figured either a few people were working late or had just left their vehicles parked there. I didn't get a chance to look at the email until this morning because I was . . . busy this weekend." A light blush spread across Neji's cheeks, and he averted his gaze from Hanabi's.

"Anyways, they had taken a picture of the vehicles just in case, and one of them was Hinata's. When she came into work this morning, I asked her what was going on. Not only did she admit that she came back Friday night to finish her work, but Naruto had returned home and had been told by Kiba where she was at."

So many questions were circling Hanabi's mind.

Why did Hinata come back here when we told her to take it easy for the weekend? Why did Naruto come back early? I thought he had another two weeks in Australia? How did Kiba know that she was here? Hinata told him that she would be working late, but not us?! What if something had happened to her!?

Hanabi shook her head, deciding that none of those questions mattered right now. "Okay, so how did Hinata take the news that father wants her to go to New York for two months?"

Neji stood up and returned to his desk chair. "I haven't told her yet. Father and Uncle Hiashi only sent the email to me. They know that Hinata has been rather gloomy lately, and they were hoping that you and I would be able to break the news to her more gently today before they got back."

A moment of silence fell over the office. Neji turned his monitor back around while Hanabi glanced back out the window behind her cousin, watching the rain splatter against the glass. She tried to rack her brain if there was anyone else they could send with Hinata; however, no names were coming up.

The only people I can think of are either too busy to go, or they wouldn't be able to handle doing their job away from the office. However, someone from Hyuuga Electric really should go with her. She's representing Hyuuga Power, but who can we . . . wait a minute! Hanabi, you're a genius!

She immediately stood up and nearly scared the hell out of her cousin with the excited look on her face. "Neji! We are so stupid! Of course there is someone that can go with Hinata! That way we can have two people go! One to represent each company!"

Neji's eyebrow arched in confusion, and he was looking at her like she was crazy, but suddenly, he understood what she was implying. "Wait, you can't seriously mean . . . no. That's out of the question, Hanabi. There is no way your father will approve of it!"

"Of course he won't! But that's why we are here to convince my father that Naruto is the perfect candidate to go along with her! Besides, do you honestly think that he's going to stay put here while she goes off to New York? Heck, I'd be willing to bet my shares on the stock market that the moment he finds out, he's going to follow after her. If he's going to do that anyway, might as well take advantage of it and put him to work too!"

Hanabi could tell that she had won the argument. Her cousin opened and closed his mouth multiple times to try and retort her statement, but he was coming up with nothing. She began to beam with pride, but then he came back at her with a counter-question.

"Alright, you have a very valid point. However, Uncle Hiashi still isn't going to allow it. What is Naruto going to do in the afternoons while Hinata and everyone else is doing their jobs? Just hang out in his room for four hours until Hinata is done? Now, granted, he's been working his butt off the last three months and could definitely use a break. However, I'm not the one that has to approve him to go; Uncle Hiashi is. So we've got to think of a good enough argument to send Naruto to New York so that Uncle can't say no."

The younger Hyuuga stood up from her chair and began to pace slightly. After running a few options in her head, she came up with a genius solution. However, it would only work if Naruto was on board with her plan.

"Where is Naruto now? He's not here at the office, is he?" Hanabi asked, somewhat hopeful that he was.

Neji shook his head. "Only Hinata is here. Naruto's parents should be arriving home at any moment, and they are going to be having lunch with him. However, Hinata did mention that the two of them would be having supper together tonight."

Hanabi crossed her arms and closed her eyes, slowly putting down the puzzle pieces in her mind for the master scheme. "Right. Okay Neji, new plan. Tell Hinata that she and Naruto are invited to a group supper tonight at Father's house. They aren't allowed to say no and say it's an important business meeting that I want to have. Father and Uncle Hizashi aren't going to be back until 10 pm tonight, so we can order in some Chinese food and talk things over with the two of them."

Her cousin leaned back in his chair. "Alright, but what about my question from earlier?"

Heading towards the door, Hanabi turned her head to give him a mischievous smile. "Leave that to me. I need to do some digging first, but if all goes well, there is no way father is going to be able to say no to this idea."

0000000000

Naruto couldn't remember a time when his mother had hugged him so hard that he wasn't able to breathe properly or feel his ribs crack.

He had picked both of them up from the airport, where he thought he had already gotten enough hugs from his mother there; it took his father and a security guard to pry her off of him finally. However, as soon as they had entered the house, Kushina had pulled him in for another bear hug and was showing no signs of letting him go. Instead of helping him, his father decided it was best for him to make their lunch while mother and son reunited.

Coward. He just doesn't want to have any confrontations with mom right now . . .

Naruto gently patted his mother on the shoulder and barely managed to gasp out, "M-mom . . . seriously I'm glad to see you too . . . but I'm starting to see stars . . ."

Kushina loosened her grip a little bit, but she still held onto him quite tightly, and all he could see was the top of her head. A few loud sounds started to come out of the kitchen, and then slowly, the smell of grilled cheese and mushroom soup began to drift past his nose.

The minutes started to tick by, and Naruto was beginning to feel uncomfortable for how long his mother was holding onto him.

"Um . . . Mom?"

"Hush you. I haven't seen you in over three months; I will hug you as long as I feel like it." His mother's words were muffled, but he could hear the threatening tone behind them.

Naruto surrendered to his fate and tried to patiently wait for her to finish holding him.

After what seemed like forever, his father finally peered out of the kitchen. Naruto glared at his father and could tell that he was stifling off a laugh as he stared at the two of them.

"Kushina dear, I think it's time for you to let Naruto go. It's time for lunch. You can hold him and talk to him some more after we eat."

Naruto glared at his father some more, but at long last, his mother finally let him go.

The table was full of laughter and stories. Naruto told them all about his experience in the land from down under, while his parents filled him in on how busy it was at Konoha Energy.

"This latest project is ridiculously huge. We've at least doubled in manpower for the operators on the day shift. More people to supervise and permits to sign off on. I'm almost tempted to ask them to put me on the night shift so it won't be as busy." Minato said before downing the rest of his soup.

"I'm just so glad that you're home safe and sound. You're taking some time off, right? Or are they asking you to start right away?"

Naruto took one last bite of his grilled cheese before answering his Mom's concerning question, "Not really. Gaara told me that he would love to have me back up there as soon as possible, but he also understands that I need some time off to relax. Might Guy is moving up from Field Foreman to Lead Foreman, so I'll be taking over his position when I return."

Minato smiled. "Moving up in the company once again, good for you son. Any other plans for your career? Or are you just going to be a Field Foreman for a bit?"

He leaned back in his chair. "I haven't decided yet; I still need a bit more time to think it over. In the meantime, um I . . . well Hinata and I have decided to take a big step in our relationship."

Kushina and Minato glanced at each other before looking back at him, almost silently encouraging him to continue.

"Well . . . we have decided to move in together. I'm not sure when; Hinata said she's going to talk to the building manager first to sort out some details and to see if we can upgrade to a two-bedroom, but hopefully, we can have it all worked out before I go back to work with Hyuuga Electric."

Both of his parents smiled, his mother giving him a gentle pat on the back.

"That's great, Naruto. I'm sure the two of you will be really looking forward to that." Minato stood up and began to gather up the dishes. "The only concern I might have, is if Hiashi is going to be okay with the idea of you moving in with her? I know the two of you are adults, but he seems to be very protective of his daughters."

Naruto nodded. "Hinata said that she was going to talk to him about it too. She's hoping to stay in the same apartment complex since it's only ten minutes away from where most of the family lives. So, he shouldn't have any gripes about me moving in, especially if I'm paying my share with rent, utilities and food."

His mother gave him a gentle poke. "And don't forget to do your half of the chores too. I know I tried to raise you not to be a slob, so you can at least put away your dishes and do your laundry. Hinata is not going to be your personal maid."

He laughed and playfully batted his mom's hand away. "I know, I know. And if everything works out and we can live together with no issues, then I can start looking for a house to raise a family in."

While Minato was putting the dishes in the dishwasher, Kushina left the table and headed towards the front door to grab their suitcases.

"Well, it looks like to me that you and Hinata are certainly taking the correct steps with your relationship. It seems you guys have had some pretty serious talks lately; moving in together, what you each want out of the future, family talk and how many kids you want. That's very mature of you."

Naruto felt his body stiffen at his mother's words. "Oh. Well, we haven't talked about all of those things quite yet. But you know, I'm pretty sure Hinata wants to get married and have a family too."

He was half expecting his parents to have delighted expressions on their faces, but instead, the two of them were looking at him with concern and hesitation. An uneasy silence fell over the kitchen and dining room, making Naruto feel like he had said something wrong.

"What? What is it? You two look like I told you I'm quitting being an electrician or something."

His parents glanced at each other a few times more before his father finally said, "Look, Naruto, maybe before you start making these future plans inside your head, you should talk things over with Hinata first."

Naruto's eyebrow furrowed in confusion. "Why? Are you saying that you don't think she wants to have a family with me?"

He couldn't help but feel sad and a little hurt by what they were saying to him.

Kushina dropped the suitcases she was carrying and immediately went to his side. "Now, Naruto, that's not what we are saying at all. But that is a conversation that you need to have with Hinata first; make sure your future goals are along the same line."

This only seemed to confuse him more. "I still don't understand. Do you think she hates kids or something? I've seen her interact with her younger cousins, and she's great with them."

Minato placed the dishtowel he had down and also joined his wife and son at the dining room table. "We aren't saying that either, Naruto. Look, the two of us are only talking to you about what we've seen happen with other couples. Before I asked your mom to marry me, I made sure that we were on the same page about marriage and having children. I've known quite a few couples who haven't had that conversation, and it usually doesn't end well. All we are saying is to make sure you have that conversation with Hinata. Who knows, maybe she doesn't want to have kids and wants to travel the world instead."

Deep down, Naruto wanted to argue with them more and tell them that Hinata was not like that. However, he could kind of see where they were coming from. It just rubbed him the wrong way, and it almost seemed like they were implying that Hinata didn't want to have a family with him.

He had never really thought about having kids until he got together with Hinata. The idea had seemed okay in previous years, but once she was by his side, it became more than just a passing concept. It was something he wanted greatly in the future to come, and he knew there were specific steps he needed to take first; he didn't want to put the cart before the horse.

Taking a deep breath, he decided it was better to just agree with his parents for now. "Alright, I get what you're saying. I'll see how it goes with us living together first, and then I'll be sure to talk about it."

The worried expressions they both had melted away, and he was finally seeing their smiling faces.

"Good. Now, what are your plans for this evening? Cane we invite Hinata over for a family supper? It's been so long since we last saw her, probably not since Christmas." Said Kushina as she went to grab the suitcases again.

Naruto was about to tell them that they had already made dinner plans but was interrupted by his cell phone going off. Figuring it was one of his friends, he pulled the electronic device out of his pocket and was surprised to see his girlfriend calling him.

"Ah, hang on, it's Hinata. I'll see what she says about having dinner tonight." Naruto pressed the accept call button. "Hi, Hinata. How's work going so far? Is everything okay? "

He paused and waited as Hinata filled him in with what was going on at the head office.

"Wait . . . Neji and Hanabi want to do what tonight?"

0000000000

By 5:30 pm, the wind had finally stopped howling, but the rain didn't seem like it would be leaving anytime soon. Rush hour was still in full swing, and Naruto grumbled under his breath with how painstakingly long it was taking to get to the main Hyuuga house. The easy ten-minute drive was now stretching to be almost thirty minutes. It also didn't help that one of the traffic lights was out, meaning it was being treated like a four-way stop.

"It's okay, Naruto. It's not like we are in a rush or running late. Hanabi just told us to get there safely." Said Hinata while gently placing her hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down.

Naruto let out a frustrated sigh. "I know, I know. It's not just the traffic that's bothering me; I was just really looking forward to us just relaxing tonight. But I also know it's been a while since I saw Neji and Hanabi too. Are you sure they want to have dinner tonight? Wouldn't they prefer to wait until tomorrow when your Father and Uncle are back?"

Hinata shook her head. "Hanabi was quite insistent that we have dinner tonight with them. She also mentioned that she wanted to discuss topics about work, but I have no idea what she means by that."

Naruto gripped the steering wheel a little tighter and bit back a curse when the vehicle to his right suddenly turned on their signal light to get into his lane. Rolling his eyes in frustration, he kept his foot on the brake to allow them in. "We don't have to stay too long, do we? I know we didn't get much sleep last night, and I was really looking forward to just going to bed early."

His girlfriend let out a deep breath. "Me too. I'll make sure that they don't keep us too long. I have a sneaky suspicion Neji will try and convince you to come back to work early. But don't let him bully you into it; you deserve some time off, Naruto."

He smiled and released his right hand from the steering wheel so he could clasp her hand in his; she looked at him with a tired smile.

"Hey, tomorrow while you're at work, why don't I look into booking a vacation for us? We could use the time off, find some beaches to walk along, and enjoy some hot weather. Sasuke said Honolulu is amazing, but Ino also mentioned that Mexico was great too." He gripped her hand a little tighter. "With everything that's been going on the past year and a half, I think we deserve it."

Hinata hummed in approval and closed her eyes. "I think that sounds perfect. Normally, I would feel anxious to visit a beach and put on a swimsuit. But, as you said, these last fifteen months haven't been fun."

Ten more minutes later, they finally arrived at their destination. After parking his truck, both Naruto and Hinata ran to the main door in an attempt to keep dry from the pouring rain. Hanabi was waiting for them with a giant smile and a towel as well. She welcomed him back home and asked if he had brought her back any souvenirs from Australia.

"Hanabi! I told you not to ask him that!" shouted Neji from the kitchen; he was setting out the take-out containers from The Silver Dragon Restaurant.

Naruto couldn't help but laugh; however, he suddenly let out a painful yelp when Hanabi gave him a big hug. He immediately pushed her away and explained that his ribs were probably bruised from all the hugs he had received from his mother.

With their boots off and coats hung up, Hinata led the way to the island where steaming fried rice, beef chow mein, spring rolls, chicken chop suey, ginger beef, and so many other options that Naruto felt he was at an all you can eat buffet.

He hated to admit it, but as they all ate dinner together, Naruto kept his guard up whenever Hanabi or Neji asked him a question. For the most part, their conversations mainly asked him how, aside from pulling carcasses out of panels, he had enjoyed Australia. They also talked about how busy both companies were and the number of people they had to hire within the last four months.

As the food was consumed and empty containers discarded, Naruto was expecting any moment for either of them to start quizzing him on what he planned to do next, but instead, the two Hyuuga's turned their attention to Hinata.

"So, have you talked to father or Uncle Hizashi today, Sis?"

Hinata cleaned her hands with a wet wipe and shook her head. "No, I have not. Is everything okay?"

Neji pulled out a bottle of white wine from the fridge and poured a glass for everyone. "Everything is fine, Hinata. I got an email from my father today, and I wasn't sure if they had contacted you too. The good news is their meetings went well, and they even secured a few more clients in America. However, there is a little . . . well not bad news per se, but you're not going to like it."

"What do you mean, Neji?"

Hinata's cousin passed around the wine glasses before taking a seat next to her. "There's a new program that our fathers want to install, and the course for it is in a few weeks. It's in New York, it's going to be a two-month-long program, and they want you to go."

Not only was Hinata speechless, but Naruto could feel anger rising in himself from hearing the news. He opened his mouth to interject, but Hanabi quickly placed her hand on his shoulder. "Shhhh. I know you're upset, but just hold your tongue for a few minutes longer, and we'll explain."

Neji nodded. "I know it seems bad, but just hear us out, and it won't be as terrible as you think."

Naruto gritted his teeth for a moment and glanced at Hinata, who was starting to look upset; her bottom lip was trembling. He gripped her hand tightly for support. "Alright, start talking you two."

Hanabi took a quick sip of her wine. "The course is 60 days long. In the morning, you and everyone else take the course for four hours, and then the rest of the day is technically free time. Though most people will use that time to do work for their companies; zoom meetings, answering emails, etc."

Hinata's expression shifted from vulnerable to what Naruto referred to as her business mode; a serious look that would make even the most experienced CEO tug at his collar. "Because that makes perfect sense. Why not have this course online, and then no one has to spend money for accommodations and food?"

Her cousin shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine, Hinata. Granted, the program is brand new, and they are still working out a few of the bugs. They only want certain companies to try it out first, which is why they want everyone to be there in person. Plus, with everyone there, they can discuss what works with the program and what doesn't. And, I imagine there will be a few fundraiser parties as well; it is that time of year for it."

"So, father and uncle only want to send me? To save money on sending multiple people?" asked Hinata.

"Correct. However, both Hanabi and I find it completely unfair for you to travel by yourself for two months while representing both companies. Which is where you come in, Naruto."

Naruto had been so focused on preparing himself to defend Hinata that when Neji suddenly said his name, it completely caught him off guard, which caused his voice to squeak. "What? Me?"

Hanabi stepped in this time. "Yes, you. Right now, both Hyuuga Electric and Hyuuga Power are running on all cylinders. We don't have anyone to spare that can go with Hinata to New York City. I know damn well she can both learn this course and take care of her job responsibilities as well. Which, I, unfortunately, can't say the same for some of the people here. Which is where you come in."

"Shino always complimented on both your abilities in the field and able to keep all your paperwork in order. Which I know comes from Sasuke giving you pointers as well, but regardless, while Hinata will have a perspective of how this new program will run in the office environment, I need your eyes and knowledge on how it will work in the field. If it looks like it's going to be a problem for our lead hands and foremen in the field, then you speak up and let them know."

Naruto couldn't deny that he felt pretty overwhelmed listening to Neji's words, both with pride and anxiety. The thought of being a representative for Hyuuga Electric was quite overwhelming. It made Naruto wish that instead, he was being offered to work a twenty-eight-day shift where minus forty-degree Celcius weather the entire time.

However, as nervous as he was, if it meant he got to spend time with Hinata and not be separated from her again, then he was willing to do anything. "Alright, that does sound good and all, but there is one thing that I am concerned about. What will I be doing in the afternoons while Hinata is working? I doubt Hiashi or Hizashi will be okay with me just chilling in my room and doing nothing."

Hanabi smirked. "Which is why we are going to line you up with some online courses. I found an online Foreman course that goes over leadership skills, multi-tasking, and all that jazz. Plus, for the month of July, I found a Transformer Technician course that all of our guys take before heading out into the field. Not that you plan on being a Transformer Technician, but having the course and also completing the practical test when you get back, will certainly look good on your resume. So long as we keep you busy with these online courses, there is no way that Father and Uncle Hizashi can say no. Also, I'm sure if Hinata needs help contacting some customers or needs some research done, then you can give her a hand as well. Also, don't worry, we will be covering the hotel costs, you will have a food allowance set up and cover the cost of the flights. So, does that sound all good and dandy?"

To say that he was stunned would be a complete understatement. It felt like he was just being taught how to swim, only just getting his toes in the water before someone suddenly pushed him into the deep end and told him to tread water for ten minutes. It was a lot to comprehend in a short amount of time. His options were to say yes and go with Hinata on this trip to New York, or say no and be separated from her for two months.

Like hell I would let that happen. If Neji and Hanabi weren't offering me this opportunity, then I would probably just fly down there myself so that we weren't apart again for a long time.

Hanabi looked at him with excitement gleaming in her eyes, but she seemed very concerned when he let out a heavy sigh. "What's wrong, Naruto?"

He glanced over at Hinata, who looked tired and overwhelmed too, which reminded him of their previous conversation in the car. "This sounds like an amazing opportunity, and don't get me wrong, I do plan on saying yes to it. It's just Hinata and I are exhausted, both mentally and physically. She's been working a lot of overtime at the office, and I was running around like crazy all over the world. I guess what I'm trying to say is, we were kind of looking forward to some downtime before I went back to work at Konoha Energy."

Naruto half expected Hanabi or Neji to tell them to suck it up and that they could take it easy around the winter holidays. However, the way Hanabi was grinning at the two of them made him think that she had already considered his concerns.

Hanabi reached into her hoodie pocket and pulled out a pamphlet without saying anything. Grinning widely, she passed it over to him. He reached for the piece of paper and looked down to read it. Blue eyes widened when he realized it was a travel pamphlet for one of the hotels in Honolulu.

Now, he was more confused than ever.

"Wait . . . what is . . ."

This time it was Neji who was smiling at him, "You don't have to tell us how hard the two of you have been working. Which is why we are hoping this will be the icing on the cake for our offer. The Royal Hawaiin Resort is one of the best hotels in Honolulu. Fiver star dining, luxurious rooms, and they are located right on the beach. My father and Uncle always get discount promos and offers every year for this place. Normally they give it away to loyal customers or even family members, however this time, we are going to pass it on to you two."

Hanabi stood up and came around the island to wrap her arms around the two of them. "I know you want to go on a vacation right away, but could you maybe hang on till the middle of October? That way, it's not too hot there, and the prices are also reasonable before they jack it up for the winter season. Plus, things will hopefully have slowed down by then as well; I would hate to send you guys on a short one-week vacation when you at least deserve a two-week one. With these discount promos and a few others I can round up that are given to Hyuuga Power for travel, you two can have an amazing two-week vacation that won't break the bank."

Naruto was once again completely speechless. It was a little disappointing to hear that they wouldn't be able to go on holidays right away and relax, but with that being said, if it meant getting a discounted vacation for two weeks with the love of his life . . .

"So what do you say, Hinata and Naruto?" asked Hanabi. "Deal, or no deal?"

0000000000000000

Tuesday Morning . . .

The last time Naruto had rented a tuxedo was for his High School Graduation. At first, he hadn't really cared what to wear to the Graduation Ceremony, and was his original plan was to borrow one of his father's simple suits. However, after much convincing from his mother, he had allowed her to drag him downtown so they could rent one.

He stood on top of a small stool, trying to stay completely still while an older gentleman was taking his measurements. Three large mirrors surrounded him, giving anyone a three hundred and sixty-degree view of what he was wearing. Meanwhile, Hinata was behind him sitting on a small couch and looking at him with a small smile.

"Is a tuxedo necessary, Hinata? I mean, I understand Neji wanting me to rent a few suits to use while we are gone."

Hinata nodded. "I'm sorry, Naruto. However, if we are invited to a few business dinners or fundraiser parties, you will need to wear one. The dress code for some of these events are very specific on what you need to wear. But, look on the bright side, at least Hyuuga Electric is covering the bill."

He knew Hinata was trying to cheer him up, but unfortunately, it did little to affect his bitter mood.

The two of them had arrived at the main office bright and early. They had followed Neji and Hanabi into the main boardroom where Hiashi and Hizashi were waiting for them. Both of the Hyuuga twins looked surprised to see him, but before they could ask him any questions, Hanabi had closed the doors and started telling them about her masterful plan.

At first, it almost seemed like both older men were on board with the proposal. Hizashi was smiling and even nodding his head, but Hiashi only had a blank expression on his face; which Naruto thought was a good thing. After Hanabi had finished talking, Hiashi had slowly stood up, looked between him and Hinata, then proceeded to say that what they were asking for was utterly ridiculous and out of the question.

Naruto felt his heart drop, and when he glanced over at Hinata, she looked unhappy as well.

Hanabi didn't say anything at first. She let out a soft hum and then slowly turned to Hinata. "Sister, why don't you take Naruto downtown to Moores and find him a few suits to rent? He's going to need a better attire to wear to the meetings, especially if he only owns one. Meanwhile, Neji and I are going to discuss this matter further with Father."

The profound, sinister way Hanabi's voice had come out near the end and the way her face contorted from cheerful to wrath almost made him want to run out of the boardroom crying.

He and Hinata could not leave fast enough before the door was closed behind them, and the yelling started. Naruto glanced back to the big wooden doors a few times while they made their way to the elevator. As the metal doors were closing to take them down to the first floor, he could have sworn he heard Hanabi yell 'Quit being a cheapskate, Old Man!"

The older gentleman taking his measurements told him that he was free to move for now while he went into the back to grab some suits and tuxedos. Being alone with Hinata now, Naruto let out a deep sigh and moved to sit next to her, his head falling to the side to rest on her shoulder. She tilted her head against his as well and reached for his hand, holding it tightly while they waited for the employee to return.

After a moment, he asked, "So . . . does your sister always yell at your dad like that when she doesn't get her way?"

Hinata giggled. "No, not all the time; only if she's furious at him. Aside from Uncle Hizashi, Hanabi's the only one who's been able to talk to father like that. I've never been able to, but then again, she's not afraid to make him mad or push his buttons."

Naruto smiled and closed his eyes. "Do you think she'll be able to convince your father to let me go with you?"

"I have complete faith in my sister and cousin to take care of the matter. Uncle Hizashi seemed very pleased with the idea, so I'm sure all of them will be able to persuade him."

Before Naruto could say anything else, Hinata's phone began to vibrate.

They briefly looked at each other before Hinata picked it up. Seeing Hanabi's name on the screen caused Naruto to hold his breath.

He waited patiently while Hinata talked to her sister. Their conversation was short and to the point, but as Hinata bid her sister goodbye, the broad smile on her face told him all he needed to know.

"Well, once we are done here, I will need to return to the office and talk to our Traveling Administrator to book us rooms at the Kitano Hotel in Manhatten. After that though, where should we have lunch at?"

To Be Continued . . .

Authors Note:

Almost seven months since the last update! Holy smokes!

Where do I even begin as to why this chapter took so long. A lot of things have happened since the last update. At the end of July, a modular home we had purchased to move into arrived, and for the next two months we spent fixing the place up; new flooring, I installed new lights, fans, switches and receptacles in every room, new cabinet knobs, new doorknobs and cleaning the place top to bottom. Also waiting for other trades to come in to install the gas lines, water lines, sewer lines, etc.

And not only were we moving into a new place, which we fully moved into at the end of September, but I was also very pregnant at the time too. I also have to mention that on January 5, 2022, I gave birth to our second son, who was delivered via c-section. My first son was a big guy coming in at 10lbs 10oz. However, my second son weighed 10lbs 5oz, and he was two weeks early! I can't imagine how big he would have been had we waited another two weeks.

To top things off, my husband's computer suddenly died, and instead of buying a new one, we decided just to share mine. The problem is he is an avid gamer; it's his ONLY hobby. As for myself, I do play games as well, but I also write and sew too. So after the kids were in bed or I finally had some time to myself, my husband was always hogging the computer. Things were getting a little heated between us since we were supposed to be sharing the computer, but he was always the one using it. Luckily though, the computer store near us had a laptop sale going on. I suggested to my husband that we could at least buy a cheap laptop for me to do my writing, pictures and other computer activities, to which he agreed.

And then finally, actually trying to type this damn chapter. I had started it back in August, but I could not find the motivation to write for some reason. I've had this chapter planned out for a while now, but every time I sat down to write, I either couldn't get very far or I was not happy with the way I was writing it. I got 11 pages in and just couldn't get out of the rut I was stuck in.

Last week, I finally decided I needed to start from scratch and for some reason, my fingers were then on fire, writing this entire chapter in just a week.

Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this newest installment, and hopefully, the next one won't take me another seven months to complete.

Lynns