Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto (either manga or anime!); the wonderful Masashi Kishimoto-sensei owns all rights. However, the plot and Namiko Uzumaki are mine!

Chapter 45: Holiday Secrets

Namiko smirked as she sat on the kitchen counter's edge. "You know, I never in a million years thought the 'great Uchiha Sasuke' would be helping me bake a cake."

Sasuke looked up from slicing strawberries. "You were the one who said you could use my shurikenjutsu expertise."

"Hey, I did! Those strawberries are perfect!" she replied with a mischievous smile as she snatched a berry from the cutting board and popped it into her mouth. "You were the one who said you were bored."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "That's not what I was hoping for."

"Come on, this is fun and you know it."

"I'm pretty sure you and I have different definitions of that word." Sasuke put the strawberry slices in a nearby bowl and put the cutting board and knife in the sink. "You know I'm not even going to eat this because it's sweet."

"Just saying, you're missing out." Namiko sighed and picked up the bowl with the whipped cream, swiping her finger through it and licking it off. "It's not even that sweet."

Sasuke watched her with a slight smirk, his dark eyes narrowing playfully. "You've always had a sweet tooth, especially lately," he remarked, crossing his arms as he leaned against the counter.

Namiko shrugged, unbothered. "And yet, here you are, helping me with dessert that you won't eat. Who's the real softie?" She stuck her tongue out at him teasingly.

Sasuke rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the small smile that tugged at his lips. "If you say so," he muttered.

Namiko, sensing an opportunity, dipped her finger back into the whipped cream and, before Sasuke could react, smeared a dollop of it on his nose. "There! Now you're sweet, too."

Sasuke watched her with an amused smirk, his dark eyes following the motion of her hand as she dipped it into the whipped cream again. "You're such a child sometimes," he teased, shaking his head.

Namiko stuck out her tongue playfully, then hopped off the counter, placing the bowl of whipped cream beside the strawberries. "You're just grumpy because you don't know how to have fun." She turned her back to him as she reached up to grab a spatula from the shelf above.

Sasuke fluidly grabbed her wrist and gently pulled her back towards him. In one swift motion, he took the bowl of whipped cream and smeared some on her cheek. "Now we're even."

Namiko laughed, her eyes sparkling as she wiped the cream off her face. "That's how you want to play it?"

"You started this," he murmured, his voice low and teasing. He leaned forward and kissed the corner of her lips. "You missed some."

Namiko's cheeks flushed, a mixture of embarrassment and exhilaration making her heart race. "I didn't think you'd actually do anything," she whispered, her voice betraying her amusement.

Sasuke's grip on her wrist loosened slightly, his expression softening. "You should know by now that I never back down from a challenge."

He pulled her toward him, but her foot slipped on a dollop of whipped cream on the floor. Her hand hit the bowl of cream as her body crashed into his chest and they both tumbled to the floor together, Sasuke landing on his back with Namiko sprawled on top of him. The whipped cream was smeared across their clothes and faces.

Namiko looked up at him, her face inches from his, and for a moment, the world outside the kitchen faded away. The playful tension between them gave way to something more tender, a quiet understanding that they didn't need words to convey.

"Now who's the child?" Namiko giggled, trying to push herself up but failing as Sasuke's arms wrapped around her waist, holding her in place.

Sasuke chuckled as he looked up at her, their faces inches apart. "I think you won this round," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

Just then, Naruto appeared in the doorway. "Hey, Namiko—" Naruto's voice trailed off as he walked in, his eyes widening at the scene before him. His twin sister was lying on top of Sasuke with their clothes and the kitchen around them a mess of strawberries and whipped cream.

Naruto blinked repeatedly, his expression shifting to confusion. "Uh…am I interrupting something?" he asked, scratching the back of his head awkwardly as he studied the two a bit more. Namiko's skirt had ridden up slightly and Sasuke's hands were pressing against her lower back, holding her to him.

Sasuke noticed Naruto raise an eyebrow as he observed them on the floor. Sasuke swiftly removed his hands from Namiko, holding them in the air away from her body. The moment Sasuke let go, Namiko scrambled off him and began wiping off her clothes with a nearby towel. "No! Sasuke was watching me bake and I slipped on some cream and fell onto him. That's it."

Naruto's eyebrow was still raised skeptically. "Suuure…I'll believe you this time." Naruto thought about it for a moment longer and dropped it. "Anyway imouto, I need your 'girl advice' on something. Come to my room," he said as he left the room as quickly as he showed up, the noise from his bedroom door slamming behind him.

Namiko tossed the towel at Sasuke, nearly hitting him in the face as she turned and began to walk out of the room, a seductive, teasing grin on her face. "You clean up in here and I'm going to take a shower after I help Naruto." She sighed in exaggerated disappointment. "Too bad you can't join me…"

Sasuke took a large step forward, closing the distance and pulling her flush against him. He loosened his grip, allowing her to turn her back to him. He slapped his hand against her backside, squeezing a handful as he whispered in her ear, "You keep teasing me like that and I won't care if Naruto hears us or not."

At her shiver, he let go and patted her butt, a smirk of confidence at her response. She walked out of the kitchen in a daze as he decided to go ahead and clean up their mess.

The following day was Christmas Eve and everyone in the Konoha 12 (plus Sai) had gathered at the academy for the party Ino had planned. She had exuberantly decorated one of the classrooms with flowers everywhere, presumably from her family's shop. There was food in the far corner with a couple of tables set up. Christmas music played in the background and several bunches of mistletoe were hung up strategically.

"Ino, what are you doing?" groaned Shikamaru.

Ino turned to glance at her teammate as she moved a sprig of mistletoe in front of the door. "Moving the mistletoe. Namiko said Naruto went to meet up with Hinata and walk here together, and I want to see if that dork will actually kiss her!"

Namiko rolled her eyes and Kiba leaned over, muttering in her ear, "You're okay with Ino trying to force Naruto into kissing Hinata?"

Namiko shrugged before lowering her voice for only her teammate to hear, "They've already kissed and it's only a matter of time before they're officially dating, so I don't see what's the big deal."

"I guess I can understand that," Kiba said as he eyed his redheaded teammate before giving an audible sniff in her direction. 'Meanwhile, I can tell you and Sasuke are definitely 'together' and you're not saying anything. But I'll be the bigger person for now and let you two announce that when you want to.'

Namiko caught the knowing look in his eyes. 'He knows…of course he'd know! His stupid nose knows everyone's secrets.' She mentally groaned and gave him a look, silently pleading with him to keep his mouth shut. Before either could say anything, the classroom door swung open, and Naruto walked in with Hinata by his side.

The room fell silent as all eyes turned toward the pair. Naruto, oblivious to the mistletoe hanging above him, grinned widely. "Merry Christmas everyone! The party has officially arrived!"

Hinata blushed as her gaze flitted up to the mistletoe above their heads. She knew what it meant, and from the excited giggle Ino let out, it was clear everyone else did too. Naruto, however, remained blissfully unaware.

"Hey idiot," Sasuke said, nodding his head upwards. Naruto followed the direction, his eyes widening when he spotted the mistletoe.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, scratching the back of his head. He turned to Hinata, a faint blush creeping up his cheeks as well. "Guess we should, uh, do this the right way, huh?"

Hinata's face turned a deep shade of crimson, but she nodded shyly. The entire room seemed to hold its breath as Naruto leaned down, gently pressing his lips to hers. The kiss was brief, but it was filled with a sweetness that made Ino squeal in delight and Sakura clap her hands in approval.

Namiko watched the scene unfold with a smile, feeling a warmth in her chest for her brother and her best friend. It wasn't long ago that Naruto had been too dense to notice Hinata's feelings, but now, seeing them together like this, she couldn't be happier for them.

As the room burst into applause and cheers at the couple, Namiko felt a hand brush against hers. She looked to her side to find Sasuke standing next to her, his usual stoic expression softened slightly. He didn't say anything, but the small squeeze of her hand was enough to convey his thoughts.

"They're good together," Sasuke said quietly, his voice meant for her ears alone.

"They are," Namiko agreed, leaning slightly into him. "But you know, I'm starting to think Ino doing this whole mistletoe thing is a bit over the top."

Sasuke glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. "What? Are you worried we'll get caught too?"

Namiko laughed softly. "I honestly don't care if everyone knows. I've been keeping us a secret because you asked me to."

Before anyone could notice their exchange, Sasuke released her hand and stepped away, blending back into the wall he had been leaning against. Namiko's heart fluttered, but she composed herself quickly as Ino approached Namiko with a mischievous grin.

"I think I'm gonna need to hang some more mistletoe," Ino said, looking between Namiko and Sasuke suspiciously.

Namiko shrugged nonchalantly. "Do what you want, Ino, but don't expect people to fall for it."

"We'll see about that," Ino replied, her eyes gleaming with determination as she walked over to her teammates.

As the evening wore on, the party grew livelier. Plates of food were passed around, and cups of punch clinked together in toasts. Naruto, in his usual fashion, was at the center of the festivities, laughing and joking with anyone who would listen. Hinata stayed close by his side, her quiet smile never fading as she watched him light up the room.

Namiko couldn't help but feel a sense of pride watching her brother so happy, but she also felt a twinge of longing, wishing she could openly share the same kind of happiness with Sasuke. She found herself by the window, a cup of hot chocolate warming her hands as she watched the snowfall outside. The gentle flakes drifted down, blanketing the village in a soft white glow. It was peaceful, a stark contrast to the chaos that often filled their lives as shinobi.

Sasuke joined her at the window, his presence a quiet comfort. They stood in silence for a moment, just taking in the tranquil scene before them. "Do you ever think about what it would be like if things were…different?" Namiko asked softly, her breath fogging up the glass. "If we didn't have to worry about missions, potential wars, or—"

"The Akatsuki?" Sasuke finished for her, his tone darkening slightly.

Namiko nodded. "Yeah. If we could just have a normal life."

Sasuke was quiet for a long moment, his gaze fixed on the falling snow. "I do think about it, probably more now because that was what Itachi wanted," he admitted finally. "But that's not the life we were given. We have to fight to protect what and who we care about."

"I know," she replied, her voice tinged with sadness. "But sometimes I wish I could have something simpler, something where I didn't have to hide. I might as well be locked in a tower like a princess in a fairy tale with how Tsunade wants to keep me hidden in Konoha."

Sasuke turned to face her, his expression softening. "We'll get there," he said, his voice low but filled with determination. "Once this is all over, once the Akatsuki are dealt with and the world is at peace, you can have that life. A life where you don't have to hide."

Namiko smiled, feeling a sense of hope swell in her chest. "I hope you're right."

Ino suddenly shouted from across the room, "Hey, Namiko, Sasuke…look up!" The two looked up to see Shikamaru's shadow jutsu holding a sprig of mistletoe over their heads.

Kiba cat-called them, earning a glare from Sasuke as he continued, "Come on, you can do it! If Naruto can kiss Hinata on the lips, surely you can kiss her on the cheek?"

Namiko's eyes went wide in panic as she stared at Sasuke. He leaned forward, cupping her cheek, and kissed her forehead tenderly as he had done so many times before. He pulled back, noticing her shock had turned to confusion. He smirked confidently, grasping her hip firmly. "Hn…who am I kidding? I never back down from a challenge."

Sasuke pressed Namiko to his body, one hand on her hip and the other on the side of her jaw. He kissed her deeply and she soon relaxed against him, kissing him back and not caring who was watching. She fisted her hands in his shirt and before she knew it, he had pulled back.

The room fell silent, the playful teasing from the others dying away as everyone stared at the couple in shock. Namiko's cheeks were flushed, her breath coming in soft pants as she looked up at Sasuke with wide eyes, her fingers still clutching his shirt. Sasuke's usual cool demeanor softened as he gazed down at her, a small, genuine smile tugging at his lips.

"About time you two fessed up," Kiba taunted, breaking the silence with a smirk.

Ino blinked, clearly taken aback. "Wait, this wasn't just for the mistletoe?"

"No, it wasn't," Sasuke replied, his voice firm but tinged with amusement. He wrapped his arm around Namiko's waist, pulling her closer.

Namiko glanced around the room, noticing the mixed reactions. Hinata blushed and looked away, a knowing smile on her lips, while Sakura raised an eyebrow, clearly piecing things together in her head.

But it was Naruto's reaction that drew Namiko's full attention. He stood frozen, his eyes wide with disbelief, his mouth slightly open as if trying to find the words.

"You…you and Sasuke…?" Naruto stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. His gaze shifted between the two, struggling to process what he had just witnessed. "You guys…are together?"

Namiko's stomach twisted with a mix of guilt and panic. She had always dreaded this moment, knowing how much Naruto cared about her and how overprotective he was. She slowly nodded, her voice trembling as she said, "Naruto…I'm sorry we didn't tell you sooner."

Naruto blinked, the shock still evident on his face. He looked at Sasuke, then back at Namiko, as if hoping this was some kind of prank. But the sincerity in their eyes made it clear that this was real.

"But…since when?" Naruto asked, his voice now laced with confusion. "How long have you…?"

Sasuke exhaled softly, his grip on Namiko tightening as he met Naruto's gaze. "It's been a while, Naruto. Since June. We wanted to keep it quiet until the time was right."

Naruto shook his head, still trying to wrap his mind around the revelation. " Seven months?!" His voice grew louder as the reality began to sink in. "You guys were dating this whole time, and I had no idea?!"

Naruto stared at them for a long moment, the emotions swirling in his eyes. Finally, he let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair. "I just…wow. I never saw this coming." He glanced at Sasuke, who remained silent a couple of meters away. "But if he's what makes you happy, Namiko…then I'll support you. Both of you."

Namiko's eyes filled with tears of relief, and she rushed forward to hug Naruto tightly. "Thank you, Naruto. You have no idea how much that means to me." Naruto hugged her back, narrowing his eyes over her shoulder at Sasuke.

Naruto lowered his voice as he walked over to his best friend. "Just…don't mess this up, okay? If you hurt her or knock her up, you're a dead man."

Sasuke smirked but held a sense of sincerity. "Hn. I won't."

Namiko's face went blood red in embarrassment at her brother's statement. Sai noticed and couldn't stop what came out of his mouth, "Hmm, it seems Naruto is correct; when your face gets red you resemble a strawberry, but you're also short…you're Strawberry Shortcake, like the cake you made for tonight."

Namiko's embarrassment quickly turned to anger. "I don't even let Naruto call me Strawberry! You are not adding that to your ridiculous list of bad nicknames for people. Don't even think about it." A few snickers lightened the tension in the room.

A snort of amusement from Naruto derailed and redirected her anger. "Come on, imouto, that's probably the most accurate nickname Sai has ever given anyone!"

"Nope, not happening. No way. Find a different one." Namiko crossed her arms over her chest decisively.

Sakura groaned and rolled her eyes as she muttered, "At least yours isn't Ugly."

Naruto was nervous. He was beginning to regret asking Namiko for advice on whether it was a good idea to ask Hinata out on a date for her birthday. And now, he was pacing outside of Ichiraku, praying she showed up. 'I know she agreed at the party when I asked, but what if she changed her mind? Ugh…I'll be a loser forever and—'

"Naruto-kun?"

Naruto spun around to face Hinata and his mouth dropped open. Hinata wore her new lavender dress with a cream-colored sweater over her shoulders. "Hinata…you look…beautiful." He quickly closed his mouth and walked over to her, a bright smile on his face. "Happy birthday…"

Hinata smiled sweetly, pink blush settling on her cheekbones. "Thank you…you look very nice too."

"I thought we could grab some ramen, then maybe go for a walk? The village looks awesome covered in snow!" Naruto suggested, his blue eyes twinkling with excitement.

Hinata nodded, her smile growing as she glanced around at the snowy streets. "That sounds wonderful."

They entered Ichiraku, the familiar warmth and delicious aroma of broth filling the air. They sat at their usual spot, and as Naruto ordered his favorite miso ramen, he couldn't help but sneak glances at Hinata. She seemed more relaxed tonight, her nervousness replaced by a soft, contented glow.

As they waited for their food, Naruto leaned in a bit closer. "Hinata, I heard you've been doing awesome in training lately. Namiko was telling me about how you've been beating her in spars more."

Hinata blushed deeper, her eyes lowering modestly. "Thank you, Naruto-kun. Namiko challenges me, but I've been working hard...and thinking of you helps me stay strong."

Naruto's heart fluttered at her words, a bashful grin spreading across his face. "You really think that much of me, huh?"

Hinata looked up, her lavender eyes shining with sincerity. "Every day. You've always inspired me to be my best."

Before Naruto could respond, their bowls of ramen arrived, steaming and fragrant. They ate together, exchanging stories and laughs, the atmosphere growing more comfortable with each passing moment. Naruto told her about his latest training mishaps, exaggerating just enough to make her giggle, while Hinata shared some stories about her little sister Hanabi.

They left the ramen shop, stepping back into the cold night. Snowflakes fell softly around them, the world seeming quieter and more magical under the falling snow. Naruto reached out a hand toward her, hesitating for just a moment before taking her hand in his. His gloved fingers wrapped around hers, and he gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Let's go for that walk," he said, his voice softer than usual.

Hinata's heart raced as she felt his hand in hers, a sense of peace and joy washing over her. They walked through the snow-covered streets, the village quiet and serene. The snow crunched beneath their feet, and their breath misted in the air as they talked and laughed, sharing happy stories of their childhoods and dreams for the future.

Eventually, they found themselves at a small park, the trees glistening with snow. Naruto led Hinata to a bench under a tall oak, where they sat together, their hands still intertwined.

"It's so peaceful here," Hinata whispered, her breath visible in the cold air.

"Yeah," Naruto agreed, looking up at the sky, where snowflakes continued to fall gently. "I like being with you, Hinata," he said with a crooked smile.

Hinata's heart swelled at his words, and she turned to him, her eyes shining with emotion. "I like being with you too, Naruto-kun. You make me feel... safe. And happier than I ever thought I could be."

Naruto met her gaze, his eyes softening as he looked at her. The world seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of them, surrounded by the gentle fall of snow. Slowly, almost hesitantly, Naruto leaned in closer, his breath mingling with hers in the cold air.

Hinata's breath hitched, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she looked up at him, her eyes filled with affection. "Naruto-kun…"

Naruto hesitated for a moment before leaning in, his lips brushing against Hinata's in a soft, tentative kiss. It was brief, but it spoke volumes, and when they pulled apart, both of their faces were flushed—not from the cold, but from something far warmer. "Hinata, would you be my girlfriend?"

Hinata nodded enthusiastically and smiled a genuine, radiant smile that made Naruto's heart soar. "I would love to be your girlfriend," she said softly.

Naruto grinned back, his eyes sparkling. He leaned forward once more and kissed her, this time filled with excitement and passion. His hand tangled in her hair before moving to her cheek. He swiped his thumb across her lips affectionately and ended the kiss.

"I have something for you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, white box with a lavender ribbon. "Happy birthday, Hinata. Go ahead and open it."

She took the box and pulled off the ribbon. Inside was a dainty silver necklace with a small sun pendant. She gasped softly, "Oh, Naruto-kun, this is beautiful! Thank you! Would you mind helping me put it on?"

Naruto wordlessly took the box back and helped her put on the necklace. "I picked it because your name means 'facing the sun'. That's not too cheesy, right?"

"Not at all! I love it!" Her bright smile seemed to melt the coldness around them.

They spent the rest of the evening walking through the village, hand in hand, the winter night wrapping them in a peaceful embrace. As the snow fell gently around them, they knew that this was just the beginning of something beautiful—a love that would endure through all seasons, just like the warmth they shared on that winter's day.

A few days later, New Year's Eve rolled around, and Teams 7 and 8 were planning to meet up at the local shrine. Naruto and Sasuke sat in the living room waiting for Namiko to come out of her room so they could leave.

"Imouto, you're so freaking slow! Come on! I wanna go get ramen from Ichiraku!" whined Naruto.

"It won't be ramen anyway, nii-chan. They serve soba for New Year's. You know that," explained Namiko as she walked out of her room.

Sasuke immediately stood up and took in her appearance fully. She had her hair in a large bun, adorned with an ornate, golden ribbon. She had minimal makeup, but the sheen from her rose-colored lip gloss drew his attention to her full lips. He continued to let his eyes wander over her kimono, a beautiful deep teal with red flowers along the top and bottom with a red obi.

"Damn, no wonder you took so long! Why so formal?" asked Naruto.

"Hinata, Sakura, and I just wanted an excuse to get all dolled up and feel pretty for once."

Sasuke stepped up to her and gave her a quick kiss on the lips, whispering so only she could hear, "You're always beautiful."

Namiko's swooning feeling was cut short by Naruto's fake gagging. "Yuck!" He failed to hold back a shiver of disgust. "I don't think I'll ever get used to the idea of you two kissing."

Namiko shook her head. "You don't see me doing that with you and Hinata."

"That's because you're my baby sister and it's my duty to protect you."

Sasuke scoffed as the three walked to the door. "I've been protecting her for the last eight months."

"Okay you two, stop the pissing contest." She slipped on her zori and turned to Naruto. "I don't need you to protect me from Sasuke. My relationship with him is our business, not yours."

Naruto sighed in defeat. "Whatever, let's just go! I want to see Hinata!"

The three made their way to the shrine where they quickly found Hinata, Sakura, and Kiba. Hinata wore a lavender kimono with white cranes on the bottom and Sakura wore a pink kimono with her namesake flower patterned all over it. The three girls huddled together oo-ing and awe-ing over their outfits.

The temple grounds were alive with the sound of laughter and the chatter of families gathered to make their New Year's prayers. The air was filled with the scent of incense, and the glowing lanterns created a magical atmosphere. Naruto led the way to the main shrine, where a long line of people had already formed, waiting to make their wishes for the coming year.

"Wow, there are so many people here!" Sakura exclaimed, looking around at the bustling crowd.

"It's always like this," Hinata replied with a soft smile. "Everyone wants to start the year off with a good prayer."

Namiko took in the sight of the shrine, feeling a wave of nostalgia. She had visited this place countless times with Naruto when they were younger, but this time felt different. There was a sense of finality to it, like the closing of one chapter and the opening of another.

As they approached the shrine, Naruto turned to the group, his eyes shining with excitement. "Alright, everyone! Let's make our wishes for the new year!"

The group reached the steps of the shrine, which were lined with visitors eagerly awaiting their turn to offer their prayers for the new year. Namiko, Naruto, Sasuke, Kiba, Sakura, and Hinata climbed the stone steps, the crunch of snow beneath their feet the only sound in their little bubble of quiet.

As they reached the top, the shrine loomed before them, the scent of incense wafted through the air, mixing with the crisp scent of pine, causing Namiko to scrunch her nose in disgust. The six of them approached the offering box, each silently making their wishes for the year ahead.

Afterward, one by one, they drew their fortunes. Namiko held hers tightly, feeling a flutter of nerves. What if it predicted something bad? She glanced over at Sasuke, who was calmly reading his slip, his expression unreadable.

Naruto was the first to reveal his, grinning broadly. "Great blessing! I knew it!" he shouted, earning a few amused looks from other shrine-goers.

Sakura's was next. "Middle blessing," she said with a satisfied smile.

"Me too!" shouted Kiba with a grin.

Hinata shyly revealed hers, which read "Blessing," bringing a relieved smile to her face.

"What about you, Sasuke?" Naruto asked, peering over at his friend.

Sasuke shrugged slightly and held up his slip. "Future blessing."

"Not bad," Namiko said, leaning slightly into Sasuke. His presence beside her made her feel like everything would be okay, no matter what challenges lay ahead. She took a deep breath and unfolded hers. "Future blessing," she read aloud. It wasn't the best, but it wasn't bad either. She smiled, feeling a sense of contentment. A future blessing was just fine.

Everyone mingled afterward while they waited for the New Year bell. Namiko went to grab a warm drink and Sakura followed her. "Namiko, can we talk for a moment?"

Namiko tilted her head to the side. "Of course, what's on your mind?"

"I wanted to let you know I'm happy for you and Sasuke." Sakura bit her lip nervously. "I know you probably know I have feelings for him, but you two are so good together. You genuinely make each other happy and I'm…okay with that."

Namiko's expression softened and she laid a hand on Sakura's arm. "I knew you had a crush on him, I didn't know it was anything more…but I promise, I didn't do this to hurt you. This happened out of nowhere; I never in a million years would've thought I'd be in love with Sasuke or that he'd love me back."

"I know you didn't do it to hurt me; you're not that kind of person. I'll be okay though." Sakura gave a small smile. "You both deserve happiness and love."

"Thank you. And someday you'll find a great guy who loves you too." Namiko reached out to hug Sakura. They quickly got their drinks and headed back to the rest of the group, right as the countdown started.

Right at midnight, the shrine bell rang and everyone cheered and shouted, "Happy New Year!"

Naruto stretched his arms above his head, looking content. "This year's gonna be great, I can feel it!"

Hinata smiled softly, her gaze lingering on Naruto. "I hope so too."

Kiba nodded in agreement, her eyes shining with determination. "Let's make this year one to remember."

Namiko looked at the group, her heart swelling with warmth. She glanced at Sasuke, who caught her eye and gave her a small, reassuring nod. Whatever the future held, she knew they would face it together.

Later that day, Sakura, Hinata, and Namiko decided to meet up to train together. "So, who wants to go first?" asked Hinata.

Namiko nudged Sakura, shoulder to shoulder. "You ready to go, Sakura?"

"I'll keep watch with my Byakugan." Hinata sat down at the base of a nearby tree. "Start when you two are ready," she said with a smile.

Namiko smirked excitedly. It had been far too long since she sparred with Sakura. "Ready?"

Sakura pulled her gloves from her hip pouch and put them on. "Ready."

"Start!" shouted Hinata as she engaged her Byakugan. Sakura didn't waste time and immediately threw a chakra-loaded punch to the ground, causing the ground to nearly explode from the inside out. Namiko quickly flashed to a tree a few meters from Hinata to avoid being hit.

That's when Hinata noticed something was off. " Wait! Stop!" she shouted, quickly standing up and running to Namiko who looked beyond confused as to why Hinata was stopping the spar. Hinata motioned for Sakura to come closer. "Sakura, can you do a scan on Namiko? Something is off with her chakra and I want to make sure I'm seeing what I think I'm seeing."

Sakura raised a pink brow curiously. "Namiko? Do you mind?" When Namiko shook her head, Sakura hovered her hands over Namiko, checking her over thoroughly. Nothing seemed off until she got to Namiko's abdomen near the kyuubi's seal. "…oh." was all that came from her mouth as her green eyes snapped to Hinata's lavender ones. "Ooooooh…"

Hinata's eyes stayed on Sakura. "Am I right in thinking that is what I think it is?" Sakura nodded slowly, face still almost blank.

Namiko could feel nervousness radiating off them. She gave her friends a wary look. "What's going on? What are you worried about? Is it the kyuubi?"

Hinata shook her head and finally turned to face the redhead. She placed a hand on both of Namiko's shoulders, easing them both to sit on the ground. "Namiko…uh…" Hinata blushed furiously. "Remember a couple weeks ago when I asked if you and Sasuke had done anything? Have…" Her words trailed off as she couldn't quite explain what she needed to, her cheeks reddening in embarrassment.

Sakura took a deep breath before asking, "…have you and Sasuke had sex?"

Namiko's face turned almost as red as her hair. "What—why are you asking?"

"Because…" started Hinata, blowing out a breath forcefully and finally regaining her words. "You're pregnant."

A/N: How many of you expected that ending? I warned you all that this would be an interesting chapter. What you didn't know is it was plot wearing a fluff suit!
What are you all thinking? How will Namiko and Sasuke react to the news? How will Naruto react? I think Sasuke better go into hiding…
There are also two new pictures of Namiko in my profile. See you all next chapter!
Love, Eriisu

PS: Comments are my tip jar!