Thanks for the lovely reviews! With this chapter, I want to add a bit of color to the story. I hope you enjoy it!
Introduction:
Deep within the recesses of our mind, our subconscious tussles with memories, feelings, desires, and more. This conglomeration emits signals to the conscious mind. Sometimes, if we listen carefully, we can hear its messages. Sometimes, we can listen to our dreams.
Chapter 20: Dream
"You two have really grown, haven't you?" said Kakashi as they walked through the village. "I'm amazed you were able to get the bells." The pressure of having to run from Hinata's Byakugan combined with Naruto's bottomless stamina had inadvertently exploited his weakness in a way he could appreciate.
Naruto chuckled. "Maybe I've even surpassed you, Kakashi-sensei!" he said with as much smugness as he could muster.
"Very funny," said Kakashi. "But I'm still young. In fact, I recently developed a brilliant new jutsu-"
Naruto's stomach suddenly rumbled. "Man, I'm hungry," he said with a hand on his abdomen. He turned to Hinata with a grin. "You wanna hit up Ichiraku again? We can have Kakashi-sensei pay this time!"
Hinata smiled, then blushed a bit. Buoyed by their success, she felt a wave of courage overtake her and she replied, "Actually, Naruto-kun," she said slowly, "What if… I cooked for you? I mean, for us?"
"You mean, like, at your house?" asked Naruto.
Hinata's blush deepened by a degree. "Uh-huh. I thought that maybe we could save some money and you would…"
"Sure, sounds good." Naruto grinned. "I've never been at your place except to drop you off; I'm curious as to what it's actually like."
"Well, I'll leave you to it," said Kakashi. "I have to create and submit a list of formations for the new teams. Bye for now!" With that, he disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"So," said Hinata, "shall we?" Naruto nodded.
But shortly after they got moving, they heard a voice from behind them call, "Hinata!"
Hinata and Naruto turned to see Ino and Sakura approaching. "Hey! Is that who I think it is?" asked Sakura. "Is that Naruto?"
"Yo, Sakura-chan!" said Naruto with a wave. "Long time no see!"
"It's been a while," said Sakura with a smile. "You look well." Naruto beamed at the praise.
"Yeah, Naruto, you're looking pretty sharp," said Ino appreciatively. "So, what are you two up to?"
"We're heading to Hinata's place for some food," Naruto answered.
Ino and Sakura's expressions grew almost sinisterly intrigued. "Oh really?" Ino asked with a toothy grin. Behind Naruto, a red-faced Hinata formed an X with her arms and shook her head rapidly. Ino chuckled. "That's nice."
"Yup. What're you guys doing?" asked Naruto.
Ino's frowned. "Ugh, Shikamaru roped me into some chuunin exam duties; Sakura was just accompanying me on the way."
"Chuunin exams, huh?" Naruto smiled a nostalgic smile. "Good times."
"Oh, you should've seen the one the village held the year after you left," said Ino. "I'm sure Hinata's told you about it by now."
Naruto tilted his head. "Told me what?"
"What?" Ino looked at Hinata. "You haven't told him?"
Hinata looked off to the side. "He's only been back for a day," she muttered.
"Oh, it's such a good story!" said Sakura. "Naruto, did you know that Hinata won the chuunin exam finals when she was promoted?"
"Huh!?" Naruto's eyes grew wide. "Really? Hinata, you won?" Hinata nodded sheepishly. "Okay, I wanna hear all about it," he decided.
"You two have fun," said Ino. "We'll see you around." She and Sakura waved and the two walked off.
"I guess I can tell you about it on the way," said Hinata, still gazing sideward. "It's not much of a story, really."
"I'll be the judge of that," said Naruto with a wink.
As they walked, Hinata began to tell the tale of her struggle. At first, she was simply relaying the events, but Naruto seemed captivated by her retelling. As he reacted enthusiastically to the various twists and turns of the story, Hinata put more effort into her narration, adding progressively more flair to it; Naruto seemed more and more engrossed as the story went on. By the end of it, Hinata was somewhat embarrassed by how much she had gotten into the storytelling, but Naruto's rapt attention mitigated it substantially.
"But I hadn't revealed my strength to Neji-niisan yet," she explained, holding up a finger, "so when he started his kaiten off balance, he didn't expect me to smash him into the wall of the arena. For a moment, I wasn't sure if that had been enough to defeat him, but after a few seconds," she paused for dramatic effect, "he finally fell. Genma-san called the match and the crowd cheered for my victory."
"Wow," said Naruto. "So, you beat Sakura-chan, that Tenten chick, Bushy Brows, and Neji. That's amazing!"
Hinata blushed. "It was nothing," she said coolly, "I got really lucky."
"I don't think luck alone could get you through that lineup," said Naruto. "But either way, now you're a chuunin like me! And we both beat Neji to get there. I think that's pretty great."
With a smile, Hinata replied, "It is. The Fire daimyo gave me a medal for winning."
"Ooh, I wanna see that," said Naruto.
They arrived at the Hyuuga complex in short order. Hinata drew in a deep breath. She was nervous, having Naruto come in with her for the first time. For some reason, she'd always felt hesitant to bring him in in a way she hadn't been with Sasuke and others. Shame almost certainly played a role, no matter how much she tried to deny it. The existence of the branch family and their servitude was an uncomfortable reality for Hinata, try as she might to subvert clan conventions. Added onto this was her awareness of the disparity between her and Naruto's financial situations. Naruto lived in a shoebox apartment while Hinata's family had a whole section of the village to themselves. Perhaps, on some level, she had been worried that Naruto would judge her for these things and see her as nothing more than the spoiled brat Neji had once accused her of being.
But those feelings were in the past. Hinata knew herself now, felt much more comfortable with the person she'd become, and she had come to know Naruto quite well. She knew he would never judge her for her circumstances. At least, she was pretty sure…
The two entered the gates and found Ko standing beyond them. "Good morning, Hinata-sama," he said, and then turned towards her guest. "Oh, and is this Uzumaki Naruto-san?"
"Huh?" said Naruto. "You know me?"
"I've heard much about you," Ko replied with a smile. "Hinata-sama speaks highly of you quite often."
Both Hinata and Naruto's cheeks tinted red, though for somewhat different reasons. "Heh, I guess my reputation precedes me," said Naruto bashfully. "Nice to meet you, mister, uh…"
"Ko," he replied. "And it's nice to meet you too, Naruto-san."
"We'll be inside," said Hinata. "Come on, Naruto-kun." Naruto followed Hinata in as Ko bowed.
"He seems nice," noted Naruto.
"He is," replied Hinata. "He's taken care of me since I was little."
"That's good," Naruto said with a soft smile. Some part of him couldn't help but think of his lonely childhood, how close he had been to plunging into darkness. He shook it off; things were better now. Iruka had saved him from that darkness and now he had plenty of bonds, including a strong one with the girl walking next to him. That bond had been on his mind the past two days…
"This is the main training hall," said Hinata as they entered.
"Whoa," Naruto uttered, snapping out of his musings. "This place is huge!"
"It is," Hinata acknowledged, unsure of Naruto's reaction.
"It's awesome!" he added and Hinata relaxed.
Just then, Hiashi walked in with Hanabi in tow. "Ah," he said as he spotted his other daughter and her companion.
Hinata stopped in her tracks. The fantasy of cooking for Naruto had been so vibrant in her mind that the reality of Naruto potentially meeting her family hadn't occurred to her. The interaction with Ko had been gentle enough, but now she was facing down her father. It wasn't just that he was a stern, stony man that gave her pause; she knew that the last time he and Naruto had encountered each other, Naruto had delivered unto him a scathing castigation on her behalf. "Father," said Hinata, gesturing to Naruto. "I believe you know Naruto-kun."
Hiashi nodded. "Indeed." Silence filled the room. Hinata's eyes darted between the two of them for a nervous moment. Finally, he simply said, "Welcome, Naruto."
"Yo, old man Hiashi!" Naruto returned.
"Hi, Naruto-san!" Hanabi called, waving as she smiled brightly, with energy that surprised Hinata. Had Naruto had that much of an effect on her? It wasn't unlike him to impact people heavily with little interaction, she supposed.
"Oh, hey, uh, Hanabi, right?" Naruto replied. Hanabi nodded enthusiastically.
"Naruto-kun is here for breakfast," Hinata explained, relieved at how the situation was unfolding.
"Hm. Enjoy, then," said Hiashi. With a nod, Hinata passed by him and Hanabi with Naruto behind her. As she passed Hanabi, her little sister grinned and raised her eyebrows in a knowing look. Hinata blushed a bit but couldn't help smiling back.
They made their way to the dining room, passing a few more clan members along the way, who cordially greeted the two as they went. As they arrived, Hinata gestured to the dining table and said, "You can have a seat while I cook."
"Sure," said Naruto and he sat by the table. Hinata removed her jacket, set it aside, and headed towards the kitchen.
Naruto looked around at the room. The place really was massive; he'd never seen anything like it, even on his travels with Jiraiya. Though he had just recently thought of moving to a more spacious apartment, this place felt almost too big, to the point of impersonality. He reasoned that Hinata must be used to it, then wondered how she would feel about a place like his. Would she feel cramped? Or would she find it cozy? She had been to his apartment before and didn't seem to dislike it. He couldn't help but imagine how things would be if the situation was reversed, if he were making food for her at his place. Realistically, he'd be making instant ramen, he realized. But if it were just the two of them, together, sitting at his small dining table…
He blinked. A strange feeling in his throat had come with that image, gone before he could recognize it. Hunger must be getting the better of him, he decided, especially considering the alluring scent that was emanating from the kitchen.
Hinata, meanwhile, was humming a soft tune to herself. The awkwardness of Naruto meeting her family was wearing off; now she reveled in her plan coming to fruition. She couldn't believe she was going this far and part of her chided herself for indulging in this fantasy. But, another part of her protested, it wasn't like they were engaging in romantic domesticity, wish though she might that they were. This was just one friend making another friend food. There was nothing untoward about that, right?
The sudden weight of a hand on her shoulder startled her out of her thoughts. "Man, that looks good," said Naruto, peering at the food currently cooking in front of Hinata.
"Eek!" she shrieked, flinging the fork she was holding into the air. With a haphazard jerk, she managed to catch it before it hit the ground. "N-Naruto-kun, I didn't see you there," she said, trying to compose herself.
"Heh, sorry," he replied, "I just couldn't resist the delicious scent, and…" Just then, Hinata's appearance caught his attention. She wore an apron and around her forehead was a bandanna. The thought appeared in his mind: she's really cute. This appearance held surprising novelty for him, especially considering she wasn't wearing her bulky jacket underneath the apron. And that sheepish expression, those pale eyes of hers…
"Naruto-kun?" asked Hinata.
Naruto snapped out of it, realizing he had stopped short in his sentence. "And… I just wanted to check it out," he finished, a faraway tone in his voice. "Plus, I got kinda bored just sitting out there."
"There's still a bit to go," said Hinata. "Are you sure you don't mind waiting here?"
"Not at all," said Naruto, leaning against the wall. "If you don't mind, that is."
"Of course not."
The sizzling and bubbling of eggs, meat, and vegetables pervaded the air. Hinata could feel Naruto looking at her and couldn't help but feel a touch self-conscious as he did. She needed something to break the quiet. "So," she began, "we didn't get to talk about it during the test, but I'm curious about that new form of yours."
"Ah, that," replied Naruto. "It's kinda thanks to you that I have it."
"It is?"
"Yeah. Pervy Sage wanted me to work on controlling the Nine-Tails' chakra. It didn't go so well the first few times," he said, a vast understatement. "But then I thought about how you helped me train for the chuunin exam finals. Remember when I was trying to get the hang of summoning?"
Hinata nodded. "I do." She was fond of that memory, of the time they spent together.
"One time I tried to mold my chakra like I did back then and Pervy Sage told me I was fusing my chakra with a bit of the Nine-Tails' when I did. I practiced doing that more and more until I could use it on command without it taking me over."
Hinata smiled. "That's great." His words did much to assuage her old fears of the Nine-Tails, which she had to admit had come back when she first witnessed his new form.
Naruto smiled back. He had found himself uneasy about Hinata's potential reaction to his purposeful use of the Nine-Tails.
However, he didn't have the heart to tell her about that time…
His gaze returned to the girl cooking before him. He liked seeing her happy, seeing her contented. So often he had seen her worried about various things. But, he had to admit, a part of him liked that she worried about him. In his early childhood, so few people had and as he thought of it, he recognized she was one of those who had cared for him the most. Memories flashed through his mind: her coming to check on him in the forest during their training in the Land of Waves, her visiting him in the hospital after he exhausted his chakra summoning Gamabunta, her deep concern over the red chakra that emerged in his rage. And seeing her here, now, preparing food for him, just for him and her…
"Um, is everything alright, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked with a slightly nervous expression, cheeks red-tinged.
Again, Naruto was brought out of his reverie. "Huh?"
"You're kind of staring, a bit." Again. Was there something about her appearance that was strange to him?
"Oh," said Naruto, a hint of red creeping onto his face as well. He looked away and scratched his cheek idly. "I just realized… this is the first time anyone's made a home-cooked meal for me."
Hinata blinked, somewhat surprised, before her smile returned and she said, "I'm glad to be the one making it for you."
Propelled by another strange, fleeting feeling in his heart, he replied, "I'm glad you are too."
To her credit, as her heart pounded in her chest, Hinata let no reaction overtake her but a stronger blush and a yet more curved smile.
The next few minutes passed in silence but for the sounds of cooking. Strangely enough, this silence was quite comfortable compared to the earlier one, as though their mere presences now complemented one another's. Neither of them questioned this comfort and instead chose simply to enjoy it.
"That should do it," said Hinata after a while. She turned off the stove and removed her apron and bandanna, folding and replacing them in a nearby drawer.
"It's ready?" asked Naruto eagerly; his hunger had built strongly as the food became more and more redolent.
"Mhm," said Hinata, plating the food across a few dishes. "Shall we go?"
Naruto nodded, reaching forward to assist her in carrying their meal to the dining table.
Hinata had made quite a large breakfast of steak and eggs, along with rice and some greens. After saying their thanks for the meal, both began to eat. Naruto put one bite of meat into his mouth and closed his eyes as the taste permeated his tastebuds. "Mm," he said through his chewing, "this is really good."
"Really? I'm happy you like it," Hinata replied, almost shamefully pleased as she took her own bite. She had to admit, she'd nailed it.
Rather than tear through their food at their usual paces, they both decided to savor each bite of the large portions Hinata had made for them. Naruto found himself occasionally stealing a glance at Hinata. With one of these, some part of him was perturbed by the feeling that blossomed within him as he watched Hinata tuck her hair behind her ear. It was such a small gesture, yet Naruto was captivated by it. Not wanting to stare too long again, he refocused his attention on the food in front of him.
As Naruto whittled down his meal, he eventually reached a point where the vegetables were the only thing left on his plate. He wondered how he might get rid of them discreetly until Hinata spoke up, "Naruto-kun?"
"Yeah?"
"Don't forget to eat your greens, okay?"
Naruto gulped at this. She'd seen through him like fine glass. She was, of course, aware of his mostly ramen-based diet; on the road he avoided vegetables in his diet whenever Jiraiya didn't force him to partake in them, and whenever he did Naruto found them unpalatable. He couldn't help but make a face at the ones on his plate now, but Hinata had gone through the trouble of cooking them specifically for him and his resolve was rapidly crumbling from the gently plaintive look on her face.
Hinata seemed to sense his inner turmoil and added, "If you don't like them, you don't have to eat them. Just try. Please?"
He knew he couldn't refuse, not with how she was looking at him. She could do a lot of damage with those eyes, and in ways unrelated to her Byakugan. He took a deep breath. "Okay," he said with some resignation. Lifting a piece of broccoli, he eyed it carefully before deciding to get it over with and popped the whole thing in his mouth. He prepared his tongue for the worst. But the worst never came. In fact, quite the opposite had happened. Naruto's tastebuds sang sweet symphony in response to the morsel he was chewing. His eyes went wide in recognition of undeniable flavor and appealing texture.
"So," said Hinata as Naruto eyed the rest of the greens on his plate with something besides dread, something closer to awe or wonderment. "How is it?"
Naruto swallowed. "No way," he muttered. As if to test that it wasn't just a fluke, he picked up another piece and shoved it into his mouth. Again, he was treated to a sensory delight as he masticated. This was no fluke; this was the work of an artist. He turned to Hinata, gulping down the bite. "How did you do that? I can't believe it tastes this good!"
"You just need to prepare it right," Hinata explained. "A little bit of oil and salt goes a long way."
"I've never seen it go this far," said Naruto. "I'd eat vegetables every day if they tasted this good. You're amazing, Hinata." Hinata's heart swelled. Things had gone off without a hitch. The only negative was the chastisement she gave herself for being unable to help but think this was a real date.
After the meal, Naruto helped Hinata do the dishes, something she greatly appreciated, and soon they were just hanging out. "Hey," he said with an eager smile, "can I see your medal?"
"Oh, right," said Hinata, a bit embarrassed about the request. "Sure thing." The two absconded to her room. Her heart thumped hard as she realized this would be the first time Naruto would be in her room. Mercifully she kept it tidy.
Once Naruto crossed the threshold, he detected a faint aroma in the air. Inhaling deeply, he recognized it: Hinata's scent, the same scent he'd smelled when he held her two days ago, good in an inexplicable way. It had a strange, relaxing effect on him.
He looked around the surprisingly small room. Pictures adorned the top of Hinata's dresser. He recognized the photo of Team 7 and smiled. Besides that, there were family pictures. A tiny Hinata and Neji with their twin fathers, the two children beaming adorably. An older Hinata holding Hanabi as a toddler, the two sisters gleeful. One more caught his eye: a very young Hinata standing in front of Hiashi and a beautiful woman with pale skin and dark hair holding a baby. "Hinata," he said, still looking at the picture. "Who's this?"
"Oh," said Hinata, following Naruto's gaze. Her expression darkened a shade. "That's my mother."
"I see," said Naruto. "Will I get to meet her too?"
"I don't think so," Hinata said in a somber tone. "She… passed away." She paused. "She was killed in action shortly after Hanabi was born."
Naruto's eyes widened for a moment. Is that why you worry so much? "I'm sorry," he replied quietly, not knowing what else he should say.
"It's okay. It happened a long time ago," she said with more comfort than she felt. Eager to change the subject, she grabbed the gold disc and attached ribbon from atop her dresser. "Um, you wanted to see my medal?"
"Right, yeah," said Naruto, also glad for the subject change. Hinata handed the medallion to him. "Wow." He hefted it in his hand. "It's heavier than I thought it would be."
"It is solid gold," remarked Hinata.
Naruto turned it over, examining both sides, before holding it out to Hinata and asked, "Can I see you wear it?"
Hinata blinked. "If you want…"
Naruto grinned. "C'mon, put it on."
Hinata grabbed the ribbon and looped it around her neck. She blushed a bit, somewhat bashful at wearing her shining award in front of Naruto. The way he was looking at her made her quite aware of her own heartbeat. "Well, how do I look?" she asked, looking to the side.
Naruto gave a thumbs up and a grin. "Awesome. Like a winner." Hinata let out a soft chuckle at this.
Eventually, their time together had to come to a close, as Hinata was due at the hospital for her medical duties. Naruto walked with her to the gates. "Thanks again for the food," he said. "It was really good, even the vegetables. You're a great cook."
Hinata smiled. "You're welcome."
The two exchanged waves as they parted. As he walked away, Naruto was left with the memories of the strange feelings that had blinked in and out of existence during the morning. He still wasn't used to the idea that someone would make a homecooked meal for him. It made him feel warm inside, and not just from the fullness of his stomach.
Naruto and Hinata later reunited for dinner. Once again, it was delicious, cooked to perfection. Naruto ate his portion up rapidly this time. "Ah, Naruto-kun, you've got some sauce on your cheek," said Hinata, raising a napkin. "Here."
"Oh, thanks," said Naruto as she wiped his face clean. But rather than lean back once she finished, she leaned further in. "Hinata?"
Slowly, her face approached his. Eyes closed, she planted a soft kiss on his cheek, just as she had done three years ago. He blushed. "Hehe, thanks. Again," he said sheepishly, pleasantly reminded of the farewell kiss. Once more, he expected her to retreat. Once more was he wrong. To his surprise, she gave him another kiss, this time lower, near his jawbone. "Hinata?"
"Naruto-kun," she said in a breathy whisper. That way she said his name, so unlike how she ever had, was having an odd effect on him. He felt his heartrate rising, his face getting hotter as Hinata kissed it again, this time just underneath his jaw. Without bothering to pause this time, she moved down his neck. Naruto was strikingly aware of the trail of warmth her lips were leaving, small spots of flame intensifying with each new one.
"W-wait, Hinata," he choked out, trying to keep his composure. "What are you doing?"
Hinata stopped, having reached the point where his neck met the collar of his jacket. She pulled back for a moment. Then she raised her head until she was looking him in the eye. Her eyes were so bright and her gaze looked… almost hungry.
"Naruto-kun," she whispered again. She placed a hand on his chest and gently shoved him. He tipped over, slowly falling backwards onto the ground. Then she leaned over him. He was practically panting as she approached, her eyes closing as she did. Her scent, her intoxicating scent, filled his nostrils, fixing him in place. Her dark hair hung from her head like a silken curtain. Her lips came so close, a mere hair's breadth from his. "Naruto-kun," she whispered one more time, and then she...
Naruto's eyes shot open as he woke up. Breathing heavily, he sat up in his bed before looking around. He was in his apartment. Hinata was nowhere to be found. He was totally alone.
What the hell was that?
The events of the dream rattled around his skull. He swallowed hard as he recalled it. His body felt hot; his blood was pumping hard through his veins, his heartbeat frenetic. Lifting himself off his bed, he quickly made his way to the bathroom and opened the cold tap. With cupped hands, he splashed his face with the chilled water until his body relaxed and his breathing steadied.
He gazed at himself in the mirror. Hinata had been kissing him, and not in the way she had done three years ago. Those kisses were something different. And at the end, she was going to kiss him. For real. On the lips.
He had never thought about kissing Hinata, or her kissing him. He had never thought of Hinata in that way at all. It didn't make sense. He liked Sakura, didn't he? At least, he thought so three years ago. Nothing should have changed in that time.
Right?
Among all the bonds he had formed, Hinata held a special place; that much was certain. Having never had a family, he couldn't help but try to fill the emotional gaps with the people he cared about. Iruka was like a father, Sasuke like a brother, and Hinata, well, he had thought that his relationship with her might be what it was like to have a sister. But the way she had been in his dream had not been how a sister acts. Not at all.
He frowned. Why did this bother him so much? It was just a dream. But somehow, it didn't feel right that Hinata was acting like that. As he thought on it, he came up with an explanation: it reminded him of scenes from Jiraiya's book, Icha Icha Tactics. It felt wrong, even dirty, to think of Hinata, innocent Hinata, as just the subject of some perverted fantasy, an object just for pleasure. It wasn't that she was unattractive, by any means, far from it. It was just that forcing her into such a role felt like some sort of violation.
But he couldn't deny the effect the dream had had on his body.
His fingers went to his cheek. His eyes became half-lidded and distant. It was just a dream. It didn't have to be anything more. Fist clenched, he resolved to make certain that it wouldn't.
He found it difficult to return to sleep that night.
Naruto entered the Hokage building, ready for Team Kakashi to be assigned their first mission since he had returned. He tried his best to put his rumination on the dream on hold. It wasn't exactly working.
He was unprepared for the magnitude of the reaction he had when he saw Hinata. "Hello, Naruto-kun," she called as he approached her outside of the mission assignment room. She bore a wide smile.
At the mention of his name, though it was in a decidedly different tone, Naruto's face tinted just barely red and his eyes widened by a small amount. "H-hey," he managed to get out awkwardly.
Hinata's expression became concerned. "Are you okay, Naruto-kun?"
"Huh?" She couldn't have read his mind, could she?
"You look a bit unwell."
"Oh, no, uh, I had some trouble sleeping last night," he replied quietly.
"The food I made you didn't make you sick, did it?"
"No, no," answered Naruto quickly. "I just had some, uh, weird dreams, is all."
"Nightmares?"
"Uh, I dunno," lied Naruto. Though the implications of the dream had disturbed him, he couldn't exactly call it a nightmare. "I don't remember the details, I just know it was weird."
"Mm," said Hinata with a light frown. "Maybe the mission will take your mind off of it."
"Yeah."
They waited for several minutes in silence, not looking directly at each other but not looking entirely away either. Every now and then, Naruto would steal a look at Hinata, unable to help but compare her to the version of her he'd seen the previous night. Her presence, calming and comforting, was decidedly different from that of his dream, so hot and heavy and…
It was just a dream. He gave his head a light shake. Just a dream.
Unbeknownst to Naruto, Hinata also stole looks at him, the two never meeting each other's gaze. A part of her worried about him; his aura was disturbed, not quite his usual bright exuberance. Maybe his thoughts on the events of the previous day had changed. Maybe he didn't like the food after all and had just been lying so as not to hurt her feelings. Maybe he had soured on the extravagance of the Hyuuga complex and he now felt uncomfortable around her. Hinata shook her head. Maybe he did just have a bad dream.
Kakashi's arrival interrupted this unacknowledged back and forth. "Yo!" he greeted. "Ready?" Naruto and Hinata nodded and the three entered the room.
But when they received their mission directive, Naruto's mood cratered. "No way! We are not going on that mission!"
"What was that?" asked Tsunade, annoyance plain on her face. "Do you realize who you're talking to?"
As Kakashi gave Naruto a nervous glance, Iruka put his hand to his forehead. "Naruto, mentally, you haven't matured at all."
Hinata gulped, a bead of sweat running down her temple. "I a-agree with Naruto-kun," she muttered. Terrified though she was of her mentor's wrath, she did find her opinion concordant with Naruto's.
"Oh, really, Hinata?" Tsunade growled. "To think my own apprentice would be so rebellious, so willful and insubordinate. I'll have to remind you of the chain of command later." Hinata winced, knowing her punishment would definitely not fit her transgression.
"Old man Third really knew his stuff," uttered Naruto.
"Excuse me?!" Tsunade's tone became yet more outraged. "What did you just say?!"
Before Naruto could dig him and Hinata into deeper graves, a woman burst into the room. "Lady Fifth! T-terrible news!"
"Now what?" asked Tsunade.
"We've just received word that the Sand's Kazekage has been kidnapped by a member of the Akatsuki!"
The statement wrangled the room's attention. Hinata looked at Naruto, knowing he was thinking the same as she. Gaara-sama…
Tsunade closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, she announced, "Team Kakashi, I hereby amend your mission. You are to travel to the Sand, assess the situation, and report back immediately. From there, you will follow their orders and assist them in any way they require."
"Yes, ma'am," said the three.
Soon, Tsunade and Iruka were seeing them off at the gate when Jiraiya landed in front of them. After conferring with Tsunade for a moment, he waved Naruto over. "Naruto, c'mere."
Naruto approached. "Eh?"
"Don't push it if it comes to a fight against the Akatsuki, okay?"
"Hey, they're the ones after me," said Naruto, determination in his expression, "so I'm gonna meet them on my terms."
"You have gotten stronger, but you still need to watch your temper. It's your weakness. And also," he leaned down to meet Naruto's eye level, "you've got a good handle on some of the Nine-Tails' power. That will help you here. Just don't overdo it, okay?"
Naruto nodded. "I won't."
Jiraiya turned towards Kakashi. "Keep an eye on him, Kakashi. Don't let him go too wild. I'm counting on you."
"Don't worry," said Kakashi, flashing a one-eyed smile.
Naruto began to walk. His dream was no longer in focus. This mission was enough to draw his complete attention. "Kakashi-sensei, Hinata, let's get going!"
"Right, Naruto-kun!" said Hinata, following behind him.
"Well then," said Kakashi, waving to Jiraiya and the others before walking away.
Noticing Iruka's expression, Tsunade asked, "Worried?"
"Nah, not anymore," said Iruka. "They're no longer weak little shinobi. Neither he nor Hinata." He paused. "Growing up sure is a mysterious thing."
"Hey," said Tsunade with a glance at Jiraiya, "You think those two will ever figure it out?"
Jiraiya chuckled. "Nah. Naruto's too dense."
Tsunade grinned. "They're both dense."
I hope you enjoyed this little story where Naruto and Hinata get ever closer. Now the Rescue Gaara arc begins in earnest. I've got some things planned for a certain fight that is coming up soon. I hope you will enjoy that too.
As always, if you enjoyed reading, please leave a review! See you next time!