My Darling Naruto, My Sweet Kyuubi

"It's already noon, it's time to vacate the room so that it can be prepared for our next guests" The gruff voice of the
inn manager followed the knock that had interrupted Naruto and Hinata, who shared a giggle and smiled at each other before
Naruto wrapped his arm around Hinata and walked towards the door.

Not having been shopping for supplies yet it didn't take long for the two of them to be packed up and out of the Inn, it
took even less time for Naruto to count the value of the coins and notes that still remained in his frog purse. It was
this that had prompted the young lad to pop into the village hall to look for missions on the route home while he was
shopping for supplies. Although the hall wouldn't have ninja ranked missions, as they would have been taken care of by
any resident ninja that the village had, or would already have been sent as requests to hidden villages nearby, but there
was still a chance that there would be a courier or investigative job that would be on the route to Konoha.
Naruto stood in the small queue patiently, well as patiently as Naruto could manage. Truth is, the queue had started out
much longer but Naruto's occasional outbursts and constant fidgeting had managed to reduce the line almost as quickly as
Jiraya could empty a hot spring or bath house.


Hinata flinched as she sat down, wishing that she had some of her family herbal balm medicine to soothe away the pain a
little. She looked around the park area of the village square that she was sat in, she had left the Inn arm in arm with Naruto
and then shared a kiss with him before they had gone their separate ways. She had wanted to take a look around the village,
a fact that had taken her ages to convince Naruto of. Despite all her words of comfort he had still hated and blamed himself
for the Kyuubi's actions and he had been worried that Hinata had wanted to get away from him out of fear, hatred or anger.
Hinata had to admit that she was shocked by the strength that she had shown over the past few days, but it was a strength
that she had found thanks to Naruto, a boy she had loved and dreamed about for so long, and Naruto had as also taught and
shown her that you never give up on, and always fight for your dreams, what you believe in and what you hold dear. She had
seen it so many times in her hero, when she had watched him from afar, and this was her way of the ninja! She would not lose
Naruto.
Originally she had intended to find somewhere to get some cream for her arse and some 'ladies amenities' with the money Naruto
had given her, as she had phrased it hen explaining to Naruto the reason for her wanting to shop alone. She wasn't sure that
even with her new found strength and confidence that she could explain 'the pill' to Naruto, or that it was no longer a 'safe
time' without fainting from embarrassment.
When things had first started out between them she had been too happy to consider it, and then too distracted with all of the
recent revelations and happenings to concentrate on.
Now that she had some time alone she had planned to go looking for the things she needed but somewhere along the way she had
overheard about the fair that was being held at the village square, and the little girl inside her had won the argument and
so she had taken a detour.

Now here she sat,albeit uncomfortably, watching the couples and families wandering from stand to stand, one of the demonstrations
on the grarse near her caught her eye and once it had she found that she couldn't stop watching.
At first glance it looked like her Hyuuga Jyuuken style, however the more she watched the more she realised just how different
it was. Although the forms, stances and strikes were the same, the movements were slower and moved in a circular motion instead
of straight lines.
The more she watched the demonstration, the more fascinated she became with it, so much so that without realising it she had
already started mimicking the movements with her arms and hands, although with smaller movements. Movements that seemed to come
very easily to her, the circular movements feeling a lot more natural to her than her family's style.
Her copying of the demonstration as well as her talent and abilities with martial arts hadn't gone unnoticed as one of the
instructors walked over to her, causing Hinata to stop copying and turn her head away from the group, a familiar redness coming
to her cheeks.

"Care to join us?" Came the soft voice of the middle aged man, and as Hinata turned to face him she was greeted with a warm
smile and intense but gentle hazel eyes.

"Ah... I was just..." Hinata trailed off as she found herself unable to come up with an excuse.

"I can tell that your well versed in the martial arts from your movements, as well as that village protector around your neck."

Hinata's fingers came up to touch the leaf symbol on her forehead protector which was worn around her neck in her usual manner.
"Not much.. I've studied a little..." Hinata thought for a moment on how best to word the next part "also, I injured myself last
night and I'm still in some pain..."

"Well we can take it slow, your being far too modest about your abilities too!" The man extended his hand out to her and smiled
again.


Naruto grinned and had a definite spring in his step as he left the hall, looking up he could see that it was already late in
the afternoon. Although he had to admit that it had been worth it for not only did he have a better idea of where they were, in
which direction to head and how long the journey should take but he had also managed to pick up two missions. One was to deal
with a group of bandits on the route home and the other was to deliver a package to someone in Konoha itself, both of which his
Konoha forehead protector and referring to the Hokage by name had ensured a large payment upfront. The fact that they hadn't
bothered to ask for his ninja rank was something Naruto hadn't felt worth pointing out or mentioning.
Naruto tucked the parcel into his pocket along with a much fatter and happier looking frog purse as he headed off to find Hinata.

It didn't take long for Naruto to find her, after checking out the arranged meeting place and seeing that it was still earlier
than the time they had agreed on, he had decided that he had enough time to check out the festival that the passers-by had talked
about, and as he entered the village square his eyes locked onto her almost instantly.

"She looks so fragile and beautiful!" He said to himself as he walked over to join the crowd that was watching the demonstration.
Naruto was as transfixed on Hinata and the way she moved as Hinata had been on the style being practised and demonstrated.


Hinata shone under the praises of the instructor, it was so different from the usual training methods she had received from her
father when she'd still been taught at home, before the loss to Hanabi and the subsequent teaching by Kurenai. She was only just
getting used to the praise that Naruto was now giving her, and that moments thought of him was all it took for her eyes to find
him in the crowd, for her to lock eyes with him and to realise that all of his attention was focused solely on her.
Her embarrassment returned under his gaze and she quickly averted her gaze downward, but it was already too late as she lost her
balance and fell to the ground. The shock of landing on her side reawakening the pain in her arse that she had managed to forget
about for most of the day.
No sooner had she opened her eyes from wincing in pain, a familiar hand was in front of her to help her up. She looked up into
the grinning face of Naruto, her blush of embarrassment going to one of shyness as she took his hand and got to her feet slowly.

"Wow, you were great Hinata-chan!" Naruto's free hand went behind his head out of instinct.

"N-Naruto-kun..." Hinata stammered as she embraced him. Having not seen Naruto since they parted by the Inn, she found herself
snuggling against his arm tightly as she said her goodbyes to the rest of the demonstration members and walked off through the
crowd. Her blush going an even deeper shade of red from the cheers and applause she received.

By the time they had moved out of the square, which was fast becoming busier as the day wore on and businesses closed, her hand
had travelled down his arm and her fingers had linked with his in a silent exchange of 'I love you'.
It wasn't until she saw the south-west gate of the village that she remembered why they had split up in the first place. She
stopped suddenly and tugged on his arm before looking up into his eyes and saying "Naruto-kun! I still have to do my shopping!"