A Growing Affection

Chapter 40: Coming of Age

Does anyone want me to actually publish this entire story?

It is like 170 chapters.

Naruto woke up, confused. He felt oddly rested, but at the same time totally out of place. The room was too bright, the smell was tantalizing yet not entirely familiar, and there was a strange crackling noise. He glanced over at the nightstand; half expecting it would not be there. But it was, and his little digital clock read 8:53. He sat bolt upright in bed. He had overslept by almost three hours. He could have sworn he had turned on his alarm. As he started to scramble out of bed, the odor clarified in his mind. Bacon?

"Good morning, Naruto. Happy birthday."

"Hinata?" Uzumaki's head whipped around so fast he almost got a crick in his neck. She was standing before the burner in his kitchenette, fully dressed and fully awake.

"I had hoped I would be able to wake you up," she sounded slightly disappointed. She moved the bacon from the skillet to the plate, and placed the plate on a tray he had not seen before. He presumed she had brought it with her.

"Hinata, what's going on?"

"Breakfast in bed," she said placing the tray over his lap, and then scooting in beside his legs. It held the half-pound of bacon she had fried, a dozen assorted donuts and pastries, and glasses of milk, orange juice, and apple juice.

"I'm not a very good cook," she said, looking over the meal, "But I thought it would be a good start to the day."

"No this is gremmmm," the last word was cut off as he jammed half of a cinnamon roll into his mouth. After choking down the confection, he picked up a couple of slices of bacon; juggling them back and forth between his hands until they were cool enough to eat. After quickly chewing through them, he took a swig of orange juice. Then he paused and put the cup down slowly.

"Wait, how did you get in here?" he asked suddenly, "And did you turn off my alarm?"

Hinata's hand froze on its way to the lemon danish, and she looked down at the sheet covering his knees

"Oh...I umm... thought you should sleep in for a change, and I wanted it to be a surprise, so I picked the lock and turned off your alarm," she answered, flustered, "I didn't think you would mind."

Naruto worriedly waved his hand in front of him, "It's fine. It's great. It's just a little forward for you Hinata."

She actually looked happy to hear that, and picked up the pastry.

"I didn't know you could pick locks," he commented as she took a bite, "That's pretty cool. Where'd you learn that?"

Hinata almost choked as her amazement, desire to answer, and manners warred within her mouth. After a tense moment, she swallowed the tart.

"Al... most all Chunin can pick simple locks," she said, trying to amend the statement as it left.

"Meaning everyone but me."

"No," she denied, "Lee never bother to learn, Tenten told me. And Shino doesn't pick locks; he just has his bugs open the lock. There might be others."

"Oh, I suppose that's not to bad then," he admitted, taking another slice of the pork, "But still... Ah never mind, not today, right?"

He smiled at her broadly, "So what's next, Hinata? Training?"

"No, no training today," she smiled coyly, "I was thinking we could get some exercise another way."

Hinata loosened her uniform, and began to pull it down over her left shoulder. The young man's eyes widened, and he leaned back as far as he could, not looking at her.