A simple head-canon I had involving a drunk (semi-drunk?—tipsy?) Hinata.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto nor am I affiliated with the series. The series belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, Studio Pierrot and VIZ Media. I don't work for those companies; I write for fun and for free.

Summary: People have said confidence is gained through inebriation.

Warnings: Modern AU. Heavy flirting. No sex; sexual implications. Underage drinking. Stuttering Hinata isn't present here. I've become accustomed to her speaking clearly, so I see no need to feature stuttering in my story.

Uninhibited

"Oh let go like alcohol!" – Beyoncé

It was early evening, around nine-ish when my girls and I were sitting in a local café sharing cappuccinos, sweets and gossip. We all have to study for final exams which take place at the end of next week. But none of us want to bother ourselves with the wearisome task of pursuing through textbooks and cramping our fingers with pencils and pens as we scribble notes to remember. So instead, we sagaciously decide to give schoolwork a backseat and focus on our nighttime respite. Besides it's only for one night. I highly doubt if any of us are going to fail our classes because we skipped out on one night of cramming.

Of course if Father were to find out I decided to forgo all studies to hang out tonight, he'll have my head. Father is paying my tuition so I can attend an extremely prestigious private school and more than anything, he's ingrained it in my brain from the time I was a freshman that he will not tolerate failure. And during my three years at Konoha Gakuen Den, I've never failed him.

And I have no intentions of starting now.

I, Hinata Hyuga, progeny of the Hyuga Corporation's CEO Hiashi Hyuga, am a straight-A student. I am also junior class president, member of the Gardening Club and next in line to inherit my father's company. I was groomed for success since I was born. And truthfully—I detest it. I'm only doing all of this to please Father. What I really want to be is a chef—a pastry chef to be precise. I have an affinity for sweets—cinnamon buns—with sweet bean jam spread on top, please? And I love to cook—bake. My dream is to open my own bakery and sell my homemade goodies to the public. I want everyone to enjoy indulging my handmade treats. If Father were to find out, he'll have my head. I'm seventeen-years-old and I'm afraid to stand up to my Father, and mostly everyone honestly. If you were to look up the definition of 'introvert' in the dictionary, I'm sure you'll find my picture next to the wording. So this little culinary reverie I have, I keep it to myself. Well my friends, who are here with me tonight, know about my surreptitious aspirations. Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka are great people, the best friends a girl like me could ever have.

And I, Hinata Hyuga, progeny of the Hyuga Corporation's CEO Hiashi Hyuga, am hopelessly infatuated with Konoha Gakuen Den's number one, hyperactive, unpredictable, troublemaking insurgent, Naruto Uzumaki. If Father were to find out I fantasized about all kinds of… things… involving me and the blond rebel, Father'll have his head.

My crush on Naruto sounds like the premise of a stereotypical, clichéd romantic comedy, or a poorly-written anime fan fic. Wealthy, reclusive, taciturn, virginal good-girl from the hills of Konoha desires to be with the insolvent, sociable, talkative, promiscuous, bad-boy from the slums.

Other people often chatter about how he managed to get accepted into a school as esteemed as Konoha Gakuen Den. Some say he threatened to kill principal Tsunade if she didn't allow him entry. Others say they had a long-going, sexual affair and she granted him admittance for pleasuring her. There were more asinine rumors surrounding Naruto's mysterious approval into the school, but I never paid the blabber any mind. I truly believe in my heart Naruto rightfully earned his spot at Konoha Gakuen Den. Deep inside something tells me he had to work day-in and day-out to get accepted into the school. Otherwise he wouldn't attend in the first place.

And that's what I admire most about Naruto Uzumaki—his determination, his indefatigable will to never give up no matter the odds. Last year during sophomore year he entered class on his first day and stood in front of the blackboard. Arms crossed, Naruto boasted in his arrogant, raspy voice he was going to beat-up everyone and become Konoha's new Yakuza leader. A part of me wanted to witness his dream—I suppose?—come true.

Hearing his proclamation made me fall for him. And slowly, one-by-one, Naruto defeated formidable opponents from our neighborhood and at our school.

After school a rival gang of misfits from a contiguous nearby school heard of Naruto's ambitions. Word spreads faster than lightning around here. They challenged Naruto to a fight, the leader of the group of four claimed he was going to become Konoha's next Yakuza leader and ordered Naruto to step down. Everyone gathered around outside the school's entrance gate to witness the inevitable slaughter—everyone assumed Naruto would lose—of my crush.

I silently cheered for Naruto to win.

Taking on the rival gang by himself, Naruto produced several yo-yos from his pocket and… well… let's just say the aspiring Yakuza leader wouldn't stand the chance of becoming one if he continued to suffer humiliating defeats from children's toys.

Naruto crushed them all with his yo-yos and I thought he looked really cool—and sexy.

The following weeks to come, Naruto bombastically challenged every adept fighter in our school, already broadcasting his victory over them. This was never heard of at our school and it threw the entire student body into chaos. But the blond rebel managed to pique more of my interest. And one-by-one he upheld his promise: he defeated every skilled fighter attending Konoha Gakuen Den.

Kiba Inuzuka, my best male friend, was the first to answer Naruto's challenge—and lost.

Followed by the upperclassman and soccer captain Rock Lee—he lost.

Choji Akimichi our champion sumo wrestler and Tenten, another upperclassman, our karate master (a black-belt) both faced Naruto's challenge to fight him head on—and they both lost.

Finally the only other opponent left was the best martial arts expert in our school, and my older cousin—brother? I refer to him as 'brother'. Our fathers are identical twins—Neji Hyuga the last upperclassman, and challenger Naruto faced.

This was a match one would've been foolish to have missed. Neji was known around Konoha for his fluid movements and proficient fighting skills. Neji was relentless in his matches, always spotting his opponent's weakness and using that to his advantage. He was the best martial arts student in the entire district—undefeated—never lost a single match in his entire martial arts career. It was considered suicide for Naruto—a street punk—to challenge my cousin head on.

I silently cheered for Naruto to win.

After a barrage of blows it seemed Naruto was down for the count, until everyone gasped in bewilderment when Neji collapsed on the floor and Naruto wiped blood from his chin, grinning in victory. My heart melted.

Please don't misunderstand, I was concerned for the well-being of my brother, nevertheless I really, wanted Naruto to win, and he did. I still remember the way my heart raced and my face flushed after his triumph. I wanted to muster the courage to congratulate Naruto and tell him how I felt then, but I couldn't—my nervousness halted my faux confidence. So I kept quiet about my feelings. Only Ino and Sakura know about my fascination with Naruto. And of course with Naruto defeating Neji, Naruto's reputation soared. He was constantly surrounded by a horde of fan-girls all vying for his attention. I'm not as naïve as people believe; I'm also fully aware there were times Naruto relented and enjoyed the desires of being a popular, handsome dissident. Unlike me, Naruto isn't a virgin.

Naruto radiates brightness, and sunshine, and warmth, and confidence, and sexiness, and… Okay, enough babbling.

And me?

I'm his polar opposite.

I suppose that's why I've been hopelessly smitten with Naruto for a little more than a year since he barraged into everyone's lives at school. He sparks something in me I never knew existed, or perhaps I did but I was too afraid to let it grow and develop. He makes me not only believe in him, but he gives me hope that all I have to do is believe in myself, work hard and even the impossible is achievable.

If only it were that simple.

Naruto would argue it is.

"I see you're sucking the icing from your fingers like you wanna suck on—Naruto!" Ino faced the direction of the entrance to wave Naruto and his friends over to our table so they could sit with us.

Sakura choked on her coffee until dribbles of dark liquid splattered from her nose and on the table. Undoubtedly she's laughing at Ino's crude joke at my expense. Nevertheless Ino's voice interrupts my thoughts of sophomore year and for that I'm grateful.

"Kiba! Sasuke! Hey! We're over here!" My boisterous, blonde friend continued to holler at the guys.

Throughout our java therapy, Ino believed it would be a stellar idea to invite Kiba, Sasuke and Naruto to our coffee date. I, of course, protested. Sakura acquiesced, only because of her own fondness of Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto's best friend. She had an ulterior motive to get closer to the enigmatic brunet. I surely alleged Sakura would side with me and disagree with Ino's idea of turning our night of playing hooky from studying into a double—triple?—date. But nope. Sakura wanted to get her manicured nails into Sasuke. Ino's already with Kiba, so that only left me and Naruto.

I'm not ready for this. This is happening much too suddenly for my comfort. And I immediately felt my temperature rise like the steam from a hot springs. My oversized sweater is stifling and unbearable and I resist the sudden urge to take it off, exposing my black tank top underneath. No bra to support my double-D breasts—Ino's idea. The revelation made me realize this triple date clearly wasn't a whimsical idea from my over-zealous friend. Ino had this night planned the moment she suggested Sakura and I take a break from our studies to get some coffee.

As my discomfort increases, my jeans become more constricting, I suppose it's because my thighs are involuntarily rubbing against the apex of my body. I can't help it. Naruto looks good—more than good—scrumptious in a simple oversized orange t-shirt, faded blue jeans, black sneakers and blond hair in disarray. He's wearing his famous grin that causes gooseflesh to prickle against my skin and my cheeks to flush pink. He's laughing at a joke Kiba told them as the testosterone trio make their way to our table.

And yes, to respond to Ino's remark, the cream cheese frosting I'm licking from my fingers after eating a delectable red velvet cake is exquisite.

The guys sit with us, not before Kiba and Ino unashamedly display their lewd affections for everyone to see. After adjusting to make room for them at our small, round table, I look around and mentally frown at the hackneyed sitting arrangements.

Of course Kiba is sitting next to Ino, Sasuke's sitting next to Sakura and Naruto's sitting next to me, casually leaned back against his chair with an arm languidly draped behind me, across the top of my chair. I sip my lukewarm water to soothe my dehydrated throat. It's really hot in this coffee shop! I look across the table and notice Kiba and Ino's smirks of satisfaction. So he was her partner in crime for this triple date? I surmise Kiba knows about my crush on Naruto. And I hypothesize Sasuke knows as well; he's always observant and extremely astute. This means there's a high chance Naruto also knows how I feel about him. They're guys and guys talk after all.

I frown at the couple over my cup; they grin responsively.

"So…" Kiba, my brown-haired, tattooed-faced best friend ignites the conversation. "There's a basement party later tonight if you girls wanna hang out with us."

Immediately I open my mouth to object because we all have school in the morning and the last thing we need to do is party until the wee hours of pre-dawn before class. Being lethargic in class after a night of carousing isn't wise. I'm worried our instructors would find out and—heaven forbid—alert my father of my uninspired behavior in the classroom because of my activities at the party. Father'll have my head.

Before I could voice my opinion, the object of my wet dreams spoke and his husky voice sends shivers down my spine. Is it possible to get aroused just from listening to your crush speak? I cross my legs instantaneously, hoping my new sitting position will soothe the ache in between them.

"Yeah sounds like a plan." Turning to face me, Naruto playfully grinned at me and asked, "What about you Hinata? Are you up for a night of drinking and partying?"

Oh yeah. He definitely knows about my fixation of him. And I don't know whether to be excited or apprehensive. I truly want Naruto and unlike his fan-girls, I truly want to get to know Naruto for who he is, and not because he's one of the most popular guys at our school. However, I am curious to find out how far he's willing to go with his knowledge of my infatuation.

I sip more water from my cup because I don't trust my voice, positive it'll croak if I attempt to speak. The last thing I want to do is hyperventilate and risk looking like an utter fool in front of the guy I admire. Instead I give Naruto a gentle nod of agreement. After all, how could I refuse him? I just hope I don't regret my decision tomorrow.

"Well, it's a date," cheerfully Sakura declared.

I'm high. And I love it.

I have no idea how I got here, but I'm not complaining. No one would believe me if I told them but here I am, the Hyuga Corporation's child for pristine innocence in a dimly-lit basement party with the heavy smoke-cloud obscuring Naruto's handsome, whiskered face. Even beneath the fog of marijuana that permeated the air, there's no masking the passion behind those cobalt eyes of his.

The bass was heavy from the speakers playing a rock-ballad. With each reverberation that pumped from the sound system, I felt Naruto's thick arousal grind deeper into my tummy. My arms are locked behind his head and I instinctively match each of his plunges with a push of my own hips.

I'm faded.

Naruto has me cornered—literally. My back's pressed against the corner of a far wall in the basement and his fingers are splayed against my jean-clad thigh. My sweater's long-forgotten somewhere amidst the throng of people and I'm too tipsy to care. I'm enamored with the feel of the basement's warm air caressing the exposed skin of my arms and upper chest.

I feel his lips kiss the sensitive flesh of my neck; his teeth nip the skin and tongue smoothing over the love bites. My body shivers and the junction of my thighs salivates with need. Involuntarily my thighs spread to receive more of his body's fanatical thrusts. I want Naruto—desperately. And the way his hardness continuously drives into my belly, and his mouth doing dangerous things to my neck, I know he wants me just as bad.

His hand snakes up my thigh to the side of my torso. My breath hitches in my throat when his fingers trace the outline of the collar of my tank top. So close, so dangerously close the tips of his fingers are from grazing the delicate skin of my cleavage. My nipples pucker against the cotton, craving to feel his touch.

My face flushes from the alcohol and in mortification, however I don't pull away. Instead to cool my body's rising heat, I sip more of my vodka-spiked punch from my red cup. I want this—I cannot allow fretfulness to ruin this moment between us.

Using his free hand Naruto threads his fingers in my shoulder-length, jet-black bob and clutches the smooth strands in his palm. He tilts my head back so our eyes meet. I swallow the building nervousness down my throat as his face stretches into the sexiest, malevolent grin I've ever seen.

More blood rushes to my face but I don't dare look away. I'm hypnotized by the spell he's casting on me with his blue gaze, locking me in his trance. Or am I drunk? I am uncertain. All I know is I cannot turn away. I do not want to turn away.

He leans close to my ear and I can feel his warm breath tickle the shell as he speaks softly into the canal. His raspy voice causes my nerves to tingle all over. "Let's go somewhere private."

Then I gasp; his wandering hand sinks its way inside my tank, pulling the collar down to release one of my breasts. The air on my visible breast causes my nipple to tighten immediately, the bud protruding outward towards my crush. He roughly grabs my flesh, groping my full breast. I try to stifle a moan through gritted teeth as his fingers mercilessly pinch and tweak my erect nipple. I flutter my eyes closed, relishing the unfamiliar, but divine feeling of Naruto's hand fondling my bare mound. The sensations he's invoking in me makes my toes curl against my sandals.

No guy has ever touched me before and this is nothing like the times I've indulged in the pleasure of touching myself. Naruto's rough, calloused fingers grazing the delicate, supple flesh of my breast causes my knees to weaken. I moan louder, thankful the blaring music is obliterating my lustful sounds from prying ears.

My body gives out but Naruto fully presses against me to keep me from falling forward. He's very hard and my panties are very wet. Soft, gentle moans seep from my lips and the erotic sounds of my voice causes my blond Adonis to grind against me steadier. He growls passionately in my ear, whispering the syllables of my name with each stab of his pelvis against my belly.

"Hi-na-ta."

Even with his invitation looming in the air above us, neither of us make a move to leave our private corner. We're both content to remain where we are, our bodies enjoying the feeling of moving against one other. The feeling of his erection and the softness of my tummy creating a sexual friction that rivals the sexual tension between us. I narrow my eyes as I look over his shoulder to see whose meddlesomely gawking at our makeshift, utopian paradise in our corner, but no one's paying attention to us.

Kiba and Ino have long since ventured off into whereabouts unknown. I notice Sakura and Sasuke standing together at the refreshment table by the door drinking beer and conversing. And everyone else is either dancing or making out. I'm thankful no one has noticed us. And surprisingly, a part of me wouldn't care if they did. That's how Naruto—along with the combination of alcohol—is making me feel: uninhibited, free and unapologetic. I relish in my new wave of carelessness as I finish off the rest of my drink, casually toss away my cup and bring Naruto's face down to my breast, pressing his mouth against my hardened nipple.

Eagerly Naruto submits to my silent command and hungrily feast from my breast.

He puckers his lips and clasps them around my nipple, nibbling his teeth against the bud and massaging it with his tongue. My fingers desperately clench the strands of his hair and my head tosses back against the wall. I hump my pelvis madly against his and push his face deeper into my generous flesh.

"Naruto," I whisper his name into the air, not sure if he's able to hear me over the loud music or not. But I don't care. "Yes. That feels so good."

His mouth suckles me faster, taking more of my fleshy breast past his lips. With each stroke of his tongue against my rigid peak, his hips drive into me passionately, violently and I squeak every time our bodies made contact. I want more; dry-humping Naruto isn't enough to satisfy me—it's only making me hornier and my underwear soak with my passion-fluid.

I'm acting purely on instinct now. My leg circles his hip, locking Naruto in place. Our eyes meet again and I'm giving just as good as I'm receiving. My lips separate and I moan his name repeatedly and he smiles against my breast, keeping the pacing of his forceful thrusts against my belly.

My body shudders and I close my eyes and rest my head against his hair. Rotating my hips, I grind as deep as I can to feel Naruto's hardness wedge between my thighs. I call out his name again, louder with each push, each shove of our bodies connecting as new, unfamiliar waves of sensations overwhelm me. My voice is muffled in his hair, but again I wouldn't care if anyone heard me. I'm with the man I desire most and I'm not ashamed of it. I'm proud that tonight, Naruto Uzumaki chose me and a part of me wanted to proclaim it, shout it out to everyone in attendance at the party tonight.

I'm close to climaxing; a few more thrusts and I'll fall over the edge and into coital oblivion. I want Naruto to come with me and I briefly wonder if he's close as well. And to my sheer horror, Naruto stops. He pulls his body away from mine and releases his lips from my aching breast.

He holds my body steady, resting his hands on my shoulders and I look up at him, red-faced and completely flushed from our activity. I have the immediate urge to adjust my tank top so my bare chest would be obscured from his eyes, but he beats me to it.

"Now," he speaks, voice husky with lust as he fondles my chest, trying his best to adjust my tank top over my curves. "How about we go somewhere private?" Giving my now-confined breasts one final squeeze and my nipples one last pull, Naruto takes my hand and leads me to the refreshment table.

I know my face mirrors the color of a tomato, but I trustingly follow behind Naruto, allowing myself to be pulled into his atmosphere. We briefly acknowledge Sakura and Sasuke and they both hand us a bottle of beer. I'm thankful because I need the cool beverage to assuage the fire in my loins. Naruto leads me outside the door, territory unknown and I'm excited and impatient to find out what happens next.

It was early morning, perhaps one or two o' clock. Together we sat in the backseat of Naruto's vehicle and I nestled comfortably against his left side, my head using his bare shoulder as a pillow. Empty beer bottles and opened condom wrappers littered the car's floor, evidence of our backseat tryst, along with the soreness in between my legs. Naruto caressed the stands of my hair as we both silently reflected on the events prior to this moment, enjoying the tranquility after our rendezvous.

I use his orange t-shirt as a makeshift blanket to cover my nudity and keep me warm from the early morning air entering the car from the cracked window. Naruto remained clad in his jeans with the zipper closed and the button unfastened. I looked down at his torso and traced the intricate tattoo surrounding his navel with my forefinger. I wonder what inspired the body art.

Listening to the palpitations of his heartbeat calmed me. Even with my head relaxing against his shoulder, I can feel the echoes of his pumping heart from my position. The alcohol I consumed all night has long since worn off. I'm sober and fully conscious of my actions. I'm not sure what will happen afterwards, but I'll never forget how he made me feel right at this moment. I have no regrets.

"Tonight was awesome, Hinata." Naruto broke our silence. "I had a great time."

Walking my fingers from his navel tattoo along his torso to smooth them over his pectorals, I respond. "So did I, Naruto. I never felt like this before. I'm so happy. Thank you, Naruto." The muscles in his chest twitch underneath my fingers and that only prompted me to massage them deeper.

True to his unpredictable nature, Naruto wasn't grateful I thanked him. As a matter of fact, his face remained stoic and unexpressive as he looked out the backseat window. If he never told me he enjoyed our time together, I would think he didn't care at all, that it would be just another random night and another random hook-up with another random fan-girl. A part of my chest ached at my thoughts but I buried them away in the deep recesses of my mind.

Underneath my wandering palm on his chest I feel his lungs expand when he inhaled deeply before exhaling. "What do you like about me, Hinata?"

Surprised at the unexpected question, I raise my head from his shoulder to curiously look at him, but Naruto never faces me. His blue eyes are focused on the scenery of the early morning from his car's window. However I know he's patiently waiting for my answer. It's evident my response to his question is very important to him, otherwise he wouldn't have asked it. Now I'm wondering if Naruto harbors any insecurities about himself. He always presents himself as confident—borderline arrogant so if he's unconfident it only intrigues me more about whom Naruto really is.

It doesn't take long to reply because I've felt nothing but the purest form of admiration for Naruto for more than a year. Speaking about my feelings to the man himself is easier than I initially thought. I'm not nervous, I'm not blushing nor am I twiddling my fingers in an uncomfortable gesture. I'm absolutely content, relaxed and ready to give my answer.

"I like you Naruto, because I feel you and I are a lot alike. I see bits of myself in you."

At my admission Naruto finally faces me and my heart jumps in my throat at the look of astonishment in his intense eyes. The rich diffident girl relating to a poor, obnoxious rebel? Clearly he wasn't expecting that answer and he cannot think of a retort to my words. So I continue, never wavering my gaze from his.

"What I mean is, I know you want acknowledgement from everyone which is why you are the way you are. Ever since you entered our school last year I've been smitten with you. I know people have said some cruel things about your being there, but I never ingested the negativity. Deep inside, I believe you worked hard to earn your spot at Konoha Gakuen Den.

"And this may sound trite, but when you told everyone last year how you wanted to beat the best to become the best, you set out to do it and did it. It—your actions inspired something in me to want to do the same. What I lack is the confidence to carry out my ambitions."

With a raise of his blond brow, Naruto quizzically looked at me and asked, "You lack confidence to carry out your ambitions? What does that mean? And how does that relate to me?"

I swallowed hard and kept going. There's no stopping now. "Because just like you, I also yearn for acknowledgement."

Naruto blinked in response, however I press on.

"Growing up privileged, many people believe my life is grandiose, like I'm spoiled and pampered but that's not true. Father's a famous CEO and I'm groomed to inherit his company when he retires. There's massive pressure to walk in his footsteps and continue to make the company flourish like Father and I don't think I'm able to. My family isn't the normal family. The Hyuga family is more systematic than loving, caring and understanding. We're not close because it's always tension in the household between us. I'm often looked down upon with disdain and contempt from Father, even when I'm doing my very best; it's never good enough for him.

"And I don't want to inherit the company. I want—" I feel my cheeks heat as a gentle blush coats them because now I suddenly become nervous with what I'm about to say. "I want… I want to be a baker. I want to open my own sweets shop and have people enjoy my treats. But I don't have the gall to tell Father I don't want the company. I want to live my own life and still have Father acknowledge me and be proud of me no matter my ambitions or aspirations. But I know he won't." I roll my eyes at the bitter truth about my Father because no matter what I do he's never pleased with me. He'll be less pleased if he discovers I don't want to have anything to do with the family company.

"So… whenever I see you," my finger traces the outline of Naruto's collarbone and my lavender eyes holds his gaze. "I see myself in you, or at least the person I would like to be. You're bold, daring, and confident and you're not afraid to achieve your dreams even if it means receiving ridicule and dislike from others. I think it takes a special kind of person to be that way. Witnessing these attributes in you only made me want to get to know you more. But I was afraid if I told you how I felt, you'd push me away. So I remained quiet."

My heart thrums wildly against my chest and I feel as though I ran an hour-long marathon race. My nervousness increases because for several moments Naruto's silent. I wish I knew what he was thinking to assuage my festering insecurities as the minutes ticked by during our silence.

Finally my heart rate returns to normal and my anxiety dissipates when I hear him speak. "Wow Hinata. No one's ever told me that before. I knew you had a crush on me, but I never knew you felt that passionately about me. I don't know what to say."

I rest my head on his left shoulder again and move my hand from his collarbone to his right shoulder because I don't know what to say, either. I massage the muscle underneath his flesh and close my eyes. Even if nothing flourishes between us after this night, I'll always have this moment ingrained in my memory. Again, I have no regrets.

"You're wrong, y'know?"

I opened my eyes when Naruto spoke, but my head remained nestled on his shoulder. I patiently waited for him to keep going.

"My adoptive father Iruka-sensei is the reason why I got into Konoha Gakuen Den."

I lift my head again to look at Naruto and he's staring at me with all seriousness. I'm shocked at this revelation because never would I have guessed Iruka-sensei, one of the instructors at Konoha Gakuen Den, is related to Naruto. News that vital would've caused an even greater uproar at our school.

I suppose I can list clairvoyant along with Naruto's other attributes because he pressed on like he read my mind.

"No one knows about our relationship except principal Tsunade, Sasuke and now, you."

My face brightens and I smile prettily because Naruto—my crush Naruto, trusted me with something so personal and private. I'll never betray him; I'll never reveal his secret to anyone. I'm honored he believes I'm someone worthy of sharing this information with.

"I got kicked out of many schools because of fighting. And Iruka managed to pull some strings with principal Tsunade to get me in Konoha Gakuen Den. And you were right Hinata," he looked down at me and grinned that playful, boyish grin I love so much.

Love? Did I just say 'love'?

"I only fought because I wanted to be acknowledged. I never knew my parents and I was raised in many orphanages until I was 12 when Iruka adopted me."

I feel my heart rate increase again and my breathing becomes heavy with each new reveal Naruto tells me. I never would've imagined someone as bright and cheerful as Naruto grew up so impoverished. I silently thank Iruka-sensei for saving Naruto because I don't want to think how he would've turned out if he remained in the poisonous orphanage system.

"So I did many stupid things for attention. And when I was transferred to Konoha Gakuen Den and I beat everyone, I finally got the recognition I desired. But it was empty. It became difficult to tell who was around me because they wanted to be around me, or who was around me because they enjoyed the attention that came with being with me. But you Hinata," his eyelids lowers and his gaze is now intimate and focused. I swallow thickly, mesmerized by the magical charm he's casting on me with just his cobalt eyes and I knew in that moment I was in love with Naruto Uzumaki.

I always pictured I would fall in love with a stereotypical good-guy and we would tell each other at the same time over a sunny picnic in the park. Cherry blossom trees would decorate the background and the pink petals would fall, flaring in the wind surrounding us. We'd share my homemade treats and plum wine, and declare our love for each other. Everything would be perfect and we'd end our picnic date with a kiss as sweet as my desserts.

Reality has an interesting way of diminishing one's hopes and dreams.

Instead I realize I'm in love with our school's bad-boy in the backseat of his car in the early AM. I lost my virginity in the most passionate, erotic, unromantic, drunken way possible. I'm completely naked and his shirt's wrapped around my body like a hair towel. I look down and see two empty beer bottles and two open condom wrappers on the floor. I swallow the giggles that want to escape my throat because I'm still mesmerized we did it.

Along with my realization that I'm hopelessly in love with Naruto, I also realize this night is perfect. I couldn't have conjured up a better scenario for the two of us. We displayed our attraction for one another as normal couples do, and secrets of our darkest insecurities were shared between the two of us. The reality defeats my fantasy by miles. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

"You're different." He continues. "I always thought you were gloomy, timid, shy and basically weird."

My lips flatten in a hard line and I cut my eyes in anger at him.

He chuckled softly and kept threading the stands of my hair before reassuring me with his next words. "But I like people like you." His face lowers to mine and my cheeks redden. I feel the dots of sweat along my hairline, but I maintain my composure and hold his gaze with my own. We've come so far already in a very short time, there's no sense of acting cowardly now.

"And I thank you for believing in me." Then he kisses me.

Naruto Uzumaki is kissing me!

I'm sharing my first kiss with Naruto Uzumaki!

He cups my chin and pulls my lips towards his and massages them with his own. I instantly soften underneath his touch and clutch the back of his head to deepen our kiss. My fingers grasp at the thick strands of his hair and I open my mouth slightly to moan at the blissful feeling of his lips on mine.

How ironic; I lose my virginity before engaging in my first kiss.

Naruto Uzumaki may not be what people consider ideal and faultless, but I don't care. He's perfect for me. Two different people from two different worlds with more in common than anyone would ever comprehend.

Tonight there were no declarations of love or even us being an official couple. But there's a mutual understanding between the two of us: we're the same. We're alike. Who knows what's going to happen when daylight emerges over the horizon? It doesn't matter: my father, school, people's perceptions, none of it exists. It's only us in our own would, and that's more than enough for me.

Naruto pushes me backward against the backseat and his shirt falls from my body, exposing myself to him again. His jaw slackens and he hastily digs in his jeans pocket, searching for another condom. I close my eyes and wait to feel him enter me again.

"Fuck!"

My eyes shoot open and I look up at him questioningly. "What's wrong?"

Punching the headrest on the passenger's seat, Naruto angrily growls out, "Dammit! I'm outta rubbers!"

I laugh heartily and circle my arms around his neck, pulling him on top of my body. His face rests comfortably in the valley of my breasts and he fondles and plays with one. "It's okay, Naruto. We'll do this again next time."

Lifting his head, he grins deviously at me and in that moment I realize what I just admitted. I feel my face flush and before I could explain what I meant, he interrupts me.

"Oh yeah. There'll definitely be a next time. Believe it."

We get dressed and discard our litter from earlier. As Naruto drives me home with one hand on the steering wheel and the other intertwined with my fingers, I truly believe we're inseparable. I believe we're already a couple. And I believe, from this point forward, everything's going to work out for the both of us.

It's truly amazing what a single night of freeing yourself can do.

My first Naruto high school fic! Yay me! Characterization isn't my strongest suit, so I hope I did Hinata justice. And writing in first-person is great practice. I always wanted her to loosen up, and what better way to do it than to get her inebriated!