Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Naruto, they belong to someone else.

"Tsunade-sama are you sure?" The once timid Hinata Hyuga asked as she stood before the desk of the Godamine hoping that by some miracle she had made a mistake.

The still beautiful blonde, but very old, Hokage sighed clasping her hands in her 'stressed' pose, elbows firm on the desk, "I'm sorry Hinata there's nothing I could do. You know as well as I that I was hoping that Naruto would succeed me."

"But Naruto has proven himself worthy time and time again! He would be the best choice for the job. What reason did the elders give for not considering him?" Hinata took in a deep breath trying to keep herself from becoming angry at the Hokage. Her problem now was not stuttering or acting shy, she had overcome those obstacles years ago when she became a part of Naruto's Jonin team. Only now, the blonde's attitude seemed to rub off and her and she had a problem with her temper, well only when someone offended Naruto.

"It appears that they do not like the fact that he has no family."

"WHAT! Hokage-sama you know as well as I do that the factor of his family cannot be helped, he thinks of the whole village as his family." She balled her hand into a fist realizing that she had just yelled at the Godamine. "I'm sorry for my conduct Hokage-sama."

The older woman didn't seem fazed in the lightest, instead she smirked. "I didn't mean his parentage Hinata, I mean that they are concerned about his inability to become more mellow. He is after all the ANBU Captain and always takes the riskiest of missions. This lifestyle doesn't prove that he can be responsible, it proves that he still cares more about battles."

"But Hokage-sama you know that he only does that so that he can prove himself worthy of one day becoming a Hokage." Life was truly not fair and if she wasn't in her right mind she'd go to talk to the elders personally and give them something to think about.

"Aa. I know this, as well as the elders, but you see they are willing to overlook this little factor if Naruto shows them that he can settle down." The Hokage reached over for her bottle of sake she had beside her on the desk. If Hinata didn't know any better she would say that she was smiling……and that meant she was walking into a trap.

"What do you mean settle down Hokage-sama?"

Yes the Hokage was definitely smiling now and she, the second in command of the ANBU squad was about to get ambushed. "Well you see Hinata-san, by settle down they mean get married."

The blood was slowly draining from her face and probably her entire body; they wanted him to get married? It was true that she stopped becoming tongue tied every time he came around, in fact they were very good friends after spending so much time together on missions. But he never showed any sign of attempting something else with her, or any other girl for that matter. Whenever Kiba teased him, telling him he'd be the oldest bachelor of Kohana he only laughed and told him his responsibility was to the people, not himself.

Finding her voice, she defended him once again, "Hokage-sama, Naruto has not shown any signs of settling down in that sense because he thought that his responsibility was to the people, he was not aware that this was going to hurt his chances of becoming Hokage."

"Aa, that baka, if only he had sought my counsel he could have avoided that little glitch. You see I thought for sure a past student of Jiraya would eventually show more interest in women." She waved her hand in the air as if removing the thoughts of the pervert from her like she would a fly. "The point is, the elders want him married and not just to anyone. You see Hinata," she took another drink from her bottle, wasn't she suppose to drink that from a cup like a lady? "If Naruto become the Hokage, and marries some hussy he picks up off the street, no one will respect him and this could cause the villagers to try to overthrow him in a way."

Hinata was beginning to think that her language was freer and her words more slurred, she did however catch the whole meaning of what she was trying to get across. "So you're saying that he would have the most support if he married into an older clan that could not be opposed."

If the devil smiled, she was sure that he would look just like Tsunade did at the moment. "Why yes, that exactly what I'm trying to say. So tell me Hinata-san do you know anyone that could help Naruto accomplish his mission?"

She was slightly shaking on the outside but she was trembling terribly on the inside, her breathing was become more difficult. "Does the Captain know about this already Tsunade-sam?" She didn't care if she was being a tad bit disrespectful; hell she was pissed and happy at the same time. The old blonde raised her right eyebrow.

"Hinata, for some strange reason I expected you to of reacted differently, tell me did I read you wrong? I was under the impression that you still loved that little baka." She took another long drink from her sake bottle, "So tell me did I read you wrong? If I did just say so and I personally will start a wife hunt for the bastard."

Hinata bowed her head, not giving her the chance to possibly read the emotions her eyes would portray. "Tsunade-sama, I gave up hope a long time ago that Naruto would look at me differently. I have never been anything more than a friend and a partner of his team. I tried giving up the feeling I thought were a crush but after knowing him as well as I do now after 10 years I can confidently say that I no longer 'crush' after him……….I love him."

She squeezed her eyes shut willing the tears back, it was one thing to be alone in your room thinking about your feelings, but it was completely different to be standing here in front of the Hokage pouring out her feelings.

"I love him," she said again her voice strong, "And if those bastard elders won't let him achieve his dream because he doesn't have a family then they are in for a surprise. I know the Captain, and I also know that there has never been an obstacle that he can't overcome, especially when it comes to his dream. And I'm not going to be an obstacle for him either; I want to help him achieve his dream."

To say that the Hokage was speechless was an understatement. She closed her mouth and smiled before reaching over to her trusty sake bottle and downing the rest of the contents. "You know Hinata, those 'bastard elders' also includes your father." She would have laughed at the shocked reaction of the woman before her but thought it better to just allow her the small victory of standing up to her father.

"I see that I was correct in assuming your feelings for Naruto and I see that you are willing to assist him. I will inform him the second he returns from the Sand Village. You are dismissed."

"Hai." She said before bowing and quickly walking out the door her legs carrying her felt like jello.

When the door closed the Hokage smiled before looking into the corner of her office. "That was dirty trick you pulled on her," he said stepping out of the shadows, still dressed in ANBU captain attire.

"It wasn't a trick you prick, I merely filled her in on why you weren't going to be the next Hokage, she was the one that offered herself for the position, although her dedication and loyalty to you astounds me."

The blonde man didn't seem to be paying attention to her anymore he was still watching the door she had just left through.

"But this does answer your question right? Naruto?"

He turned his piercing blue eyes back to her, "Hai."

"Alright then, out of my office you go and when you propose try not to make it sound like a mission briefing okay? Hinata maybe one of our best assassins but she's still a woman."

"Hai, alright already grandma geez." The once rambunctious young boy now man started walking towards the door. "It's not like I'm going to do it over Ramen or something."

The blonde behind the desk could only roll her eyes figuring that was the way he had originally thought of doing it, "Hey baka you do care about her right? Or did I just hand her over to the biggest teme in Kohana."

The man had already reached the door and looked back her smiling, "I love her." He said before opening the door and closing it behind him.

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clears throat OKAY a Naruto/Hinata story I wanted to throw out there. Hopefully this time I'll get a review! Come on just click that little button and tell me how much you like it OR hate it……please? For some odd reason I get much better review turnouts for my Inuyasha fics, perhaps I should just stick to those.